The Weekly Word!

Good Morning!

What I've Been Thinking About...
The 1800s. To me, this may be the wildest period of time in American history. During this century, we have all sorts of major issues going on throughout our land. As Americans attempt to spread civilization from "sea to shining sea" (Atlantic to Pacific), they do so in a way that does not take into consideration those who inhabit the lands. They soon become well aware of what they refer to as the "Indian problem". To combat the issue, things got very hostile on both sides. Settlers lived in fear of a raid which and the government response to this is downright wicked with groups like the Texas Rangers formed to literally hunt and destroy the Indian way of life. As a result of this nonsense, hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children (both Native and non-Native) die during the mission to move westward. If that is not enough, there are the gold rushes, The Wild West, the land grabs, and an influx of immigrants that are searching for a new way of life. But wait, there is more!

While all this is going on, there is political unrest on the Eastern side of the country. Slavery, John Browns raid on Harper's Ferry, the Civil War, the assassination of Lincoln, and the list goes on. It truly was a crazy time to be alive and I am only starting to scratch the surface. 

What I've Been Reading
Path Lit by Lightning: The Life of Jim Thorpe by David Maraniss

I am in a rabbit hole and like written above, it runs very deep! The topic that has grabbed my attention is that of the American Indian. Since the start of the year, I have listened to Empire of the Summer Moon and Custer Died for Your Sins. I have also read a book titled Killing Crazy Horse, listened to a podcast about the 1973 Standoff at Wounded Knee, and now, I am diving into this book on the great athlete Jim Thorpe. 

Side note: Marisa and I watched Killers of the Flower Moon on Friday night. The book is incredible, the movie not so much. Save your time (3.5 hours) and money and watch something else!

Health Tip of the Week
Pavel Tsatsouline is the man often credited with bringing the kettlebell to American gyms and training programs. He is a man that has incredible insight and introduced me to the concept of "greasing the groove". This idea can be summarized best by thinking about a door hinge. If the door is rarely opened, the hinge might get a little stiff. It might creak a bit and eventually, it could get rusty and start to break down. This hinge is every joint in your body. If you do not move them, you will become the door hinge. Your body will stiffen, creak and eventually, break down. 

So my guidance is this: a little bit of movement often is better than doing a lot of movement rarely. Having a daily practice of movement will allow those joints of yours to be "greased" and ready for action, whatever that action may be. 

What I've Been Working On...

• Blog: When I look at an ancient structure like the Parthenon, it blows my mind that large portions of it are still standing today. You see the foundation with its wonderful pillars still holding strong after all these years and it makes you appreciate those who designed and built it. They created something that could withstand anything life through its way. Wouldn't it be great if we could do that too? Well, in regards to our health, I think we can! Click here to learn the four areas we should focus on: http://www.chrisfluck.net/blog
• Chris & Friends Podcast: I have been tinkering with a few ideas for the podcast and finally made a decision on the format. Here it is: contact all of my awesome friends and see if they want to come on and chat. Here is the first episode with my number one friend and other half, Marisa! To watch, click here:  EP1 Proactive Wellness with Marisa Mangiameli!

Quote of the Week
"Our children are only as brilliant as we allow them to be" -- Eric Micha-el Leventhal

I hope you all have an awesome week!Chris Fluck