Why? An essay by Thunder John

August 26, 2011
169,875 pushups completed
830,125 pushups to go
4,760 pushups ahead of schedule.

August... back when I was a teacher 1995-98, we called August "the longest Sunday".  It looks like Thunder John has taken an August vacation from updating his blog.  Well now I'm back and it's time to clear the air.  There's a few things I need to get off my chest. 

Let's get something straight:  I'm not doing this blog for the money. 

I'm not in it for the glory.

I'm not in it for the extra airport patdowns. 

I'm not in it for the extra chicken drumstick I just got in my KFC order. 

I'm not in it for the attentions of every blog savvy cougar in the western suburbs. 

I'm not even in it for my own health. 

Not for the love of a woman, a man, butcher, baker or candlestick maker. 

I'm not in it to prevent the trademark "hairy guitar" thirtysomething body type that has plagued my bloodline lo these many years

I'm not in it for the benjamins. 

I am not in it to win it. 

I am not doing this to get back at my "rolling stone" father nor my alcoholic mother*. 

I am not doing this to prove something to myself. 

I am not doing this to prove something to someone else. 

I am not doing this for the attention. 

Nor, based on the # of website hits, am I doing this to be left alone. 

I fear no man.  I fear no dog.  I fear no evil.  I fear several women, but I've come a long way since high school.  Still, I am not doing this out of fear.

So... why am I doing this?  I'll answer that question:  Why Not?

You say, "how could it help:?  I say, "how could it hurt"? (ignoring all risk of rotatur cuff injury)

It's better to be doing  something... than to be doing nothing. 

A shark has to keep moving forward or else it dies.  It is important to keep moving forward, experiencing new things.  I've never done a million of anything.  Since Wilt Chamberlain proved the upper limit on some other pursuits is about 20,000 over the course of 40 years, I decided to do 1,000,000 pushups in 10 years.  A reasonable goal.  It seemed doable.  So, game on. 

Reach for your dreams people!  Thunder John has left the building! 

Peace!

Thunder John
"Bringin the pushups, packin' the pain, loaded the pushups - makin' it rain!"

* - my mother is not a drinker and my father was not a rolling stone. I never said they were. I said I am NOT in it for that reason.  By the same logic, I sometimes call Molly my "first wife" or "roommate".  Both true statements.  My lady, inexplicably, is not amused.  I've said it before and I'll say it again:  women are a labyrinth my friend. 

p.s: 
Bluto: Kroger, your Delta Tau Chi name is Pinto.
Pinto: Why "Pinto"?
Bluto: [belches] Why not?

p.p.s - If you found this blog posting inspirational, feel free to join Team Thunder John.  Help me to help bring mosquito netting to Africa.  Through the power of pushups we can help eradicate malaria deaths in Africa's children
http://www.globalproblems-globalsolutions.org/site/TR/Events/NBN?pg=team&fr_id=1040&team_id=4730