Perhaps the BEST B1G Forum anywhere, here at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

I'm trying pretty hard to stay in shape, or get back into shape, once you let yourself go and put on some years, it seems impossible without draconian measures.

I went over to the tennis practice court today and threw against the wall for half an hour, worked up quite a good sweat, and then ran a few sprints coming back.  Well, they are sprints for me anyway.  I'm thinking I should work my way back to running 5k three times a week, it's a slow 5k, but that's some energy.

I hit the gym on alternate days, nothing major, but some lighter weights going hither and yon, better than nothing.  And I type a lot.  I've about finished my next book.

@betarhoalphadelta @Cincydawg 

I moved fitness talk to "other news". 

wouldn't mind a separate fitness thread to be honest. None of us are getting younger.

Terminal 4 at LAX sucks. Food choices are horrible. I can't imagine 4 hours in that hell hole.

I know LAX was expanding, or building more "stuff" back in the day.  I prefer to avoid it when possible, though we fly through on Delta at times and it's "OK".  I don't now about American.  The cruise line put us on that flight.  In the back.  I was able to upgrade us a bit anyway.

Did you at least get the premium economy?

More leg room, free booze.

ya'll signed up for this punishment

Yeah, we're good on Delta, but nothing else.  But they don't free upgrade on transocean flights that I've seen even if seats are open.  I thought the cruise line would book us on Delta most of the time, but it's been only one out of three so far.

West Jet is the worst airline I've flown in ages, I was shocked how bad they were compared with anyone else.

To finish up my short time in Rome, I visited a few more Catholic Cathedrals – or more specifically, Basilicas (Rome officially has 4).

The impressively ornate detailing covering every inch inside the Cathedrals is more than a fancy sight – it’s an immersive experience. In 2024. I’m glad to say so because that’s been the church's intention since the ancient origins of its more monumental structures.

To think that so long ago these Cathedrals like these were likely the only man-made sights where the senses could be so impressed; the Church’s intention for such opulence was to expose its followers to God as an awe-inspiring presence. Similar to the Shepherd’s transcendent experience on the night of Christ’s birth: “An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified… Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’”

Keep in mind a supernatural experience like this would’ve been infinitely more impressive to the ancient mind unexposed to today’s addictive entertainment and media distractions of radio, film, television, video games, and internet social media. For which we continually consume, disrupting the quieter mind needed to be exposed to and moved by spiritual experiences and its affinities.

Opposition isn’t religion’s primary threat; faith strengthens against opposition. Rather, it is the increasing immersion of our advancing distractions – CGI, iPhones, video games, social media, AI(?) – that will consume and crowd out our minds for a faith beyond itself.