In which I'm that idiot swearing at the phone

You know how so many recorded phone messages start with that "Please listen to all options, as our menu has recently changed," even if the menu hasn't actually changed in the past year plus?

Well, the Pittsburgh VA is bucking that trend. In fact, they don't have a message like that, even though they DID change the menu this week. So after months of pressing 1, then 0 to get the switchboard to get Bruce's unit, I ended up swearing at the phone after getting the pharmacy voicemail box three times in a row. I did eventually calm down and listen to the new recording, but it was a bit annoying.

In which I lift heavy things, then put them down again. Repeatedly.

I know I mentioned somewhere that I'm lifting again. I'm using the protocol from New Rules of Lifting for Abs, because it meets my main criteria for a lifting program:

1. The words "for Women" are nowhere in the title and I'm not expected to use Barbie weights.
2. No one-muscle-group exercises (bicep curls, kickbacks, etc.) or crunches. Ain't nobody with two kids got time for that.
3. Includes all the major types of lift: squat, deadlift, horizontal pull, horizontal push, vertical pull, vertical push
4. Every lift has a big ab/stability component, which I desperately need.
5. Ab-specific exercises come after the warm-up but before lifting, which makes so much sense I can't even believe most people don't do it this way.
6. Multi-phasic (three phases) and repeatable. There's no reason not to finish phase three and go right back to phase 1 again with (presumably) heavier weight than the previous time through. Each phase is six to eight weeks long and alternates between two different workouts, which for me is a good balance between having enough routine that I know my form is where it needs to be, and not getting bored doing the same thing every time. (Except for deadlifts. I could deadlift every single day.)

So far I've been very happy with the program. I'm doing phase one through the end of the month. Each phase has two workouts, A and B, which one alternates, lifting three times a week.

I'm still finding my weight for a few exercises, most notable the Romanian deadlift. I'm increasing by ten pounds each time; I started with just the bar (45lbs.) and am up to 85lbs as of Friday. Wednesday I'll go for 95. I think the limiting factor on this will be my grip or my right shoulder, not my legs.

I don't feel like there's any point to recording weights until I've worked up to my best on every exercise, but I plan on posting my ending weights for this phase when I move on to the next.