One of my favourite episodes of the TV show 30 Rock features a cameo by Buzz Aldrin and is called “The Moms.” In it, Liz Lemon seeks out the man that her mother could have married before meeting her father. That man turns out to be second-guy-on-the-moon, Buzz Aldrin and through a disappointing encounter with him Liz learns that her expectations for the perfect man might be a little out of whack.
When they finally meet face-to-face the exchange makes for one of the greatest scenes of any sitcom ever:
Liz: Excuse me, Dr. Aldrin. I’m sorry, there wasn’t a door, so I just…
Buzz Aldrin: I don’t believe in barriers, because I always break them. You must be Liz.
Eventually leading to…
Buzz Aldrin: Look, you know what your mother missed? Years of drinking, depression, cheating. I flipped over a Saab in the San Fernando Valley. Once I woke up in the Air and Space Museum with a revolver in the waistband of my jean shorts.
Liz: Oh my God. But you’re…
Buzz: A human being…
Liz: The moms were right. There’s no such thing as astronaut Mike Dexter. What am I doing?
Buzz: I’m sorry if I’ve disappointed you. Would you like to yell at the moon with Buzz Aldrin?
Liz: Yes, please.
Buzz, to the moon: I own you!
Liz: You dumb moon!
Buzz: I walked on your face!
Liz: Don’t you know it’s day?! Idiot!
The reason I have chosen to share this with you in my first post on a health blog is because, obviously, I have stolen the idea of yelling at the moon for my title. Yelling at the Moon embodies three things to me:
First and foremost, it’s weird and silly and fun. Through my writing on this site I aim to expose any readers to new ideas in health and fitness that might at first seem completely nuts but ultimately lead to a more enjoyable and (hopefully) longer life. I also hope to share the things I learn in a way that is at least halfway entertaining. So there’s that.
Second, yelling at the moon is what Buzz does after he has conquered it. He doesn’t believe in barriers, because he’s always breaking them. I feel like that is one of the keys to a healthy life. Feeling invincible and like there is nothing you can’t accomplish. I firmly believe that one of the biggest barriers to good health is a person’s own mind (myself included). Another goal of this blog is to help me overcome my own mental shortcomings and break through the barriers I face in my own life, physical and otherwise.
Lastly, as Liz learns from the fictionalized and profoundly flawed Buzz, nobody is perfect. Human beings make mistakes. We eat things that are bad for us. We don’t exercise as much as we should. We post things on blogs that we believe to be true, only to be berated by fact-checking readers. The important thing is to accept that we will screw up from time to time and keep shooting for something to be proud of.
In this blog I will talk about my own health and what I am doing to improve it. That is something I have always tried to do in my life, now I am just choosing to share the details with whoever cares to read about them. I also plan to talk about interesting things I read and learn, even if they don’t apply to me personally. I will review books and gear and workout plans that I try out on myself. Above all, I will try to keep my posts light and fun and brief.
So welcome friends, family, and fitness-freaks. Join me as I put my body to the test. Feel free to leave ideas, impressions, and suggestions in the comment sections. I hope you enjoy the ride.
Cheers,
Steve
Yelling at the Moon 