# Bulldog's Birthday Workout



## Bill Gates (25 Feb 2020)

Today I am 71 years old, and I’m feeling in a very good mood. I am a new man. I have become a Dharma practitioner.

You are not going to believe this but straight after my last post on the forum around 5.00 pm Wednesday 12th February I received a telephone call from the Head “Trapa” of a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in Nagqu. His said his name was Damchoe, and he wanted to reward me for publicising Himalayan Salt on the forum. Apparently his Grandfather is the major shareholder in a company that is doing the mining bit of it on the slopes of Mount Everest, and as the business had picked up lately he wanted to invite me to come and stay at his monastery free of charge.

His English was immaculate. In his youth he had been a football apprentice at the Millwall FC Academy but failed to make the grade. So he had turned to Buddhism, which a lot of them do I’m told. As he had anticipated a positive answer from me, he had already dispatched Ari Cripps (named after a Millwall FC legend, and a mate of his from the Millwall FC days), to pick me up in his taxi, and take me to the airport and get the next flight out to Kathmandu. How could I possibly refuse this honourable Trapa.

He had sensed my pain on the forum, and as pain was right up his street, he invited me to be an honorary student of Buddhism for a few days to chill me out. He said that I should adopt a different name other than my own for the duration of the visit, and if it was OK with me he would use the name of Bulldog.

To cut a long story short I went, I studied, and I have come back a different person. It’s a tough course, you see Buddhism has these 4 truths:
This is Pain.

This is the origin of Pain.

This is the cessation of Pain.

This is the path leading to the cessation of Pain.

So basically there’s a lot of pain. No pain No gain (heh heh). The Five Tibetan rites are not as easy as they look either, and it’s fair to say I’m not as flexible as I used to be. My joints are a bit stiff these days. However I passed the course and as mark of respect he presented me with a gong, a model Buddha (from the souvenir shop), and a T shirt upon which is emblazoned a symbolic graphic representation of my new Buddhist identity. A Bulldog.

On coming back to England I found that in my absence I’d been banned from the forum. However with my new found inner peace I calmly thought that the ban was no more no less than I deserved, so it didn’t really affect me. A bit like getting suspended from playing football whilst you’re recovering from an injury. Same as makes no difference.

Anyway I would like to share this video with you which I have made for my Grandchildren. Firstly it’s intended to be a bit of fun and secondly, it’s something they can remember me by when the Grim Reaper eventually takes me away. I’m a living example of how no matter what the establishment rules and guidelines may say, you should have an open mind and follow your instincts regarding a healthy life style.

Anyway I digress. Here’s me at 71, wearing my new T shirt, and banging my own gong; doing what I hope to be able to do for many more years yet.
Shanti Shanti Shanti


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y03N5vo2F3A


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3knVUkRaUU


----------



## fossyant (25 Feb 2020)

Is your mate a Prince from Nigeria with loads of cash he want's to launder through Himalayan salt stocks ? Or have you been on the shandy ?


----------



## classic33 (25 Feb 2020)

_"The basis of Buddhism is a doctrine known as the Four Noble Truths. 
*The First Truth *is that suffering, pain, and misery exist in life. 
*The Second Truth* is that this suffering is caused by selfish craving and personal desire. 
*The Third Truth* is that this selfish craving can be overcome. 
*The Fourth Truth* is that the way to overcome this misery is through the *Eightfold Path*."_


----------



## Ming the Merciless (25 Feb 2020)

Just how much did you drink?


----------



## fossyant (25 Feb 2020)

Oh heck, the video has just arrived.  Your neighbours must love you. You tube sensation !


----------



## Bill Gates (25 Feb 2020)

Totally sober. I've got a bet with Mrs Bulldog, which I will share with you guys tomorrow. So far I'm winning.


----------



## Milkfloat (25 Feb 2020)

I think your grand kids will be appalled



by the use or portrait rather than landscape to record the videos.


----------



## classic33 (25 Feb 2020)

Why's this in Health?


----------



## ColinJ (25 Feb 2020)

Milkfloat said:


> I think your grand kids will be appalled
> 
> 
> 
> by the use or portrait rather than landscape to record the videos.


I think it would be the other way round - they would be appalled if landscape were used! Nearly everybody these days seems to record videos (and take photos) in portrait mode using their phones. They are extremely reluctant to use landscape mode even when it is pointed out to them that portrait looks awful on landscape screens such as laptops and TVs, whereas phones and tablets can easily be rotated to landscape for viewing.


----------



## Bill Gates (25 Feb 2020)

Milkfloat said:


> I think your grand kids will be appalled
> 
> 
> 
> by the use or portrait rather than landscape to record the videos.


Tried to do landscape but the set up wouldn't allow for it to work re getting everything in shot with the porch as the centre piece re pull ups etc. New at this taking videos game so all a bit hit and miss. Overall quite happy though.


----------



## vickster (25 Feb 2020)

classic33 said:


> Why's this in Health?


Where on earth should it be? Circular floor based filing cabinet (or the virtual version thereof)?


----------



## classic33 (25 Feb 2020)

vickster said:


> Where on earth should it be? Circular floor based filing cabinet (or the virtual version thereof)?


Cafe - General Chat!


----------



## vickster (25 Feb 2020)

classic33 said:


> Cafe - General


Yep the bin then


----------



## ColinJ (25 Feb 2020)

@Bill Gates - I think your attempts at doing a shuffle dance are not bad for a 71 year old beginner, but there are plenty of tutorial videos (shot in landscape!) available to show you how to do it properly. For example:



After a few weeks practice, you could really be wowing them in the clubs!


----------



## Bill Gates (25 Feb 2020)

ColinJ said:


> @Bill Gates - I think your attempts at doing a shuffle dance are not bad for a 71 year old beginner, but there are plenty of tutorial videos (shot in landscape!) available to show you how to do it properly. For example:
> 
> 
> 
> After a few weeks practice, you could really be wowing them in the clubs!



Alan Walker. I taught him everything he knows. He likes to be called Bull shuffler these days. And he knows you. He said that you made John Sergeant look like John Travolta.


----------



## ColinJ (25 Feb 2020)

Er, Alan did the music...  

I reckon the straight leg raises in the 2nd video are a bit of a strain on the lower back. I would do them with bent knees! The rest of the exercises look quite handy though. That bird twittering in the background is incredibly relaxing - all I can hear from my house is traffic noise, or the wind in the nearby trees!


----------



## Bill Gates (26 Feb 2020)

You miserable lot !! 

No one wished me Happy Birthday. Which was of course the bet I had with Mrs. Bulldog. I won but then I'm used to winning.


----------



## Milkfloat (26 Feb 2020)

Bill Gates said:


> You miserable lot !!
> 
> No on wished me Happy Birthday. Which was of course the bet I had with Mrs. Bulldog. I won but then I'm used to winning.


To be fair you did not explicitly say it was your birthday, after all you are going to be 71 for a year, if you are lucky.


----------



## Bill Gates (26 Feb 2020)

Milkfloat said:


> To be fair you did not explicitly say it was your birthday, after all you are going to be 71 for a year, if you are lucky.


I thought the giveaway clue might have been the title of the thread.

"Bulldog's Birthday Workout"

Maybe it was a bit too subtle.


----------



## Milkfloat (26 Feb 2020)

Bill Gates said:


> I thought the giveaway clue might have been the title of the thread.
> 
> "Bulldog's Birthday Workout"
> 
> Maybe it was a bit too subtle.


It certainly was far too subtle for me! Happy belated birthday .


----------



## fossyant (26 Feb 2020)

Belated Happy birthday. I didn't even get a happy birthday off my SIL for my 50th (nor even a card), never mind random strangers off t-internet.

My other SIL was weeks late with my card, and still has a present for me - it was almost 2 months ago. So you aren't doing too bad.

Apparently typing happy birthday to me on Facebook, when I don't even have an account, is OK.


----------



## Bill Gates (26 Feb 2020)

Milkfloat said:


> It certainly was far too subtle for me! Happy belated birthday .


Thank you for the good wishes.
To be fair I thought that the significance of the day was going to be swamped by the bizarre story line. And this proved to be the case.


----------



## Bill Gates (26 Feb 2020)

fossyant said:


> Belated Happy birthday. I didn't even get a happy birthday off my SIL for my 50th (nor even a card), never mind random strangers off t-internet.
> 
> My other SIL was weeks late with my card, and still has a present for me - it was almost 2 months ago. So you aren't doing too bad.
> 
> Apparently typing happy birthday to me on Facebook, when I don't even have an account, is OK.


Thank you very much and I enjoyed reading your experience .


----------



## fossyant (26 Feb 2020)

Bill Gates said:


> Thank you very much and I enjoyed reading your experience .



We're expecting you to be earning a few million next week as the next internet star !


----------



## Bill Gates (26 Feb 2020)

fossyant said:


> We're expecting you to be earning a few million next week as the next internet star !


funny you should say that. my trapa mates grandfather. you know the one with the shares in himalyan salt mining. well his company "Salt of the Earth" are interested in placing an ad on the YouTube video of me doing the 5 Tibetan rites. another company called Andes Peppercorns" might also be interested but I think that's a wind up.


----------



## Bill Gates (27 Feb 2020)

ColinJ said:


> Er, Alan did the music...
> 
> I reckon the straight leg raises in the 2nd video are a bit of a strain on the lower back. I would do them with bent knees! The rest of the exercises look quite handy though. That bird twittering in the background is incredibly relaxing - all I can hear from my house is traffic noise, or the wind in the nearby trees!


I know what you're saying. I am doing the straight leg raises with my knees slightly bent and not locked out straight if you look closely. Also hanging from the slings avoids any lower back strain, as the body is stretching out. Slow Spiderman press ups are very tough. I can do 30 quickly but barely 10 at that speed.


----------



## Drago (27 Feb 2020)

Happy Birthday Bill. I'm 51 today!

We share our birthday with Elizabeth Taylor.

Its leg day for me, so weighted calf raises and a few sets on the leg press and curl machine in the conservatory, I mean, the gym.


----------



## Bill Gates (27 Feb 2020)

Drago said:


> Happy Birthday Bill. I'm 51 today!
> 
> We share our birthday with Elizabeth Taylor.
> 
> Its leg day for me, so weighted calf raises and a few sets on the leg press and curl machine in the conservatory, I mean, the gym.


Happy Birthday mate.


----------



## Drago (27 Feb 2020)

And you too, Sir!


----------

