Welcome to Tom Gibney's Blog!

Hi, I'm Tom Gibney, South Central Sales Associate!

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  Welcome to Tom Gibney’s blog!  When I was first asked to begin a blog, I thought ‘Nope, that’s not for me. I’m probably the last person that should begin a blog!’  Don’t believe me?  Well, I’ve taken the liberty of creating a list of reasons why I should NOT be a blogger. See below:

1. I didn’t even really know what a blog was until I was asked to do this.
   
2. I don’t read any blogs, so I have no idea what was expected of me.
   
3. Everything I say doesn’t even remotely resemble political correctness.
   
4. I’m the guy that always says what people are thinking, but are afraid to say it out loud.
   
5. I’m the person that always takes every conversation to the next level, and either gets a riot-filled laugh or the response ‘okay, you just took that too far!’
   
6. I’m wordy as you’ll see by the length of this introductory blog.

Based on the aforementioned reasons, I’m certain that my blog will not be officially endorsed by the higher ups at DSI/ITI, but I’m putting it out there anyway.  Hope you enjoy!

How about a quick background on me?  I’m a 27 year old redhead born and raised in Altoona, Pennsylvania.  You know what they say...’What happens in Altoona, stays in Altoona!’ (Why did I have to happen in Altoona?)  I grew up the shy kid that was the teacher’s pet in school and was afraid to talk to girls. I didn’t really come out of my shell until after college at Saint Francis University.  With the person I am today however, and a time machine, I would’ve definitely been the ‘cool kid’ and class clown if I was granted a do over in high school!

Sports are LIFE to me! I have pretty much played every sport growing up and still play baseball in a city league and enjoying the laid back atmosphere of Sunday Softball.  Then counter that in with the intensity of playing flag football, some pick up basketball games with the guys from work and some youth baseball coaching on the side and that’s pretty much what’s on my eHarmony page! 

I’m quite the workout enthusiast and exercise seven days a week, usually twice a day from Monday through Friday and strive for a perfect blend of weight and cardio-based training. Many ask me, ‘Why the heck do you push yourself so hard?  Seriously dude, you need to get a life!’  I tend to think that’s just something people that don’t workout say just to make themselves feel better about NOT exercising!  However, they do have a point!  Why do I do it?  I mean, do you think the IOC will ever award an Olympic gold medal for the ‘Best Exerciser’ in the world?  Maybe I could be the Michael Phelps of treadmill running?  Doubtful!  I can hop on the treadmill and knock out five miles like its nothing, but to be completely honest, I SUCK at it!

Allow me to set up a normal treadmill running adventure for you!  I’ll be listening to my running tunes on my iPod (Fall Out Boy for some reason) while trying to keep up reading the warp-speed subtitles on ESPN at the gym. Sounds just like any other sweaty dude at the gym, right?  However, I become so engrossed in SportsCenter, Mike & Mike, or Pardon the Interruption that I’m swaying back and forth on the belt of the treadmill like I just stumbled out of the bar after a whiskey night!

Have you ever stepped off the belt of the treadmill when you’re really pushing it at a speed of 9 or higher?  The treadmill and the rubber sole of your Nikes combine to make a loud, high-pitch squeaking noise similar to that of stepping on a dog’s tail (and not one of those big masculine dogs, more like one of those yippy punt pass and kick dogs). Everyone else doing cardio at the time instantly look at you as if they were on some ‘Synchronized Not Minding Their Own Business Team!’  You know what’s more embarrassing than that?  Doing it like three or four times during the course of my 40-minute run!  I’m learning though, as I now just stare at the wall to avoid such comments after I get done running (like the 80-yr old Grandma saying ‘first time running huh?’)  My advice:  If you ever pull my stepping on a yippy dogs tail treadmill stunt, just look over at the old guy walking on the treadmill next to you with his shirt pulled up over his Santa Claus belly and shake your head...old people are easy to push the blame on! 

Based on the fact that I work closely with corrections officers and officials, I think my blog can be relevant to those folks that work within the crazy world of jails and prisons (especially those that actually work within the jail.)  As we all know, inmates have nothing but TIME on their hands...and possibly some blood (hence the incarceration.)  Therefore, if inmates are using their time to do push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, cardio and curling garbage bags full of water (since weights are often prohibited to keep the inmate from being able to overpower the correctional officers), shouldn’t the corrections staff be concerned about all aspects of physical fitness as well?  I know if I were surrounded by inmates all day and knowing they were always scheming against the administration, I would sure want to know that I could protect myself!

Hopefully this blog will speak to you and hope that my general fitness tips and the various workouts that work for me (and ones I’ve heard about) will keep those on the RIGHT side of the bars SAFE and will spawn discussions on what may or may not have worked for you!

Please Note: This will be the longest blog I will ever post...I may submit this blog as my thesis if I head to Grad School!