Can it be? Only 11 days left? I can't wait. As I've said on numerous occasions, these posts, while a good exercise in writing (and hopefully reading), are a chore. I keep putting off posting on a daily basis and then write a few days posts at once. While it fulfills the letter of the contract, that's not what I had intended.
I mentioned to M that mornings have become pleasurable and that I appreciate the change in her morning attitude. Part of it is due to her wanting to get to school early to get a tall chair (not a "high" chair, mind you -- those are for babies), but I think part of it is also her maturity level. Of course, there's still a way to on that front, but every little improvement helps. Of course, changing my attitude has helped as well, so maybe we're feeding off each other.
I hit the gym after work today and am still enjoying the resistance strap workout I've been doing since the beginning of the year. I need to get into the gym when Tammy's there to have my measurements taken again to see what's changed since January 4th (when my yearly baseline was taken). I'm sure the body fat percentage has decreased, but my weight has pretty much stayed the same (well, maybe it's dropped a little bit). Regardless, I'm seeing an increase in arm size, as well as an increase in core strength. Today, for instance, I upped the reps for all the exercises to 20 (vs. 15 in the previous weeks) -- even on the push ups I do at the very end!
No book reading tonight as M was late getting her clarinet practice done and she got to bed late. Oh well, we're in no rush...or should I say they don't seem to be in any rush!
Showing posts with label gym. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gym. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Day 348 - 02/04/2008
Mundane Monday:
Chicken tortilla soup for lunch;
Hit the gym after work;
Picked up M and Claire from art on the way home;
Played guitar after dinner of leftover white chili;
Read Treasure Island and put the kids to bed;
Took out the trash; and
Watched Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles.
Chicken tortilla soup for lunch;
Hit the gym after work;
Picked up M and Claire from art on the way home;
Played guitar after dinner of leftover white chili;
Read Treasure Island and put the kids to bed;
Took out the trash; and
Watched Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Day 338 - 01/24/2008
M had art tonight (vs. Monday due to the MLK holiday) so I picked her up on the way home from the gym. She really seems to be enjoying it, although we never really thought she wouldn't seeing as she loves drawing. Tonight they did shading with black and white. They'll start working on shading with color next week. The instructor mentioned that M is doing very well and she's quite impressed with her skill set. Apparently M's school provides a lot more art instruction than the local public school does. I guess that's one benefit of sending her to parochial school.
I had to hurry out the door to the gym and tossed on my fleece. It was a little tight for me, but I figured it was just because D had washed it recently. When I took it off later on, I checked out the label to see what the care instructions were. I looked at the size tag after seeing the recommended washing/drying instructions indicate nothing out of the ordinary. I was shocked when it read: Y 14/16! WTF? I could've sworn I bought an adult medium.
Going off on a tangent, have you noticed how clothes are getting larger while the tags are getting smaller? I don't mean the physical properties of the tag, but the article itself. I have a few shirts in my closet that are Large, yet they're billowing on me. Five years ago, these would be labeled XL, but now they're L. I guess it's just another sign that we as a society are getting fatter. Hey, why not call a spade a spade and label the shirt XXL vs.XL. Or would that hurt their fragile self-esteem?
Anyway, I finally figured out what happened to the fleece: When Doug and Nancy were up a few weeks back, Micheal took my fleece and I took his. Case closed. Now I just need to swap them before his (mine) gets shipped off to St. Vincent's.
We dropped the car off...again. This time it's should be fixed for good. As I said the other day, the wheel bearing needs to be replaced. It shouldn't take that long, but with the satellite guy coming tomorrow morning, we went ahead and dropped it off tonight and will pick it up tomorrow afternoon.
I had to hurry out the door to the gym and tossed on my fleece. It was a little tight for me, but I figured it was just because D had washed it recently. When I took it off later on, I checked out the label to see what the care instructions were. I looked at the size tag after seeing the recommended washing/drying instructions indicate nothing out of the ordinary. I was shocked when it read: Y 14/16! WTF? I could've sworn I bought an adult medium.
Going off on a tangent, have you noticed how clothes are getting larger while the tags are getting smaller? I don't mean the physical properties of the tag, but the article itself. I have a few shirts in my closet that are Large, yet they're billowing on me. Five years ago, these would be labeled XL, but now they're L. I guess it's just another sign that we as a society are getting fatter. Hey, why not call a spade a spade and label the shirt XXL vs.XL. Or would that hurt their fragile self-esteem?
Anyway, I finally figured out what happened to the fleece: When Doug and Nancy were up a few weeks back, Micheal took my fleece and I took his. Case closed. Now I just need to swap them before his (mine) gets shipped off to St. Vincent's.
We dropped the car off...again. This time it's should be fixed for good. As I said the other day, the wheel bearing needs to be replaced. It shouldn't take that long, but with the satellite guy coming tomorrow morning, we went ahead and dropped it off tonight and will pick it up tomorrow afternoon.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Day 336 - 01/22/2008
Since I didn't go yesterday, I went to the gym today. As it turns out, the gym was closed yesterday so it all worked out fine.
I found out from Tammy (the gym manager) that the whack-job was let go last week. I can now return to working out after work without being in fear of the nuttiness. Not that I was surprised, but I wasn't the only one who had issues with her. I was but one in a sea of people who had issues with her. the thing about it though, was that she wasn't fired or relieved of duty or anything. She just didn't show up for work one day. No phone call, no nothing. Oh well, no skin off my back. Like I said, now I can go back to my regular workout schedule.
I also got my prize for the Holiday Meltdown: an exercise ball and a jump rope. Just what I need...more stuff to clutter up the basement. Oh well, I'm sure the kids will enjoy the jump rope. I was hoping for a fleece the gym was selling last month, but I guess I'll have to settle for the swag I got.
I found out from Tammy (the gym manager) that the whack-job was let go last week. I can now return to working out after work without being in fear of the nuttiness. Not that I was surprised, but I wasn't the only one who had issues with her. I was but one in a sea of people who had issues with her. the thing about it though, was that she wasn't fired or relieved of duty or anything. She just didn't show up for work one day. No phone call, no nothing. Oh well, no skin off my back. Like I said, now I can go back to my regular workout schedule.
I also got my prize for the Holiday Meltdown: an exercise ball and a jump rope. Just what I need...more stuff to clutter up the basement. Oh well, I'm sure the kids will enjoy the jump rope. I was hoping for a fleece the gym was selling last month, but I guess I'll have to settle for the swag I got.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Day 330 - 01/16/2008
Another day at the gym and another day avoiding the afternoon whack-job. I went during lunch today and found out I came in first place in the Holiday Meltdown contest. I'll get my prize on Tuesday. (Actually, I tied for first with two other people; one person came in second.) I'm not sure how that was determined -- whether it was based on reaching the goal, exceeding the goal, working out the requisite number of times, etc. -- but I'll take the prize none-the-less. I'm hoping it's a fleece that they've been selling. I could use another one to give my black one a rest every once in a while.
I had a talk with M about setting goals and how to successfully reach them. She's been upset lately about some things I won't share, but she seemed to grasp the reaching for a goal concept. She even made a goal and associated it with a deadline, which is a must if you want to successfully reach your goal. That being said, the one thing I didn't tell her about were milestones. I'll have to be sure to do so as setting a goal makes no sense if you don't have intermediate goals to use as a measure of success. I mean, if you can't tell whether you're reaching your goal, how can you tell whether you need to alter your plan?
This took longer than I had expected and by the time she was ready for bed, it was 8p. I wanted to start reading Treasure Island tonight, but after getting halfway through the first page, I closed the book. Neither of them were listening that well and I didn't have the patience to try and compete with their toys. I should have listened to D when she told me it was too late to start the book. Oh well, maybe tomorrow.
So, with them in bed, I hit the sack myself. Not to sleep though, to read my book (Rising Tide). I've not been good about getting daily reading in and I really want to get onto The Historian. It's a fictional work that I've read good things about and, after reading the jacket, want to start it even more. I'm pretty sure I'll whip through that pretty quickly. Although I prefer reading non-fiction, when I do read fiction, the pages just fly by. I'm not sure whether it's due to me wanting to process the non-fiction information and relate it to the real world (especially Rising Tide and how the flooding following after Katrina might have been averted had a different decision been made 100+ years ago) or whether reading fiction is just easier. Regardless, every now and again I need a vacation and a good story provides that escape.
I quickly grew tired of reading and was under the covers by 930p and soon out like a light.
I had a talk with M about setting goals and how to successfully reach them. She's been upset lately about some things I won't share, but she seemed to grasp the reaching for a goal concept. She even made a goal and associated it with a deadline, which is a must if you want to successfully reach your goal. That being said, the one thing I didn't tell her about were milestones. I'll have to be sure to do so as setting a goal makes no sense if you don't have intermediate goals to use as a measure of success. I mean, if you can't tell whether you're reaching your goal, how can you tell whether you need to alter your plan?
This took longer than I had expected and by the time she was ready for bed, it was 8p. I wanted to start reading Treasure Island tonight, but after getting halfway through the first page, I closed the book. Neither of them were listening that well and I didn't have the patience to try and compete with their toys. I should have listened to D when she told me it was too late to start the book. Oh well, maybe tomorrow.
So, with them in bed, I hit the sack myself. Not to sleep though, to read my book (Rising Tide). I've not been good about getting daily reading in and I really want to get onto The Historian. It's a fictional work that I've read good things about and, after reading the jacket, want to start it even more. I'm pretty sure I'll whip through that pretty quickly. Although I prefer reading non-fiction, when I do read fiction, the pages just fly by. I'm not sure whether it's due to me wanting to process the non-fiction information and relate it to the real world (especially Rising Tide and how the flooding following after Katrina might have been averted had a different decision been made 100+ years ago) or whether reading fiction is just easier. Regardless, every now and again I need a vacation and a good story provides that escape.
I quickly grew tired of reading and was under the covers by 930p and soon out like a light.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Day 328 - 01/14/2008
After Friday's experience at the gym, I decided to hit it over lunch instead of risking getting stuck talking to Keri again. Although I shouldn't have been, I was somewhat surprised to hear the manager talking to other members about her. Apparently I'm not the only one who feels like she's a whack job. Hopefully she'll be gone soon, otherwise I'll change my schedule permanently.
Other than that, my workout was good. It's been a couple of weeks now since I started using the TRX system and so far I'm happy with it. It provides me with a lot more of a core workout than just lifting did. But what I really like about it is that it gives me a total workout in about 25 minutes, leaving me with the time to get in 30 minutes of cardio in the same amount of time as lifting weights did.
After the gym, I swung by the bank to deposit some checks. It took about 10 minutes and when the transaction was finished, I understood why: she printed a deposit slip for me. Apparently, if there are more than five checks, a deposit slip is required. Of course, when I was there before to make a deposit and asked for a deposit slip (for the kids to fill out as I was hoping to teach them the value of saving), I was told they weren't needed as long as the account number was on the back of the check. Well, which is it? Are they required or aren't they? I tell you, more and more I think about changing banks. The only thing keeping me there is the history I've had with them (15+ years) and the hassle of changing all my direct deposit information.
D and I watched the second part of T:SCC (Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles) tonight. She gave up after a while and went up to bed (partly because she was tired and partly because she grew tired of the actress playing Sarah Connor). I'm on the fence right now, but I think the one who plays the cyborg sent to protect John Connor does a pretty good job.
Other than that, my workout was good. It's been a couple of weeks now since I started using the TRX system and so far I'm happy with it. It provides me with a lot more of a core workout than just lifting did. But what I really like about it is that it gives me a total workout in about 25 minutes, leaving me with the time to get in 30 minutes of cardio in the same amount of time as lifting weights did.
After the gym, I swung by the bank to deposit some checks. It took about 10 minutes and when the transaction was finished, I understood why: she printed a deposit slip for me. Apparently, if there are more than five checks, a deposit slip is required. Of course, when I was there before to make a deposit and asked for a deposit slip (for the kids to fill out as I was hoping to teach them the value of saving), I was told they weren't needed as long as the account number was on the back of the check. Well, which is it? Are they required or aren't they? I tell you, more and more I think about changing banks. The only thing keeping me there is the history I've had with them (15+ years) and the hassle of changing all my direct deposit information.
D and I watched the second part of T:SCC (Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles) tonight. She gave up after a while and went up to bed (partly because she was tired and partly because she grew tired of the actress playing Sarah Connor). I'm on the fence right now, but I think the one who plays the cyborg sent to protect John Connor does a pretty good job.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Day 325 - 01/11/2008
Work was a scramble...with family friends coming over for dinner and my desire to get to the gym, I wanted to leave work at 230p. However, migration issues popped up, almost causing me to have to stay late. Fortunately I was able to get them resolved (at 220p), so I was able to leave work on schedule.
When I arrived at the gym, I saw a new employee overseeing the place. She looked vaguely familiar, but not instantly recognizable. As I signed in, she said "Hi, M!" and I responded with a hello, are you new here, welcome aboard, etc., before heading into the gym for a workout. As I was riding the bike, I kept trying to figure out who she was, until it finally dawned on me she looked like one of D's roommates from college.
She came out of the office a couple of times and asked me how everything was and the more I saw her, the more I thought it was her. She (D's roommate) was younger than me by a couple of years and this woman looked older by a few years. Well, maybe she's lived a hard life I thought to myself, trying to remember whether she led a partying lifestyle in college (of course she did...who didn't?).
On the way out of the gym, I stopped in to sign out and struck up a conversation with her. It went something like this:
"Did you ever go to Mason?" I asked her.
"No, but I dated a guy who went there," she responded. "He's dead now."
"Oh, sorry to hear that" I said and explained the reasoning behind the question.
"I did go to McLean High School though." she offered.
I told her that my cousins went there and told her their names.
"I know them!" she said, "I just spoke with Michelle on classmates.com the other day! So you were their little brother then?"
"No, they're my cousins."
"Oh."
Pause.
"You probably know my brothers and sisters," she said, before rattling off their names.
"No, I went to Lake Braddock."
"Oh, do you know the O'Connells? They went to Langley."
"I went to Lake Braddock."
"Oh."
I've got to get out of here I thought. What have I gotten myself into? As I was turning to go out the door, she shared with me that she...
"...used to work in real estate, but since the market slowdown, I decided to go into property management. How long have you worked here?"
"About 12 years."
"Wow, that's a long time. So you worked for the company before they were bought?"
"Yep."
"Which property do you manage?"
Huh?
"I don't," I told her and explained who I worked for.
"My brother-in-law works for them in Falls Church. Do you think you could get him a job out here?"
"He can check out the openings online."
"So, do you have any kids?"
At this point, I really wanted to just say "see ya" but for some reason I was fixed to the spot.
"Two. One of each."
"Oh, can I see them?" she asked, putting her hand out.
"I don't carry pictures of them with me. My wallets in the car anyway."
"So do you live around here?"
"I live nearby," I told her, not wanting to answer more than I needed to.
"I'm babysitting for my sister tonight, she has two kids." As she shared this, she held up four fingers, quickly putting one of them down so only three remained. "They're angels."
"Alright, well, enjoy that gig, I've got to run to pick up dinner." I told her and left before responding. As I was heading out the door, she stood up and put her hand out before pulling it back in.
"Sorry, she said, I would shake your hand, but it's covered with Cheetos debris. I guess I'll see you next time you come in. When do you work out?"
"Monday, Wednesday and Friday." I told her, trying to figure out why I told her that the second the words had left my mouth.
"See you then!"
I fled. I got into my car and got out of there as fast as possible, expecting to see her come out of the gym and follow me or something. I think I'll have to rearrange my workout schedule so I workout at lunch (or in the morning) from now on. I really have no desire to interact with that whack job unnecessarily.
Fortunately normalcy was just around the corner at home. When I got there, Doug, Nancy and Michael had already arrived, along with Pat and Larry (Larry served in the Air Force with Dough back in the '60s, Pat is his wife), their daughter Janet, son-in-law Mike and their two kids Taylor and Garrett. Garret's a musical prodigy and can pretty much teach himself whatever song he hears two or three times. After hearing him play for a while, we ate dinner (I got Willard's on the way home), before heading back into the family room for some more playing. I'm not sure why, but N brought my guitar up for me to play. I guess I should be happy that he thinks my playing is on par with Garrett's (who's pretty darn good!).
I played the few songs that I know and flubbed a few times as well. Afterwards, I got some feedback from Garrett on the intro and outro for a song and was quite embarrassed when he told me what it was. I couldn't believe how simple it was!
After they left and the kids were in bed, I sought out a couple new songs to learn and hit the basement to play guitar until the wee hours of the morning. D went to bed as she was beat after subbing today and then hosting, so she didn't get to hear me learn the strum pattern for "Bad Moon Rising" (which some might say is a good thing).
When I arrived at the gym, I saw a new employee overseeing the place. She looked vaguely familiar, but not instantly recognizable. As I signed in, she said "Hi, M!" and I responded with a hello, are you new here, welcome aboard, etc., before heading into the gym for a workout. As I was riding the bike, I kept trying to figure out who she was, until it finally dawned on me she looked like one of D's roommates from college.
She came out of the office a couple of times and asked me how everything was and the more I saw her, the more I thought it was her. She (D's roommate) was younger than me by a couple of years and this woman looked older by a few years. Well, maybe she's lived a hard life I thought to myself, trying to remember whether she led a partying lifestyle in college (of course she did...who didn't?).
On the way out of the gym, I stopped in to sign out and struck up a conversation with her. It went something like this:
"Did you ever go to Mason?" I asked her.
"No, but I dated a guy who went there," she responded. "He's dead now."
"Oh, sorry to hear that" I said and explained the reasoning behind the question.
"I did go to McLean High School though." she offered.
I told her that my cousins went there and told her their names.
"I know them!" she said, "I just spoke with Michelle on classmates.com the other day! So you were their little brother then?"
"No, they're my cousins."
"Oh."
Pause.
"You probably know my brothers and sisters," she said, before rattling off their names.
"No, I went to Lake Braddock."
"Oh, do you know the O'Connells? They went to Langley."
"I went to Lake Braddock."
"Oh."
I've got to get out of here I thought. What have I gotten myself into? As I was turning to go out the door, she shared with me that she...
"...used to work in real estate, but since the market slowdown, I decided to go into property management. How long have you worked here?"
"About 12 years."
"Wow, that's a long time. So you worked for the company before they were bought?"
"Yep."
"Which property do you manage?"
Huh?
"I don't," I told her and explained who I worked for.
"My brother-in-law works for them in Falls Church. Do you think you could get him a job out here?"
"He can check out the openings online."
"So, do you have any kids?"
At this point, I really wanted to just say "see ya" but for some reason I was fixed to the spot.
"Two. One of each."
"Oh, can I see them?" she asked, putting her hand out.
"I don't carry pictures of them with me. My wallets in the car anyway."
"So do you live around here?"
"I live nearby," I told her, not wanting to answer more than I needed to.
"I'm babysitting for my sister tonight, she has two kids." As she shared this, she held up four fingers, quickly putting one of them down so only three remained. "They're angels."
"Alright, well, enjoy that gig, I've got to run to pick up dinner." I told her and left before responding. As I was heading out the door, she stood up and put her hand out before pulling it back in.
"Sorry, she said, I would shake your hand, but it's covered with Cheetos debris. I guess I'll see you next time you come in. When do you work out?"
"Monday, Wednesday and Friday." I told her, trying to figure out why I told her that the second the words had left my mouth.
"See you then!"
I fled. I got into my car and got out of there as fast as possible, expecting to see her come out of the gym and follow me or something. I think I'll have to rearrange my workout schedule so I workout at lunch (or in the morning) from now on. I really have no desire to interact with that whack job unnecessarily.
Fortunately normalcy was just around the corner at home. When I got there, Doug, Nancy and Michael had already arrived, along with Pat and Larry (Larry served in the Air Force with Dough back in the '60s, Pat is his wife), their daughter Janet, son-in-law Mike and their two kids Taylor and Garrett. Garret's a musical prodigy and can pretty much teach himself whatever song he hears two or three times. After hearing him play for a while, we ate dinner (I got Willard's on the way home), before heading back into the family room for some more playing. I'm not sure why, but N brought my guitar up for me to play. I guess I should be happy that he thinks my playing is on par with Garrett's (who's pretty darn good!).
I played the few songs that I know and flubbed a few times as well. Afterwards, I got some feedback from Garrett on the intro and outro for a song and was quite embarrassed when he told me what it was. I couldn't believe how simple it was!
After they left and the kids were in bed, I sought out a couple new songs to learn and hit the basement to play guitar until the wee hours of the morning. D went to bed as she was beat after subbing today and then hosting, so she didn't get to hear me learn the strum pattern for "Bad Moon Rising" (which some might say is a good thing).
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Day 323 - 01/09/2008
I hit the gym again today and am still working out with the TRX suspension strap. While I enjoy working out with it, I need to learn to breath better as my head feels like it's going to pop at times.
N and I went for a run tonight (up to the corner and back). He seems to be excited about the prospect of doing track this spring (vs. baseball). If only M would share his enthusiasm. She ended up staying home after throwing a fit because D and I told her to do something.
It's amazing the difference in their personalities and how they react when asked to do something. M acts like she's been asked to clean up the world, whereas N does it and moves on (although sometimes he can be as difficult as M can, those times are few and far between). Based on this, I've become more of a "nature vs. nurture" believer. Sure, we can help the kids do their best and try to steer them down the right path in life, making the right choices (or, when they make a bad choice, help them recognize that and learn to correct it), but in the end, they are who they are.
I can recall a conversation I had with a colleague of mine once. We were talking about our childhoods and all the things we did that would have gotten us into trouble had we been caught. At some point in the conversation, I told him that even while I was doing those things, I knew deep down inside that I was a good egg and, at some point in time, those good intentions would take over. He sat there listening to me ramble on and when I was done he just nodded his head and agreed: he felt the same way.
But what caused the changes? Was our environment? Our drive to succeed? What was it that caused me to go from a troubled kid to a successful member of society? And who's to say I'm a success? What is the yardstick for success? Is it owning a home? Having a steady job? Going on vacation once a year? Who made these measurements up and why were positive things used?
I really don't know.
N and I went for a run tonight (up to the corner and back). He seems to be excited about the prospect of doing track this spring (vs. baseball). If only M would share his enthusiasm. She ended up staying home after throwing a fit because D and I told her to do something.
It's amazing the difference in their personalities and how they react when asked to do something. M acts like she's been asked to clean up the world, whereas N does it and moves on (although sometimes he can be as difficult as M can, those times are few and far between). Based on this, I've become more of a "nature vs. nurture" believer. Sure, we can help the kids do their best and try to steer them down the right path in life, making the right choices (or, when they make a bad choice, help them recognize that and learn to correct it), but in the end, they are who they are.
I can recall a conversation I had with a colleague of mine once. We were talking about our childhoods and all the things we did that would have gotten us into trouble had we been caught. At some point in the conversation, I told him that even while I was doing those things, I knew deep down inside that I was a good egg and, at some point in time, those good intentions would take over. He sat there listening to me ramble on and when I was done he just nodded his head and agreed: he felt the same way.
But what caused the changes? Was our environment? Our drive to succeed? What was it that caused me to go from a troubled kid to a successful member of society? And who's to say I'm a success? What is the yardstick for success? Is it owning a home? Having a steady job? Going on vacation once a year? Who made these measurements up and why were positive things used?
I really don't know.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Day 318 - 01/04/2008
Today was the last day of the Holiday Meltdown at the gym. When the contest started, I weighed in at 184 with 21.5% body fat. As of this morning, I was 179.5 with 20% body fat. My goal was to lose 3-4 pounds over the past six weeks (averaging ½ pound per week or so), something I didn't think would be too difficult on a regular basis. Over the holidays though, with all those sweets, calorie laden beverages and stuff yourself until you pop dinners, I didn't think I'd lose that much. Of course, the 184 could have been on the heavy side for the day and the 179.5 might have been on the low end for the day, so maybe it wasn't a full 4.5 pounds loss. Regardless, I'm happy with the results and am looking forward to continuing my workouts into the new year. Of course, the new year also means there are new members to contend with. The gym isn't that big to begin with, so every new member that's added means more contention for the various machines.
A new "machine" was added over the past few weeks, but today was the first time I used it. Tammy (the manager) has been trying to get members to try it out since she got it, but it wasn't until today that I did. This machine actually isn't a machine, but simply a strap with handles for your hands (which you also use for your feet). The exercises don't do anything other than work your entire body with a series of resistance exercises. After performing 9 of the 12 exercises outlined in the exercise sheet, I was spent. (I didn't do the first three as they were leg specific and I didn't feel like putting too much pressure on the knees.) It'll take a few weeks of this to see if it will replace the weights, but if since I felt sore in places I didn't used to after working out, maybe there's something to it.
Later on, I checked out how much it would cost to get the strap for home use (I figure I'm paying $360 per year for the gym, why not get this machine for home use and save!). I was somewhat shocked to see it being offered for upwards to $200 (for basically a set of straps you could buy at Lowe's). I guess the R&D budget needs to get funded somehow. I'll pass for now (or look on e-Bay at some point in the future).
Upon arriving home, the kids and I worked on Lego into the early evening. We started building everything a few days ago when N found the instructions to the ambulance. We had everything except for one piece, so I figured we'd just keep building until we found the piece. Well, three days later we still haven't found the piece we're missing. Smokey has a penchant for eating Lego pieces, so that's where I'll place the blame right now. (Of course, with the kids and how well they keep track of their items, you never know where you might find it!)
A new "machine" was added over the past few weeks, but today was the first time I used it. Tammy (the manager) has been trying to get members to try it out since she got it, but it wasn't until today that I did. This machine actually isn't a machine, but simply a strap with handles for your hands (which you also use for your feet). The exercises don't do anything other than work your entire body with a series of resistance exercises. After performing 9 of the 12 exercises outlined in the exercise sheet, I was spent. (I didn't do the first three as they were leg specific and I didn't feel like putting too much pressure on the knees.) It'll take a few weeks of this to see if it will replace the weights, but if since I felt sore in places I didn't used to after working out, maybe there's something to it.
Later on, I checked out how much it would cost to get the strap for home use (I figure I'm paying $360 per year for the gym, why not get this machine for home use and save!). I was somewhat shocked to see it being offered for upwards to $200 (for basically a set of straps you could buy at Lowe's). I guess the R&D budget needs to get funded somehow. I'll pass for now (or look on e-Bay at some point in the future).
Upon arriving home, the kids and I worked on Lego into the early evening. We started building everything a few days ago when N found the instructions to the ambulance. We had everything except for one piece, so I figured we'd just keep building until we found the piece. Well, three days later we still haven't found the piece we're missing. Smokey has a penchant for eating Lego pieces, so that's where I'll place the blame right now. (Of course, with the kids and how well they keep track of their items, you never know where you might find it!)
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Day 316 - 01/02/2008
Well, the party's over, I headed back to work after being off for the past week and a half and the kids headed back to school after being off for almost two weeks. Whoops! My bad, they're off today as well. They go back tomorrow. D gets one more day of quality, house-bound time with the kids before sending them back to school.
With the kids not in school, I came into work early so I could hit the gym after work and still get home at a reasonable hour. It's the last week of the Holiday Meltdown at my gym and I've been pretty religious about getting in my 3 workouts per week (except for those weeks where the gym has been closed, then it's only been 2 workouts per week). While I'm not seeing the results I was hoping for, I didn't gain anything since Thanksgiving, so that's a plus. Hopefully I'll see a decrease in percentage of body fat come Friday.
N found some Lego instructions for his ambulance this afternoon, so after dinner we hit the basement to put it together. Now that the basement is somewhat organized, we're more likely to hang out down there. I still need to figure out what to do with Grandpa Pete's desk, but other than that, the space is usable.
After putting the kids to bed, I was back in the basement to watch the Fiesta Bowl where OU took on West Virginia. Hoping it'd be a game like last year's (Boise State vs. OU), I was somewhat disappointed. While it wasn't a bad game, it wasn't great either. I turned it off and hit the sack around 11p.
With the kids not in school, I came into work early so I could hit the gym after work and still get home at a reasonable hour. It's the last week of the Holiday Meltdown at my gym and I've been pretty religious about getting in my 3 workouts per week (except for those weeks where the gym has been closed, then it's only been 2 workouts per week). While I'm not seeing the results I was hoping for, I didn't gain anything since Thanksgiving, so that's a plus. Hopefully I'll see a decrease in percentage of body fat come Friday.
N found some Lego instructions for his ambulance this afternoon, so after dinner we hit the basement to put it together. Now that the basement is somewhat organized, we're more likely to hang out down there. I still need to figure out what to do with Grandpa Pete's desk, but other than that, the space is usable.
After putting the kids to bed, I was back in the basement to watch the Fiesta Bowl where OU took on West Virginia. Hoping it'd be a game like last year's (Boise State vs. OU), I was somewhat disappointed. While it wasn't a bad game, it wasn't great either. I turned it off and hit the sack around 11p.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Day 304 - 12/21/2007
I'm really looking forward to an early night in. After being out late the past three nights and having more than my share to drink, I'm reaching the end of my candle.
That being said, I left work early to go to "happy afternoon" with a few colleagues from work (because an hour is just not enough). (Of course, I also went in late and hit the gym during lunch, so it wasn't that productive of a day.) We made plans a while ago to get together someplace other than The Bungalow and just enjoy each other's company one last time before we all went our separate ways before Christmas. About 10 of us made it and 3 hours later I finally left.
I surprised the kids with the cartoon version of Robin Hood and nearly fell asleep to it. The kids seemed to enjoy it a little more than the live version, although N kept hiding under the blanket during what he termed were the "scary" parts. (There were no scary parts, but I'm guessing he thought they were scary from what he remembered from the live version.)
That being said, I left work early to go to "happy afternoon" with a few colleagues from work (because an hour is just not enough). (Of course, I also went in late and hit the gym during lunch, so it wasn't that productive of a day.) We made plans a while ago to get together someplace other than The Bungalow and just enjoy each other's company one last time before we all went our separate ways before Christmas. About 10 of us made it and 3 hours later I finally left.
I surprised the kids with the cartoon version of Robin Hood and nearly fell asleep to it. The kids seemed to enjoy it a little more than the live version, although N kept hiding under the blanket during what he termed were the "scary" parts. (There were no scary parts, but I'm guessing he thought they were scary from what he remembered from the live version.)
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Day 302 - 12/19/2007
With everyone in town for Nina and Vince's wedding and for Mom's birthday (and since they're leaving before Christmas), D and I decided to host a Christmas get-together at our house so that the out-of-towners can have a "family" Christmas (you know, vs. having to give everyone their gifts and then let them open them on Christmas by themselves).
As is often the case, I served brats, sauerkraut and potato salad. With everything going on this week I didn't want to do anything fancy.
I ended up working from home today (well, for a couple of hours anyway) as D had PT and N was home sick again. I called it quits late in the morning when I started prepping for dinner. Even though I was home, I still hit the gym to get in a workout towards the holiday meltdown program. I'll be happy when January 4th comes around so that I won't have to hit the gym three days a week anymore. Sure, I'd love it if I could, but two days is plenty for me.
Anyway, while I was prepping the potatoes, I tried to cut out an eye and the knife slipped and I ended up slicing up my thumb. About 15 minutes later it had finally stopped bleeding.
Dinner turned out pretty good and Rudy thoroughly enjoyed his brats. I'm glad dialysis is working out for him and that he's able to make it to the events this week. I guess if he can get through this week, he's got it made!
As is often the case, I served brats, sauerkraut and potato salad. With everything going on this week I didn't want to do anything fancy.
I ended up working from home today (well, for a couple of hours anyway) as D had PT and N was home sick again. I called it quits late in the morning when I started prepping for dinner. Even though I was home, I still hit the gym to get in a workout towards the holiday meltdown program. I'll be happy when January 4th comes around so that I won't have to hit the gym three days a week anymore. Sure, I'd love it if I could, but two days is plenty for me.
Anyway, while I was prepping the potatoes, I tried to cut out an eye and the knife slipped and I ended up slicing up my thumb. About 15 minutes later it had finally stopped bleeding.
Dinner turned out pretty good and Rudy thoroughly enjoyed his brats. I'm glad dialysis is working out for him and that he's able to make it to the events this week. I guess if he can get through this week, he's got it made!
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Day 295 - 12/12/2007
I hit the gym again today in my attempt to reach my goal of losing 3-4 lbs. between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. So far, I've been pretty good about watching what I've been eating and have lost a pound or two so far (according to the scale at home). I only did cardio (45 minutes on the bike) as the Smith machine was being used. There was a short break where I could've gotten on it, but I decided to take it easy and just get in a ride instead.
I continued my slacker ways by reading while M had her swimming class. I finally finished Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed and began reading Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America. So far it seems good, although I only got through the first 30 or so pages. I'll have to hand this off to my dad as it seems like something he'd enjoy (as well as Collapse...).
I continued my slacker ways by reading while M had her swimming class. I finally finished Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed and began reading Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America. So far it seems good, although I only got through the first 30 or so pages. I'll have to hand this off to my dad as it seems like something he'd enjoy (as well as Collapse...).
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Day 293 - 12/10/2007
Another Monday and another day at the office, followed up by the gym (weights) and then a spin on the bike while M was at swim class.
After getting home, I hit the basement to watch the thriller between the Saints and Falcons. Had my opponent not had a player playing in this game, I would've gone to bed earlier. As it was, though, I had to (wanted to) keep an eye on Norwood. Had he scored 16 points, my season would've been over. As it turned out, he only got eight points and I ended up winning 112-103. I got lucky as he almost broke it for a long touchdown in the third quarter.
While watching the game I played around on the guitar. I tried practicing barre chords, but didn't get very far before I reverted to songs that I know thus far. I don't know how much longer I'll take lessons. I'd like to start getting together with other folks and play. I would imagine I would get much better if I had someone to play with and ask questions on a more regular basis...much cheaper as well!
After getting home, I hit the basement to watch the thriller between the Saints and Falcons. Had my opponent not had a player playing in this game, I would've gone to bed earlier. As it was, though, I had to (wanted to) keep an eye on Norwood. Had he scored 16 points, my season would've been over. As it turned out, he only got eight points and I ended up winning 112-103. I got lucky as he almost broke it for a long touchdown in the third quarter.
While watching the game I played around on the guitar. I tried practicing barre chords, but didn't get very far before I reverted to songs that I know thus far. I don't know how much longer I'll take lessons. I'd like to start getting together with other folks and play. I would imagine I would get much better if I had someone to play with and ask questions on a more regular basis...much cheaper as well!
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Day 290 - 12/07/2007
I took off early this afternoon to hit the gym before heading over to Fairfax Hospital to visit Rudy. He had another heart attack last night and is back in the hospital.
On my way there, I stopped to get the Altima inspected. It didn't pass. This is the first time it's ever failed and it's going to cost upwards to $370 - $390 to get it passed. Last year the inspector told me that the brakes were close and I guess over the last year, they exceeded the threshold. I made an appointment to drop the car off tomorrow (or maybe later tonight) and, ignoring the rejection sticker on the windshield, drove over to the hospital. (Fortunately it was getting dark so the sticker wasn't easily seen -- driving with a rejection sticker is illegal in Virginia.)
I arrived right before he moved rooms, so I was able to help carry his things to the new room. His new room is in the step-down area, where he won't be hooked up to the monitors 24/7. We visited for a while before a Rabbi came in to celebrate the fourth day of Hanukkah, as well as Shabat. It's been a while since I've experienced any Jewish services (the last one was at a funeral), so it was interesting to see. (Well, I wouldn't really call it a service, more of a couple of prayers followed by a few songs.) Regardless of what it was, seeing Rudy singing and reciting prayers in Yiddish brought some happiness to the room. The gleam in his eyes and the smile on his face convinced me that he had forgotten about his heath issues for the time being.
Reality soon came back in the room, however, when his nephrologist came in to check on him. When the Rabbi left, I was going to take off myself, but decided to stay to hear what the doctor had to say. I was glad I did as it was an eye-opener. They discussed his treatment options and he asked her straight up what the bottom line was with regard to his prognosis. The answer she gave him was hard to hear: His kidneys have pretty much failed him and without dialysis, he won't be with us much longer.
There wasn't a look of resignation or despair on his face, but one of acceptance. In that one moment, the mood in the room went from jovial to somber. The doctor gave him a few options on what kind of treatment he could get, but the bottom line was that he's not looking at very much time.
One thing I noticed sitting in that hospital room was that the man in the bed in front of me, the man wearing a hospital gown for pajamas, the man who hadn't shaved in a few days and whose hair was uncombed, the man who had bruises from his recent dialysis, was that he wasn't ashamed of where he was or what he looked like. At that moment, he was proud. He was strong. He was dignified. There wasn't a moment when he felt sorry for himself and, if there was, he didn't project it. I hope to be able to act like that should I ever find myself in that situation. Rudy's never been one to complain about anything. Well, not much of anything that counted at least. Sure, he gets frustrated from time to time about trivial things, but in the grand scheme of things, he's an optimist. He enjoys life and enjoys making those around him happy.
On my way there, I stopped to get the Altima inspected. It didn't pass. This is the first time it's ever failed and it's going to cost upwards to $370 - $390 to get it passed. Last year the inspector told me that the brakes were close and I guess over the last year, they exceeded the threshold. I made an appointment to drop the car off tomorrow (or maybe later tonight) and, ignoring the rejection sticker on the windshield, drove over to the hospital. (Fortunately it was getting dark so the sticker wasn't easily seen -- driving with a rejection sticker is illegal in Virginia.)
I arrived right before he moved rooms, so I was able to help carry his things to the new room. His new room is in the step-down area, where he won't be hooked up to the monitors 24/7. We visited for a while before a Rabbi came in to celebrate the fourth day of Hanukkah, as well as Shabat. It's been a while since I've experienced any Jewish services (the last one was at a funeral), so it was interesting to see. (Well, I wouldn't really call it a service, more of a couple of prayers followed by a few songs.) Regardless of what it was, seeing Rudy singing and reciting prayers in Yiddish brought some happiness to the room. The gleam in his eyes and the smile on his face convinced me that he had forgotten about his heath issues for the time being.
Reality soon came back in the room, however, when his nephrologist came in to check on him. When the Rabbi left, I was going to take off myself, but decided to stay to hear what the doctor had to say. I was glad I did as it was an eye-opener. They discussed his treatment options and he asked her straight up what the bottom line was with regard to his prognosis. The answer she gave him was hard to hear: His kidneys have pretty much failed him and without dialysis, he won't be with us much longer.
There wasn't a look of resignation or despair on his face, but one of acceptance. In that one moment, the mood in the room went from jovial to somber. The doctor gave him a few options on what kind of treatment he could get, but the bottom line was that he's not looking at very much time.
One thing I noticed sitting in that hospital room was that the man in the bed in front of me, the man wearing a hospital gown for pajamas, the man who hadn't shaved in a few days and whose hair was uncombed, the man who had bruises from his recent dialysis, was that he wasn't ashamed of where he was or what he looked like. At that moment, he was proud. He was strong. He was dignified. There wasn't a moment when he felt sorry for himself and, if there was, he didn't project it. I hope to be able to act like that should I ever find myself in that situation. Rudy's never been one to complain about anything. Well, not much of anything that counted at least. Sure, he gets frustrated from time to time about trivial things, but in the grand scheme of things, he's an optimist. He enjoys life and enjoys making those around him happy.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Day 286 - 12/03/2007
Back to the grind that is work. After a few days out of the office, I certainly wasn't rarin' to get back. With that in mind, I eased into it slowly. (Well, not really as I had to be in early for a meeting.)
After work, I hit the gym for a workout. Although M had swimming tonight, I didn't want to do the bike there as well, so I got in both weights and cardio before heading home.
There was a school boundary meeting at Westfield so there was lots of spillover into the Cub Run parking lot. Fortunately, we found a spot and M made it to class on time. I spent most of the time reading the latest issue of PC Magazine, raising my head every now and again to watch M in the pool. She looked like she was enjoying herself and having fun. I'm glad she's come around to swimming. It's a great sport, both from a health perspective as well as from a team spirit perspective. While I wasn't the best swimmer as a kid by any means, I had a great time on the swim team. I hope M has just as much fun as I did.
After work, I hit the gym for a workout. Although M had swimming tonight, I didn't want to do the bike there as well, so I got in both weights and cardio before heading home.
There was a school boundary meeting at Westfield so there was lots of spillover into the Cub Run parking lot. Fortunately, we found a spot and M made it to class on time. I spent most of the time reading the latest issue of PC Magazine, raising my head every now and again to watch M in the pool. She looked like she was enjoying herself and having fun. I'm glad she's come around to swimming. It's a great sport, both from a health perspective as well as from a team spirit perspective. While I wasn't the best swimmer as a kid by any means, I had a great time on the swim team. I hope M has just as much fun as I did.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Day 274 - 11/21/2007
Went to work for half a day and then hit the gym. I almost won the award for last person out, but there was one straggler behind me.
I stopped off at Giant for cabbage and shrimp mold supplies and was quite surprised to see that it wasn't crowded at all! After Giant, I hit Total Wine for a variety of beer and then headed home.
Since the weather was so nice, I decided to forego making the cabbage and shrimp mold this afternoon and instead mowed the yard. It's been a while since it's been cut and the leaves were piling up so I dropped off the groceries and headed up to the gas station to fill up the tank (which was on empty...just in time to sit around all winter long). While I was pumping gas, I noticed a police helicopter circling over the area. As I drove home, I realized it was circling over the house and eventually landed up at the school.
Right about that same time, D and the kids got home, so we (the kids and I) headed up to the school to check it out. (This was the second time a helicopter has landed at the school, the first one was when there was a fire in the neighborhood and they had to transport the homeowner to the hospital.) We went up the back way and found a fireman posted sentry at one corner of the field. He told us that a homeowner was up on his roof cleaning out his gutters and fell off. The good news was that he was healthy enough to be air-lifted (if there's a chance of cardiac arrest, they'd have to have taken him by ambulance).
I snapped this pic of the helicopter as it took off (using my phone; I forgot to grab my camera from my car). Of course the kids thought it was great that we had another helicopter land at the school.
After getting home, I attacked the lawn and was able to just finish up before it got too dark to see (actually, it was too dark to see, so I turned on the side light).
Before getting the kids ready for bed, I started on the cabbage. Since the windows were opened, I didn't have to cook it outside (which I usually have to do due to the smell -- M gets sick from the smell). I finished the shrimp mold after the kids were in bed and called it a night myself (after burning the midnight oil, which I'm wont to do on Thanksgiving Eve).
I stopped off at Giant for cabbage and shrimp mold supplies and was quite surprised to see that it wasn't crowded at all! After Giant, I hit Total Wine for a variety of beer and then headed home.
Since the weather was so nice, I decided to forego making the cabbage and shrimp mold this afternoon and instead mowed the yard. It's been a while since it's been cut and the leaves were piling up so I dropped off the groceries and headed up to the gas station to fill up the tank (which was on empty...just in time to sit around all winter long). While I was pumping gas, I noticed a police helicopter circling over the area. As I drove home, I realized it was circling over the house and eventually landed up at the school.
Right about that same time, D and the kids got home, so we (the kids and I) headed up to the school to check it out. (This was the second time a helicopter has landed at the school, the first one was when there was a fire in the neighborhood and they had to transport the homeowner to the hospital.) We went up the back way and found a fireman posted sentry at one corner of the field. He told us that a homeowner was up on his roof cleaning out his gutters and fell off. The good news was that he was healthy enough to be air-lifted (if there's a chance of cardiac arrest, they'd have to have taken him by ambulance).
I snapped this pic of the helicopter as it took off (using my phone; I forgot to grab my camera from my car). Of course the kids thought it was great that we had another helicopter land at the school.
After getting home, I attacked the lawn and was able to just finish up before it got too dark to see (actually, it was too dark to see, so I turned on the side light).Before getting the kids ready for bed, I started on the cabbage. Since the windows were opened, I didn't have to cook it outside (which I usually have to do due to the smell -- M gets sick from the smell). I finished the shrimp mold after the kids were in bed and called it a night myself (after burning the midnight oil, which I'm wont to do on Thanksgiving Eve).
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Day 272 - 11/19/2007
I had an impromptu lunch with Dad today. He was out and about and decided to ring me up and check on November lunch plans. I had nothing on my plate today (no pun intended), so arranged to head out to lunch with him. We headed into Fairfax for some sushi at Seoul House and, as usual, were in the minority as the place was packed with Koreans. I always take that as another sign that the food is good (vs. the narrow-minded view that they support their own). And, as usual, the food was good. I limited myself to only three plates (and smaller ones at that) as I was going to the gym after work.
Speaking of which, I signed up for the Holiday Workout Contest at the gym. When you sign up, your weight and body fat percentage are taken before you decide the goal you want to meet on January 4, 2008. At the weigh-in, I tipped the scale at 184.6 lbs. with 21% body fat. In order to meet the criteria for being entered for contest prizes, I need to workout at the gym at least three times a week between now and January 4th as well as reach my stated goal (drop 3-4 lbs.). Working out three days a week won't be a problem; the problem will be meeting the goal. (That being said, I know that if I cut out meat from my diet and start running on a more regular basis, the pounds will melt away like magic.)
After the gym, I continued working on the basement. The pegboard is up and finished and the next thing I need to do is get the wood off the floor. I bought a ceiling storage unit that I was going to put up, but it came down too far from the ceiling, causing the space below it to be lost, so I punted and watched football and played guitar instead once the kids were in bed. I've got my lesson tomorrow and I really haven't gotten in as much playing as I would have liked to. Hopefully it won't be obvious come tomorrow afternoon.
Speaking of which, I signed up for the Holiday Workout Contest at the gym. When you sign up, your weight and body fat percentage are taken before you decide the goal you want to meet on January 4, 2008. At the weigh-in, I tipped the scale at 184.6 lbs. with 21% body fat. In order to meet the criteria for being entered for contest prizes, I need to workout at the gym at least three times a week between now and January 4th as well as reach my stated goal (drop 3-4 lbs.). Working out three days a week won't be a problem; the problem will be meeting the goal. (That being said, I know that if I cut out meat from my diet and start running on a more regular basis, the pounds will melt away like magic.)
After the gym, I continued working on the basement. The pegboard is up and finished and the next thing I need to do is get the wood off the floor. I bought a ceiling storage unit that I was going to put up, but it came down too far from the ceiling, causing the space below it to be lost, so I punted and watched football and played guitar instead once the kids were in bed. I've got my lesson tomorrow and I really haven't gotten in as much playing as I would have liked to. Hopefully it won't be obvious come tomorrow afternoon.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Day 268 - 11/15/2007
I hit the gym for the second time this week. I was hoping to get in some cardio, but as I was finishing up weights, another patron hopped on the bike I usually ride, so I punted and stretched instead.
Afterwards I picked up N from Frozen Ropes. It looks like he's having a great time there (although he wasn't too keen on me picking him up vs. D).
It's been a while since I've read to the kids, so I read them a chapter from Robin Hood tonight. As much as I enjoy this nightly ritual, sometimes I just like to skip it and let them read to themselves (especially now that N is beginning to read). That being said, this version of Robin Hood is pretty good. I'm just not sure which movie to show after we're done. Should I show the Disney version (one of my favorites), the classic with Errol Flynn or the remake with Kevin Costner? (Scratch that last one, IMDB shows it has male nudity. I'm sure it won't be as bad as Harvey Keitel in The Piano, but still, I'm sure it's not something the kids should be seeing at their age.)
Afterwards I picked up N from Frozen Ropes. It looks like he's having a great time there (although he wasn't too keen on me picking him up vs. D).
It's been a while since I've read to the kids, so I read them a chapter from Robin Hood tonight. As much as I enjoy this nightly ritual, sometimes I just like to skip it and let them read to themselves (especially now that N is beginning to read). That being said, this version of Robin Hood is pretty good. I'm just not sure which movie to show after we're done. Should I show the Disney version (one of my favorites), the classic with Errol Flynn or the remake with Kevin Costner? (Scratch that last one, IMDB shows it has male nudity. I'm sure it won't be as bad as Harvey Keitel in The Piano, but still, I'm sure it's not something the kids should be seeing at their age.)
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Day 266 - 11/13/2007
100 days left in the year.
As I write this milestone post, I get the sense that it's become a mix between a chore (especially on days when I forget to post and have to do a two-fer the next day) and an exercise in writing (which is what I hoped it would be, in addition to sharing my daily happenings).
I guess we'll see what the remaining days have to offer.
We had conferences with the kids' teachers this afternoon. N is excelling in school and is finally starting to not get his apple changed on a somewhat daily basis. His teacher instituted a rule about who he can go to the bathroom with, which has helped (some of the boys in his class feed off each other and the next thing you know, there's a ruckus coming down the hall). He's also beginning to really focus on his work. His coloring and cutting have vastly improved since the beginning of the year. Let's hope it continues.
M missed being on honor roll by two points (in English of all things!). Her conference went well and we chatted with her teacher about the dynamics within the classroom. We clued her in to an ongoing issue between another classmate going back to kindergarten and were surprised to learn that what happens in the classroom is different from what's shared at home. I guess it's just like any relationship in that the complaints to the third party are more interesting (?) than the compliments. I mean, how often do you hear someone complimenting their SO to a third party? I don't hear it very often and, if that's how it goes across the spectrum, maybe that's just the way it works. Who knows, I guess time will tell.
I hit the gym this afternoon, but wasn't able to get my full cardio in. After finishing weights, I was about to get on the bike when someone else beat me to it. Oh well, I got in 20 minutes before weights, it'll have to do until next time. I did, however, stretch afterwards for the first time in a while. I know I should do it every time I workout, but sometimes I just don't feel like it. Hopefully this will start a trend.
As I write this milestone post, I get the sense that it's become a mix between a chore (especially on days when I forget to post and have to do a two-fer the next day) and an exercise in writing (which is what I hoped it would be, in addition to sharing my daily happenings).
I guess we'll see what the remaining days have to offer.
We had conferences with the kids' teachers this afternoon. N is excelling in school and is finally starting to not get his apple changed on a somewhat daily basis. His teacher instituted a rule about who he can go to the bathroom with, which has helped (some of the boys in his class feed off each other and the next thing you know, there's a ruckus coming down the hall). He's also beginning to really focus on his work. His coloring and cutting have vastly improved since the beginning of the year. Let's hope it continues.
M missed being on honor roll by two points (in English of all things!). Her conference went well and we chatted with her teacher about the dynamics within the classroom. We clued her in to an ongoing issue between another classmate going back to kindergarten and were surprised to learn that what happens in the classroom is different from what's shared at home. I guess it's just like any relationship in that the complaints to the third party are more interesting (?) than the compliments. I mean, how often do you hear someone complimenting their SO to a third party? I don't hear it very often and, if that's how it goes across the spectrum, maybe that's just the way it works. Who knows, I guess time will tell.
I hit the gym this afternoon, but wasn't able to get my full cardio in. After finishing weights, I was about to get on the bike when someone else beat me to it. Oh well, I got in 20 minutes before weights, it'll have to do until next time. I did, however, stretch afterwards for the first time in a while. I know I should do it every time I workout, but sometimes I just don't feel like it. Hopefully this will start a trend.
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