Blog you should be reading

Gillian and I started boot camp together in October.  This is her blog.  Really, you should read it.  operationfit.blogspot.com/

Still Alive

Sorry to leave you hanging.

Boot camp is still kicking my butt, but at least this week I can walk up and down stairs without too much effort.  I am still trying to be asleep by 9 which in it's own way makes me an old person.

I have never in my life had this much accountability for my nutrition and fitness.  Yesterday, at the senior breakfast, I had a Chick-fil-a chicken biscuit.  After exerting major self control on Monday to turn down 5 different offers of chocolate cupcakes, I had no will power left.  It smelled too good.  And it was so good....

Until this morning that is.  I decided not to lie on my food log and I won't make that mistake again.  After an hour long, really tough workout that focusing on cardio, core strengthing, and arms,  I got my first (and hopefully only, if my conscience will allow a little fib here and there) taste of the encouragement after party.  It was terrible.

I may be back to crying up and down stairs tomorrow.

Oh, and as a side note, I didn't mention in my last post that another reason I am doing this is because Scott and I have a bet about who can lose the most before April.  It's kind of unfair since he is a boy and all.  I mean, all they have to do is eat healthy for 2 weeks, run twice, and they've lost 20 pounds.  But I am am stubborn and I am determined to win.  If I lose then I have to do some karaoke thing at a Braves' game.  But if I win, then Scott has to get rid of all of his flowered Hawaiian shirts.  I am so winning.

Seriously, What was I thinking?

Actually, I know exactly what I was thinking- April 5th, want to look amazing, want the dress to have to be altered down and not up, want to love looking at the pictures.  If this isn't enough motivation, then I don't know what would be.

Let me tell you now that I was crazy. 

Today was day 2 of Operation Boot Camp.  I am getting up at 4:30 to drive to Powder Springs to be tortured by a pair of VERY in-shape guys for an hour every morning.  

At 5:15, they start by looking over the log book of what we ate yesterday and chiding us for the bad things we ate.  Apparently,  starting next week, if we eat something we shouldn't then we have to endure "encouragement"  after the normal hour workout.  I want no part of any "encouragement."

Following, there is a workout designed to make us wish for death.  several times.  

People, I have NEVER in my life been this sore.  I am walking like a 95 year old with a double hip replacement.  I have entertained the idea of asking for an elevator key because the steps to my classroom are suddenly the thing I dread most about school.  If my arms didn't hurt so much then I would think that a walker must be nice.  I am scared to stay in one position for too long for fear that I won't be able to move when I need too.  

I have been down this road before and I do know the soreness brought on by a new exercise program.  But, I'm telling you that nothing compares to this.

So, do me a favor.  If you see me, tell me that I look amazing.  That you can already see a difference.  Lie to me.  Lie through your teeth.  And remind me how amazing I will look on April 5th.  If I am going to get through this, I am going to need all the real encouragement that I can get.

Absence

Yes, I know that it has been a while since I have written.  But I am burnt out.  Completely.  

One the wedding front, things are falling into place.  I now have a dress.  Bridesmaid's dresses are ready to be ordered.  The colors have been decided.  We have booked a caterer.  (We may have even won a rehearsal dinner!)  And today I think that we got the photographer.  

I wish that work was as easy as wedding planning.

One Million Can

You know that for several years, I have been involved with the Passion movement and this summer, I joined Passion on the World Tour to Uganda.  Well, there is something new and cool that Passion has launched.  It is called OneMillionCan.  The idea is that we can change the world each by giving small amounts.  

At Passion 07, the 20,000 college students in attendance were challenged to fully fund 8 global projects.  In the course of 12 months, they gave over 1 million dollars and that 1 million dollars was used to change lives around the world.

Now the goal is to keep going.  There are 7 new causes to support.  (Two are with ministries in Uganda!)  

So go to onemillioncan.com  and watch the video.  See if God pulls you to help one of the causes and give.

Wedding on a Budget

Should I choose, I think that this wedding could be pulled off without some of the major expenses.

Today, I had students offer to sing at the wedding (today's was actually the 3rd student that offered this), be our photographer, and make me a custom wedding dress.  

My people

My favorite class to teach (at least right now) is the Honors Analysis class.  I don't know why the name got switched from Pre-Calc to Analysis, but that's what it is.  It is a hard course and covers a lot of material.  Students usually struggle and then whine when they are not making an A.  But the thing that I love about teaching it is that many of these kids are actually having to think in math for the first time ever.  

Today, we started discussing the 6 trigonometric functions.  You know, sine, cosine, tangent, secant, cosecant, and cotangent.  One of my students piped up that secant is her favorite becasue the abbreviation for it is sec and that makes her think of sports and why she needs to do well in math so that she can keep playing.  I made the confession that my favorite is cosine because something about the sine function seems like it is the overachiever.  And I like to root for the underdog.  And I got made fun of, which is completely what I expected.

And then, L. said, "When I was little, I didn't have imaginary friends.  I had imaginary numbers."  I asked her to eleborate on this.  (That sounds fancy.  Really I said "What?!?")

And she said that it was true, each number had it's own personality.  The number 2- a tomboy.  And 6- the goody-goody teacher's pet.

How funny is that?  These kids are my kind of people.