Vitamins & Minerals: Part I

Where do you start in trying for results? As mentioned previously, I have been reading two books: “Fertility, Cycles, and Nutrition” (FCN) by Marilyn M. Shannon and “The Fertility Diet”  (FD) by Jorge E. Chavarro and Walter C. Willett. Both books have good advice and sensible information regarding diet and nutrition. They are also acutely aware that one cannot do everything so they suggest finding what you can handle and starting there.

Therefore, my first focus is on vitamins and mineral supplements. Why…because I am almost out of my current daily vitamins and figure it is rather easy once you figure it out. It does not require continued thought and work like determining a diet and proper eating habits.

PCOS – Polycystic Ovary Syndrome has multiple related health issues encompassing various nutrients. FCN breaks down some of the key vitamins and minerals to extra supplement from the general recommendations for fertility in the beginning of the book.

First suggestion is starting with a multivitamin/multimineral prenatal as it has a larger quantity of many of the necessary vitamins and minerals. In my shopping Friday night, I took a look at what was at Target and Kroger but nothing appeared to have a good amount of many of the general recommendations. Granted when I reviewed the book and its suggested multivitamin/multiminerals, I realized it had quantities for 4 or more capsules.

I will not bore you with all the details but just the extra’s that it recommends for PCOS and other fertility.

B Vitamins especially Folic Acid

-          B-group vitamin: B1 (500 mg), B6 (500 mg), B12 (2000 mcg) or Folic Acid (348 mcg) in conjunction with Metformin

-          Reduce the amino acid homocysteine which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance.

-          Another study actually showed the administration of B vitamins (unknown dosage) had a more positive effect on pregnancy than metformin in PCOS women.

-          Side note: This brings me hopes of getting off metformin. I definitely am not going to currently increase dosage in hopes that I can counter the need for extra dosages with vitamins and weight loss.

Vitamin D

-          Another vitamin that correlates to insulin resistance and high body weight.

-          Interesting find is that this vitamin may currently be set at a very, very low daily value intake.

-          2,000 IU per day has now been accepted as safe and beneficial.

-          It is also found to possibly have an anti-cancer effect as well.

-          Of course the natural way to get Vitamin D is through sun exposure but that in itself brings about a whole list of concerns and depending on where you live and time of year may be harder to obtain.

-          Side note: Being light skinned as I am with melanoma running in the family, it is definitely something I need to watch.

-          Itchy Skin: Still not sure the cause but after spending several hours out in the sun no matter how much sunscreen, I seem to itching for the next 3 to 4 days. Sometimes, I feel like I am just going to scratch all the skin off my legs and arms it is so bad. I have tried various lotions, aloe, etc to no avail. I am going to try a different sunscreen next time to see if that helps.

Magnesium, Chromium, Vanadium

-          Help increase insulin sensitivity… “natural ‘hearing aids’”

-          Recommendation: Magnesium (1000 mg), Chromium (200-400 mcg), Vanadium (30 mg)

-          Helps with overweight insulin resistance

-          ****Chromium picolinate effectiveness for those with diabetes is so strong that you might have to readjust diabetic medicines.

Essential Fatty Acids especially Omega-3 fatty acids

-          Improves sensitivity to insulin (a large contributor to PCOS individuals gaining weight)

-          Alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3 essential fatty acid)

-          Best source is Flax Oil (5 to 10 1 g capsules a day or 1-2 teaspoons per day (5-10 grams))

-          Cod liver oil (1-2 teaspoons daily) – contains omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin A, and Vitamin D may also be helpful.

-          ** Vitamin E also should be supplemented if you supplement the essential fatty acids. It prevents oxygen damage to the molecules.

-          For more info, Dr Atkins’ New Diet Revolution, Chapter 23 has more info. (Going to see about checking it out of the local library this week.)

Those are the elements from the PCOS chapter of FCN and a lot to digest. Look for a follow-up discussion on broader minerals and vitamins from the FD and also more info from Dr Atkins books once reviewed.

Does anyone have a prenatal vitamin/mineral supplement that they suggest?

Do you know of a good place to go find vitamin/mineral supplements?

Do you have any experience, knowledge, or suggestions of your own?

Healthier Living: Take 6

Week 6 -- 208.2 pounds
Week 5 -- 210.4 pounds (Tuesday)
......
Week 1 -- 211.4 pounds

Motivation is slowly starting to come about even during this extremely hot weather.

Today, my friend, SH, and I went for a very lovely though warm hike at Jefferson Memorial Forest. We hiked about 6 miles in 3 hours, which is about normal for my hiking adventures. According the MapMyFitness app, we burned 1503 calories. It is short on mileage as the GPS did not register until we had probably gone about a quarter of a mile.

It was quite the adventurous hike. We crossed paths with two snakes of unknown identity. One appears to be a black racer while the other one still alludes us.

Though that was the only technical physical activity minus the walk on Tuesday night, I was fairly active grocery shopping on Friday night and organizing my spare bedroom/cleaning the apartment on Sunday. Probably the reason for the loss of a couple pounds this week. We will see if I can keep those pounds off and start trimming the waistline.

Now that I have been out for a good hike, I am more motivated to try to get out in the evening at least once a week and go for a nice hike. Maybe, I will shoot for Wednesday night this week and see how that goes. I just hope it cools off because at 7 pm tonight it was still a bit toasty and sunny for a hike. Thankfully daylight is lasting longer and longer so that helps finding some more cool air.

Healthier Living: Take 5

Week 5 -- 210.4 pounds (Tuesday)
Week 4 -- 210.8 pounds (Tuesday)
Week 3 -- 211.2 pounds
Week 2 -- 210.8 pounds
Week 1 -- 211.4 pounds

Consistency is a good thing. It is definitely better than gaining weight.

Workouts this week included
- Thursday Night a 1.02 walk with my cousin who suggested the walk before shopping and a nice dinner with an old college friend of hers.
- Autocross Driving School on Saturday logging 1.62 miles though I walked more than that throughout the day.
- Autocross Points Event on Sunday logging 2.36 miles with a slight bit more of walking though a not so healthy dinner.
- Today a 3.13 mile walk around the neighboring neighborhood burning just over 200 calories according to the app. Motivated to hit 200 calories in order to count it towards fitness in Vitality.

As mentioned before, my company has enlisted a program called Vitality to motivate employees to get in shape. There are pros and cons to the program because several of the bigger items appear to actually cost you before getting the reward. Nonetheless, I am trying to seek out ways to gain points without costing me money.

The biggest hurdle seems to be tracking physical activity because it all has to be approved/cleared in some fashion. I can't just go out and walk/jog tally my time and mileage and submit it. There is a free app called MapMyFitness, which I was able to download to my phone. I checked it out several weeks ago when I took the twins for a nearly 6 mile walk. The app is actually pretty nifty as it has a road map of where you are and where you have been. It tracks mileage, time, calories, and speed. To get points, you have to have an activity that burns at last 200 calories. I am still trying to figure out how I gain points and apparently I did not gain points for the workouts prior to sinking the two accounts. Therefore my 6 mile stroll through the park is not included, but at least it is started now.

Hopefully with motivating factors (clothes not fitting, being tired, a little push to run the Derby mini next year, Vitality) and tools like MapMyFitness, I will be motivated and disciplined to start being more active.

Soon, I plan on sharing what I have learned regarding vitamins and what my vitamin strategy is going to be for starters.

Thanks for letting me share my journey to become healthier! May you too be motivated to get in shape, eat healthier, and just be positive.

Love - Friendship, Romance, Unconditional, Affectionate - Love

Blue sky, white clouds, sunshine, and rain drops

Drops fall from the sky as birds and children play

Play we must in God’s beautiful world

World full of inspiration and love

Love to share with friends and that special one

One that makes the heart skip a beat

Beat that keeps us going day by day

Days seem to pass more quickly as I think

Think of you holding me tight

Tight in your arms supporting and providing

Providing unending love from the Father

Love a reverberating theme in life this year and something that weighs heavily on me. Saturday prior to Palm Sunday, I attended a Lenten retreat focused on Love. Then this past week as I read Living Faith Daily Catholic Devotions and listen to the homily at mass Sunday and Monday, I am reminded of God’s love and God’s command that we love one another (John 15:17).

My faith and focus on God’s love and serving others has been a struggle over the past several years. I left a very strong faith community and set of friends to pursue a new avenue in life. During this time, I pulled away from spending time and focusing on the reflection and truth of my Christian faith. School and work became a priority over my own personal life and reflection. These included supporting and helping others but maybe not always in a positive Christian mindset.

Therefore now I seek to turn things around and to once again focus on the uplifting positive fellowship and community, to take time to stop and listen to what God is saying, to focus on the positives of life, to continue sharing and guiding others but with a more positive outlook on life and focus on God.

Themes of the past few days…

We are called to serve. The one thing I missed most about this past academic year was not being able to join students in their Spring Break mission trip, to watch them experience life changing adventures, to be humbled by those we serve and the students serving, to be touched once again by God’s love for all mankind.

“If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.” ~John 15:18

This definitely struck accord and not only reminded me that everything in life is not smooth sailing and without pain, but also we have to be strong and not bend down to others levels of ridicule, hatred, and dishonesty. Instead, we are to stand strong smile and continue forward with a positive, hope filled direction in life. This can be very hard to follow and live out.

“Four Loves” by C.S. Lewis reviews love in four categories.

Storge (Affection), Philia (Friendship), Eros (Romance), and Agape (Unconditional Love)

Sunday’s homily and a presentation at retreat both did an amazing job of reflecting on these 4 loves.

The Lord has agape love for us as He sent is only son to die for us on the cross. We are challenged to share God’s love with those around us. Sometimes this is as easy as sharing a smile and hello, but other times it is much harder to share when we are torn down, ridiculed, warn out, or even hated for kindness and generosity.

‘Soaking in the Joy’ exactly what has been missing in my life the past few years, I try to live life and provide for others but lacking the time to stop and really enjoy the joys of life became a burden. It has been amazing the change in my life now that I do not work 24-7, that I stop to reflect and just be, to enjoy nature and time away from the TV and propaganda that life throws at us constantly. I feel that life is changing and that my outlook is improving and that truly God has something even greater in store for me.

Thanks to all of you for your continued positive influence in my life!

Healthier Living: Take 4

Week 4 -- 210.8 pounds (Tuesday)
Week 3 -- 211.2 pounds
Week 2 -- 210.8 pounds
Week 1 -- 211.4 pounds

The weekend did not prove to be good for me in terms of healthy living and this week is not on the up and up. No crazy stories for this weekend in terms of working out. I did wash my car Saturday morning but that was about the crux of my exercise for the week.

Healthier Living: Take 3

Week 3 -- 211.2 pounds
Week 2 -- 210.8 pounds
Week 1 -- 211.4 pounds

Monday morning was not a good weigh-in though Tuesday and Wednesday have been much more encouraging. We will see if I can maintain the potential loss until next week. Next week, I will have to weigh-in on Tuesday as I will be out of town Monday morning.

What a weekend for getting exercise....
Saturday turned out to be a very humid morning but a nice day for a long walk pushing a dual side-by-side stroller around the park and then down the street. The goal was to go for a walk and then bring the 11 month twin boys back for their nap. E had other ideas as he fell asleep long before 10 am and his brother P also proceeded to fall asleep prior to 10 am. By about 10 am, we had completed 2 laps of the park, approximately 2 miles. In order for them to continue napping instead of waking up and screaming, it was determined that a walking nap would be best. Therefore, I continued to walk another 2 laps around the park and then down the street in and out of all the little cubbies. The result was a nearly 6 mile walk in an 1:47 mins with a couple breaks for water. By the time, we got back to the house they were both awake and ready for a diaper change.

Sunday was another day of autocrossing, and I mapped a bit of my walking around the course in the morning and in between heats about 2 miles. It did not include all the other walking around that I did for the day.

The weekend also included experimenting with an app on my phone called mapMyFitness. It ties into my company's healthy living program called Power of Vitality. I just linked the two accounts up tonight and am not sure if the workouts are now synced to provide me points in Vitality or not. We will see what happens. I was fairly impressed with the apps ability to track my movements and provide some information regarding mileage, time, and calories burned.

Power of Vitality -- What is it?
Here is a blurb from the Vitality website and I will create another blog entry soon regarding some of its benefits and what I have done thus far.

"Vitality is a comprehensive, interactive and personalized wellness program that makes it easy for you to live your healthiest life! The program helps you improve or maintain your health by giving you the knowledge and tools to establish and meet your health goals. When you participate in healthy activities, you'll feel great and you'll also earn Vitality Points."

I apologize for this posting being late. I actually was out the previous two nights doing church activities until a bit late. Enjoy this update and the next Healthier Living update will not be around until at least Tuesday as I will be out of town Monday.

His Way Is Best

“Many are the plans in a man’s heart but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

            -- Proverbs 19:21

Many of us had a plan, dream for our lives from a very young age. I am definitely no different. Over the years, God has shown me that He is in control and He has a plan. The question is do I stop to listen and trust him or do I continue to try to interfere with His plan and not believe.

For the past several years, I have not fully stopped to listen to His calling in my life. The rush to get something done, to make someone happy, to not fill overburdened, to succeed and not fail, to make a difference, to please others, and more has consumed my life but to what failings in my own life. Therefore, the focus of the months ahead is to re-center my life around Christ. The joys of past come from the times spent with friends, students, and colleagues in dialogue, reflection, and service for Him, not from the endless hours of work, the pettiness, or trying to be successful. Our society puts so much focus on work, consistent availability, immediacy, and fails to see the destruction of everyday life, health, and relationships.

Relationships are very important in my life. Friends and family mean a lot to me, and I try to show my love and support through little things like cards, notes, and fellowship. Relationships are also one of the biggest struggles and burdens in my life or lack of them. Over the years, I have had many plans for my life mainly to find a wonderful loving man to share my life and a family. The question is not is a family in God’s plan but how do I stop and listen to God to have the peace about this direction.

With the desire for a family comes another burden and one that is hard for me to talk about, I think it is hard because it revolves around the having of children and is an odd topic for a single person to discuss. Over the years, I have followed friends who have struggled with pregnancy and am so inspired by their faith and perseverance. I seek to share my struggles with fertility that does not only affect my future ability to have children with a caring, supportive husband, but more importantly my overall health today.

A couple years ago, I was finally officially diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) though I have been dealing with it since college but ignoring the signs without anyone confirming that was the problem. In the past several years, additional research and knowledge about PCOS has come out which lead to the official diagnosis a couple years ago. Past hormone and thyroid tests were not clearly showing that I had PCOS but more recently they have realized the association of PCOS with high insulin levels, not glucose but more the insulin to glucose ratio.

“PCOS is a complex hormonal disorder most often characterized by elevated levels of insulin, LH, and androgen (“male hormones”), all of which contribute to the dysfunction of the ovaries.”  (Shannon 2009 p. 112) The high insulin and insulin resistance association with PCOS causes abdominal obesity, Type-2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetes, and high cholesterol. PCOS also leads to hirsutism (a masculine pattern of body hair) and of course fertility related issues.

Therefore, you can see from the effects of PCOS that reading and learning more about fertility and nutrition can assist with not only fertility but also general health and future living.

Books reading…

“Fertility, Cycles, and Nutrition” by Marilyn M Shannon (2009)

“The Fertility Diet” by Jorge E. Chavarro and Walter C. Willet (2008)

The first book’s chapter on PCOS led me to the second book. The books represent a balanced approach to dieting and healthier living. “The Fertility Diet” talks about the smooth and sustainable transition and the overall benefits not only to fertility but general healthier living. I have finished “The Fertility Diet” and am going back and reading some other chapters in the “Fertility, Cycles, and Nutrition” book.

As mentioned, I have made a few modifications but nothing drastic. Still reading through the materials and thinking about a gentle but effective plan of attack. As I move forward, I will start sharing some of the changes and reasons because I found some of it fascinating and also somewhat common sense.

He has a plan for your life and mine. May we stop to listen and follow His direction.

Thanks for your support, faith, and sharing!

Healthier Living: Take 2

Week 2 -- 210.8 pounds
Week 1 -- 211.4 pounds

The week went well and I am glad to report that from my last doctors visit in October to the one this past week, I had maintained weight instead of staying on the continued progression upwards occurring since returning back to Kentucky in Fall 2010.

Walking at work with a co-worker is unfortunately coming to a stop for awhile but maybe I can motivate myself to work something else out.

Louisville Derby Mini-Marathon - No I did not participate but my friend PC did. She did a great job and while she ran 13.1 miles, I did accomplish walking about 5 miles that morning. We also had a nice walk on Friday afternoon.

Sunday was autocross day. I did quite a bit of walking around then as well. I need to take my pedometer with me to track my movements and how many miles I walk.

Though no distinctive diet changes, I am being more conscious of what I eat and the amount I eat. I finished one of the books last night and now plan on trying to put together a plan for slow, steady, but noticeable changes into my diet and routine.

Healthier living is not all about the food nutrition and physical activity, but also encompasses our self outlook, spiritual well being, career, and other components of life. All areas of life that I also need work and have been slowly making changes.

Spiritual life is one of those big areas that has fallen aside in the past 5 years and something I am really trying to change by more involvement at my new church home. Today, I made another step in that direction talking to the youth minister about getting more young adult ministry going at church and also assisting with the youth. The conversation provided positive direction and hopes for the future. I ask that you join me in prayer to discern the role God is calling me in this area and how those interested can work to provide the faith community the needed spiritual guidance and support.

Healthier Living: Take 1

Mondays are going to be the day to check in on my weight and progress of healthier living. There is a lot more to come on this, but it is necessary to start now to gain some momentum and motivation.

Before the Fall of 2010, my health was improving. Thanks to some great folks and motivation in Franklin, I had lost 15 to 20 pounds. Unfortunately, I am sad to report that those loss pounds plus have been gained. Additionally, my activity level has decreased significantly, which does not help in maintaining or losing weight. With some proper motivation, things are turning around hopefully, and healthier eating and more physical activity is to come soon. To keep me honest, I will share with you my journey and potential more information of my struggles.

I will try to be consistent in weighing in each Monday morning and posting later that night about where I am.

Week 1 -- 211.4 pounds (Scale in Apartment)
Wednesday we will learn more about how much I have gained since moving back to Kentucky. In October, I had gain 18 pounds from my first visit to the same doctor.

A co-worker and I have scheduled 15-30 mins each day to walk around the building. We have not made it every day but I believe she is motivated and so am I.

I am reading a couple books at the moment to figure out what I really need to do in terms of eating to become healthier. I have already made a few changes based on their suggestions and will be making more. Though not certain, I do believe it is making a difference. More on this will hopefully come in the near future.

Goals
Lose 60 pounds - No worries I will not try to do this overnight but steadily, starting with 15 pounds.
Run a 5K Race followed eventually by a mini-marathon -- The mini has been a goal ever since college.
General physical fitness
Create an eating plan that is sustainable and liveable

Life's Journey

Each morning, God blesses me with the opportunity to wake and live another day. The fleeting days pass moment by moment full of hopes, fears, dreams, realizations, happiness, sadness, and so much more. He never said it would be easy but promised it would never be more than we can handle.

Over the years, friends have shared on their blogs the good times, the rough times, the struggles of life. Their encouragement, sharing, and faith keeps me motivated, focused, thinking, and surrounded with wonderful people. I pray that my sharing can offer each of you some of these things as well.

First a reflection back to the beginning of this blog…
 8.5 years ago friends, especially CV and AW now AP, were very much into blogging and encouraged me to create a site. Therefore, the Analysis of Life blog was created. For privacy and other reasons, I selected a pseudonym for posting, BeNotAfraid.

BeNotAfraid has a lot of significance in my life. My maternal grandmother (Woo-Woo) passed away spring of 1992, when I was an 8th grader. She and I plus my grandfather (Paw-Paw) were very close. They both had a pure joy and love for Christ and those around them. Woo-Woo had her whole funeral arrangements planned, and I will never forget two of the songs she had On Eagles Wings and Be Not Afraid. She loved to sing and play the organ. She was buried in her choir robe with the Glory and Praise Hymnal open to On Eagles Wings, if I am not mistaken.

It’s amazing how much the song, Be Not Afraid, impacted not only my life but other’s in my family. Most of you know that I lost my youngest maternal aunt last summer, 2011. Mom called to ask if I would be willing to read at the funeral, which I agreed. I also had one other request that Be Not Afraid be song at the funeral as my aunt too loved music and was in the choir. Apparently, I was not the only niece to make this request, and it had been put into the funeral arrangements.

Additionally, the following verse from Psalm 27 has also become my anchor and keeps me going through it all.

The Lord is my light and my salvation whom do I fear? 

The Lord is my life’s refuge; of who am I afraid? 

(Psalm 27:1) 

I turn to this verse so very often in my life to remind me that God is with me. It is even engraved in the inside of my college ring for constant reminder of the Lord’s love and encouragement. 

Why Analysis of Life? 

 It really speaks for itself, if you know me very well especially 8 plus years ago. My mind to others does nothing by analyze anything and everything that is happening in my world for good or for bad. I often break down every little detail trying to understand its meaning and effect on life. Therefore, Analysis of Life seemed to be very appropriate.

Hello Out There, Anyone There .... The Ride Begins Again, Jump On

Life is unpredictable and full of twists and turns. Additionally, it often times pulls me away from writing and reflecting on life and so many other things. A year and a half later almost, I decide to pick up writing, reflecting, and sharing once again. I know many have disappeared from the roller coaster of a ride my blog provides and no I cannot promise any more than in the past to be consistent and keep things going. I encourage you to come along for the ride and hopefully it will not be as bumpy or stalled as in the past.  

Where am I…
- On a new path that focuses more on providing my soul and life the balance it seeks.
- Seeking ways to share my love of God and others through work, church, fellowship, community, and other activities.
- Finding opportunities to provide service to those who are in need of love and caring support.
- Discovering ways to share my faith, leadership, and cultural awareness with others young and old alike.
- Focusing on my health to find a balanced diet and nutrition plan and to become physically fit.  

Goals…
- Develop a healthy balanced intake of food and vitamins to counter internal body issues and lose weight.
- Become more physical active and fit by enjoying the outdoors and the creation that God has made.
- Refocus on what really matters my faith in the loving Lord and His intentions for all aspects of my life.
- Reach out to friends and family and letting them know how much they mean to me.
- Minimize the watching of TV and movies.
- Reading and writing about leadership, faith, culture, and more.

Support & Encouragement…
So many of you have and continue to make a difference in my life, THANK YOU!
- Your strength to continue on through trying times.
- Your perseverance and dedication to training and being physically fit.
- Your faith in God and sharing of that faith.
- Your witness as followers of Christ and serving others.
- The friendship you provide and the opportunities to share in your journeys.

Prayer Requests…
  - The strength to persevere and find a diet that will benefit me and provide the nutrients to straighten out my body.
- The encouragement to start slow and steadily work towards greater physical fitness and loss of weight.
- The power to stand strong and take ahold of my faith and share my love of God with others.
- The inspiration to step out of my comfort zone and to seek and participate in opportunities to share my talents with young and old alike within the church.
- The patience and ears to listen to God’s calling in my personal and vocational life.

Thanks for taking the time to read the start of this new roller coaster in life! It is great to be back and I hope you stick around.

Our Journey this New Year beginning with Advent!

Thanks to my friend, KB! My inspiration from this morning to write a post about the new liturgical year is going to come to fruition.

May God’s blessings be with each of us as we begin this new yearly journey of faith. As the Advent season begins, our journey of faith and understanding of Christ’s love will hopefully continue to deepen, but more importantly our actions and thoughts will be re-centered and focused towards being true disciples of Christ.

How can we be true disciples of Christ? How do we need to change to show God’s love to others?

These are not easy questions to answer more less follow. How many times do you find yourself thinking negative thoughts or putting someone else down in your thoughts or spoken words? How often do you get frustrated at a co-worker, student, bystander, or family member? Are there people that you struggle to be around because they have hurt someone else or you, they don’t seem to want to help themselves, or some other reason? Does your face show frustration and stress or does it show love and care?

What other questions do we need to ask ourselves in order to discern our true discipleship and calling?

How can you develop and continue to grow in God’s love and be a beacon of Christian light this Advent season forward?

My new journey of faith and Christian living will hopefully include the following:
- Stopping to reflect and spend more time with God and spend more time in personal reflection.
- Seeking opportunities to learn, pray, and be present with our Lord.
- Smile and replace negative thoughts and comments with positive ones.
- Spend time with family and friends.
- Share in the joys and losses of family and friends.
- Send notes and stay in better communication with friends and family.

What will you do to celebrate and reset your faith journey for the new year?

God’s blessings be with you this new liturgical year and Advent season.

"10 Surprising Things About Me"

My friend tagged me in her "10 Surprising Things about Me" so here goes nothing.

1. Did someone say dance? Yes though my abilities are not evident, I took dance classes for 10 years starting at the age of 3 through 7th grade. Classes included 10 years of tap and ballet, 1 year of ballet toe, and a couple years of jazz.

2. On the same subject, I also spent most childhood summers in summer acrobatics and trampoline classes. I even helped teach classes in my latter years. You might can get me to attempt a cartwheel or a wall stand, but that is about all.

3. Skiing, no...not snow skiing, but water skiing. Summers were spent out on Lake Barkley in Kentucky, water skiing, slalom skiing, knee boarding, and ski bobbing. (Ski bobs were not quite as nice 15 years ago, but there is an example of one.) Sadly the last time I was at the lake was just over 10 years ago in August 2000. By the way, I have never been snow skiing.

4. A 'C' for Conduct...yes a 'C' does appear on my first grade report card. Apparently, I was a talker in first grade. I wouldn't believe it myself if it wasn't written on the report card because I was a very shy, quiet, introverted child.

5. Perfect Attendance for all four years in high school and only need two hands to count all days absent from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Absences include: Kindergarten -- 5 days for chickenpox, 1 day sent home after getting ill during the morning Pledge of Allegiance; 4th Grade -- 2 days for the flu; 6th Grade - Sent home one day with 103 degree fever in tears not wanting to miss school; 8th Grade - Grandmother's funeral. I loved school and did not want to miss a day.

6. 10K...No not 10 carat gold, but a 10K race. I competed in and completed the Bowling Green 10K Classic in Fall 1992 as a 9th grader. At the time, I had never ran 6.2 miles in one setting and was thrilled to finish the race in less than 1 hour and defeat a fellow St Mary's cross-country runner. Goal is to not only run a 10K again but to complete a half-marathon.

7. Not once but twice won awards for artistic/creative designs. The jest of the two winnings are: Non-Smoking poster contest in 3rd grade and Air Products Safety Calendar contest, not sure age.

8. Enjoy writing my own unique style of poetry or at least my version of poetry.

9. Depending on how long you have known me it may surprise you to know that my hair is naturally curly now or that it use to be so straight that even after an attempted perm my hair was straight as a child. (Look for a new post discussing this more soon.)

10. Have pictures of myself inside a tree in three different countries: Australia, Ghana, and the United States of America.

Wow...I hope you learned some new and surprising things about me. Thanks kasclar for helping me think of unique/surprising things about myself.

Now I would love to learn something surprising about you so tag it is your turn.
Chris at Digital Wilderness
Ashlee at Clay Woman

Accomplishments !!!

Normalcy may be returning to life as things are starting to get accomplished and good things are happening in life. Or maybe things have just come to a must and therefore are being accomplished. Either way it feels good to see things coming off the list and working.

July 24, 2009: The loss of the desktop computer, data, and more.
September 28, 2010: Finally purchased a new computer, Fujitsu AH530 LifeBook

September 21, 2010: New replacement Samsung Solstice Arrives
During Thanksgiving break of 2009, I finally upgraded my phone and got the Samsung Solstice touchscreen phone. By at least June, the touchscreen was not working properly. By August, the whole left bottom corner was not working properly. Every time you hit the corner the resulting action was whatever was to right of the tap. I could no longer dial any numbers that were not already in the contacts. Resulting in actually having to pull out the old Razr until the new phone arrived.

September 11, 2010: New Tires on the Car (Definitely a Necessity see previous post)
The car has received it's fourth set of tires over 7.5 years of life. The last set just couldn't make it through the last two autocross events of the 2010 Season. The new tires may get broken in this weekend in Lexington at Applebees if interested in checking it out.

Health Update:
Though I have not been walking daily nor eating the most healthiest meals, it apparently is not all bad as my cholesterol results came in today and overall cholesterol was down 49 pts, LDL 62 pts, ration 2.4. Now HDL was also down 8 not a good thing and Triglycerides up 104. Triglycerides is probably due to the fried and sugary foods that I have been eating in excess. Not sure the status of the weight, since I do not have my usual scale nor a scale at all. I was disappointed to only be down about 6 lbs since I saw the same doctor in Louisville about 4.5 years ago.

Now off to the next set of adventures and accomplishments in life. Hope to see you on the way.

Running from Cars and Tire Destruction

Sunday started off as a wonderful day for an autocross. The sky was blue with no clouds in the air and the temperature was great. The course was full of elements and I was hopeful for a great day.

The first few hours were spent out on course to put cones back after being struck. The view from course really helps one assess their future movements in the car themselves. Corner work included scurrying for ones life not once but twice. A couple vehicles got a bit unbalanced coming through the second time resulting in a spin towards the workers and light pole. We were all up and aware of our surroundings and no one or vehicles were hurt in the process. Apparently we looked like very slow ants scurrying and we surely felt like slow ants moving from the spinning vehicles.

After a break, it was our turn to run the course. The course was great and I really was on top of my game. Unfortunately, I only got three of my five runs due to a gash in the side of the tire. It was about quarter size after the second run. After the third run it was about 2 inches of separation. Therefore I decided to call it a day and thanks to some fellow competitors, I changed it over to the donut and headed home.

Here is a picture from my phone of the tire:

3 Days, 3 Cities, 3 Major League Ballparks---1 Week, 4 Major League Ballparks, Many Miles by Car & Train

3 Days, 3 Cities, 3 Ballparks

#1 -- Miller Park, Milwaukee, WI June 29th, 2010
Houston Astros vs Milwaukee Brewers 5-7
Game: 5 Home Runs made this an exciting game to watch.
Park: A very nice park but not a fan of the dome and the very closed in nature of the park. I was very thankful that it was nice actually a bit chilly by nights end that the dome was open. I am not a fan of domed outdoor sports facilities. The sport was created for outdoor recreation, not indoor play.

#2 -- Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL June 30th, 2010
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs 2-0
Game: A very slow game with little action, probably in terms of performance the least favorite of all games.
Park: Top notch, I love the fact that Wrigley is still a traditional old style ballpark. The green wall and the old manual scoreboard makes this a great place to watch a game. It is also very open and the skyline is nice in outfield.

#3 -- Target Field, Minneapolis, MN July 1st, 2010
Tampa Bay Rays vs Minnesota Twins 5-4
Game: An exciting game that went into an extra inning before Tampa Bay pulled off the victory in the 10th.
Park: Another nice park with a wonderful view of the skyline and open feeling. We even got to watch the extra inning from the lower section thanks to PC's friends of friends.

#4 -- US Cellular Field, Chicago, IL July 5th, 2010
Los Angeles Angels vs Chicago White Sox 2-9
Game: 4 Home Runs and some exciting plays made this a great game to watch.
Park: A nice park but don't try to go to a level in which your seat is not. There is not wandering around besides the level in which you are assigned. We were able to talk them into letting us to the gift shop on the first level. We enjoyed a little walk around before heading to our actual seats in the upper level. Again, I enjoyed the openness of the ballpark. You could see the train drive by in the background and parts of the city.

The 1 week baseball adventure and so what are my thoughts on baseball now...How can I make it to another ballpark and another game? I loved it and knew that when at game three in Minneapolis that I was in trouble. I started asking myself then how could I get to another game and where. I was working through ideas to go to Atlanta and St Louis before the end of the season, but the whole starting a new job and moving was causing havoc in the plans. Though do not despair, I have not fully given up on the idea. St Louis, Labor Day weekend, anyone interested?

#5 (or #1 for the season) -- Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, OH May 15, 2010
St. Louis Cardinals vs Cincinnati Reds 3-4
Game: A well played game with some very close calls and a great finish for Reds fans. A disappointing conclusion for Cardinals fans but overall a great game to watch. It was a great way to start the baseball summer adventures off with some great company, CV and KP.
Park: A great view of the Ohio River and Northern Kentucky makes this a very nice park to enjoy a game. It is fun watching the steamboats and barges go up and down the river and enjoy the openness of the ballpark.

St Louis - Sunday of Labor Day weekend, interested???? Cardinals vs Reds

I hope you enjoy the adventures and the pictures.

Baseball Adventures & Goal

Over the past few years, I have been able to experience a couple different Major League Baseball parks. During this time, I decided that it would be fun to try to hit all the Major League Baseball Parks, especially the legendary ones. Therefore this summers vacation became a baseball adventure thanks to my friend PC for joining in on the fun.

It all started with a wedding in Minneapolis, MN. Not wanting to just drive or fly to Minneapolis and see very little, I kept trying to find someone to go along and something fun to do on the way, when finally it hit me. To get to Minneapolis via car, you need to go through Chicago where two Major League teams play and there is another in the Twin Cities. I then knew just the person who would probably be willing to join me on this adventure and who had friends in Minneapolis. Thankfully, she was a willing participant and the plans developed from there. She even suggested adding another ballpark.

Our adventure started on July 29th in Indiana and ended on July 6th me back in Indiana and her in Chicago for a few more days of fun. We hit three ballparks in three days in three cities. More in the next post.

New Adventures & Back to Kentucky

Six weeks ago, another new segment of life began. As most of you know on July 12, I started a new job back in Kentucky. I now work at Bellarmine University in Louisville, KY as Residence Life Coordinator in the Department of Residence Life and Housing.

Bellarmine University is celebrating their 60th Anniversary as an Independent Catholic Institution. The opportunities abound here and I am looking forward to the learning and educating of others.

My position consists of supporting three residence halls on the top of the hill by the Chapel. I have 10 Resident Assistants who support me in my efforts throughout the three buildings. In addition, I work 12 hours a week in the Student Activities Office with Registered Student Organizations and their financials. I live on campus in a nice two bedroom apartment overlooking the Chapel. These are only the start of many things that I will do and be involved in during my time at Bellarmine.

The semester is officially underway and training has concluded. Normalcy should soon follow and hopefully that will lead to more opportunities to blog and share with you. Though I look to get involved at the same time, I hope to take time out for you and my other friends and family.

Return to the Blog

Dear Friends and Readers:

Thanks for all of your support! I feel that I continue to leave you alone and not share the happenings or thoughts of life. When I return, I promise to do better but often again fail. I make no promises of the success or continued consistent future of this blog, but I do hope to write and share more this coming year after apparently a year hiatus.

Last year was a very busy and difficult year. I pushed myself hard to succeed and accomplish things and kept pushing myself and friends away. A resolution for the new year was to work on getting back to my old ways of keeping in contact with friends, sending birthday cards, and sharing personal time with those that mean so much to me. It is a continued struggle to find the right balance between work and personal life, career success and personal enjoyment, when to say no and when to say yes. I ask for your prayers and thoughts as I search for the answers of life and future.

Where am I heading is such a big question in life right now. There are so many options and the true right direction is not evident, though I feel confident that God has placed me back in Louisville and in Kentucky for a reason. Now I just need to take time out to listen to Him and seek the reasons for this placement. Your prayers and thoughts as I transition and seek out the future is very much appreciated.

I look forward to catching up with each of you and spending time sharing and rejoicing in God's love for us all. God Bless!

Dump Your Plump - Round 2 - Grizzly Fat Chunkers

10 Weeks of Controlled Weight Loss - September 6 - November 15
Goals
- Set a weight loss goal (13 lbs is my goal this time)
- Exercise a minimum of 5 days a week for 30 minutes

Current Weight: 183 (up a few pounds since the last report)

Eating healthier than the last two months will be the key to success as well as working out again. I hope to do more than just daily lunch walking but we will see how that goes as life is very busy.

Second, I am participating in a Walking Contest on campus which starts next week and last through November 8th.

Thank goodness it ends just in time for Thanksgiving, my Birthday, Christmas, and New Years!!!

Stay posted for updates as I try to shrink my stomach again after the indulgences of the last couple of months.

GeoCities Closing October 26, 2009

The internet came to life and we went out and created our first websites. The summer of 1998 was my first website attempt. The graphics and design were simple as there were no set templates to use. The intention was to create a site from one's own knowledge of html and abilities. We worked with one another to expand our html knowledge and create slightly more advanced sites.

One of my favorite options was the chat function. I enjoyed several chats with Georgetown friends as they were all across the country during the summer of 1998. The other exciting features were the counter and guestbook. Today those features are just basics to any site.

Check out the original website one last time before GeoCities closes October 26, 2009: Robin's Home Page

Do you have an old GeoCities site? Check it out and save it before it disappears.

No Free Weekends Until January

How does one's schedule get full so fast? I really don't have that much of a life. My phone never rings, emails rarely appear, Facebook conversations are minimal, IM chats only occur with a couple people, but somehow my calendar has something scheduled every weekend from now until Jan 8. You better claim the date now.

What does all this mean? Not sure that it means a whole lot because they are not all set in stone. (22 Weekends)
10 - I have to work.
1 - Work related but a trip to Stratford, Canada.
3 - I have tickets to the IU Football games. Anyone interested in watching Wisconsin or Purdue. I believe the Ohio State game is taken. I also have tickets for sale for Illinois and Western Michigan.
2 - Weekends are Holidays
2 - Weekend is my Birthday/Christmas Visiting (Not Planned)
4 - Weekends various, KY, Church, and other activities available

Well, it is time to get back to work as this is one of those working weekends. Football moved in today and lots of prep work to be completed for training.

Health and General Update

Yes once again, I have fallen off the face of the earth. If you are on Facebook and my friend, you have by now hopefully seen at least a few of the pictures from my trip. For those who are not on Facebook, I apologize for not yet posting. I wanted to provide some commentary to the pictures and the trip. Unfortunately, I ran into issues with the computer and now the new year is in full swing. I really do promise to post something soon. I know you heard this last year about Ghana. Pictures are already more organized than the Ghana ones so you should be in luck, hopefully. If anything, I will post with no commentary.

Yes, school starts on Sept 1. RA Training started last night and goes through the arrival of New Students on August 28. I will be wrapped up in RA Training, Mentor Training, and planning the four-day orientation program for New Students.

Current Weight: 180 lbs
I was at 179 after returning from vacation but have proceeded to eat unhealthy the last few weeks month and a half. I was up 6 lbs from that but now only 1 lb. I am looking forward to the return of the cafeteria and stable daily meals and some salad.

Granted if I stopped making zucchini cake, I might be in better shape.

Have a great August! I will return in September.

PS Anyone interested in IU Football? Looking to sell two tickets for the W. Michigan game on Sept 12.

Why so much work to register your car?

Today's adventure to the BMV was a bust. I went to register my car at the local BMV to find out that I had to have a document verifying my right to have the college's specialty plate. It really does not make sense to me, especially since I already have an FC plate on my car. Why would it not be okay for me to have such a plate again? I can see the reason for an initial document stating that it is okay for me to have an FC plate. This would keep anyone from going to the BMV and getting a college's specialty plate, but why to renew it.

You may be asking what happens in other states. I know for a fact and through experience that in KY you do not need any type of documentation in order to get a private college's specialty plate. Now depending on the county you live in you might need to pre-order the initial plate because they do not have a stock of them in all departments. But to renew you go in as you would for a regular plate and pay the slight extra fee that goes in part to the institution.

Fried Computer ... Now What

The computer has gone down in flames, not literally but figuratively. The hard drive has now crashed and data has been lost. Therefore with a dead ethernet card, power supply, and harddrive, I suppose this machine that is approximately 9 years old has seen its last day of life.

The question now is what to do in purchasing a new machine.
- Vista, XP, or some how wait until Windows 7 comes out
- Desktop or Laptop
- Leaning towards desktop but then do I go for brand name or more my own design.
- What is a reputable place to purchase a pc from?

Any suggestions or thoughts on purchasing a new pc would be appreciated?

Northwest Adventure - Washington State Pictures

Enjoy this link of to pictures from Washington State and the first 4 days of the two week adventure.

Washington State - 2009

Stories and more to come....

Computer Woes....

About 3 weeks ago things started to go downhill with the computer. It all started with a really bad thunderstorm. Lightning either hit the building I live in or hit very close to it.

Personally, my computer's network card was blown. Additionally, I am fairly positive that the strike turned the computer on as the green and orange light was on though the screen was totally black. I had to hard reboot the machine. The computer came back up seemingly with no problems except for the network card.

The building had issues with the card entry system and the fire panel. The office computer's motherboard was fried and a student's laptop power supply was zapped. Those are the issues I heard about prior to leaving two days later.

Upon departure for two week vacation, I unplugged all of my large items like tv and computer.

Upon return, I plugged the surge protector back into the wall. It immediately sent an electric current through the surge protector to the computer, which made a large popping noise. After that, there was no longer power being received by the computer. The monitor, printer, and phone were all still working.

Thankfully it appears that the only thing that was blown was the power supply and of course the network card still does not work. I borrowed a power supply from IT to checkout the status of the computer.

QUESTION: Any suggestions on where or brand of power supply to purchase? Is there anything in particular that I should look for in a power supply? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Computer woes also included having absolutely no network access when I returned from vacation. My computer of course was busted but the laptop did not work either. IT made updates to the network last week and the building did not take kindly to those changes. Thankfully, they finally fixed the network issues yesterday so I can access the network through my laptop.

Northwest Adventure Starts Tomorrow

Tomorrow, Saturday the adventure begins. It is 3 am and packing is done I hope. There is always time to get those things I forgot when I get to Washington.

Trip Itinerary includes
- Seattle Washington
- Ellensburg Washington and the various things to do around there (more to come once I return)
- Mt St Helen and Mt Rainer, if the weather cooperates
- 5 nights in Yellowstone, 4 full days of exploring Yellowstone and Grand Tetons
- Devils Tower
- Mount Rushmore and neighboring State Park
- Badlands
- Corn Palace
- Maybe a stop to see a friend in Milan, IL
- Franklin, IN
- Bloomington, IN for 4th of July Fireworks

Camping, hiking, and more...Oh My...at least we have campsites now :-)

Have a wonderful two weeks!

Health Update - June

Another visit to the doctor and some great news. The doctor is not ready to put me on any type of cholesterol medication at this point. Still going to see what the other medication does and how my continued weight loss improves my cholesterol.

Below is an update on my cholesterol from the last testing three months ago.

Total Cholesterol dropped another 7 points. (Lowest it has been since Oct 2004)
Triglycerides dropped 66 points. (Lowest it has been since Oct 2004)
HDL's increased 6 points to be on the border line of in range.
LDL's did not change and still a bit high.
Overall Ratio dropped .9 but still in the high range.

According to the doctor's scale, I have lost 15 lbs since February and two pounds since my appointment in May.

Current Weight 181 lbs.
Total weight loss thus far 26 lbs. Goal of at least 6 more by mid-July.

Weight was based on a reading this morning on the office scale. I was actually shocked to see the loss of 4 lbs because I had been staying steady for many weeks now. We will see how the upcoming hiking and camping adventure affects this loss/gain.

Home of Superman!

Are you a Superman fan, then you should visit the home of Superman in Metropolis, IL. There is a large Superman statue in front of the courthouse and a festival every year. I have seen Superman and actually competed many moons ago in the Superman 5K event.

Why do I bring this up because Metropolis, IL made my CNN feed today with the article For Lois Lane statue, economy may be kryptonite so I thought I would share some trivia with you.

Should I get a new sleeping bag plus other things?

Three weeks from today, the journey eastward through the west begins. The question of the day is what do I need to take with to Seattle, to buy there, to buy and ship there, etc.

Camping...never been done that I can recollect so the newbie needs some advice.
Hiking...have done but still untrained.

ADVICE WELCOMED

Thoughts...questions.......
** Sleeping bag --- Has the time come to invest in a new sleeping bag? I have a very old sleeping bag that has some sort of weather rating, but unfortunately all the tags are gone from the bag. There is nothing on the bag that tells me anything about it. If the suggestion is to buy a new bag, any suggestions on the type, brand, needs of the sleeping bag?

** Walking stick --- Is this something that would be good to have? In ways it seems like money not well used but in other ways I can see the need for a walking stick and you cant always find a good tree branch.

** Special Socks --- How important is it to have special socks? And if so, what are you looking for in such special socks?

** What are the other essentials needed for hiking, camping, etc?

All advice is welcomed no matter how simple, common sense it is.

Hiking May 30-31 Pictures

Check out these pics of the two hikes this past weekend:

McCormicks Creek, Owen County, IN

Yellowwood State Forest, Nashville, IN

Awesome Weekend of Hiking and More!

After two full days of hiking, my legs are a bit sore and thankfully the hiking boots did not create any new blisters. The new sandals created plenty on Friday.

Friday
An early departure from work provide me time to catch up with folks in Bloomington and enjoy a nice dinner at Shanti Indian with JL and KK. Though spicy, the dinner was quite tasty. Afterwards, I enjoyed a nice walk and some Jiffy Treat on the east side of Bloomington.

Saturday - McCormick's Creek
Pauline and I enjoyed a wonderful day at McCormick's Creek. The rain held off and we completed about 5 miles. The day started with a 2 mile moderate hike to see Wolf Cave and the Twin Bridges. After a brief break for lunch, we continued on to complete another 3 miles of moderate hiking in the southern half of the park. It also included a climb up one of the few standing Fire Tower's throughout Indiana.

After the hike, it was time to try another international cuisine. We enjoyed dinner at Basil Leaf. I had a Vietnamese cuisine with a Thai Iced Tea both of which were delicious. The evening concluded somewhat nicely minus the constant interruptions about the weather happening north of Indy as we watched the first game of the Stanley Cup.

Sunday - Yellowwood State Forest
Have you been to Yellowwood, if not I definitely suggest a trip. The hike is more like backcountry hiking and animals are more abundant throughout the park. I saw geese and their little ones, a frog, turtle, deer, some sort of lizard, multiple chipmunks, and squirrels.

Today's hike lead me on two self-guided interpretive trails learning about the management of Yellowwood's natural resources and exploration of the various habitat types throughout the forest.

The journey started on the Resource Management Trail (1.5 miles/moderate), which I completed 2/3 of before continuing along the Lake Trail (5 miles/moderate). The Lake Trail led into the Jackson Creek Trail (1.5 miles/easy) and then back to the Lake Trail.

Two hours into the hike, it was time for some reading and lunch. I'm currently reading Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson. Additional report on the book will come later. Lunch was delicious. Since Subway and Jimmy Johns were not open at 9:30 am, I decided to try out Bloomington Bagel. I should have gotten two bagels because they are so delicious. I enjoyed a cinnamon sugar PB&J bagel sandwich.

Two hours later, it was time to hit the trails again. 1/2 an hour later, I ran into the Scarce O'Fat Trail (4 miles rugged). It was not time to head home and I need to get use to a lot of hiking before I hit Washington so off I went on the Scarce O'Fat Trail. The trail then ran into the High King Vista Trail (.5 mile moderate but 1/4 steep). Thankfully, the 1/4 steep hill was downhill from the direction which I came. Then there was still another 35 mins to hike along the Lake Trail to get back to the car.

To say the least, I was worn out when I got to the car and feeling a little stiffness in the right calf.

The weekend is now over and I will post some pictures soon for you too see of the weekend hikes.

Weight Loss Update

Yikes, it has been a month since I have updated the blog. I apologize. The month has escaped me.

The workout is not going so well. The daily walking Mon-Fri is still fairly on pace with a day here and there with little walking. The eating habits are struggling at the moment with no cafeteria food and constant salad. I enjoyed lots of food out this weekend but did not gain any weight so that is exciting.

Current Weight 185 lbs, which has stayed steady for a couple weeks now.
Total weight loss thus far 22 lbs. Goal of at least 10 more by mid-July.

It was exciting going shopping with LB and Pauline on Monday at the outlet malls. I actually could look for clothes in sections that were not viable last time.

One-Way Flight to Seattle, WA - Booked

What was your first thoughts when you saw the heading? It has stirred some comments on Facebook that is for sure.

Yes, the heading is correct. I purchased a one-way ticket to Seattle, WA today, which was a big step in life. It marks the beginning of what shall be an exciting, fun, thrilling two-week adventure starting and ending here in Franklin, IN.

Anyone interested in giving me a ride to the Indy airport for my departure flight on June 20? At least, I changed my flight to a 7:15 am departure instead of a 5:30 am departure.

So what happens during those two weeks is still up for debate and maybe some of you can provide some insight. Upon arrival at 11:02 PST in Seattle, my friend (SF) and I have approximately two weeks to arrive back in Franklin, IN. The goal is to celebrate America's Independence in Bloomington so if you live there look for some more info to come soon.

The overarching places we plan to see on our eastward adventure of the northwest:
Seattle - Arrival Day
Mt St Helens
Ellensburg (where SF lives)
Yellowstone
Grand Tetons
Devil's Tower
Mount Rushmore
Badlands
Corn Palace (SF found last time she drove)

Any other sites we should hit from Seattle, WA to Bloomington, IN?
Any specific places you would suggest us going within any of these areas?
Any words of wisdom at all for our adventure?
Anyone have a nice hiking backpack I could borrow for a couple weeks that works as a carry-on?

Definitely more to come about this journey and I look forward to hearing your thoughts, but for now I must get some sleep.

Getting in Shape!!!!

The new goal is to lose weight but also to get into shape. As mentioned previously, I signed up for a health assessment class here at FC. We received a workout plan several weeks ago but I have failed to engage in the program until now.

New workout plan started, Thursday, April 30 with encouragement from my student trainer.

Thursday April 30
- Warmup walk and stretch
- Approx. 10 min jog
- Cool down walk and stretch
- Dumbbell press, bicep curls, and a few other arm exercises.
- Set of crunches

Friday May 1
- Normal lunchtime walk with some definite soreness in the legs

Saturday May 2
- Dumbbell press, bicep curls, and a few other arm exercises.
- Stretching
- Walk to Masonic home and back to watch the FC Grizzly Grand Prix (Bike Race)

Sunday May 3
- Warmup walk and stretch
- Jog 10 mins same run as Thursday but went about 50 yards further.
- 5 min walk/stretch
- Jog 5 mins back to the start of the original jog.
- Cool down walk/stretch
- Weight Room - Leg press, leg curl, leg extensions, lat pull downs, seated row
- Crunches and more stretching

Goal to lift weights three times per week and jog four times per week for starters.

Weight Loss Update - Current weight 189
Goal by the time I see my family in July 175 lbs another 14 lbs for total of 32 lbs since January.

Three Things..Learn some new things about me

This is for those friends not on Facebook.

3 things: Now, here's what you're supposed to do. And please do not spoil the fun. Start a new note, delete my answers and put in your own. Tag all your friends and tell them to tag you. The theory is that you will learn a lot of little known things about each other.

1. Three Names I go by:
Robin
Murph
Starky (in college)

2. Three Jobs I have had in my life:
babysitter
department store cashier/stocker
campus security dispatcher

3. Three places I have lived in:
Bloomington, IN
Georgetown, KY
Paducah, KY

4. Three TV Shows that I watch:
My Boys
NCIS
Brothers & Sisters

5. Three places I have been to:
Perth, Western Australia (plus southwest corner)
Ghana (from south to north)
Stratford, Canada

6. Three people that e-mail me regularly:
Earline
Amy R.
Kerri S.

7. Three of my favorite foods:
Cheese
Dark chocolate
Egg, Cheese, and Bologna Sandwich

8. Three things I would like to do:
Mission Trip to Africa
Travel to the Holy Lands
England to find family

9. Three friends I think will respond:
Chris V.
Sarah F.
Julie D.

10. Three things I am looking forward to:
An eastward adventure of the west in June/July and going MIA
My Boys Marathon with a friend
Having a family one day

Health Assessment Class

Wow, it has been a long and rough few weeks since I last updated you on my health status.

The workout, even the walking, has drastically disappeared in the last few weeks. I hope now that my first big event is over and things went well. I can again focus on working out, getting in shape, and eating healthier. In the next few days, I will be getting a nutrition plan from my student. Until then, I will try to workout and continue the walking.

Update on the weight loss...
10-week program I lost 17 lbs to put me at 190.
Two weeks ago I lost 2 lbs but this week I have gained one of those lbs back.

How are you doing?

KYR SCCA Event #2

Results from the first autocross of the season and unfortunately, I am not sure how many more I will attend. It's amazing how fast weekends fill up.

It poured to start the day, cleared off in time to race, and rained again to finish the day off. Here are my times in order of runs:
47.206
44.593
45.052
45.621
44.798

NO CONES - The car handled a lot better than I thought it would in the rain. I am in dire need of seat time to improve.

The winning G Stock time was 41.608.
28/34 in PAX
32/34 in RAW

Top 100 Places to Live - Lexington, Columbus

Relocate-America's™ Top 100 Places to Live in 2009

Lexington, KY ranks in the top 12 best places to live.

Did you know that in 2008, Lexington was ranked as the 2nd most educated city in the U.S. behind Seattle, WA? This comes from Business Facilities.

Did you know that Toyota is apparently a major employer of Lexington? Unfortunately soon Lexington is going to eat up all of the neighboring towns into a greater Lexington area.

Check out the blurb about Lexington for some other interesting insights.

A couple other interesting cities to me and my other readers in the top 100 include:
Columbus, IN (approx 20 miles south of Franklin)
Noblesville and Fishers, IN
Columbus, OH

Enjoy the reading and finding your next location to live!

What a Weekend

First of all thanks to all of those who allowed me to visit and/or stay with them this weekend. It was awesome to see each and everyone of you.

For those I did not see especially those ill, I hope you get to feeling better soon and do not worry as this story continues, you will see I will be back maybe sooner than later.

Here are just a few of the highlights:

Congrats and Best Wishes to Dr. French! He served Georgetown proudly for 33 years and all of his fellow humans will never forget the compassion and love he showed for each of his students. By the way class starts at 9:30 Naval Observatory Time, you better set your watches appropriately. It was wonderful to see and catch up with professors, staff, and alumni.

Saturday was my first experience of Thunder over Louisville at least that I can remember. I did not actually head downtown for Thunder, but I did catch it on the TV at my friends, RJ squared. It was a lovely production and maybe one day I will venture down to the river to witness it first hand.

Autocross season is HERE. Though a very rainy, rainy day, I enjoyed my first autocross of the season and am now trying to rationalize going to EKU next weekend. Or maybe I should check out the rest of the month and rationalize another event. Either way, I really do not know if I can wait until June to race again. Also if I plan on being in anyway competitive this season, I must practice.

My overall results were not stellar today. I finished 28 out of 34 cars with my second run being the best of 5. The car was quite impressive and stayed under me plus no cones were taken out. The braking before the turns seemed to be good but the line was not all that smooth. The key to improvement is practice and driving the car approximately 300 miles a month is not very good practice.

Children, Children, and more Children The cute little ones of all of my friends was a joy to be around this weekend. I definitely had a good fill of children this weekend though very glad when mom, dad, and grandma were around to take care of the dirty diapers. :-)

Those are just a few of the many highlights from this weekend.

Please keep me in your thoughts this week as I prepare for a large event on Saturday.

12 Loads of Laundry for 1 Person

The weekend is here. I am on call for work so what better thing to do but clean the apartment. It is now 8:30 pm and the work is almost done. It all started about 12:30 pm.

12 Loads of Laundry, only 9 loads for the dryer - Seriously, Yes
I asked myself the same question earlier today and so did my friend Pauline when I told her. But after examining the contents of the 12 loads, it does not seem as crazy.

Loads Contents
2 Sheets
1 Mattress Pad
1 Blankets
1 Towels
1 Fleece Jackets/Sweatshirts
1 Sweaters
1 Reds
1 Jeans/PJs
1 Lights
1 Darks
1 Underwear/Cleaning Rags/Workout Clothes

So really only 6 real loads of laundry for about 3 weeks, which is not too bad especially since some were small loads.

Anyone want to come visit now that the apartment is clean. Everything has been cleaned though there is still a bit of clutter around the apartment.

Dump Your Plump - Conclusion - 10 Full Weeks

10 Weeks of Dump Your Plump is over and I met my weight loss goal of 7 lbs and exercising at least 30 minutes 5 days a week was accomplished. It has all gone down hill the past two weeks, but hopefully next week I can get back into the groove. This week has been really busy with work and preparing for Easter.

After Week 10 - 190 (0 lbs)
After Week 9 - 190 (0 lbs)
After Week 8 - 190 (0 lbs)
After Week 7 - 190 (-1 lb)
After Week 6 - 191 (-1 lb)
After Week 5 - 192 (-3 lbs)
After Week 4 - 195 (0 lbs)
After Week 3 - 195 (-4 lbs)
After Week 2 - 199 (-2 lbs)
After Week 1 - 201 (-6 lbs)
The Start - 207