Coming Back...March Madness

Just like the name of the NCAA Tournament, March has truly been madness. I am starting to realize that this is near the end of the semester and my time as a lovely student is almost up again. Time to get my life on track. But before I get all morose and pathetic, I am going to try and get back to somewhat regular posting. I will do a nice retroactive look and explanation of all my picks in my terrible brackets (which have been destroyed). That will be healing.

Path to 6 Pack - Pretest

So for my Physiology of Exercise class we have to complete a project in lab about muscle specificity and how isolated training will affect a muscle group. I got placed in the group looking at abdominals. So starting this Monday I will be training 3 days a week. I am going to
use this blog to track my progress (complete with pictures!). Today was my pretest day to see where I'm starting. 64 crunches (in rhythm to 60 bpm) and 3:01.8 on the plank.

Happy

It's crazy that it's already February and this is my first post of 2011. Happy New Year to everyone out there. Let's make 2011 something special. I'm bummed because although I've been sporadic with my posts I've been able to put at least one post every month since March 2010; guess this is the beginning of the new streak. But considering how crazy the last 2 months have been it makes perfect sense that I haven't posted since December 14th. But you know what? Despite all of that, I'm in a great place. Things have come together in such a way that all I can do is praise the Lord. I can't anything other than smile and be grateful.

No matter how bad it looked back then, I'm happy now.

Ain't that a bitch

Ever since I left school in May I have been searching for the next step, something that will make me happy and advance my standing in the world. However, due to some terribly poor planning (both financially and interpersonally) I have spent the last 7 months acting as a free-loader, under the pretense that I am preparing my grad school applications. There is some truth, I will have my four applications done by their respective due dates, but it's no where near as time consuming as my schedule allowed. I haven't completely bought into the idea that grad school is the answer, but I don't see entering the copirate world as a legitimate option either.

My search just got a whole lot clearer. I am good at and enjoying being a student and engaging in tutoring. During this fall finals period I have helped friends study for their tests, in subjects that I've never taken. But the challenge of working through a problem or topic, or being able to shed light on something that had left my friend confused excites me. As I write this I am in the middle of a 3+ hour statistics study session. THIS STUFF IS BARELY RELEVANT TO ME! But it gets my brain working and each breakthrough is a true success. I know what I need to do, but it's a shame it took a 3 AM study session to find it.

Another conversation with my brother

My brother and I were at it again. It started with a YouTube video that he posted on my wall, and then a comment from my friend about our relationship. Just more reasons why I love this kid.

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B: you trying to get buck young blood?
C: what?
B: making all them comments. you know you used your off arm
C: you know you always started the pushing

(Quick break in the action. This initial exchange is about how we would usually start fighting when we played one-on-one in the front of our house when we were growing up. Good memories. I had to make up for my lack of general skill with physicality, he never liked that.)

B: if i'm lying i'm dying. i just had to hold my own
C: i didn't use my off arm, you're just mad because i mastered the kobe hip clip
B: haha doubtful. well, when you start getting paid to use that hip clip move i expect thanks for all the practice you got with me
C: fair enough. i'll let them know that your constant fouling led me to have to figure out a counter
B: constant fouling?! ninja, it's street basketball in front of our house. no blood, no foul
C: haha, i just wanted the reaction from that comment
B: i think i got hurt more often than you did
C: and you pushed me into the basketball base and/or pole more than once
B: to work on your body control
C: so that's how you justify it?
B: theyve got nice rims in the league
C: haha
B: every game is a chance to learn
C: mmhmm. random question: you participating in no shave november?
B: i beat you kobe got smacked around, thats why he has 5 rings. lebron was getting coddled, and thats why he has no rings. and yes, i am not shaving all month
C: kobe has 5 rings because he's named after a very rare expensive meat...and because he grew up in jaapan
B: more because i lost my razor
C: haha. i haven't touched my facial hair for the past 3.5 months. still look like paul pierce. it's sad.
B: nah, paul pierce has it cleaned up this year. he's all business now
C: at the end of this month, i'm getting a hair cut and shaving off everything
B: he's tired of getting punked by kobe and not getting rings
C: the facial hair isn't stopping him, it's the stacked lakers team
B: but i'm with you. getting a haircut and shaving. i haven't had a cut since august
C: mine has been something like that. with the patch beard i'm starting to look more and more homeless each day.
B: thats not a good look
C: i'm living the college life
B: respect. i guess it works because marisa isn't around. gotta get cleaned up for her
C: she's not coming up until december, i have time
B: so youre going for the grizzly adams look for the first part of the season? good strategy. dont shower, no one will want to guard you
C: this is why i only listen to SOME of your advice
B: thats how i won two of my three IM championships. didnt shower for two days before playoff games
C: i have a feeling you're not lying
B: i get results
C: wait, you didn't win 3 IM championships did you?
B: yeah. 2 spring championships and 1 in the fall. the no shower was for the back-to-back spring ones
C: congratulations, i think that one-ups dad's pickleball championship. i'm getting on FB. goodnight. check out the clippers/pacers highlight if you haven't seen eric gordon's dunk yet. posse out
B: night man. see you in a week

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I love my brother.

Escape

Vacations aren't just about taking a break from your regular life. Vacations are an opportunity to do the things that you're too afraid to do in your regular life. Vacations are a chance to experience something that you thought had no space in your regular life. Vacations are the time where you spend time with people that otherwise are kept at a distance. Vacations are what you really wish your life was like.

Man, I hate it when vacations have to end.

What kids these days are missing out on

I am watching Life Unexpected on the CW (by the way, the CW has some of the most ridiculous shows that are meant to pull on your heartstrings, but in the worst and cheesiest ways) and Sarah McLachlan makes a cameo as the closing act of a concert. Ms. McLachlan's popularity lasted from the mid 1990s to the early 2000s. This means that today's youngsters only know her as the lady that sings the sad song for the abused and abandoned animals. And that's a darn shame. Although I don't any of her songs other than the sad animals song too (my sister told me it is called "In the Arms of an Angel"), I know that she was famous for more than just one song. Kids these days just don't get quality musicians like her anymore.

I weep for the young.