We ran a mile again this morning and we both did better than yesterday! Woo! Next week we will start going farther, and I think I may run an extra half a block tomorrow.
I also did more push ups and sit ups today. I downloaded this neato little app on my phone, and it's like a training guide to eventually be able to do 100 consecutive sit ups (you can adjust your goal, how many you want to do, I chose 100 for sit ups because it's closest to my goal of 82), and I got the same one for push ups, which I set for 50. It tells you how many to do, then counts down a rest period, then makes a whistle noise when you have to do the next rep. It's super awesome! I did them both today; I had the thought that I maybe should do them on alternating days, but I figured to just go for it. So then I get to rest completely every other day.
I think it will work out.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
New Old Goals
Alright. Now that I'm back from annual training, and Caelyn's birthday party went off without a hitch (woohoo!), it's back to the daily grind. During AT I decided (not for the first time, I'm sure I've decided this before, hence the new old goals), that since I am not going to get promoted before my ETS date, I may as well set a [lofty] military goal for myself. I'm going to work my butt off and earn myself a PT patch.
Yes you read that right! I want to be a PT stud before I ETS (March 16, 2013), which, if I actually stick to a work out and actually DO the work outs, shouldn't be too much of a problem. I have to drop my run time by at least 3 minutes to get 90 points on the run, ultimately working for a 15:48 for 100 points. I gotta up my sit-ups by about 30 (82 for 100 points), and 30 more push-ups (50 for 100 points). I'm guesstimating on those numbers (wow, 'guesstimating' is an actual word? Blogger didn't underline it in a red squiggly line!), but they are pretty close.
I've got some work ahead of me, but not impossible work! I've unwittingly recruited a run partner, though admittedly he has much more work to do than I do, but that's ok! We went one mile around the block today, and I left him in the dust :( Oohhh, I also got new running shoes and wow you don't realize how bad your old sneakers are until you run in a new pair. N-I-C-E! My feet definitely love me for that one!
So now hopefully I will be able to update more often on my progress (and other things in between). I feel like my head is clear for the first time in a while. Being in Queens for 12 days made me appreciate where I live. I couldn't wait to drive out of the city and back into the mountains. I'm sure this feeling won't last, but gosh it sure was nice to get home last week!
Yes you read that right! I want to be a PT stud before I ETS (March 16, 2013), which, if I actually stick to a work out and actually DO the work outs, shouldn't be too much of a problem. I have to drop my run time by at least 3 minutes to get 90 points on the run, ultimately working for a 15:48 for 100 points. I gotta up my sit-ups by about 30 (82 for 100 points), and 30 more push-ups (50 for 100 points). I'm guesstimating on those numbers (wow, 'guesstimating' is an actual word? Blogger didn't underline it in a red squiggly line!), but they are pretty close.
I've got some work ahead of me, but not impossible work! I've unwittingly recruited a run partner, though admittedly he has much more work to do than I do, but that's ok! We went one mile around the block today, and I left him in the dust :( Oohhh, I also got new running shoes and wow you don't realize how bad your old sneakers are until you run in a new pair. N-I-C-E! My feet definitely love me for that one!
So now hopefully I will be able to update more often on my progress (and other things in between). I feel like my head is clear for the first time in a while. Being in Queens for 12 days made me appreciate where I live. I couldn't wait to drive out of the city and back into the mountains. I'm sure this feeling won't last, but gosh it sure was nice to get home last week!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Spark 12 Poem
Since I haven't written anything substantial here for quite a while, I figured I'd share my latest Spark creation. The following picture is what was sent to me, and the poem following that was the piece I wrote with the picture as inspiration. Enjoy!
The Forever Kiss
I wish I could kiss you forever
like that day we were on the beach.
I remember the tropical pinks and blues
of the blankets scattered across the sand,
the peach and brown and sunburn
of the bodies laying on orange flowered towels.
And you.
I remember you next to me,
sweat dripping from both our brows,
the sun merciless on our backs
as we lean in close.
Lips touch once, twice,
Continuous.
All afternoon,
covered in hot sand, our blanket askew,
unaware of the other tourists
one by one leaving the beach.
Alone, our lips still pressed together
until the chill of the moon over the ocean
pulls us back into our hotel room
where we kiss again
forever.
© Elizabeth Cordes, May 2011
The Forever Kiss
I wish I could kiss you forever
like that day we were on the beach.
I remember the tropical pinks and blues
of the blankets scattered across the sand,
the peach and brown and sunburn
of the bodies laying on orange flowered towels.
And you.
I remember you next to me,
sweat dripping from both our brows,
the sun merciless on our backs
as we lean in close.
Lips touch once, twice,
Continuous.
All afternoon,
covered in hot sand, our blanket askew,
unaware of the other tourists
one by one leaving the beach.
Alone, our lips still pressed together
until the chill of the moon over the ocean
pulls us back into our hotel room
where we kiss again
forever.
© Elizabeth Cordes, May 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
A Really Good Day
I'm gonna keep this short, because I've got other things I should be doing... But I'm having a really good day today!! Number one, got a refund check back from Mountain Medical because they over-billed me on Caelyn's doctor visit last month (yay!).
Then I bid on a metallic rose DS Lite for Caelyn's birthday and WON IT. WOO!
AND, on top of all this, I got a notice from Caelyn's school saying that her artwork has been chosen to represent her school at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts 2011 High Peaks Art Show! WOW! The rest of the letter states, "This art show features a select number of student work from schools around the North Country." The opening reception is this Friday night, so of course we will be there!
Ok and one more thing... FINALLY finished the blocks of crochet-a-long blanket that I had been working on since last summer. All I have left to do now is sew them together and put an edging on it! I'm so stoked, it's almost completely done!!!
Nothing bad happened today. So rare, and so amazing, just had to share. :)
Then I bid on a metallic rose DS Lite for Caelyn's birthday and WON IT. WOO!
AND, on top of all this, I got a notice from Caelyn's school saying that her artwork has been chosen to represent her school at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts 2011 High Peaks Art Show! WOW! The rest of the letter states, "This art show features a select number of student work from schools around the North Country." The opening reception is this Friday night, so of course we will be there!
Ok and one more thing... FINALLY finished the blocks of crochet-a-long blanket that I had been working on since last summer. All I have left to do now is sew them together and put an edging on it! I'm so stoked, it's almost completely done!!!
Nothing bad happened today. So rare, and so amazing, just had to share. :)
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
It Got Finished!
Well well! I did get the blanket done on time and was able to give it to Caelyn when I picked her up. It's so cute!
In other news... Well, there really is no other news. I'll be down in Jersey this weekend for drill. So not looking forward to that. The more I think about it, the more I dislike being in the military and the quicker I want the next two years to go by so I can finally be done with it all. I'm just not the military-career type. I don't want to deal with it anymore. Ever again.
 |
| Bunnehs!! |
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Just Wanna Crochet
I just want to crochet. All day long. I love it and it keeps my mind off other things. It's a great way to de-stress and forget about reality for a while. Also I just really love doing it. I started a lavender filet blanket, here's the first strip of blocks:
The pattern calls for 3 more rows, but I may have to do a few extra since right now it doesn't look like it will be long enough if I just do what it says, but we'll see. Caelyn is gone for the week and I'd like to ideally get it done before she comes home on Saturday, but I'll be happy with getting it done for Easter.
And speaking of Caelyn, she is sick :( Got a call from 'daddy' saying she threw up and has a fever, so he is taking her to the doctor. I hope it's nothing serious, just some bad food or something. She's already taking zithromax and an allergy medicine for the congested coughing post nasal drip she's had going on for the past 2 weeks, and I know how much she hates taking medicine. I hope my baby feels better soon :'(
And speaking of Caelyn, she is sick :( Got a call from 'daddy' saying she threw up and has a fever, so he is taking her to the doctor. I hope it's nothing serious, just some bad food or something. She's already taking zithromax and an allergy medicine for the congested coughing post nasal drip she's had going on for the past 2 weeks, and I know how much she hates taking medicine. I hope my baby feels better soon :'(
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Just a Little Note
Here I am, back at home after a long drill weekend. I left 4:30am on Friday and made it to Totten around 11:30, which was pretty decent time considering all the stops I made, and the length of said stops. Drilled a half day, then retired to the hotel room with Sgt F, who made a bangin' salad to share with me. I did pick out the mushrooms (yick), but everything else was SO GOOD, and I am definitely not a big salad eater. If someone asks at dinner if I want salad, generally the answer is "No. Thanks. No thanks.." And if at a restaurant they ask if I want soup or salad, I'll have soup, unless it's a gross soup (like Manhattan clam chowder or French Onion), then I'll opt for the least healthy salad, a Caesar, rife with croutons and cheese and dressing.
This salad was different, though, for two major reasons: One, I was starving. I hadn't eaten anything all day so I was happy for the offer of food, even if it was green and full of vegetables. Two, it was free and I didn't have to leave the hotel room for it. I'm cheap and did not feel like getting up off my ass to walk down the block to Wendy's, or worse yet, directly across the street to Burger King. That cheap. That lazy. I must say, though, that I enjoyed the salad and all the things in it: chunks of chicken, bits of boiled egg, shredded carrot, cucumbers, and all manner of green leafy things. Plus, she had a really awesome honey mustard dressing (the recipe I was lucky to have her divulge to me!). I ate two giant platefuls while we watched Whip It, and then What Women Want. All in all a good night.
Next morning was the APFT. I PASSED THE SIT UPS!! I was SO surprised that I actually did enough sit ups, I was like, Oh shit now I HAVE to push myself on the run cuz I can't use the old "well I already failed so why try" excuse like I usually do when I fail the sit ups. Shit.
So I tried. I really did! But it just wasn't good enough. I missed my time by 37 seconds. THIRTY SEVEN SECONDS. I'm honestly impressed with myself. For all the half-assed work outs I did, and the half-assed runs I pretended to do on my treadmill, I am thoroughly impressed that I performed that well! So, for the next APFT next month, I'm sure I'll be able to pass no problem now. If I keep up the working out thing. I've been lazy the last 3 days, mostly because I was burned out after my trip home Sunday night. I felt like I slept for two days straight, that's how tired I was. Today is a bit better, but still didn't exercise. Maybe I'll do some sit ups later; I'd like to do MORE than 45 sit ups, which is the minimum requirement and the number which I managed to do for this past APFT.
And that was my weekend. And I am now addicted to Tap Fish which I downloaded on my phone two days ago. Also been playing Neopets more recently. ALSO, I finished the purse for my BBFL and she loved it! I'm so happy <3 and another sgt asked me to make her one in green, and even offered to pay for it! I probably won't let her, but whatever. I love making things for people.
I'm 14 blocks away from finishing a blanket I'm making for a good friend of mine, and I have 2 more projects lined up for after: A baby blanket for a guy in my unit whose girlfriend is having a baby, and then a lavender bunny blanket for Caelyn. I may do the bunny blanket first, since Easter is coming up first, and then the baby blanket since she is due I guess in June or July. I really really love making things for people :)
This salad was different, though, for two major reasons: One, I was starving. I hadn't eaten anything all day so I was happy for the offer of food, even if it was green and full of vegetables. Two, it was free and I didn't have to leave the hotel room for it. I'm cheap and did not feel like getting up off my ass to walk down the block to Wendy's, or worse yet, directly across the street to Burger King. That cheap. That lazy. I must say, though, that I enjoyed the salad and all the things in it: chunks of chicken, bits of boiled egg, shredded carrot, cucumbers, and all manner of green leafy things. Plus, she had a really awesome honey mustard dressing (the recipe I was lucky to have her divulge to me!). I ate two giant platefuls while we watched Whip It, and then What Women Want. All in all a good night.
Next morning was the APFT. I PASSED THE SIT UPS!! I was SO surprised that I actually did enough sit ups, I was like, Oh shit now I HAVE to push myself on the run cuz I can't use the old "well I already failed so why try" excuse like I usually do when I fail the sit ups. Shit.
So I tried. I really did! But it just wasn't good enough. I missed my time by 37 seconds. THIRTY SEVEN SECONDS. I'm honestly impressed with myself. For all the half-assed work outs I did, and the half-assed runs I pretended to do on my treadmill, I am thoroughly impressed that I performed that well! So, for the next APFT next month, I'm sure I'll be able to pass no problem now. If I keep up the working out thing. I've been lazy the last 3 days, mostly because I was burned out after my trip home Sunday night. I felt like I slept for two days straight, that's how tired I was. Today is a bit better, but still didn't exercise. Maybe I'll do some sit ups later; I'd like to do MORE than 45 sit ups, which is the minimum requirement and the number which I managed to do for this past APFT.
And that was my weekend. And I am now addicted to Tap Fish which I downloaded on my phone two days ago. Also been playing Neopets more recently. ALSO, I finished the purse for my BBFL and she loved it! I'm so happy <3 and another sgt asked me to make her one in green, and even offered to pay for it! I probably won't let her, but whatever. I love making things for people.
I'm 14 blocks away from finishing a blanket I'm making for a good friend of mine, and I have 2 more projects lined up for after: A baby blanket for a guy in my unit whose girlfriend is having a baby, and then a lavender bunny blanket for Caelyn. I may do the bunny blanket first, since Easter is coming up first, and then the baby blanket since she is due I guess in June or July. I really really love making things for people :)
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