I'm no good with similies. Metaphors and personifications, okay, but similies--no good. It's something like...
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Week 1, Day 2
So, day two of workout 1. I have to say I wasn't too excited about today. I forgot to stretch after my run/walk on Tuesday, so I was feeling it today. But, grudgingly, I pulled out my shorts and laced up my running shoes and hit the door. It was a mellow mood all day and my play list showed it. I studied music for a time in college, and there I was introduced to Bach's cello concerto's. This was the perfect day. I started off with the one from the American Express commercial with all of appliances and what not that are pictured as having faces, etc. you know the one. And off I went. The first run had to be the hardest. I have a feeling this will be a trend. My ankle felt stiff and my calves were attempting to throw up their second stomach, but I pressed on. As I went and as Bach was interrupted by Sgt. Robot, I started playing a game. I looked for things I would have otherwise missed had I not taken this jog. 1. A purple El Camino. I always think of Brad Pitt in "The Mexican" "Ellll Cam-EE- noh" as he runs his finger along the side. So funny. 2. At least 20 bags of leaves stacked ever so neatly on the side of a driveway next to a leaf-less lawn. For someone to appreciate it in the same way you must suffer, as I do, from CDO (its like OCD, but alphabetized like it should be). 3. I saw a guy drying off his Tahoe with a leaf blower. It makes perfect sense! Why go through the trouble of wiping when all you need to do is blow?
Anyway, that's the game I played while I jogged/walked. It makes the time go by and eases the pain. Although, Day 2 didn't seem to cause that much pain...I think I may be getting ahead of myself. [more inside]
I'm 32 years old. I'm not sure you knew that. A couple of weeks ago, I asked my parents if they were celebrating their 30th or 40th wedding anniversary so I'm not sure that knew that. I started something this evening and I'm not sure why. It's not New Years Eve, nor is it a milestone birthday. I didn't get bad news from the doctor or get orders to make a lifestyle change...I just started. A week or so ago, I felt like the urging to get into shape. I know that fastest way to do that is by running. I hate running. This will be a common theme in this post, I'm sure. The second realization came as I looked back on all of my attempts at achieving physical fitness. I've run by myself. I've run with friends. I've run on the road, on the treadmill and on a hiking trail. I've walked a mile and run half a mile, then given it up altogether. So, I realized I needed a plan. I need to aim at something and work my way through the obstacles and over the hurdles to achieve that goal. So, here we go. I've started. And I'm blogging about it. I know that if there's something I want to achieve and I don't feel like I have the tenacity to see it through, if I tell someone else about it, I will work harder for fear of embarrassment and disappointment. So here we go (again). Goal #1: to run a 5k (3 miles) in 9 weeks. Oh, look! A handy iPod Touch app to help: Couch to 5k. Goal #2: run a half marathon (13.1 miles) (hopefully with my wife Jennifer and buddy Matt). Goal #3: run a full marathon (26.2) (with anyone crazy enough to do it).
Matt has run in at least one marathon that I know of and I was present for a half marathon in Nashville. So, to the authority I turn. He sent me to this site: Cool Running which, in turn, prompted me to look for the iPod app. So, here's day 1:
Workout 1 Day 1 This workout consists of a five minute warm up and alternating 60 seconds of jogging with 90 seconds of walking. So, I start "Alligator Pie" by the Dave Matthews Band, hit the Genius on my iPod and off we go. "Alligator Pie" goes off without a hitch. My five minute warm up outlasts Stella whining about being put into a song. I start enjoying the fall wind and the colors of the remaining leaves when I hear "ding, ding ding...RUN!" What the...? Oh yeah, I'm supposed to run now. Apparently, "audio cues" on the website become a "Speak and Spell" with a drill sergeant tone. I pump my legs. My heart starts beating and my lungs fill like they are about to burst. All of a sudden, I'm noticing that Dave is now crooning, "Save Me" and I'm praying along with him. "ding, ding, ding...walk." Whew, that was crazy! Look at me! I ran...wait, how long was that? Oh yeah, 60 seconds. At this point, I'm sure I have made an error in judgment. There is no reason that anyone should voluntarily jump off the couch and subject themselves to this torture. Next song: from U2's new album, No Line on the Horizon, "Breathe" comes on. I couldn't make this up. I'm not that creative. With Bono reminding me that breathing, while involuntarily, needs to become voluntary. No, that's not in the lyrics, but when you are hyperventilating, you focus on the one thing that keeps you alive and that happened to be coming from Bono. "ding, ding, ding...RUN!" SIR, YES, SIR!!! Bono's encouragement bounces around in my head like the mass of flesh around my gut and keeps me going through the next few segments of the workout until eventually, the "ding, ding, ding" involuntarily makes me alter my pace. On at least one transition, I cheat on the last ding and walk before Sgt. Roboto tells me to. "RUN" "walk" "RUN" "Cool down period." What? I mean...I didn't...Wow, it's over? I would love to tell you that's what I was thinking, but all I could think was, "Jehovah Jireh! God has provided a way out of this torture!"
I finish my cool down and do some stretches thinking about how Day 1 is in the books. Only 8 weeks and six days left. Don't forget to Breathe.
Today marked a departure from the norm. "Norm," of course, is a very subjective term. Can I have a "teaching norm" if I've only taught four classes over two semesters? Anyway, I have been struggling through teaching THEO 422 "Christianity at Work." It's the final class for the Biblical Studies required courses for gen. ed. credits. So, there are several juniors and seniors and one or two sophomores. To sum up, I'm more of a discussion-oriented teacher and find that if I'm well-prepared, the discussion seems to come more freely and go more smoothly. However, this class proved me wrong. I have gone to class un-prepared, hoping to spontaneously produce mass amounts of discussion. Nada. I have gone to class with several anecdotes or other outside material hoping to spark conversation. Zilch. So, last night, I was preparing for a lecture on "role models." We are talking about living out our character/ethics in such a way that people follow our example. In order for this subject matter to work, there has to be a conversation. I can't just tell them about Mother Theresa and say, "Go and do likewise." So, late into the evening, after Yadier Molina smacked in the go-ahead run to finally beat the Phillies, I started racking my brain. I googled "role model" and came up with this website which got their brains working towards who a role model is. This site mentions Christopher Reeves, Brad Pitt, Barbara Bush, etc. and was useful in trying to figure out why a person is deemed a role model. Then, I started thinking about the procedure of a fellow professor. He told me he uses video in as many lectures as possible. So, I hopped on the ol' YouTube.com and started looking for "role model" videos. That, quickly, took me to "hero" video content and the creative juices started flowing. I used five videos in the class all embedded in a PowerPoint presentation (which required this and this in order to just present the stuff. All of the things that YouTubers suggested wouldn't work for embedding the videos, so I had to look here for some help.
So, I used the "online" approach and was able to see the videos and use them as conversation stimulators. I started with this: and talked about the people who do not want to be role models and how that is thrust upon them. Then, I moved to this: to illustrate a good role model. He wasn't someone with fame or success as we measure it, but saves a stranger's life and becomes a heroic figure. Then, we went to this: to illustrate the difference between good and bad role models. I talked about the pedestal we lift sports figures upon and when they come crashing down, our world is destroyed as well. I also talked about Mark McGwire and how St. Louis fans really don't know what to think about him, now. That was "on the fly" so no video on that. Then, we talked about ethical vs. non-ethical role models. The non-ethical role models are people who are successful and who's strategies and/or hard work we can emulate to make ourselves better. The ethical role models are people who's ethical standard exceeds our own. I used the foremost ethical role model who shaped generations of children, Mr. Rogers: Then, I finished with a song by John Lennon performed by Green Day: in order to show how these ordinary people became extraordinary heroes by simply surviving.
I was really happy with the discussion that created. I wasn't going for something political and could have used several examples of people here who have overcome circumstances, but with the limited time this is what I came up with. I used this last video to say, How will you be remembered? Is your example something worth emulating? Are your role models people who are worth emulating?
Any thoughts? Criticisms, etc.? I'm trying to engage this class and utilizing a medium with which they are very familiar seems to be helping. The three cups of coffee I had before class seemed to help me sell it.
I've been thinking that I needed to do something different with this blog. At first, I was planning on creating a brand new blog with a catchy title and several contributors. Now, I just think I might add some contributors to this blog.
The catalyst for this movement came in the form of an offer to teach at Evangel University again. My thoughts were to create a biblioblog and force myself to think critically about this field I have chosen. The plan was to contribute a book review a week (with contributors rotating reviews) and posting thoughts on theological stuff, world events, or whatever we felt was necessary at the time. I'm still hoping to reach that goal, but for now, I'll have to take the reins myself and see if any other bloggers jump on.
In the midst of all this, I still have to prepare for three classes (Yay!) at Evangel and figure out how to manage the childrens' new schedules as well as spend time with my wonderful wife. So, posting might be sporadic until I can figure out a schedule and wrangle up some other bibliobloggers (to continue with the equine/Western theme).
I'm sure there will be random posts about hiking, the family, etc., but the focus will primarily rest on theological issues that concern us. We'll see what happens!
EDIT: Oh, and I'll still be posting my journal from my hiking trip oh so many months ago... [more inside]
It's very frightening being a parent. Not only are you responsible for another human being. You have to make sure they're healthy make sure they learn what to do and what not to do and teach them how to survive on their own. Well, he's learning.
He has begun driving. if you'll notice, in the background there's an actual car zooming past going the opposite direction. This is not the "drive around the parking lot" or "drive through the field" driving, this is actual, on the road crossing busy streets driving.
Yesterday, I took him to the DMV and he took his permit test. He passed with only reading the first few chapters of the book (something he'll have to finish before he actually drives a lot). We celebrated at Taco Bueno, then I drove across two busy streets and he drove the rest of the way home.
When he got into the driver's seat the second time, he put his permit (now a card instead of a piece of paper) right in front of him on the dashboard. It promptly fell down behind the dashboard. So, I had to take the dashboard apart before I realized I could have just stuck my hand behind, under and around to get it.
Ahh, the adventure that is parenting. This is going to be so much fun. I've gotten to the point where if he is getting too close to the edge of the road on the right side, I'll just tap on the dashboard instead of grabbing it with both hands and yelling, "WATCH OUT!!!" He stays more calm that way... [more inside]
Wow, it doesn't seem like 50 days since I last posted. Here's the short of it: Colorado was awesome, we have a new puppy, new Jeep and new house to move into. I'll post as soon as possible, but it might take me a bit. I have to pack!!!
[more inside]
