Apparently President Obama addressed a group of congressman in Iowa stating that he is willing to be a one-term president if need be to make health care reform his legacy.
I think he was trying to be noble by saying he is willing to be unpopular in order to do what he thinks is right. But what came across to me is that he, and the rest of the Dems pushing for this, are so arrogant that they are willing to force an unpopular measure through for teh good of everyone else.
Gotta love when representatives don't listen to those they represent. And according to some polls out now we are looking at some big swings in seats in 2010. Which is good.
But the part I agree with Obama about? I am willing for him to be a one-term president too.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Bad run
You know the saying, "Even a bad day fishing is better than a good day at work?" Well I am struggling to decide if that applies to running.
Yesterday I ran what is W9D2 (Week 9 Day 2) of the C25K plan. Basically it is running 30 minutes straight. I know I can do it as I already have once, Mondays run was awesome, and so I had no concerns about it. Maybe I should have.
It was like the perfect storm of bad juju. The night before I was up very late. I woke up late and didn't have my normal amount of pre-run preparation, I like to get up and drink about 16 to 20 ounces of water and then relax for 15 minutes or so before I run, as I gulped down water and then went out the door to run. I ended up struggling because I drank a bunch right before hand as well as then ended up dry as can be because I didn't get enough water into my system. All this came together to slam my energy to the basement.
I actually did my first lap (1.25 miles) only about 30 seconds off my normal pace, but the 2nd lap was agony. In fact I was really ready to come in after the first lap, but Mel and Bella were there and I felt compelled to keep pushing on rather than face them after quitting. That 2nd lap I was off pace by about 3 minutes plus. I was running so slow and still struggling to put one foot in front of the other. But I made it, dreary, limp, and in massive pain. I looked like the last guy crossing the finish line at a marathon. It was awful.
And then later that day I ended up sick and went home and slept from about 4:30 in the afternoon until this morning. Still not 100%, which is why I skipped my run this morning, and if I did not have so much I needed to do today I would have stayed home.
But I did run yesterday. Even if it sucked. So maybe that is better than not running.
Yesterday I ran what is W9D2 (Week 9 Day 2) of the C25K plan. Basically it is running 30 minutes straight. I know I can do it as I already have once, Mondays run was awesome, and so I had no concerns about it. Maybe I should have.
It was like the perfect storm of bad juju. The night before I was up very late. I woke up late and didn't have my normal amount of pre-run preparation, I like to get up and drink about 16 to 20 ounces of water and then relax for 15 minutes or so before I run, as I gulped down water and then went out the door to run. I ended up struggling because I drank a bunch right before hand as well as then ended up dry as can be because I didn't get enough water into my system. All this came together to slam my energy to the basement.
I actually did my first lap (1.25 miles) only about 30 seconds off my normal pace, but the 2nd lap was agony. In fact I was really ready to come in after the first lap, but Mel and Bella were there and I felt compelled to keep pushing on rather than face them after quitting. That 2nd lap I was off pace by about 3 minutes plus. I was running so slow and still struggling to put one foot in front of the other. But I made it, dreary, limp, and in massive pain. I looked like the last guy crossing the finish line at a marathon. It was awful.
And then later that day I ended up sick and went home and slept from about 4:30 in the afternoon until this morning. Still not 100%, which is why I skipped my run this morning, and if I did not have so much I needed to do today I would have stayed home.
But I did run yesterday. Even if it sucked. So maybe that is better than not running.
Monday, August 17, 2009
C25K, Skipping Ahead
Last Friday I did W6D3 (Week 6 Day 3) of the Couch to 5K running plan. That had me do a 5 minute brisk walk as a warm up and then 25 minutes straight of jogging. I was nowhere near as nervous about this one as I was the week before, in fact I knew it wouldn't be an issue. I was right.
In fact it went so well that I decided to skip Weeks 7 and 8 and just go straight to the last week. So today I did W9D1, a 5 minute brisk warm up walk and then 30 minutes straight jogging. I was hoping I would make it the full 5k distance in that 30 minutes but it was not to be. I made it 2.71 miles, or 4.36 km, which is close but not there yet. But no worries, it is only a matter of time.
My other change this week is I am going from doing 3 runs a week to 4 runs. I will be running on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. I will be doing the same run as above, though hopefully a bit farther, on Wednesday and Thursday and then on Saturday I will push it out to a 5K and see how that goes.
In fact it went so well that I decided to skip Weeks 7 and 8 and just go straight to the last week. So today I did W9D1, a 5 minute brisk warm up walk and then 30 minutes straight jogging. I was hoping I would make it the full 5k distance in that 30 minutes but it was not to be. I made it 2.71 miles, or 4.36 km, which is close but not there yet. But no worries, it is only a matter of time.
My other change this week is I am going from doing 3 runs a week to 4 runs. I will be running on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. I will be doing the same run as above, though hopefully a bit farther, on Wednesday and Thursday and then on Saturday I will push it out to a 5K and see how that goes.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Badges of Honor, Gymnastics style
I think it should come as no surprise to find that I am extremely proud of the Midget. She has had me wrapped around her little finger since before she was born. I have proof right there on the ultrasound. And she really is a great kid. Last year in Kindergarten she was the only one to not get a single time out, for the whole year! Not to say she doesn't ever get cranky at home or anything, because then it would be like Stepford Child, but she is just really sweet.
I look forward to this year's competitions because I think she is going to do awesome, but at the same time she does not seem quite as intensely focused as she was last year. Don't get me wrong though, I think this is a good thing. Last year she got so upset when she didn't win and was all apologetic about it to us and to her coach. This year I think she is better able to take it in stride.
But I digress.
What I really want to discuss is how she approaches getting hurt.
You see at home if she stubs her toe on a teddy bear she is as likely to play it up as the worst injury since Joe Theismann's leg having its ill-fated meeting with LT as she is to act like it was nothing. Kids a great actress BTW.
But the gym is different. She wipes out on the beam, with its corresponding 4 foot fall, and she hops up and jumps back on. Even when it really hurts she tends to shake it off pretty quickly. And if she gets a 'beam burn,' think rug burn or friction burn, she considers it to be something to proud of.
Last week we added something new. She got a 'rip' on bars. It is a friction blister on her palm from doing the various circles and such. And because she got a 'rip' now she gets to have 'grips.' These are protective gloves that attach at the wrist and then go over her middle and ring fingers to provide protection to her palm. To a girl in gymnastics this is HUGE! It is a rite of passage for these girls as important as getting their backhandspring.
But it really cracks me up. This little girl that needs to put bandaids on bruises she gets around the house never wants to cover her 'beam burns.' She came running over to show me her 'rip' as soon as I walked in the house and would never think of covering it.
Gymnastics Badges of Honor are not always medals and trophies, they are also bruises, knots, rips, and cuts.
I suppose it is all a matter of perspective.
I look forward to this year's competitions because I think she is going to do awesome, but at the same time she does not seem quite as intensely focused as she was last year. Don't get me wrong though, I think this is a good thing. Last year she got so upset when she didn't win and was all apologetic about it to us and to her coach. This year I think she is better able to take it in stride.
But I digress.
What I really want to discuss is how she approaches getting hurt.
You see at home if she stubs her toe on a teddy bear she is as likely to play it up as the worst injury since Joe Theismann's leg having its ill-fated meeting with LT as she is to act like it was nothing. Kids a great actress BTW.
But the gym is different. She wipes out on the beam, with its corresponding 4 foot fall, and she hops up and jumps back on. Even when it really hurts she tends to shake it off pretty quickly. And if she gets a 'beam burn,' think rug burn or friction burn, she considers it to be something to proud of.
Last week we added something new. She got a 'rip' on bars. It is a friction blister on her palm from doing the various circles and such. And because she got a 'rip' now she gets to have 'grips.' These are protective gloves that attach at the wrist and then go over her middle and ring fingers to provide protection to her palm. To a girl in gymnastics this is HUGE! It is a rite of passage for these girls as important as getting their backhandspring.
But it really cracks me up. This little girl that needs to put bandaids on bruises she gets around the house never wants to cover her 'beam burns.' She came running over to show me her 'rip' as soon as I walked in the house and would never think of covering it.
Gymnastics Badges of Honor are not always medals and trophies, they are also bruises, knots, rips, and cuts.
I suppose it is all a matter of perspective.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Dissent is Patriotic!
The last several years you could not drive around town without seeing a Prius with a bumper sticker declaring “Dissent is Patriotic!” These same cars of course ended up with stickers such as ‘Obama 08,’ ‘Hope,’ and my favorite ‘Change.’ I will devote a more thorough look into that one at a future date.
Anyway when protesters interrupted then President Bush with chants of anti-war slogans the media and members of the political left like Pelosi and Reid were quick to defend their right to dissent and to carry on as they were. When liberal activists shouted down speakers at colleges they were quick to defend them. When Code Pink interrupted Presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee they thought it was a great show of good old American protest. Even when a non American threw his shoes at President Bush, even though it was an insult to the country not just the man, they were quick to defend his actions as just and right.
Fast forward to today and their opinions seem to be slightly different. Angry Americans at townhall meetings on the proposed health care reform bill are being lambasted by the media and Pelosi as un-American. Pelosi likens them to ‘astro-turf’ saying they are fake grassroots protesters that are instead being bused in as plants by the right, or the insurance companies. And to be honest there may be some plants in there. I mean all those guys in the AFL-CIO jackets are just volunteers right? They are not intentionally trying to block people from getting to the microphones. And the members of ACORN that have been coming to some of the meetings are just concerned citizens, they couldn’t possibly be plants. Saying Pelosi and her ilk are hypocrites is like saying that the night is dark.
But she doesn’t stop with just calling the protesters un-American. Oh no she has to go on and call them ‘thugs’ and ‘Nazis,’ referring to some of the signs that protesters have brought that show a swastika with a big red no sign over it. She and the left accuse the GOP and other groups of using ‘brownshirt’ tactics in coming to these meetings and shouting down the ‘true’ citizens, while ignoring the fact that the ACORN and union ‘volunteers’ are the ones blocking the mics and sometimes the doors.
The videos I have watched have shown well reasoned and thought out questions being asked and only after the congressman essentially refuses to address the question, or in a few cases just ignores it, has the shouting started. Shoving and fighting has broken out a few times as well and honestly from what I have seen it always seems to start from the supporters, not the protesters. But Pelosi and Co says that the protesters are the ones using ‘thug’ tactics in these cases.
It seems to me that in the left’s eyes ‘Dissent is Patriotic’ only applies when it agrees with them. Who is un-American again?
Anyway when protesters interrupted then President Bush with chants of anti-war slogans the media and members of the political left like Pelosi and Reid were quick to defend their right to dissent and to carry on as they were. When liberal activists shouted down speakers at colleges they were quick to defend them. When Code Pink interrupted Presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee they thought it was a great show of good old American protest. Even when a non American threw his shoes at President Bush, even though it was an insult to the country not just the man, they were quick to defend his actions as just and right.
Fast forward to today and their opinions seem to be slightly different. Angry Americans at townhall meetings on the proposed health care reform bill are being lambasted by the media and Pelosi as un-American. Pelosi likens them to ‘astro-turf’ saying they are fake grassroots protesters that are instead being bused in as plants by the right, or the insurance companies. And to be honest there may be some plants in there. I mean all those guys in the AFL-CIO jackets are just volunteers right? They are not intentionally trying to block people from getting to the microphones. And the members of ACORN that have been coming to some of the meetings are just concerned citizens, they couldn’t possibly be plants. Saying Pelosi and her ilk are hypocrites is like saying that the night is dark.
But she doesn’t stop with just calling the protesters un-American. Oh no she has to go on and call them ‘thugs’ and ‘Nazis,’ referring to some of the signs that protesters have brought that show a swastika with a big red no sign over it. She and the left accuse the GOP and other groups of using ‘brownshirt’ tactics in coming to these meetings and shouting down the ‘true’ citizens, while ignoring the fact that the ACORN and union ‘volunteers’ are the ones blocking the mics and sometimes the doors.
The videos I have watched have shown well reasoned and thought out questions being asked and only after the congressman essentially refuses to address the question, or in a few cases just ignores it, has the shouting started. Shoving and fighting has broken out a few times as well and honestly from what I have seen it always seems to start from the supporters, not the protesters. But Pelosi and Co says that the protesters are the ones using ‘thug’ tactics in these cases.
It seems to me that in the left’s eyes ‘Dissent is Patriotic’ only applies when it agrees with them. Who is un-American again?
Friday, August 7, 2009
Are we crazy parents?
The midget loves gymnastics. In fact she insists that someday she will be in the Olympics. And even though that is a serious long shot I want to support her as much as I can in this. But how do we do that with out going over the edge into insane gym parent?
We are not the parents leaning over the observation rail to yell at their kid when they mess up. We are not the parents outside the gym giving their kid a talking to about how they need to get serious. We don't yell, or fuss, or anything like that.
What we do though is try to be what I like to think of as supportive. We do that by paying for privates each week, and having mats, a bar, and a beam at the house.
But is even that over the edge? I mean she is 6 and most gyms don't even compete at level 3.
Part of the questioning of this comes down to attitude. Last year she was so serious about everything and so focused. And this year she seems just a bit more lax. But I am not sure that is a bad thing. And the last thing in the world I want to do is push her to hating what she loves so much.
And who knows, maybe the Olympics are in her future. Or if not that perhaps a college scholarship. Or maybe she will get to be 12 or 13 and decide to throw it all away. I just hope that I support her when she needs it, and push her when it is right. In my personal experience I always have felt that baseball was my game, but one bad experience (bad coach) and I just up and quit and I really think that was a time my parents should have pushed a little. But now I wonder if they went through the same kind of second guessing I am here.
But enough of that, I have a funny story to relate. It does tie into this whole post though.
Midget came to her Mom and said, "Mommy, I haven't gotten to be on TV yet and I want to be."
Mommy, "Well we can try to do something about that, but it will take a lot of work. You will have to pick between TV and gymnastics."
Midget thinks about it for a few minutes and says, "Well I will get to be on TV when I go to the Olympics so I will just do gymnastics."
LOL
We are not the parents leaning over the observation rail to yell at their kid when they mess up. We are not the parents outside the gym giving their kid a talking to about how they need to get serious. We don't yell, or fuss, or anything like that.
What we do though is try to be what I like to think of as supportive. We do that by paying for privates each week, and having mats, a bar, and a beam at the house.
But is even that over the edge? I mean she is 6 and most gyms don't even compete at level 3.
Part of the questioning of this comes down to attitude. Last year she was so serious about everything and so focused. And this year she seems just a bit more lax. But I am not sure that is a bad thing. And the last thing in the world I want to do is push her to hating what she loves so much.
And who knows, maybe the Olympics are in her future. Or if not that perhaps a college scholarship. Or maybe she will get to be 12 or 13 and decide to throw it all away. I just hope that I support her when she needs it, and push her when it is right. In my personal experience I always have felt that baseball was my game, but one bad experience (bad coach) and I just up and quit and I really think that was a time my parents should have pushed a little. But now I wonder if they went through the same kind of second guessing I am here.
But enough of that, I have a funny story to relate. It does tie into this whole post though.
Midget came to her Mom and said, "Mommy, I haven't gotten to be on TV yet and I want to be."
Mommy, "Well we can try to do something about that, but it will take a lot of work. You will have to pick between TV and gymnastics."
Midget thinks about it for a few minutes and says, "Well I will get to be on TV when I go to the Olympics so I will just do gymnastics."
LOL
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Marathon by Rush
Marathon is one of the songs on my 'Running' playlist, and probably is one of my absolute favorite Rush songs. But it was not always so. In fact when the song first came out I really did not like it. But later as I began listening to the lyrics it really struck me as truly capturing the spirit of a marathon. And now that I have begun running it is even more so. So I must share the lyrics.
It's not how fast you can go
The force goes into the flow
If you pick up the beat
You can forget about the heat
More than just survival
More than just a flash
More than just a dotted line
More than just a dash
It's a test of ultimate will
The heartbreak climb uphill
Got to pick up the pace
If you want to stay in the race
More than just blind ambition
More than just simple greed
More than just a finish line
Must feed this burning need
In the long run...
[Chorus:]
From first to last
The peak is never passed
Something always fires the light that gets in your eyes
One moment's high, and glory rolls on by
Like a streak of lightning
That flashes and fades in the summer sky
Your meters may overload
You can rest at the side of the road
You can miss a stride
But nobody gets a free ride
More than high performance
More than just a spark
More than just the bottom line
Or a lucky shot in the dark
In the long run...
[Chorus]
You can do a lot in a lifetime
If you don't burn out too fast
You can make the most of the distance
First you need endurance
First you've got to last...
[Chorus]
It's not how fast you can go
The force goes into the flow
If you pick up the beat
You can forget about the heat
More than just survival
More than just a flash
More than just a dotted line
More than just a dash
It's a test of ultimate will
The heartbreak climb uphill
Got to pick up the pace
If you want to stay in the race
More than just blind ambition
More than just simple greed
More than just a finish line
Must feed this burning need
In the long run...
[Chorus:]
From first to last
The peak is never passed
Something always fires the light that gets in your eyes
One moment's high, and glory rolls on by
Like a streak of lightning
That flashes and fades in the summer sky
Your meters may overload
You can rest at the side of the road
You can miss a stride
But nobody gets a free ride
More than high performance
More than just a spark
More than just the bottom line
Or a lucky shot in the dark
In the long run...
[Chorus]
You can do a lot in a lifetime
If you don't burn out too fast
You can make the most of the distance
First you need endurance
First you've got to last...
[Chorus]
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Yesterday was a big day
Our midget went to first grade yesterday. Where has the time gone? I mean really? 1st grade?
Why am I thinking of the lyrics to Sunrise, Sunset?
Is this the little girl I carried?
Is this the little boy at play?
I don't remember growing older
When did they?
When did she get to be a beauty?
When did he grow to be so tall?
Wasn't it yesterday
When they were small?
When did this happen? And can I stop it?
Oh and the day before that she had gymnastics in the new team leos. They are all the same but each level has a different colored stripe (hers are green) and it says Universal Gymnastics on the front and Team on the back. I got to go and they were SO CUTE!!
Why Running From Couches?
So recently, June 30th recently, I decided to get my overly padded rear end up off the couch and get into shape. My chosen method for this was running. I had previously come across the Couch to 5K (C25K) program and had even recommended it to others. But my following of it myself was pretty much non-existent. But this time was going to be different, and so far has been.
I just completed Week 5, day 2 (W5D2) and it went so great! I ran for 8 minutes, walked for 5, and then ran for 8 more! And I made it! I lived! I actually did it!
I do have to say that what I call running is more like a shuffle. Or maybe a fast walk with a little bounce to it. As I commented the other day on a forum thread of other newbie runners I am pretty sure an anemic turtle passed me as I was running. But I am not stopping at all, I am really enjoying this and for someone that used to live by the motto, "I only run when chased" this is a huge thing.
I have plans to keep working through it. I already know the program I will use after C25K, and even the marathon training program I want to use after that. Did I just say marathon? Durn straight, Disney Marathon 2011 is my goal, I will at least run the half but hope to do the full.
I also want to add road biking and eventually maybe triathlons to the mix.
But anyway, Running From Couches. We came up with the name for our support group on the Cool Running forums because of the Couch to 5K thing. The couch is bad, must get away from it. We created a Facebook Group with the Running From Couches, and as I tried to pick my Blog name it just seemed the right one to use as well. So there you have it. The story behind the name.
I just completed Week 5, day 2 (W5D2) and it went so great! I ran for 8 minutes, walked for 5, and then ran for 8 more! And I made it! I lived! I actually did it!
I do have to say that what I call running is more like a shuffle. Or maybe a fast walk with a little bounce to it. As I commented the other day on a forum thread of other newbie runners I am pretty sure an anemic turtle passed me as I was running. But I am not stopping at all, I am really enjoying this and for someone that used to live by the motto, "I only run when chased" this is a huge thing.
I have plans to keep working through it. I already know the program I will use after C25K, and even the marathon training program I want to use after that. Did I just say marathon? Durn straight, Disney Marathon 2011 is my goal, I will at least run the half but hope to do the full.
I also want to add road biking and eventually maybe triathlons to the mix.
But anyway, Running From Couches. We came up with the name for our support group on the Cool Running forums because of the Couch to 5K thing. The couch is bad, must get away from it. We created a Facebook Group with the Running From Couches, and as I tried to pick my Blog name it just seemed the right one to use as well. So there you have it. The story behind the name.
Hello world
Well I decided that maybe I should stop talking about blogging and actually, you know, do it. I am going to use this space to share things going on in my life, so if you read it (hopefully someone will) I will be writing about running, school, work, politics, thoughts and opinions, and my midget gymnasts. I hope you enjoy it.
One thing I want to make clear though. I am pretty opinionated about certain social and political things. But I also welcome debate. So lets do this thing!
One thing I want to make clear though. I am pretty opinionated about certain social and political things. But I also welcome debate. So lets do this thing!
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