Some days just don't go as planned.

Today was supposed to be a celebration of sorts for me. Last year, on January 10, I made a decision to begin working out at our local health center. My purpose was to become more consistent in my walking--no excuses. I was going to get one more workout in today so I could have better numbers to share, but that didn't happen. My 94-year-old grandfather had to go to the emergency room, so I went to sit with my mom and uncle as we waited for him to be diagnosed. Thank the Lord, it was only vertigo, which is bad enough, but it could have been much worse. He was at his dining room table, waiting for some soup when I last saw him. :D I arrived home too late for a workout, but early enough to watch the BCS National Championship. ROLL TIDE ROLL!

Why, you ask, am I sharing this personal stuff?

As I told you in my last post of 2011, I want to be more open with my blogging friends. Blogging is an avenue to connect. So I’ve been contemplating exactly how to accomplish that. I’m a very independent person and dislike anyone dictating what I can or cannot do. I hate restrictions, which is why I personally don’t like the themed 365 assignments that many enjoy. But if you set a goal, you have to make a path to reach it.

In order to force myself to stay focused on this goal, I will “try” to share my personal life on Mondays. What do you think of “Me Mondays”? I know, it sounds pretty selfish. I don’t want to make it about “me, me, me, me, me”—you know, “I’m so wonderful, I accomplished this, I did that”—and I don’t want to make it mundane and irrelevant—"this is what I ate; this is what I wore, this is how I live"—I already give you plenty of that. :) I hope “Me Mondays” will be a mechanism that forces me to think about and share stories of my life, family, experiences, disappointments, and joys. Maybe you’ll be able to relate and feel motivated to share your life too. And even if no one reads a single word, pieces of my life will be written down to share with my descendants, perhaps some grandchildren and great-grandchildren. At least they will know who I was and where I came from.

My father passed away in February of 2006. I miss him terribly. But one of the best things he ever did was write down his memoirs before he died. It has been such a blessing to read stories about his life, his family, growing up very poor, meeting my mother, and the adventures he had in the military—much of it written in his own hand. My family heritage is my motivation. Dad is the reason I have the posts to my blog printed in a hardbound book each year. I want my family to have something sentimental and tangible to remember me by. And I hope I never disappoint.

So, how'd I do in my resolution to become more consistent?

263 workouts
358.27 miles on the elliptical cross-trainer
103.37 on the treadmill
49.85 on the elliptical cycle

For a total of 507.49 miles! I think that's pretty consistent and that's not even counting my weight training.

I'm still fat, but a much healthier fatty than before. One step forward ... :D))

Some days just don't go as planned.

Today was supposed to be a celebration of sorts for me. Last year, on January 10, I made a decision to begin working out at our local health center. My purpose was to become more consistent in my walking--no excuses. I was going to get one more workout in today so I could have better numbers to share, but that didn't happen. My 94-year-old grandfather had to go to the emergency room, so I went to sit with my mom and uncle as we waited for him to be diagnosed. Thank the Lord, it was only vertigo, which is bad enough, but it could have been much worse. He was at his dining room table, waiting for some soup when I last saw him. :D I arrived home too late for a workout, but early enough to watch the BCS National Championship. ROLL TIDE ROLL!

Why, you ask, am I sharing this personal stuff?

As I told you in my last post of 2011, I want to be more open with my blogging friends. Blogging is an avenue to connect. So I’ve been contemplating exactly how to accomplish that. I’m a very independent person and dislike anyone dictating what I can or cannot do. I hate restrictions, which is why I personally don’t like the themed 365 assignments that many enjoy. But if you set a goal, you have to make a path to reach it.

In order to force myself to stay focused on this goal, I will “try” to share my personal life on Mondays. What do you think of “Me Mondays”? I know, it sounds pretty selfish. I don’t want to make it about “me, me, me, me, me”—you know, “I’m so wonderful, I accomplished this, I did that”—and I don’t want to make it mundane and irrelevant—"this is what I ate; this is what I wore, this is how I live"—I already give you plenty of that. :) I hope “Me Mondays” will be a mechanism that forces me to think about and share stories of my life, family, experiences, disappointments, and joys. Maybe you’ll be able to relate and feel motivated to share your life too. And even if no one reads a single word, pieces of my life will be written down to share with my descendants, perhaps some grandchildren and great-grandchildren. At least they will know who I was and where I came from.

My father passed away in February of 2006. I miss him terribly. But one of the best things he ever did was write down his memoirs before he died. It has been such a blessing to read stories about his life, his family, growing up very poor, meeting my mother, and the adventures he had in the military—much of it written in his own hand. My family heritage is my motivation. Dad is the reason I have the posts to my blog printed in a hardbound book each year. I want my family to have something sentimental and tangible to remember me by. And I hope I never disappoint.

So, how'd I do in my resolution to become more consistent?

263 workouts
358.27 miles on the elliptical cross-trainer
103.37 on the treadmill
49.85 on the elliptical cycle

For a total of 507.49 miles! I think that's pretty consistent and that's not even counting my weight training.

I'm still fat, but a much healthier fatty than before. One step forward ... :D))