Thursday, February 28, 2013

100+ books already done!

I like to read.  That is a sentence that I wouldn't have written 5 years ago.  Fast forward to today and I can say that I have finished 101 books in the last 21 months.  I have been really encouraged by my class or students this year.  They are really good readers!
I currently have 5 books checked out from the library and I plan on returning them by the end of next week.  When I return them I will have 4 books waiting for pickup.
I began 2013 having read 75 books.  In January I finished 10 books and in February I finished 16. I am definitely not going to keep that pace up!  I find myself trying to use all of my extra time to finish another chapter or just to get another page read.  I never used to be able to understand people who were like that.  Now I am one of them?
I usually have 3 books going at a time.  I read one book at school.  This book is typically a book that my students might read.  I read two books at home.  I try to have one novel and one nonfiction book.
The books I am reading right now are: The Graveyard Book (2009 Newberry Winner), 17 Hours to Glory (a book on ironman participants) and The Sun Also Rises (a novel by Hemingway).  This is a typical spread.  I have been reading nonfiction on urban farming type books or on fitness (biking or running).  We will see where my interest go next.
I know that this post is basically bragging about how many books I have read.  That is not my intention.  I wrote it just because I can't believe how far I have come and needed to give it validation and post it here.

As of today, I have 1 year left to finish the remaining 52 goals.  It is going to be a really busy year!  Many of them I think I should be able to finish.  There are a few that might need adjusting, but I will cross that bridge when it comes up.

Saturday, February 23, 2013

66. Watch 10 classic (loosely interpreted) movies

Many people have seen most of these movies, but I had not seen them before.  The way I picked these movies was just based on movies that I had heard people talk about that I hadn't seen.

Here's the list:

1. Monty Python and the Holy Grail - Watching this movie was a waste of time. I have friends that have talked about this movie and it seems as though there is a cult following to this movie. There were a few quotable moments, but overall it is a really stupid movie.

2. Blues Brothers - "We're on a mission from God." I have heard that line and know that it is from this movie, but I never knew the context or really what the movie was all about.  Now I do.

3. Rocky - This is the first Rocky movie I have ever seen.  I knew very little about the movie.  Yes, I knew it was about boxing and that he fights Apollo Creed and that his girlfriend's name is Adrian, but I didn't realize he was so dumb.  I guess that is to be expected when Sylvester Stallone is doing the acting.

4. The Godfather - I listen to the guys on ESPN Radio quote lines from this movie quite often.  It was a pretty good movie.  Now I know those lines in context.

5. Gone with the Wind - Did you know that this movie is 3 hours and 52 minutes?  I didn't until I popped it in then looked up online to see how long it was. It is a fun historical movie to watch.  10 Oscars!  As I said in the past, for a movie to win an Oscar it has to be long. I'm glad I watched it.

6. Dirty Harry - "You've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?" Decent movie.

7.  Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid - Funny at parts, but some pretty corny lines.

8. Chinatown - On an ESPN radio show they said that this movie was probably one of Jack Nicholson's best.  I watched to find out if they were right.  The movie was ok.

9. Escape from Alcatraz - Another classic that I remember Mythbusters doing a show on to see if they could escape the same way that the guys in the movie escaped.  Myth confirmed.

10. Jaws - Good movie.  Boy does Richard Dreyfuss look young in this movie!


49 goals down! 

Friday, February 8, 2013

40. Go without high sugar foods for a month

I just finished one month of eating no candy, no chocolate, no cookies, no ice cream and drinking no pop.  This was no easy challenge.  With an evening ritual that usually includes ice cream and/or another snack and a workplace that is always flowing with available snacks, it was tough making the change.

During this past month it has been difficult passing up on cookies and snacks that are in the teacher's lounge.  It seemed like each day there was something that I would have usually just picked up and eaten. The worst day was when our principal had an ice cream bar set up with oreos, m&ms and chocolate syrup.  Looking back I realize just how many calories each one of those snacks would have added up to.

Melissa had a day a few weeks ago that she made chocolate chip cookies.  When I walked in the door I knew I was in trouble.  The house smelled amazing.  I went as far as picking up one of the cookies just to smell it.  It was pretty pathetic.  Will power won that battle.  It was a tough battle, but it won.

Today was my first day that I have been able to snack with freedom and I honesly have no huge desire to have a chocolate binge or anything like it.  This morning I went for a swim and made it 2 miles.  I challenge anyone to swim that distance in a pool and not go crazy trying to keep track of how many laps you have done.  If you are wondering I did 142 lengths of the pool.  When I was done all I wanted to do is eat.  So my breakfast was a Clif energy bar, some cottage cheese, a bowl of Corn Chex, a glass of Aldi's version of the Green Machine Naked drink (that stuff is amazing!) and two pumpkin muffins.  All good stuff.

Now for the real payoff.  In the past month I did lose 4 pounds.  That is 4 legit pounds.  Normally my weight fluctuates about 2 to 3 pounds each day, but my fluctuations are now at lower weights than before.  Hopfully I will be able to keep it off and continue this trend.  We shall see.

48 goals down!