A.R. & Proud

Keep It Going

2013-05-07T15:22:00.000-07:00

Well, I am now at the half way mark of my TESOL certification course. While taking it, my thoughts range from, "Oh, I know this"! to "Oh crap, what are they talking about?" My grades are in the middle to high 90's, so I guess I am doing something right!

In addition to the certification, I continue to lead (the badly attended) English Conversation Circles at a local Elementary school. When I finish my training for the NOW (Neighbors On Watch) program with the Vancouver Police Department in a few weeks, I will get my Wednesday nights back. So I will then be able to volunteer at an additional (well attended) English Conversation Circle at the library.

I've also talked to a local ESL teacher at Clark Community College and got a comprehensive lay of the land: job outlook, salary, what students are like, etc. (Hard to impossible to find FULL time work, pay is low, student comprehension tends to be at a basic level.)

And since life cannot be all about TESOL certification it's also time to change my weight lifting and swimming routines.

For swimming, I am changing the routine by adding 400 yards (8 laps) and incorporating more kick sets (using the kick board). This means I am up to 1200 yards (~3/4 mile).

For weight lifting, I am changing to a new routine, Oxygen Magazine's Head To Toe Training (May 2013 p. 118-120).

Ok, take a break when you need to, stay hydrated, and keep it going!

Get It Started

2013-04-22T16:25:00.002-07:00

Thanks to my wonderful husband, I now have a fancy new laptop (ThinkPad T430) with the newest version of Flash. Plus it's portable! Did you all know about this? It's quite a nice feature.

And with said laptop in place, I was able to officially sign up for my TESOL* Certification course. I am doing the 100 hour course through LinguaEdge ($250). After signing up and paying, I was able to crank out two units in about 2 hours. Two units out of a total 44. Ok, so not very far, but certainly farther than I was yesterday with ZERO units done. I will do my best to work on it 20 hours a week, and hopefully can get it done relatively soon.

While there are a few glitches in the system (why no home button? why always back?) it's been quite fun. There are little interactive games ("match this word to its possible origin") every so often, which nicely breaks up all the text reading. It is also possible to download each unit in PDF, so I will now have copies to review from now until the end of time.

I will try and do 3 units (and an end of module project, 4 units=module) tomorrow and report back if I survive! Wish me luck!

* Often required to teach English abroad. Often required, along with a college degree, to teach in an Adult English Language school in the United States.

Make A Course Correction: Part 2

2013-04-15T11:10:00.000-07:00

Ok, where was I? Ah yes, the epiphany. Once I realized that changing the population and subject of what I would teach could fix most of the problems, I became overjoyed. And I realized, whether the subject is swimming, insulin pumps/diabetes, exercise, etc. I am and always will be a teacher.

So I began researching what it takes to teach English to Adults in the United States (most language schools require a Bachelor's degree and a TESOL certification, community colleges require a M.A. in TESOL or an equivalent.) And also outside the U.S. (sometimes just a Bachelor's degree, but a TESOL certification helps a lot.)

Note: You have ESL=English As a Second Language (student lives in the U.S. but is a non-native speaker) and EFL=English as a Foreign Language (student lives in non English speaking foreign country and is learning English), if you combine them you have TESOL=Teacher of English of Students of Other Languages. Confusing? Yes. It took me a good week to sort all of that out.

I asked my husband, and I asked my Mom, "Does this job sound like a good fit for me?" and they both answered, "Yes".

I talked with people in the field, I attended local English Conversation Circles (I couldn't believe how quiet and well behaved the students were. What a difference from what I am used to!), I contacted local language schools to find out what they liked to see when hiring, and I spent a lot of time thinking.

And so, in the next week or so I will begin my 100 hour TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification. I have chosen an online, self-paced program so that I can still accomplish my other goals. And I am also now leading an Adult English Conversation Circle held at my local elementary school. I've been having lots of fun sketching out possible lesson plans for the program and thinking of fun teaching tools.

After my certification is complete, I plan on looking for a teaching job at an English language school. And if that goes well, I will start thinking about getting a Master's degree.

Wish me luck!

Make A Course Correction: Part 1

2013-04-10T10:45:00.001-07:00

After a recent horrible phone interview, which left one of us in tears of frustration (Can you guess who?) I decided to take a step back from my job search.

Way back, back to high school and personality type tests. I took one and I came up with "Harmony Seeking Idealist"

Your personality type: "Harmony-seeking Idealist"

Quietly forceful, original and sensitive. Tend to stick to things until they are done. Extremely intuitive about people and concerned for their feelings. Well-developed value systems which they strictly adhere to. Well-respected for their perseverance in doing the right thing. Likely to be individualistic, rather than leading or following.

Careers that could fit you include:

Counselors, clergy, missionaries, teachers, medical doctors, dentists, chiropractors, psychologists, psychiatrists, writers, musicians, artists, psychics, photographers, child care workers, education consultants, librarians, marketeers, scientists, social workers.

Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes. The full description of a Harmony Seeking Idealist blew my mind even further. This was me on paper. Someone had put into words the things I often can't. And so I decided to stop comparing myself to others and start celebrating my uniqueness.

And if someone had already figured out possible career paths of someone with my personality type, then why not start there? But I had already tried some of those careers (SpecialEd teacher, social worker, psychologist, child care worker) and kept getting stuck.

And then I was hit with a pretty bad cold. A stay in bed unless eating or going to the bathroom cold. Too sick to watch T.V. but not well enough to read and so I just lay there and pondered: How can I have a job in a profession I am well suited for while avoiding previous issues? And it finally came to me: change the population and change the subject. Rather than kids, it will be adults. Rather than SpecialEd it will be English... (to be continued)

You Live You Learn

2013-04-03T11:33:00.000-07:00

I've been getting allergy shots since November and when I tell people about it I get asked the same question. "Did they make your seasonal allergies go away?" I would reply that I wasn't sure yet because I wasn't sure when my season started. Well, April 1, 2013 it started. And the answer to the above question is NO!

Monday I felt sick to my stomach. Tuesday I felt like someone unplugged my battery and today I feel like I have the flu, so I can see how last year, since I had never had seasonal allergies before, I did not know what was going on for months and months.

But this time, I am prepared. I should be back to normal in a few days thanks to my extra medicine and my knowledge that I shouldn't open the windows to let the fresh air in (I had to put up a note to reinforce this issue with myself). And I've already made some notes, so that next year I can be ahead of the game: When the birch trees start to have green leaves, start the nasal spray!

Ok, back to bed for me.

It's O.K. To Cry

2013-03-27T10:44:00.000-07:00

I've been called sensitive, dramatic, tender and soft, and it's all because when things really move me, I have the tendency to cry. I often try to hide it, especially when no one else in the room is crying, but I have also found it has some nice benefits: 1) stress release 2) sinus relief 3) dry eye relief.

So, here are 3 random things that brought tears to my eyes and a lump to my throat this week:

1. The singing of The Star Spangled Banner at the Portland Winterhawks game. Francis Scott Key & John Stafford Smith created a masterpiece that gets me every time. When I saw the actual flag at the Smithsonian a few years ago, I pretty much lost it.

2. The movie, Temple Grandin. Actress Claire Daines does an amazing portrayal of Temple, one of the preeminent livestock handling equipment designers in the world, who also happens to have autism.

3. An article about Amy Pankratz, in Woman's Day magazine, about how she sews superhero capes for ill children.

So, what moves you tears?

Don't Use Food As A Drug

2013-03-18T11:57:00.000-07:00

I realized lately that over the years, I have had a number of male friends who were/are obese. While most people considered them to be scary or mean, I have found them to be the sweetest guys I know.

When my friend J. enters the pool, I can see strangers visibly stiffen when they see him. I think it's because he takes up so much space. It truly looks like he could hurt you, if he wanted to.

I gently asked J. about this and he mentioned that most people are mean to him. If he goes to a bar and there is a guy who's had a bad day, he always goes up to J. to try and pick a fight. J. is often quick tempered, and I think this is a reaction to this common situation.

Meanwhile, having had conversations with various obese friends, I keep finding that something or something along the way has hurt the guy and he has turned to food for comfort (although he usually doesn't acknowledge this). I've heard stories of being bullied in school, being bullied in the military, and of betrayal by loved ones.

So, while others see this big mean man, I see this little boy in pain, who has surrounded himself with a "protective" layer of fat.

And my friends always seem to be on a new path to weight loss. "I'm gonna be a vegan! I will do Weight Watchers! I will do P90X! I will work harder, I will fix it! Yes, I will". And then a month or two later they stop, gain back the weight and the cycle starts again.

I try not to be preachy, I try to be a friend, to support them and model good behavior. But I want to be helpful, I want them to heal. So, since I know that right now they are probably not in the right mental space to hear me, I will send this message out to the internet hoping that it finds them.

Keys To Sustained Good Health

1. Know that when people are mean to you, it is because they are scared. This doesn't excuse them, it just explains it a little better.

2. You need to find a non-food way to deal with stress or to celebrate. I know that food is cheap, easy and often pushed at you by various sources (commercials, parents) but it is not the solution. Do not use it as a drug.

3. You need to heal whatever it is inside that is hurting so badly. This may mean therapy, this may mean medication, suck it up and do it.

4. SUSTAINED WEIGHT LOSS WILL NOT WORK UNTIL #3 IS ADDRESSED

5. Ditch the fad diets and learn traditional nutritional basics: serving sizes, fiber, whole grains, etc.

6. Know that fitness is a life long journey. You will only be done when you are dead.

7. YOU DESERVE TO FEEL BETTER.

Grow Some Neurons

2013-03-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

I've been feeling a little uninspired lately. While fitness stuff is going well, the job search continues to drag on. But I have some new ideas so stay tuned. After talking about this with a new friend, I had the idea to start looking at online courses and seminars instead of watching stupid television shows. (Good-bye, The Mindy Project and New Girl.)

So, as of a week or so ago I am watching about 5 TED talks a week (focused on business, psychology and human nature) and 3 lectures a week from Stanford University's eCorner series. The TED talks are only about 15 minutes long and the eCorner talks range from 45-60 minutes.

All the talks are free, and I have learned at least one interesting thing from each. (And a lot about how to give a good presentation.) So far, my favorite eCorner talk is by Adam Lowry of Method and my favorite TED talk is Temple Grandin's The World Needs All Kinds Of Minds.

You can stream them for free from their respective websites, TED and eCorner but I have found that their channels on YouTube work better. Try Stanford eCorner and TEDTalks. I add the videos I want to watch to my "Watch Later" list on my YouTube account and then head downstairs where I can watch them on the TV (thank you, husband, for hooking up a computer to the TV) while sitting on the couch, notepad and pen in hand.

After watching these talks, I add them to the education section of my LinkedIn profile, and will add them to my resume upon it's next overhaul.

I am really happy about the switch and look forward to amassing a huge list of videos I have watched.

Change Is Good

2013-03-11T11:32:00.000-07:00

It's time to switch my swimming workout. The total length is the same, but the drills focus on new things and each set is longer. I'm glad to be making a change, it's nice to have new challenges.

I print four sets of each routine on a page, print it out and then cut it in four. I take one to the pool with me and "glue" it against the pool wall with water. When I am done, I squish it into a ball and triumphantly throw it away.

Here is my routine:

800 yds (1/2 mile)

WARM UP

2x75 freestyle

2x25 DK w/fins

DRILL SET

6x25 freestyle

#1 Hip Shoulder Forehead Drill

#2 Freestyle

#3 Freestyle Fist Drill

#4 Freestyle

#5 Freestyle 3-3-3 Drill

#6 Freestyle

MAIN SET

4x50

(Faster each time)

3x50 S&M w/fins

COOL DOWN

1x100

Like last time, this routine is based on one from Janet Evans' book, with the items in bold added by me. I will do this routine 16 times, then move on to the next one.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: I take a 3 minute break between the Warm Up, Drill Set, Main Set and Cool down. Sorry I didn't note that in the list.

Keep On Keeping On

2013-03-08T11:21:00.000-08:00

In some circles, I am know mostly for my Type 1 diabetes. But I realized I haven't blogged about it in ages.

So, if I don't blog about diabetes do I still have it? Yep.

I AM

Still checking my blood sugar 10+ times a day
Still wearing my One Touch Animas insulin pump
Still changing out my pump site (what connects the pump to my body) every 2-4 days
Still measuring 80% of my food
Still bolusing with insulin for every carbohydrate I eat
Still having low blood sugars occasionally
Still have high blood sugars occasionally
Still making sure I don't exercise within 2 hours of a bolus

And on, and on ...

So, nothing new to report. But it's all still going well.

UPDATE: I just had to tempt fate with this post, didn't I? Well, now I do have news to report. While doing my monthly battery change on my insulin pump I noticed a 1 inch crack along the battery compartment. While it did not interrupt the function on the pump, it certainly voided it's claim of being waterproof. After calls to Animas, and a little UPS tango, I have a new one and it is working nicely.

Listen To The Music

2013-03-07T11:10:00.000-08:00

I have a number of friends and family who have been in or are currently in a band. It is usually for fun, but sometimes it really takes off. My friend since childhood, Alastair Moock, is a good example. I can still remember going canoeing with him at Sandy Island YMCA camp (I paddled, he sang), and yet here he is with a Wikipedia article and numerous awards and albums to his name.

Well, I am hoping that another friend, Patrick Curtain, will soon enjoy some stardom too. He is the bass player in a local band, Worth. And they are starting to get some recognition. I love the music his band makes and even downloaded some of the songs.

Here is the video to one of my favorite Worth songs, "Caught Up." Portland, Oregon is prominently featured in the video, and if you catch a glimpse of the bald bass player, that is Patrick.

Have A Smashing Good Time

2013-03-04T10:44:00.000-08:00

Last year, I almost had a heart attack when I learned that Mark Zupan, star of the movie Murderball, would be speaking at our little Vancouver campus of Washington State University. Have no idea who I am talking about? Perhaps this image will help ...

I had loved the movie and was dying to hear more. Mark was a very charismatic speaker, but as he told the story of how he became quadriplegic (which they had covered in the movie) I found myself thinking, "Talk about the game! Talk about the game!" But he never really did. But he did mention that there was a local wheelchair rugby team, the Portland Pounders.

Once I got home, I looked up the team and found out that they practice every Sunday about 10 minutes from my house. Well, last weekend, I finally got my butt over there to watch. It was a little awkward (there was no where to sit) and I felt a little invasive (but we were quickly welcomed). They did end up having a short scrimmage, which was awesome to watch. I loved all the smashing of the metal chairs (Martin did not). I loved that these guys (and one girl) that are probably seen as helpless and fragile were speeding and smashing into each other with abandon. One player even fell over and was stuck on his back until someone flipped his chair back up.

We would have stayed longer, but we had a lunch date, and all of the dogs in the gym were starting to make my eyes itch.

There are wheelchair rugby teams all over the United States. They are inspirational, could use your support and are fun to watch, so check them out. I'll certainly be back, but with my eye drops and a chair!

Find Your Real Nature

2013-02-28T13:35:00.000-08:00

When I don't feel well, I tend to like watching cartoons (Monsters, Inc. is an all time favorite) or nature shows. I guess I find them calming.

Well, when I recently was down for the count for 11 days (a bad cold with a chaser of gastroenteritis), I remembered my luck with streaming This Old House episodes and went back to PBS to see what else they had.

Well, among other shows (including Downton Abbey) they had a number of shows from their Nature series. So, I got my tea, and my blanket and I settled in for some adorable animals.

Inspire Yourself

2013-02-27T13:07:00.000-08:00

I often put inspirational messages near by bedside, so that when I wake up I am extra motivated to workout. My previous message was "Exercise is medicine" (from Men's Health Magazine) but I decided it was time for something new. I created this word cloud with a theme of "Reasons to exercise" and now have it printed out and near the bed.

I noticed that I didn't use the words that describe how my body looks, but how it feels and performs. And I like that. A lot.

Want to make an inspirational word cloud of your own? Try Wordle, like I did, or search for a word cloud generator you like better.

Being Lazy Can Taste Good

2013-02-25T12:53:00.000-08:00

Hey Lia, what are you eating for lunch these days?

Ah, good question. I like easy but tasty food, and just created another dish (based on a much more extensive recipe) that I plan on adding to my rotation schedule.

Quinoa with Shrimp and Avocado

About 10 small pre-cooked shrimp (I am lazy)
1/2 cup cooked quinoa (I used a mix of red and regular.)
1/2 sliced avocado
1/2 cup black or garbanzo beans (rinsed)

Soy sauce

I was able to make 5 of these at once (portioning them out into plastic containers, but leaving out the avocado until the day I eat them). I splash some soy sauce on the mixed up beans, quinoa, and shrimp, microwave it (not in the plastic container), and then top it with the avocado. I'm sure I will eventually get more creative with this recipe (hot sauce? salsa?) but for now it works great.

Tweak Your Workout

2013-02-20T11:51:00.000-08:00

Why Lia, I can see what you are doing each week for fitness (you've thoughtfully listed it in the sidebar of your blog) but can you break down the actual routines for me?

Why sure!
1. Swimming (or swimmaling, as my husband calls it)
3x a week, about 45 minutes each time
This routine comes from Janet Evans' Total Swimming book, but I have added the items in bold because I am a sick and twisted person. No, actually, I really like the rush I get from going really fast, so I bookended some fun in between the boring stuff.

Note: One pool length is 25 yards, so doing a 50 is doing two lengths of the pool without stopping, a 75 is 3, and a 100 is 4.
***
Total length: 750 yards (almost 1/2 mile)
-->

WARM UP

2x50 freestyle with 15 seconds rest

2x25 DK freestyle w/fins (I push off from the wall, streamline underwater and do dolphin kicks (DK) to see how far I can go before needing air.)

(3 minute rest)

DRILL SET

2x75 with 20 seconds rest

-Freestyle One Arm Drill (R)

-Freestyle One Arm Drill (L)

-Freestyle normal

(3 minute rest)

MAIN SET

1x25 with 20 seconds rest

1x50 " "

1x75 " "

1x100 " "

2x50 S&M w/fins (sadomasochism swim: do a slow 25, then a 25 as fast as humanly possible.)

COOL DOWN

4x25 freestyle with 20 seconds rest

Update: I drove me crazy that I was only 50 yards away from a 1/2 mile, so I added them to the workout by adding another 1x50 S/M w/fins. So now I swim 800 yards.

2. Weight Training

2x a week, 60 minutes

I am currently doing exercises from the Personal Training With Jackie: Xtreme Timesaver Training DVD. I love the routine, but am not too thrilled with Jackie, so I put the exercises into a spreadsheet, watched the video a few times, and now do it on my own. Each week I switch between heavy weights and low reps, or light weights and high reps.

In a few more weeks I will move on to the next routine in Janet Evans' book (adding my tweaks as necessary) and to the Men's Health Spartacus Workout (Jan 2013 issue).

Friends Come In All Shapes And Sizes

2013-02-18T13:06:00.000-08:00

One of the reasons I started swimming at the local pool was to meet new friends.

Mistake #1: Swimming is a solitary activity.

Mistake #2: 7pm is not a popular time to be at the pool.

Mistake #3: Fighting for an open lane can make people, let's say, cranky.

But somehow, I still have made a motley crew of friends.

D. - Probably 15+ years older than me. I taught him how to breathe properly when swimming and now he spends his time doing laps instead of "oh my god, I'm drowning!" gasps.

V. - 10 years my senior, retired veteran who dreams of sailing. Although quite obese, he smokes most people in the number of laps he can do. He helped critique my swimming and gave me some good ideas. We often have fascinating conversations when the lanes are already full.

K. - Loquacious and spunky 10 year old girl. Seems to fear nothing. Hilarious to talk to. Our birthdays are 3 days apart.

I had hoped to meet a band of smart, athletic, women my age, but as usual, I found friends from different age groups and genders. And I'm fine with that. I learn more about myself that way.

Take Your Medicine

2013-02-14T12:45:00.000-08:00

I have been getting allergy shots (immunotherapy) for the last few months and I thought I would share with you what I have learned.

1. Do not assume that your doctor uses the word "shots" because he is talking about them over a span of time. He means you get a shot in each arm each time you come in.

2. Do not try and plan out exactly how long it will take until you are done with all of your shots. Illness, vacation, and "bad" reactions will put a wrench in your chain (thus driving you c-r-a-z-y.)

3. Books are too hard to read in a busy waiting room, try magazines instead.

4. Set an alarm for your 30 minutes of post shot "hanging out" time. The nurses get busy and may never come to retrieve you.

5. Make friends with the check-in desk person, you will end up seeing her more than you see your mother.

6. If your injection site gets inflamed, ask the nurse to tape an ice pack on it next time. (My doctor's office has ravioli sized ice packs) It helps a lot.

7. No matter how cutely you ask, they will not give you a "Buy 10 shots, get 1 shot free" punch card.

Stream This Old House

2013-02-11T12:30:00.000-08:00

I have been a fan of the TV show, This Old House, for as long as I can remember. I can even recall watching it at my cousins' house in Needham, Massachusetts in the little den on the first floor of their house.

More recently, Martin and I watched it on Sunday afternoons after returning from the day trips we took via airplane.

Now don't get me wrong, I would rather get a massage (or do most other things) than do demo, remodeling, or painting, but I enjoy watching This Old House and Ask This Old House. Why? Well, both shows have taught me that, with a little imagination, there is a solution for everything. And this lesson transfers easily to other parts of my life.

Since we stopped flying and spend our weekends differently now, our This Old House watching had become sporadic. If I happened upon it on PBS, I am psyched. A few weeks ago, I finally had the brilliant idea to see if the episodes are posted online. They are. So now I can watch to my heart's content.

Note: Having been born in, attended college in, and married in Massachusetts, the home base of TOH, also means a lot to me.

Lay Low

2013-02-06T12:04:00.000-08:00

Although this blog is purely for fun (and hopefully educational) purposes, and although I do not make a dime off of it (notice any ads? Nope!), I wanted you to know that I have not fallen off the face of the earth.

My allergy shots are making me tired, and I find that the energy I do have needs to be channeled to vital things like: exercise and "chores" and there just isn't any energy left over. Although I often compose blog posts in my head, they just don't seem to get officially posted.

So, I will do my best to entertain you on a more regular basis, but if that doesn't happen (Well, does it ever really happen?) just know that it is because I am using my energy for other things. And once I feel a bit better, I will be back.

Thanks.

Speak Up

2013-01-14T11:00:00.000-08:00

Last week I did an interview with the local community access television channel. On camera. At the pool. In my bathing suit, towel, and bathing cap.

I was minding my own business, doing laps, when one of the lifeguards asked me if I would mind doing a quick interview with CVTV (I had seen the cameras already, so it wasn't a total surprise.) I'm not sure if it was the endorphins, insanity, or total and utter confidence (or maybe a mix of all three) but I said "Yes." I was able to get a few more laps in while they took some B-roll (background shots) and then hauled myself out of the pool to do the interview. (As my lane mate shrank away from the cameras in utter horror.)

They basically wanted to know about how wonderful the community center is, how I use it for various activities, and if it has impacted my life in a positive way. I had done an interview with CVTV before, on behalf of Planned Parenthood, so I wasn't nervous. I tried my best to the answer questions thoughtfully without huffing and puffing too much. It probably took about 5 minutes and then I was able to hop back in the pool and continue my workout.

I'm happy to encourage Vancouverites to get out and enjoy what the city has to offer, and I'm happy to encourage them to be more active. But if I can't get a swimming lane anymore because they are all flocking to my pool, I'm going to be very frustrated.

Fluff It Up

2013-01-11T12:12:00.000-08:00

I recently read that whenever you go out into the wilderness, you need to have at least 3 sources of fire. So, for our cross country ski trips I created a fire starter kit. It is composed of matches, a tea light, a lighter and 4 tampons. Why tampons, you ask? Well, they fit in a small space for packing but expand to a huge fire starter once you fluff them up.

But don't just take my word for it, here's a video that explains the whole thing:

What Jason forgets to mention, however, is that he first took the tampon out if its plastic applicator in order to prep it.

Tampons are also great for nosebleeds and other bloody wounds, so I highly suggest you bring some along on your next outdoor adventure.

Use Your ABCs

2013-01-08T11:59:00.000-08:00

Whenever I have a hard time falling asleep at night, I* play a game. The game is distracting but also simple enough to let my mind calm down so that I can fall asleep.

It goes like this ... you pick a subject and must name items in alphabetical order.

For example, if you pick the subject: fruit
Apple
Banana
Cantaloupe
Dates
Elderberry
Fig
Grapes
...
until you get to letter Z, or fall asleep, which ever comes first.

So far subjects that I've used include:
food
colors
things you find at the swimming pool
things you find in/on an airplane
song titles
items I've seen in TV commercials

You can determine just how picky you are about the rules ("Red apple" is/is not a fruit) since the goal is to fall asleep, not actually come up with correct items.

*The game also works with your bed partner, just take turns naming items.

This game has been a handy thing to have, and it works every time.

Cover Your Eyes

2012-12-16T17:12:00.000-08:00

I have been swimming for about 8 weeks now. And although I have purchased a number of things to make swimming even more fun, I must say that the most important item to have is goggles.

Without goggles you cannot open your eyes underwater. And thus you miss many clues: how far you have left in the lane, if you are going in a straight line, and if something is in your way.

Now goggles are not a one size fits all sort of thing. Unless you already know what type and style fits you, please do not order them online. Most stores will let you open goggle packages so that you can fit them properly. This involves standing in the middle of the store and pressing the goggles to your face to see if they will stick for a few seconds. If they don't, they aren't right for your face.

I had to try on 3 pairs of goggles before finding the right pair and it has made all the difference in the world. So while I love my new *fancy* swim fins, and my new bathing suit, my goggles will always be my favorite swimming accessory.

Don't Jump The Gun

2012-12-12T17:00:00.005-08:00

History has shown that gun sales go up after reports of public shootings. The one yesterday in a Oregon suburb about 45 minutes from where I live has surely scared many in my community. And so I beg those who are considering the purchase of a firearm (because they are scared) to pause for a moment.

Owning a firearm does not guarantee your safety. In fact, buying a firearm out of fear and just throwing it in a drawer is a truly dangerous thing. Using a firearm safely and accurately is a skill, and like most skills, needs to be practiced on a regular basis.

Rather than jumping to a purchase of a gun, please consider taking a course first. One of the primary objectives of the NRA is education and safety, and they have great courses. (The Basic Pistol class is a great one to start with.) They also have resources for parents to teach gun safety to their children.

With a reported 47% of American households with guns already in them, I will also mention that it is never to late to take a course and educate yourself about the proper handling and use of a firearm. Better late than never.

And remember: Education trumps fear every time.