October...things have changed.

Well, lot has happened (at least in my mind) since the last time I posted. To make a long story short, I've decided to take next semester off. The reasons are numerous, but if I had to give you one simple explanation, it would be because I don't think I'm going the right way. I am taking the next semester at least to work and figure it out and to go on a holiday with my beautiful wife, among other things.

On another note, I've recently got back into photography. Well, I've never completely left, but I got a dslr...a great one. I'm really excited, and it is one of my dreams to be able to take pictures for a job. That is one of the big things I'll be doing over the next while...learning my camera, photography techniques, taking tons of pictures, etc. I want to get to the point where I feel comfortable taking basic pictures for engagement, family portraits, and even weddings for people who can't afford a profession/experienced photographer. Anyway, I ramble. I'll be posting photos from time to time, as I know this is basically a safe place as nobody reads my blog. :)

September :)

Well, the past couple of weeks have been a dismal failure in the world of exercise, so I won't get into that. Who said this was a blog about exercise only anyway? Not me.

I started school last week. It was an interesting feeling, considering I didn't really do anything all summer. Suddenly, I have a lot to do. It'll be an adjustment, to say the least. Slam - welcome back to reality, Jason.

Last night I think I had my first real doubts about school and my choice of social work as a profession. I don't think my doubts were based in the realm of logical thought...just fears of self doubt cropping up on a Sunday night. What is with Sunday nights?

I think a lot of my doubts or fears have to do with my faith background and how unfriendly the social work program seems to be toward religion - especially Christianity. Sometimes it's warranted, sometimes it's just lazy thinking/point of view. Maybe I digress.

I'll most likely get past this bump. It is only my second week of classes. Someone told me the other day that the program doesn't necessary represent real life. Even though that seems obvious, I forget that sometimes. I am learning a point of view that is very far on one end of the ideals spectrum. Do I have to think like this? Well, I think they would want me too, but in reality, no, I don't. Will I keep open minded? Of course, where it doesn't compromise my relationship with God.

Bump

The other day (I think thursday), near the end of my 4th week of the 6 week challenge I realized something...I think I'm hurting myself. My lung capacity has gotten better, and I feel like I could run farther, but my foot/ankle has been getting more and more painful. I don't think I'm going to continue to run for now. I'm not sure what I'm going to do as a replacement, but I want to do something. A friend suggested training in a pool, so I might give that a try. Other than that, maybe a bike or something.

Feels like a bit of a failure, to be honest. I guess if I keep going it'll be ok, even though I'm not running. Any exercise is better than none.

Chubby face magee.

Today was my day off of running. I would normally get two days off in a row (Saturday and Sunday), but we missed a day during the week and had to make it up.

I'm beginning to admit (at least in my head) that it's going to take more than running to get healthier and to lose weight. I haven't been eating terribly, but the last couple of days I have been. I haven't felt like I have lost any weight, nor have I felt any healthier.

It doesn't help that I shaved off my goatee, which makes my face look much, much fatter.

Maybe my fat face will motivate me?

Here's hoping.

I think this is going to hurt for a while

We're (my wife and me) are on week three of our 6 week challenge of running 5 times per week. We upped the running portion for week 2, but kept it the same for week 3. I'm not really bothered by this, because at least we're running.

I think i can tell my lungs are getting used to some cardio. There are a couple key parts of my body, however, that still get quite angry with me. My lower back, and my left ankle, to be exact. My lower back because I'm a big man, and my left ankle for the same, I think. The doc told me a while back that I had tendinitis in my left ankle, and when it acts up, it sort of sucks. Anyway, I'm not really complaining...I think it'll all get better as I get stronger and lighter...which won't be for a while yet. I'm hoping not, but am pretty sure that this is going to hurt for quite a while. Well, as they say, if there is no pain, there is no gain.

So, that's my update. Next week I hope to up my running time to a minute, but I don't want to hurt my ankle or back to the point I can't run. I was telling Jenn the other day that if it weren't for those two things, I could run for longer. Eventually!

Week 2 - Hot Day, grumpy man

Today was a fairly busy day. We moved out of the house we were house sitting and into my in-laws house for a little while. My family is coming to the city/area for an anniversary celebration and my brother and sister-in-law are staying at my in-laws with my wife and me.

Today was pretty hot, and I don't really deal well with heat. By late afternoon I was already starting to feel the effects of the heat on my body, and worse yet, my mental state/emotions. I was ok during supper, but could feel my body getting warmer and warmer. We had yet to go for a run, and couldn't skip another day (we missed yesterday, but are going on Saturday to make up for it). We're also doing a 6 week challenge where we run a certain amount of times per week for 6 weeks. Anyway, I was basically feeling pissed off, and I'm still feeling the left overs of that...I ran, and it sucked, and I didn't feel like talking, or taking encouragement from Jenn, or anything at all really. It was one of those moods. I hate it. When I get overheated to that point it sucks. I've dealt with it on and off for years now...I've never been a hot weather kind of person. I guess I should be thankful we have a short summer? The run is done for the day, and tomorrow is a new day, thankfully. My body hates running. My knee hurts a bit and my ankle started shooting pain if I stepped on it wrong...all signs of obesity. This is one of the many reasons I'm doing this. Healthier body, more energy, possibly a longer life, I'll be able to enjoy my kids and wife (when I have kids), less aches and pains, hopefully better handling of the heat, etc. Anyway, my wife is trying to sleep and I'm clacking away. Good night all.

Running #2

I went for my first walk/jog today. When I bought my shoes and shorts and socks (I needed motivation to start, so I bought some shorts and socks for running), the man at Brainsport (Broadway in Saskatoon) was very encouraging. He told me to start slowly by jogging very slowly for 30 seconds, then walking for 2 minutes, and to do that 6 or 7 times. That's what I did. It only took me just over 17 minutes, but that's what the guy said to do. It hurt a bit here and there, but overall, it was a good experience. I really hope this is the turn of a new leaf in my life, and I don't give up down the road. I need a lot of discipline to get up and get out.

This is for my wife, and for the kids I hope to have and watch grow up. This is also because my body is a temple, and I want to treat it like that. Wish me luck!

Running

I admire those who can run. Witnessing run143 last week spurred me on to treat my body better. While I realize that the purpose of Run143 wasn't to inspire people to get healthy, rather to raise awareness about the orphan problem across the world, I was still amazed at the runners for being able to do something like that.

I don't think running the entire run143 ultra marathon will be doable for me next year, but that doesn't mean the year after or the year after that won't be doable. Instead, I will start with a humble goal of being able to run a 5k without stopping. My goal is to be able to do it by next spring/summer. I know nobody reads this, but it feels like accountability anyway.

Just to be honest, about a month and a half ago the doctor put me on blood pressure pills. It was a blow to my ego. My dad is taking blood pressure medication. I thought that was an older person thing. I'm overweight, and I get scared that this is the start of worse things. 30 is when aging really starts, and it's time to fight that a bit. I don't mind aging, but I want to do it in a healthy way.

I don't know where to start, other than walking and eating less. I'll let you know how it goes.

A day in the life of...

I realize fully the immaturity of posting a video of this nature, but when I saw this happening, I had to share it with the world. Consider yourself cultured.

I told my brother that I was going to name this "A day in the life of my brother", but nobody reads this anyway, so there's nobody to laugh at that. At least my job of sharing it with the internet is fulfilled.

Run 143 (www.run143.com)

This week is a special one. Three of my friends are running from Regina to Saskatoon in order to raise awareness and money for adoption and the global orphan problem. There are an estimated 143 plus million orphans in the world. This is an incredibly high number. My friends Riley and Candra have recently adopted a baby boy from South Africa. The cost of international adoption is very high. This run is to raise money for them, with a portion of the money raised going to the Saskatchewan adoption agency, as well as the baby home in South Africa where Jude (Riley and Candra's new adopted son) came from. It's an exciting time.

These pictures are from day one. They are now finished day 2. The top picture is the very beginning of the run. They were feeling good, and had good spirits.

The picture of the two guys in bike jackets are friends of ours (Jeremy and John - brothers). They biked out from Regina to say hi. It was great to see them.





This picture is of Kate, the support car person. Kate is Ryan's (one of the runners) wife. She is extremely organized, prepared, and an overall get it done person. I wish I could be more like her.










Riley's feet after the run. That's not a tan line, it's a dirt line. The semi's and other vehicles driving by and the constant wind and dust made them quite dirty.










These three are my collective hero. Warriors, all three. They have 4 more days to go. It's going to be terribly hard on their bodies, but it's for a very worthy cause.

Jenn's first day!

Well, I know this seems super lame, but I took pictures of Jenn on her first day at her new job. She doesn't know I'm posting on it, but I just wanted some weird public way to say how proud I am of her. This job was definitely a leap of faith, and it is taking trust in God, because she will lose her SUN union hours (as this job is in another union). There aren't many nursing positions at all in this new union, so if she ever wants to go back to SUN, it may be difficult to land a position she wants/likes.

I'm thankful for Jenn, because she's been so willing to work while I go to school. Some days I feel very helpless. I know there will be days ahead when she comes home from work and people have given her a lot of trouble, and then I know there will be days when she comes home excited. My prayer for her is that the good days will far exceed the bad ones. My prayer for her is that this would be a job she loves, and can see herself at long term.

Thanks Jenn, my sweet heart. You're all my blessings at once. I love you, and I'm thankful for all you do for us.

Visitor

Jenn's grandma came over for supper tonight. Jenn works most days till 4:30, so supper was up to me. It turned out ok, but that is not the point of this post.

Grandma Marie is an amazing woman. She is British. She was a teenager through WWII in the U.K. As a 17 year old, she enlisted in the Women's Land Army. This involved a lot of farm work. Immediately after the war, she was married to Fred, and moved to Edmonton, where she lived from 1947 till only a few years ago. Almost all of those years were in the same house. Fred died a few years ago, and that's why she moved out to Saskatoon. Her youngest son, and my father-in-law, brought her out to Saskatchewan to help take care of her (he has also brought out Grandma's sister-in-law to take care of her as well...he is another story of an amazing person).

Grandma can tell stories about her youth like they were actually yesterday. In fact, she can recall her youth better than I can recall yesterday. There could be a couple of explanations for this: 1) Grandma's life in her youth was very eventful (war time, etc), thus making it easier to remember, 2) she has a great memory, 3)my life is pathetic and not worth remembering and that is why I can't remember yesterday.

Makes me wonder if I'm wasting my life away. Obviously the major event in Grandma's life was unwanted (the war), and I'm sure she would be perfectly to have lived a quiet life in the U.K. But the war did come, and it brought a young Canadian soldier to the island, who fell in love with a young little British lady, and they would have three boys, the youngest of which would marry and have a daughter who would in turn marry - me. Woot.

This post doesn't really have a linear path. I just want to pay respect to grandma, who is a great story teller, and a walking history book. We should all take some time to ask questions and listen to our elders.