Goal!

Weight has always been an issue with me pretty much since grade school and while I have always been somewhat overweight I was able to manage it throughout most of my school years. At the end of high school I lost a considerable amount of weight of weight and those who have known me, especially my wife, were convinced that I had lost way too much and they were right. At that time I didn’t know how to stop and with the considerable amount of exercise I was doing never got enough calories to maintain it.

By the time I turned twenty one I had started to put it all back on between beer, dorm food, and my school/work schedule and before long I was packing on extra. By the time I was married in 1999 I was tittering around 265 and feeling it pretty good. I was able to get focused for a time and eventually got down to around the 245 range where I hung out for quite a while.

My son was born in September of 2004 and I really wanted to lose my weight so I could be able to play with him and stay in generally good health. My cholesterol was high so I was trying to watch that as well, and started to eat better and was able to drop a few pounds then put it right back on. Finally this past April the boy was running circles around me and I was going to be put on Lipator and knew I finally had to do something. Those family pictures of myself also were starting to get tiring as I was always forcing the camera operator to get the right angle.

After our vacation in May 2007 I finally took my wife’s advice she had been telling me for years to join WeightWatchers and I finally did. It has been hard to change my lifestyle but the meetings and weekly weight-ins really helped me to stay focused and the weight finally started to come off. On December 3, 2007 I reached my goal weight of 190 pounds and I can’t describe how much better I feel or the energy I have gained.

I have now started my six weeks in the maintenance program and know that the hard part of keeping it off begins. I at lest now have the tools to make it work but still need the desire discipline to move forward and stay on target. As one part of my weight loss journey is over a new one begins along with all the fruits (no pun intended) that come with it.

The Civil War Battlefield

As I reflect back on my very recent trip to Gettysburg there are several features of a Civil War Battlefield that appeals to me and one that is often forgotten about. With so many things that they offer us it is a mystery to me why so many are in danger of being destroyed either by excessive development or just lack of funds for upkeep.

Corydon Battle Park (Corydon, IN)

The battle fields are a very important part of our country’s history through not only giving us critical information in regards to how generals planned and fought battles of the time, but also in the general overall history and politics of the era. It is a look back in time to how people used to live, work, and just get by in society. They also gives us beautiful scenery along with a place to enjoy nature, which can very much be said about Gettysburg. As a national park the views are absolutely stunning, and there are also hidden treasures to discover as this picture of some sort of stable on Culp’s Hill below that Greg and I ran into on our trip.

Gettysburg National Military Park (Gettysburg, PA)

Battlefields are important memorials to the many that have died on them fighting for what they believed important to themselves and their country. This aspect I know I often overlook because of the inherent beauty of the battlefield and the enjoyment I get from the history. It is important to keep in mind that actual lives were spent on the ground and for that reason alone these places should be saved and cared fore for future generations to come.

Photos, Photos, & More Photos

Several months ago my wife was camera envy so we bought a Canon Rebel Xti and after getting it home I realized I had no clue how it worked. Sure it had an auto mode, but if you are going to spend that kind of money on a camera one should learn how to properly work it, so that is what I did. For the last four weeks I have been taking one of IUPUI’s Community Learning Network classes on beginning digital photography and I have to say that I know a great deal more about taking pictures.

So I thought it would be fun to post some of my class assignments on my blog for all to see, along with a summary of what the assignment was. Feel free to post comments and let me know what you think.

My Favorite Beverage:
The first assignment was to photograph our favorite beverage and those who know me well enough should be able to guess. Seagram’s VO and Diet Coke has been my staple drink over the past four years and is Mary’s drink of choice as well. In this photo I tried to capture a close up of the label with the tasty beverage sitting next to it.




Something Blue:
Our next assignment was to capture something blue and of course the favorite thing in our house at the moment is “The King” from the Disney movie Cars. As you can see The King is blue, not much else to say about this one.



A Sign of Spring:
Four our last assignment we hat to take a picture of a sign of spring and with not a lot of foliage in bloom as of yet I set off on an expedition to Butler University’s campus. While there was not a lot of green there was running water which was not frozen so surly that has to be a sign of spring.

New Year and the Same Old Me:

It is a new year so you get a new beginning right? Like I do every year I have my usual list of things I would like to accomplish personally and I don’t think you would be surprised if I told you I recycled the very same list from last year which was recycled from the year before last.

So why can’t I do it this year? I mean if I really put my mind to it I could do a complete 360 and lose those 30 pounds, get more organized, pick up after myself, and get my personal projects in order. It is so tantalizing that I can see it now the new improved me! However after 30 days into the new year here I am the same old me who eats the same way, still has unfinished projects, and doesn’t do a good job of picking up.

Hopefully I can take some baby steps towards some of my goals, and relish in small improvements. After a while maybe, just maybe, those small steps can change into bigger steps and I can really do it this time round. The year is young.