DISCLAIMER:
The views presented in this blog are the views of the author, and are not intended to represent the views of the government, the Department of Defense, or the United States Army, or any person or organization of consequence. Any resemblance to the viewpoints of legitimate writers or intelligent persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. If you try to reprint this without the permission of the author...just don't reprint this without the permission of the author, we'll leave it at that.
Friday, December 31, 2010
What A Difference A Year Makes
Weight:
Beginning: 218
End: 198
1 Mile:
Beginning: 9:30ish
End: 6:58
Army Physical Fitness Test 2 mile Run:
Beginning: no test
End: 13:58
5K:
Beginning: 27:00 (and some change)
End: 22:00 (and some change)
10K:
Beginning: 1:00ish
End: 47:19 (ran that yesterday)
Half-Marathon:
Beginning: 2:13:28 (ran on 2/14/10)
End: 1:48:02 (ran on 11/13/10)
Average Training Run:
Beginning: 3 miles
End: 6-7 miles
Weekly Long Run:
Beginning: 6-7 miles
End: 16 miles
2011 Goals:
1 mile: 6:00
Army Physical Fitness Test 2mi Run: 13:30
5K: sub-21:00
10K: sub-45:00
Half-Marathon: 1:40
Marathon: Complete (goal is sub-4:00 for first one)
Happy New Year
Sunday, December 12, 2010
I'm back. Back in the Saddle Again
After taking Friday off to stretch out from Thursday's "speedwork," I ventured out for my weekly long run on Saturday morning. Another cold Virginia morning, it was about 35 degrees when I laced up to go hit the road. Given that I didn't log very many miles this week, I kept my expectations kind of low for how long I was going to go. That all stopped when I finally got going, because I realized quickly my legs and lungs felt GREAT. I hovered around an 8:00 to 8:15 mile pace through the first 5K, and said, "you know what, let's see if we can add a couple of miles to the plan today." Last week I logged 13, I put 15 miles in my crosshairs for this week. By the time I crossed the 10K point, I ate a gel, drank some water, and was feeling strong. I think I laced my shoes a bit tight that morning, because the top of my right foot was hurting, but just enough to be a nuisance. I hit 7 miles in less than an hour, a personal best. I hit 10 miles in about 1:23, another personal best. At 11 miles, I threw my last gel packet down, and stretched out the stride. After crossing the half-marathon point at just 30 seconds slower than my personal best (which came at the Richmond McDonald's Half-Marathon), I knew this 15 miler was in the bag. All I had was one more killer hill to traverse. I plugged in a favorite power song on the iPhone, and began my ascent. The legs were burning, the lungs were screaming, but I kept going. After that hill was behind me, I finished off my water, caught my breath, and eased in for the last mile. I finished in 2:04:49, a full five minutes faster than I told myself I'd be happy with. This was the farthest I'd ever ran, and just another step toward my goal of 26.2 miles in March. I'm a little sore today, but I feel great, I feel strong, and I feel more determined and able to meet my goal of a sub-4:00 marathon by the time my training is done.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Goings on and such
On top of my military and civilian education, my commitment to running has grown stronger. Having recently completed the McDonald's (ironic sponsor, I know) Half Marathon in Richmond with a personal best of 1:48:02, I have a newfound strength and confidence in my running abilities. I registered for the SunTrust National Marathon in Washington, DC, and will spend the next few months preparing for it. I'm extremely excited to be able to run my first marathon, especially through a city rich in history and scenery as Washington, DC. My training is just kicking off, and yesterday I ran my final run of the week, 13.1 miles, bringing me to a 32 mile week. That is the most in one week I've ran since I started. So far, I'm feeling good about where things are going. I'm in the best shape of my life, I'm back to the weight I was when I was a senior in college, and I'm finally back in my career of choice. Life is good my friends, life is good. Best wishes to all as the holiday season really gets going, stay sane, keep the stress down, and stop and enjoy the scenery sometimes. That's my life philosophy, that's my running philosophy, and it works (and it's not copyrighted).
Monday, November 22, 2010
Why I Run
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Veteran's Day Tribute to Army Spouses
Army Wedding Vows
Dear family and friends, we are gathered here today in the sight of God and the Department of the Army, to witness this exchange of vows, and see the love that these two dedicated, loving people have for one another.
"Wilt thou, __________, take ___________ (who will now be referred to as the"dependent"), as your family member, to dwell together in so far as the Department of the Army will permit?" "Wilt thou love her, comfort her, via the postal service or over the phone, make sure she knows where the commissary, PX, and church are, and what time she is scheduled to use the laundry room the day she arrives, wherever you are stationed?"
"Wilt thou attempt to tell her more than 24 hours in advance that you will be leaving for two weeks, beginning the next morning?" This especially applies to the years you will live in a foreign country!
"Wilt thou ____________ , take this soldier as thy wedded husband, knowing that he is depending upon you to be the perfect (well almost) Army wife, running the household as you see fit, and being nice to the commander's wife?" Furthermore, you understand that your life with your husband (little that you may have together) will not be normal, that you may have to explain to your children, not once, but twice, and more often in the same day, that mothers do have husbands, and that children do have daddy's, and that the picture of the man on the refrigerator is not the milkman, but the same individual who tucks them in at 2200 hours, long after they are asleep. This soldier is their daddy, who loves them very, very much.
"Wilt thou love, respect and wait for him, preparing his favorite cookies and pictures of yourself and the kids, so he can remember what you look like?" And last but not least, put on the outside of your door his "Welcome home" sign when he's due to arrive?"
"I, ____, take thee ____, as my independent wife, from 1900 to 2200 hours or as long as allowed by my Commanding Officer (subject to change without notice), for better or worse, earlier or later, near or far, and I promise to look at the pictures you send me, maybe not when they get to me in the field, but before I turn the lights out. I will also send a letter, if time permits, and if not, to somehow, some way, make the time."
"I, _________, take thee _________ as my live-in/live-out husband, realizing that your comings and goings and 0330 staff meetings are normal (although absurd to me) and part of your life as a soldier. I promise not to be shocked or taken by surprise when you inform me that, although we've just arrived at our new duty station, we will be leaving within the month. Yes, I'll have you as my husband as long as while your are away, my allotment comes through regularly, and that you leave me a current power of attorney and the checkbook at all times. I am a famil y member and proud of it, dependent upon myself and my resources. Although I miss you when you are away, I know I can handle whatever comes across my path."
"Now then, let no man or woman put us under what God and the Department of the Army have brought together. The Army hereby issues you this lovely, dedicated, independent woman, knowing that she'll be an asset not only to your marriage, but also to the mission of the United States Army, which is, as you all know, to remain in a state of "Readiness." By the authority vested in the Bible, elaborated in the regulation and subject to current directives concerning the aspects of marriage in the Army, you are now a Soldier with a Family Member. Best Wishes and good Luck."
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Veteran's Day 2011
Speaking of America, Liberty, Freedom, all that schtuff, I'd like to say that, for the first time since 2005, I'm not a "veteran" per se, anymore. I'm officially back in the uniform of the United States Army as a Regular Army officer once more. After a year of hard work, paperwork, fighting, kicking, screaming, pissing off very high ranking officers, making other high ranking officers happy, and all in all placating the system as a whole, I finally got back in for good. I've realized over the past few years, whilst living in and dealing with the utopia that others live in called "civilian life," that that's just not for me, and that I've been happier in the past five months back on Active Duty than I have been in the past five years since I left. On October 20, I once again raised my right hand and took that solemn oath that "having been appointed an officer in the Army of the United States in the grade of Captain, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic."
That said, on Thursday our nation will observe Veteran's Day. For many, this is just another day that you have to deal with banks and post offices being closed, and if you live in a city that is a capital, then maybe you'll have less traffic on your way to work. Well, take a minute to remember the reason you won't get mail or be able to deposit a check. There are hundreds of thousands of men and women that at one point raised their right hand to swear to support and defend the Constitution as well. Regardless of the reasoning behind their taking of that oath, be it college money, patriotic calling, unemployment, or just no other options, let us not forget the fact they took that oath and offered themselves up to the nation to serve and possibly die for our way of life and all we hold dear. Many of these men and women have served multiple occasions away from family, friends, home, and all the comforts contained therein, and have returned changed mentally, physically, and emotionally. Our country asks a lot of its military, and just because someone doesn't serve 20+ years in uniform doesn't mean they didn't pay the price for freedom, and return their debt to the nation with interest. For that, we remember this Veteran's Day. God bless you all, God bless America, and God bless our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Goodbye Summer...sort of...???
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Memorial Day 2010
When friends, family, former co-workers ask me why I volunteered and fought so hard to return to military service, it's hard to verbalize an answer. For so long I spent time hot, cold, tired, sleepless, scared, hungry, or confused for a job while others I knew went to white-collar jobs with six-figure salaries in plush office buildings. I thought that was the life I wanted, but it didn't seem to be for me. I'd rather spend a month in the field training, living on coffee and MREs than spend one more day in the back-biting rat race of corporate America. And if, God forbid, that the day comes I have to once more kiss my wife, and now my daughter too, farewell to fly around the world to fight for this great nation again, I will again do it with pride and in honor of so many that have made that trip only to not get the chance to return to those they love. Remember them, honor them, salute them, this Memorial Day. God bless us, and God bless America.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Captain's Blog: Stardate May 15rd, 2010.
There's a certain peace one feels within when you pull onto a military installation, seeing the multitude of buildings all the same size and color, each with their requisite flagpole in front. The delay of traffic because a convoy of HMMWVs and LMTVs or M1A2s and M2A3's (tanks and Bradleys) does not warrant the same frustration that one would encounter in a major city traffic jam. The "pop pop pop" of the rifle range in the distance brings a warmth inside and a slight jealousy that you're not out there firing with them. You can feel good about the day you've put in when you're on post for both reveille in the morning, and retreat in the afternoon, and also that you're getting to render courtesy to the colors you've sworn to defend.
Now that I've gotten word that I've been approved to return to Regular Army status, I reflect on the time I've put in, and look forward to remaining in uniform until I ultimately retire one day. I do not truly regret leaving when I did, as one makes decisions based on the information they have at the time, but I do wonder where I'd be and what I'd be doing had I remained in. There are many WONDERFUL people I've met in my civilian careers that I wouldn't have had the joy of knowing had I stayed in. However I will not dwell on past decisions but rather look forward to new opportunities and hope, nay pray, for successful future endeavors. Many of the dearest friends (rather, family) I've ever made came while I've been in uniform and that was only reinforced by a recent visit with many of them for a wedding in Pennsylvania. Meeting up with them is so easy because it's like no time has past since our last meeting. All the same stories come up, all the same quotes and impressions. I cherish every chance I get to see those guys and look forward to future meetings and the chance to work with them again.
So, when you wonder why I serve, there are many reasons. Patriotism and duty to our nation are the obvious. Every Soldier serves for that. But, there are many other reasons as well. There is a culture and familial atmosphere that service in the military creates that I long to be a part of once more and the chance to work, train, fight, and serve alongside the finest group of people America has ever known brings me back and will keep me in until I retire...
HOOAH!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Captain's Blog: Stardate May 3th, 2010.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Catching Up
Sunday, March 21, 2010
What unfolds today...
Now, I have not read the bill. I don’t know it inside and out, and cannot speak to the minute details contained therein. The sad part that I’ve seen in recent weeks, though, is that the staunchest opposition and support of it have not and cannot either. The loudest voices hawking this bill and even more so in protest of it are unable to speak intelligently as to why, and subsequently of what they support and/or oppose with this legislation. The loudest liberals and even more loud “Tea Party” conservative protestors take their cues and become puppets of Fox News Channel and Glenn Beck and Bret Baier, MSNBC and Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann. They spew their vitriol and two or three talking points, yet know nothing of the intricacies of the plan. They scream “government takeover,” yet don’t know that the freedom to choose is still there. They cry it “will reduce the deficit,” but ignore the fact that is unlikely to happen.
Now, I again don’t know this plan to the letter. I do know that I am the child of two very good people that worked hard for decades but seldom could afford their own healthcare coverage living in fear of getting sick not from what the cost to their physical health, but rather to their financial health. They, along with 30 million others, would benefit greatly for the passage of this plan. For this reason alone, I see the most good from the healthcare reform plan. I know the fiscal cost is great, and I hate government spending that raises my taxes and lowers my paycheck more than the next. But, to know that our family members that may not be able to afford private health coverage will now be able to go to the doctor when they need it, without fear of being bankrupted makes me think the most powerful nation in the world may finally be catching up to its neighbors…
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Stirring the "Melting Pot"
One round-trip around a radio dial in Texas will show you the influence of our shrinking English-speaking population. Go to any new retail establishment and look at the department signage hanging from the ceiling to see that it is now required to be in two languages. Search the help wanted ads, and see that most positions now encourage bilingual skills. My last job position virtually required me to speak another language. I sit at my cubical, and hear full conversations in Spanish. I say all this with a bit of a laugh though, because if you were to visit our neighbors to the north, you’d see that most, nay nearly all, people speak two languages. My point is that America is behind the power curve as it is when it comes to open-mindedness regarding language. In our arrogance we expect everyone in our country to automatically speak English, and at the same time when we travel to other countries we expect them to speak our language as well.
America is heading a new direction with a growing population of blacks, Hispanics, and other races, and in our lifetimes we will see that whites are not going to be the majority any longer. The diversity and flavor that has defined America’s culture and language however comes from our roots as the new home and land of opportunity for those seeking a new life, and should always remain that way. I just hope that when we’re the new minority we’re not subject to the oppression and difficulty we gave their predecessors…
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Relig-itics, poli-gion, um...yeah...
There’s a movement going on within certain Christian sectors to boycott Glen Beck and Fox News Channel for Beck’s call for people to leave churches that preach social and economic justice. Now, I am not a fan of either Glen Beck or Fox News Channel. I think both are sensationalized perversions of journalism and political commentary, and contribute about as much to news reporting as their left-wing counterparts at MSNBC, a load of bunk a load of bunk seasoned with yelling and finger pointing. [I’ll remind you that I strive to take a more moderate and centrist look at all things political and make decisions on my own values rather than political affiliation] I’d like to take a look at this argument through an objective lens, as I take extremist politics and extremist religions with a similar grain of salt, especially when it involves such an über-conservative pundit like Beck. Too often in recent years the lines of politics and religion have blurred to such an extreme point that it is starting to get dangerous, and too many of our policy makers in DC forget their oath to support the Constitution, which calls for politics and religion to be separate. Many argue that America was founded on Christian beliefs, and that is a short-sighted argument because many of our founding fathers were actually Atheists or Agnostics rather than the traditional Judeo-Christians that they are argued to be. But enough of that, back to the topic that started this whole train of thought: social and economic justice in our churches.
Glenn Beck recently called on his viewers to leave their churches if the pastors taught messages of social and economic justice, and he’s got the son of a popular Christian figurehead on his side. Social and economic justice, what is that? Some modern-day followers of the Bible contend that both Old and New Testament books teach charity, volunteerism, helping those in need, assisting in disaster relief, offering a hand to those less fortunate as social and economic justice. There are many that believe it is also related to changing the environment or conditions that lead to people being downtrodden. This is where the political lines can really start to cross over, and where Glen Beck and his supporter Jerry Falwell Jr. (yes, son of the late Reverend, who tried to inject his moral majority into politics so much) argue that those churches are pushing a socialist agenda on their patrons. But, honestly, who is politicizing their religion more here? Is it the pastor who wants his flock to spend more time volunteering in soup kitchens? Is it the Rabbi who wants members of his synagogue to help the unemployed in their job hunt? Is it the priest who is spending time in his inner-city neighborhood working to reduce gang violence? Or is it Beck and Falwell who think all those I just listed somehow "are trying to twist the gospel to say the gospel supported socialism." I think everyone needs to realize that when it comes to helping your fellow man, it’s not about left, right, or in-between, it’s more about seeing someone who’s in a tough time, and doing what you can, when you can, to somehow brighten that person’s day and help them realize that they can make it in this world, and maybe offer them a hand out of the hole they’re in. It might just change their life.
I don’t profess myself to be the most spiritual or religious person in the world. I’m at a place in my life where I’m still trying to decide what I truly believe when it comes to a “higher power.” What I do know, is that in the world I live in, I see and have seen lots of pain, suffering, and strife day in and day out. I’ve seen a lot in my short thirty years. I’ve seen the best of mankind, and I’ve seen the absolute worst. The best in mankind I’ve seen was due to people doing what they could to help the person to their left and right, whether they knew them or not, whether they liked them or not. The worst I’ve seen in man has almost every time been tied to some sort of religious dogma, and that saddens me. I've seen radical Islamists blow up children "in the name of Allah." I've seen "Christians" harass, abuse, and beat up gays because they were "different," and "perverts." Now, many of the ills of man lie and are due to extreme ends of the religious spectrum, and I know that. However, there are many that are caused by those that don’t fall so far to one end, and that’s where the change that can lead to true social and economic justice needs to come from. Ghandi said it best: “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” More of our Christians need to start being like our Christ, just like more Muslims need to subscribe to the true teachings of the Koran. The Jesus and Mohammed I’ve read about would like that…and that goes for EVERYONE...
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth...so help me blog.
providing me a lot of time (probably too much) to be introspective,
uncertain, hopeful, and angry, though not all at once thankfully. I've
had a lot of time to wonder if the decisions I've made in recent months
have been the right ones, and I've hopped back and forth across that
fence a few times, and tripped over it a couple as well. At the end of
the day, I still think that parting ways with corporate America was in
the end a good decision. Life in the public sector is cut-throat,
political, and to truly succeed and exceed one must "know and be" more
than they must "do." By that, I mean, who you know and how you can be
the image they look for plays heavier at the table than what you
actually do for the company. It seems that out there, being the person
who likes to ask the Emperor why they're not wearing any clothes (in
lieu of complimenting their new outfit) creates a virtual concrete
ceiling that is impenetrable.
So, where have the days of the honest broker gone? When has our
society, and subsequently our workplace, gone to such a sensitive state
that telling the truth (good, bad, and ugly) alienates one to a point of
not being a good fit for success? There was a time when your boss asked
for your opinion regarding a matter that you told them the un-biased,
respectful, unfiltered, unpasteurized, 100% USDA Organic Certified
truth. Now it seems that one must be the spend day in and day out
tip-toeing on eggshells and ensuring that every professional opinion is
laced with rainbows, butterflies, smoke, mirrors, and sunshine. Before
I go further, let me say I'm not advocating a workplace where one's
daily routine is flooded with sarcasm, disrespect, and condescension.
Productivity and cohesion cannot thrive in such an environment. What I
am advocating, is an office or environment where no one is afraid to
tell their boss, their boss's boss, or even their boss's boss's boss
that the pile of rotten apples on their desk actually smells like rotten
apples. To me, when we get back to a place where such candor and
professional vigor is embraced, rather than squashed, we will once again
be in a professional society that I feel comfortable living and working
in. It worked to a fault for Peter Gibbons in "Office Space," as he
ended up the "Straight shooter with upper management written all over
him." Now, that's probably not the best example. I'll close with a
quote from "Heartbreak Ridge," a great movie that embraces an extreme
look at the candor needed in America's workplace:
Col. Meyers: [during a readiness exercise]: What's your assessment of
this situation, Gunny?
Highway: It's a cluster f*ck, sir.
Col. Meyers: Say again?
Highway: Marines are fighting men. They shouldn't be sitting around on
their sorry asses filling out request forms for equipment they should
already have, sir.
Even if the profanity is left out, he gave his honest assessment of how
things were going. That's how it should be. I won't piss on your leg
and then tell you it's raining, and you should thank me for that. It'll
keep your socks dry if anything...
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Tuesday Musing
To be continued...
Monday, March 8, 2010
Captain's Blog: Stardate March 8th, 2010. Entry #1
SO, that's a little peek into the twisted mass of grey matter and velveeta that lies between my big ears. Random, I know, but aren't most first blogs? I'll shed more into who I am and what my life is like as I go. Till then, cheers!