Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

"To a man whose mind is free there is something even more intolerable in the sufferings of animals than in the sufferings of man. For with the latter it is at least admitted that suffering is evil and that the man who causes it is a criminal. But thousands of animals are uselessly butchered every day without a shadow of remorse. If any man were to refer to it, he would be thought ridiculous. And that is the unpardonable crime."
Romain Rolland

Where to startttt...okay, yesterday. I went to the gym about an hour before I was supposed to teach because I wanted to get SOME weight training in. While I was up behind the counter, someone walked in and I helped him because Justin wasn't up there. No biggie. Anyway, I happened to be wearing my Army PT shirt that I had, and he had the older version (with no block-style A on the back) on. It was weird...Anyway...I went to set up the bikes and one of the guys came in the room and was like, "Is that your boyfriend?" And I bust out laughing! "WHY!? Because we're wearing the same damn shirt!?" He was like, "Well, yeah." I laughed...come to find out later, the Army guy happened to be one of my very good friend's boyfriends. She called my cell later that night to tell me. Oh, and class was cancelled because it was BEAUTIFUL out (64 is great! PERFECT!)...I didn't mind. I went home, showered, and changed...then I went to dinner with a friend of mine to this nice Japanese restaurant. Thennn...during conversation, he mentioned something about test driving cars and I said I wanted to test drive a nice, big truck. So we went! Sadly, because it was close to 9, the dealership we went to was closed. But I found my new dream truck:


Hot, isn't it?? My friend and I were playing around in the bed of the truck...there was a cop in the drive-through across the road and I think he saw us...he didn't come over though...
I didn't get a picture of it, but there was also an H4 Avalanche which was SUPER-FUCKING HOT...

Anywayyyy...on my way home, I got a phone call from a friend of mine to come out drinking...so I ran to the store to get a six-pack of Smirnoffs and some munchies and headed over there. I had fun just chillin' with some friends. It was relaxing. Of course, every time I got towards the end of the bottle, my friend ran to the refrigerator to get me another one. I finished the six-pack by myself and also had a glass of Popof and Mt. Dew...not good...straight vodka tastes like acetone. Blech. But it was one of those nights I should not have driven home as soon as I did.

Managed to drag myself outta bed and head the gym...not motivated at all...but one of the regulars was on the treadmill, so I hopped on the cross-trainer next to him, and we chit-chatted for a bit. We started talking about my weight and all that, and he suggested maybe - just for a week - to try eating meat, like chicken, and see if that does something. So that's what I've been comtemplating for a while. I don't know. I've been a vegetarian for almost six years now, and while I'm not against the killing of animals (unless it's done so in an inhumane way), but...it's just so different. And...weird. I've always thought my vegetarianism has helped me keep my weight down...but now that it's creeping back, this is about the only thing I can do to change my diet again. *sigh*

I'm going to Colorado for a week on Tuesday and I think while I'm out there, I'm going to spend some time trying to reconfigure my diet and exercise program. See if I can't revamp it once again. I'd also like to get some running in out there, but it's gonna be hell because of the altitude. I plan on bringing my rollerblades, too, because I absolutely LOVE to rollerblade and have been doing so since the weather got a little warmer. My mom is gonna help me as much as she can, because she knows how much I want this and she understands I just need a break from my life here. Plus, she's trying to get me AVALANCHE tickets!! FUCK YEAH!! I AM SO FRIGGIN' EXCITED!! I LOVE THE AVS!!!!!!!!!!!!! (And yes, I'm aware I live in Michigan...and I HATE the Wings!)

Chelsea Margaret And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

"I went to sleep with gum in my mouth and now there's gum in my hair and when I got out of bed this morning I tripped on the skateboard and by mistake I dropped my sweater in the sink while the water was running and I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day."
Judith Viorst, author of Alexander and the Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

This has just not been my week...*sigh*

1)Monday, I pulled my back doing Good Mornings at the gym.

2)Later that evening, I slammed my hand in my car door. Then I just stood, looking at my fingers in the door going, "Ow. That kinda fuckin' hurts." Slow.

3)Tuesday morning, I smacked myself in the face doing cable face-pulls. Haven't done 'em in a while, so I started at a light weight. Apparently, too light. Luckily, I have a good sense of humor and bust out laughing.

4)Not ten minutes later, I knocked my head on a shelf at the gym.

5)About two hours later, somehow I ran into the fire extinguisher in my recruiter's office. He sat there and just laughed. I just about shouted, "I GIVE UP!" Then, we were walking out to the parking lot, and I almost broke down crying at his truck. So frustrated. I lost, uh, "girth" in my forearms, wrist, and neck. WRONG EFF'N PLACE!!

6)That evening, when I went to feed my friend's cats, I skinned my knee up. She has this porch that's about 18" high. Normally, I can jump up on it, no problems. Last night, I missed. I don't know how. Again, it was one of those, "Ow. That kinda fuckin' hurts," moments. GRR! When I was going in to feed the cats, I honestly started wondering if there was something physically wrong with me to cause me to be like this. I am starting to get freaked out.


And I have been such an emotional basketcase lately. Hell, I'm starting to tear up even writing this. I weigh 180. I look in the mirror and don't see it. I have these moments where I actually like myself every so often. I have a small waist, good definition in my upper body, and strong legs. Then I get in the scale and weigh 180 and remember what every branch of the military tells me - I'm too fat. Every ounce of self-esteem I might have had goes down the toliet and I'm left standing there wondering why I don't give up on it. Why? Because I want it. Because I want to serve my eff'n country. Because I'm stubborn. I was talking to a friend of mine at the gym today (he was in the National Guard) and I told him what I weighed. He about pissed his pants laughing. "Is that what the recruiters are telling you!?" No. It's what the scale says. I went on this rant about how my mirror says one thing, but the scale/recruiters say another and I just started crying. "I am so frustrated!!" He said it finally clicked with him why I'm so frustrated. "You see one thing and hear another." Then he said he knew I could drop the weight and he had faith in me, yadda yadda yadda. *sigh* I told this all to one of my friends in the Army now and currently in Iraq and he said, "You have to go to the bar and get wasted tonight now. I want to hear stories about how bad you were tommorrow." Haha...good idea. But I hafta focus. Or just stop. Stop working out. Stop dieting. Let my body do it's thanggg...Of course, knowing my body, I'd probably gain about 50 pounds. I'm beginning to hate working out. Hate eating healthy. All that crap. *sigh*

I'm done.

Boring

"No he is not wrong. But it is cooked."
The Air Force recruiter, when I asked if it's true you hafta kill a bunny during SERE training.

So...yeah (do I always start my blogs like that or wha? Heh.). I got a letter in the mail the other day from Dave Camp. Well, from Congressman Camp's 'Constituent Representative,' I should say. I guess I hafta fill out a Privacy Release Statement so they can get my info. I'm a little leery about this, but SFC B says it should be cool. Nothing to worry about. If my identity gets stolen and I end up with a bad credit report, I'm coming after you, SFC!! =)

Other than that, nothing really exciting has been going on. Went out Friday and Saturday night with some friends. Drank three drinks each night. Tried a cement mixer for the first time. Not fun, but it didn't taste bad. My friend congradulated me for being the first person to like those. Eh. Hah. Saturday night, I ran into some old friends I haven't seen or talked to in a while. One of them is headed to BMT next week, so it was his going away party. Man, did he get loaded. Fucked up. Shitfaced. I went to tell him good-bye, and I told him how proud I was of him and all that jazz...it took him about a minute to say the words "Thank you Chelsea," and even then I couldn't understand him. It was like talking to someone who suffers from some kinda mental problem. I laughed...

No news other than the whole Camp thing on the enlistment front. Sorry. Boring post. To make up for it, click this. Funny ass comics...haha...I laughed, at least. But, alas, I have a sick sense of humor.

Okay, Where is It?

"One should never put on one's best trousers to go out to battle for freedom and truth."
Henrik Ibsen

Well, remind me not to wear my good jeans to BCT then! =)

Okay, today was not a good morning. I taugh Spin class last night and then again this morning. I sweated my ass off, or so I thought. Then I went to my recruiter's office and nothing! I'm sitting at about 38.5% body fat, according to Army regs, even though with the seven-site Jackson-Pollock method I'm at 18.5% (and yes, I realize Jackson Pollack is an artist...Jackson and Pollock are researches who developed the common method of measuring body fat with a skinfold test). I need to be at less than 35%. *sigh* I really don't know where I'm hiding it anymore...I mean, I can tell when I'm gaining or losing, but not anymore! I look like I did when I first enlisted, but weigh about fifteen pounds more. WTF? My poor boss doesn't understand it either. He was liie, "I don't know what else there is for you to do. You've basically done all you can!" No shit!! I'm thinking of taking a week off of exercising to see if I can jump start this shit again. I am getting so frustrated with it all. All I want to do is serve, but I can't because apparently I'm fat...even though I am in better shape than probably 85% of the recruits going in nowadays. I told SFC B that the Army is missing out on one helluva recruit for now!!

Speaking of SFC B, he suggested that I write my senators, even though it may prove to be futile. Well, hell, at this point, nothing could hurt. So I emailed my Federal Congressman Dave Camp, Federal Senator Carl Levin (he's on the Armed Services Committee), and State Senator Tony Stamas (he's on the State Police and Military Affairs Committe). I figured it wouldn't hurt. This is what I emailed:

My name is Chelsea Rider and I am a graduate of Saginaw Valley State University. I majored in Political Science and Criminal Justice (with a Philosophy minor) and maintained a 3.8 GPA, which allowed me graduate summa cum laude. In January of 2004, I began looking into serving in the United States military, but because I still had a year and half left of school, I did not sign up right away. However, now there is a greater obstacle that seems to be preventing me from serving. As of today, 22 March 2006, I weigh xxx pounds, yet according to a caliper test, I am at 18.5% body fat. Unfortunately, the Army does not accept caliper tests and instead uses what they call the ‘girth’ test, in which, for females, they take the measurement of her hips, forearms, wrists, and neck and combine the numbers with her height and weight to calculate her body fat percentage. Under this method, I am at about 38.5% body fat, and this number can vary depending on who is measuring me, as no one seems to measure me in the same spots. I’m in no way out of shape; I work at a gym and teach indoor cycling classes two to three times a week. I do cardiovascular exercise for at least two hours most days of the week, and, up until recently, was weight training three to four days a week.

I realize there’s probably nothing that you can do, but figured it would hurt nothing by asking. I want nothing more than to serve my country as a Soldier. If, by chance, there is something you can do, please let me know. I can get you references of people who can vouch for how hard I’ve worked and how dedicated to serving I am, as well as references of cardiovascular health (measured in a VO2 max test) and body fat percentages using a seven-site Jackson-Pollock skinfold method.

Thank you for your time!


I dunno if anything will result, but hell, it's possible. *sigh*

Mmm...Cherry Coke...

"I didn't mean big thighs! I meant to say you had big calves!!"
My recruiter

So, yesterday was interesting. Well, not really, but anyway...Diet is going okay...I'll get to that in a bit...I woke up and headed the gym, as usual...however, the motivation was not there...I spent an hour going back in forth between different cardio activities, before I finally said "Screw it," and did a coupla sets of bench pressin', then left...I went back at 1500 and did some treadmill work with my friend, Justin...he was kicking my ass because, again, something was lacking...Then, my friend Beau and I spun for like, forty minutes...Beau is cool...Last April, he weighed like, 300+ and now he weighs right around 200lbs...He just enlisted in the Air Force (ships 20060516) and is the reason I've been looking into the Air Force...anyway, last week he invited me to his DEP function, which was yesterday...Basically, met at the AF office and headed to a local deli for dinner and conversation...it was cool because there were three guys there that had just finished with their Tech School...one of them was in the AFSC that I've looked into (Airborne Cryptologic Linguist) and said the schooling is about two and a half years long...TWO AND A HALF YEARS!! I yelled at the recruiter - "You didn't tell me it was that long!!" He said he didn't know...hah...Anyway, while we were sitting down to eat, my phone rings...like, really rings...which is a bad sign...ya see, I have all the recruiters I know programmed to ring (instead of the stupid li'l melody that normally goes off when my phone rigns)...I didn't realize it was my phone...One of the guys home on RAP (basically the AF equivalent of HTRP) kept lookin' at me and I realized it was my phone...Anywayyyy...answered it, "What?" because I knew it was the Army recruiter..."You comin' in tomorrow??" "Dude, I'm not at weight..." after that, he kinda got into me about all that...said something about my personal deadline coming up, like I wasn't aware...I am so frustrated!!...then said I had big thighs...DUH...he said he meant to say I had big calves...Anyway, the whole conversation just kinda upset me and I almost cried...I swear everyone in that office must think I'm a slacker and it pisses me off because I am literally working my ass off to get back in...*sigh*...The rest of the night was okay...the AF recruiter makes fun of me all the time...then he gets all serious..."I want to help you reach your goals." It's fun...Oh, for dinner, I had half of a sub that I had to take the meat off...and two glasses of cherry Coke...it's been a long ass time since I've had pop...anyway...the AF recruiter was like, "Are you a vegetarian!?!?" He probably thinks I'm some strange freak...heh...=)

Someday...

Diet? Check!

"You're a sexy, in-shape, dose of Irish heaven."
My friend Dennis...

Okay...according to the Harris-Benedict Formula, I need about 2530 calories to maintain my weight. I've set up a diet for me to follow that keeps my calories under 1600 calories, yet still provides me with everything I need. I rock. Haha...So, hopefully this will help me. Combined with the exercise I do, I should be good to go, again. I think finally writing out a eating plan has helped immensely. Especially since it includes five smaller meals (I was only eating three before) and has a good macronutrient ratio (50% carbs, 30% protein, and 20% fat). I've got a coupla books on nutrition for runners that Imma look at too...I've got to stay on track and keep motivated. Hooah! Right?

If you're curious about how the Harris-Benedict formula works out, here ya go:

STEP ONE: BMR = 655 + (9.6 X weight in kilos) + (1.8 X height in cm) - (4.7 X age in years). (BMR = basal metabolic rate, the amount of calories your body burns just functioning) = 1631.4 calories for me

STEP TWO: Multiply BMR by activity level:

• * If you are Sedentary - little or no exercise
  Calorie-Calculation = BMR X 1.2
  
• * If you are Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week)
  Calorie-Calculation = BMR X 1.375
  
• * If you are Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week)
  Calorie-Calculation = BMR X 1.55
  
• * If you are Very Active = BMR X 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/week)
  Calorie-Calculation = BMR X 1.725
  
• * If you are Extra Active (very hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training)
  Calorie-Calculation = BMR X 1.9

For me = 1631.4 x 1.55 (to stay conservative) = 2528.7 calories

Mind you, the above formula is for females. Click the link above and it'll show both male and female formulas.

Cashew Chicken, No Chicken

"Good things will come to you in due time."

That was my fortune from last night. I took my friend out for Chinese to celebrate her birthday. I ordered my usual - cashew chicken, no chicken. I love being a vegetarian. Anyway, when I opened my fortune cookie and got that fortune, I smiled. I'm like that - I believe those corny things...and horoscopes...Mostly because every so often, I need a li'l mental boost, and hearing something like that helps.

So, still riding my fortune cookie high when I got up this morning, I decided to go for a run. It was only 26 degrees (F) out (-3 degrees C), but it wasn't windy, so I thought I'd be okay. Shit. I was wrong. It kicked my ass. And my quads. And my shoulders. And my throat. Hahah. It ended being a combination run-walk, but either way, I finished the whole 5.25 miles (8.44 kilometers). I plan on doing it again tomorrow morning, hopefully running more and walking less. Hopefully it'll be a little warmer. Getting my breathing under control was the worst the part. Well, after I finished the run/walk, I went into the gym and did another 45 minutes of cardio (15 minutes on the stationary bike and 30 minutes on the elliptical). I feel okay. Not as good as I should feel, but that's because I'm kinda disappointed in my run/walk. Oh well. Tomorrow is another day, right?

I guess that's really all I have to say for now. Nothing big going on lately. Got the bottom half my tattoo finished - dunno if I mentioned that or not. I have a picture of it, but it's one that I took with my digicam's timer, so it's not the best. Plus, I look...wide. And I have enough issues with my body right now...but I'm loving the ink! So far, the kanji I have in it are "strength," "overcome," "bravery," "fierce," and "honor." I have two left - loyalty and will - but they'll be negatives, meaning instead of being black inside the outline of a star, the star will be black and the kanji will just be outline (not filled in). I guess you hafta see the piece to totally understand it, eh??

Well, Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone! Stay safe tonight...I'd be drinking, but I think that's not the best thing for me right now...Way to be smart, Chelsea!!

Am I Hearing Things?

Okay...just a quick post...has anyone heard that song "Good Ride" by Garth Brooks?? More importantly, does anyone listen to that stupid nighttime radio Lea show or whatever?? I swear, she played that song and instead of the normal lyric - There's a Navy brat in a cowboy hat - the version she played said "Air Force brat."

...is this a sign. I've never heard this version before. Ever. The song is about Chris LeDoux...his dad was a pilot in the Air Force...Okay...nevermind...quick research shows me that Brooks' got the branch wrong or something in the first version:
CMT LeDoux Message Board

Someone Else, Please?

"Mens sana in corpore sano."
Decimus Iunius Iuvenalis

That is seriously my motto when I'm working out...it means "sound mind in a sound body." Li'l bit of trivia for y'all related to this: The shoe company Asics was named after a variant of this quote - anima sana in corpore sano - which actually means "sound soul in a sound body," (since Msics didn't form a word).

Anyway...I'm in a funk, so I decided to ramble about it for a bit. I'm at this point in my life where I feel like I'm not going anywhere. I'm 22 years old and I have a college degree, yet I live at home with my father and work a part-time job in a field that has nothing to do with my degree. The thing is, the only thing I want to do with my life is serve my country. That's the next step in my logical plan for myself. Yet, I'm be stopped. Over and over again. I sometimes wonder if the struggles I've been having with the Army point to my persistance or my stubbornness. I don't believe in God or any of that crap (sorry), but I wonder if me not shipping and all the shit that's been going on with the Army is somehow I sign that maybe the Army isn't the right fit for me. I mean, I've been talking to an Air Force recruiter, and everything he's said seems, ya know, good, but I fear that if I joined the Air Force, I would be giving up on the Army. Part of me says, "You want to serve your country, which you can do in any branch - Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard," while another part of me says, "You've worked your ass off so hard for the Army, why stop now?!" I want someone to come along and make this decision for me, but I know the only person who can is me. *sigh* It only adds to the frustration. I want nothing more than to serve my country, but here I am, working at a gym...Everyone has told me to go Air Force (or Navy), except a few select people...My boss, for one, a former staff sergeant in the Army, told me once, simply, "Follow your heart." He said this knowing that my heart was set on the Army. Then there's Sean, who wants me to join the Marines. He told me, "Chelsea, you'll be easy to spot at Fort Bragg because you'll be the only Marine wearing Army greens." Apparently, I have the mentality of a Marine (I don't know yet if this is a good thing or not). I know that if I went Air Force, I would get a lot of shit from my recruiter about me giving up and all that shit, which frustrates me...I want to make the decision that's right for me. But I don't know what that is yet.

Here's what I want...I want to serve my country, first and foremost. However, I'd also like to get experience in a intel-type field that would later help me snatch a position with the CIA as a military or political analyst (my dream job). I also want something that will challenge me and allow me to further my education at the same time. Both the Army and the Air Force have the Funded Legal Education Program (I think all branches have this), so that's a plus. I'm not concerned with my chances of getting promoted, or killed for that matter. If I die serving my country, then I'll at least die knowing that my death was not in vain. *sigh*

I'm so frustrated I can't even think straight right now...so I'll stop rambling for now...

*sigh*

Thanks SFC B for providing this in your new place...

Military Shuns Many of Recruiting Age.

...not as easy as it looks. Mos def.

Can't Sleep. Clowns Will Eat Me.

"This is the most fun I've had without lubricant!"
'Adam' (Leigh Whannel) from Saw

Okay, it's about, ohh...2348 and I can't sleep...my alarm is currently set to go off at 0400 so that I can drag my ass outta bed and take advantage of the 40+ degree weather and run. Ya see, I don't like running in the light (I have this complex that people will see me and think I'm running too slow...don't ask.), and I teach 'indoor cycling' at 0545 tomorrow, so if I wanna run, I gotta do it early. That's the plan at least. I miss running outside, so I'm kinda excited. Had one running shoe on a coupla minutes ago...almost went for a run! I'm crazy, I know. In case the sunflower picture didn't give it away, my running habits mos def will!

Anywayyyy...so, yeah...this previous week has been kinda pissing me off with Army crap. My recruiter told me to come in at 1100 Monday morning last week to weigh-in and stuff. So I did. Was he there? Noooo. Jerk. Talked the station commander anyway. Always LOVE that (You can't tell, but I'm rolling my eyes right now!). I also happened to have contacted a different Air Force recruiter, since my friend (who ships for BMT 20060516) keeps telling me his recruiter is awesome, yadda yadda yadda. Met with him Monday. And then again Thursday, where he told me some very promising news about job stuff. Still gotta get my weight down. So Thursday night, I called my Army recruiter since he wanted me to come back and weigh-in Friday. He told me to be at his office at 1030. I got there at 1015. Was he there?! NOPE! I waited for a freakin' hour! He didn't even answer his cell when I called. So I returned the favor and didn't answer when he called me. I was pissed. That's twice in one week where he's told me to come by and he hasn't been there. And it's a 30-minute drive to his office, with gas I don't have to waste. *sigh* So, Friday, after I left the Army office, I drove back to my town to the stop by the Air Force office. He wasn't in, but I wasn't surprised. I left him a present on his door - my Army lanyard (which I have about 20 more of, seriously). I'm just so freakin' frustrated!! GRRRRR!! I don't know if me being deadset on the Army is stubbornness or true desire anymore. I am seriously conflicted about this whole thing.

And I can hear it raining outside right now. Good. I like to run in the rain. Blah. Hah...HELP!

OMG, I LOVE WEATHER!!

Me: I love peanut butter
My sissy: and I love Plato.
My sissy: you can't eat Plato, though.
Me: You can eat Play-doh though
Me: Granted, it's not very good...
My sissy: oh that's gross


That's from an old conversation my sister and I had once...Yes, we're weird. It happens. It's in our blood. Monday night, she came over and we went out to Saginaw. Headed to Best Buy, her all-time favorite store...I found the new Hinder CD (Pick it up! It's pretty good!) and she found a new printer and some other stuff. Anywayyyy...we were standing in line and I, in my ADHD nature, start looking around at people. And who is behind us in line!?! Darrin Bradley, chief meterologist for the local news. I don't know why this excited me so, but I whisper, not-so-discretely, "SISSY! THAT'S DARRIN BRADLEY!!" Then, after looking back a few times, I whispered, "I LOVE WEATHER!", again, not-so-discretely. I thought her and the checkout girl were going to call the nut house on me. I found it funny. I really do have a fascination with weather; have ever since I was a child. Well, we get out to my sissy's car, and she's putting stuff away, and WHO IS PARKED NEXT TO US!? YES! Darrin Bradley!! "SISSY! HE'S PARKED NEXT TO US!!" Hah...he got in his truck and gave me one of those, "Omg, this girl must be a stalker, but I better wave to make her day" waves...I about died laughing. He musta heard us in the store, and then out in the parking lot. Fun times, fun times. After that, my sissy and I went to dinner and then to the local craft store, where she wanted me to put that damn flower hat on and take a picture. That's where the profile picture comes from. I look like I'm in pain, or as my friend said, like the hat is sucking my brains out.

Anyway...I've been having some kickass workouts lately, too. Last night, I had to teach Spin class...so I went to the gym a li'l early to get some quick sprints in. Did those. Then taught a 60-minute Spin class, which kicked both my own and the students' asses. Well, one of my friends showed up to class a li'l late and asked if I would mind staying and doing another hour or so of Spin. Always one for a cardio challenge, I did. And I about died. I walked outta the classroom SOAKED in sweat. Note to self: Do not wear a white t-shirt when you plan on doing that intense of cardio for that duration. If y'all are interested, you can check out my workout journal here.

That's all for now. Have a good day!!

Yay!

"Progress is what happens when impossibility yields to necessity."
Arnold J Glasow

My wrist/forearm/neck measurements have all went up...yay...I never thought my wrist measurement would go up!!

...bad thing, my hip measurement also went up. Oh well. I'll get that back down. I was too excited about my wrist measurement!! Hah...that's a good thing!! And my neck is finally bigger than my biceps...hehe...

That is all.

Again...

Just because I consider this man a true hero...

Army opens criminal probe of Tillman’s death

Army Regs in the News

Seemed fitting, considering recent mods of my own...Just thought I would share:

Army says neck tattoo is not OK

...that is all.

Accountability

“Keep track instead of keeping score. You’ll discover that your worst – like your best – lasts only an instant, and that accepting your limitations liberates you to become yourself.”
John Bingham, No Need for Speed

Just a brief note to letchall (wow) know that I started a new blog to journal my fitness/nutrition stuff. They always say that one of the key things about setting and keeping goals is to make yourself accountable to someone. Consider this my accountability check. Or something like that.

http://muscularpanda.blogspot.com

Blah

I was driving to the gym this morning. My stomach started churning. I thought I was going to throw up in my lap. But I didn't. Made it safely to the gym, grabbed an AWESOME new Tri-O-Plex protein bar and hopped on the treadmill. By the time I was finished, I was A-Okay, except for my throat being sore as hell. I wish I knew why it hurt. Flu? You get a sore throat with a flu or no?? Eh...anyway...did some strength training. Talked to Brad (*blush*). Did more cardio. My throat still hurts and I gotta work at 1300...blah...not looking forward to that!

Man...there was a reason I decided to post today...what the fuck was it!? *sigh* OH! Maybe the pictures? I may take some pics of the outline tonight after work, but I really don't want to. I have rolls. Haha...I'm so self-conscious about it, that's why I haven't had anyone take pics yet. I keep forgetting it's there. (I know, I know. "How do you forget you have a big ass tattoo on your back?!" Well...it's on my back.) I'll back into things, hard, then realize the mistake I made. It's tender, not really painful. And tight, for some reason, even though I keep it moist. Benching was a little rough, because I couldn't stretch my arms back after a set...But gotta bench, ya know...SC's orders...(You can't tell, but I'm totally rolling my eyes right now!) OH! And I got a great compliment at the gym this morning. One of the guys that takes my 'Indoor Cycling' class was there, and I asked him how class was the other morning. He said, "Please excuse my language, but you kicked my ass!" I love hearing that from people like him, because he's in great shape and is training for a triathalon. If I can kick HIS ass, I can only imagine how some of the other people must feel. But hey, you come to my class, you WILL get a workout in. I don't like to walk outta the gym with a dry shirt. I like to sweat. You will, too. Haha...

Well, I better go prepare some food for the day! Have a great one and check back later I might post pictures of the tattoo!

A Date

"Wow, I can really appreciate your passion. I think that is what I like about you most. No, maybe it's the I WILL NOT BE STOPPED attitude you have."
From an old email my second (I'm on my third) recruiter sent me a while ago.
(They're fun to re-read sometimes. I swear he is the only recruiter that never doubted my dedication to joining...)

My wonderful co-worker, Diane, decided that in order for me to get over the guy that cheated on me, I needed to go on a date. So, for the past two weeks or so, she's been trying to hook me up with this guy at the gym that works out the same time I do. He's cute. Problem was, we are both totally shy, so there was probably ZERO chance of this happening without a little push. That's where Diane came into the picture. Actuallllyyyy...it started when the guy's workout partner asked me one day, "Hey, Chelsea, you gotta boyfriend? My friend wants to know." So, anyway, I get this phone call yesterday at about 1030 as I was driving home from my meeting with the recruiter. "Chels, this is Diane. Has he called yet?" "Uh, who?" "Brad. I gave him your number and he said he was gonna call and ask you to dinner." And, about an hour later, he did call. But it sucked because Monday I had set up an appointment with my tattoo artist (after I got pierced) for my next piece, and of course, that time was at 1700 Wednesday night. So, when Brad called, I told him I'd call him when my tat was done, thinking that it would only take about 2-3 hours to do, and he had to take his brother to work at 1900 anyway. Well...I got to the tattoo shop early (1630), and waited...and waited...and waited...1915 rolls around, I called Brad and let him know that I probably wasn't going to be able to make it back into town in time. Hell, the artist still wasn't done drawing out the piece. I didn't start getting the tattoo until 2000. I left the shop at 2150, after about an hour and a half's worth of work. It's a sweet ass piece though...sadly, there's still about 3.5 hrs left of inking to be done to it before it's complete. It's a back piece - shoulder blades to the base of my spine. And lemme tell you, I can handle pain and all, but shit, he hit a nerve or SOMETHING at the base of my spine and I let out the most violent barrage of swear words EVER. I mean, it wasn't bad, but the vehemence with which they were said, WOO-EE...I wanted to turn around and smack the shit outta him! I'm proud of myself, though. No crying. Just lots of biting my lower lip.

And, no, SFC B. I do not hate my recruiter, nor am I trying to kill him with this. Haha...

ANYWAY...so, Brad came up to me today in the gym while I was doing a set of curls, per SC's orders, and asked if I was doing anything today. I said no and he asked if I wanted to come to Chuck E. Cheese's with him and his son. I accepted, because I figured that'd be a good first date. And it was. I had a blast. And his son and I got along, which I think is important when a guy has a kid. Brad and I get along well, we just both happen to be shy. All in all, it was a good night. Hopefully, there will be a second date. *grin*

Update

"Eating fetuses is fun!"
My Sissy, talking about eggs with her vegan friend

Okay, so I went to see my favoritest recruiter in the whole wide world (please note the sarcasm!)...I walked in, and immediately had four recruiters all up in my face looking at my piercings...My recruiter just shook his head...Actually when I walked down the hallway, the Station Commander was standing outside the Army office...He was like, "What the hell Rider!?" ANYWAYYYY...back inside the office, got the height/weight checked, and there was no change from last week. My SC basically ordered me to start lifting again...He told me just to bench and curl...No offense to any of the recruiters out there in blog world, but man, I find sooo much humor when they try to give me advice. My own recruiter knows better, but this is some of the advice I've been given in that office:


1) "Just eat a bunch of rice, but wash it before you eat it, that way there's no starch left."(WTF? YOU CAN WASH THE STARCH OUTTA RICE!?! Incredible!)
2) "Stay away from carbs...drink a lot of milk."(Um...milk is full of sugars...sugars are carbs...hmmmm...good call, Sarn't!)
3) "Preparation H and Saran Wrap. We've had some success with males. Never tried on a female. Maybe you should try." (Okay, I can just imagine how I looked buying laxatives AND Prep H in the same trip. I'm glad Meijer has U-Check lanes...)
4) "Just bench and do some concentration curls, and you'll build your forearms and neck." (He refused to listen to me when I said there are other exercises I can do to do that, like hammer curls, wide grip curls, wrist curls, shrugs. He would hear none of it! "Just bench and curls, Rider." I laughed. Not a good thing to do when the SC is in a bad mood.)


Anyway. I hafta lift. And go back to the office on Monday at 1100. Yay. Hope all goes well. Should be nice to lift again, but if I gain weight because of it, I'm going to beat someone's ass!!

That is all.

Power Trip??

"I don’t feel hung over I don’t feel strung out/ Could I be clean and sober, did I finally lay it down / The drug of his love / Is out of my blood / It’s a revelation, like be born again / Have you ever had that feeling, when you wash away your sin / Your soul is set free / Does anybody know what I mean?"
Shannon Brown, "Can I Get an Amen"

So, last night, I was talking with a friend of mine who happens to be an National Guard recruiter a coupla hours away. I think he was in a bad mood. He asked when I was shipping, and I told him the story. Basically, he said I was stupid for not shipping, and then he said, "I thought you wanted to be a soldier?" My reply? "Don't give me your shit, you aren't my recruiter so don't talk to me like you are!" I was joking. Obviously, my dry sarcasm is hard to pick up on Yahoo! His reply? "I wouldn't recruit your selfish little ass........you need to grow the fuck up and realize who you are talking to...I'm a senior NCO don't you ever talk to me like that...you are not fit to be a soldier with that attitude." At that point, he signed off and I deleted him off my list. No offense, but damn. Was that really necessary?! I WAS JOKING. Sheesh. I don't even know how to react to that shit. Haha...Hell, I give my station commander, also an SFC, more shit than this guy, and he doesn't give me some power trip about being an senior NCO and how I should respect his AUTHORITAY...ha...psh...people like that don't deserve my respect. *sigh*

Anyway...y'all should pick up Shannon Brown's CD. It's awesome! Very good songs! Especially "Big Man" and "Can I Get an Amen." Seriously. Pick it up. Under $10 at Wal-Mart. You won't regret it.

Well, I gotta go hop in the shower and get my recruiter's office for my weekly weigh-in. I am so hungry...tired...dehyrdated...blah. I haven't eaten or drank anything since about 3pm yesterday, and I had to teach TWO Spinning classes, last night and this morning, on empty. NOT FUN!