I stepped on our semi-new bathroom scale yesterday evening. I was shocked at what it said.
90.71.
Realizing that the scale had somehow switched to metric, I switched it back to English units, and I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw.
199.6.
I have lost an estimated 25 pounds in 10 weeks. I am not doing Atkins or South Beach, or even that points thing. All that I've done is eat a bit less and start exercising at least 3 times a week, usually for about 45 minutes each trip. It also helps that I haven't had a slice of pizza in 34 days. :)
Thanks to everyone who sent us anniversary cards and gifts -- Jenelle and I celebrated on Monday by going to dinner at Salute Italian Restaurant in downtown Racine. We also ate one of the leftover chocolate bars that were favors at the wedding.
Sorry for the delay on the concert pictures -- with luck, I'll have them up by the weekend.
Wednesday, March 31, 2004
Saturday, March 27, 2004
Got a haircut on Monday
Thursday's concert was amazing. I'm going to put pictures up, along with some pictures from the Bleeding Charity concert from a couple of weeks ago, in a new "concerts" section of my home page. As you might expect, I'll post here as soon as they're up.
Jenelle and I are celebrating a couple of anniversaries this weekend. Friday was our four-year dating anniversary, and Monday is our one-year wedding anniversary. We haven't done anything really exciting, but we did go shopping at Brookfield, Southridge, and both outlet malls in Kenosha.
We're also enjoying our new digital cable box. It allows us to record two programs at once and pause live TV. Today, there was four hours of coverage of PGA golf (The Players' Championship). I started watching it an hour after it actually began. I was caught up to the "live" broadcast a couple of hours later, thanks to fast-forwarding over commericials and the parts where golfers are preparing to make their next shot.
So, as you can tell, not a whole lot of excitement this weekend. But we're still having fun. :)
Jenelle and I are celebrating a couple of anniversaries this weekend. Friday was our four-year dating anniversary, and Monday is our one-year wedding anniversary. We haven't done anything really exciting, but we did go shopping at Brookfield, Southridge, and both outlet malls in Kenosha.
We're also enjoying our new digital cable box. It allows us to record two programs at once and pause live TV. Today, there was four hours of coverage of PGA golf (The Players' Championship). I started watching it an hour after it actually began. I was caught up to the "live" broadcast a couple of hours later, thanks to fast-forwarding over commericials and the parts where golfers are preparing to make their next shot.
So, as you can tell, not a whole lot of excitement this weekend. But we're still having fun. :)
Thursday, March 25, 2004
Earplugs Ready
Tonight, Jenelle and I are going to a Newsboys concert with two of my college friends (Adam H. and Fil). We have third row seats. It's going to ROCK! I'll bring my camera.
Happy Birthday, Aunt Sandy!
It's finally getting warm. I think I'll go for a walk outside...
Happy Birthday, Aunt Sandy!
It's finally getting warm. I think I'll go for a walk outside...
Sunday, March 21, 2004
HELLO?
Jenelle and I visited Grace Church once again this morning. Once again, the service was very nice.
Once again, the welcome room was empty after the service. And this time, the lights were off. That's a step in the wrong direction.
We have some commitments at Our Savior's that prevent us from attending next week -- but just in case anyone at Grace is reading this -- we will be back. :)
Once again, the welcome room was empty after the service. And this time, the lights were off. That's a step in the wrong direction.
We have some commitments at Our Savior's that prevent us from attending next week -- but just in case anyone at Grace is reading this -- we will be back. :)
Saturday, March 20, 2004
Eat More Chikin
From 9:30 p.m. last night until 10:30 p.m. this morning, Jenelle and I were at Regency Mall, waiting in line at Chick Fil-A. Why were we waiting for 13 hours? The first 100 people in line received coupons for 52 free combo meals, redeemable anytime between now and March 31, 2005. So, Jenelle and I have 104 coupons for free combo meals. Yum. My mom joined the party shortly after 3 a.m. and also got free coupons. In our 20/20 hindsight, we could have been one of the first 100 if we had arrived at 6 a.m. I'll remember that next time. :)
It's been a fun week. On Tuesday night, Jenelle and I went to the Bucks-Blazers game at the Bradley Center with Uncle Randy and Aunt Liz. Which reminds me, Happy Birthday, Aunt Liz! I should have said posted that on Tuesday. Jenelle enjoyed the game a little bit more because the Blazers won on a last-second shot. However, we were all happy that it was a close game.
Other than that, I've been keeping busy with the usual -- church, work, workin' out. I did set a personal best on Monday -- 5 miles in 45 minutes. I haven't been able to repeat that feat since then. Tomorrow is another week!
It's been a fun week. On Tuesday night, Jenelle and I went to the Bucks-Blazers game at the Bradley Center with Uncle Randy and Aunt Liz. Which reminds me, Happy Birthday, Aunt Liz! I should have said posted that on Tuesday. Jenelle enjoyed the game a little bit more because the Blazers won on a last-second shot. However, we were all happy that it was a close game.
Other than that, I've been keeping busy with the usual -- church, work, workin' out. I did set a personal best on Monday -- 5 miles in 45 minutes. I haven't been able to repeat that feat since then. Tomorrow is another week!
Sunday, March 14, 2004
Hello?
The concert on Friday night was quite fun. The band gave their greatest performance yet. I brought my camera as you can see from this, this, and this. It was nice to just hang out with people our own age.
Speaking of people our own age, Jenelle and I went to Grace Church this morning after the service at Our Savior's. We thoroughly enjoyed the service. I saw someone who attended Our Savior's back when I was in middle school, and I saw one of my co-workers playing the saxophone in the worship band. Everything was fine except for one small issue.
In the pews is a "Welcome Guest!" card that explains a few different things about the church. There was a section to fill out to give to an usher/staff person, so we filled that part out. Also, Jenelle and I were particularly intrigued by the following paragraph:
Welcome Room
On your way out of the building today, please stop in the Welcome Room. It's located to your right as you exit through the center sanctuary doors. There you will find regular Grace Church attendees and a staff member who can answer questions for you, give you a tour of the building and help you get connected!
I'm thinking: "Yes! That's exactly what we're looking for. We can get a tour of the place (which is huge) and ask about opportunities to meet more people our age. I wish Our Savior's had room for something like that!" After the service ended, we had no trouble locating the Welcome Room. Through the window, we noticed several comfortable chairs. The room wasn't as big as I imagined it. In fact, it resembled a waiting room that you might find at a doctor's office, minus the reception window. Oh yeah, and there was one more problem.
The room was empty.
Besides the furniture, there wasn't a soul inside the Welcome Room. We walked around for a moment, wondering if perhaps the welcomers hadn't arrived yet or had taken a break for some reason. The room remained empty. Jenelle and I had some decision-making to do. We both decided that we shouldn't have to ASK for somebody to welcome us. That didn't seem right. It's like when you want your spouse to buy you a gift for a special occasion but you don't want to have to ASK him/her to buy you a gift. He/she should just know. We also wouldn't have felt right sitting down in some of those chairs, like we were waiting to begin some sort of counseling session.
We took our comment card, added the phrase "Why was the Welcome Room empty after the service?", gave it to someone at a desk in the center of the building, and headed home. Our phone number and e-mail address is on the comment card, so I'm hoping that someone gives us a call or an e-mail so that we can tell them about our unique experience. I'll be happy to share our story.
So, to the folks at Grace Church -- keep up the good work, and make sure you put someone in your Welcome Room. We'll be back to check on your progress. :)
One more thing before I end this entry.
Happy Birthday, Ashby!
Speaking of people our own age, Jenelle and I went to Grace Church this morning after the service at Our Savior's. We thoroughly enjoyed the service. I saw someone who attended Our Savior's back when I was in middle school, and I saw one of my co-workers playing the saxophone in the worship band. Everything was fine except for one small issue.
In the pews is a "Welcome Guest!" card that explains a few different things about the church. There was a section to fill out to give to an usher/staff person, so we filled that part out. Also, Jenelle and I were particularly intrigued by the following paragraph:
Welcome Room
On your way out of the building today, please stop in the Welcome Room. It's located to your right as you exit through the center sanctuary doors. There you will find regular Grace Church attendees and a staff member who can answer questions for you, give you a tour of the building and help you get connected!
I'm thinking: "Yes! That's exactly what we're looking for. We can get a tour of the place (which is huge) and ask about opportunities to meet more people our age. I wish Our Savior's had room for something like that!" After the service ended, we had no trouble locating the Welcome Room. Through the window, we noticed several comfortable chairs. The room wasn't as big as I imagined it. In fact, it resembled a waiting room that you might find at a doctor's office, minus the reception window. Oh yeah, and there was one more problem.
The room was empty.
Besides the furniture, there wasn't a soul inside the Welcome Room. We walked around for a moment, wondering if perhaps the welcomers hadn't arrived yet or had taken a break for some reason. The room remained empty. Jenelle and I had some decision-making to do. We both decided that we shouldn't have to ASK for somebody to welcome us. That didn't seem right. It's like when you want your spouse to buy you a gift for a special occasion but you don't want to have to ASK him/her to buy you a gift. He/she should just know. We also wouldn't have felt right sitting down in some of those chairs, like we were waiting to begin some sort of counseling session.
We took our comment card, added the phrase "Why was the Welcome Room empty after the service?", gave it to someone at a desk in the center of the building, and headed home. Our phone number and e-mail address is on the comment card, so I'm hoping that someone gives us a call or an e-mail so that we can tell them about our unique experience. I'll be happy to share our story.
So, to the folks at Grace Church -- keep up the good work, and make sure you put someone in your Welcome Room. We'll be back to check on your progress. :)
One more thing before I end this entry.
Happy Birthday, Ashby!
Friday, March 12, 2004
It Keeps You Runnin'
After seven weeks of working out, I'm feeling fantastic. My body mass index (BMI) is now below 27. If I can keep it up, I'll be in the ideal weight range (between 19 and 25) before the start of summer. I was able to go for a run over the lunch hour today. I'm pleased to report that I can run a 5k in about 28:30.
I'm enjoying my new job, but things are still a little bit slow. I'm in the awkward phase where I want more things to do, but I need help to accomplish them. Oh well -- the vibe I'm getting is that things are slow for everybody, and that things will pick up in the near future. I hope I'm ready.
I'm excited about tonight -- Jenelle and I are going to dinner with my buddy Adam, Leslie (Adam's girlfriend), and a few other young folks. After that, it's off to the Beat Kitchen for a concert featuring Bleeding Charity. It's been a while since I've seen Jed, Carl, and the other Adam, and even longer since I've seen them in concert, so it will be a fun night. I'm bringing my camera.
I'm enjoying my new job, but things are still a little bit slow. I'm in the awkward phase where I want more things to do, but I need help to accomplish them. Oh well -- the vibe I'm getting is that things are slow for everybody, and that things will pick up in the near future. I hope I'm ready.
I'm excited about tonight -- Jenelle and I are going to dinner with my buddy Adam, Leslie (Adam's girlfriend), and a few other young folks. After that, it's off to the Beat Kitchen for a concert featuring Bleeding Charity. It's been a while since I've seen Jed, Carl, and the other Adam, and even longer since I've seen them in concert, so it will be a fun night. I'm bringing my camera.
Monday, March 08, 2004
Times at Timber-Lee
I spent Friday evening and most of Saturday at Camp Timber-Lee, near East Troy, WI. I was there as a chaperone at the first ever ELCA Racine Cluster Confirmation Retreat. I got to do more than just watch over some young folks. I played in the worship band, which consisted of musicians from several churches in the cluster. All of them had lots of experience, and it was a joy to play with each of them. I also learned some new songs that might show up at a Wednesday night service at Our Savior's in the near future. :)
A note to all of you folks who are going to be chaperones at a camping event with kids under 15: It is important to prepare mentally as well as physically for this type of activity. Your patience and your resolve will be tested. There were no major disasters at this particular retreat, or even minor ones -- but I found out yesterday that the three boys in my cabin snuck out after I fell asleep. I'm very thankful that God was watching over them. They were walking around the camp sometime between 1 and 4 in the morning, and they didn't get into any serious trouble. I've never been a heavy sleeper, but perhaps I was a bit exhausted from making sure they behaved earlier in the night.
Not much else is going on at the moment. I'm still exercising at least three times a week, and I'll be hitting the fitness center later this afternoon. My new position at SCJ is going well, and I'm keeping up with the workload I've been assigned. Perhaps it's time to ask for a little more.
A note to all of you folks who are going to be chaperones at a camping event with kids under 15: It is important to prepare mentally as well as physically for this type of activity. Your patience and your resolve will be tested. There were no major disasters at this particular retreat, or even minor ones -- but I found out yesterday that the three boys in my cabin snuck out after I fell asleep. I'm very thankful that God was watching over them. They were walking around the camp sometime between 1 and 4 in the morning, and they didn't get into any serious trouble. I've never been a heavy sleeper, but perhaps I was a bit exhausted from making sure they behaved earlier in the night.
Not much else is going on at the moment. I'm still exercising at least three times a week, and I'll be hitting the fitness center later this afternoon. My new position at SCJ is going well, and I'm keeping up with the workload I've been assigned. Perhaps it's time to ask for a little more.
Saturday, March 06, 2004
Wednesday, March 03, 2004
Fill 'er up, 20 bucks
Yup, gasoline prices are on the rise.
Anyway, here's the last installment in the Boston trip journal:
Boston Trip, Days Three and Four - February 21-22
Every trip has a day during which you do practically nothing. Saturday was that day for us. We hung out at Sarah's apartment, watching movies, playing cards, ordering Chinese food, and basically relaxing after a lot of walking on Friday. We watched the first Harry Potter movie and What About Bob? I taught Sarah and Jenelle how to play a card game called golf. No, not the one that comes with Windows machines. This is a game in the style of gin with only four cards to a person, and two of them are hidden until the player decides to exchange them. The last time I played that game, I was in Minocqua. Fun times.
We didn't have time to do much on Sunday. We packed up and headed out to the airport. It was a great trip. Thanks to Sarah for showing us around and providing some quality hospitality for us.
Anyway, here's the last installment in the Boston trip journal:
Boston Trip, Days Three and Four - February 21-22
Every trip has a day during which you do practically nothing. Saturday was that day for us. We hung out at Sarah's apartment, watching movies, playing cards, ordering Chinese food, and basically relaxing after a lot of walking on Friday. We watched the first Harry Potter movie and What About Bob? I taught Sarah and Jenelle how to play a card game called golf. No, not the one that comes with Windows machines. This is a game in the style of gin with only four cards to a person, and two of them are hidden until the player decides to exchange them. The last time I played that game, I was in Minocqua. Fun times.
We didn't have time to do much on Sunday. We packed up and headed out to the airport. It was a great trip. Thanks to Sarah for showing us around and providing some quality hospitality for us.
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