More From Delivery

Sleeping Beauty

But this one wakes for food. She slept about 6 hrs last night and only woke up once to eat.

The New Edition

Playing with names still

More more

Here She Is

7 lbs. 13 oz. Updates to come. We are at women's and children's currently in room LDR 3. Moving soon I'll notify accordingly.

Joseph Leday

Louisiana State Board of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics Certificate of Death...

Pictured above is a death certificate from October 13, 1923. The deceased is a man named Joseph Leday (as the title of this post suggests). Joseph Leday was/is my great great Uncle. But all that is neither here nor there. The interesting, or for me the cool part of this is the cause of death (pictured in the second photo). It may be difficult to read so I will translate:


     "Fracture of the skull (Homicidal) strike on frontal bone, with a post by another negro."


Joseph was 24 years old and was born in 1899. My dad is in possession of this certificate and brought it to my attention today. I found the articulation and verbiage used most interesting as I am certain is was colloquial to that time frame. It is quite amazing how times have changed.

Scar Crow... Tiger Edition

Yes, what you see in this picture is a stuffed tiger tied to a tree, and if you're really savvy then you will have also noticed that the tree is a fig tree. (back story time). About 1 week ago my dad walked to his garden and noticed his illustrious fig tree had sprouted approximately 400+ figs, delighted he relished the moment and saw fit to pick them on the next day. When he approached the tree the following day he saw a handful of black crows flying away from the tree, untroubled by the sight he proceeded and finally realized he only had 4 figs left, yes 4. The crows had a feast at my dads expense. With only 4 figs left, and desire to preserve them, he grabbed a stuffed Tiger from one of the spare bedrooms in the house and tied the tiger to the tree. I think it fair to note that it has been a week and those 4 figs are still there. Damn crows!

Remember the Post about the Kid Going to West Point

I said in that post that I had been knowing the family for quite some time, I found this photo recently of Brennan when he was 2 being held by my grandmother, this is after a radiation treatment at St. Jude's Hospital. He certainly doesn't look like a kid with many problems in life... lol.

Then Die!

My good friend and 1/2 Marathon Running Partner, and soon to be 2011 Tough Mudder Finisher, Jeremy Zenon, posted a blog site on twitter. I clicked the link and read something I had never really considered to be a aspect of my mentality, but after reading it I was immediately inspired. Taky Kimura was a student of Bruce Lee and trained with him every day, this is a story from Taky Kimura in an interview some time ago:
“Bruce had me up to three miles a day, really at a good pace. We’d run the three miles in twenty-one or twenty-two minutes. Just under eight minutes a mile [Note: when running on his own in 1968, Lee would get his time down to six-and-a half minutes per mile]. So this morning he said to me “We’re going to go five.” I said, “Bruce, I can’t go five. I’m a helluva lot older than you are, and I can’t do five.” He said, “When we get to three, we’ll shift gears and it’s only two more and you’ll do it.” I said “Okay, hell, I’ll go for it.” So we get to three, we go into the fourth mile and I’m okay for three or four minutes, and then I really begin to give out. I’m tired, my heart’s pounding, I can’t go any more and so I say to him, “Bruce if I run any more,” –and we’re still running-”if I run any more I’m liable to have a heart attack and die.” He said, “Then die.” It made me so mad that I went the full five miles. Afterward I went to the shower and then I wanted to talk to him about it. I said, you know, “Why did you say that?” He said, “Because you might as well be dead. Seriously, if you always put limits on what you can do, physical or anything else, it’ll spread over into the rest of your life. It’ll spread into your work, into your morality, into your entire being. There are no limits. There are plateaus, but you must not stay there, you must go beyond them. If it kills you, it kills you. A man must constantly exceed his level.”

Last Night As it Stands Today

Okay, so last night (better associated with this morning, really early) was one for the memory books. My little angel woke up at 1 a.m. releasing the food from the night before all over her sheets and pajamas. We didn't realize this until we walked in to the room and the aroma hit us like a Mike Tyson when he hit Zach Galifianakis in "The Hangover". I cuddled my baby for about 20 minutes before I was able to get her in to the bathroom, the entire time I was 6" away from the mess at hand. Very, very tough to stomach and maintain super daddy status but I did. Within the next 30 minutes I had acquired some coke, sprite and crackers from a local grocery store and Eden was feeling like a champ. We washed and sanitized (Ashley washed and sanitized) the room and all the sheets and Eden got to sleep in her Hello Kitty sleeping bag, she was elated, not to mention she was able to consume the one product we withhold from her most diligently... coke. I found myself, hours later, tossing and turning, in a slight bit of pain and discomfort all the while a bit discombobulated. I realized that I may have been contracting whatever my daughter had. Ah well, I'm tough I thought... I thought. I moved the sofa around 3 a.m. Tried to sleep but that task proved too difficult. I remember the clock said 4:26 and the next thing I knew I was face down on the bathroom floor drenched in sweat and freezing cold, it was 5:30. I had never felt so miserable in my life, I contemplated going to the hospital, I thought I certainly needed an I.V. from all of the fluids I had lost (and yes I am sparing details). It was approximately 6:00 when I recovered from the floor, I think now that some of my time down was selfish as the floor felt absolutely amazing and I saw fit to enjoy my time uninterrupted by ailments for the time being. I returned to the sofa, as I did not want to bother my sleeping wife and honestly started to feel a little better, then I tried to turn on my side, that's when I made the phone call to work, it wasn't going to happen today. I am big on listening to my body, but I am also big on not getting backed up at the office. I have an amazing colleague that is taking care of my work today, I owe him big. I don't even know if he knows I have a blog, but I am still indebted to him until further notice. I am moving around now, I arose from the dead at 9:30, Eden slept till 11:30 (lucky) and now I'm spending some great time with the family, oh yeah, and television sucks during the day. So far I've watched "Ellen" a show I normally love, because I love Ellen, but today the "Jersey Shore" was on... nuff said. Then we watched Family Fued followed by the Price is Right. Ashley informed me that this is her daily routine. Be that as it may, I am enjoying my time home as it has been so little as of late. An episode of Tom & Jerry (yeah, I still watch that show) just started so I'm out... Deuces!

1/2 Dozen One Way, 6 Another

It's half a dozen one way, six another. Your wardrobe doesn't need to be flooded with clothing wherein only certain ties can go with certain shirts, or certain shirts can go with certain slacks. I think that association to the foundation of anyone's wardrobe is all too common, and grossly misguided. I have found my self at times trying to pair or bundle or match different items in stores and once that dynamic has been committed to a static selection, your mind predestines that clothing to always be as it is there. But a mere change in color can change the approach of an entire ensemble. In these pictures here you have a summer, spring-esque appeal for a bright and sunny day, while the other photo leaves the outfit a bit more conservative, more appealing to the gravitas of a serious or not quite as charismatic situation as its counterpart. I think at the end of the day, it's all about perception, or perceived value. I am not a conservative dresser, I find my style in the individualism and charisma of my fashion, yet it is my success of those parts that allow me to call it "style". 

Whole Foods Just Got Real!

Found this on yahoo news! Pretty funny. I don't know how Whole Foods feels about it, but I thought it was hilarious. 

Brennan Bergeron, Off to West Point

Okay, so Brennan is the guy in the hat. Now that that is clarified here is the story. It's really impressive for the 17 year old Tuerlings Graduate to be accepted to West Point yes, but the more impressive aspect of the story is his journey there. I'll say this, 15 years ago, Brennan and I would not have been scheduled to take this picture, according to doctors. See, Brennan was diagnosed with cancer at birth. I have been knowing his family since before he was born. I remember the phone call, we had just opened our 3rd restaurant (where this picture was taken) and his wonderful and loving parents had given birth to a miracle, Brennan. It was shortly thereafter they found out he had been born with a rare form of cancer. He immediately underwent treatment and according to the doctors he would not live past the age of 2, well 2 came and went and then Brennan was 6 (against the odds issued by his doctors) and life was pretty good for Brennan. We joke a lot about being pampered because he wasn't expected to have a normal life and now look at him. He has played All Star Baseball, played football, and workouts with some of the toughest people in the gym, of course it's all paid off now. I'll spare a long story and say at age 13 Brennan beat cancer. Ironically, this is where life got tough. For 13 years Brennan lead a life of a kid who was not going live very long. All of his friends and family patronized that theory which lead Brennan to want for nothing, now, at the ripe old age of 13, at the height of his adolescence, he goes from a pampered life of luxury to being treated like a "normal" kid. (I use the word normal because most kids expect to live to 13, Brennan wasn't expected to live past 2). He was being punished for disrespect and reprimanded for insubordination and he really didn't know how to accept it, I was witness to it all, it reminded me a lot of my trek at that age, although there were some differences... Remember when I said he had loving and wonderful parents? Yeah? Good, because I wasn't just saying that to be nice. These folks never stopped trying, they never stopped loving, and certainly never let the situation get the best of them. Now, to this day, Brennan eats lunch with his parents everyday. He is one of the most respectful and reverent kids of his generation. 6 months ago he and I were sharing a smoothie at Planet Nutrition in Broussard, that's when he told me he wanted to go to West Point. I could not express my deep level of appreciation and pride for him in that decision. It came as no surprise when I got a text message saying he had gotten in 2 weeks ago. Last night was his going away party at Ruby's. A 17 year old son is going away, there was a guest list of 125 people, 250 showed up to see this young man off. He leaves next Sunday for New York, once on campus his parents have exactly 90 seconds to say good bye. I chatted with his mom last night and she was in great spirits. Considering what she has been through I can't imagine that life can throw anything at her that she couldn't handle. I won't go in to the major situations that arose when Brennan was young, I want to stay positive, but I cannot say with certainty that I would've been able to rebound from life with such fervor and exuberance. I wish Brennan the best, he and I will be in touch, if not then I will definitely be in touch with his family as I see them once a week for lunch. If there is need I will get updates accordingly. 

Family Photo's... Well, Quasi Family Photos

My wife decided some time ago that we should take family photos, and like a good endearing husband, I fought the idea for months. But, like all things husbandly I lost that one. So, this past Thursday we hired a photographer (Ashley's cousin Kylie Boggs) for some family photo ops. Here is a sneak peek to what can be found here. All the photos were taken at my parents house, it was 3 in the afternoon so it was HOT! Poor Eden was so flushed here cheeks had the "rouge" all day. She is still my little princess face though.

Light & Bright

"The difference between fashion and style is quality" - Giorgio Armani. I've always said that having a lot of inexpensive clothes is not near as important as having a few quality pieces that cost a little bit more. Style will always be the staple of success, substantially more than mere fashion statements ever will. I don't have as extensive a wardrobe as my friends may think, it's just established with the finest clothes my small pocket book can afford. I focus strictly on style and make sure I can interchange many of my slacks and shirts, but it all starts with one piece. I have pictured this shirt 3 times on this blog, it's a pink and white striped Ghirardelli. When waking this morning I decided to take the opportunity to play with a few color schemes I had been surmising over the past few days. Considering the heat I wanted to stay cool, but I didn't want to sacrifice aesthetics, so the quest was on. The slacks were a no brainer, had to be a wool/linen blend, although a pure 120's or 150's wool would have been quite alright. These are a deep grey with a very light very faint brown pin stripe. The tie is a newly acquired Burberry with myriad of colors and patterns. Truthfully I've wanted to see the turquoise and red plaid against a pink-esque striped shirt for long time, I just never had the exact schemes in the same closet at the same time... until now. The shoes are Romano Martegani Pisa (if you don't own a pair of Romano Martegani's, I beseech you to acquire a pair, seriously, you will call me and thank me, in fact, if you call me I will go with...). The belt is Stefano Corsini, a direct color match to the shoes which is sometimes difficult to do, and the socks are a wool and linen blended Canali gray and brown. I wanted bright and light and I think it was accomplished. I stayed relatively cool all day and looked great. This photo was taken today while walking up to my parents house courtesy of my loving wife. But there is more to staying cool and dry than picking the right habiliments, it starts with proper hygiene, choosing the right deodorant and lathering with the right soap. Outside of that it takes the correct under shirt, I prefer the "A" frame knit (commonly known as the wife beater). 

Back In Black

"Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginable, and black is the epitome of consistency." Although I can't take credit for the quote as I am not Oscar Wilde, I can take credit for letting people know how to avoid the mundanity of wearing black as it is a color that is member to every man's wardrobe. One faux pas of fashion is avoiding black jeans, posh, if you like them buy them but wear them colorfully. I own two pair of black shoes, a beautiful pair of leather lace up Mezlan's, and these black Tony Lama 13" boots. When getting dressed to go to dinner this evening I wasn't sure what to wear, so it was off to the bat cave. I had not worn these casual Gardeur jeans (a fair trade cotton company), compliments of F Camalo, in quite some time so they were a definite. Now the challenge was set, I needed to keep it casual, but not cliché. I thought of a polo, but that was too safe, I thought of a solid V neck t-shirt but that was too consistent (although it's a great look for anyone) then came the shoe dilemma, as in... which pair to wear! I knew I wasn't going to wear the Mezlan's albeit a gorgeous shoe, dare I even say I thought of wearing flip flops, that's just a cop out for such an occasion. So that left the Tony Lama's... okay, let's see how that looks, loved it. So the shirt was left to choose and what you see is a very interesting piece, not in that it's a rare or some off brand piece (it's an Equilibrio), but in it's pattern. I chose a blue and white and black paisley button down. I wasn't sure how it was going to pan out, but at the end of the night I liked it. It really brought color to a colorless ensemble. I don't think it merits an additional pair of black jeans or even justifies wearing black on a daily basis, but if you find yourself having to wear black, remember, it doesn't have to look like you're wearing black.

PS - Eden wore the yellow for effect.

Armani, Burberry, Happiness

I photo'd these ties last night to write the portion I wrote below. Unfortunately, the pic upload didn't work and felt like was stretching throughout the entire post. I'm quite fond of my new purchases. I need solid color button down shirts. I recently purchased my very first all white button down. I realized that I didn't have one so... Ike Behar saw fit to help me rectify. I then noticed that I was lacking in the solid color shirt department. Woe is I, I must go shopping.

Diversify! Multiply! Necktie?

In many venerable professions, such as law and banking, the necktie remains an everyday ingredient of life, but even in those vocations, it is no longer taken for granted as an obligatory part of circadian dress code. Neckties, however remain one of the defining factors of the dress codes for many social occasions. Is it a black tie or white tie event? Must you wear a tie to a funeral? Thus, learning which tie to wear and how to tie it - in a variety of knots - remains one of the rituals of training for the gentlemanly life.

Ever wondered why the "dimple pinch" is such a coveted refinement to the aesthetics of the necktie? Not only does it offer a very beautiful and refined finish, it also keeps the tie itself from over wrinkling while being worn.

When selecting a necktie to wear, I think it all important to have a few directives in mind. Keep in mind these are very rudimentary scenarios but I believe they need to be addressed. First, don't wear a skinny tie, it's dumb... jj, actually I've become quite a fan of the skinny tie, but I digress.

I'll brief firstly on the proper length of a tied necktie. At the end of a brilliant pull, your tie should very delicately touch the top of your waist band, if you happen to have a button or two showing or pershaps the tip of the tie extends past the belt buckle or nearer the zipper of the trousers, retie... don't ever under any circumstance think it's ok to tuck your tie in to your waist band, you will be burned at the stake for this offense. When selecting a tie, please be cognizant of your color coordination, just because you think a tie should go with your suit or sports coat doesn't always mean it does. I am pictured here being very risque with my selection but screw you I look good. But Mark has a bit more of a sophisticated look carefully selecting a tie that complimented his suit in a most amazing fashion. As most anyone who knows me knows, I am major advocate of style, but as I have said many times before fashion has it's place. Don't be afraid to play with colors and designs, it's fun! Also, if you can't be creative, call me.

Ok, so I think I wrote all of this to get to these pictures...

 The bow-tie, my favorite neck line habiliment, probably because it's the most challenging to accrue, holds so much class and so much nostalgia and I am feared that it is losing its place in style and certainly becoming lost to my generation. Here to the come back of the bow-tie. There is not much to say about the bow-tie, just know that if your wear one, wear it strongly, and proudly; wear it passionately and charismatically. I don't think it possible to be unhappy in a bow-tie.

In Stride...

PS - I know these pics are kind of dated, but they are some of favorite. 

Tough Mudder

So I registered for my first Tough Mudder today... a premature decision I finally see, but nonetheless I have been asked to explain the tough mudder many times and it's proving difficult, in fact, when I finish my explanation the event sounds quite lame. Well, these guys break it down quite well. 

No Excuses, Even A Walrus Can Do It

This is pretty funny. I smiled at least.

Eden Getting Ready

My little princess has her very first dance recital today. Here is her costume make up done by her amazingly talented mommy.

The Unofficial Prose of Soludos

Dear fans and fanettes of the Soludos' world (and this also applies to unconverted fans), I have worn and I have swooned and above all I have praised. As you know I purchased my Soludos from Vanessa V Boutique in Lafayette and I am in the market for more... from Vanessa of course (I shall be on her like white on rice on a paper plate in a snow storm 'til she gets them). The shoes have a wonderfully soft denim dark stripped upper with a dynamic change in stitching pattern at the throat line with hemp welt and out soul outfitted with a rubber bottom. I particularly like the gum rubber bottom as hemp has a tendency to soften when under high temps (i.e. against hot pavements). It will absorb rocks if not protected and Soludos has taken the initiative to protect the shoe for durability. I have a pair of leather Pierre Cardin's of a similar nature that are suffering miserably from this oversight in their design.

The first recommendation Vanessa or Viki will give you in purchasing these shoes is to get them 1 size smaller as I can confirm they will stretch. Vanessa made me privy to this the day before so all was well, also, they are sized via a European size chart which you can view here . So do the ladies a favor, know your size before you go. I am a true 9.5 (Soludos doesn't offer half sizes) so I purchased a 42 as a 43 is the most common size 10 although it has been known to be a 9.5 in some other parts of Europe.  Happy shopping and good luck. I hope to see the lot of you in Soludos before long.

Soludos, Soludos To You Too

It came in its own sack cloth...

     I have been eying a pair of Tom's for a while now but have never really decided to pull the trigger on an over priced pair of cotton blended shoes that will deteriorate over a short period of time. Then I was introduced to Soludos. This past weekend I was invited to a 4 year old birthday party... well Eden was invited, Ashley and I facilitated the transportation. It was for our good friend Vanessa Vicari, owner of Vanessa V (follow them here on Facebook or here on Twitter, ok I'm projecting sorry) but she's a close friend and I am very proud and impressed by her dedication to her establishment. She only carries the most amazing women's fashion, but more recently she acquired this men's line of shoes, Soludos as they are called, and for only $28.00 they are perfectly delightful. I love everything about them. Vanessa has created an amazing atmosphere in the Lafayette Women's Fashion Arena, and for that she is well noted and praised. Upon her acquisition of more colors, so I will be in possession of more colors... If you get the chance stop in and try them on, they stretch over time so get one size smaller fortunately they only come in whole sizes it makes selection easy. I would recommend bringing the significant other, but I may make enemies of my friends in a very short time frame. I'm always up for a shopping trip...

The Horse's Stole the Show

Took Eden to a birthday party yesterday and they had a horse back riding guide. I didn't think she would be so open to the idea... boy was I wrong.

Being British

Classic!

Eden's Last Day of School

It was Cowgirl and Cowboy day.

Conversation

Me: Eden, it's time to get out of the tub baby?
Eden: Seriously Daddy? I'll be damn!
Me: Excuse me! What did you say?
Eden: Ummm... you said we need to get out of the tub.. so, uh, so I said, "I'll be damn..."
Me: Baby we can't speak that way it's not polite to use that word, where did you hear that?
Eden: Granna says that when she watches TV all the time! Okay Daddy!
Me: Well not really ok but I understand.

Something New

This past soccer season I decided to try a new GK glove, I wanted to go with a brand I was unfamiliar with. My quandary led to many different options. Upon careful consideration I landed on these brilliantly price pointed Sells. With no qualified position on the ability of these gloves I was happy to try them. Turns out I loved them, still do. They're incredibly comfortable and the latex is astounding. Well, I have developed a tear in the finger area so they must be replaced. I've found the perfect replacement already.

Aftermath

I spent the day today doing something that I am not use to doing, nor do I enjoy doing... I worked in my yard. Not the, "Oh, I planted some flowers today" or "I manicured my garden". No, I cut down more than a dozen trees and weed-eated (I just realized I have never had to spell that word, it's a miserable word, I officially don't like it. It's officially as worthless as the task it represents). Allow me to elaborate, I am not the alpha male who's testosterone is inundated with the elements of the outdoors. I don't hunt, I don't fish, I don't skeet shoot with my buddies whilst drinking a 12 pack of Fatty Natty's. I read poetry and enjoy shoe shopping... Despite all of that I was/am very proud of myself and my days accomplishments. I have more to do tomorrow, and I think I am looking forward to it. While searching for an old Chinese Kung Fu (poorly dubbed) movie to watch, I have quite the collection, I stumbled on a Henry Wadsworth Longfellow book of poetry. The first poem was Aftermath. Enjoy.

When the summer fields are mown, 

When the birds are fledged and flown, 

And the dry leaves strew the path; 

With the falling of the snow, 

With the cawing of the crow, 

Once again the fields we mow 

And gather in the aftermath. 

Not the sweet, new grass with flowers  

Is this harvesting of ours; 

Not the upland clover bloom; 

But the rowen mixed with weeds, 

Tangled tufts from marsh and meads, 

Where the poppy drops its seeds 

In the silence and the gloom. 

Tough Mudder

Recently I have been discussing with my good friend and running partner Jeremy Z. about doing this insane race called the Tough Mudder. It's a 10-12 mile hardcore race that defies the perimeters of a normal mud run or Warrior Dash. In fact, the website issues this disclaimer: WARNING: Tough Mudder is 3-4 times longer and MUCH TOUGHER than a typical mud run such as Warrior Dash. On average, only 78% of participants finish a Tough Mudder event. Only those in strong physical condition should enter. I have been looking for something other than another half marathon or 10k. I am not interested in running a full mararthon so I had considered a few trail runs around the area, and surrounding states, and then I heard about this race. There is one being held in Texas in October, that is the projected date and location of our first Tough Mudder. All are welcome, it will certainly be a race to remember.

How Fast Do We Grow

     Took last weekend to spend all the time I had with the family, and with the question, "so, what do you want to do today?" There was a glorious and joyous, "Let's go swimming" that came from a little person in the backseat. So I did the Daddy thing, I caved. 

And Then They Grow To This...

Ashley and Eden surprised me at work this evening, I was just beginning to wind down and this little diddy took place. Apparently she has an unwavering opinion of my sweating and then entering my office. 

The British Are Coming

Okay, so it's not actually the British, but it is a little baby that will one day, hopefully, speak English, an intelligible form of English, not the English that is most common in the southern parts of Louisiana. My wife is a staggering 7.5 months pregnant, the time is approaching and all too quickly. When she was pregnant for Eden we were in a much different state in our lives. Now, with Ashley being in school and me working ridiculous hours at my job, I think we were a bit more detached from each other than we are willing to admit. Unfortunately I have to take sole blame for that attribute as I have had the displeasure of convincing myself that I needed to work this hard to provide for my family, not realizing that when I worked less at my previous employment we made it just fine, perhaps better than now. Luckily I have 2 weeks vacation that I have not used, I fully intend to use them all when the baby arrives. I remember the first day I went back to work after Eden was born, I took 5 days off from work and not one time did I realize how hard it would be to return. The first day I went back I probably stalker texted my wife all day querying the most ridiculous things, as though I expected our 1 week old to start walking or speaking full sentences. Looking back I knew it were preposterous notions, but the thought of my daughter growing up and only knowing me as a daddy that worked all the time was very scary then, and now that she is smart enough to read situations, it's most frightening. Being a parent for the first is intimidating, you think you'll get use to it but with every age comes new fears, excitements and challenges. It is quite possibly the most rewarding and the most difficult thing I have ever done, and most likely ever will do. Although kids have a way of making it all worthy of existence itself. We trudge through our daily routines day in and day out caring very little for the things that go unseen in our lives only focusing on what we think we need to accomplish to somehow or another qualify the essence of our definitions of success. Only to have our quest for success passed by a journey we hadn't noticed we were on. "Success is a journey, not a destination," yet we treat our lives as though we are one day arriving at the finale marquis de puissance. Dare I compare my life to Hermes, or my quest to Job's or relate to the "Council of Mad Youth" as Antoine De La Sale wrote in his book Petit Jehan de Saintre on reason to  climb to the crater of a volcano in the Lipari Islands. It is Life's longing for itself that leads to our desire to conquer the "Council of Mad Youth" we dwell in years beyond our invitation. Is it this that insists on who we are? Or does the same subsist on who we are not?

Dammit, I've rambled again... Ah well! My thoughts, horribly translated.

Insanity Day 1 Photos

  As I am uploading a select few photos, note that the photos displayed were taken Sunday 5-1-2011. I have successfully started week 2 of Insanity and upon completion will attempt The Asylum with Shaun T. Insanity fitness has been pushing my body to the limits, I hope to see some of the great gains in my results as some of the test groups have. I suppose this will put to rest the questions surrounding these home work outs. Here goes the beginning to a first hand experience!

I will do my best to take the future photos in the same position although the same clothes is not guaranteed. The goal is to take photos every 14 days, which are the days we are scheduled to redo our fit tests to track our aerobic progression. 

Hiatus Relatus

Hello all, my apologies for my absence things have been a bit disarray for us here at the Sharlow establishment. Most notably we have not had internet for a while, in fact, even now I am posting from work.With the end of my soccer season and my unofficial retirement from LHS athletics I have found a great deal of time about me in the afternoon. Thusly, I have begun Insanity by Shaun T Fitness from Beach Body.com. I intend to keep myself honest in my endeavors and hope to forgo injury for the remainder of the workouts as there are 60 and I am 5 days in. I started Sunday night this past week and have been diligent thus far, but again, I only started this week so it's easy to be committed. I will be posting progression photos this weekend. I have my day one photos taken and need to sort through them and see which are most appropriate for the viewing private. My goal is to update photos every two weeks and hopefully we will see some progress. The hardest part for me is the eating, I don't have to eat anything in particular, I just have to consume 3000 calories of relatively healthy foods all day long. That gets tedious and cumbersome after about day 2.

Some time ago I posted a short expose entitled "We the Runners of Tomorrow". My running has note been very sharp lately as my job is most demanding of my morning and I am quite exhausted come the evenings so I have, in consequence, allowed my life to become more and more taxed by situations and circumstances that very well should not tax me a bit. Although I have kept my whits about me and that helps a great deal with coping.

Baby number 2 will be here before we know it, and that is putting a bit of pressure on the family, Ashley will be graduating soon and hopefully my poor wife will be able to rest... (if you know my wife you know that will not happen) but I seem like a good husband if I wish it for her. We are well excited to have another little monster in the house. Eden is getting so big she is most excited about the matter as well. So things are great for us, I will post my photos soon. If at the end of my 60 workout be sure and ask yourself what were you doing for 5 hrs per week over the last 60 days, then ask yourself if you can accomplish this? I'm not even sure if I can.