Doubts

I'm currently re-evaluating my desire to join the Marines. I'm not quitting, and I'm not saying I definitely don't want to, but I am taking a step back and deciding if it's what I really want. I hate running so hard I feel like I can't breathe, and that's what I would have to do to pass the PFT. I hate weight training, and absolutely dreaded every morning I had to go to PT. I mean, I didn't want to go so bad that I had trouble sleeping at night. The PFC I PTed with is gone (I think), so I don't have to go anymore. I weighed myself on their scale the last time I was there, and apparently my scale is 8 pounds off, so I have 17 pounds to lose instead of 9, which sucks.

I'm also really tired of not being able to have stuff. I don't have a couch or table or any other typical household items because I would have to cart it all back to NY or sell it when I shipped out. And that really sucks, too. I have a two-bedroom apartment with fairly large bedrooms and a decent-sized living room, but they're pratically empty. I can't have people over because I have no place for them to sit.

I also haven't talked to my recruiter for a week or two. He called the Friday after the ASVAB was cancelled to say he would be out the following week, but I haven't heard from him since. I'm not sure I want to. He's a nice guy and I don't fault him at all, but I just don't feel the pull anymore. When I was sitting at the recruiters' office waiting for things, I always felt like I was sitting at the doctor's office. I didn't think, "Yeah, this is where I'm supposed to be!"

I've been pushing so hard toward this goal, I think I burned myself out. So I'm going to take a step back, re-evaluate my options, and decide what I really want to do with my life. I have a good job right now and make decent money (about 9k more than I'd make as an E-2). I technically have another year, so I don't need to stress about it yet. I still have plenty of time to make a decision.

Yoink!

Haven't posted in awhile. Sorry about that. My ASVAB was rescheduled again. The Staff Sergeant's wife had her baby that day. I've been feeling very blah since last Tuesday. Wednesday I went to PT, but had to come home because I felt like I was going to be sick. I didn't feel much better Thursday. Friday, I went to PT, but the PFC didn't show up. Saturday and Sunday, I was on call for work. I did run Sunday.

I went to PT Monday and it wasn't too bad, but I still didn't feel the same motivation I felt the first week. I also almost passed out. We'd done arm stuff, since I can't do a flexed-arm hang, but I'm not sure if that had anything to do with it. I was getting ready to leave and we were discussing rank structure when everything went blurry and I felt extremely dizzy. I've felt like that once before when I was maybe 10: I had yawned in my friend Katie's living room, then the world went dark and blurry and I found myself sitting on the floor. This time, things didn't go dark, but I did have to sit down for a minute. I went to the restroom and almost puked (didn't though), then got a drink and I was ok. But it was weird and scary.

Wednesday, we did arm stuff, but didn't really push it. It might have been his last day, but I'm not sure. I'm not going tomorrow. He doesn't really want to be there, and honestly, neither do I. The first week, I felt like I got a lot out of it, but after that, I didn't. I learned some good ways to build arm strength, but I think most of it I can do on my own at home. I bought some 10-pound dumbells, so I'm good there. I'm burning so much gas going over there all the time, it's just not worth it. I also found out that my scale at home is really off. I got on the scale there and it said I was 166, when I thought I was 158. That was quite a downer. Instead of having 9 pounds to lose, I have 17. So I feel I'm wasting their time. I can't do a flexed-arm hang at all, can't do the minimum crunches, can't pass the run for the IST (I can pass the PFT run), and I'm 17 pounds overweight. I think I need to do it on my own and get my motivation back before I can expect them to put more into the relationship. Or maybe I'm just making an excuse to give up on PT for now. I don't know. I just feel defeated at this point.

ASVAB Rescheduled

Well, I didn't get to go to the ASVAB today. Got off work about 3 hours early, got to the recruiter's office, did the paperwork, but didn't get to go. There was too much else going on and we wouldn't have made it in time. So it's rescheduled for next week, assuming my boss will let me leave early again. I won't have to leave as early, and if I come in early, it'll only be a half hour difference. Hopefully they won't have too big a problem with it. They shouldn't. At least I show up, and on time, unlike one of the guys. I never ask for time off unless I'm going home (which I do once every six months), so they have no reason to be upset about me leaving early a couple times.

ASVAB

I'm scheduled to take the ASVAB next Tuesday. I'm surprised the Staff Sergeant wanted me to take it so soon, but he must see my dedication and motivation to be a Marine. I've been at PT every day and haven't done too bad. Each day this week, a new Poolee has shown up, but none of them have ever come back. And I've been able to outrun all of them. Not in a sprint, obviously, but I finish ahead of them and I don't give up as easily. I think the one on Monday was injured, so that probably doesn't count, but I definitely out-performed the other two. It baffles me that people who are signed up to be Marines already don't show the initiative to get themselves in shape. There's this golden opportunity to train with someone who has been through boot camp and MCT recently, and they're not taking it! I just don't get it.

PT

Today was my second day of morning PT with a buddy. Someone else actually joined us, too. He's a current Poolee, who had trouble with the run they did on Friday afternoon. There were some others who were supposed to show up, but never did. I will be honest, I didn't give it my all this morning. The Poolee was having some trouble with cramps, so it gave me an excuse to slack off, and I took it. I know I shouldn't have, but I did. I was really dreading PT this morning. I know I did well on Friday, but I hate feeling like I can't catch my breath. I did better on breathing today, but that was mostly because I wasn't running as hard. I still managed to get some nasty shin splints, though. I'm going to watch Stop-loss and ice them for awhile. Tomorrow I hope we work on the other aspects of the PFT and just do a short run. I don't know if it would be good for my shins to run all out again.

PT Buddy

Staff Sergeant Adamczyk found me a PT buddy! I met with him for the first time this morning. I will admit I was extremely nervous. After the Staff Sergeant told me it was someone who was leaving in a couple weeks, I assumed he would be heading off to boot camp and that he has been working hard to get in shape this entire time. I was afraid I would slow them down and they would get annoyed with me. Well, we all know what assuming does. A PFC who is in town (I saw him at Crispers last week) volunteered to help me out.

It was hard, but it was good. He was encouraging in that stern but kind way. We ran two miles and I thought I was going to keel over. We sprinted at the very end, and boy, did I want to puke (but I didn't). When it was all said and done, we had run two miles in 18 minutes. That's 6 minutes shorter than my normal 2-mile time. We also did push-ups, side-straddle hops, and mountain climbers. I suck at push-ups. I had to drop to my knees several times. He said we're going to work on those next time we meet. I think this will be very good. I realize I've definitely not been pushing myself as hard as I can, or as hard as I need to. There's also a good chance I will end up puking before he leaves in two weeks, but if that's what happens, so be it. I'm excited. Still nervous, but excited to see where I am by the time he has to go.

Frustration

Wednesday is my morning to weigh in and I haven't lost a thing. I've been at 160 for the last four weeks. I was expecting to see something positive this morning, but the scale still says the same thing as last week. I've been eating 1000 calories most days since Thursday, though I did eat 1119 yesterday. I was bad and had that 1/3 donut at work. I've also run every morning except Saturday and Tuesday. I burned about 400 calories on the days I ran. That should equate to at least half a pound or something! I'll stick with it and hopefully talk to the recruiter soon. If not, I'm going to see if my doctor has any ideas. It's just 10 pounds. 10 pounds keeping me from reaching my dream. 10 pounds that just won't go away!! I'm so frustrated!

On a positive note, I managed to do two miles in 22.5 minutes this morning. Tomorrow I'm going to keep that pace and go a bit further.

Car Trouble

My car started just fine yesterday morning when I went to the park to run, but when I got in it for work, it wouldn't turn over. My boss is pretty handy when it comes to vehicles, so he came and took a look. After replacing the battery, it still wouldn't start. So I had to take it to a shop today and dropped $300 on a new starter. Luckily, my boss needs a battery, so he's taking the new one rather than making me keep it.

I've been doing pretty good on staying in my calorie range. Surprisingly, I'm not hungry all the time like I thought I'd be. Now that I don't have so much wiggle room, I'm making everything count, most of the time. I did have 1/3 of a donut today after taking my car in. I shouldn't have, but I did. I'll still manage to stay under the 1000 calories, but I might be a bit hungrier in the morning.

I didn't get my run in this morning either. Not much I could do about that, though. I couldn't drive to the park, and there's no way I'm running around here. It's a bit scary to do stuff like that. I'm going to push myself extra hard tomorrow morning. My goal is to do 2 miles in 24 minutes (I've been doing 2 in 25). I want to do 3 in 36 by the end of the month. There's no reason I shouldn't be able to. I did it once before.

I got ASVAB for Dummies today. I want to do well on the entire thing, so I have a better chance of getting what I want. At this point, I haven't decided what I want, so if I study for everything, I should be good to go!

Running

I've been pushing myself harder during my runs since I spoke with the recruiter. Ok, so I've only had two runs since then, but still, that's not bad. I've started wearing my HRM and tracking my intensity based on that. I try to keep my heart rate up between 165 and 170. If I get to the point where I'm struggling to breathe, I walk for a minute or two until my heart rate drops back to 155, then pick up running again. It seems to be working pretty well. I did 2.5 miles in less than 30 minutes today (my typical 3 miles is 38 minutes), even with the walking. I think if I keep this up, I'll be able to pass the PFT with no problem. I just need to stick with it and push myself a bit harder than I want to.

This is the first time since I've started my journey that I've had someone expecting me to do well (well, someone who can physically see me and judge my progress on their own). If I don't push myself and show that I have what it takes, they won't put their own reputations on the line to help me become a Marine. It's scary, but it's also nice. Becoming a Marine isn't just an idea anymore, it's becoming reality. I finally have a tangible goal and can see how my efforts so far have helped achieve that goal.

Recruiter Update

Despite shaking like crazy and wanting to puke, I went in and talked to a recruiter tonight. I think it went pretty well. He gave me a lot of information on how to lose the last 10ish pounds I need to lose. I've been going about it all wrong. I've been eating about 1600 calories a day, when I need to eat about 1000. I eat way too many carbs (only need 3 servings a day. Did you know that baby carrots are full of carbs?), and too many fruits (need 1-2, so much for my apple obsession). I need to be running to the point of wanting to die for 30-45 minutes a day. Staff Sergeant Adamczyk offered to help me some mornings, too, which is great. He said I should call him on Friday mornings, but I'm not sure if he meant I should start tomorrow... I probably should. Show some initiative and whatnot.

There is also the chance that my hypothyroidism will keep me out of the military completely. That's a bit worrisome, as I don't have a backup plan. But I'm not making a backup plan yet, because I know I can manage without the meds. I need(ed) them to keep my weight down, but now that I know how to eat better and control my weight, they may become obsolete. I'll lose the weight and see what the recruiter finds out about the condition. No sense in stressing now.

On the positive side, I took the practice ASVAB and got an 89 (for those who don't know, max is 99). The person before me had gotten a 17, so that was a pleasant surprise. And I rushed and guessed on a couple of the math questions because I thought I was running out of time (I ended that section with 3 minutes left), so if I had taken my time, I may have done better. But 89 is nothing to spit at.

One other thing to note: I met the recruiter who I had initially spoken with on the phone way back when. She's actually very nice and I owe her an apology for the bad attitude I had toward her. I'm sure she sees overweight people come in all the time who never follow through. I'm not going to be one of those people.

I'm still a bit nervous about the whole situation, but I think it's going to turn out well. Staff Sergeant Adamczyk's wife was there, as well, and she was very nice. She offered to lend me her Weight Watchers books and gave me lots of helpful advice. And once she has her baby, she and Sergeant Kindig will be doing a "girls only" PT session. Hopefully I'll be able to join that one. Yes, I definitely think this is going to turn out well. I can't wait to be a Marine.

Recruiter

I called the RSS yesterday to see if they would be open on Friday. They won't be, but he told me to come in tonight after work. So I'm going in. There are a couple things I'm hoping to accomplish there. First, I hope they have some tips on how to get out of this slump. I'm exercising almost as much as before now, but I'm still not losing any weight. Second, I would like to get a jump start on paperwork and gathering all the information I need so I'm ready when the time comes. I'm not sure if that's allowed, but at the very least, they can tell me what I need to start collecting/requesting. And third, I'm going to have them weigh me, so I know how accurate my scale is. I'm quite nervous to go in, but I need to do it. Maybe it will be just the motivation I need to kick it to another gear.

The Pepperdogs

I finished The Pepperdogs last night... at about 1am. I was so drawn in, I couldn't put it down. I would've spent the night wondering what happened. I both loved it and hated it. But I think that's the mark of a good author. If he can hook so thoroughly that you want to hate him for it, he did his job. I know that sounds weird, but I'm not sure how else to describe it. It's one of my favorite books, and yet, I wanted to throw it across the room.

Today I started No True Glory: A Frontline Account of the Battle of Fallujah. I've only read the prologue so far. It really amazes me how messed up people are. How can anyone think it's ok to mutilate another human being like that? They're already dead. Dragging the bodies through the streets, ripping them apart, hanging them... it just shows how inhumane humans can be. Even animals aren't that savage. I'm so disgusted and baffled, I feel at a loss for words.

We have Friday, July 3, off. I'm going to see if the recruiter's office is open, and if it is, I'm going in. I have no excuse not to. Thinking about it gives me butterflies, but I need to do it. The longer I put it off, the harder it will be, and the perfect moment has been dropped in my lap. I'd be a fool not to take it.

Being Honest

I've been stuck in this slump for a month, and I think I've figured out why. I hate to admit it, but I think it's because I'm scared. I'm scared to talk to a recruiter. I'm afraid they'll tell me I don't have what it takes. I'm still overweight; I can run three miles, but not very fast; I can't do many real push-ups. Even after all the work I've done since September, I still don't think I have what it takes to be a Marine. Don't get me wrong, I want to be a Marine. I just don't think I'm good enough to be one. I see Marines on TV and in movies, and I talk to them on forums, and I'm afraid I'm not good enough to be one of them. What if I get in, get to Boot Camp, then fail miserably? I know I can pass all the knowledge tests, but can I do the physical stuff? I like to think so, but I don't know so. I'm a weakling. I always have been. I tend to fail at most things I try. And I really don't want to fail at this. This is the one thing I want to succeed at, but I'm scared to do so. I think I fail because I convince myself I'm going to. I think I've had it in the back of my head this entire time that I'm not good enough to do it and that I'm not going to succeed. I'm defeating myself. But I can do this. I will do this. I have no other option. I won't be happy doing anything else. I'm meant to be a Marine; I need to be a Marine.

Calorie Cycling

I'm going to try calorie cycling for two weeks. I've been eating at the same calorie level for awhile now and I think it's hurting. Combine that with 4 runs a week, 3 days of 30-day Shred, and 5 days of Cardio Max, and hopefully those last 10 pounds will disappear.

I've decided that after I lose another 5 pounds, I'll go to the recruiters' office. It's easy for them to say "Come in when you're at max weight" over the phone, but maybe once they see how far I've come, they'll be excited to push me those last 5 pounds. I feel like I need to get myself back in the game before I can expect someone else to help me (not a very good Marine mindset, I know). I'm going to leave work early one of these days so I can check out PT. Once I'm actually in DEP, I'll see if I can work it so I can leave early every Thursday.

Reading: The Pepperdogs, by Bing West. It's written about a group of recon reservists who disobey orders to rescue a fellow Marine, kidnapped by Serbs. Bing West is a fantastic author. He also wrote The Village, which is one of my favorites. The Pepperdogs is shaping up to be a close second.

Back on Track!

Well, I'm back on track for the most part. I've been keeping my calories pretty steady around 1500 and I'm doing better with the exercise. This morning I ran about .75 of a mile and walked the rest (2 total). It was too hot to do more, so I came home and did an exercise video instead. After work, I went to Beall's and got a couple new pairs of shorts. These are a bit longer and feel better than the ones I have now. Shorts are my bane when running. I spend more time pulling them back into place than actually running. These new shorts should be more comfortable and less hassle.

Reading: I'd gotten off track on my Marine Corps reading (like everything else), so tonight I went to the library and got some books. In my stash now are a couple of the Ender books from Orson Scott Card, No True Glory and The Pepperdogs by Bing West, and This Kind of War, from the USMC reading list. I also requested Semper Fi, which is a fictional book by W.E.B Griffin. I'm hoping the moto in these books will be a further push in the right direction.

Leslie Sansone's Walk and Jog

I got Leslie Sansone's Walk and Jog in the mail today. I didn't know what to expect, but it's a nice little 30-minute routine. It'll let me get in a bit of jogging on days I don't run. I'm definitely throwing it into my rotation.

Disappointed

I'm seriously disappointed in myself. I'm failing miserably. I did run three times last week, but that's not good enough. I don't know why I'm dropping the ball. Maybe I don't really have what it takes to be a Marine. Why am I losing it so badly? I'm not overeating, but I'm not exercising, and that's killing me. I've been hovering around 160 for a month. It's ridiculous and pathetic. I need to get back on track, and I know how, but I don't know how to get the motivation.

So I came up with something more than the reward system I was using before. If I do my push-ups and crunches, I get $.10 each. If I do cardio, I get $.25 (cardio twice a day gets me $.50). If I run, I get $.50 (it counts as cardio too, so I get $.60). If there's something I want, I can't get it unless I have the money. Hopefully the monetary motivation will help. It may also keep me from blowing money I should be saving. I will still reward myself separately for reaching 149, since that is my ultimate goal and it deserves a true reward (I'm thinking a guitar would be nice).

Quick Update

I'm slowly getting back into the swing of things. I don't know what happened, I just lost all my motivation somehow. But I did a quick run this morning and I plan on doing kickboxing tomorrow morning. I came up with a trick that I hope will work. At work, we tend to get Starbucks a lot, and that can get expensive. So I came up with a plan. If I run, I can put $1 in my Starbucks cup (which is actually a cup from Zaxby's...). If I do my push-ups, I can put in a quarter. When they get Starbucks, I can only get something if I have the money for it in my cup. Four runs a week is $4, which is enough for a small latte. I also put my Marine Corps token on my snooze button, to remind myself why I need to get up in the mornings.

Crashed and Burned

I'm not doing well since I got back home. I've been lazy and unmotivated. I haven't exercised at all and have made poor food choices. My goal for this weekend is to stay under 1550 calories each day and get in at least 120 minutes of exercise each day. I will run at least a mile and a half on Sunday and I'll do my kickboxing video both days. Time to get back on track.

Back in Florida

I had a good time at home. We went hiking every day, and despite overeating, I lost a pound while I was gone. I got to see all my family on Saturday, which was nice. Most of them commented on how much weight I've lost. They're also very supportive of my decision to join the Marines. My aunt Martha even gave me a Marine Corps coin (pictured below), and she's not the type to do much for anyone who isn't her grandchild. It was very nice of her.

Heading Home

I'm heading home for the weekend. I'm really excited because I haven't seen my family since early December. While most people worry about not getting enough exercise when they're on vacation, I'm happy because I'll have more opportunities than I do here. My mom loves to walk, which is great, and we can go hiking in the woods for hours. Plus I get to go fishing, which I haven't done in years.

Thank You

Thank you to all those who have sacrificed for the freedom of this country. We will never forget.

A Loss!

Increasing the calories has definitely helped. I weighed in at 163 this morning, three pounds lighter than last Saturday, two pounds lighter than Wednesday.

Plateau

I've hit a plateau both physically and mentally. But I have a plan.

Physically: I recently decreased my calorie intake to under 1400. With as much as I'm working out, that is definitely not enough. I'm increasing my calorie intake to 1500-1600 daily, with one day a week where I'm allowed to eat up to 1800. This plan worked before, so I'm going to try it again. If it isn't working after a couple weeks, I'll revise my plan.

Mentally: For the mental roadblock, I'm going to switch up my exercise routine. I dread doing the videos I have and I have a hard time burning calories without them. So I'm looking into new videos. I have Amy Bento's Kickboxing Xtreme right now. I skimmed it this morning and it looks fun, though tough. I'm debating kickboxing class, too. I think if I put the money down for the class, I'll feel really guilty if I don't go. Plus, kickboxing just seems fun.

Reading: Almost done with The Things They Carried. Loving it so far.

Perfect Running Weather

My favorite weather to run in is cold and wet. There's something so peaceful about running in the rain. It's quiet, cool, and most people stay inside. I always feel like I can hold out longer when it's raining. Maybe it's because I don't get as hot; maybe it's all mental. All I know is I felt like I could've done 3.5 today. I was on call and the stupid phone went off, so I had to stop and answer. I'm not sure why I didn't start running again once I got off the call. Next time, I'm going to shoot for 3.5 and see how I do.

Reading: I'm currently reading The Things They Carried. I'd read the first chapter in one of my English classes and really enjoyed it. The rest of the book is holding true to the first chapter. It's a very captivating book. It's one of those stories that draws you in and makes you feel like you're there beside them, experiencing the death, the life, the sadness, and the laughter.

One thing I've learned for in my weight-loss journey

I've never been much of a cook, but since I started my weight-loss journey, I've realized how important it is to make meals from scratch. Not only is it better for you, but most of it is more filling than it's pre-made counterpart. Some recipes I use as-is, but many I've learned to make much healthier.

For example, I made gumbo last weekend. The recipe I had would've been a good 600+ calories per serving. By the time I got done with it, it was less than 400 and super yummy. I also learned to make jambalaya and today I'm trying my hand at homemade chicken stock. Next week, I'm going to take a stab at chicken lasagna.

Quick Update

Just posting a quick update. Nothing exciting has been happening lately, so nothing new to report. I did lose a couple pounds, so I'm down to 165. I also did a total of 105 modified push-ups today, which was cool.

I'm still struggling with motivation to exercise, but I'm realizing that, for me, exercise is always going to be a struggle. I just don't enjoy it. I'm going to try something new, because I'm really disliking the videos I have. I'm thinking belly dancing would be fun, so I'm going to get a video for that. Right now, I'm going to hop on my mini-stepper and try to go until my legs are too gooey to continue.

The Marines

I watched The Marines today. I really like how they show show many aspects of the Marine Corps. The debate on whether women will be officially allowed in combat one day was interesting.

There was a quote from a retired Marine that really struck home. He said something to the effect of "Quiting is endemic. You quit once, you'll quit again. We don't tolerate that in the Marines." I was a quiter. All my life, I've always taken the path of least resistance. Even now, I want to lose the last 17 pounds, but I'm being lazy about it. Sure, I work out almost every day and I lose a pound or two a week, but that's not enough. I still allow myself to overeat at least twice a week, I skip workouts usually once a week, I eat things that I know are hindering my progress. Even today, I made brownies (which I'm taking to work on Monday).

My initial goal was to DEP by the end of April. If I stick to the path I'm on now, it won't be until the end of July. I'm not going to be a quiter anymore. I will lose those 17 pounds by the end of June, if not sooner. There is no other option for me. I can't see a future for myself other than the Marine Corps. I'm going to prove to myself and to the world that I have what it takes, before boot camp.

PFT!

I went for my run this morning and didn't intend to time myself. I just wanted to get the three miles done. I happened to glance at my watch when I started running, then I looked at it again when I reached the 3-mile mark. I did it in 36 minutes! I kept doing the math all the way back to the car to make sure it was right. It sure didn't feel like 36 minutes, but heck, I'll take it!

Photo Update

Here are some updated pictures. The first is of me in my size 18 pants and a shirt that used to be quite tight, and the second is me in that size 20 dress I wore in my cousin's wedding in June. Current weight: 167

Knowledge

There are several things I want to know before I head off to boot camp. Here's the list. I'm going to keep track of it as I learn.

*Rifleman's Creed (Done)
*11 General Orders (Done)
*Code of Conduct
*Marine Corps Hymn
*Rank Structure and Pay Grade (mostly memorized, just have a bit of trouble with the SNCOs)


Current Weight: 168

Hair Dilemma

I'm debating whether to cut my hair. I like it long enough to pull back, but I also like it short enough where I don't have to. Almost everything I've read suggests shorter hair is easier to deal with in boot camp, and I've never been one to put in a lot of effort into my hair. With summer coming, short hair won't be bad at all. Currently, my hair is around shoulder-length. If I cut it now, there's no way it will be long enough to pull back by October, so it will have to stay short. This is the style I'm thinking about (I know, I know. I'm a dork, but it's really cute).

Slacking a bit

I slacked off a bit earlier this week, but I'm back on track. It's tough being on top of my game all the time when I don't have anyone but myself holding me accountable. I'm going to do it, though. I will get there, no doubt about it.

My aunt Mary called last night. Grama told her that I was intent on joining the Marines. She was very supportive. I've been afraid to tell most of my family because I didn't think they would be (my cousin Amanda wasn't. She was a bit nasty about it), but everyone else so far has been excited for me. Not really what I expected, but I'm happy about their reactions.

Making Marines

I'm glad I finally watched it. That was really motivating. I want to become a Marine so bad I can feel it. I know it will be hard; I know there are times I will want to quit, but I won't. I need this, more than I've ever needed anything. It's where I belong. Seeing those who struggled throughout boot camp finally get their Eagle, Globe, and Anchor... I was so touched. I can't even imagine what I'm going to feel when I'm in their position, and I will be in their position. I will not give up. I've come too far already. I'm going to be a Marine.

Below 170!!

I weighed in this morning and I'm below 170 (I hit 169) for the first time in five years. Only 20 pounds to go! I'm pretty excited. Here's hoping I can keep it up.

I bought a mini-stepper this morning. It was really rough on my calves and shins just bouncing around randomly during a movie. I'm hoping the mini-stepper will relieve some of that and help me keep up the exercising. Right now, I'm going to use it while watching Making Marines.

Quick Update

I've started doing the Shred and BL videos again. I stopped using them because they get boring, but I burn calories so much faster with them. So I'm going to try to stick with it this time. I got all my runs in this week (well, Saturday is my last run for the week, but I don't usually skip that one). It helps having a personal wake-up call Tuesdays and Thursdays. Gotta love moms. I'm down to 171, too. Only about 22 pounds to go. I've readjusted my goal to the end of June, but I'm going to try to push it so that I can DEP sooner. It'll still be awesome to go home the end of May. Even if I only lose another 15 pounds before then, I'll be 40 pounds lighter than the last time I saw them. How cool is that?

On a completely unrelated note, have you seen that Scottish woman from Britain's Got Talent who everyone is making a big deal about? I watched it tonight, and wow. Totally unexpected.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter, everyone. I hope all is going well. I got up and went for a run this morning. Right now, my lamb is marinating for dinner tonight.

I just got done talking to my Grama. I'm always bummed when I hang up the phone. We don't talk a lot (she's not much one for words), but she practically raised me. We lived with her until I was 16, then we moved only half a mile up the road (it was still on her property--she has 800+ acres). I lived with her again for a year or two when I moved back home from Ohio, too. What really gets me is she never used to be affectionate. I don't recall her ever saying "I love you" when I was younger. But now she says it whenever I talk to her, see her, or get a letter from her. It makes me sad, in a way. I think she's starting to realize her own mortality (she's 75, I think), which sucks. She's Grama. She should live forever.

A Little Reminder

I often hear people express irritation that we are still fighting "that war." Here's a little reminder why we're fighting the war on terror. It breaks my heart.

A would-be suicide bomber aged 11 has been arrested alongside Taliban fighters.

Known only as Abdullah, the youngster was caught crossing the mountains from Pakisrtan's tribal region into Afghanistan wearing a jacket packed with explosives.

Police say he is the youngest terror recruit they have ever come across. Abdullah has also become Afghanistan's youngest prisoner but he is still being held at a top security prison in the capital, Kabul.

Abdullah has become the world's youngest terror suspect after he was caught wearing a jacket filled with explosives

Originally from Peshawar in Pakistan, Abudullah was training to be a suicide bomber and had learned the principles of jihad - holy war - at the religious school in Pakistan where he was taught.

Abdullah was interviewed by ITV News's International Editor Bill Neely, who wrote about the visit in the Mirror.

His full interview will be screened on tonight's ITV News at Ten.

Mr Neely said he was shocked at the picture of innocence before him.

'I'd been told I would meet a youth who had been arrested with a group of Taliban fighters – but I didn't expect the picture of apparent innocence that confronted me,' he said.

'I watched this little boy speak, his high-pitched voice so innocent, pouring out the detail of an adventure he had clearly relished.'

ITN journalist Bill Neely said he was shocked at how innocent Abdullah appeared

Mr Neely said Abdullah's days were spent reading the Koran and his evenings were taken up learning how to load weapons and how foreigners came to Muslim lands to kill them.

Abdullah's younger brother Amin, 10, is also a student at the same school.

Abdullah told the journalist, his favourite weapon of choice was the Kalashnikov because he found the trigger of the pistol hard to pull.

When Mr Neely asked the 11-year-old how felt about becoming a suicide bomber he said he knew he 'would end up in pieces.'

He also said he knew the difference between suicide and sacrifice and that he wanted to kill non-Muslims when he grew up 'so they can't come to our homes and kill us.'

It is not yet clear what authorities will do with the boy but it is likely he will be returned back to his religious school.

Reading List

I figured this was as good a place as any to keep track of the books I've read off the Marine Corps Reading List.

Private to Lance Corporal

• First to Fight: An Inside View of the U.S. Marine Corps by LtGen Krulak (Partially read.)
  
• MCDP 1 Warfighting (Finished)
• A Message to Garcia by Elbert Hubbard (Finished)
• Rifleman Dodd by C.S. Forster (Finished and loved it)
  
• The Soldier’s Load by S.L.A. Marshall (Can't find a copy)
  
• The Ugly American by Lederer and Burdick (Finished)
• Ender's Game by O.S. Card (Finished and loved it)
  

Corporal

• First to Fight: An Inside View of the U.S. Marine Corps by LtGen Krulak
• MCWP 6-11 Leading Marines
• Battle Leadership by Adolph Von Schell
• Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley
• Gates Of Fire: An Epic Novel Of The Battle Of Thermopylae by Steven Pressfield (Finished)
• Imperial Grunts by Robert D. Kaplan
• Small-Unit Leaders' Guide to Counterinsurgency

Sergeant

• First to Fight: An Inside View of the U.S. Marine Corps by LtGen Krulak
• MCDP 1-3 Tactics
• The Art of War by Sun Tzu (Own it, not read)
  
• Tip of the Spear by Sgt G. J. Michaels (Currently reading)
  
• Infantry Attacks! by Erwin Rommel
• With the Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa by E.B. Sledge (Finished and loved it)
  
• The Village by Francis West (Finished and loved it)
  

Staff Sergeant

• First to Fight: An Inside View of the U.S. Marine Corps by LtGen Krulak
• MCDP 1-2 Campaigning
• This Kind of War by T.R. Fehrenbach
• Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose (Finished)
• The Face of Battle by John Keegan
• A Bell for Adano by John Hersey
• Utmost Savagery : the Three Days of Tarawa by Joseph H. Alexander

Gunnery Sergeant

• First to Fight: An Inside View of the U.S. Marine Corps by LtGen Krulak
• MCDP 5 Planning
• The Savage Wars of Peace by Max Boot
• We Were Soldiers Once and Young by Moore and Galloway
• On Combat : the Psychology and Physiology of Deadly Conflict in War and in Peace by Dave Grossman with Loren W. Christensen
• Breakout by Martin Russ
• Victory at High Tide by Robert Heinl

Master Sergeant / First Sergeant

• First to Fight: An Inside View of the U.S. Marine Corps by LtGen Krulak
• MCDP 1-1 Strategy
• Reminiscences of a Marine by John A. Lejeune
• Fields of Battle by John Keegan
• Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T.E. Lawrence
• On Killing : the Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society by Dave Grossman
• Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era by James M. McPherson

Master Gunnery Sergeant / Sergeant Major

• First to Fight: An Inside View of the U.S. Marine Corps by LtGen Krulak
• The General by C.S. Forester
• No Bended Knee by Merill Twining
• Achilles in Vietnam : Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character by Jonathan Shay
• The Mask of Command by John Keegan
• The Arab Mind by R. Patai

Officer Candidate / Midshipman

• First to Fight: An Inside View of the U.S. Marine Corps by LtGen Krulak
• MCDP 1 Warfighting
• The Armed Forces Officer by S.L.A. Marshall
  
• A Message to Garcia by Elbert Hubbard
• Rifleman Dodd by C.S. Forster
• The Soldier’s Load by S.L.A. Marshall
• Ender's Game by O.S. Card

Second Lieutenant / Warrant Officer

• First to Fight: An Inside View of the U.S. Marine Corps by LtGen Krulak
• MCWP 6-11 Leading Marines
• Fields of Fire by James Webb (Finished and loved it)
  
• The Art of War by Sun Tzu
• The Anatomy of Courage by Baron Charles Moran
• On Infantry by John English & Bruce Gudmundsson
• Small-Unit Leaders' Guide to Counterinsurgency
• The Soldier’s Load by S.L.A. Marshall

First Lieutenant / Chief Warrant Officer 2

• First to Fight: An Inside View of the U.S. Marine Corps by LtGen Krulak
• The Bridge at Dong Ha by John Miller
• The Face of Battle by John Keegan
• Reminiscences of a Marine by John A. Lejeune
• Counterinsurgency Warfare; Theory and Practice by David Galula
• Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era by James M. McPherson

Captain / Chief Warrant Officer 3

• First to Fight: An Inside View of the U.S. Marine Corps by LtGen Krulak
• For the Common Defense by Millet and Maslowski
• The Mask of Command by John Keegan
• The Savage Wars of Peace by Max Boot
• On Combat : the Psychology and Physiology of Deadly Conflict in War and in Peace by Dave Grossman with Loren W. Christensen
• The Arab Mind by R. Patai

Major / Chief Warrant Officer 4

• First to Fight: An Inside View of the U.S. Marine Corps by LtGen Krulak
• Once an Eagle by Anton Myrer
• The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman
• The History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides (“The Landmark” version by Strassler recommended)
• The Lexus and the Olive Tree by Thomas L. Friedman
• Grant Takes Command by Bruce Catton

Lieutenant Colonel / Chief Warrant Officer 5

• First to Fight: An Inside View of the U.S. Marine Corps by LtGen Krulak
• Masters of War by Michael I. Handel
• Supplying War by Martin Van Creveld
• Carnage and culture : landmark battles in the rise of Western power by Victor Davis Hanson
• Defeat into Victory by William Slim
• Triumph Forsaken : the Vietnam War, 1954-1965 by Mark Moyar

Colonel to General

• First to Fight: An Inside View of the U.S. Marine Corps by LtGen Krulak
• Dereliction of Duty : Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the lies that led to Vietnam by H. R. McMaster
• Supreme Command : Soldiers, Statesmen, and Leadership in Wartime by Eliot Cohen
• Diplomacy by Henry Kissinger
• Feeding Mars : logistics in Western warfare from the Middle Ages to the present by John Lynn
• The Crisis of Islam : Holy War and Unholy Terror by Bernard Lewis

Miracle at Belleau Wood

I finished today. It is truly a captivating book. Alan Axelrod shows you so many aspects of the battle. You get to see the struggle the Marines went through to even get into the fight; you see the lengths the Army went through to cover up the Marines' roll. But best of all, you get to see why the Marines are so amazing. The bravery and heroics are astounding. Even as the French were fleeing, the Marines stood their ground, through artillery fire, machine guns, and even mustard gas. After reading this, my desire to become a Marine has been revived (I never stopped wanting it, but I was starting to lose sight of the goal).

I wanted to provide a snippet to illustrate some of the incredible and almost unfathomable actions the Marines took, but there are just too many to choose from. If you haven't read it, it's definitely worth the time.

And for those who didn't already know... the Marines won!

Getting Back in the Game

I took it easy the last week and a half or so, but it was a good thing. I think my body needed time to recoup. My legs felt like goo all day, every day, and my knees hurt constantly; I just needed a break. I still worked out, but not as much, and I didn't run. My body was thanking me, and I lost 4 pounds.

I'm back on track now, though. Did a short run this morning to get back in the swing of things and I'm going to do Level 2 of 30-Day Shred today.

Reading: I'm about halfway through Miracle at Belleau Wood. It's interesting to see the lead-up to the battle. It was really quite the cluster before the Marines got there. As intriguing as history is, I can't figure out why I hated it so much in high school.

Miracle at Belleau Wood: First Impressions

I'm not very far into it, but there is one thing that stands out. It's very good, but Marines is rarely capitalized. It's a book about Marines, and they don't capitalize. If there's one thing I've learned in my short pursuit of the title, it's that Marines is always capitalized!!

It's still a really great book, though. The back story of WWI is so interesting, it makes me wonder why I haven't learned more about it before now.

Sore but Good

I played paintball Sunday with my company and the company next door. We ended up tied for the second time in a row. I had a blast, but my legs are a bit sore still. I got peppered up my right side, so there are some nice bruises on that leg. We had less people than last time, but it was more fun. We had to use better strategy with only 4 of us on a team.

I look forward to my run tomorrow morning. I haven't been since last Wednesday, so it'll be good. I'm down to 176, too.

I also have my next trip home planned for the end of May, which makes me happy. I haven't seen my family since early December. My sister will be in Michigan, so I won't see her, but I'll get to see Mom, Grama, and Uncle Joe. I miss them a lot.

Reading: I just started Miracle at Belleau Wood today. So far, it's well written and descriptive. I hope to have it finished by Sunday night. I'll let you know who wins!

Grace is Gone

I just watched this movie. It's an independent film, starring John Cusack. He's ex-military and his wife is in the Army. She's killed in Iraq and he has to figure out how to tell his daughters. He takes them on a trip and you get to see what he goes through trying to find a way to break the news. It was a bit slow to begin with, but the end really got to me.

0481

I was reading some of the threads on Leatherneck.com and a current Poolee mentioned he was looking at a couple MOSes. One of them was in Logistics. I've avoided this MOS because, well, Logistics sounds boring. But after looking at the MOS a Marine suggested (0481), it actually seems pretty interesting.

• The landing support specialist performs various duties that support the establishment, maintenance and control of transportation throughput systems on beaches, landing zones, ports (air and sea), and terminals (rail, truck, and container) used in support of MAGTF operations and deployments.

It's definitely been thrown in my list of possibilities.

My 3-mile run is still sitting right around 39, 40 minutes. I'm going to try a different interval program. I can do 50 sit-ups in two minutes, and that will improve. This week, I'm going to find a place to time my flexed-arm hang, as well.

Current weight: 178

Grouper Burgers

So, I had a craving for something different, preferably a burger. I was wandering around Publix and found Grouper Burgers. They were pretty good. I ate them on Arnold Sandwich Thins with mustard.

I did another three miles today. It took me 40 minutes again, even though I felt like I was pushing harder. I'm doing intervals tomorrow and Saturday, so hopefully those will help.

I'm also on book two of the Sookie Stackhouse novels. The first one only took me a couple days and I wasn't reading nonstop. I like that Alan Ball took some creative license with the HBO series. While the book is enjoyable, those changes made it more TV-friendly.

Taking Chance

I finally watched it and it broke my heart. What an amazing movie. I had tears in my eyes within the first few minutes and they lasted til the end. There are a couple things that really touched me.

First, it's a side of the military you don't really see. Death is a common occurrence in war, but each Marine (and I assume it's the same in every branch) is treated like they was the most important.

Second, there are still good people out there. The reactions by those Lt. Colonel Strobl encountered were refreshing. It raised my faith in humanity a bit.

Also, Kevin Bacon did a great job. I haven't liked a lot of his recent stuff, but he redeemed himself.

On a personal note, I did another three miles today. I added a minute to my time, but I think that was because I waited until it was ungodly hot to go. I'm going to try to go earlier in the morning on the weekend.

Quick Update

I ran another 3 miles today and managed to shave 3 minutes off my time. Another 3 and I'm at max PFT time. Next I need to work on my flexed arm hang and situps. I've slacked off on push-ups and crunches, so I'm picking back up with those this weekend.

Once I finish Shooter, I'm going to start the Sookie Stackhouse series. True Blood was quite enjoyable and I think a break from war novels will do me good.

3 Miles Done!

I ran three miles straight. It took 42 minutes, but today was about distance, not time. Thanks for the motivation to push through go to Cpl Chumley from Leatherneck.com. I earned three miles for getting a history question correct. Initially I was going to break it up, but decided to try for it all. Now that I know I can do the full distance, I need to work on getting my time down.

Down Another Pound

I'm down to 180 this morning. I don't think I've been here since 2005. It's a pleasant feeling. I finally wore my heart rate monitor last night while working out. It said I've been burning more calories than I thought. That was a nice little surprise.

I finished With the Old Breed. I really enjoyed that book. It didn't seem like he had an agenda when writing it, other than to show how the war really was. He was brutally honest when they did things that were less than ethical. It was well told and a good read. Now I'm reading Shooter: The Autobiography of the Top-Ranked Marine Sniper. I'm only a few pages in, but I'm hooked.

On Track

Just a quick update on my weight: I weighed in today and I'm at 181. Not too shabby. Not even 40 pounds left to lose before I can talk to a recruiter. I think the BL Workout and the 30-day Shred are really helping. I need to keep focused and not get sidetracked again.

I was supposed to see my mentee today, but when I got to her house, she wasn't there. That kind of bums me out. I was really looking forward to helping her on her homework tonight. I hope she doesn't end up dropping out of the program. That would not be beneficial to her at all.

Almost There

I managed to do 2.5 miles today. Just a half mile to go to the PFT distance, then I can work on time. Right now, I can do the 2.5 in 34 minutes without pushing myself to the point of collapse. I do distance runs two days a week, and intervals two days a week. I think I need to increase the number of intervals I do in a day, though.

I signed up to be a mentor, and I met my "mentee" today. Her name is Tina and she's 11. I helped her get her notes for a report on Harriet Tubman all done tonight. She has two younger siblings who were disrupting us and her home situation is less than desirable, so I'm going to make it a point to take her somewhere each week, even if it's just the library. That way I can give her some one-on-one time and maybe help her with her homework. I think I'll save up some money and take her somewhere fun once a month.

Courage is endurance for one moment more…

-Unknown Marine Second Lieutenant in Vietnam

I did nearly 2.5 miles today. I could see the marker; it was so close. My legs just wouldn't run any further, though. I probably could've forced myself to do it, but I know I wouldn't have been able walk the rest of the 4 miles if I did (ok, that's a bit of an exaggeration). I will do 2.5 on Saturday. No ifs, ands, or buts.

Today, the coordinator for the Eckerd Mentoring Program contacted me. I officially have a mentee. I get to meet her this weekend. It was between two sisters, but I'm not sure which one she chose. One is 8, one is 11. All I know is that her name is Tina, and she is doing a report on Harriet Tubman, but doesn't have a book. So I'm going to the library tomorrow to get a book or two for her to use. We'll be spending at least an hour a week together.

My reading has slacked off a bit. I'm still working on Gates of Fire. It's a good book, but now that I've stepped up my exercising, I have less time to read. I'll have to renew With the Old Breed again.

One of my favorites

Happy Valentine's Day

I hope everyone had a good Valentine's Day.

I ran another two miles today, plus a little. I'm going to add to it each time I run, and before you know it, I'll be running three miles.

I started the Biggest Loser Workout on Thursday. It's six days a week, for about a half hour a day. There are four workouts. For the first three weeks, it alternates low-intensity cardio and strength/sculpting. For the last three, it's high-intensity cardio and "boot camp," which combines both cardio and sculpting. I also got the 30-day Shred, which I'm going to add in next week.

On another note, I've decided that it's OK if it take until June to get to the right weight. If I push myself too far too fast, I'll hate it, and I don't want to get to the point where I'll give up. I want to enjoy it and be excited about losing weight. It shouldn't be something I dread every day. I went shopping today and got new jeans. The last time I went, I was a size 18. Today, I tried on 16s and was thrilled to find that they were still too big! I bought two pairs of 14s and two shirts (both large, where before I was 2x). I think this may be the first time I really enjoyed getting new clothes.

Current weight: 184
Push-ups: 25
Sit-ups: 25

Two Miles

I finally ran two miles today. Two miles straight. I've never run two miles, period, even with a walking break. My main focuses while I was running were posture (shoulders back, away from the ears); deep, steady breaths, exhaling completely; knees slightly bent at all times; back straight; hands and arms loose; focus on heel-to-toe. I felt like I had slowed down, which I was ok with since I wanted distance, not speed, but I managed to shave three minutes off my typical two-mile time! Needless to say, I'm proud of myself today.

Update

I went to the park today and did a total of 5 miles. Only ran 1.75 of that, and I'm sure it was because I let myself be embarrassed about it (I get red as a tomato and puff like a dragon once I hit a mile or so). The USMC poolees were there, and the recruiters were sure working them. I saw the Sergeant I spoke to on the phone.

Right now, I'm roasting my first chicken. I used a recipe for Cornish Hens, so hopefully it'll turn out alright. Worst that could happen is it ends up a little dry. Then I just put it in stuff instead of eating it by itself.

New Routine

I've decided I need to change up my routine and really start losing weight if I want to join the Marines before it's too late. I would like to go to scheduled PT, but even if I managed to get my co-worker to switch shifts with me, I still wouldn't get to leave until 5:30. So I have to do it on my own, at least for now. If I lose 3 pounds a week, it will take me about 12 weeks (April 28). 4 pounds a week is 9 weeks (April 7).

Running
Intervals: Wednesday, Friday, Sunday- Running 2 min per 1/4 mile for increasing periods of time.
Distance: Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday- Running non-stop for increasing distances (currently at 1.75 miles)

Strength Training
-Hundred Push-up program MWF, regular push-ups, column 2. Currently on week 2. Can do a total of 50
-Two-Hundred Sit-ups program MWF, column 2. On Week 1. Can only do 40 max.
-Leg exercises from www.military.com TRS
-Find a good routine to do at home with no equipment.

Stretching
-Follow daily routine from http://www.ocs.usmc.mil/.

Nutrition
-Limit apples or sugary fruits
-Limit: One soda a month
-At least one salad a day
-Limit: Pizza once a month
-No more Starbucks
-No white bread
-Limit: Order out once a month if all other goals met (excluding Thursday lunch at work)
-Track everything on Sparkpeople.com, even if I feel guilty seeing it.
-No more candy! I don't need it.
-Plan meals every week.

Knowledge
-Learn the following before going to the recruiter:
  -Rank Structure
  -11 General Orders
  -Code of Conduct
  -Rifelman's Creed
  -Marine's Hymn
  -USMC Core Values
  -M16A4 Rifle Characteristics

Talked to a recruiter

I called the local RSS today. I asked to come in to talk to someone so that I'm ready to go once I reach max weight. She basically told me to call back when I hit 149. She did mention that PT was on Thursdays at 5, but I work until 6. I guess I just need to lose weight faster.

All Moved In

I'm finally all moved in. Just got cable/internet this morning. I haven't done any exercising this week (aside from moving stuff), but I still managed to hit 186. I'm going to contact a recruiter this week.

My goal for the week is to do cardio every day, whether it's running or an exercise video of some sort. I was worried because this area is a bit scary and I didn't really want to run around here. My co-worker mentioned a park that is about a 15-minute drive from me and has a lit 2-mile trail. I'm going to head over tomorrow morning and check it out.

Goals for February 28: Do 100 sit-ups (broken up into sets); Run 2.25 miles straight; Do 50 push-ups (broken up into sets); Weigh 175 max.

Tomorrow is the day!

I get the keys to my new apartment tomorrow. I already have a bunch of stuff in my car, ready to be unpacked as soon as possible. Unfortunately, I meet the guy at 8am, have to be to work at 9am, and need to give myself 20 minutes to get to work. Let's hope he doesn't take too long or try to talk to me too much. I should be able to get most of the important stuff in my car tomorrow night and finish it up on Saturday morning. I think I'm going to get up super early so I can be out of here before he wakes up on Saturday. I probably won't have internet for a week at least, so there may not be an update for awhile.

Chilly Willy

It is crazy cold today. So cold that my cat is snuggling with me, and she doesn't do that often anymore. Hopefully once I have my new place, she'll snuggle more.

I went running this morning, but didn't do so hot. I think I mentally gave up. I've hit a running plateau and I need to figure out how to break it. Maybe the recruiter will have some tips when I talk to them. I need to hit 185 before I do that, though.

Reading: I'm reading The Ugly American. It's pretty good so far.

New Apartment

I just got back from looking at an apartment. I think it's going to be great. It's a 2 bed, 1 bath; small, but not too small. The carpet is kind of ugly, but it's not dirty or anything. It's in a fairly quiet area, and the neighbors connected to the apartment are both female. One of the nice things about the place is that the walls separating the apartments are solid concrete, so no hearing everything they do/say. The only big issue is that it's far enough out in the country that there are no sidewalks, but I can just run on the road.

Initially, rent was $550 and they required first, last, and security, plus the $50 application fee. There was also a washer/dryer hookup, but no washer/dryer. Since it's just me and my cat, they dropped the rent to $500 per month, with just first and security. They waived the app fee. The manager also agreed to put in a washer and dryer at no extra charge. They do require a year's lease, but he said it shouldn't be a problem to let me drop it early, and if not, I can probably just sublet it for a couple months.

And here's the icing on the cake: the guy who does the maintenance (and who showed me the apartment) is a former Marine! He said it was the best time of his life, even though he was wounded. I mean, what better sign could I ask for that this is the apartment I should get? He also offered to help me move if I needed a truck and when I said I had no furniture, he said he'd hook me up! I'm definitely getting this place... now I need to work up the courage to tell my roommate/landlord...

More Thoughts: Officer vs Enlisted

I've been doing some more research on enlisted to help me make my decision, and the more I look, the more excited I get about it. The thought of boot camp is still scary, but I'm pretty sure that's only because I've had it in my head that OCS is mostly class time and not as much PT, which is wrong. I actually think I'd do pretty well in boot camp, but not so much in OCS.

Initially, the MOS fields I was focusing on were Intel, SigInt, and Linguistics. The more research I do, though, the more interesting 0861, 18xx, and 1371 appear. Linguistics is looking less and less thrilling at this point. I think it'd be nice to do something I don't normally incline to, something outside my comfort zone. I have time to figure it out, though.

The main turn-offs at this point for going enlisted are: a) the money, b) my cat (though I'm becoming more resigned to the fact that she'll end up at my mom's and will most likely die after getting hit by a car. Maybe my mom will actually try to keep her safe until I can take her again.)

Officer vs Enlisted

I figured it's time to lay out the pros and cons for Officer vs Enlisted so that I can start getting my head straight on this thing. I've been thinking if I could get in shape by the end of May, I'd have enough time to fill out all my paperwork, get my waivers, get approved, and go to OCC in October. However, I was on MarineOCS.com tonight, and one of the threads talks about how competitive June is, and how you have to have a really good PFT score to get in. I know I won't have a great PFT score by June and by that time, the October class will probably be pretty full. I really really really don't want to have to wait until June 2010 to join the Marines, so my dilemma now is do I try for officer and possibly be hosed until next June, or do I just go enlisted, put in a solid four years, then shoot for officer?

To be honest, I kind of want to go enlisted first, but officer seems the smarter choice (and everyone I talk to seems to think I should go officer). Here are my pros for both.

Pros for Enlisted:
-Can go to boot sooner
-Can go to boot without a 275 PFT
-Will be guaranteed a job in a specific MOS
-Will actually get to do that job instead of just supervise
-Can do OCS in four years when I'm 32

Pros for Officer:
-Make about $13k more than enlisted
-Get my own place (hopefully), possibly allowing me to have my cat sooner (I may never get to have my cat again if I go enlisted)
-My B.S. will mean something more than E-2

I'm going to contact the OSO next week to hopefully get a better idea of what my chances are like so I can plan for the future.

Tuesday Update

Today was a decent day. I woke up this morning and went for a walk/run. It was cold and rainy, but I like running in that type of weather. I felt really good and thought I ran for a mile and a half, but when I tracked my route on MapMyRun.com, it was only 1.3. I'll definitely be able to do 1.5 on Thursday, though.

Short-Term Goal Reached

I weighed myself this morning and I've lost two more pounds. I'm now at 190. That was my first short-term goal, so I rewarded myself with a new Run to Cadence soundtrack. I got the U.S. Marines, Vol II.

I went running today, too. I've decided to focus on distance on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and speed on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I wasn't able to reach the 1.5 mile mark, but I will by the end of the week. Then next week will be 2 miles, then 2.5, and so on. I really wish I hadn't slacked off for the last two months, but all I can do is try my best now.

I joined a Biggest Loser challenge on SparkPeople, so I'll have a group of people that will be counting on me to lose weight. I think that will help a lot, along with the realization that if I don't get in gear, I won't be able to go to OCC in October and I'll be stuck here until next May. That thought really sobered me up (figuratively) and made me realize I need to buckle down. I will be on that bus in October.

Tattoo Idea

So, I've always wanted a tattoo, but could never come up with one that I would want on my body forever. I was laying in bed reading the other night when I had a vision of a variation on the Eagle, Globe & Anchor. If someone can actually do it (and I'm sure someone out there can), it would be awesome and I would be proud to have it etched in my skin forever. Now, I just need to earn the title of Marine so I can actually have it done!

On another note, I've decided to re-start the Couch to 5k plan, using distance instead of time. I'm starting at Week 5. That will get me running 3 miles, even if it's a slow 3 miles.

Thursday Update

Well, OSU lost on Monday, but that's ok. They put up a good fight. There's always next year!

I went running this morning. I did 20 minutes straight for the first time in over a month. Not amazing, but not too shabby. I'm doing better on push-ups, too. I've started doing them in the morning instead of before bed, and I find it easier to remember them. I'm going to start throwing in some crunches on Sunday.

I'm also looking at an apartment either this weekend or next week. It sounds nice. If it is, I'll have to figure out how to tell my roommate. That could be rough. We'll see.

OSU vs Texas

So, my team (OSU) plays tonight. I really love the Bucks, but I'm a little less than convinced that they'll win tonight. It would be such a wonderful end to the season if they did, though.

I was lazy this weekend and played Call of Duty Saturday and Sunday (first COD 5, then COD 4. COD 4 is a thousand times better). I didn't run at all, but I'm going to tomorrow. I'm going to run for at least 22 minutes. Wednesday, I think I'm going to go for a short run and try to make it faster than my normal runs. Maybe the same for Friday, we'll see how it goes.

A Good Start to a New Year

Happy New Year everyone! Here's hoping all our troops have a safe and happy start to the new year.

This year is off to a good start for me so far. I weighed myself this morning, and I've lost two pounds! I went out for 50 minutes (2o of them running). And lo and behold, right now turned on the Rose Parade, and guess who the first people I see are. Marines! The USMC Mounted Marines (I doubt that's their official name). That was a pleasant reminder of what I'm working for this year.

I've come up with another resolution, as well. I'm going to post at least three times a week, whether it's an update, Marine Corp-related, or just something interesting I've found.