Time Flies... Update

Ok, time for the update I’ve mentioned. Last time I wrote an actual update, it was June of 2010. I only wrote two more blogs after that dated to Sept 2010 and then I was silent here until last week. So, what has been going on since Sept 2010 until Sept 2013? 

First and foremost, my family: Ansley has seriously taken to learning and is doing so well is school. She started 2nd grade this year and is in the gifted program. She loves to read and just loves to learn in general. She is Daddy’s “Big Girl” and is just an awesome daughter! Riley is in pre-K and is also showing some uncanny smarts and memory for a little girl. My only question is if she is actually going to want to learn and will have the drive to learn like her big sister does. She is so much like me, I wonder about her. I always scored very high on the placement/IQ tests in school, I just didn’t care enough to even really try. So, time will tell about Riley. But, she is her Daddy’s “Baby Girl” and always will be. Heather has been awesome in her job and got into fitness a few years ago. She has lost all of her “baby weight” from 2006/2009 and is now even smaller than she was when we married in 2002. She has run multiple 5K’s, 2 half marathon and 1 full marathon. This year, she has a 24 mile “Trail Run” another full marathon in Savannah in November and then she has the “Crème de la Crème” in January 2014. She will be participating in the “Dopey Challenge” at Disney World. She will be running a 5K on Thursday, a 10K on Friday, a half marathon on Saturday and a full marathon on Sunday. That is just as much insane as it is awesome, in my book. On top of her running she also does countless hours of cardio and weight training along with making sure the rest of us eat as clean as possible. She has become a fitness role model to her co-workers and friends. In 2012, Heather and I also celebrated 10 years of marriage and 17 years together. The only other family member I ever mention with any real regularity is my sister, Leslie. I mentioned back in 2010 that she was diagnosed with metastasized breast cancer that had reached her brain. Well, as of today, 5 Sept 2013, she is still fighting it hard. We have seen some changes in her over the years, but she is still fighting right along with no signs of giving up anytime soon. To follow her story, please go here:

www.caringbridge.org/visit/leslielorenz

During this time, Heather and I also had our genetic testing done. I, like my sister, tested positive for the BRCA1 gene mutation. So, that will be something Heather and I will have to look at with our daughters when they get older. Heather tested negative for it.

 

  As for me, I have since retired from the Air Force. After my second neck surgery, the Air Force decided they had no use for me. They said I’d never be able to be an asset to the Air Force again, so they medically disqualified me for continued military service and forced me to retire after 17 years of service. To be completely honest, I was about tired of their shit and ready to leave anyway. Although I didn’t get to retire at the rank or with the time I was shooting for, I was glad to be gone from it. After they forced me out because of my physical limitations, I swore I would get in better shape than I was ever in while in that uniform. After seeing the results Heather had with her fitness, in August 2012, I decided to get on the fitness train. Heather had the “Insanity” program and she said if I would do it, she would start it with me. So, we started it together and did a couple weeks of it. She had to go TDY and while she was gone, I kept going and got hooked. Unfortunately, when I got to month 2 one of the routines, wrecked my knee. I kept going for a couple days and it got even worse and it swelled up about the size of a softball. So, I was ordered to take about 6 weeks off to let it heal. I wore a knee brace the rest of the time and let it heal up. I went back to it and was able to finish the 60 days of Insanity (by taking Max Plyo out of the rotation) After that, I went on to another program that included weights called Les Mill Pump. It didn’t have enough cardio for me, so I did a hybrid of Pump and Insanity for 2 1/2 months. After I completed that, Beachbody came out with a new program by Les Mills called “Combat.” It looked awesome and I got it the first day it was available. Instantly, I fell in love with that program. 60 days later, I had great results with that program. After Combat, I moved on through Body beast and then to Shaun T’s new program Focus T25 which I am just completed. Next up is a revisit to P90X. I tried this program back in 2009 and failed it miserably. It’s time to give it another shot and complete this program with awesome results! So, over the last 11 months, I’ve lost about 25 lbs and multiple inches around the waist, belly and legs while gaining some inches in the arms and chest. During all this fitness time, I also became a Beachbody coach so I could try and help others along their fitness journey. I have a great group of folks with me and we are all helping keep each other motivated. If you are interested in getting your fitness on, email me at “beachbody(at)wolfpack764.com” or go visit my Beachbody webpage at: www.beachbodycoach.com/dalehall .  I would love to help you reach your fitness goals. As for other hobbies, I still scuba dive as much as possible. We still do our yearly trip to swim with manatees in Crystal River, FL and we put together trips each year to head out for some good diving. I did finally get to do my shark dive in the Bahamas back in Sept 2012. That was a freakin’ blast!! I also still fly from time to time, but have not finished my license for that as of yet. Dad and I did take the girls to the airport just this past Monday. Ansley went up with Dad by herself for the first time. She had a good time. We also took Riley for the first time ever. She sat in my lap and she absolutely LOVED it! That little one is going to be my fulltime co-pilot, I believe.

 

So, that’s about it in a nutshell. Too much detail is boring to read, so I decided to just hit the highlights and this was still damn long. If you have any questions concerning fitness, my neck fusions, BRCA1 gene mutations, scuba, flight, or anything I’ve mentioned, please feel free to message me or leave a comment down below. I will get back you…

 

Until next time...

DING!

A watched pot never boils. However, a watched microwave WILL ding. Just a thought for today.

Yum. Crow.

Those of you that know me, know I'm not one to fly off the handle, jump to conclusions, over react or...... Ok. I couldn't even type that with a straight face. Yeah, I am well known for doing all of the above and more, including the over-usage of the word fuck. Over the years, I have seriously mellowed compared to what I was like in my Active Duty days. Although they may be few and far between, I still have my times where I'll go a bit overboard in my enthusiasm, disappointment or anger. Some are warranted, some, not so much. In the times where it falls in the "not so much" category, I have to make things right. And that brings us to today...

A couple days ago I wrote about being passed over for a promotion and not being talked to by my bosses although I was the only person actually in the shop to apply for the job. (Others applied, I was just the only one actually already working in the shop) Well, today, my big boss called me in his office. He asked me if I got my "Dear John" letter from the website. I told him yes and then he explained to me how he made his decision and where I fell in the lineup. After that, he proceeded to tell me where I got beat out by the competition and what I could do to make things look more in my favor the next time this came around. All very valid points. Ummm. Ok, I was WAY wrong about how I perceived what they thought about us. Or, at least, what he thought about me. I took everything he said, made my notes and will do what I can to make things look better in the future. Not only that, after bitching about not getting spoken to last week, I made sure I thanked him, multiple times, for taking the time to speak with me and in pointing out my weak areas so I can work on them. After that was said and done, we had a staff meeting and my other boss mentioned the same thing to me and told me if I had any questions about anything, please come and hit him up and we could discuss. Big Boss already took care of that, but, again, I was very appreciative for them taking the time to address the matter with me.

Although I will bitch loudly about things, I will also take my lumps, apologize when necessary and eat a healthy portion of crow when I must. I wonder how easy it is to floss out these damn feathers???

Keep the Power

I'm going to write an update for the last few years pretty soon, but for now, I'm just getting used to writing again. Today, I had another revelation. It's one I've known and used in the past, but over the last few days, I haven't put it into practice. I got passed over for a promotion this past week. Being passed over isn't what bothers me. Ok, actually it does bother me, but knowing how our area works, I knew I wasn't going to get the job. They very rarely promote from within. They normally look to the outside for the promotions and that's something I've never understood. But, whatever the case, although I knew I was going to passed over, it didn't stop me from applying for the job anyway. The part that bugs the absolute fuck out of me about this, is the fact that neither of my two bosses talked to me about it. I got notified by having the application website send me an email telling me that "another applicant was selected for the position." Out of all of the resumes that hit the desk, I was the only person in the actual shop that applied for the job. Yet, I didn't get talked too. BUT, here is the revelation: Since I found out, I've been pissed, I've been sad, I've lost a few hours sleep getting worked up over it, I've been using up valuable brain time running scenarios through my head how to bring it up to them. (Knowing good and well I won't do it) I had given those guys the power over my mood. I finally realized today, that I was doing that. Heather has reminded me time and time again not give away my power and only use my thoughts for me, my family and things I can control. I can't control anyone making a decision like that. But, what I can control is not letting it ruin my mood, not letting it ruin my time with my family this weekend. You have the power in yourself to do anything. But, you have to make the conscious decision to retain your power and not give it away to anyone else. Especially other people you have no control over. Why would you let someone else control your mood??? From now on: You (and I) won't!! Until next time: Keep The Power!!