Resolutions: Check-in #1

It's been one week since my last post, so it's time for a check-in.

Become an ASA (more on this another time)

• Receive credential (tomorrow???)

Well, I haven't received my credential as hoped. I passed the Final Assessment on November 14th (happy birthday to Suzanna!), so I thought that my name would definitely appear on the November list of new ASAs since it was published on December 2nd. Unfortunately, I was informed that the list of new ASAs was completed before my grading date of November 14th. I should definitely be on the next list. They release the list either on the last Friday of a month or the first Friday of the next month, so I'm really hoping that December 30th will be the day!

Read the Book of Mormon cover-to-cover (started again October 1st; in Helaman now)

I made it through Ether 2 this morning, so with some 40 pages left, I should be done before my next check-in. The Book of Mormon is true, by the way. It's an authentic record of actual people and strengthens my faith in the purpose of life, shows to me what kinds of attitudes and behaviors will lead to joy and lasting peace, and testifies that Jesus Christ lived, died, and was resurrected to overcome the demands of justice for those with sincere desires to repent and truly humble hearts.

Be physically fit

• Touch my toes
• Run 1.5 miles in 9 minutes (6:00 minute mile pace)
• Do 100 consecutive push ups

I have no significant progress to note regarding being able to touch my toes. I did a few stretches last week after searching online for any sort of program that could help me improve flexibility.

I haven't been diligent at running. If I want to run on a weekday, then it has to be in the dark. It's dark when I leave for work at 7:00 a.m., and the sun has already set when I get home at 5:00 p.m. I did go running last Saturday and was pleased to have my best time yet: 9:30. So I've got another 30 seconds to shave off before December 31st. 6 minutes and 20 seconds for a mile is a pretty good pace. I think I can do it.

The push ups are tough. I did 25 consecutive push ups last Saturday evening and felt pretty good. I'm doing them 3-4 times per week, but I failed to start this week until tonight. So I've got to push really hard through the five sets in each of the next two days. Every day is crucial to meeting this goal!

New Year's Resolutions

I made a whole list of new year's resolutions at the beginning of 2011. I'm glad to say that I have successfully completed most of them. Here they are:

Become an ASA (more on this another time)

• Pass Exam C (completed February 2011)
• Pass Interim Assessment (completed July 2011)
• Pass Final Assessment (completed November 2011)
• Receive credential (tomorrow???)

Visit Estonia! (June-July 2011)

Read the Book of Mormon cover-to-cover (started again October 1st; in Helaman now)

Be physically fit

• Touch my toes
• Touch a 10 foot basketball rim
• Run 1.5 miles in 9 minutes (6:00 minute mile pace)
• Do 100 consecutive push ups

So, for the most part, I've completed or am well on the way to completing these goals. However, the physically fit stuff isn't so easy. It requires a high degree of consistency (not that the actuarial stuff doesn't, but... it's just different).

Touching my toes has always been difficult. There have been a couple of times in my life that I've been able to do it, but right now I'm pretty inflexible. So being able to achieve this one will be a stretch.

Technically, I have achieved the second fitness goal: touching a 10 foot basketball rim. Earlier this year when we were in Texas I was playing basketball with some coworkers and I was able to do it.

I have been running a bit over the last couple of months, and I feel confident that I will be able to meet that goal if I put in a little more effort this month. I most recently ran 1.5 miles in 9:40 while in Mexico, so I only need to shave off another 40 seconds. It will be a little harder if I wait until we're in Utah to test myself because of the higher altitude.

100 consecutive push ups. By far the most daunting of the remaining goals. A couple of times this year I have tried to stick to the hundred push ups six week schedule. And for whatever reason I've given up in the 3rd or 4th week. Right now I'm in the middle of the 2nd week again. If I actually stick to it, I will finish the 6th week and theoretically be able to do 100 consecutive push ups by December 31st.

I'm going to try to be accountable this month and blog about my progress. Wish me luck!

Say goodbye...

November 18, 2011

It was a good run, but it's time to say goodbye to the mustache. :{(

That's the order from the boss. More about the game and the trip to Denver later!

For Austin

November 11, 2011

I wasn't planning on posting a picture tonight, but... Austin encouraged me. Vota heaks.

Long Time

November 9, 2011

I'm tired. And I miss my family. I was thinking about it recently, and by the end of next week I will have spent a total of eight full weeks away from the boys since the last week of April. Eight weeks in seven months. That's a long time away from the boys.

More or Less

November 7, 2011

Actually, more AND less. More facial hair; less head hair. It looks really short in this picture, but it's probably because I just showered (get all that nasty leftover stray hair off the scalp). It will probably look better once I've actually done it. So maybe Wednesday I'll have a better picture.

Tomorrow is choir! I recently joined the Portland Ensign Choir and Orchestra (just the choir part, really), and we have weekly rehearsals each Tuesday evening for two hours. We're rehearsing for our first concert series which will take place next month. So I've been singing Christmas songs since the end of September, and actually, I'm getting really excited for Christmas. I even started listening to Christmas music at work. Shhhh! Don't tell! I know I'm supposed to wait 'til after Thanksgiving...

Farewell

November 6, 2011 (5 years since I proposed to Suzanna!)

That is, farewell to my mop of hair. The facial hair will stay, but I'm tired of the hair on top. It's been getting longer than I've let it grow for a quite a while, and I just don't know what to do with it. So... tomorrow at this time I should be sporting a much cleaner look.

"It's Friday, I'm in Love"

November 4, 2011

Or am I? Not with the facial hair. At least not yet. Tomorrow Suzanna and the boys go to Utah, so for the next two weeks she won't have to worry about being seen with me in public.

Happy November 4th! I found out yesterday that my end-of-module exercise for module 7 "met minimum requirements." That means I am now truly only one requirement away from becoming an ASA! Just waiting for the FA results...

If only they knew...

November 2, 2011

Nothing too special or noticeable so far. Just looks like I haven't shaved in a couple days, which, by the way, I haven't.

For the past week and a half at work, employees have been asked to get a new picture taken for their badge as well as to go on the intranet's Org Chart. A few guys in the actuarial department decided it would be fun to grow mustaches in honor of the event. Little did they realize that these pictures would also be attached to every e-mail they send using their company address when viewed in the new version of Microsoft Outlook we are all supposed to be receiving shortly. Therefore, for the next who-knows-how-many years (some people have had their original picture for over a decade), these guys are going to have to put up with THAT in their picture.

As a note, I didn't have to have my picture retaken because I'm a recent hire. I already have the new badge style and my photo was transferred since it is still an appropriate likeness of myself.

Well, I've got to download better webcam software. I've been taking these pictures through Skype, and I just don't think that's a very efficient way to do it. Every time I save a new picture, it automatically updates my Skype profile picture as well...

Stache, in which We are Growing Them

Here's a picture response to Brian's blog post.

November 1, 2011

I can't guarantee that I'll update pictures every day during the process. I mean, c'mon, there has to be some element of surprise when we all meet up in the Denver airport, sporting our staches...

All I know is that Suzanna is very happy that she won't have to be seen in public with me for the next 2 1/2 weeks since she and the boys are going back to Utah on Saturday.

As Tim Tebow would say: GB^2 (God Bless! Go Broncos!)

We're Alive! Part 1

Well, much has happened since I last blogged. Mark and I went on vacation to Estonia to visit his mission, we moved to Oregon, Mark started a new job, our house in Texas flooded, Logan turned 1, Luke turned 3, we got new callings, Mor Mor came to visit and so much more. I'll just post some pictures of some of our more recent happenings.

Mark visited Chicago for a conference as his last qualification to become an ASA. Hooray!

We took Luke to a Halloween Carnival as part of his birthday celebration.

An ice cream cake per Luke's request

(I'll do a separate post on Luke after his doctor's appt.)

Mark's mom came to visit and we got to do a lot of fun things and go to some places Mark and I haven't been to yet. On the Saturday that she was here we visited a fun pumpkin patch/farm. It was so gorgeous! By the way, Oregon is GORGEOUS! I'm not so sure how much I like living here yet, but the scenery never gets old. It's picture perfect.

On Monday morning we stopped by the Portland Temple grounds. Wow! The temple is absolutely beautiful. It could not have gotten much better that morning.

Part 2 will be coming next week. There are still so many things to share from this month!

Logan the Jibber-Jabberer

Here is a recent video of Logan making some cute noises. I was studying in the other room when I heard him start in with the jibber-jabber. I hurried to get the camera before he stopped, and I was fortunate enough to get this beauty. Enjoy!

PS. Exam C in 3 weeks. Yikes!