From great reading, comes great inspiration

Don't you think that is an accurate statement?

Me, personally, I think it is absolutely perfect. A good book should inspire you to want to learn more, to read more, maybe even do more. It doesn't even have to be a book, it could be a well-written article in a newspaper, in a magazine, or online maybe in a blog.

I once read an article on diamond computer chips. Yeah, okay, I'm a geek by day and this was fascinating. Beyond the use of diamonds to make computer chips it inspired me to go out and learn more about nanotechnology. I even invested in a nanotechnology fund. Hey! I know a good thing when I see it.

I read a fiction book where the heroine was a glass artist. The details and descriptions were so wonderful I had to go look into what exactly glass-blowing was. It intrigued me so much that I signed up to take a class. I have since taken three classes. Gotta love art!

Right now I am reading the book Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 by Marcus Luttrell and Patrick Robinson. I'm only halfway through the book and just getting to what I know will be the worst and best part of the story, but this book is inspirational.

Navy SEALS are amazing human beings who put their lives on the line for us, for our country. It's what they do. Not only do they do it, but they want to do it. You see, these guys literally go through hell to become a SEAL. Not that every military person doesn't, but these guys go through something beyond your wildest dreams. At least beyond my dreams.

Some of the strongest men entertain the idea of being a Navy SEAL and they may even get a shot at it, but it's not strength that makes a man a SEAL, it's determination and endurance. Determination to succeeed and achieve something not everyone can, and endurance to get through hell just so you can go through it all over again in the real world when they are fighting to save our freedoms. They have to want this beyond anything they have ever wanted in their entire lives.

What Marcus Luttrell describes in his book is only bits and pieces of the real deal, of that I am sure. But what he does describe is enlightening and inspiring. Just to get indoctrined into the SEAL training program these guys have to achieve the following:

1. Run 1.5 miles (while wearing boots and long pants) in 11 minutes, 30 seconds
2. Swim 500 yards (breast stroke or side stroke) in 12 minutes, 30 seconds
3. Minimum of 42 push-ups in 2 minutes
4. Minimum of 50 sit-ups in 2 minutes
5. Minimum of 6 dead-hang pull-ups

This is just the beginning. It gets a heck of a lot worse from there. And that only gives you a taste of the physical stamina required. It doesn't even touch on the strategic and tactical skills that have to be learned, retained, and tested. Without those skills you can't be a SEAL.

I'm not suggesting that I'm inspired to go out and be a Navy SEAL, because let's face it, I don't have the right equipment. I do, however, have the personality to set myself some goals and achieve them.

Since I've already achieved my goal of running 3 road races this year before I messed up my knee, I'm thinking I might set new goals for myself. Yeah, no, I cannot do all of those 5 points a potential SEAL has to complete, but I can shoot for some of them. After my knee heals.

Summertime Wrap Up

Remember when you were younger and on the first day of school each fall some teacher would ask you to share what you did over the summer?

I thought it would be interesting to do something similar but share something new that you did or experienced for the first time. Kinda like a first kiss, but not. HA!

Since it's my blog I guess I will start. "Hm..." she says with her finger pressed to her chin.

I stained my new deck and porch. Nope, never done that before and not exactly sure I would do it again, but hey! I can say, "I did that."

I was introduced to some new music groups. "Okay, new music groups for me. What can I say? I live a sheltered life." hehehe "Oh, you want to know what music groups?"

Lady Antebellum
Keith Urban

The fun part of the music experience for me is that I also sing. (Shhh. This is a little known secret.) So as part of my voice lessons each week I am learning the music and singing the words to the new songs that I was introduced to. AND this is so great for me because I am finally conquering those pesky two midrange notes that drive me cringe. "Yea me!"

OH! I ran my first 5K ever. Wow! What an experience. All I can say is, "Don't drink water before you do the race." Actually, I very much enjoyed finding the Windham rail trail and training for the run. I enjoyed doing it and reaching my goal of under 12 minutes per mile. "Hey! Nobody said I was a speed demon." Next year my goal is three races. Wish me luck.

Lastly, I started taking shooting lessons. "Don't mess with this blonde." As of last week, I learned to control the .380 to the point of being able to shoot 7 holes into a life-size target's head. "You don't want to know what parts of the man's body I hit with the .45." Suffice it to say, I had a HUGE grin on my face and retired Gunnery Sergeant Mike Stevens AKA Gunny told me, "Don't even talk about it." hehe You think he felt empathy for the paper target?

So what did you do this summer?

Life's lessons, signs, and Fate

Fate listens so watch your words.

Have you ever noticed that things happen to you that you don't always expect, but for some odd reason you have a conversation about it and hours or days later, BAM! The thing you had joked about in a conversation with a friend occurs.

I am a firm believer that this is always the case and I should know better.

One example of this occurred when I was as a young teen. A bunch of us were riding out to a soccer game and for some strange reason we got on the subject "What if one of us had an accident?" First of all, why would we ask a question like that while we're driving to a big game? Because we did not know fate was looking down at us and listening.

Later that day, I was rushed off the soccer field in the middle of a game with a broken leg and dislocated knee. A freak accident occurred when the goalie grabbed my ankle instead of the soccer ball.

Well, this weekend fate stepped in again. On Friday at work, I was talking to one of the guys I work with about plans for the long weekend. We had Monday off. I told him that I planned on finishing up all my painting so I could enjoy my house and get back to writing. He made some joke about "unless you fall off a ladder or something."

I did finish painting all the trim work, got my upstairs hall painted, so the only thing left was the entry way. I was just finishing up one wall when I stepped down to get off the ladder when the ladder wobbled. I held my breath and held still and figured it would stop. The ladder had other ideas. It went sailing out from under me and unfortunately, I landed on the hardwood floor.

Now, I'm sitting here with a sore bum, a fractured finger, a sprained wrist, and bruised pride. Not to mention my poor wall that was just painted now has a hole in it, my floor is scratched and my lovely mirror took on a new opaque linen white color to it.

This is why you should never tempt Fate by speaking aloud about something you don't want to occur. However, I look upon this as a sign. The sign is that I need to put my house back together and get back to writing. That is what I love to do so that is what I should be doing. And I think that is what Fate was trying to tell me. That's probably why it was my left hand that was injured and not my right.

You learn something new every day

Last night I worked on a blog post for today and when I finished it, I saw this link for post options. I clicked on it. Inside, it revealed the fact that I could set a date and time for the post.

My chin dropped, leaving my mouth open to catch invisible flies, and my eyes bugged out. "No way!"

After putting my eyes back inside my head and calming my excited heartbeat, I set the time for 6:30 this morning then exited the program.

Now, I am waiting with baited breath to see if the post really does show up at 6:30 this morning. Keep your fingers crossed.