Mr. C.’s Random Thoughts

This is awe-inspiring, especially when you consider the risks the people on the shuttle are taking!

I just got the results back from a lipid panel done on 10/10/07.  I have really been trying to “live healthier” and this is what happened:

Weight down 18 pounds!
Cholesterol down 28 points!
Triglycerides down 58 points!
LDLs down 8 points!
HDLs down 7 points (OK, this is going in the wrong direction but considering everything else, it’s probably OK!!)

On the other hand, tendonitis and bursitis in my left knee is up, but that’s OK.  I have some positive news for my doctor at my next appointment!! :-)

You can use www.lettermelater.com to send yourself reminder e-mails.  Very useful is you’re forgetful like me.

www.rememberthemilk.com is also a cool website which will allow you to access on online To Do list from anywhere with an Internet connection.

Hope it’s a great one, Ryan!

“We must have reasons for speech but we need none for silence.”

(If only I could listen to the advice that I’m so willing to dish out!)

…and in reality it probably isn’t but I’ve actually had a couple of people ask me why I haven’t been blogging much lately.

Well, the long and the short of it is that I have been (as my students call it) hella-busy.  Of course, everyone says that but I think I really have been.

The school year started and I have to say that I generally like all of my classes.  Which isn’t to say I don’t occasionally get the compulsion to sell students to the gypsies but on the whole everyone is pretty easy-going, respectful, and compliant.  And yes, that is a change from the classes that I had last year.  My most-rowdy class this year is easier to manage than the most-compliant class I had last year.

I don’t have my classroom during one of my classes (Web Design–last minute change in my schedule after I had already farmed out the software needed to other teachers) and my conference.  I know that having your room during your conference is a luxury but it’s been one that I’ve enjoyed for several years and I forgot how much it helps in getting things done.

My other big black hole of time and effort lately has been Key Club.  We have been keeping very close track of hours, projects, etc. and here’s the results:

September - Total Hours:  447 5/6 hours
September - Total Community Service Hours:  327 1/3 hours

October - Total Hours (to date):  299 1/6 hours
October - Total Community Service Hours (to date):  267 2/3

Needless to say, I am VERY PROUD of my kids.  Our major project has been the Big Boo, a haunted house in Amarillo.  We’re helping with it both as a fundraiser for our club and as a community service project (its proceeds go to Crimestoppers and the Downtown Women’s Shelter).  The majority of our hours for September and October have been dedicated toward this project (you have NO IDEA how much work this entails but it’s A LOT) .  But we’ve also done projects with the Ronald McDonald House, Kiwanis Flag Distribution, made personalized hall passes for new teachers at CHS, coordinated the CHS Homecoming Parade, participated in the Homecoming Pep Rally, started Key Clean-Up (a project that is dedicated to grounds clean-up and improvement),  did prep work for Fair on the Square, and are currently doing a fundraiser for UNICEF, gathering volunteers to work the CHS Blood Drive on Friday,  and were planning for a booth at Halloween Happening.

I’ve also been working on some self-improvement.  On August 31, I had blood drawn for a lipid panel (happy 35th birthday gift from my doctor when all I wanted was a renewal of my allergy medication prescription).  The results came back and I had high LDLs (bad cholesterol), high triglycerides (curse my love of chips and chicken fried steak!!), and low HDLs.  So I’ve really been trying to watch my diet and get some exercise.  Since Labor Day weekend, I’ve lost almost 20 pounds (I was at 21 pounds but have gained some back) and managed to give myself a good case of tendonitis in my left knee and have been hobbling around like Quasimodo for the last 2 weeks or so.  That’s what I get for listening to my doctor when he said, “You really need to provide an example of exercise for your children to see.”  Ungh.  Anyway, I had another lipid panel done last week and I’m waiting on its results.  If I don’t see some progress in the right direction I think I will have to find some naturally skinny person and smack them around until I feel better! ;-)  My “official” (this panel that I’m waiting for was a part of my school’s wellness program and doesn’t count as far as my doctor is concerned) lipid panel is scheduled for December 28.  My doctor said if I can make it through the holidays with my blood levels going in the right direction then we would know the lifestyle changes that I’m implementing are positive.  It is my sincere hope that I won’t need to address my cholesterol levels with medication.  None of my levels are astronomically out-of-norm so I am really hoping this will do the trick.

Well, I hope all my readers (both of you!) are having a great fall.  Let me know how life is and what is going on with you!