Off to a Slow Start

I worked out this morning.

That's actually newsworthy, because I am extremely unmotivated to work out historically. I was blessed with a superhigh metabolism, that seems to be slowing down dramatically. I've always been "athletic" since I was a child, I played 15 years of soccer, a few seasons of basketball, rowed crew, and now as an adult I manage to shoehorn various seasons of kickball, soccer, flag football, softball, and bowling into my schedule, often at the same time of year. (Yes, I realize many of those sports require little running and mass quantities of alcohol consumption.)

I saw a picture of myself from this past weekend that a friend posted on FB yesterday. There's no way that could be me. I've been treating myself horribly of late. Too much fried/fast food, too much beer, not enough sleep, and obviously next to zero amounts of exercise.

So after crew this morning (just coaching), I worked out. Nothing fantastic, just some lifecycle and some elliptical work. It's a start, maybe. A few months ago, I tried to get into running. I signed myself up for a 5K, started running at least 3 times a week. I got through 4 weeks of training, caught a cold, and used it as an excuse to stop training. I still ran the 5K, (well ran and walked it). But that's been my history with exercise.

I have trouble with the motivation. Today was a start. Now I just have to make myself do it again either tomorrow or Thursday. And keep myself away from McDonald's, Popeyes, and Yuengling.

Repentance

So here we are again, another year down, another Yom Kippur upon us. Another chance to truly step back and think about the mistakes we've made and the misdeeds we've done.

I haven't had a very good year in all honesty. Far more often than is acceptable, I've been hurtful and dishonest to people I claim to (or really do) care about. Many of them have moved on, and left me behind, probably to their own advantage.

Additionally, there are those in my life, who I don't know if I wronged, but they believe I do, and have also moved on, shut me out, and said goodbye. I am guilty of mistreating them as well, because even if they just think I did something, true or not, the fact that they have reason to make those conclusions is on me.

I don't feel much like a good person lately. I'm not sure when I became so selfish and presumptious. I'm hesitant to commit to plans, even with people I care about and haven't seen, because I'm worried something else (better?) might be coming up as well. I've drifted away from family, definitely drifted away from friends, and treated girls in ways that I remember them treating me when I was young, and clearly hated.

This has not been close to my best year. Apparently my actions lead people to discuss my behavior behind my back, and share "secrets" with those who could ultimately be hurt. I'm guilty for that as well, because again any reason to discuss my behavior, whether truth or rumor, comes back to how I act.

I want to be better. I want to improve, and cherish the people who still think I have value. This post isn't meant to be a blanket apology for my past actions or deeds, just an acknowledgment that I wasn't as good as I should have been, and I do feel the effects of that behavior. Those I have lost this year, I really will miss, and those who are considering leaving, I don't blame. I'm driving you all away.

So I'll try to improve, I'll try to think harder about the impact of my life on others, and maybe next year, I won't feel quite so compelled to write this post.

I Don't Get Madison Avenue

I work in communications, so I consider myself more media-savvy that the average duck. I even dabble in the advertising industry occasionally for my clients, suggesting creative direction or copywriting for things that may actually appear on TV and radio.

That being said, I don't understand why the Mad Ave suits think we as consumers are more receptive to foreign accents.

Exhbit A: The Geico gecko... Why? Why? WHY is he Australian? Have we always had a latent desire to buy our insurance from Down Under? Are Aussies known for their insurance? And even more simply, geckos are from all over the world. Every time I visit the fam in Florida, I see geckos crawling all over the walls and floors, I don't have to go to Oz to see one.

(and don't get me started on the nimrodery that is the Geico cavemen.)

Exhibit B: The Nasonex bee... I had to double check this online, because I was reasonably certain I recognized the voice, and yep, its Antonio Banderas. I get it, women swoon for him, but as an animated bee? Are you more likely to rush out for nasal spray? Does it help sell product that the man can't pronounce half the ad, but he has Latin flavor?

On one hand, I know the counterargument is "But PRSlave, you're talking about them here now, so clearly the ads stick with you."

Indeed... but I'm so anti-talking Spanish bees that I intentionally go out and buy other generic nasal sprays just to avoid picturing Bee Movie en Espanol. And Geico, I inherited from my parents, and I'm rapidly considering switching just to not be associated with the cavemen. I do find "Flo the Nationwide woman" rather earnest...

What about you? Any ads defy reason for y'all?

FINAL UPDATE - This Isn't the Make A Wish Foundation

So apparently the meeting went down this past Sunday. I was spared having to attend by the board, and for that I'm eternally grateful. I'm told that he handled it gracefully, and understood that not only was it about his own personal safety, but the safety of his fellow rowers needed to be taken into consideration.

However, I'm told from different sources, who saw him after the fact, that he was deeply hurt and fairly resentful of how it went down. I completely empathize. I feel awful that I'm a part of taking away something that not only was emotionally important to him, but also a crucial part of his physical activity to slow the advancement of the disease.

He came up to me on Tuesday to thank me for my coaching, and to "say goodbye". It was 8 minutes of total awkwardness where I tried to assure him that I admired his efforts to stay active and it was a pleasure to coach him. It was one of those conversations with no end though, no simple, "well, take care" to get yourself out of. Just me and him staring at each other, not trying to make too much eye contact.

He'll still be around the boathouse. He was given a "lifetime membership" to use the facilities and to thank him for all his time and efforts to improve the program. Hopefully he'll keep coming down and working out, and (selfishly) hopefully I won't have to talk to him too much anymore... now we have 2 months to try and teach the rest of his group how to really row...