Monday: Not too much to report except that I used the P90X DVD with a little bit of running. I jog/sprinted a mile in my apartment complex. I then came back and did the plyometrics. I like the DVD due to the high impact and large muscle groups that are engaged and wrecked. I also soak a shirt in sweat by the end of the session. Next time, I will take a picture of a before and after shot of me to illustrate my point.
Tuesday: I did my usual 0700 personal training session. She decided to use the free weights this morning. I did 3 sets of seated bicep curls. It was amusing to have her call one of the personal trainers doing his own sets a "meat head". This was after I tried to start emulating him after assuming he knew what he what he was doing. I then did some tricep curls. I then did some laid back tricep curls and combined with chest presses. She then punished my abs with more suicides and full body sit ups. After the session, I spent 30 minutes on the reclined bike.
After the gym, I decided to drive down to the Naval Exchange (NEX) by the Orlando International Airport. Before I move forward, let me explain two things. First, the Naval Exchange is a location that members of the military (active, retired, or reserve) can shop at tax free and generally with a discount compared to public options. There is a place like a department store with name brand items and a store like a grocery store (commissary). Second, as a "Future Soldier" I get the benefit of shopping at this store as if I was active. This makes it nice on the budget right now. Below are some pictures of the one I visit:
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| This is half of the building. The other half came out jumbled. |
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| Nice name brand products. |
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| Me trying on a part of my future uniform. |
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| Rock bottom prices for Boars Head! You can get a full Boar's Sub for $5.99! |
Later that night I did go out with my wife and a few of her friends to see a movie I did not think I would enjoy. This was No Strings Attached with Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman. Too me it illustrates how easily parents can screw with their kids' emotions later in life with their lack of emotional IQ. Overall I recommend it as a good date movie, if your over 17, preferably 18.
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| This was a pic I took in theater before going in to the movie. The Biebster is quite friendly, but rather quiet. |
Wednesday: Not too much to report now that I am not working very much right now. I did go to the recruiting station for PT. I did raise some awareness with the other Future Soldiers and recruiters about the Wounded Warrior Project 5k at Baldwin Park on March 19th. I believe it will get the Future Soldiers to become motivated to get ready for basic. It will also be at the same location as out FS PT:
View Larger Map
After stirring interest for the 5K run, I found out that I was going to be "promoted" to alternate platoon guide, or PG. A PG is the person that takes on the role of a platoon sergeant when they are not actually a sergeant. They use this role in basic and beyond from what I understand. Here is an amusing description by a guardsmen while he was at BCT online:
Ah, the PG, I was PG for 4mo!! Which came out to be good, The DS realized I could make their life alot easier because of my background. Long story short. Lots of sleepless nights, notebooks full of misc garbage, listening to complaints about BS for recruits, everybody expects you to know the answer, etc.. On the plus side, given the leadership and trust, it carried me along way and I recieved Honor Grad for the company and there were other perks here and there. You have to think of the platoon as a whole not just individuals. Its something you will never forget, good learning experience.
Everyone I talk to seems to think I should be expecting this role with my age, college, and rank. YAY!
Now I mentioned that for now I am an alternate PG for our recruiting station. This basically means I am assistant PG and take on the roles when my PG is not around. This usually entails communicating with squad leaders and FSs, getting the group ready and stretched for PT, and what ever else the recruiters need.
In my previous post, I got some flak from a recruiter that I mentioned previously, SSG Coors. At his request I will change it to something more fitting: SSG Lime. Personally I think Lime sounds less macho than Coors, but his choice. No TAKE-BACKS SSG Lime!
Moving on, SSG Lime decided he was going to run PT today rather then SGT Carolina. As mentioned in previous posts, SSG Lime's PT is faster paced. However, SGT Carolina makes PT less about pain and more about using elements of mental concepts of things we will need to know in basic. This includes the phonetic alphabet, Soldier's Creed, etc. SSG Lime started had us soing various exercises: push ups, flutter kicks, sit ups, and more push ups. Then he had us run about a mile around the park. We did stop a few times to do some sprints and shuttle runs. He then had us finish out with some more calisthenics. However, I did feel somewhat dizzy and sick and took a break most of the last 10 minutes of the workout. I guess I did not drink enough water that day and paid for it.
Thursday: For whatever reason, FS PT was canceled today. Becasue of my new role as alternate PT, I was partially responsible for getting this word out. However, I was at the DMV getting my driver's license updated to make paper work easier at BCT reception when I got the message. Luckily, the PG was able to call half of the list while I got to enjoy an hour of fun with Orange County's most colorful characters. I did take advantage of my freed up afternoon. I decided to sit by the pool and read my new book. I forgot to mention that my wife did buy me a book that contains condensed version of many Army manuals. Much of this information is what I will need to learn before or during BCT.
Later than night, I went to downtown Orlando for a social for two non-profits that I support and work with in Orlando. One is Mel's Bad Girls Club and One Brick Orlando. I actually had the pleasure of being a part of the start up for One Brick in Orlando. If you like to volunteer but with no commitments, check our site. And yes, we are on Facebook. It was a fun event with "arouse" as the theme. They had a massage therapist, a "romantic aid" display, and burlesque show on hand. Not to mention a free drink and glass of champagne. Giving back to the community can be very enjoyable!
One of the burlesque dancers. And no my wife does not get (visibly) jealous, just like I don't get jealous when she gawks at Mike Rowe.
Friday: I was somewhat tired from the night before. I did make it to my personal training session at 0700. I did give her a case of the yawns though. She had me do a series of lunges and step ups with some other lower body exercises. She then had me do some inclined sit-ups with a 5lbs medicine ball, and paired that with some plank action. Lots of fun. I did skip my usual cardio after that, and came home to nap. I then made my over to the pool. I did a series of laps in the pool with my snorkeling fins with just my legs. On top of that, the water felt like a nice 74 degrees. After warming back up I read some more of my book.
Saturday: Was a lot of fun. I got to volunteer at the Orlando Chili Cookoff! This entailed selling food and beer tickets and selling some soft drinks. I got there early and sampled a great deal of chili. The best part was towards the end of the day, the group realized that they had way too many beverages left over and started letting the volunteers partake in the surplus. Then included Blue Moon beer. Like I said, volunteering has many benefits aside from feeling better about helping your community. Cumulatively, there was about 17,000 people in attendance!
To finish the week, I picked my wife up from the airport after her last graduate school voice audition at Northwestern. She has worked hard to get to this point and could not be more proud of her. Here was a very real looking piece of art at OIA I have seen.
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| Not real...?!?! |
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| I found this pic to show I was not randomly taking pics of people in a creep fashion. |
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