Responsibility 199, what is it?

Responsibility 199 is a belief; I believe that to be healthy and to increase my longevity I need to weigh 199 pounds or less...
Responsibility 199 is a need; I need to reduce my weight, reduce my percentage of body fat, and the elevated threat of disease my present condition presents...
Responsibility 199 is a mission; I recognize that achieving 199 will be a challenge, perhaps the hardest I have ever undertaken...
Responsibility 199 is a commitment; I acknowledge that I must commit to action, commit to change, commit to myself and those I love to achieve this mission, to increase my longevity...
Responsibility 199 is ME.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Day 229 - Happy Hanukkah to 13.1


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Happy Hanukkah to all of my friends of the Jewish faith. This year the Festival of Lights runs from sunset December 1 to sunset December 9. I am not Jewish, but as a young boy I grew up in a Jewish neighborhood in Chicago. I have many vivid memories of that time, one of which I will share here...

Sheldon Reese was king of the play ground. He would threaten kids with sharpened pencils to force their submission to his crown as the play ground bully. I was the new kid in school and I didn't care much for pencils, they were needed for school work and I didn't like school work. Thus one second-grade morning when Sheldon pointed one in my face in effort to kick me out of 'his' end of the play ground, well my Irish came out and I brought his reign to an end. The next day he returned to recess with his older brothers from the Hebrew high school 1/2 block away. Long story short they thumped me and Sheldon was reinstated king. That was my first experience with my Jewish neighbors and it imprinted my seven year old mind with prejudice. Soon enough the 4th grade rolled around where I met a cute Jewish girl. Sheldon also took a liking to her, Anna P-something-or-other, but his brothers could not help him win this battle; she simply was not impressed with his pencils I guess. Her father probably would have liked Sheldon, to Mr. P~ I was pure evil and he banished her from talking with me. Good for me that she didn't mind her father well. She as much as my time in that neighborhood reformed me, by the time I moved again after 6th grade I had matured enough to leave such prejudices where they belong, in my wake.

I believe I commented on this a month or so ago, shame on me if I did not, but this Sunday is the day that Christine over at Phoenix Revolution is going to walk, jog or crawl her way to 13.1 miles...

click for her original post announcing this opportunity
A few of her faithful followers have committed to doing the same, myself being one of them. I have a busy day planned Sunday, so I may end up getting in a mess of those miles early a.m. and then the rest later in the evening. Christine is good with that, so if needed that is what I will do. One way or another I am getting her those miles!
How about you, interested in joining us?

Off to a great start with December Go The Distance. Ate fantastic and drank enough water to swim. Put down a half dozen servings of veg & fruit combined as well. Wednesday was planned off day for me exercise wise, and I succeeded and executing that plan and not exercising. I do have exercise planned for Thursday - do you?

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

14 comments:

  1. Maybe Sheldon-The-Bully just needed more lead in his pencils!

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  2. Funny how prejudice starts.. many times in the home & children listening to their parents. For me, I was teased & made fun of for fat & Jewish as I lived in areas where I was one of the few Jews so it left me just wanting everyone to stop all that craziness & learn to like people for them & not put a label on them.. plus my parents were all about NO prejudice....

    Anyway, great that your are off to a fantastic December Patrick.. let us all keep that going! :-)

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  3. ... Or the pencils were too short. It is hard to impress with a short pencil.

    If you get enough snow, can sledding count for the 13.1 miles? - Sigh - I didn't think so.

    My neighbor went accidental deer hunting last night. He didn't use a gun. Apparently, the deer threw itself at his moving car. Both lost.

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  4. I agree with Jody, a lot of prejudice starts at home. We know what we are raised with. I don't know why I am still surprised at the strange things I hear people say about Jewish people... or any other group of people.

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  5. Sounds like you're off to a great start Patrick! Believe it or not, I don't think I know one Jewish person. I mean, I'm sure I do but I don't know who they are. Weird.

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  6. I read in the blogs soo often about weight loss leads to a love for running.... Errrrr not me! I just do my little 20 minutes on my treadmil every morning and check off my daily exercise

    I cant even wrap my head around running 13 miles OMG!!! that would be the end of me!!

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  7. I'll pocket those Hanukkah wishes, thank you. My latkes last night were fantastic and my kids enjoyed the first night too.

    Good luck on Sunday. I'm going to check out her challenge, I'm always up for one.

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  8. Good luck with those 13.1 miles. I do plan on getting in some gym time tonight but think I will pass with the 13.1 miles but I'm sure you'll bang them out.

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  9. I glad you lost the prejudice, Patrick. However I think it is safe and appropriate to maintain a prejudice against BULLIES. I can't stand them and love to see them taken down a notch. Yes, I've encountered a few in my time. :)

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  10. My body is just not up to 13.1 yet, but I'll be cheering you on and will get something in.

    I started typing that MAYBE 13.1 will be possible in 2011, but scratch that- it will be a reality. Everything starts in our heads, right?!

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  11. Good luck with the 13.1 miles! It's not on my to-do list until the spring. :)

    I enjoyed reading the pencil story.

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  12. Good luck Patrick, I am so not there yet, doing my twenty minutes I am huffing and puffing, hope to by spring, Did Tai Chi this am and walked the dog.
    Same tomorrow. I enjoyed reading the pencil story too. Thanks for commenting on my blog. take care. I do find you very inspiring.

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  13. I made latkes last night for the child!
    if my "made latkes" you mean we ate Hanukkah TATER TOTS---which this misfit does.

    This weekend I shall make the real thing.

    I hope :)

    Miz.

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  14. Sorry your were forced to prejudice at an early age, I am glad it was resolved.

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