20 Pounds

So, yeah, that's how much weight I've taken off since the beginning of the year. And I feel pretty fantastic about that (but I ain't braggin'). Simple combination of no dessert or junk food and lots of walking, gym workouts. I plan on gaining a bit of that back next week while in Florida (I want to enjoy my holiday after all) but will recommit to taking off more when I return. It's been a busy week at school so it's helped the time fly more quickly - but still not fast enough, as I've been counting down to our flight on Saturday. Today the grade 4 classes led a spirit assembly on 'dealing peacefully with others' and it went really well. We had everyone join in the singing of 2 songs that people seemed to like: "Let's Celebrate (the Human Race)" and "Don't Laugh at Me". Overall the assembly was a bit stressful with lots of potential for things to go wrong but in the end it all came off smoothly (and I only made a couple guitar errors).
Finished Ken Follett's "Fall of Giants" and thoroughly enjoyed it. Whipped through it pretty quickly in fact. Here's what I wrote in my database review which I use to track my reading:

Over 1000 pages you can really develop a relationship with the characters, even though there are many of them. Basically follows 5 fictionalized families (Welsh miners, British aristocrats, Russian peasants, German soldiers, U.S. diplomats) and their interesting (but contrived of course) interactions and viewpoints during World War One. The only issue I have with Follett is his emphasis on sex as a major motivator of the human species (and his unnecessarily detailed descriptions of these acts). Beth wonders if this is a European or British mindset as we’ve run across it before with some other writers.



Musically I ended up listening to Chagall Guevera early in the week. What a great rock album! It got me listening to lead singer Steve Taylor's first and last releases ("I Want to Be a Clone" and "Squint" respectively). Picked up Bruce Cockburn's new "Small Source of Comfort" on Tuesday and gave it a first listen - didn't blow me away but I'll give it more careful attention next week. Also bought Buddy Miller's "Majestic Silver Strings" but not very impressed on the initial spin. He only seems to sing on a few songs and there are way too many country hurtin' songs on it. Listened to his (& wife Julie) on their "Written in Chalk" to remind myself how much I do like his other stuff.
I'm so looking forward to being in Florida starting tomorrow - got my books, iPod and iPad ready to go, along with a new puzzle book for some brain exercise. I don't really know what we'll end up doing while we're down there but I'm sure there will be warmth and it will be nice to be with Mom & Dad. And, of course, it will be wonderful just to have some relaxing time to spend with Beth. I'm even kinda looking forward to the flight - lots of opportunity to read or listen to music.