My accuracy for Basketball tipping has taken a downward slide, today. I made two, and lost one. That gives me a 66.66% accuracy for the day. Overall, I have a 70% accuracy – 7/10 right. This is alright, but nowhere near the 8/10 to 9/10 that I’m shooting for.

The Portland Trailblazers beat the New Jersey Nets by a convincing ten points. The Nets are still winless, after fifteen games, and things are not looking bright for them. That was one in the bag.

The Boston Celtics jumped ahead, to beat the Philidelphia 76ers by three points. That was closer than I predicted it would be, but a win is still a win, and I’ll gladly take that.

The one I got wrong  just happened to be the one I was most confident about. The Toronto Raptors lost to the Charlotte Bobcats. I’m still very happy with the bet that I made. The upset was quite unpredictable.

Tonight I had the pleasure of doing P90X Plyometrics with the assistance of my new Vibram Five Fingers.  I was pretty happy with them, I must say.  Here are just a few reasons I noted:

1. The Five Fingers are light – very light compared to my normal running/fitness shoes
2. The shoes felt a part of me due to their unique design
3. During the exercises that have you jump up and turn 180 degrees or more, I typically feel a small wrench in my knee; not so with the Vibram Five Fingers
4. Tony Horton says in this workout to land softly; wearing these almost mandates a landing on the balls of your feet/toes so that mandate is easily accomplished when you wear these
5. With lunges, the flexibility of the toes region allows some toes to flex and others not to, so the response by your foot is more normal as opposed to a forced motion by a conventional shoe because of its design

Plyometrics has you jumping throughout the workout, so I was expecting some blisters to pop up (or pop later on!).  But that was not the case.  My Vibram Five Fingers performed like champs.  I did notice a change in some balance movements like the one legged quad stretch, but with a slight change I was able to balance as though I had no shoes on.  And with the Vibram Five Fingers, that is close to being almost true.

All in all, my workout was strong and I’m closing in on Day 90 with each workout.  I’m excited to wear these shoes in upcoming workouts, especially Yoga, due to their lightness.  And perhaps very soon I can give them their paces running through the neighborhood.  Great workout, great results – and yes, I even sweated a little.

What paces have you put your Five Fingers through lately?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Starting next week the viewers will vote out the bottom guy & girl without say from the panel. I dislike this because then the solos are meaningless (no more dancing for your life) plus the judges have a better idea of what is good dancing. This means the contestants and choreographers will be challenged for chemistry but the top ten will know they are going on tour so cool for them.

The first two couples are Karen and Victor and Ashleigh and Jakob. The first couple in danger tonight is…Karen and Victor. As expected (and desired). Ashleigh made it into the top ten! After she almost wasn’t in the top 20! Mary says they’ve been growing so they have a chance to fight to stay in.

(Random thought- who else thinks “oh how the mighty have fallen” when they see Karen from Will & Grace in the I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter commercial?)

The next two couples are Mollee and Nathan and Kathryn and Legacy. This is a tough one as Mollee and Nathan had a bit of a tough first number but I feel like Legacy is doing better than expected which isn’t the same as doing as well as the others. The second couple in danger is…Mollee and Nathan. Sad but hopefully they’ll have an awesome set of solos. Adam thinks the couples didn’t connect with the audience but if they get through they’ll have the chance to dance with new partners. Maybe as a couple, they are too young together. Adam points out that the clips before the performances are important too because it affects how the audience views you.

Noelle and Russell and Ellenore and Ryan. I kind of hope to keep Noelle and Ryan…I like Russell but I’m not in awe of him and I think I like Nathan and Victor better. (Once again they show the order of Noelle and Russell’s performances in the wrong order.) And I’d like to see Mollee and Noelle return. (I wonder if Noelle and Mollee are still as close as they were during tryouts. In the bottom is…Ellenore and Ryan. Nigel says he’s frustrated but then again the people who made it through were great too. He says Ryan is one of the best partners and Ellenore is one of the best girls. (Wouldn’t it be fun to see Ashleigh and Ryan partner but not for ballroom?)

Meanwhile, a dancer from the American Ballet Theater. Cool for her though I wish they’d gotten more than one dancer. Also, I’m not a fan of slow ballet. I much prefer it to be reinterpreted into a more modern style. But ouch for her toes…

Karen up first doing what is once again a relatively lame and repetitive solo.

Next is Victor with something cool and slightly odd.

Now Mollee. And she comes out kicking, again with a unique and exciting solo.

Nathan fourth. Also goo though I think last time was a little better. He had some good moments and some mediocre ones.

Fifth comes Ellenore. Her is interesting, not as great as Mollee but still good. I think a big choreographed routine by her would be interesting.

Ryan is last. His solo is sadly reminiscent of Karen’s (we get it, those steps are advanced but give us something more!).

Now we get Shakira. It’s pretty awful The only thing cool about the dancing was that it was a lot of people in sync. Shakira can’t really song, she did a move that looked like something most people only do behind closed doors and I hate when songs refer to the singers (for example the line “Shakira shakes her hips like nobody can”). Some of the dance moves looked particularly awkward when done only halfway by Shakira.

Girls: Nigel says that Mollee fought for her place in the top ten more so than any other. Ellenore gets a good reaction with the audience and the judges don’t know how she can improve. Karen meanwhile is a fantastic performer and it is difficult for ballroom to do a solo but it felt like she’d given up tonight. And therefore, Karen will be going home. (There’s something sad about the song being “Don’t Let Me Go” as they’re being let go.)

Guys: This decision is not unanimous. Victor has grown as a person and his solo was terrific. Ryan has been delightful but his solos are tough. His partner work is tremendous though. (Does this mean Nathan is leaving?) Nathan hasn’t really grown yet on the show. Nigel would have sent Nathan home but the choice was for Victor to go. Sad but I guess I didn’t want any of the bottom guys to go.

¿Por qué luchas en la vida? ¿Cuáles son los objetivos que mueven tus esfuerzos? ¿Lo que haces te satisface? ¿Lo que quieres es lo que realmente te apasiona? Te hago esas preguntas porque a veces en nuestra vida gastamos todas nuestras fuerzas en objetivos que nos proporcionan resultados no deseados. En otros casos asumimos que vamos por el camino correcto y no es así.

Todavía estás a tiempo para re-enfocar tus objetivos y todavía estás a tiempo para re-definir tu camino. No gastes tu tiempo en cosas que no te generan satisfacción. Me explico: te gusta jugar baloncesto pero en realidad no eres el mejor en ese deporte, sin embargo eres excelente músico. ¿No sería mejor que toda esas horas que inviertes en tu pasatiempo las dedicaras a la música donde realmente sí eres bueno?…a eso me refiero. “Lo que nos gusta muchas veces no es donde realmente somos buenos”…..pregunto: ¿podemos convertir nuestras habilidades en nuestra pasión? Transforma tus habilidades en tu pasión, esa es la meta y si ya las posees perfeccionalas. Al final del camino estarás contento contigo mismo.

¿Te gustaría vivir tu vida viviendo tu pasatiempo o viviendo tu pasión? Creeme, tu pasión te brindará resultados exitosos, tu pasatiempo solo te permitirá “pasar el tiempo”. Vive tu pasión .. “tu pasión te dára emoción”.

************

What makes you struggle in life? Which are the objectives that moves your strengths? What you do gives you satisfaction? Are you really passionate about what you want? I ask you all these questions because sometimes in life we spend all ourstrengths in objectives that brings unwanted results. In other cases we think that we are walking the correct path and we aren’t.

You still have time to refocus your objectives and you still have time to redefine your path. Don’t waste time in things that doesn’t brings you satisfaction. Let me explain this: maybe you like to play basketball, but you know that you are not the best in this sport, however you are an amazing musician. Wouldn’t be better to spend all those diversion hours of basketball in what you know you are really good and in what you are passionate about?… that’s what I mean.  Sometimes “what we like is not what we are really good at”.  Can we convert our abilities in our passion?  Transform your abilities in your passion, that’s the goal and if you already posses it, work to make it better.

Would you like to live your life living for your diversion or living for your passion? Believe me, your passion will give you pleasure and satisfaction, your diversion will only bring you limited pleasure. Live your passion.. “your passion will give you emotion”.

The public relations industry has seen many changes over the years, but none more significant then the results-based philosophy being adopted throughout the industry.

A new breed of pr agency has sprung up pushing aside traditional pr agencies, boasting results-based services under the banner of performance-led delivery.

Gone are the ‘bad old days’ when public relations agencies would request large fees to represent a client, to then simply send out a press release en masse to see what happens. Or arrange a booze up at the expense of a client, under banner of corporate hospitality.

Now, however, the public relations industry has had to adapt in order to not only re-establish its own reputation as a useable service, but also to show that the art or science of public relations can actually support modern-day business operations.

Indeed, the success of incorporating this philosophy has been so immense, that virtually all public relations agencies now promote the term ‘results-driven’ in their own external communications.

Although the public relations is a separate function to that of the marketing industry, although some would say public relations is a marketing tool (not true), marketing agencies need to consider the principles and practices that have been adopted by the public relations industry.

The business offering of some marketing agencies, such as Millennium, already understand and operate within the guidelines of results-based and performance-led, which has led them to establish long-term business relationships with their clients.

Some critics would say you can’t set a results-based approach to all areas of marketing, because of the industry’s diversity. But the public relations profession is not just about sending out press releases. It’s has numerous tricks – not just media relations – to introduce, maintain and protect corporate reputations. Besides which, if something is worth doing then surely it’s worth doing right. Plus, how can agencies expect to form long-term relationship with their clients if they don’t actually support their clients’ bottom-line?

The move towards setting pre-agreed objectives has already taken hold in the public relations industry, and this ideology has already helped to reflect the term ‘public relations’ as a must have weapon in any corporate armoury and not just an expensive way of wasting money.

So if the public relations industry can do it, surely the marketing sector must see a need to follow and introduce an end-game that reflects the needs of the client – surely.

The big news out of Tuesday’s contests is that Liverpool has crashed out in the group stage for the first time in six years.  Despite the fact that the Reds notched a 1-0 win over Debrecen, Fiorentina managed a win over Lyon to book their spot in the knockout stage.  Here’s hoping Liverpool will be able to do some good things in the Europa League. Arsenal joined Fiorentina in the knockout stage with a 2-0 win over Standard, while Barcelona helped their cause greatly with a 2-0 win over Inter Milan.

Tuesday’s Results
Debrecen 0
Liverpool 1 (Ngog 4)

Fiorentina 1 (Vargas 28-pen)
Lyon 0

Rubin Kazan 0
Dynamo Kiev 0

Barcelona 2 (Piqué 10, Pedro Rodríguez 26)
Inter 0

Rangers 0
Stuttgart 2 (Rudy 16, Kuzmanović 59)

Unirea 1 (Dragutinović 45-o.g.)
Sevilla 0

AZ Alkmaar 0
Olympiacos 0

Arsenal 2 (Nasri 35, Denilson 45+2)
Standard 0

Wednesday’s Schedule
Bordeaux vs. Juventus
Bayern Munich vs. Maccabi Haifa
CSKA Moskva vs. Wolfsburg
Man. United vs. Beşiktaş – . 2:40 p.m. ET/Setanta (Live); 7 p.m. ET/Fox Soccer (Delayed)
Real Madrid vs. Zurich – 5 p.m. ET/Fox Soccer (Delayed)
AC Milan vs. Marseille – 2:30 p.m. ET/Fox Soccer (Live)
Porto vs. Chelsea
APOEL vs. Atletico Madrid

The results for the ECIL GET have been announced. The selected candidates list can be found here :

http://www.ecil.co.in/GEalpha241109.pdf

For TPGITians::

Hurray, two (at least) of our alumni are on the list!!

After a long bout of a lingering cold/cough/congestion which continues to haunt me, I decided that enough was enough and that I needed to get back on track with my P90X plan.  When my infection initially hit, I was left breathless, fatigued and hacking.  For those of us doing P90X, that’s the norm, right?    Only this time it was not the worked out feeling I was experiencing.  My body simply could not perform.  So, for many frustrated days I was unable to stay on track with a true 90 day plan.  I think I’m probably about a week off, so I could label my trek as P97X.  Regardless, I feel like my body is at the point where symptoms are starting to subside to the point that I can perform and hopefully push this junk completely out of my system.
Last night was my last time at the Chest, Shoulders and Triceps workout.  You start this program in the 2nd phase during Week 5.  I’ll miss this workout because it’s really a fun one that blasts the upper body and really challenges you. 

The first graph you see above I listed all the exercises that you are to do using your bodyweight only.  So you’ll see many push ups, etc.  Upon review of the data, I saw great progress in most areas.  MOST…    I’ve done more tri-rises in a different workout, but the time you are allotted kept my number from going as high as I’ve actually done (which is 23).  You’ll notice the big Goose Eggs on One Arm Pushups.  More power to Jack Palance for doing these, but by the time you get to these in the workout plan, my triceps are toasted and the body is simply not willing to put out any effort for these (even on my knees).  Overall, including all reps, I improved 63% from start to finish. 

On the second graph you’ll see I now list all exercises using weights.  To attempt to figure improvement, I introduced a concept I’ve learned called “Tonnage” where you multiply your weights by your reps to get a figure that you can compare to the back end.  This concept worked to show improvement in all but a few areas.  For Pour Flys, Front to Back Tricep Extensions and DB Cross-Body Blows, there was no improvement shown due to the tonnage model because at Week 5 I was doing high reps with low weights.  By Week 12 I was doing higher weights with less reps.  So, while my strength was up, this is where the tonnage model needs an asterisk by it and shows once again the difficulty comparing actual effort in these cases.  Regardless, I showed a total strength increase of 42%.
Whether flawed or not, taking 63% and 42% and averaging them out, I’m a little over 50% stronger than I was a few weeks ago.  I don’t know about you, but that does bring a smile to my face as it shows validity once again to the outcomes P90X can produce.  The numbers don’t lie.
Ready to allow P90X to change you?  If so, I would enjoy being your Coach (free of charge) to motivate you and guide you and advise you on your way. 

Click on this LINK to get started or to learn more!

This is the second in a short (but as yet indeterminate) series of posts arising in part from my reflections on living abroad that is cross-posted here and on HLSwatch.com.

A few months ago I read somewhere that President Barack Obama had included the novel Netherland by Joseph O’Neill on his summer reading list. The choice intrigued me, so I picked up a copy myself.

The novel, set largely in and around New York City in the months after 9/11, follows the experiences of an expatriate Dutchman as he grapples with the changes in his life following that devastating event. O’Neill’s narrator, Hans van den Broek, turns to playing cricket on weekends with a ragtag assembly of other expats as he struggles to overcome the darkness that envelopes him after his wife flees the city with their son to take refuge with her parents in London.

The sport of cricket and those with whom Hans plays provide him with an intimate outlet for his energies while introducing him to an exotic and sometimes sinister world beyond the comfortable experience of his existence before the attacks. In cricket, Hans finds a connection with his past. As Hans forges new friendships with other immigrants through cricket, he rediscovers the importance of relationships and in doing so reconnects with himself and his family.

When I learned that the president was reading this book, I was intrigued because it followed the story of a 9/11 survivor (albeit fictional) who was not an American and told the story through his experiences with a game unfamiliar to most Americans. As I followed its narrative, I could not help but wonder what lessons the president took from its pages.

Americans are not alone in their penchant for sports metaphors and analogies. Like its alleged descendent, baseball, cricket has been the source of a rich cultural idiom, which is often reflected in our language. But unlike baseball metaphors, which tend to emphasize power and domination, cricket metaphors tend to emphasize fair play, equanimity, and the vagaries of life.

In baseball-speak hitting a homerun or whiffing suggests two opposite outcomes from the confrontation between the pitcher and hitter. In cricket – the game’s name itself is often used as a synonym for candid and impartial conduct – one might find oneself ‘on a sticky wicket’ such as the difficulty confronted by both the bowler and the batsman when the bowled ball bounces in a flat or inconsistent fashion due to a too wet bowling surface.

As an American weaned on baseball, I found it difficult to understand cricket when I first moved to New Zealand. A test match between national sides can last for up to five days, and sometimes ends in a tie. As an American used to certain outcomes from sporting contests, the confusion produced by watching a lengthy contest that ends in such an ambiguous fashion is only compounded by the realization that the players and fans often see this ambivalent ending coming after just two days of play. Yet they routinely continue the competition anyway.

The games we play affect more than the language we use. Insofar as they arise from our experience of the world, they affect the words we use to describe it. In turn, they also become metaphors for our relationship to the world and others in it.

In light of this, is it any wonder then that India and Pakistan (two of the world’s greatest cricket-playing nations) would – even after watching the Cold War end leaving both former adversaries armed but unsure whom to target – choose to arm themselves with nuclear weapons even though they arguably have little or no intention of using them against one another much less anyone else?

Tomorrow here in the United States we will celebrate Thanksgiving Day. For many of us, sporting contests will feature prominently in our family rituals. It strikes me that these particular sports and the central role they play on such a significant national holiday say a lot about our own culture and values as well.

This seemed evident enough on Tuesday at a news conference after President Obama’s meeting with Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh, when the president, being questioned about his decision on General McChrystal’s troop request and the impending announcement of a new strategy for America’s involvement in Afghanistan, spoke of his intention to ‘finish the job’ and reiterated his administration’s intention to disrupt, dismantle, and destroy al-Qaeda. Which sporting metaphor fits these sentiments best, and what does it say about our opponents and our expectations?

With few exceptions, Americans enjoy sports that have gained little following or purchase beyond our own shores. The sports in which most of the world engages involve inherent ambiguities and often outright contradictions (as we witnessed this week in the dispute arising from the errant hand ball in the soccer World Cup qualifier between France and Ireland).

The officials in these games must often apply considerably more discretion than the balls and strikes or safe-at-home calls reserved to baseball umpires or the flag throwing and whistle-blowing of football referees.In some instances, these officials act as finders of fact and interpreters of law and can literally decide to call or not call an obvious infraction. Their decisions can and often do have a consequential influence over a contest’s outcome, yet their judgments leave no recourse for either side. Notwithstanding this situation, players and fans of these games consider these contests worthy of intense attention and most fervent devotion, which often means the heated debate after the match over a few pints is every bit as much a part of the action as what happened on the pitch between the sides.

As we look forward to the trials of the alleged 9/11 terrorists co-conspirators in the federal courts in the year ahead, we would do well to ask ourselves what we expect of these impending contests and how sport informs our judgments about what will happen in them. Does our decision depend on the outcome?

Likewise, we would do well to consider how others will see these tests. Is it likely that someone, although comfortable with ambiguity and more fluent in the contradictions of an uneven pitch and the vagaries of officials’ human fallibility, will see these trials or their outcomes as fair and just?

First of all BIG WOOT WOOT to Shannon for all her recent hard work paying off in the job world!  SO excited for all the possibilities that can come out of this. YAY SHANNNNNN!

Today was filled with lotsa fun for a Tuesday. I started the day with my first goal, to run. I ran a meager 1.5 miles and was struck by a killer ab-cramp that stopped me short But I got home okay and then headed out for an optional class discussion today on Buddhist Ethics.  It was a very lively discussion to say the least…with a side of vegan pumpkin pie (I love Berkeley, I’m in heaven).  Then I journeyed off to meet my lovely friend Kristen who recently moved to Nashville for b-school. She was back visiting so we got a (brief) nice chance to catch up. Followed that up with a bang trim at my favorite hair salon. The highlight no doubt had to be finally seeing New Moon with Jill. I had to wait a whole 4 days since it opened….but it was worth it to see it with my partner in crime. The movie was okay, Robert Pattison needs acting lessons from the rest of the cast.  But it was entertaining and definitely a step up from the first movie.

Tomorrow I leave for LA/SD for the holiday so my goals will be simple:

1. Pack mindfully. Try to remember all the right study materials.

2. Run (sans stomach cramp would be great this time).

Nite nite guys, I’m down for the count.

The result came at 10:57pm…The mirror-ball trophy went to …Donny Osmond!

cue the confetti, cue forgotten contestants rushing the stage, cue Marie(and her new body), cue the Osmond clan…(I was waiting for Latoya to help lift the trophy…but she missed that moment)!

The standings were (as I predicted…I’ll take all pats on the back…thank you) Kelly in third and Mya in second. I must say, I was pretty solid on my decision coming into the night, but halfway through, an odd shift happened…the people in the crowd began to voraciously favour Kelly, I almost thought an upset was in the cards…interesting.

Honestly, the night was supposed to be a celebration of talent, displaying all that the dancers had learned and how far they had all come, in anticipation of awarding the highest (and most credible) dancing honour…but what we got was the complete opposite. There were countless confusing routines made up of “loser” dancers (hint: we DIDNT vote for those people for a reason…) from past and present seasons. It was all very bewildering to me…why bring back dancers that no one remembers, or that got the least votes (indicating that they were the least popular and/or talented) to dance in the most watched episode of the season?! Why not bring back old favourites…like all previous WINNERS?

I will tell you…

Because anyone who has used the show as a fame-vehicle has gone on to have careers…and those who did NOT do well on the show, still NEED the show to self-promote…and they will do it in the most shameful and degrading ways…liek joining the “losers” club, or having “loser showdowns” or participating in Mambo competitions with the current reigning champion of the Mambo competition (that model that danced with Derek). And yes, we all sat through an hour and 57 minutes of that ‘entertainment’…sigh…I feel so used.

You could see the look of relief and pure joy as the pro dancer FINALLY got  a chance to dance with eachother (bring some class to the show) while dancing to a Whitney Houston performance.

I am pleased with the final result, Donny (matched) deserved that trophy– and I have heard rumours that MOST vote-out stars and pro-dancers were on the Donny/Kym train based on attitude behind the scenes. That speaks volumes to me…
Overall, the top 3 performances of old numbers from the season was the highlight of the night for me…This was a closer fianle than there has been in a while…television loves a close battle —and who ever thought you would get the prince of darkness and family, the Osmond clan AND the (less famous) Jacksons all in one room to watch Ballroom dance? Blows my mind…

Congrats Donny.

I was reading this article in the New York Times around Metrics and the increased role it appears to be playing in our daily lives.

Did you know that there’s a site to quantify your sexual performance? bedposted.com. And so on.

The article raises a few fundamental questions.

The first is whether the rise of Metrics means the death of Instinct. Or death of ‘feeling’. Will we no longer do things because we feel like as there is no data to support. I feel like a pizza this evening. Will there be a dashboard that maps calories, enjoyment, cost and create an index that recommends what I do? Will your affection for someone be measured by a weighted index of calls, gifts, holidays, flowers etc? And will this lead to frequent reviews based on the performance of the index?

The second question the article raises is whether organisation, or even government, action gets directed more towards actions that can be measured. Will investment decisions be governed by what data can be found to support it? In my industry ie advertising, we see this sort of ‘errant’ behaviour in the mad chase for awards. The only way to judge the creativity of an agency seems to be number of awards won. And, as I mentioned in my earlier post, the chase for awards sometimes puts the agency in conflict with its raison d’etre.

Good article, the one in NYT.

I just started reading the book The Diamond Cutter where the author in the introduction talks about how he took on a role in the company and his negotiation with the owners/managers was that he would deliver the numbers but he should be given a free hand on staffing, salaries etc. Many companies today operate with different versions of the same process. ie we care only about the numbers. Not how you get it. This is obviously flawed as there is no way of replicating success nor identifying faults when things go wrong.

A balanced scorecard is important to understand not just the end result but how the result was obtained.

I don’t have a recommendation on this but the insanity of ‘let’s put a score’ against everything should be tempered with ‘do we need to measure it’ and ‘is that the right thing to measure’. The responses will vary on a case by case basis and that is where human intervention and thought come into play. Else computers that can measure far better than us could run the world. If not already!

Want to end with this rather sad story of a teacher in the UK. I heard this from a teacher friend so it is true! Apparently in the UK they recently decided to score the teachers. So this teacher who was rated as one of the top teachers in the school and a student favourite was one of those that got scored too. Now apparently, her style, was to start her class with some sort of dramatic opening. Quite like what they tell you at presentation skills workshops. However, the person doing the scoring had in her chart that ‘Teachers must start with a greeting before they do any thing else’.  Hence the teacher got scored down and instead of excellent, she got a good. Frustrated with this, the teacher quit her job, to the great loss of the school and the students.

So measure what is relevant. Marry it with the results. Use your own judgement.

For the second time, the results for the Dare to be Fit ‘N Right Fun Run has been published at http://www.runningmate.ph/del_monte/result.

Guess what, it’s sorted alphabetically by last name!  Sigh.  (I’m sorry, I’m just dumbfounded by this)

If you have any concerns please do contact the organizers via racetime@runningmate.ph.  Is this official?  Ask them as well.

Getting ‘Charged Up’ Again About Each Other!

Dear Mr. Brown,

As you know, at the start of this New Year, my husband and I decided we needed to make some major adjustments in our lives.  We had put on a tremendous amount of weight, were constantly tired, not getting our housework done and we were eating for recreational purposes.  Worse yet, our five year-old daughter was beginning to pick up all of our bad habits.

One night we were watching ‘The Biggest Loser’ and started talking about how we might apply these theories in our lives.  In the past, we have subscribed to a wide variety of fad diets and exercise machines.  Nothing was working and even

when we experienced short term results, the weight gain came on full-force shortly thereafter.  We realized we needed some solid guidance and support to get through this.  We decided there would be no more reading, no more experimenting and certainly no more roller coaster effect!

We searched the internet and were blessed to find you via Visionary Trainers.  Within 1 week, as you may recall, you had us both on a track for a healthy and much more meaningful lifestyle.  You patiently and passionately took the time to explain your theories and systems to us in a way that we could understand.  Kevin, your plan makes sense.  It is designed around best human practices and practical concepts versus the modern theories of substitute, replacement and deprivation.  This is the underlying reason it is working for us.

We have been faithful to the Liberation Diet which is NOT a diet at all but about making smart choices and understanding the source of our foods.  Still, no weight loss plan comes without exercise.

Our personal trainer, Sherri, that you hand-picked for us through Visionary Trainers has been coming to our home 3 times each week to educate us in proper and results-oriented physical exercise.  Sherri motivates us and

keeps u

s on our toes.  She is someone we can no longer live without!  There is no greater motivation than a devoted and caring professional knocking at your door at 5:30 in the morning to get you revved up for your day.

We also use the in-home cooking program provided by Liberation Wellness called Rachels Way. Rachel has helped us learn how to eat healthy and her service is so reasonable it is a no-brainer.

Within 3 weeks on this program, I lost 10 pounds (5.3% body weight) and my husband lost 15 pounds (6.5% body weight).  I am now currently down 51 pounds! We are not tired but full of energy.  We are not agonizing over a diet and food deprivation but loving our meals and feeling very fulfilled.    We are not spending any more money on this meal and exercise plan than we were before because we are not eating out anymore.  Instead we go out for activity and

pure entertainment. People are noticing the transformation and it feels great!  We continue to lose weight, our skin has better tone and our faces are rejuvenating.

Still, there are so many other benefits to share.  We now have energy to play actively with our daughter rather than sending her to her play room or the television.  We are getting our housework done and then some.  I personally have been so energized and crisp at the office that my productivity has increased by almost 25%. Whereas I was getting my work done within the day before, I now find myself over producing and/or asking for more.  My husband and I are getting ‘charged’ up again about each other as we were early in our marriage. Most importantly, we are now spending daily quality time together.  We are exercising, cooking, working on house projects, etc. Our daughter is learning the system and excited about it.  She enjoys participating in our exercise regimen where she can.  To put it quite simply, we feel great, we are loo

king great and we are having FUN again!

Kevin, we could never have pulled this off without you.  We are so grateful for you and this program.  Thank you for giving us our lives back.

With much fondness and gratitude,

Michele Tate – Yardley PA.
Lost 51 pounds!

Unfortunately we were unable to come out with a win in our first pool game last night. We batted first, putting on a blazing opening wicket stand of 87 between Julian Kerr-Lawley(36 runs) and Matt Gurney (49), however Marcus Hyde with 19 runs was the only other batsmen to score in double figures and we finished up 9/140 from our 20 overs.

It proved to be not enough runs to defend, with Burwood chasing down the total in the 17th over with 7 wickets in hand. Marcus Hyde took all of our wickets and finished with 3/19 off his 4 overs, Tony Miles also bowled economically and finished off 0/20 off his 4.

Our next match is next Tuesday the 1st of December against Richmond City at their ground, who’s location is to be advised.  It would be fantastic for all players and supporters of the club to get down there and support the boys.

This is a long one, especially with no race this coming weekend… but there’s lots of important info, so please read it all…

- Another big thanks to Dr. Jim Kearns and all of the volunteers who helped to make Woodstock a success and the 2nd largest race of 2010 (based on # of starters). 418 racers toed the line for hills, woods, hills, grass, more hills, and some very creative hand ups. Oh, and the Dr. raised a boatload of money to help fight Leukemia and Cancer! We also witnessed the first ever dollar bill hand-back! Luckily our CCC hecklers knew just what to do (see below).

- Up next (and sadly the last CCC race of 2010) is Montrose Harbor hosted by Turin Cycles which also serves as the IL State Championships. Turin is looking for volunteers with course set up and breakdown, so please contact them directly if you’d like to help and get a discounted entry fee. We’ll have the usual full preview next week, but as we mentioned to the group on the hill at Woodstock… anyone dressed up like Santa (beard required), Misses Claus, or a Christmas tree (Chanukkah bush if you swing that way) will get a special call up after the top 10 in the overall standings.

A few notes on Race vs. CCC Series (individual and team) vs. State Champion scoring.

- Like any race in the series the winner of each Category or Age Group race will be determined by the first person to ride around in circles faster than their competition and cross the finish line first (duh).

- CCC Individual Series winners are determined by your points earned according to the rules posted here at the beginning of the season. Some racers have already locked up their respective overall competitions, and they don’t need  to even race at Montrose to pick up some tasty schwag… but we have a pretty good idea they’ll be there to race anyway. On the complete other end of the spectrum, some categories are still totally up in the air. The Cat 3 Ryans are only separated by 9 points, while Janette and Courtney in the Women 4’s are separated by 14 points. The top 4A’s and 4B’s are separated by a few more points, but anything can happen at Montrose and nothing is for sure until you cross the finish line. Point breakdowns can be found here or on the ‘Points Breakdown’ tab here.

- CCC Team Series winners are also determined by points earned by each team according to the rules posted here.

- State Champions will be determined by the first rider to cross the finish line who is a.) an Illinois resident, b.) a US Citizen, and c.) holds a valid and current annual road or mtb USAC license. State of residence is determined by what is listed on your USAC annual license (or drivers license/ID card if you’ve recently moved). You must satisfy all 3 requirements to be named IL State Champion at Montrose. If you’re a master or cat 4 without an annual license and think you have a shot at the jersey, we’ll have annual licenses on sale at registration for $60. We’re going to try and hold some sort of podium ceremony immediately after each race, so if you finish in the top 3 please make your way back to the reg/finish line area as soon as you finish. Actual jerseys will be distributed to you from the ICA at some point in the future.

- Unfortunately we do not award a state champion in the 4B’s, so if you’re a Cat 4 and want to win a jersey, you’ll need to race the 4A’s. Somehow we don’t think too many of you that race in the 4B’s are worried about a jersey anyway. However, what you may be interested in is a little tradition Ben Popper started last year… but we’ll let him explain.

- Turin has once again commissioned a race poster for the Montrose Race (this year by artist Jay Ryan) which is on sale now here.

- Speaking of things on sale… you can still pre-order a 2009 Joe Kallo designed CCC T-shirt on BikeReg here until Midnight this coming Sunday (11/29/09). We will NOT be ordering extras, so if you want a shirt, order it now and we’ll have it for you at Montrose. After that, they’re all gone! All proceeds go to World Bicycle Relief and helping the CCC in 2010.

- The Annual Awards Banquet and series prize distribution will again be held at EJ’s Place in Skokie on Sunday January 10th. More details will be posted soon and we will again pre-sell tickets on BikeReg.com but please save the date on your calendars now.

- We were going to make a list of all the great hand-ups we saw at Woodstock… but there were simply too many to remember. Feel free to post in the comments below what your favorites were. For Montrose we’re expecting a fantastic end to the season… candy canes, sugar cookies, dreidels, gefilte fish, hot chocolate, hot toddies… we can’t wait to see what you all come up with.

- Another good luck to all of you heading out to Jingle Cross this weekend. Whether you’re racing CX or eating turkey, safe travels to all and Happy Thanksgiving!

- Fill up turkey, stuffing, and cranberry this week because we’re making a special request from all of you at Montrose. Many of the Masters racers don’t stick around to watch the 4B’s… and many of the 4A’s and 4B’s don’t show up early enough to watch the Masters. We at the CCC want to see what you all are really made of… so clear your schedules all day for Sunday December 6th. We want to see the course lined with spectators hecklers all day long. Yes, that includes all the 40+, 30+, 50+ Masters AND all of the 4A’s and 4B’s. Let’s blow out the end of the season with a bang and make it a big party… and no, that does NOT mean driving to Indiana for illegal fireworks! Its been such a great season and we’d like to get everyone who has participated in one place at one time and see what happens.

- Finally, we were all deeply saddened to hear about fellow CCC’er Sean Callahan of Team Pegasus who passed away last week. We will doing something special for Sean at Montrose. Please stay tuned for details.

- You all are taking some really, really, really great photographs of this little circus we call the CCC. We wish we could highlight them all, but here are just a few that caught our eye from Woodstock…

It only took 9 races… but SPAM finally made it to a CCC race… and Steven Tyler was there to hand it out… wrapped in a handed-back dollar bill.

Photo: Liz Farina Markel

The Gobbler rides alone into the setting sun…

Photo: Michael Shea

… and then takes a quick break.

Mini

Photo: Luke Seemann