Sergeant Tony's Blog

Who was it that said, “truth is stranger than fiction”?

Whoever said it first must have had the NASA astronaut and the love triangle story in mind. Surely by now you’ve heard this bizarre story. If not, just Google it and you’ll have LOTS of stories to read.

I’ll tell you what got my attention AND sort of skeeved me out at the same time.

The first was her determination. That got my attention!

And the second …

well …

It was her diaper.

THAT skeeved me out!

I’ve added NASA Astronaut U.S. Navy Captain Lisa Nowak, to my list of “Women I’m Thankful I’ve Never Been Involved With.” She joins, among others, Jennifer Wilbanks, The Runaway Bride, Paula Abdul, the American Idol crazy, and Hillary Rodham Clinton, the … well … you know.

Here’s what I like about Captain Lisa. The girl was DEEEtermined! Talk about “motivation and focus.” Forget about “crazy and koo koo” for a minute. She had to make the 900 mile trip from Houston to Orlando in time to confront Colleen Shipman. Turns out Ms. Shipman is a love interest of Captain Lisa’s love interest. Ooops. Well, actually it was a love quadrangle when you include Captain Lisa’s husband! SNAP!!! Oh well, Captain Lisa had to get to Orlando before Ms. Shipman left the Orlando International Airport late Monday night. (As of press time, those of us here at the USMC Fitness Boot Camp Newsroom don’t know WHY it was necessary for Captain Lisa to confront Ms. Shipman at the airport.) In order to make that trip and be on time, Captain Lisa couldn’t stop to go potty.

What to do, Captain Lisa? What to do?

Well, what else? Don your NASA diaper and keep on truckin’! (My apologies to Eddie Kendricks)

Turns out that the super-absorbent fabric used in disposable diapers was developed so Apollo astronauts could stay on spacewalks for six hours or more. The fabric can hold up to 400 times its own weight.

Ewwww.

Anyway, Captain Lisa and her fellow astronauts regularly wear “astro-huggies” (I made that word up, so if you use it, don’t plagiarize!) on reentry from long Space Shuttle flights. So she was only applying her NASA training to successfully complete her looney tunes mission.

What if we were all so determined to be successful and get our non-psycho missions completed!?!! What if we all purposed to git-r-done like Captain Lisa?

Of course this is all tongue in cheek, though the story is fo’ real!

But just for a moment, imagine how productive, profitable, and successful we’d all be if we were likewise motivated to achieve our goals despite the obstacles.

And just for a moment, be thankful that the last really really enormously stupid thing you did isn’t the lead story on every network evening news program in the world tonight!

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
If you haven’t done so already, please click on the link below and enter your birthday into my calendar. It’s quick, easy and you’ll be helping me out:-).

http://www.birthdayalarm.com/dob/76952967a424079603b362

Thanks!

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Boot Camp Wear!
Want some cool Boot Camp shirts and such? The Supply Office (”Cash Sales,” for you real jarheads!) is open! Go to www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com and click on the Supply Office link and start shopping for your OFFICIAL Boot Camp Gear! The Supply Office is FULL of all kinds of awesome, spectacular, and super cool Boot Camp stuff! Women’s styles and colors are there too! Bags, mugs, caps and hardcore neato stuff galore! Check it out!

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John C. Maxwell
Tomorrow night you can hear the author of several GREAT books on leadership and management at Christ Methodist at 7 PM. It’s open to the public and the cost is FREE!

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HALF MARATHON TRAINING
Meet Saturday morning at 8 AM in front of the Visitor’s Center at Shelby Farms! Even if you’ve missed the first two runs it may not be too late for you to get on board if you’ve got a running base already. Not sure? Call or email! We’ll be running for an hour and 35 minutes on Saturday, using the 5 min. “ON” @ 11′30″ pace and 1 min OFF (walking) plan. The cost is $50 for active duty Boot Campers in good standing and $75 for “Friends of Boot Camp.”

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Inclement Weather Policy … UPDATED!
I’ve revised the inclement weather policy. It’s still a simple one: “If EITHER the Memphis City Schools OR the Shelby County Schools close due to weather, we will NOT MEET! If you’re an evening Boot Camper and you’re not sure, call or email me.” FYI: Channel 3 has the best school closing “ticker.” (Sorry Val and Maria! Luv ya, mean it! lol)

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Cold Weather Workouts!
Q. Tony, why must we work out outside? You’d make more money and you’d have more recruits and you’d make more money and you’d have more recruits (see a theme?) if we worked out inside! So …how ’bout it?
A. Here are the five benefits of cold weather workouts!
1. Strengthens the immune system!
2. Naturally increases the body’s production of saratonin, a natural calming chemical in your body.
3. Increased calorie burn!
4. Runny noses keep the cooties from taking up residence and making you sick.
5. Bragging rights! You get to tell your sissy “indoor” friends how tough you are!
* If I moved us inside, my Marine Corps buddies, including my Marine Corps son, would abuse me, harass me, and laugh at me. Plus, in shame, I’d have to remove the “USMC” from our name!

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“Effort is the one strictly undervalued and original contribution we make to this world.”
~ William James

Have a GREAT Wednesday!

To your continued good health and fitness!

Tony

Sergeant Major Tony Ludlow
USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP, Commanding
4888 Southern Cove
Memphis, TN 38117
901-644-0145
www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com
http://shaklee.net/tonyludlow/main