Sergeant Tony's Blog

I like house plants.

Don’t you?

But I only have one.

I wish I had more of them, but I never think about getting one when I’m out.

I never put “buy house plants” on my “to do list.” (Besides, most of you know of my recent trauma at “Michael’s”! TERRIFYING! I ran from there screaming like a little girl! THAT was waaaay scary!

My one house plant is a philodendron. (For my fellow Neanderthals, that’s “fill-o-DEN-dron”) I bought him (or her) 5 years ago at the Botanic Garden.

Sometime back, I put my philodendron on top of a tall bookshelf in my living room. It looked pretty good up there … but it was a little out of sight and, unfortunately, out of mind and easy to forget. When I finally remembered the little guy (or girl) a few days ago, it looked really really sick. In fact, it looked dead. All the leaves were brown (”and the sky is gray”… my apologies to TM&TP) and the vines were all shriveled up.

My neglect had lead to its demise.

I felt pretty crummy. I had unintentionally killed my little plant.

As I was taking it outside to throw it away, I heard it speak to me.

That’s right, it spoke to me!

“Yo Tony, hold on there, buddy! Give a brotha another chance! OK? Don’t throw me away!”

Well, maybe it didn’t happen exactly like that. But sort of.

Anyway, I stopped half way to the garbage and looked down at the little plant in my hands … and then reconsidered my decision. Instead of throwing it away, I took it back inside and decided to give it some TLC. Maybe I could bring it back to life. I clipped the dead leaves, pruned it, added some water, and then placed it near a window and kept my fingers crossed.

Guess what?

After a few days of TLC things started to happen. I noticed that life started to grow where I was sure there was no life at all. As I write this newsletter, my little philodendron is ALIVE and WELL! There are brand new green leaves growing and signs of vitality in my formerly “dead” plant!

And to think … I almost threw him away.

Some of you may have given up on something or someone.

You may have been on your way to the garbage to throw it away.

Maybe you’ve given up on yourself. Maybe you’ve given up on your job. Maybe you’ve given up on your body and your fitness. Some of you may have given up on your marriage, or your kids, or your relationship with a family member or a friend. Others of you may have abandoned the love of your life. You may have given up on your education, or even your dreams and hope for the future.

I heard this in a recent sermon: “We can live a while without food … we can live a while without water … but we can’t live at all without hope.”

Amen.

Before you give up hope … before you decide to throw in the towel, before you give up, before you throw away something precious, before you determine that something is dead and beyond repair, beyond reconciliation or revival … give it another chance. Go all in! Hold nothing back! Give it your all!

When I was a high school coach, I had this on my office wall: “It’s never too late to try, but always too early to quit.”

You may have to be the one to initiate the reconciliation. It may require swallowing your pride. It may require a new approach or a new strategy. It may require some pruning or some new water, but don’t give up. There may be life where you thought there was none. Maybe your own “philodendron” has life in it, just waiting to be revived!

If you’ve thought that your health and fitness are beyond repair, that you’re too out of shape, too fat, too old, too far beyond hope … think again! Think again.

As George Eliot said, “It’s never too late to be what you might have become.”

And it’s never too late to end your slacking and get out of Turdeville!

(You knew THIS was coming!)

Some of you reading this are thinking about buying property in T’ville. You’ve been living in a Motel 6 on the edge of Turdeville and you’re thinking about establishing residency. Don’t do it! Come back!!! Get back on the fitness super hiway!

Word on the street is that some of you have contacted a realtor in Turdeville:
Angie M, Tom D, Amy H, Mike R, Kelly H, Pat C, Kerrie B, Bryan S, Colleen H, Dion M, Claire S, Melanie M, Jimmy A, Vicki T, Andrew H, Cindy W, Stuart H, Rhonda M, LaToya P, Sir Walter, Angie G, Jeb F, Ronald W, Bethany C, Michele N, Belinda H, Emily H, Maria K, Shannon H, Danielle B, Adam B, Taylor H, Nick C, Felicia T, Lindsey T, Courtney S, Pam H, Coley D, Sandy F & Sandy C, Robbie Ann P, Grace U, Courtney C, John R, Tobie M, Teri H, Billy M, John S, Jennifer C, Wendy P, Dory S, Brad Z …

Don’t do it kids … come back to the fold … where you’ll be loved and abused!

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NYC MARATHON & TEAM FOR KIDS!

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
Congratulations to YOU! My goal of raising $2,500 for Team for Kids has been exceeded by YOU!! As of today, you have donated over $4,300 in my name!! Thank you all so very very much!

This will be my first trip to New York City and I’m pretty excited! Several of you New York experts have given me advice, tips, and a list of things to do! Thanks guys!

Today and tomorrow are your last chances to sign my shirts before I leave on Friday! So please sign your name and add a little encouraging word. “Tony, you’re really old!” is NOT a suitable slogan to write on my shirt!

Now all that’s left are those 26.2 miles to run on Sunday morning!

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REQUEST FOR PRAYER

I posted a blog entry yesterday that I hope you’ll take a few minutes to read. I wrote about one of my former students, Darius Truly. http://usmcfitnessbootcamp.com/blog/index.php

You’ll learn of his tragic murder in Los Angeles this past weekend. Darius was an awesome young man, and an aspiring comic and actor. Would you please pray for his family?

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REJOICE!! REJOICE!!

Our own Kathryn Grissom is an official SURVIVOR!! Her breast cancer has been successfully treated and all of her tests indicate that she is cancer free! Thank God!

God bless you Kathryn! I am so very happy for you!

(Kathryn, I’ll expect you back at Boot Camp next week! You can have the rest of the week to celebrate!)

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CONGRATULATIONS!

Gunnery Sergeant Lucia Patteson (a 5 year Boot Camp veteran) ran the Marine Corps Marathon this past Sunday in Washington, DC! That is so cool Lucia! Congratulations!

Lucia was at the 0530 class this morning sporting her race medal, her race shirt, and her race jacket!!

When she joined Boot Camp five years ago she was … well … a bigger girl than she is now … and she could not, COULD NOT, even run one lap around the track at the U of M (1/4 mile) And now she’s running 26.2 mile MARATHONS!!

YOU ROCK LUCIA!

Who’s gonna be the next “Lucia?” How ’bout YOU??

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ASSISTANT DRILL INSTRUCTOR TRAINING

Several of you have asked about becoming a “Richard” (Referring to Staff Sergeant “Richard” Bourland, my 0530 class assistant and right hand man). Others of you have been thinking about it and not said anything. Others of you just ought to do it!

The first training session will be Saturday, November 10 at 12:30 at the McAlister’s on Mendenhall.

Minimum requirement is: One year of continuous Boot Camp (Rank of Lance Corporal)

Open to all Boot Campers, male or female.

There are benefits to this gig, besides the obvious fame!

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THIS FROM TAMMY TOWNSEND

You’re all invited to run in the “Race for Education” 5K! It’s on Sunday, Nov. 4 at 2 p.m. at Cameron Brown Park in Germantown. Proceeds go directly to Shelby County Schools art, music, P.E. and other specialty programs. Anyone interested can register at www.raceforeducation.racesonline.com.

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AND NOW … BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND — Redneck Haiku!!

HAIKU: a form of Japanese verse that consists of three lines. The first line has five syllables, the next line has seven, and the third line has five.

REDNECK: most of our relatives! Identified when they say “Haiku ain’t no poem, it don’t even rhyme.”

“Still needing to pee,
anxious Tony takes his mark.
Sunday’s marathon.”

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Have a Happy HAPPY Halloween everyone!

Tony

Sergeant Major Tony Ludlow
USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP, Commanding
4888 Southern Cove
Memphis, TN 38117
901-644-0145

www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com

www.shaklee.net/tonyludlow/main