Sergeant Tony's Blog

Vampires.
Werewolves.
Teenage girls.
Add them.
Bestseller books … blockbuster movies. Booyah!

Really? Seriously?

It’s crazy, isn’t it? A Mormon soccer mom with some time on her hands and a story in her head starts writing and vampires come to life. Kind of like that “cricket mom” (I just made that term up) in the UK who, a few years ago, started writing and gave the world a boy-wizard.

But you can relax, I’m not writing about the possible foolishness or ridiculousness of vampires or wizard boys. I’m not going to be theologically critical of stories about werewolves and vampires. I’m not writing about the absolute and completely inconceivable frenzy that this vampire story has set off.

I’m not talking about the superficiality of masses of women with “daddy issues” across the world in love with a fictional character. I’m not writing about how the pre-order sales of tickets for the latest teen/vampire/werewolf saga, practically guarantees that you won’t see the movie this weekend at any showing if you haven’t already purchased a ticket. Or so I’m told. I’m not writing about the legions of loyal fans who have slept outside on sidewalks in front of bookstores and movie theaters to buy the books and the tickets.

Nope, none of those things.

What I’m writing about is something else all together.

JK Rowling, who gave us Harry Potter, and Stephenie Meyer, whose creativity invented the vampire romance series, aren’t quitters. These are women who would NOT take no for an answer. They were determined and nothing was going to dissuade them. JK Rowling’s Harry Potter was rejected by 12 publishing agents. Stephenie Meyer’s vampires were rejected by 14 literary agents.

Add them up and you’ve got 26 knuckleheads who said “no.”

Those 26 must be kicking themselves every single day of their lives. Imagine them getting up every morning and turning on the news and seeing their rejects becoming gazillion-aire darlings of the publishing world. Imagine those poor slobs having to see their rejects being published in over 30 different languages with a worldwide readership in the multiplied millions!

But I’d be willing to wager that some of those agent-snobs publicly say that they didn’t want to be associated with some disgusting drivel about wizards or teenage vampires. Entirely too pedestrian for their high brow standards and literary tastes. In the meantime, JK and Stephenie are laughing all the way to the bank!

Even Robert Pattinson, the actor who plays Meyer’s “Edward Cullen” in the popular Twilight movies, said that his audition for that role was going to be his last acting audition. He just couldn’t go through another failed audition, he said. He’d been rejected over and over and over so many times that he was planning to give up acting and get a real job. He was through. His audition for the roll of Edward Cullen would be his last.

Persistence.

Dreams and goals are realized by it.

Thomas Carlyle said, “Permanence, perseverance, and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragement, and impossibilities: it is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong from the weak.”

Dreams aren’t necessarily qualified or validated by commercial success or mass appeal. Making money, being popular, having the approval of your peers are fine. But if the Harry Potter story or the the Twilight book had never been published, their authors would have been no less gifted. Their talents no less significant. But because of their persistence they achieved international acclaim, recognition, and praise. And an obscenely large pile of money!

You’ve got dreams and goals. Things you want to do. Maybe even things that no one supports. They might even be critical of them. I’d had a dream of living in Japan since I was in elementary school. I had very little support for that dream from my friends and family. But I did it anyway. I decided to live my life on my terms. I wasn’t going to live it by default or according to someone else’s idea of what my life should look like. That would have made my life a prison, trapped in the cell of someone else’s image of what my life should be. At one of my going away parties before I moved to Japan, one of my elderly family members wanted to discourage me from moving there and said, “Well … you know they bombed Pearl Habor.” To which I said, in my usual smartypants way, “Again??”

Your dreams and goals may not lead to wealth or fame. But then again, they may. They might be the kind of goals and dreams that are rewarded with all of those things. Or none of them.

Keep your dreams alive. Don’t be discouraged by people who say “no” to you, or told you that you can’t, or told you that your idea was stupid. There are reasonable times when you can’t quit your day job and start pursuing your dream full time. You may have to be a bit patient. You may have to pursue your dream part-time until something happens. Each situation is different.

Just because someone tells you “no,” that doesn’t mean anything. Not many who pursue unusual dreams and goals get a lot of support. If I had told my family that I was going to go to law school instead of Japan, I’m pretty sure I’d have received their complete support. Most people have an understanding of what going to law school means. None of my friends or family had a clue what moving to Japan meant.

I’m not suggesting that you quit your “job” today and pursue your dream full time tomorrow. There may be a prudent and measured approach to realizing your dream. Then again … you might be at a place to make some real and meaningful changes in your life right now! Changes that probably won’t be met with great support from people you know. Most people want you to keep doing what you’re doing right now because it makes “them” comfortable. They know how to deal with you in your present situation. They know what label to put on you, how to control you, how to respond to you.

But if you flip the script, so to speak, you alter their order of things, you give them an unwanted paradigm shift that makes them uncomfortable, uneasy, even fearful. Changes in your life will mean changes in theirs. And quite frankly, no one is that crazy about change. Though change is one of the few constants in life.

Your dreams and goals may not involve vampires or werewolves. And I kinda hope that they don’t. But whatever they are, pursue them. Plan for them. Think on them. Nurture them. And then pull the trigger. Make a move. Put the plan into motion. Take the next step!

And if not now … then … when? As Shakespeare said, “The bow is drawn, make straight the arrow.”

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YUMMY SPAGHETTI

Boot Camper Karen Almand’s husband Sam has started a side business, a dream, if you will, called Sam’s Signature Sauce. Sam’s spaghetti sauce is very good and very reasonable. I enjoyed some just this week! A family serving is only $10! You can place your order by contacting Sam Almand at creativealmand@gmail.com or call him at 901-685-3378

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BEDTIME FOR RICHARD!

My 0530 Assistant and Executive Officer, Richard Bourland is pursuing a dream too!
Need a custom bed made? - Richard is making custom bunk beds, beds and bed assesories. Each bed is made to order in his workshop. There are several models to choose from and will stain to the color of your choice. For more information contact Richard at any of the following: 826.6695, 1-800-bunkbed, www.1800bunkbed.com/901.

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SHELLY IS DREAMING OF A NEW JOB

A new boot camper is looking for work. She’s got years of experience in marketing and communications, and is extremely organized and gifted in account/project management. She will consider both part or full time, as well as organizational/administrative work. If you know of something that might work for her, let me know.

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COATS FOR HOMELESS VETS

Boot Camper Jolie Jeter shares this:
“I am a Program Manager/Social Worker for Alpha Omega Veteran’s Services, Inc. which is a non-profit organization that provides housing and supportive services to homeless veterans. Another social worker and I have a goal of getting 115 winter coats donated which will provide one for every veteran we serve on a daily basis. We will be accepting winter hats, gloves, and blankets at this time too. The donation day is set for December 3, 2009.”

If you’d like to bring them and put them in the back of my borrowed truck (Thank you, Eric & Robin Flanders, owners of Fleet Feet Sports) I’ll get them to Jolie on the 3rd.

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HALF MARATHON TRAINING THIS SATURDAY!!

Our LAST St. Jude Half Marathon Training session is tomorrow Saturday, Nov 21 at 8 AM!
We will meet in front of the Visitor’s Center at Shelby Farms!

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0645 and 0830 CLASSES ARE ACTIVATED!!

The 0645 and 0830, both MWF classes, are back in session!

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TUESDAY & THURSDAY EVENING CLASS

The Tuesday and Thursday evening classes meet at St. Mary’s track. Those classes begin at 5:45 PM. St. Mary’s is at the corner of Walnut Grove and Perkins. In the event of rain, these cardio only classes will be canceled.

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NO MT. FUJI WORKOUT THIS MONTH!

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NEW WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM!

Soon I will be announcing a partnership with a very successful and results oriented weight loss program endorsed by John’s Hopkins Hospital! Stay tuned for more details!

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HOLIDAY SCHEDULE

We will have one workout on Wednesday morning November 25 at 0530. After that we will stand down until Monday morning November 30th.

On Thanksgiving morning, run the Turkey Trot 4 Miler at 9 AM at Shelby Farms! It’s a GREAT way to start your Thanksgiving Day! You can register online: http://www.memphisturkeytrot.racesonline.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=site.display&page_id=1988

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HIRING?

A former boot camper is looking for a job. She’s got experience in marketing, sales, copy writing, and real estate (she’s got her license). If you know of something that might work for her, let me know.

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KNEE UPDATE:

As of today, I’m at 126 degrees of knee bend and added some very basic strength training to my physical therapy. And I’m sleeping without the brace! (wooohoooo!) And I’m swimming (without kicking) 4 times a week.

Thank you all so much for your kindness and words of encouragement!

To your continued good health and fitness!

Tony

Sergeant Major Tony Ludlow
USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP, Commanding
Memphis, TN
901-644-0145
www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com