For those of you who have missed these sunrises as much as I have, I'm happy to say that I'll likely be sharing quite a few with you in the weeks to come.
School starts a week from tomorrow, the dreaded pool audition is a week from today, I've come up $6000 short of NU's estimated student budget, and I'm too heavy to be accepted in any military band auditions that may come up...SO...I've hit the ground running and have been trying to ready myself for these challenges as effectively as possible.
While stopping in for a Subway dinner on the drive home from Ithaca, I noticed this phrase on the back of a young man's t-shirt: "The pain of discipline is far less than the pain of regret." I traced the quote back to Australian olympic synchronized swimmer Sarah Bombell and have it copied out on a typing-paper sized poster now hanging on my dresser mirror.
Now, the times in my life I've been criticized for a lack of discipline have been few and far between. In fact, I've more often been criticized for having too much. I've been told by teachers, colleagues, bosses, friends, and family that I should just relax a little now and then...have a little more fun...or (a direct quote from a beloved former teacher), "maybe you should drink a little more or something." I agree, I can be a bit rigid at times--especially when it comes to issues surrounding sleep, finances, and personal practice time--but these areas of my life are also balanced out by others where I struggle with a lack of self control and a bit of down right laziness. In order for me to survive this year, I'm going to have to reign in some of that leniency and curb my most blatant indulgences in things like chocolate (on which I can spend anywhere between $3 and $6 per day--no kidding) and general maintenance of my health.
One big reason is that until I'm 35 I'll be eligible to enlist in a military band (an important career option), but only if I can get myself into the acceptable weight range for my height. I'm 5'7"so that means I have to lose 20 lbs off my current 178 to qualify. I could do what many (including me), have done in the past and just wait till there's a viable audition to shed the pounds, but I figure I might as well make my life a little easier and do the job at a more reasonable and sustainable-in-the-long-term pace. Plus, I should end up saving a pile of $$$ by quitting my usual "dessert" habits.
So, here and now you are my witness: I am officially STARTING TODAY (well, actually I started yesterday) and I'll log my progress here on the blog from time to time. Wish me luck...
Women's standards are ridiculous. You can go to any recruiter and ask to be taped for body fat percentage. I am more than certain you would pass a taping. They don't tell you this on their websites.
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