I Played Rugby Again

Last Saturday the Chicago Griffins Old Boys played the Chicago Lions Old Boys in a little match (I heard 30 minute halves, it could have been shorter).  I went out with EHL and met Mike, Garrett, Patrick and Amy there.

There was supposed to be unlimited substitutions, but we had no substitutes to sub in.  Garrett and I played the two Lock spots while Mike played at Prop.  We all played the whole game.

I had hurt my right calf on Thursday while helping coach the High School Rugby club so I was a bit slow.  I told them I couldn't sprint and they all laughed.  They wondered why this game would be any different.

We lost 5- 0, but this was the first time I got to play with Garrett.  It was a bunch of fun.

EHL's wearing my hoodie, off camera

I Are a Rugger Again!

Ready for a line-out (ask me about it)
With Mike in the number one position

Thanks to Mike McCormick and the Chicago Blue Rugby Club I got in a little more than a half of Rugby match last Saturday.

I was fairly sure I would be dragging around the pitch, barely able to keep up.  I thought I ran pretty well, though I shied away from some of the more reckless hits.

Lovely venue

I had at least one big tackle that was quite satisfying.  I carried the ball several times and provide good ball in the rucks every time.  I know at least one time, if not two or more I actually stole the ball in the tackle (legally).

I missed one big tackle, but that guy was really really big and fast.  I also should have fallen on the ball once and was too slow.  A back kicked it away.

I was fair in the scrums and lifted in the line-outs to some affect.  I think when I was in there was no drop in quality of our play.  I actually thought I got around the pitch very well and quickly.  We lost in the end, quite handily, but we did have a forward try while I was in.  Mike scored right in front of me.  Congrats to him.

I had a good time.  MAL and SEL came with me to Milwaukee, we saw Amy and I was invited to come back.  I am a very happy Rugger.

Polls, Princesses and Polyglots!

Princess Aniela Radziwill

Our last poll was about Disney Princesses.  Voting was split evenly between Cinderella, Merida and Elsa (with one each).  I think I forgot to vote.  I vote, Jasmine.

I hope this next poll gets a bit more action than the princesses did, so to speak.  I'm taking a different tack entirely.  How many of you out there speak any languages besides English?

If you are capable of having a light conversation with someone or at least ordering food entirely in that language it counts.  You don't have to be a UN translator, but just taking it in high school for two years probably doesn't count.

FYI, the photo is from a Princess Poll (or rather a Pole Princess as in Polish).  According to Arrayed in Gold, Princess Aniela Radziwill was born on 3 October 1781 in Vienna, the eldest daughter of prominent Polish-Lithuanian nobleman Michał Hieronim Radziwiłł and Helena Przeździecka.  I'll bet she was a polyglot.

Goal, Finally!

On the first of February this year I promised I would share my 2014 goals with you here.  I said they would be leaner and meaner, then I never came back and told you what they would be.

I'm going to rectify that right now.  I've decided that I have two goals this year.  The first is a writing goal and is being covered on Illini6.  I will get my latest novel, Hidden Temple to the Lost Gods published.

My only other goal will be to learn Greek.  I have to make all my leisure thoughts (I have no real leisure time) revolve around this and my writing goal.  This has to be my priority.

I have other things I want to get done; I have other things I have to get done; but these are my only two goals this year.

SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Recorded / Reported and Time Restricted.

• Specific:  I will be at the ILR Level 3 (Professional Working Proficiency – Can discuss a variety of topics with ease and almost completely understand what others are saying) in Modern Greek.
• Measurable:  I will take a test (TBD) and pass
• Achievable:  I can do this, other people have.  In fact I've being trying to follow the advice of several advocates who say you can become fluent in three months.
• Recorded / Reported:  That's one of the reasons for the blog.
• Time Restricted:  By the end of 2014.

One of the things that concerns me is I find it difficult to imagine it.  I can't really picture what it would be like to be fluent in any other language.  Maybe that's exactly the thing that is hanging me up.  Maybe whatever I picture is not my idea of fluent, so I fail even as I'm getting closer.

I feel if I make it a game I'll do better also.  I always feel like it's a test, a challenge, something to overcome, a destination to reach through a painful journey.  I need to learn to enjoy the journey.

This goal has been simmering for far too long.  I think it is a good indication of how crazy this year has been so far, that I haven't even been able to post my goal yet.  This is not my first time doing this, but this has been the least set in my mind.  I'm losing patients with myself.

Kαλό Μήνα - There Is a Cow in Your Backyard

Quick, go look!  Seriously, it's by the barbecue.  Quick, quick!

That was my mom's favorite April Fools joke.  She played it on us a couple of times if I remember correctly.

What I didn't mean as an April Fools joke was making you all wait a whole month for a new post.

EHL is back from her Florida trip for spring break.  SEL stayed home and watched movies all the time.  She enjoyed her, "Sophie time" but she got bored by the end and missed her sister.  CML stopped by for a weekend on the end of her spring break and we had a nice, if short visit.

I'm at what I hope is an all time low for my fitness.  My weight is up, my cardio is down, my BP is slightly up, my triglycerides are up and my right elbow has a mysterious pain.  The good news is, I'm aware of it and I am in the very initial stages of an exercise regime.  Also, I know how to get back into shape.  Now it's just a matter of doing it.  I'm going to keep track of that here on this blog.  I'll let you know how it goes.

I also have most of a post finished with my goals for 2014.  I will post it this week.

Oh, later we will discuss the last poll and I'll put up a new one.  What would you guys like to vote on?