It is Done.....why am I not relieved???.....

October 23rd, 9 - 6pm - Kissimee, FL - Primary Group Exercise Certification.....Completed today.  Check mark.  

As you know the boys are all gone to South Dakota with Kevin.  McCauley had a fabulous time staying with the Q's.  Last night when I dropped her off, I stayed a while to hang out, and got to eat my first chicken wings ever.....YUM!  and thank you Kara.  They were super yummy....but I still can't imagine ever, ever, getting filled up on them.....one teaspoon of chicken at a time!!  Yes, I know that is why they are usually an appetizer.  I guess it is mostly just for the "fun" of eating them.  The act itself.

  

Before I left I went in with M to make sure she was in her jammies, teeth brushed, and all set for bed.  She said her personal prayers with me before I left.....please bless mommy, help no robbers break in and rob her.  Help no bad guys to come while she is all alone.  (OH MY GOOD - NESSS!!!....PLEASE DON'T PUT THOSE THOUGHTS INTO MY HEAD).  I am going to be the most scared person on the planet by the time I drive home alone....creeped out and nervous crossing the long mile in the dark and dreary night.  Boooooohhhhhhaaaaaaaaaa!!  I had taken precautions before I left to leave the porch light on, shut all the blinds, etc.  The only thing left to do was unlock one of the sliders and go shut and lock the back porch door where Herbie sleeps.  YIKES.....!  Done.  The one thing I did not bank on was the home phone lines being dead.  Definitely not comforting.  The suspicious thing is that earlier that afternoon an AT&T "service man" had come to the house.  McCauley had come in while I was in the office and said there was a man outside that wanted to talk to me......OH MY HECK!!!  WHERE???  I go sprinting out there looking for the intruding - sneaky - snake outside prowling around our yard, and it was this "service man" that needed to "check some wiring" in our back yard.  I looked at him, a man of color, then I looked at his truck, it all looked legit.  So I had no choice but to say ok.  

Well, it "looked legit"....until a few hours later when there was no dial tone at all.  WHAT UP?  Anyway, this is what I went to bed with.  I brought my mobile phone in, as well as the vonage phone, and I got my mace out.  I left more than the night light in our bathroom on.  I just had to shut out my fear.  (which, after this post I am probably going to gear up for once again tonight.  At least my little side kick is home.... unfortunately still no home phone yet).  AT&T said they may have to send out a "service man"..... aaaaa no thank you.

Back to today, got up at 5:30am, I was on my way by 7:00.  The ride was beautiful.  You can't tell in the photos, but for much of the hour and twenty minute drive the moon was in front, and the sun was bright red and coming up behind.  It was really cool.  There were loads of fog patches along the way.  I wish I could have gotten better pictures.....I did what I could while trying to stay a little focused on driving.

I was very nervous.  On the Garman, when I had about 9 miles to go....I was really peaking w/ my nervous signals, freezing cold hands, DMS, wanting to cry.  Oh well, it is going to happen.  So move on.    I got there, thinking it would be a large group.  Nope, ended up only being myself and eight others.  All very nice girls/ladies.  

Our trainer for the day reminded me of a female drill sergent....deep gravely voice, really in your face at times.  Each one of us had the opportunity to feel like an idiot moron at one point or another during our course for asking the GAYEST QUESTION ON EARTH....or making a remark, or comment  that may as well have been FROM SOMEONE W/ NO BRAIN (she did not say these words....but you got the idea pretty quickly).  I know I am making it sound like misery....it wasn't....she was actually pretty funny and extremely knowledgeable about all things exercise, alignment, body basics, muscles, tendons, anything at all fitness related.  

It does not matter what you or I have heard or seen in the past.....there is no such thing as lower abs!!!!!  THEY DO NOT EXIST.  Let me draw you a PICTURE!!!!  You will sound stupid if you say "let's work on the lower abs now"...... there were some comments like this from her that were absurd....because every instructor that I have ever had the pleasure of attending their class has said these exact words, and I never once thought they sounded stupid.  We were in fact working our lower abdominal area.  We COULD FEEL IT LOW IN OUR ABS!!!   You cannot win w/ a drill sergeant.   

At the end of the test she had given us a questionaire to fill out about the course and her as an instructor.  I would wager money that she has never gotten a low mark....ever!!!  You wanna know why?  She is sitting right there when you turn it in.  Your NAME IS ON THE TOP TYPED in INK.  She will know it was you.  She still has control of all of our test scores.  I gave her perfect marks!  Sorry I could be of no help for future participants.  I choose to be selfish.

You wanna know why I had to be selfish?  Because I really don't know how I did.  I am scared I did not pass.  I have no feeling of confidence right now.  I did not "ACE" it in any way shape or form.  It was hard.

A quick run through of the day, we got there, went over the formalities, then she got right into the practical.  Testing us on our knowledge of the different muscle groups, having us demonstrate specific exercises and stretches for each.  This took quite a while.  She would correct form and give helpful tips and made many things more clear for me.....example.... what is Sagittal Plane?, Anterior/Posterior?, and on and on.  My problem is not the hearing and understanding.....yeah I get it.  But it is the retention part. Keeping it straight in my brain long enough to make it stick, or at least be useful.  Don't even try to get me to explain Sagittal Plane to you.....don't bother.

Anyway, after that we had to demonstrate a 5 min warm up routine, teach the class an exercise that had at least three difficulty levels.  Do a cardio segment.....and so forth.  I think for the practical when it came time to test....(wish I would have been in the back row instead of front).  I'm pretty sure I did ok.  The written 100 question......um, I know there were quite a few I was not certain on.  I have come home and checked a few that I remembered and both I missed.  YEAH!!!  Awesome!  I scraped by with the time.  We were given an hour....she was calling for any remaining tests....(mine) I was still eeekking out the last two answers!!  How do kids deal with the pressure in school?  I am a wreak.

I felt like I studied pretty good......that is until I got there and saw that one gal had produced a massive stack of flash cards....in addition she had outlined each chapter!!!  I AM DOOMED.  I have been out of school waaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy to long.

This picture was taken on our lunch break.  I ate in the car....apple, trail mix, what not.  My feet look relaxed and care free.....FAKE.  I will know in 4 - 6 weeks.  I probably won't tell you if I don't pass....but I will tell you if I do!