I'm Alive!

Yes, I AM still alive. Boot camp did not kill me. Thanks to all those that texted and messaged me just to make sure!

I officially am grateful and so, so happy that Drew convinced me to go to boot camp. I can't believe the change that has occurred in just two weeks. I have so much more energy, am in an overall better mood at [mostly] all times, extremely motivated, and TONED. After the first week, I was already noticing definition in my arms, abs, and legs, but I thought it was my eyes playing tricks on me. Last week, though, Drew actually mentioned how different I look and confirmed my thoughts. I have lost five pounds, which is surprising considering how much muscle I have gained. I've always had a very athletic build, but now its just intensified and I look like I never stopped being an athlete after high school. My tennis game has even improved, because of the strength in my arms. I absolutely kill Drew at tennis now... don't tell him I said that though.
I knew the last day of camp was going to be intense, and I was right. We went to a high school on the very top of a big hill, and it has steps leading all the way up to the entrance. We had to run up and down the four flights of steps ten times, then did five sets of lunges up the steps. I thought I wouldn't be able to do it, but I was the first one in the group that finished and was still able to jog back to the park afterwards. Its amazing how every day's activities intensify, but you go home feeling better and better.
And the biggest achievement... I dug out my bikini from two years ago from the bottom of the moving boxes (yes, we still have unpacked boxes..) and went to tan by the pool... and I felt confident the whole time. Last year I NEVER went out without a tank top over the bikini. Drew and I have been tanning by the pool every day this week, and we look very ready for California next week! Our apartment complex has six gorgeous pools with WiFi in the area. Drew brings the laptop out and I read a book. Its bliss.

This week I don't have camp, so Amanda and I are going to take fitness classes on post. They have step classes (which we did one class of last week), belly dancing, cardio dance, spin, water aerobics, and lots more for only $3 a class. Amanda and her husband are going to the Bahamas next week while Drew and I are back in Cali, so we both have the motivation for our last blast workouts.

Speaking of California... Only SIX more days until I'm there! And even better, Drew gets a four-day weekend so my mom bought him a last minute ticket for him to visit Friday - Monday. It couldn't have worked out more perfect, and I think he is even more excited than I am to visit. He is very, very homesick. He went out to the field again today and will be back Tuesday. Hopefully the excitement for Cali will keep him motivated this week. Only 4 more days, baby.

A ton has happened since I last wrote, but this is starting to become a novel. Drew and I have been hanging out with Amanda and her husband, Rob, a lot lately and it has been fabulous. We went to Atlanta last weekend and had a blast, although we do NOT understand the huge hype over Atlanta. Our consensus is that it is extremely overrated.

Thats all my personal blogging for today.

On to politics... Did anyone see that Obama bowed down to the Saudi Arabia king at the world leader convention?

President Obama greeted the king of Saudi Arabia with a full bow from the waist yesterday, a move one commentator described as a violation of protocol and not worthy of the office he holds. 

"I am quite certain that this is not the protocol, and is most unbecoming a president of the United States," writes Clarice Feldman in an American Thinker commentary. 

The situation developed as leaders of the world attending the G20 summit in London assembled for a photograph to mark the event. 

In this first image, after the king extended his hand while Obama approached, Obama bends from the waist until his head is nearly at the monarch's waist:

The action appeared especially awkward since among the dozens of world leaders and their spouses, handshakes abounded, but there appeared to be no other bowing in the room. 

The U.S. State Department's office of protocol did not respond to a WND request for the proper etiquette for two heads of state meeting, but the online Travel Etiquette website for Saudi Arabia said handshakes are common greetings between members of the same sex. 

This article says it best:

President of the United States Bows to Foreign King

By Bob Ellis on April 2nd, 2009

Didn’t anyone tell President Obama that Americans don’t bow down to anyone? Didn’t anyone tell President Obama that the President of the United States especially doesn’t bow down to anyone?

Didn’t anyone tell President Obama that Americans fought a long and bloody war so we wouldn’t have to bow down to a king anymore?

To my knowledge, even the Queen of England (a nation with values similar to our own) didn’t get this kind of worshipful treatment.

Is it a Muslim thing? The Saudi king is, after all, a Muslim. Is it something Obama picked up while registered as a Muslim in school in Jakarta?

I don’t want to make a mountain out of a mole hill, but when one bows, one signifies the superiority of the one bowed to. It is a gesture of submission. The leader of the most free nation in the world should not be slobbering on the ring of some king!

It was embarrassing when President Obama ungratefully gave back the gift from the British of the bust of Winston Churchill (one of their greatest prime ministers and one of America’s greatest foreign friends). It was embarrassing when the British gave President Obama a gift made from historic wood and President Obama gave the British…some DVDs–that won’t even play in their DVD players!

It’s been embarrassing enough to see other foreign relations gaffes (e.g. the red button we gave to Russia), feeling as if the White House was being run by a 9th grade school social club, but now…

It has been bad enough to hear Obama attempt to curry favor with the despots, tyrants and socialists around the world–since even before he was elected. It has been bad enough to see the President of the United States worried about what a bunch of European snivelers think of the United States. It has been bad enough to see the President of the United States treat terrorists and sponsors of terrorism as anything other than the dregs of humanity.

But to now actually see the President of the United States rendering obeisance to the king of a foreign nation, one with a poor human rights record–from which 15 out of 19 hijackers on September 11 came…I’m feeling sick (and something else, too).

And then there was his American arrogance speech to Europe. Direct quote from Obama:

"In America, there is a failure to appreciate Europe's leading role in the world. Instead of celebrating your dynamic union and seeking to partner with you to meet common challenges, there have been times where America has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive."

Has he not read the memo that America is the leading force and leading nation in the world? Its not an opinion, its a fact. And now we have elected a President that believes Americans wrongfully THINK their country is superior. We are clearly not equals to other nations. Well, up until now I thought that was pretty clear...

On the Huckabee show last night, they showed a new comic of Obama giving that speech and holding up one of those big foam fingers that said "We are only 1 of 20." Nothing special, just one of many. Thats all that really needs to be said.