Starting to Feel Good

Well it's been 2 full weeks into the work-out and I'm three weeks into the baseball season and both seem to be going quite well. Most of the soarness is gone from the initial workout week 1 and the hundreds of squats have finally worn off from the 1st week of baseball season.
I've actually been tempted to get on the scales but I know it's always a let down. I know my shoulders, chest and arms are getting bigger, because one of my t-shirts fits tighter. I've got about 90 days until the college try-outs and I plan to intensify my work-out as each day goes by.
I've taken the advice of a couple of followers and bought some special K bars to eat on my way to the gym and it has helped so much. I can't believe eating something that small will help out with the work-out.
Ohhh and I love love love swimming first thing in the morning. The life guard turns the lights off and the pool is so warm. Perfect for some laps.
~Jered

1st Day Work-out

Hey Dana, Deidre & Naomi... thanks for signing up to follow my blog!!!

I worked out this morning for the first time at the Salvation Army. The weight room had some pretty out dated equipment and some of it was broken. I'm very very soar this morning so I guess it got the job done. This is one of those times I wish I was a millioniare so I could just go in and donate all the best equipment to a facility like that. There were 3 older ladies in the weight room when I got there. They were on the tread mills and I was lifting weights. One of them kept winking at me and then smiling. I'm not sure what that was all about but I'm claiming that she is recovering from a recent eye surgery or something. lol

After working out I went to the pool where there were an equal amount of sr. citizens. it was cool though cuz i was definitly the youngest and most in shape there. The downfall was that I was only able to physically swim about 10 laps before I was gassed. When I got out to go home the old guys were making fun of me and calling me a light weight. It was pretty funny. I guess my first goal should be to go as long as the old guys go, lol.
All in all I had a great time and I'm actually feeling prety good this morning. As long as I can keep up the routine then I should be able to start building a college official profile in know time.

Hey do you guys know of any thing I could eat before I work out? Toward the end of my swim i got really sick to my stomach and realized that I hadn't eatin anyhting. Something small and light that could sustain me till I got home and could eat something worthy.
Thanks for reading along.
~Jered

Weight Loss

So I've always been in decent shape, not like morbidly obese, but as I get older I've noticed that the intertube around my waist seems to be inflating. :-) I've never really had a reason to get in shape and really work it off because come on who are we kidding, nobody really likes working out. However, the past two years have really opened my eyes. I lost my remaining grandfather to cancer and I never knew my Mom's dad. After seeing how much Natalie loves being with her Papa(my dad) and knowing full well the pain of not having a grandpa anymore, I've decided that it's motivation enough to get in shape for my unborn grandchildren.
The other reason is I've always loved basketball and it's always been a special part of my life. I've worked very hard the last 3 years to officiate on the court somewhere in Oklahoma every night of the season. I accomplished that goal this year and I loved every night. The next step for me to take in officiating is to move up and start reffing college basketball. This is so exciting for me, however, I've been told on numerous occasions that I have the ability and style to be a great college official but in order to receive a college schedule I'll need to get in shape. I've got to lose about 30 pounds off my waist and put it into my shoulders and chest and arms. Not a bad goal, it's the journey I'm dreading.
Those are my motivations for this weight loss expedition and I'll cheerish all your comments along the way. Today is Sunday March 7th and over the weekend I bought a membership at the local Salvation Army weight facility and pool to work out. Tomorrow morning I'll be at the gym at around 6:30 and I'll begin my journey. Don't worry, I'll spare you the before pictures and if all goes well, then I might post an after picture!! :-) Thanks for following along!!
~Jered

Umpire Clinic

So this year was a big first for me and my family. I have refereed basketball and umpired baseball for a very long time and I've always had an unhealthy attraction to wearing the stipes and blue's. It keeps me apart of the game is what I tell everyone, but the truth is, I love the kids and I love the game. So this year after working my rear-end off at Waste Management of Tulsa and after breaking my leg and ending my baseball season prematurely, I decided to start officiating full-time. Basketball started slow because I moved my membership from the Okmulgee Officials Association to the Oklahoma Officials Association in Tulsa and the Tulsa Association starts two weeks later in November than I had expected. Yet, when I got started finally it took off like wildfire. I loved being on the court every night at some really great schools, Bristow, Mannford, Glenpool, Beggs, Okmulgee and many many more. I moved into the play-off section of my schedule and this is based on invitation only and thats from the OSSAA. I did receive an invitation for the District Tournament and the Regional Tournament both in 2A and 3A so I was pleasantly surprised since a new guy took over basketball officials this year in the state dept. I literally ended my regional tournament on a Sat and had my first high school baseball game the following mon. Couldn't have planned it any better. I love the TMUA, Tulsa Metro Umpire Association. They have high standards and great training programs. Which is in part due to the reason I received a job as the Head Umpire at Sapulpa Baseball Association. I great paying job that has me working long into the summer, after h.s. baseball ends and also has me working about 5 min from my house. Which brings me to the purpose of this post, at least the reason for the title. I hosted an umpire clinic yesterday at the SBA ball fields for all umpires wanting to call games at SBA this year and I had a great turn-out. Mr Billy Warden, a fellow umpire that I highly respect, was there as a clinic instructor and together we really did a good job. We covered a lot of ground and i believe I'm going to be able to produce a fine group of officials for the upcoming season. I'm at Sapulpa 2 times this week, along with LaFortune and MCalester High School to finish. Another Umpire Clinic on Saturday and then a short break the following week. Officiating full-time has been great for me and my family. An adjustment to say the least, but I believe if you're going to do anything, do it with your whole heart. And thats why I go out on the field or court every night, because my whole heart is in it.
~Jered

Blogging 101

So, I've been told that blogging is like keeping a journal or diary that you can't hide. I was inspired by my friends Stacy and Dana to start blogging about all the great things in my life such as, my get-n-shape adventure and my officiating stories and of course my life as a dad and husband. And because I'm totally new in this blogging world it might take me a little while to get the hang of it, but it should all be good.
Thank you Dana for the netto name to my blog site and thank you to all you millions of followers out there waiting patiently each day to read my next post. :-)
So here goes, a whole new quest to explore and certainly to enjoy.
I'm glad your here to travel with me.
Until next time ~ Jered