Day 1: My Fast not Fast Lent

First of all, I can't believe that I have not written a post since September.  I totally spaced out during Football season.  One post.  I think honestly I was still a little traumatized by the fact that Tony Gonzalez actually retired and was not on my tv commenting on football rather than catching one.  Congratulations to Tony for a great season on the NFL Today on CBS--fine replacement for Shannon Sharpe.  One tip though--limit those right theres and right heres...they do get annoying. 


Congratulations to Kansas City Chiefs legend Will Shields on becoming a member of the 2015 NFL Hall of Fame Class.  This is sheer awesomeness that has nothing to do with the fact that I have actually met Will Shields, and he is a totally cool guy.  He worked out with our football players this year, who by the by won State.


Back to Diana Dishes, my poor, neglected blog.  Now, for those of you who don't know, or who have never read a post, I'm a huge Kansas City Chiefs fan, Tony G is my favorite player of all time, Joe Montana is my favorite quarterback, the Atlanta Braves are my favorite baseball team, and I have an unhealthy interest in all things concerning Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Geno Segers.  I'm also a teacher, which brings me to this exercise. 


I celebrate Lent every year, even though I am not Catholic. I teach in a parochial school.  As a role model, I participate in fasting every Lent season to encourage our students to do the same, but I usually give up something like potato chips, one year it was The Lord of the Rings trilogy, one year it was The Green Mile, soda (that one did not last, because I subsist on caffeine, and coffee and tea don't cut it.), or chocolate. 


This year, I decided to do something different than give up social media or the requisite food things.  I decided that I will improve myself.  So, I am "giving up" part of my time every day for writing and exercising.  Neither of these are an easy thing for me to do daily.  I am always, ALWAYS working.  I teach four mostly different subjects daily. I am currently reading count 'em-four works, The Tempest, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Lottery and Other Stories (which I finished today), and Just After Sunset.  Not to mention, grading papers, making tests, quizzes, study guides, wrangling seniors (I'm also a senior advisor).


Exercise is something I really need to do. I'm getting older, and what little metabolism I had is slowly fizzling out. I need to do this for my health. I don't want to be a model or a model size; I just want to be a healthy version of me.  Writing is something I've always wanted to do, but I've only managed to do when I was forced to by a-you guessed it-teacher.  So, I am going to post an article every day on my blog for the next 40 days.  Some may be good, many will be bad, some may be long, but my goal is the magic number of 300 words each day for the next 40 days.  So, follow me on my Lenten writing journey.  You may find a laugh, a cry, or maybe a little of both.


Until tomorrow, "Lent is a time to renew wherever we are in that process that I call the divine therapy. It's a time to look what our instinctual needs are, look at what the dynamics of our unconscious are."~Thomas Keating

NFL Week Two Picks: The "Did that just Happen?" Edition

Welcome to Week 2 of the 2011 NFL Season!! I hope last week was a good week for your teams, because it was a craptastic performance for some of my favorites. Honestly, The Chiefs are my team, but there are some teams that I root for from time to time. Take for example the New Orleans Saints who lost to the Pack on opening night, the Atlanta Falcons who were dismantled by the Bears as I watched, and of course, my Chiefs seemed to forget that they won their division last year as they were spanked heartily at Arrowhead Stadium by the Buffalo Bills. Let me say that again, the Buffalo Bills. *Winks, head nod* What's up, Shawne Merriman?

Good news: Tony Gonzalez moved within 5 catches of moving past Terrell "I have no foreseeable job prospects besides my reality show" Owens for 5th place all time in receptions. T.O. currently has 1,078 while T.G. has 1,074. I don't think I need to remind you all that T.G. is a Tight End, right? Good luck, Tony. See you in second place at the end of the year!!! Only on this list. I'm sticking to my pick of the Falcons as Super Bowl Champs.