Mistaken Identity

My mother-in-law always says that hair is a curse in their family, and if you know Peter you know what I'm talking about. For the first three years of our marriage, he was usually clean shaven and wore his hair very short. About the same time he had his "quarter-life crisis" he started growing it out and stopped shaving regularly. In fact, aside from the occasional trim, Peter has not shaved in about three years. His hair has received much the same treatment...except he has actually shaved his head. When both of my sisters were losing their hair to chemotherapy, he shaved his head in support. The second time around his hair was 14-16 inches long and he was able to donate it to Locks-of-Love.

Isn't he a handsome fellow?

When members of my family aren't afflicted with cancer, Peter's hair is normally long and he resembles a Geico caveman bobblehead. See this post if you missed that story. To his credit, he has very nice hair. Many women have admitted their envy over his thick curly locks. However, he normally comes under a lot of scrutiny. People who shake up and question social norms usually do. So I thought I'd share an interesting experience we had today at church. Now, church is one of those places where Peter is usually teased for his long hair style. Today on the other hand was a little different. Peter and I were attending the blessing of my niece this morning and after we had gone back to my parents' house for brunch my father told us of an amusing comment someone had made regarding Peter. The fellow who related the tale to my father had brought his grandson to church with him that day and as Peter got up and joined the other men in our family for the baby blessing, the little boy whispered to his grandpa, "I know I'm in the right place, Grandpa, because look! Jesus is here!"

So not only does my husband resemble a bobblehead, but apparently he looks a lot like Jesus, too, and for once, his hair has had a positive impression on someone. Although it was a case of mistaken identity, I hope that little boy's belief that he was in the right place sticks with him for the rest of his life because of the day he saw "Jesus" at church.

"Put Out the Light"

I had to do a final project instead of a final exam for my Shakespeare class this semester, so I decided to illustrate a scene from one of my favorite plays, "Othello." In the second scene of the final act Othello enters the bedroom where his wife lies sleeping, intent on killing her because he believes she had an affair with his lieutenant (of course it was all just a dastardly plot by Iago who believed that Othello had slept with his wife). I was haunted by a line that he says while watching Desdemona sleep. He compares her life to the candle he is holding and says, "Put out the light, and then put out the light." Not only does the candle represent how easily Desdemona's life can be snuffed out, but to me it also represents how when Othello does kill her and then finds out that he was duped and that his wife was innocent, he has destroyed the only light he had in his life. It's a heart wrenching scene if you've ever read/seen "Othello."

For my illustration, this is what I came up with.

It's not a perfect picture, but I think it turned out okay. It was done using Prismacolor colored pencils on black art paper. If you think that Othello looks a little like Peter, well, that's because I used him as my reference. Othello is a Moor and is typically portrayed as a black man, but as I was working on this picture he started looking more Arabic/Middle Eastern, so I rolled with it. Either way works.

This class was by far my favorite class this semester, if not ever. My professor was awesome, and she amplified my appreciation for Shakespeare exponentially. It's the only class I am sad is over.

By the way, I got an A in the class. :)

Fitness Update

Well, Peter and I have kind of fallen off the wagon. The end of the semester hit and we have been swamped with school work. I haven't been to the gym in weeks and I hate myself for it, but I really need to get good grades this semester. Peter is super stressed with the 20 credits he's been taking, but it'll all be over in a few weeks. Next semester Peter is only taking 13 credits (including a kayaking class we're taking together) so it will be like a vacation for him. I think if we actually got to the gym we would feel less stressed, but just thinking about going and not working on my projects or studying stresses me out even more. I've really just got to figure out a way to make exercise a priority. I do really well until my life gets hectic or stressful and then it becomes a low priority. In less than a week school will be out for the winter break and I'll be able to get to the gym again. Next semester I am also taking a class called Dynamic Fitness and I will basically be forced to go to the gym and workout three days a week. I'm really excited about it!

Aside from the fact that Peter and I have been bad and haven't been going to the gym, I have been successful in giving up caffeine. I haven't had a caffeinated beverage in over two months! It's been tough at times, especially when I'm tired from a late night of studying or working on projects, and every now and then I crave a Coke or Dr. Pepper, but I've been successful in resisting these cravings. It wasn't nearly as hard to give up caffeine as I thought it would be.

Although I am sure I will successfully pick up my fitness regimen after this semester, I am concerned about the future. I need to learn how to make it a priority no matter what. Life will always get in the way if I let it. I was watching "The Biggest Loser" last night and I realized that it was ridiculous that people who were in worse shape than me could run a full marathon. It made me ashamed that I could not do something like that myself. I get wheezy after just one mile. I really want to get to the point where I could run a full marathon myself. That is my new goal. It may take me several years to achieve, but I want to run a full marathon before my 30th birthday. That gives me four years to train. I could totally do it.