Updated 2016-04-13

This post has been redacted because of personal conviction. I would appreciate if you say a prayer for me. 

Oh, Saint Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires.
Oh, Saint Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession, and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, So that, having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most Loving of Fathers.
Oh, Saint Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss his fine head for me and ask him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath.
Saint Joseph, Patron of departed souls – pray for me. 
Amen

Spooky Hour by: Tony Mitton and Guy Parker-Rees

Spooky Hour
Tony Mitton (Author)
Guy Parker-Rees (Illustrator)
Scholastic
ISBN 0439603730

The cover of this book immediately grabbed my attention. A dancing skeleton - what could be better for the Halloween Season. But upon starting the book it got even better, for it is also a numbers book, with magical, mythical creatures gathering through the woods, and up to the castle. From Trolls, Wizards and Knights to spiders, skeletons and ghosts, they all gather in groups by their numbers and make their way to a Halloween gathering. This is a great story with fantastic illustrations. Will become a family seasonal favorite I am sure.

Plyo Legs - Tony Horton One on One Volume 1 Disk 1

Tony Horton
One on One
Volume 1 Disk 1
Plyo Legs
Beachbody

One on One with Tony Horton new product from Beachbody, it has been out about a year. It came out the year he turned 50 as a subscription service. For about $20 a month you get a new workout DVD each month. You can subscribe and get them all or order the specific one's that grab your attention. The Promotion for them states: "One on One with Tony Horton gives you The Man, raw and unfiltered, to drive you to new peaks. It's just you and Tony going mano a mano, doing the crazy-intense workouts he's devised to push himself. It's nonstop, heart-pounding action, delivered right to your door every month. Expect to get your butt kicked, in half the time." From the few I have sampled it lives up to that expectation. Just Tony and 1 camera man and 2 other Camera's mounted for some extra angles. Close personal intimate and very real. These are advanced workouts for those already in good shape looking to take it to the next level. Intended for graduates of Power90, P90X, or other Beachbody or fitness programs.

Currently I am only playing with these video's on my off days from P90X. I have however been experimenting with some of the Tony Horton One on One's to help me decide what I want to do when I finish P90X. This is a good workout for the legs and I really appreciate some of the new exercises. It is 68 Minutes of intense, hard leg work. It is a great workout and I will work it in for some extra variety; however I prefer the original Plyometrics from P90X over this one but that is just personal preference. This is an awesome workout routine that will push you hard - if you're not dripping sweat you're really not working.

To find out more about this series or other workouts in the collection follow the links below. I have created a random workout generator that uses 1 on 1's and P90X if your interested.
Volume 1, Disk 1: Plyo Legs
Volume 1, Disk 2: Power 90® Road Warrior
Volume 1, Disk 3: Killer Abs
Volume 1, Disk 4: Just Arms
Volume 1, Disk 5: 30-15: The Upper-Body Massacre
Volume 1, Disk 6: Fountain of Youth
Volume 1, Disk 7: Super Cardio
Volume 1, Disk 8: Mammoth UML
Volume 1, Disk 9: Bun ShaperVolume 1, Disk 10: Medicine Ball Core Cardio
Volume 1, Disk 11: Recovery 4 Results
Volume 1, Disk 12: Diamond Delts
Volume 1, Bonus Disk - Holiday Workout
Volume 2, Bonus Disk - Pay It Forward
Volume 2, Disk 1: Cardio Intervals
Volume 2, Disk 2: Core Ball Sandwich
Volume 2, Disk 3: Patience "Hummingbird"
Volume 2, Disk 4: 10-Minute Crusher Pack
Volume 2, Disk 5: Butt and Belly (I Dare You)Volume 2, Disk 6: Back and BellyVolume 2, Disk 7: On One Leg
Volume 2, Disk 8: Iso Abs
Volume 2, Disk 9: Cardio Confusion - Mason's Choice
Volume 2, Disk 10: 100/30/20
Volume 2, Disk 11: On One Leg 4 legs
Volume 2, Disk 12: Upper Body Balance
Volume 3, Disk 1: Chest, Back & Balls
Volume 3, Disk 2: ARX2 (Ab-Ripper X 2)
Volume 3, Disk 3: Shoulders and Arms MC2Volume 3, Disk 4: Base and Back
Volume 3, Disk 5: MC2
Volume 3, Disk 6: Plyocide
Volume 3, Disk 7: Stretch And Recovery
Volume 3, Disk 8: V Sculpt
Volume 3, Disk 9: Core Synergistics MC2
Volume 3, Disk 10: UBX
Volume 3, Disk 11: PAP
Volume 3, Disk 12: Total Body X









(Disclaimer: I am asked frequently if I am a Beachbody Coach, no I am not, I am just some one who has used their products, P90X, 1on1 with Tony Horton and more and liked them and achieved good results. I am not paid by Beachbody or any of their affiliates. You can see my full disclaimer here.)

The Snaggle Grollop by: Daniel Postgate & Nick Price

The Snaggle Grollop
Daniel Postgate (Author)
Nick Price (Illustrator)
Scholastic
ISBN 9789545104708

Sam asks his parents if he can have a cat or dog and they say no, so he asks for a Snaggle Grollop. When his parents ask what it is he says he doesn't know he just made it up. Then the next day he returns home from school with one. This is a fun story for the whole family with well done illustrations; a story that will keep children's attentions with fun to be had by everyone with the Snaggle Grollop's assistance.

The Gear To Bring it For P90X

What gear do you need to do the workouts for P90X from Beachbody? I am frequently being asked about what equipment it takes to do the fitness program that I have been on now for nearly 3 months. Between the articles I have written, and friends, family, fellow students and co-workers asking me questions about my weight loss, I decided to write this article comparing three equipment lists: the recommended equipment, with what I think is the minimum equipment, and then finish with my gear that I have been using. I hope that this piece will help answer some of those frequent questions and emails and about my fitness journey.

Recommended Equipment:
Chin-Up Bar or Exercise Bands with mount.
Dumbells or Exercise Bands
Heart Rate Monitor
Exercise Mat Mat
Exercise Block Blocks
Body Fat Tester
Powerstands or Pushup Stands
DVD Player

This list is pretty self explanatory, and Beachbody does sell versions of all of this equipment. I have only bought one piece of equipment from them and it was excellent, worth every penny.

Minimum Required Equipment:
Chin-Up Bar or Exercise Bands with mount.
Dumbells or Exercise Bands
Exercise Block

DVD Player This is the bare bones list. You could get by without the exercise block if you are already pretty flexible or improvise one from something around the house. Every video, every exercise can be done with the exercise bands, so if you don't have a chin-up bar or dumbbells, you can do eve

ry exercise band with just exercise bands. A while back I was travelling with work and did all my workouts while on the road with my bands and playing the DVDs on my laptop. I dropped the heart rate monitor because even though they can be purchased for around $40, on a student budget that is a little pricy. You can tell if you are working hard; you might not know if you are exactly in your cardio zone but close enough. I do have one, but only because it was given to me a few years ago, and I really only use it for the fitness tests.

My Gear:
Exercise Bands with mount.
Power Block Dumbells
Heart Rate Monitor
Exercise Mat
Exercise Block
Powerstands
DVD Player
I use the exercise bands for all the pull-ups and chin-ups. I use my Powerblocks for all weight exercises; the set I have goes from 2.5lbs to 90lbs a side. I made a mistake and bought the cheapest exercise mat I could find. I regret it. I am already planning on upgrading to a much better one this fall. After phase I of P90X I bought the Powerstands from Beachbody. They are fantastic. My pushups have

better form and greater reps. I have done a few of the workouts with just bands while on the road. The B-Line resistance bands sold by Beachbody look great but I went to a physiotherapist here in town, at Kinetex Rehab on Columbia, and paid about a buck a foot. I would recommend 7 feet, and tie a loop in the ends for handles. The DVDs are $120 on the Beachbody site, and about the same price here in Canada at Wal-Mart or Zellers. But I know a number of people who bought them and gave up; you can probably find a set cheaper to fit the student budget. I do most of the workouts in my den, and have done all of them there. Normally I do Plyometrics,  X and Kenpo X in the living room because of the carpet for extra cushion. But I have done a few of them in a small hotel rom. You can adapt all of these for even the smallest dorm room.

The final tool I use is not equipment but it is equipping, and that is the forms and message boards on teambeachbody.com. There are specific message boards for different start dates, a dedicated Canadian contingent - even a group dedicated to IT junkies. I have posted pretty regularly to 4 specific forms and used some of the advice and support from them to help me get the results I am seeing.

Hopefully that will answer many of the questions from students out there about what you need to have to do these workouts and start making lifestyle changes to get healthier and in better shape. Yet in the end it doesn't really matter what equipment you have if you're not using it, so if you decide to give P90X a try remember what Tony Horton the host of the video says: 'Do your best and forget the rest'. And keep pushing play on the videos and work out every day.

(First Published in Imprint 2009-10-09 as "Gear to Rock the P90X: On the road to a healthier lifestyle".)P90X Articles in order Phase I, Phase II, Gear, Phase III, Fitness Options.
(Disclaimer: I am asked frequently if I am a Beachbody Coach, no I am not, I am just some one who has used their products, P90X, 1on1 with Tony Horton and more and liked them and achieved good results. I am not paid by Beachbody or any of their affiliates. You can see my full disclaimer here.)

Other Fitness Articles:Fall 2011 Programs
Workout program March 2012
My Gear February 2012
Fitness My Retrospective

TRX Articles:TRX an Introduction
TRX Force
TRX Force Tactical
TRX Essential Flexibility

My P90X Series:Phase I, Phase II, Gear, Phase III, Fitness Options, P90X at 120 Days Out
Health & Fitness Book Reviews:The Primal Blueprint 21 Day Total Body Transformation - Mark Sisson
The Ten Commandments Of Lifting Weights - Jared Zimmerer
Toadally Primal Smoothies - Todd Dosenberry
Caveman Resurection - Jeff Pickett
40 Days to Optimal Health - Dr. Scott Morris
Eat Stop Eat - Brad Pilon
The Primal Blueprint - Mark Sisson
The New Rules of Lifting - Lou Schuler and Alwyn CosgroveBench Press by: Sven Lindqvist
Sly Moves by: Sylvester Stallone
Fit for Eternal Life: A Christian Approach to Working Out, Eating Right, and Building the Virtues of Fitness in Your Soul by: Dr. Kevin Vost
Body for Life 12 Weeks to Mental and Physical Strenght by: Bill Phillips Lose Fat Not Faith by Jeremy R. Likeness
Living The Good Life: Your Guide to Health and Success by: David Patchell-Evans
Dump your Trainer by: Ashley Marriott and Marc L. Paulsen

The Black Circle - 39 Clues Book 5 - Patrick Carman

The Black Circle
The 39 Clues - Book 5
Patrick Carman
Scholastic
ISBN 9780545060455

Patrick Carman does an amazing job on the hingepin book in this series. This series is 10 books by seven different authors. The flow of the story is continuous, and nearly seamless. Patrick's adventure takes place in Russia. In this segment of the story, The Cahill children Amy and Dan have a secret benefactor who is leaving them clues and guiding them along. The problem is they have a time limit to research clues all over Russia. So the Cahills form an alliance with the unlikeliest of teams, the Holts. Fortunately they negotiate and go back and forth with the son of the Holt clan, Hamilton.

The history lesson in this book focuses around the Romanovs, Rasputin and general Russian history. Patrick Carman does a great job of including a lot of information without the fictional book appearing like a history lesson. The story flows and has an amazing pace. Once you pick it up and start reading it you will not be able to put it down. With any book in a series there is always hesitation to pick it up, knowing it will be months before the next one comes out. However once I started this one I could not put it down.

This series is amazing. First the concept was intriguing - one continuous story told over 10 books but 7 different authors. It will introduce fans of some of the authors to other authors. All of the authors have won multiple awards across different areas. Together they are telling an amazing story of an adventure around the world and through history. Following members of the 4 clans in the Cahill family, the Janus, the Ekaterina, The Lucians and the Tomas, these families have been the movers and shapers of history and now they are on a chase for 39 clues that will lead them to the greatest treasure in history. The Black Circle is a great book in a great series.

Sites With More Info:
http://various.wikibruce.com/39Clues
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_39_Clues
http://39cluesworld.com/
http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=27257
  

The 39 Clues:
The Maze of Bones - Book 1 - Rick Riordan
One False Note - Book 2 - Gordon Korman
The Sword Thief - Book 3 - Peter Lerangis
Beyond the Grave - Book 4 - Jude Watson
The Black Circle - Book 5 - Patrick Carman
In Too Deep - Book 6 - Jude Watson 
The Viper's Nest - Book 7 - Peter Lerangis
The Emperor's Code - Book 8 - Gordon Korman
Storm Warning - Book 9 - Linda Sue Park
 Into the Gauntlet - Book 10 - Margaret Peterson Haddix
The Black Book of Buried Secrets - Rick Riordan
Vespers Rising - Book 11 - Rick Riordan, Peter Lerangis, Gordon Korman, and Jude Watson

Midnight Ride - Clifford Riley

…

Card Pack #1 - Books 1-3
Card Pack #2 - Books 4-6
Card Pack #3 - Books 7-9
Rare Card Pack

...

The 39 Clues Cahills vs. Vespers
The Medusa Plot - Book 1 - Gordon Korman
A King's Ransom - Book 2 - Jude Watson
The Dead of Night - Book 3 - Peter Lerangis
Shatterproof - Book 4 - Roland Smith
Trust No One - Book 5 - Linda Sue Park
Day of Doom - Book 6 - David Baldacci

…

 

The 39 Clues Unstoppable Series:

Nowhere to Run - Jude Watson      

Breakaway – Jeff Hirsch

Countdown – Nattalie Standiford

Flashpoint - Gordon Korman

…     

  

The 39 Clues Doublecross Series:

Mission Titanic - Jude Watson  

Mission Hindenburg - Jenny Goebel

Mission Hurricane - Alexander London

Mission Atomic – Sarwat Chadda

…

The 39 Clues Rapid Fire:
Legacy - Book 1 - Clifford Riley
Ignition - Book 2 - Clifford Riley
Hunted - Book 3 - Clifford Riley
Crushed - Book 4 - Clifford Riley
Turbulence - Book 5 - Clifford Riley
Invasion - Book 6 - Clifford Riley
Fireworks - Book 7 - Clifford Riley

…

 

The 39 Clues The Cahill Files:

Operation Trinity - Clifford Riley 

The Submarine Job - Clifford Riley

The Redcoat Chase - Clifford Riley

The Houdini Escape - Clifford Riley

Silent Night - Clifford Riley

Spymasters - Clifford Riley

…

 

The 39 Clues Super Special Books:

Outbreak – C. Alexander London

…

Updated 2016-04-13

This post has been redacted because of personal conviction. I would appreciate if you say a prayer for me. 

Hail Mary, full of grace.
Our Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb,
Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.