M: mantra, manuscript, math

m

MANTRA, RUNNING

Remember how I mentioned losing working my butt off for a year and dropping 100 pounds in the process? Yeah. That was one of my more awesome moments. But it certainly wasn’t easy. Well, let me take that back. The concept is easy. Eat enough food to feed a healthy body, and move enough to rev your metabolism. Not rocket science.

During this time period, I was at the gym every day after work. The only thing I knew about weight loss at the time was cardio is God, so I walked into the gym, hopped on a treadmill and didn’t stop for at least 45 minutes.

Early on, I was lucky if I could run for 30 seconds at a time. Then it was 40. 60. 5 minutes. You get the picture.

But every second of that time on the treadmill, I was talking to myself.

I had a mantra.

I am a warrior, I repeated, my feet falling heavy on the treadmill, my eyes refusing to look at the elapsed time, I am strong. I am invincible. I. Am. A. Warrior.

And eventually, I believed it.

MANUSCRIPT

See also: frenemy

MATH MONTH, QUEEN OF

My senior year math teacher knew I hated math. Somehow we liked each other enough that I became her teacher’s aid. Even though math was my nemesis, I participated in most of her crazy Math Month activities. I mean, when it was time for the poster contest, I spent hours drawing a huge dead parrot with the word POLYGON beneath it. I was a trouper.

She surprised me that year, however, by crowning me Queen of Math Month at an assembly in front of the entire school. Complete with tiara and sash.

I’d probably have done the same thing, were I in her shoes.

No wonder we got along so well.