November 2011

During this month I basically continued going to the gym every week, I try to go 3-4 times a week depending on how much homework I have. Ideally I would go on mondays, wednesdays, fridays and saturdays but there are days where this isn't possible so I have to double up on the weekends. I am getting closer to my goal of 5 miles in 20 minutes, I can already do 5km in 15 minutes so it's just a matter of continuing to do cardio and hopefully I can reach my goal. After I reach my goal, I plan on setting a new goal and continuing with the gym. In terms of weights the progress hasn't been as visible, mainly because I started with barely any muscle. But I'm getting there.

The Cleft Palate Battle of the Bands was on the 26th of November and TY2D (Too Young To Die) won it. We had around 250 people attend and the night was a huge success in terms of fundraising and the talent that was on display. I did my part on the night by MC-ing the concert and I had done my part earlier by finding us a place to print tickets. Combining our sponsorship money with the money from tickets, we raised around 400,000 rupees, some of that was lost based on spending though, so today we'll find out the final amount fund raised. I'll try and find some pictures of the night that I can post on the blog.

Renewed sense of Action - 10th November 2011

Upon being told that I hadn't had enough action this year (SGA work + the internship at the hotel that involved a lot of sweating and hard work apparently did not count), I decided to start going to the gym. I've never been a huge fan of going to the gym and participating in physical activity however I do see the benefits that spending time at the gym will have for me. Therefore I set myself the goal of being able to bike 5.5km in 20 minutes an exercise bike as well as lifting 25lbs in both hands before the school year ends.

By doing this I will undertake a new activity, which is basically working out at the gym. Being an asthmatic who's had it rough with the condition, I look forward to working out and getting more physically fit as well as achieving the goal I set out for myself.

Below are some pictures of my first day there, pictures taken by Yariq Captain:

17th September - 8 November 2011

During this period I did a couple of CAS related things

I started taking pictures of the boys football team for the yearbook. On the 28th of October they played their first match and I got a lot of pictures of that. I've never been a great photographer even though I've had a passion for the field and therefore I undertook this task so that I could develop a new skill. 

With Cleft Palate a lot happened, we recently went to the hospital to gain a better understanding of the kids' conditions and the care they need and receive. This helped us understand the ethical implications of our actions. We got to see the results of our fund raising and the ethical benefits behind our work. 

In terms of the Cleft Palate concert, progress has occurred. We've got the date set for the 26th of November 2011, and we have raised approximately $2000 through sponsorship. The auditions were held on the 14th of October and 5 out of 9 bands were selected for the concert, as well as two professional bands. I recently went down to the poster and ticket printers to get some work done. The stuff has yet to be printed but at least progress is happening....