Moving Items into the “Done” Column

A good online friend of mine recently joked that my “Done” column was getting pretty long and I might need to start a new page. I’m cool with that!

One of my goals over the past year has been to study for and pass the Corrective Exercise Science Certification test with NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine.) (If you have followed that link, yes, it’s expensive!!) From talking to other trainers, and the folks at NASM, I know it’s one of their harder tests to take. And believe me, it was. In simple terms, Corrective Exercise Science knowledge helps you work with people who have had injuries in the past, chronic or acute, and I think we all know that pretty much all of us can fit in that boat at one point or another. Since my goal is to probably work with people of my own age, or even older, it’s good info to have. I myself battle with injuries more now than I did in my twenties. And that’s ok, it’s a part of life. Your body changes over time.

So…the first time I took the test (which is 100 questions that must be answered in 90 minutes), even with the aid of the book and my notes, I failed to pass it. BY ONE POINT. Yes, as in ONE QUESTION.  Of course, I was kinda bummed to see that, knowing I had been so close. But it also told me I didn’t deserve to pass. (Obviously.) Something happened to me the first time I took it – I got freaked out and psyched myself out. But luckily for me, I had the opportunity to take it at least two more times, at no extra charge than what I had already paid. So, as soon as I found out I failed, I started writing down questions and answers I had not been completely sure of at the time, and resolved to have those answered in no time flat the next time around.

And that’s what I did. The next time around, I told myself to not freak out by watching the timer. Also, since I knew there were a number of questions on one particular part of the textbook, at first I skipped all of them the second time I took the test, only going back to work on them at the end when I knew I had built up a big time reservoir and could afford to look for them in a less-hurried manner. My plan worked. I passed the test the second time!!

Why the big deal? I think this will definitely help me to get a job when the time comes, in the fitness field. Since I won’t have much actual experience going in, I am trying to make myself look better in other ways. I think that having taken this test, and passed it on my own with my own self-study (and an e-teach class I took last fall as part of my prep), it shows I am hard working and willing to put in the effort to  learn things. And I am.   Hopefully, that will also show itself in my resume and when they meet me in person.

Another item I recently finished was the research for the book I have been helping with since this past December. I finished it while I was in St. Lucia (yes, I’m that much of a nerd, but hey it was done in the air conditioned room, and the cold air was quite needed.)  There is still upcoming work to be done with the conversion of footnotes into endnotes and  then the citation formats for the bibliography or “sources consulted” but the brunt of it is done. It feels weird, waking up this week, not having a test to study for, or work to be done on the book. It’s kind of nice, actually! This is how normal people live, right?? Just with two jobs? 🙂

By the way, it’s especially nice to see this book coming to fruition as I know she has been working on it for quite a while, and I was there with her in the beginning too. 🙂

I have more to write about, in different areas of my life, but don’t want to jinx one of them by saying too much. Suffice it to say, that hopefully my living situation (as in my physical surroundings) may hopefully change in the spring, allowing me to save more money before my move. But we’ll see! My mom and I plan on meeting up next week while I am taking some time off, to look at motorhomes together. She’s owned trailers for as long as I can remember so knows some of the stuff to look for that I might not.

Hope you have enjoyed the photos taken in St. Lucia scattered throughout this post. If you haven’t been, I suggest going!

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