Adventures of Bo SuperDog

The Young Family Christmas Letter

2009 has concluded, 12 months fading away into memories and photographs. 2010 beckons to us. Come forward and receive your prize. You have survived the 2000s, a turbulent decade finally drawn to a close. And what a decade it was. But now it’s over, and the promise of the 2010s expands before us, pristine and untouched like the layer of snow blanketing our front lawn. Before we move on to the bright future ahead of us, allow me to trace back through 2009, and remember the things for which we are grateful.

Mackenzie is a sophomore at the University of Michigan, studying world domination…er, mechanical engineering. He’s living at the Phi Delt house, like his brother and father before him, and undoubtedly finding it as luxurious and tidy as they did. He enjoys flannel shirts, singing acapella, and long walks with his steady girl, Liz. This fall he has gotten involved in his church band, and rocks out with them (slang for performs) twice a month. His glee club concert this fall was superb, and the 150th anniversary concert of the Michigan Men’s Glee Club in April promises to be even better.

Jon escaped the magnetic pull of Forest Bend in early 2009 and hasn’t looked back. He is enjoying his independence, as well as making proud the family name with his work at Behler-Young. The one thing left for him to shape up would be his wardrobe. But we’ll take what we can get. Right? Right? Anyone? Bueller?

Cameron continues his physical training schedule, and that, combined with a rigid program of steroids and HGH, has him looking lean yet cut as he prepares for 2010’s Mr. Universe competition. (All of that was a joke. All but the PT.) In the latter half of ’09, he interned at an advertising agency in Grand Rapids, dually learning the ropes of the business and fleeing the fated liquid lunches of the MALs (Middle Aged Ladies. Get with the nomenclature). He starts a new job in January, slinging office furniture, and is very excited. (He also runs a highly profitable blog, www.thelifeofcameron.blogspot.com)

As for the parents, they are well. Well, mostly well. Well, ok, all well. Kim continues to be a vital cog in her bible study group, and despite recently resigning her post as CEO of Cameron Inc, she remains an important source of aid and assistance to her number 2 son. Doug has been working overdrive in 2009, keeping the business afloat in rough economic waters, and steering her towards a profitable 2010. He enjoyed watching Michigan play football…no, basketball…no, hockey…no, he enjoyed the tailgating before said event and then got perturbed when the team played like sh@#. He, as well as all the Young’s, look forward to more successful campaigns in 2010. Kim and Doug have been married 32 wonderful years, and remain as enamored today as they were when Doug first wooed her with his spot-on Quasimodo impression.

We, as a family, are grateful for all the blessings 2009 has bestowed upon us, and we look forward to what lies ahead of us in 2010. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.

Countdown to 2010: My Movies of the Decade

I'm a fan of great cinema, and this decade (let call it the 00s) did not disappoint. The 00s provided some fantastic movies. The list may be a little chalk (a few Best Picture winners on the list), but hey, who am I to argue with Oscar?

1. Gladiator (2000) – This became my favorite movie immediately after I saw it. Back in Russell Crowe’s glory days, his performance is remarkable, as was current crazy man / wannabe rapper Joaquin Phoenix. Spaniard! Spaniard!


2. Slumdog Millionaire (2008) – The most recent Best Picture, I loved the flashbacks, the music, the way the Indian Regis Philbin pronounced Millionaire (millon-AIR!), everything.

3. Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003) – This trilogy was about as epic as movies can get. A little long for my taste, but as far as book adaptations go, these were superb.

I remain a Giant and you Jeremy Shockey

Here's a video from today's session. We braved the 8 fresh inches of Michigan's finest lake effect snow and hauled our butts northward to Rockford and the gym. My plan for the weekend is to commence four months of hibernation. Ready...go!

Another

Here's another one. The distance spanned in these videos is about 30 feet each, constrained by the length of the room. Monday and today, we went up and walked on the track at the gym and went for a total of about 350 feet each day. Like I said, every day feels stronger and smoother. God Bless, have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Video...Finally!

The long awaited and much ballyhooed video has finally arrived. We started doing walking like this in early October, once I was able to keep my trunk up without assistance. We try to do it at least once, and when we're lucky twice, per week, and each time it feels much easier than the last.
As you can see, they're helping me pull my leg forward; I can help a little bit with that but it's more of a reflexive action by my muscles, which usually starts off strong and peters out towards the middle of the walk. The main thing I am working on doing myself are trunk control, meaning keep my trunk centered and upright (not face-planting/ass-planting!), weight shifting from side to side to aid my steps, and also locking my leg into extension, when the knee is straight and the muscles are engaged and I can put weight on them.
This is 100% weight bearing, which is very important for bone density, muscle tone etc. I'm exhausted when I'm done, but it's a great feeling!

Therapy Update

I took a small vacation to do some soul searching, I just needed some time off, but now I'm back, ready to update you guys. Well, that's not totally truthful. I ended up punching a hole in my computer screen after the debacle of a football game Saturday, and I've only now gotten it fixed. Okay, that's not true either. I was just busy and lazy, OK? Geez, get off me.
The move I'm doing above is one of my trademarks, the 'Crouching Tiger, Seated Cameron'. It's taken me months to master, but now I'm performing it at ease. We've been working a lot lately on my core strength and balance, and it's really starting to pay off. My posture is much improved and my back strength, particularly my lower back, where I don't have full sensation but increasing muscle control, has been a revelation. It's helping me in multiple aspects of my therapy, particularly in walking, of which I'll hopefully get video soon, and truly is the key to my success. Like Confucious, with his sage wisdom ('Baseball wrong. Man with four ball, cannot walk.' - Confucious), I'll try to provide you a maxim to live by: 'Man who not do daily situps get flabby man gut'. You hear that Mackenzie?