The Game Plan

Game Plan Launch - the New Home

2010-10-18T10:00:00.001-05:00

I know that not many of my readers used Twitter. This post is NOT about Twitter so keep reading. But the micro-blogging platform has opened my eyes to a whole new world of people, relationship, conversations and information. It's also forced me to develop my writing here at the Game Plan. To that end, I'm launching a new project today. Here's the premise: I want to take my blogging to the

Project Launch

2010-10-14T20:06:00.000-05:00

Forgive the cliche, but there's no time like the present. There's no better time than right now to do that project you've been "Planning" for months, if not years. For many of the people I talk to, this is in regards to working out, losing weight. That's why Nike took the cliche and made the passive statement an active one: Just Do It. Earlier this week I listened to an interview that

The Principle of Overload

2010-10-10T11:36:00.000-05:00

There is a principle in fitness training that is essential to experience any type of improvement in performance. It's called the principle of overload and here's how it works. Our bodies get really good at performing the demands we place on it. If you ask your body to run 2 miles every other day, your body will get really good at that. If you ask your body to do 60 push-ups and 60 sit-ups

Change in Race Schedule

2010-08-30T06:30:00.000-05:00

Katie and I are signed up for the Chicago Half Marathon in two weeks, but have to change our plans because we could not find a babysitter for Norah. Now don't you all start jumping out of the woodwork now - we've already made our decision. It's tough for me because I've wanted to run Chicago for years and this year my mom bought my entrance fee as a birthday gift! Well, it just wasn't meant to

Vibram Five Fingers

2010-07-09T10:17:00.001-05:00

Have you heard of the barefoot running craze? Did you know that the Stanford track team practices barefoot and only puts on their Nike shoes for competitions? Barefoot running sounds hard on the feet... could it actually be good for your health and training? When I heard that the book Born to Run was based on an ancient tribe in Mexico and their ultra-running culture, I was immediately turned

Family Camp 2010

2010-07-05T06:00:00.001-05:00

For the second year in a row, Katie and I took the family to Fort Wilderness in Reinlander, WI for Family Camp. This has turned into one of our favorite weeks of the year. The Northwoods are so beautiful, but for us it has been about the community. When I think back on our week at the Fort, I think of a giant family gathering. How cheesy does that sound? But here's the deal: the camp is

A Common Thread of Competition

2010-06-30T21:24:00.001-05:00

Last week our family was on vacation up in Reinlander, Wisconsin. For the second year in a row we attended Family Camp #1 at Fort Wilderness. I'll be writing about that experience this weekend, but right now I want to talk about a recurring discussion I was having all week: training. When training conversations came up, I could feel an interesting vibe and buzz. Maybe it's because I'm a

Race Week: Just Observing

2010-05-26T22:34:00.002-05:00

I am so excited for Race Week. This Sunday is Madison Marathon and I'm excited for different reasons. As Katie and I grow our family, we're in a season where I need to take some time off from training and competing. For months I've gotten myself excited for this weekend because so many friends and family are running this year's Madison Marathon. My sister is running her first half. My

EIM - Exercise is Medicine

2010-05-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

When I decided to pursue my certification as a personal trainer, I knew wanted the best. And the gold standard in exercise and fitness is the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). They are the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world: ACSM’s Mission Statement reflects this goal: The American College of Sports Medicine promotes and integrates scientific

The New Recovery Drink: Chocolate Milk

2010-05-14T07:00:00.001-05:00

(This post doesn't necessarily belong in the current series on Exercise Programming, but it's posted as a supplement. Enjoy!) At this point I hope that everyone has begun to incorporate some of this material into their exercise program. My goal is for this website to be a resource for you, a place where you can get all your exercise information and motivation. Need more? Find me on Twitter,

The X-Factor: Stretching and Flexibility (Exercise Program #4)

2010-05-13T14:14:00.002-05:00

Thanks for visiting the Game Plan. Please consider subscribing to these articles on my subscription form at the right. If you find the article helpful, please share it with a friend. I am currently consulting with three readers regarding their fitness plan. Join the discussion in the Comments Section. In the first two post of this series I have thrown a lot of information at you regarding

Strength Training (Exercise Program 3)

2010-05-01T15:46:00.003-05:00

Strength training is an important component to an exercise program. It also seems to be the most confusing part of the program for new exercisers. There are many different variables in a lifting program: days, sets, reps, weight, rest. But don't worry - I'll explain the essentials here and have you feeling stronger within two weeks, guaranteed. Why strength training? The easy answer that

Big Rocks First - Cardio Training (Exercise Program #2)

2010-04-30T14:40:00.003-05:00

Essential reading: Stephen Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. The principles in this book are foundational for successful living. One of the ideas from this book has to do with today's topic: cardio workouts. The principle is this: organize your schedule inserting the big rocks first. The idea is that when you're looking at a schedule, agenda, priority list, etc. it's

Creating an Exercise Program (Exercise Program 1)

2010-04-28T14:31:00.001-05:00

This is my second series on creating an exercise program. The first was called the J2K Fitness Challenge, and it centered around the principles and organizational structure of an exercise routine. It discussed dealing with previous exercise failures, setting goals, keeping records, and bumps in the road. Take a few minutes and review them as we continue this series. Now it's time to get to

Birth Announcement: Norah Katie

2010-04-23T15:36:00.002-05:00

It is my joy and honor to announce that Katie gave birth to our second child, our first daughter Norah Katie Schiefelbein on April 22, 2010. Norah weighs 6lbs 14oz and is 19 inches long. Katie is doing great. I write this post at 9pm from a pull-out couch in one of the birthing suites at Meriter Hospital. Katie has just fallen asleep with Norah resting on her chest. The two sleep together for the

Creating a Fitness Routine Part 5 - Putting it all together

2010-04-15T15:44:00.000-05:00

I hope you've enjoyed my series on creating a fitness routine. I truly hope you've learned something or taken some time to reflect on your exercise routine or habits and have been able to implement something from this series. Here's where we've been with the J2K Challenge. We've all failed at fitness at one time or another (or even more times than not). So the challenge is to identify those

They weren't supposed to be here

2010-04-12T06:00:00.001-05:00

Success has been described as where preparation meets opportunity. Preparation is the hard work. It often goes unnoticed. At least until success makes everyone notice all your hard work. Take for instance this year's NCAA mens basketball tournament. What a great tradition in sports. 64 teams earn the right to be in a tournament that determines the National Champion. Does any team prepare

Some Reading Material

2010-04-08T06:00:00.001-05:00

One of my biggest frustrations is not being able to find time to read all the good stuff I come across on a daily basis. First, of course, are the books I have going. As I mentioned back in December, my reading list is long. Currently I'm getting back into Principle of the Path so I can get a family book club blog back up and running again. I've also started to read Where Men Win Glory by Jon

Hiatus, the return

2010-04-06T16:39:00.000-05:00

Hiatus: recess, break, a break or interruption in the continuity of a work, action, etc. I'm just coming of a few weeks of being immersed in study - I took the GRE yesterday and prep for that has consumed me until now. So this blog post will be me essentially catching everyone up to speed on my life. If that's not compelling enough, just think of our little girl who is about to be born in the

Creating a Fitness Routine Part 4 - A Series of Adjustments

2010-03-13T06:00:00.004-06:00

I can still hear my defensive coach from high school. I can see him out of the corner of my eye, pacing around the team and insisting that "life is a series of adjustments." Very few - I mean very few - phrases have stuck with me over the years. But Coach Lecher ("lek-er") had a phrase that I'll never forget. He used it in such a brilliant context - defensive football. In the game of

Productivity

2010-03-11T10:35:00.000-06:00

I feel extremely compelled to write this morning. Productivity has been heavy on my mind this week, and it was reinforced this morning during my run. I'm only giving myself 10 minutes for this, though. My blog is currently in the middle of a series entitled "Creating a Fitness Routine." If you haven't read about our process check out the three posts here: Part 1 -Failure Essential for Success

Creating A Fitness Routine - Part 3: Keeping Records

2010-02-23T09:00:00.001-06:00

If you're new to our series on becoming more fit, please check out the first few posts. In part one we talked about how we've all failed at fitness in the past. We all do it - just admit your with the rest of us and move on. Failure is critical component to success. It wasn't the first time you failed and it won't be the last. (We'll be getting into this later in part six.) In part two we

Creating a Fitness Routine Part 2 - Goal Setting

2010-02-16T06:44:00.000-06:00

This is part two of our J2K Fitness Challenge. In part one we talked about how we can learn about ourselves in our failures, and that in fact failure is essential for success. I ended part one with instructions to write down some obstacles that have gotten in the way of your training programs in the past. Now with those in the back of our mind, let's start writing some goals. Goals, both

Creating a Fitness Routine Part 1

2010-02-08T06:00:00.001-06:00

Admit it - you haven't had that much success in this area. You've had a few exercise routines come and go over the years. Maybe you've tried running or getting on the bike, but it didn't last more than a couple weeks. You've tried some diets that didn't produce the results you expected. And weight lifting - after a week you were so sore you never made it back to the gym. Score: Intentions

Training Log: I Use DailyMile.com

2010-01-29T16:10:00.001-06:00

After three seasons of running, it looks like this summer will be an off-season for me. I've really enjoyed the different challenges of each race. But Katie and I are expecting our second child this April and that means our household will be busier than ever. Time for training will be hard to come by, so I'm planning on a much lighter exercise routine. But as a personal trainer I have come to

What I Learned From the Haiti Challenge

2010-01-24T07:00:00.002-06:00

This Haiti Challenge has been a mini-series on The Game Plan. I've really enjoyed it and it's made me think of the project from many different angles. It helped people: 10 days ago this money hadn't been given. The need arose, people responded, and money was donated. People benefited from our work. Teamwork wins: I'm very proud of the fact that my efforts in combination with the efforts of

Final Numbers for the Haiti Challenge

2010-01-21T20:34:00.000-06:00

There was no way I was going to process the reports from Haiti and not do anything. It was impossible. Over a two day period I watched Twitter and glanced at nytimes and cnn.com. I saw the tragedy unfolding and knew that as a God-fearing man and father of a little boy that it was my responsibility to take action. Families were being torn apart and forced into extreme conditions. It was my

Last Day for Haiti Challenge

2010-01-18T23:03:00.000-06:00

Tuesday January 19th will be the final day of my Haiti Relief Challenge. In my last post, I challenged my readers here and on Facebook to donate to one of three organizations: World Vision, Compassion International, or Red Cross. I asked them to post how much they donated (suggested $5 or $10) and I would match their gift. (picture courtesy of Ruth Fremson NYTimes: Quikani Alakassis, 21,

Haiti Challenge

2010-01-14T23:06:00.004-06:00

I admit I haven't done much reading on this disaster in Haiti. I'm just sitting down to write about thoughts that have been going through my mind for 24 hours with no time to process. Yesterday the recurring theme on Twitter was, "Watching scenes from Haiti. Wow. Shocked. Praying for Haiti." From where I sit on a daily basis I get my news from Twitter. I fire up my iPod Touch and read "

3 Words for Twenty-10

2010-01-08T15:20:00.001-06:00

I think new years resolutions set you up to fail. Have you ever actually kept one past the third week of January? On the other hand, I'm a big proponent of reflecting often on the details of life - where you've been, what you want to do, where you want to go, and how you're going to do it. The title of my blog, The Game Plan, should signal my readers that I believe in organizing strategies and

Oak Pruning Translating To Life Lessons

2009-12-18T11:10:00.001-06:00

Many days of the week I say to myself, "I wish people could see what I see." As an arborist, I am daily in the upper portions of a tree's canopy which gives me views of neighborhoods, cities and towns that most citizens will never see. What's the highest you've ever climbed in a tree? Routinely I'm up 50-70 feet in the air. If you've ever been in tall buildings and looked out the window, you

Loss of Innocence

2009-12-04T06:20:00.000-06:00

I understand you don't want to hear any more about Tiger Woods, but I'd be withholding from my readers if I didn't acknowledge what's on my mind, and in fact what I've discussed with a handful of you. My brother said it best, "It's a complete loss of innocence." I know I'm kind of a dreamer, even an old-school guy when it comes to this stuff. I'd even say I'm in denial about pro sports these

What I'm Reading - December 2009

2009-12-02T04:36:00.000-06:00

Have you ever had the question posed to you: "If you had one super-power, what would it be?" I had this asked of me numerous times in college and the answer was always the same. I wanted to fly. I mean really, what could be any cooler than that? But now I'm thinking that the super-power of that super-hero named Book Worm would be pretty cool, too. You know Book Worm, from that one show. Or

Things I'm Thankful For

2009-11-27T10:15:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving is a great time for family and reflection. It's a holiday that everyone can agree on and this is evident in our culture's universal celebration on this weekend. Of course as I'm writing this plenty of people have moved beyond Thanksgiving towards Christmas and the Black Friday event that's gotten completely out of control. But still, Thanksgiving is a great weekend. Briefly, let

Goal Setting

2009-11-23T06:00:00.002-06:00

If you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time. ~Author Unknown How true is this? Have you recently analyzed your goals in life? Could you list your top three priorities on a sheet of paper? How are you spending your time? Goal setting is an exercise that requires our daily and weekly attention. I am very easily distracted, and I'm not alone. In today's age of technology there are so

Only Do What Only You Can Do

2009-11-20T06:19:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite pastors is Andy Stanley from North Point Church. Andy is the son of Charles Stanley, who my mom grew up listening to. So it's kind of fun to see how the next generation takes after the first, both in preaching and in listening. Andy probably delivers the clearest message I've ever heard. He's very compelling and I tune in weekly to his leadership podcasts. Years ago I was

A Night Off, A Night Alone

2009-10-28T07:00:00.001-05:00

In one of my educational psychology classes in college, I remember a professor talking about the brain and learning. He said that when we learn, the brain is like a sponge; it can absorb only to a certain point. Sponges can only hold so much water before they need to be squeezed out. Purging is essential for the sponge to function properly; same goes for the brain. It needs to be emptied at

On Encouragement

2009-10-26T07:00:00.001-05:00

Last week I went to see a movie by myself. Katie had Bible study, but she probably wouldn't have been interested in this one anyway. The documentary was called "Race Across the Sky." It's the story about the Leadville Trail 100, a mountain bike race in Colorado that has grown from a cult following to national prominence after the release of this movie. The Leadville Trail 100 is a grueling

Thoughts On Fatherhood

2009-10-23T08:00:00.002-05:00

Last Sunday I had a father's feeling as I was dropping Sorin off at child care at church. Katie and I haven't been to church much this summer and when we did, we often let my parents take Sorin so we could actually attend church without interuptions. Sorin doesn't take too well to dad and (especially) mom leaving. So this week it was my week to take him to child care. As we walked in and got

How to Read 47 Blogs Per Day

2009-10-21T08:00:00.001-05:00

Technology is progressing such that we no longer have to search out information or news: it comes to us. Each day we check email, Facebook, our favorite news sites, and maybe some blogs. Is that accurate? How do you spend your time online? How do you get your information? Would it surprise you that I read 47 blogs per day? Would you believe that on average I catch up on my news in less

Controlling Facebook Noise

2009-10-19T08:00:00.001-05:00

While the number of users and the time spent on Facebook is only increasing, I still hear friends talk about too much noise on Facebook. "I don't need to hear what every friend is doing today." "It's too much of a distraction." "I only really want to hear about a handful of friends." I coudn't agree more. It has been fun to reconnect with old friends. Certain stories and updates are compelling

Lakefront Marathon

2009-10-05T08:31:00.001-05:00

When I finished the Milwaukee Marathon yesterday, I felt two emotions: first I was proud of my time, and second I was grateful for all my supporters. Let me start with the latter. I can say how thankful I was to have so many friends and family out on the course with me. Yesterday was 48 degrees at the start of the race - and windy. By the end it wasn't much warmer. The breeze sure didn't go

On the Record

2009-10-03T22:27:00.000-05:00

I think goals are very important. And while I don't have time to get into success, failure, and accountability, let me say this: I have a desire to put myself out on the line and shoot for a lofty goal. I want to be the guy in the game, working hard, performing my best, and seeing if I have what it takes. Like I said, I can't get into this right now b/c it's 10 hours before I'm running my

Race Week

2009-10-02T06:00:00.002-05:00

I am very excited to be at the final training week for the Milwaukee Marathon this Sunday. It is my third marathon, my second this year. I did Madison Marathon for the first time in 2007 and finished in 4:04. Last May I did Madison again and met my goal of going under 4 hours - I finished in 3:59. And now I've completed my training for this marathon on the heels of my Madison marathon, so the

Book Review: A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller

2009-09-29T06:03:00.000-05:00

In sports it's called the sophomore slump. A player has a great first (freshman) year and then can't live up to expectations the next. Donald Miller fully admits that after a very successful experience with Blue Like Jazz, a New York Times bestseller for 40 weeks, he went under the radar and did little more than get off the couch. Through a series of events and conversations with his roommate,

Social Media Revolution

2009-09-27T20:58:00.001-05:00

There are certain things that I really get jazzed about that others could care less about. Most people hate Favre - I'm still a fan. Friends and family are still using Hotmail and Yahoo - Gmail is the best. And U2 is still the best band on the planet. While I'm aware that my personality leans towards passion and action, I know that not everyone gets as excited as I do about certain things in

Giveaway: NOOMA Whirlwind

2009-09-25T06:30:00.008-05:00

I am happy to have another giveaway this week on my blog. As a supporter of Flannel , which produces the Nooma series, we received two copies of the latest film, Whirlwind. What a great opportunity to give one away. Whirlwind is about the story of Job. In this installment, Rob Bell challenges us to think outside of our circumstance, particularly ones that aren't going our way. Actually it's

Tweeting the NFL

2009-09-23T07:25:00.000-05:00

I understand that not everyone is fully buying into the Social Media culture that is forming. Forming... it's established. It's just a matter if you want to be a part of it. Today I read an article talking about tv advertising being still relevant, but social media is taking "center stage". I know plenty of my friends who shrugg this off, and that's fine. Just remember that I mentioned it

Benefits of Training

2009-09-21T06:33:00.000-05:00

As I train for my third marathon, I've been able to focus less on the miles scheduled for the week and focus more on the structure of the program and it's purpose. For those that don't know, when you're training to run 26.2 miles, you never actually run that far before the race. One common training program (Hal Higdon) has you peak at "only" 20 miles. And that's three weeks before the race!

Exercise and Christianity

2009-09-14T06:00:00.002-05:00

Since I became a fitness professional (as a personal trainer) I've made an intentional effort to practice what I preach. It's not enough to have the knowledge to simply prescribe a workout routine for people and expect them to become healthier. I firmly believe a good trainer needs to model a healthy lifestyle to be effective. In addition to training, it has been my experience that I also need

"How Could You Not?"

2009-09-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

There are certain things you run across and say, "that's good." This video from Donald Miller and the Mentoring Project does just that. While I'm promoting this video, I don't mean to convey that I'm fully on board, because I'm not. I can't right now. But it's still an important message that needs to be heard so I'm trying to spread it. If you like it, pass on a link to this post to someone

And the free book goes TO.....

2009-09-10T06:00:00.002-05:00

The first responder, Mr. Persistance, the reader and writer himself... Mr. Jaye Barbeau. This guy hounded me on Facebook and recruited his friends to write on his behalf - well played, Sir. It was difficult to turn down the web-man Jeff Miles because he's helping to update my blog and take it to the next level. Crowning him winner would have been for selfish gain. Nice try Miles - I guess

Book Giveaway - Donald Miller's "A Million Miles"

2009-09-08T10:00:00.002-05:00

I have recently started reviewing books for Thomas Nelson as part of their book review bloggers program. My second title will probably be an all-time favorite - Donald Miller's "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years." Katie and I were sitting on the porch when the UPS man pulled up with a box that was bigger than expected... because there were TWO books included!! The publisher (CEO Michael

Book Review: Fearless by Max Lucado

2009-09-08T06:00:00.004-05:00

Fear is simple: “I’m scared of…” Fill in the blank. But when we examine the dimensions of fear, we see that it can play a significant role in various aspects of our lives. Max Lucado unpacks all the subtle places fear can attack us and what the Bible says about how we should respond. Plain and simple: in America 2009 we have realized that things we take for granted are not as secure as we

Reviewing Books

2009-09-06T07:00:00.007-05:00

A few months back I stumbled upon a blog by Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishing. Somewhere in there I found out that they have a blogger review program. The idea is that they ship you an advanced copy of a book in return for a book review that you post on your blog, their website, and at least one commercial site (such as Amazon). Well I'm always a fan of free stuff and I figured it

Twitter: What Has Your Attention

2009-09-04T13:30:00.005-05:00

I am a huge fan of Twitter. But many people I talk to are still confused about what it is and why someone would do it. Twitter originally (and probably still) asked users, "What are you doing?" And this is why I get so much negative feedback about Twitter - because that's such a self-centered question. People ask me, "Why are you so important that people want to know what you had for lunch

First 30 pages of Donald Miller's New Book

2009-09-02T06:00:00.002-05:00

Currently I'm using my blog as an extension of my reading on Twitter and the blogs that I follow. Donald Miller is beginning to promote his new book, which I'll be reviewing for Nelson Publishing and posting here on the Game Plan. Did you read Blue Like Jazz? Great memoir of Don's, a must-read. Are you excited for his next book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years? If so, here's the first 30

Donald Miller's Mentoring Project

2009-08-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

There are a few people I really enjoy following, and one of them is Donald Miller. Earlier I posted a widget of his upcoming tour and new book (which has a free audio download!). Now I'm excited to help him promote the Mentoring Project - an organization that "exists to inspire and equip the faith community to provide positive male role models to boys between the ages of 7 and 14."The Mentoring

Sorin's Dedication

2009-08-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

dedicate: to set apart for a special purposeIntentionality is tough these days. There are so many things fighting for our time and attention. And if you don't have priorities straight and maintain a disciplined lifestyle, the world can pull a person in many different (and bad) directions.One element of a balance life for Katie and me is our relationship with Christ. To say "one element" isn't

Who Am I?

2009-08-17T13:33:00.004-05:00

Sorry for those of you who may not get this inside joke.

Marathon Training

2009-08-09T07:00:00.001-05:00

Well after Madison Marathon was completed at the end of May, Katie and I had a very busy few weeks. This is especially noteworthy because my training for the Lakefront Marathon was adversely affected. It was tough for me because I was really looking forward to seeing how the first marathon training would prep me for the second. I'm happy to report that I'm back on schedule with my training, and I

2009-08-07T08:00:00.002-05:00

I've never done this before, but as it turns out it was easier than I expected... I follow Donald Miller on with my Google Reader account, and a couple days ago this came across the screen. I heard Don talk about "Story" last fall and it was fantastic. His writing is very unique and I appreciate his honesty and candid words. You should check out his blog and get ready for his new book.

It Was All About Sam

2009-07-13T22:50:00.003-05:00

For my birthday Steve and Sue got me two tickets to the Brewers Game for July 12. It was the last game of the first half of the season, we were playing the Dodgers - the best team in baseball. But the real story of the game was the National Anthem. Steve and Sue got tickets through a friend from their church how have a son, Sam, who has a brain tumor. He's had surgery once but they couldn't

Family Camp at Fort Wilderness

2009-07-01T06:20:00.001-05:00

I love checking on the weather b/c of all the work I do outside. I just noticed that tonight calls for 100% chance of a "Blizzard." Nice.TonightJan 12 Blizzard N/A-1°

Advent Conspiracy articles

2009-01-07T19:46:00.003-06:00

Katie and I were very excited to participate in the Advent Conspiracy this Christmas season. You can look at a previous post for some details - I think it's worth the read. Blackhawk created a blog to provide a forum for people to share their stories and thoughts about how the AC was affecting your Christmas Season. I was asked to contribute and you can find my post ("Sustainable Conspiracy")

Packers Game

2009-01-04T19:16:00.003-06:00

How can you not love free tickets? I have to thank Kristi for her gift "from one Packers fan to another." Every time we get together we go on and on about the Packers and their season. But I have to be honest - the Detroit game worried me.On this side of the win it seems a little odd to discuss. But playing a team that has lost all 15 games is a scary game - especially for a Packers team that

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T18:52:00.004-06:00

What a wonderful time of the year. We got Sorin a little chair for him to sit in, which he liked right away.Katie and I spent the 23rd and 24th at my mom and dad's in McFarland. We decorated some Christmas cookies and ate really good food.Christmas Eve we left for Cedarburg to see the Robertson side. Sorin was as big of a hit there as he was in McFarland. It's a lot of fun to have Sorin be so

Snow Day!!

2008-12-09T20:26:00.002-06:00

It was fun last night to go to bed knowing there was a good chance I'd be off work today. Normally it's no big deal, but on Tuesdays Katie stays home with Sorin - so we both had all day together.It started off with sleeping in - 'til 6:30. I needed the sleep but I love my mornings, so I'm a little upset that I slept past 5:30. Nonetheless, the morning started off great with coffee and a good

Christkindl Market

2008-12-07T20:31:00.003-06:00

Katie and I have a started a tradition of going to Chicago for Christkindl Market with our cousins, Matt and Amanda, Justin and Kelly. What is Christkindle Market?It's a German festival at Daley plaza where they serve brats, potato pancakes, and Glühwein (a traditional hot spiced wine). Let me set the stage for you. First - Chicago. It's certainly called the Windy City for a reason. The

Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T16:21:00.003-06:00

Life has changed a lot in the last 4 months. As we approached the arrival of our first child, Katie and I were coming off a busy summer preparing for parenthood. When Sorin was born on August 22, we experience an adrenalin rush for weeks on end. It has been such a blessing to care for Sorin and see Katie embrace motherhood.For me, it meant more hours at work and less down time after work.

Historic Day

2008-11-04T23:29:00.004-06:00

Politics make for polarizing discussions. Sometimes it's the social norm to avoid political discussions. Many went to the polls today with their candidate on the tip of their pen. And we all waited to see how the numbers came in.Republicans and Democrats. Red and Blue. Age, race, experience, policy... Do you know what today was about? Freedom to vote. The beautiful reality that in America

Advent Conspiracy

2008-10-26T20:17:00.002-05:00

I love discussing with my wife how we're deciding to conduct our lives. One area is Christmas spending. Over the last couple years of marriage, we've made consistent efforts to create gifts and not focus on the price tag or the pressure to give a certain amount. We're very much on the same page here. If we see something for $85 and we know a family member really wants (or needs) that, then

Happy Birthday Brett

2008-10-10T14:21:00.003-05:00

I know - kind of weird that I know Brett Favre's birthday. But it's just one of those things I guess. So for his birthday Brett got to celebrate a week off (Jets had a bye last week) after throwing six TDs the week before. Career high.In a related story, Aaron Rodgers' birthday is December 2 (I had to look that one up). If anyone's thinking of what to get him, they might consider shoulder

Celebration of Life

2008-09-27T16:06:00.004-05:00

Two weeks ago, I was supposed to meet a client at the gym at 4:30. Unfortunately A.J. had passed away the night before of unknown causes. A.J. was a very active man - 23 years old, but he was autistic. He was a bowler, golfer, runner, and he worked out with me at the gym.Being a person with a disability, A.J. was still able participate in so many activities. He worked at Copps and had just

So This Wasn't Really a Nightmare

2008-09-08T21:05:00.002-05:00

I just realized that during the whole summer and preseason I was mistaken. I was under the impression that the nightmare that was the Brett Favre Saga was not really happening. Sure, Aaron Rodgers started the preseason games, but the reality of it never sunk in with me. And yesterday I was watching the Ironman while Brett was throwing a 56-yard beauty for the Jets, so I didn't see him start

Sorin's Here

2008-08-24T15:56:00.003-05:00

It is my honor to introduce Sorin Steven Schiefelbein to the Game Plan. As of right now, you won't be hearing much about him here b/c he has is own blog - (SorinSchiefelbein.blogspot.com).He has been an absolute joy for the last 48 hours. Sorin was born Friday night:Birth: August 22, 2008Time: 4:41 pmWeight: 6lbs. 8oz.Length: 19 inchesBetter pictures to follow.

Baby Prep

2008-08-17T20:28:00.002-05:00

I haven't written about our pregnancy all summer, and I'm not sure why. I've certainly thought about it, but I think it's one of those things that's been so new for us, it's been hard to put thoughts and words to the whole process. Instead, I've been writing about sports - go figure.Obviously I think about our baby all the time. Want to know what his name is? Stay tuned for that one... Being

Summer Olympics

2008-08-12T17:33:00.003-05:00

I have fond memories of my first Olympics in 1988 - it was the first Games where I was paying attention and knew a little bit about what was going on. I'm sure these Games contributed to my patriotism.The Olympics of 2008 bring a hype I haven't seen in years. Most would say the Olympics have lost the glory it once owned. And marketing the Games has addressed this, including the NY Times

(old news) Brett Favre Saga Over

2008-08-10T18:57:00.003-05:00

I know this is "old news," but for the sake of documentation I wanted to pull this sidebar off of ESPN (thanks guys) as a sad reminder of these last couple weeks:BRETT FAVRE SAGA: OVER After pushing and pushing to keep playing either in Green Bay or elsewhere, Brett Favre's storied career will continue in 2008. The unretired quarterback has been traded by the Packers to the Jets.

Embarrassed to be a Packers Fan

2008-08-07T07:51:00.002-05:00

It is a sad day in Wisconsin. Meeting clients at the gym I work at, the tv was tuned to ESPN which was reporting that Brett Favre has been traded to the Jets. Packers Football was so pure. It had been so great, then it was so bad, and then we got Brett Favre. Now Ted Thompson comes in and drafts Aaron Rodgers (who I think will be really good). Thompson thinks he needs to create his own legacy

Summer is too busy

2008-07-20T22:24:00.005-05:00

I won't even mention the line that goes something like, "Can you believe how fast summer is going?"We haven't been all that busy with events and things like that. Our life within pregnancy has seemed to change things. We still go to the Farmer's Market, which is great. Over the 4th of July we went canoing down the Wisconsin river, near Arena and Spring Green. That was great to get on the

Concert on the Square

2008-07-04T23:17:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite things about Madison is Concert on the Square. For 6 weeks during the summer, the Madison Orchestra performs on the Capital Square as people gather around the lawn with blankets and small chairs. It's actually quite and ordeal - people really go all out on this. Nice food, nice wine. Concerts are upscale events. And we love them.Of the six concerts, the best one is near

4 years and a Baby Shower

2008-06-24T20:49:00.004-05:00

The date is one of our romantic anniversaries - June 24th. Four years ago today, I invited Katie to a Brewers' game with some church friends for an outing that I was sure to clarify was not a date. So looking ahead to June 24th on the calendar, I was excited to see that Katie had a baby shower with the women from work. That meant I could pick her up from the shower and take her on a walking

Gone Fishin'

2008-06-15T19:22:00.005-05:00

I just got back from the Robertson Men's Fishing trip in Canada. In the works since last November, I'd been waiting for this trip with eager anticipation. I'm certainly not an experienced fisherman, but any chance to be out in the wilderness on a trip like this is an opportunity for me to cherish.The final total was 14 men on the trip - 5 uncles and 9 cousins. We had four vehicles meet up in

Memorial Day

2008-05-26T08:54:00.002-05:00

I only met Christian one time - at his wedding reception at his parents' home two summers ago. Big guy. Almost quirky, but certainly an attractive personality. I'm not that great with words sometimes and I only met him once, so you will have to trust me in my thoughts here... As I hear about what Katie and her family say about Christian, and as I hear about his funeral and what was said and

Crazylegs 2008

2008-04-27T13:52:00.004-05:00

I think I've run about 6 editions of the Crazylegs Classic. The 8K run is one of my favorites. This year was a new experience for me b/c we had a team with our life group, appropriately named Team LG. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to run b/c I thought I broke my toe the week prior. But the pain got better each day, and by Friday night I was pretty sure I'd be able to run. My alternative was

New (First) Outfit

2008-04-27T12:31:00.002-05:00

I have to admit how much I'm looking forward to dressing my son. I've always been interested in fashion, and those adult outfits in kids sizes are just the cutest thing I've ever seen. So Katie and I decided we should go out and get a first outfit for Baby Boy. Tori was with us, and we had fun looking through Baby Gap and H&M's selection of infant clothes.I ended up picking up this outfit: a

20-week ultrasound

2008-04-15T17:43:00.003-05:00

I haven't written about our pregnancy on the Game Plan b/c I had a couple other (out of town) people to tell personally. It's kind of a long story which I can't (and won't) get into. But now it's officially on the blog - we're having a baby, due date August 28.To all my readers (if there's any besides my 2 moms, let me know), you can keep updated on our progress here, at the Game Plan. This

Say it ain't so, Billy Joel

2008-04-07T08:51:00.004-05:00

I understand that we all get older, and the music we listened to gets more and more "out of date." But like a good bottle of wine, it gets better with time.... right? (Rhymes are flowing today.)In high school a good friend of mine, Jason Jobke, always listened to the Oldies. He was raised on it by his parents, and so we listened to them so much that the Oldies really grew on me. The summers

What a Shooting Performance

2008-03-29T19:18:00.002-05:00

Well I was sure Wisconsin was going to get a decent victory over Davidson in their Sweet 16 match-up Friday night. I wasn't overlooking the Wildcats, but I honestly felt we were a better team. And maybe 8 out of 10 times we are, but last night Curry and Davidson gave the Badgers a whupin'.Can I say that I actually enjoyed watching that shooting performance? I mean if he had a good look at the