Countdown to 4-0

     This weekend, I worked on my Life Plan with the help of the book, Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Want.   I had to determine what my priorities are.  These priorities are called "Life Accounts."  One of my Life Accounts is... drum roll please... my Health and Fitness.  I have been told I am too obsessed with my fitness bordering making it my false idol.  I am thankful for my well meaning friend that pointed it out, but I do have to disagree.  Yes, I talk a lot about health and fitness on my page, but it's because it is one of my passions or as social media lingo would call it, my niche.  And yes, my health is a priority for me.  I have been given this ONE body and I need to take care of it.

   When I took the time to take an assessment of my life accounts, one of which was my health and fitness, I was faced with the realization that in the last couple of months I have drifted in that area, particularly the eating department.  I can come up with excuses about why I drifted but I wont do that.  All I know is that I am turning 40 this December, and I want to be in the best shape of my life.

    I KNOW what I need to do to do it the healthy way and now I have to do it. I know that fitness is not a puishment, it's a blessing; and nutrition isn't restrictive, it's healing.  It is more than just eating healthy and working out.  It is going for my yearly physical (which I am on pretty good about) as well as my yearly women doctor visit (ok, I was reminded by my doctor to schedule this because it has been a year and three months since my last visit).  It is (GULP) seeing my dentist regularly.  It is taking time to de-stress including taking a social media break, and even scheduling a massage for my hard working muscles. 

    I will be scheduling my overdue doctor and dentist visits this week, which will take care of those.  BUT I need accountability to stay on track with my healthy eating.   I scaled back on my challenge groups in 2017 because I didn't want to bug and pressure people to join my groups, but here's the truth: I NEED THESE ACCOUNTABILITY GROUPS as much as others do.  So, as part of my Action Plan for this particular life account, with the short term goal of LOOKING AWESOMELY FIT at 40, instead of holding different challenge groups throughout the year, I will be forming a year long challenge group. And yes, I'll be reaching out to everyone I know to join me on this journey because I NEED YOUR HELP TO HOLD ME ACCOUNTABLE.   I will open it up every quarter for those who want to jump in. 

     Do you want to be a part of my Fit for 2018 group?  I'd love for you to join me  (and I mean that because I kinda need you to join me).  I will be kicking it off on January 15.  Please complete this form if you'd like to be in this group.

How to Brew Your Own Kombucha

Kombu-wha?  That's usually the reaction I get from people when I'm drinking kombucha.  Either that or “ew, that smells wierd.”  Ok that last one was from my kids.  Most adults I know aren't rude like that.  So what is kombucha? Simply put, it is fermented sweet tea.  It consists of tea, sugar, bacteria, and yeast.  Mmmmmm… sound delish and refreshing, don't it? LOL. 

No, really. It is delicious and refreshing. Not only that, it has SO MANY health benefits. It's a  probiotic drink.  Here are some of the benefits from drinking kombucha:

   - aids digestion

   - improves your immune system

   - helps keep you regular 

   - contains antioxidants that can help promote healthy liver and kidney function

So how do you get started?

MATERIALS:

     1- healthy SCOBY (see Step One)

     1 or 2 - one gallon GLASS jars 

     1 or 2 cheese cloths OR coffee filters (these will be the cover for your jars while brewing the kombucha).

     Rubber bands to hold the cloth or filter in place

     Several smaller glass jars or containers WITH PLASTIC covers to store your finished kombucha.  I saved up the bottles from the store-bought kombuchas for mine.  You can purchase them on Amazon.
    

STEP ONE: GET OR GROW A SCOBY

 

You need a healthy SCOBY to make kombucha.  SCOBY stands for Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast.  In layman’s terms, it is a mini island for bacteria and yeast.

If you don't have a way to get a SCOBY, you can make your own following the steps mentioned here.

STEP TWO: BREW YOUR STARTER KOMBUCHA

After you have made your starter, you can flavor it to your liking.  That takes us to:
STEP THREE: FLAVOR YOUR KOMBUCHA.

There are A TON of different ways you can flavor your kombucha.  The internet is full of instructions on how to do this and it can get overwhelming. My suggestion is to start with one ingredient such as a fruit or ginger. Pineapple is my favorite so far (I've only tried mango and pineapple).  Make sure that the fruit is ripe so that it can give your kombucha flavor.  Some of my friends told me that ginger kombucha is delicious as well. I have yet to try it but I cannot wait to give it a try.  

SOME TIPS:
-  To clean your kombucha container(s), use WARM WATER and white distilled vinegar. Soap will kill the bacteria in your kombucha.
- When you are handling your SCOBY make sure you wash your hands using warm water and white distilled vinegar.
- Try using  half gallon jars for your second ferment (aka flavoring your kombucha) so you can brew two different flavors at the same time.
- The downside of kombucha is that it attracts fruit flies. You can keep fruit flies away from your kombucha by sprinkling some ground cinnamon on a coffee filter and putting it on top of the  cheesecloth or coffee filter cover.  You also need to make sure that your rubberband is on tightly.  

Have you tried brewing your own kombucha? I'd love to hear about your favor combinations so please share them in the comment section!

Before I close, I have to give a shout out to my friend, Loretta, who was my go to for all my kombucha questions.  Brewing kombucha for the first time can be daunting, so if you have any questions, feel free to email me at mariebubilo@gmail.com or leave a comment below!

Be joyful and healthy,

Marie 

My New Obsession: Aerial Silks

Oh my! Is April over already? Typical of me to drop the ball and reject this blog after I committed to writing regularly again. School, work, home, blah blah blah. I dropped the ball. End of story.  My apologies.  Let's  try this again...
 
A lot has happened in the last three months, but I won't bore you with that.  So I'll jump right into my new obsession.

Over a year  ago, I found out aerial yoga and aerial silk.  I saw a video of these women gracefully and flawlessly moving on the silks that were suspended from the ceiling. It looked heavenly!  I didn't make it to my first class until this past Saturday when I discovered that they taught Aerial Silks classes in Studio 9 which was 15 minutes away from me.

The first thing I learned was that  Aerial Silks and Aerial Yoga were two totally different things. Aerial Yoga was birthed when a yoga instructor and an acrobat looked for ways to challenge a yoga class using silks.  In Aerial Yoga, it's basically doing the same ground yoga positions on the silk, in the air.  It takes more effort to stabilize yourself on the silk.  Aerial Silks have been used in the circus (think Cirque du Soleil), theater, and dance.  In an Aerial Silks class, you work on progression and sequences, how to lock yourself in the silk, climb up, roll down, swing, and so on.  I'd say that it's a form of dance.  

The next thing I learned was, "You will get some bruising tomorrow. Don't worry, it's perfectly normal."  My instructor smiled as she told me this and summoned me to a beautiful long purple silk cloth dangling from the ceiling 16 feet above us.  Oh... but how can these beautiful silks bruise me, I thought.  I would find out soon enough.

When you look at Aerial Silk videos, you will see that the silks are parallel to each other, not tied together.  For the beginner class I took, the instructor tied the ends of the silk together creating a swing to hold me.  First, she made me get acquainted with the silks.  She showed me how to position myself.  Where to position the silk on my back, where to put my hands, and how to lean back on the silk and fall backward so that I was upside down- feet apart, legs hip level, parallel to the ground.  She told me that unlike yoga, my feet had to be pointed (nailed it!!!).

Then she said, "Ok, the silk will hold you, so you can let your hands go."  Excuse me?  Just hang upside down without my hands?  "Are you sure?" I asked. 

"Yes, just make sure your legs stay straight and wide apart like this by your hips, and your toes are pointed.  Otherwise you will flop down."

Nervously laughing, I asked, "Can I just focus on getting this form down before I let go?"

"Of course, I want you to be comfortable," she said.

LESSON TO YOU: When trying a new class, NEVER EVER EVER be embarassed to ask if you can modify a move, or take it slow, or have the instructor show you the move again.

My instructor adjusted the knot on my silk because my head was too close to the ground.  I practiced getting on and off the silk on my own, making sure the knot was rested just where my coccyx bone was, and flipping upside down, feet wide, by my hips, parallel to the ground, feet pointed.  Hanging on to the silk with my dear hands as if my life depended on it.  Mind you, I was only a few feet away from the ground.


Once she saw I have gotten a hang of... well, hanging upside down, she said, "You got it!  Let's try letting go again.  Give me one hand at a time."

I gave her one hand.  Waited.  And then, took my hand back from her.  "I'm not ready yet!"

She didn't push me any more and moved on to get us warmed up and stretched.  Like any workout, warm ups and cool down is important.  We stretched our lower body using the silks while being on the ground.  Then she showed us how to stand on the swing, one foot on, the other foot on the ankle of the one on the swing, the knee for that foot in front of the silk and then letting our arms open up.  It was freeing!!   After a few more stretches, we stood on the silk with both feet and stretched our lower back (see picture).

Two more things I learned about silks: 1- your feet arches will hurt from standing on the knot; 2- your hands will hurt from gripping the silks.

We went back to hanging upside down.  I felt comfortable enough to wrap my legs around the silk while upside down.  On one of my tries, without any prompting, I let go of the silks and dropped my hands. 

She also showed us how to fold forward on the silk, with the silk resting just below our hip.  Once we got a hang of doing this, she showed us how to flip around so that we are on our back again and moving to the upside down position we've been working on.  That was my favorite part.  And I felt comfortable with the silks by that time that I stayed in the upside down position, hands off of the silk, and my legs wrapped around the silk.  I could have spent my whole day swinging and flipping on those silks.  BUT just like that, the hour was over. Where did the time go?!??!?

She walked us through leg and spine stretches on the ground.  We also worked on our wrists and flicked our fingers open and close.  

I'll be honest.  When she said it was time to stretch, I thought, "Bummer, that wasn't really a workout."  I thought we'd be doing more.  Aside from my hands hurting from gripping the silks, my sides and back from leaning on the silks, and my feet from stepping on the knot, I didn't feel like my muscles were worked out at all.

Fast forward to Saturday night- I started feeling it on my shoulders, arms, legs, sides.  The next day I noticed very slight bruising on my sides (by my hips), under my belly button, and on my thighs.  Nothing too bad.  I definitely did work my muscles, too, because my body ached when I woke up on Sunday.  I shouldn't have underestimated what I did and taken my muscle recovery drink after class.

MY VERDICT:  IT WAS FUN!  So much so that time flew so quickly and I didn't even think I was working out.  It felt like we were just hanging out and playing around with the silks!!!!  I will definitely go again. Unfortunately, one class is $20.  They have a package which is 4 classes for $70 or monthly unlimited classes (including their pole dancing classes) for $100. I don't plan on trying pole dancing any time soon and I can really only go to the Saturday morning class.  So I will probably just purchase the 4 class package.
 
My first Aerial Silks class was like an amazing first date and all I've been thinking about is the amazing feeling I felt flipping and hanging upside down.  I'm smiling thinking about it. I highly recommend that you give it a try!

Until next time...

Dare to be fit!

<3 Marie 

Top 3 Reasons People Quit Their Fitness Goals (and How to Get Rid of those Excuses)

It is mid-January, and I have received messages from people saying that their resolve is starting to wane.  Sadly, these friends of mine are not alone.  Only 8% of people achieve success in their resolutions.  For this post, I will give you the top 3 reasons people quit on their fitness goal and my tips on how to counter those reasons (in no particular order): 

REASON #1: NO TIME

Life gets in the way. You work a full time job.  Your kids play sports and have after school activities.  You have a home to clean.  And on and on and on and on.  I hear you. I'm right there with you.  However, I am able to fit in my workout.  Why? Because I work out at home.  If I had to go to the gym or a class, I wouldn't workout.  From the comfort of my home, I can pick out whatever workout I want to do (depending on the amount of time I have) and when I workout.  Sometimes, I workout in the morning after I read my Bible.  Other times, I workout right before I go to work (I do a quick shower after without washing my hair- thank God for dry shampoo!!!).  Other times, I  work out at night.

There are so many options that will allow you to work out from home in as little as 30 minutes (sometimes even less!).  All you need to do is have the initiative to push play.

When I tell people to workout from home, they often respond, "BUT I WILL NEVER TAKE THE INITIATIVE, I NEED TO GO TO A GYM OR CLASS." My question is WHY?  If time is the reason you are not working out, try working out from home.  You just need to make it a habit.  Why not try working out from home for 3-4 weeks?  And if you are looking for accountability, let's talk.
 

REASON #2: NO MONEY

You don't need a gym membership, a personal trainer, or a fitness class to get fit.  Again, if you work out at home, you will save a lot of money.
     > Use your stairs at home or work for some cardio.
     > Do body weight (no equipment workouts).  Check out my Facebook page for workouts you can 
     do anywhere.
     >Hike, walk, run, play ball outside with your family.
    >Try low cost home workout programs  (take advantage of the free 30 day offer).

REASON #3: WORKING OUT IS BORING.

     >Find an activity you enjoy.  I'm not a runner, so as much as I would love to work towards a half
     marathon, I haven't done it because I don't like running.  Dance. Do martial arts. Play volleyball. 

     > Find a workout buddy. 

     > Change things up. Try something new away from your regular routine. (see find an activity you
     enjoy).

Don't let life get in the way of your health.   If you are serious about getting fit but just need a boost to get going, why not join me and my friends for our next faith based fitness in the Faith, Fitness, and Fellowship Community What are other reasons that you can think of?

5 Tips to Get Started in Fitness

1. Get Moving
Even if you’re not ready to start a program, incorporate more movement into your day. Take a walk, take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, park a little farther away from your destination, start your morning going up and down your stairs at home, clean out your closet, rearrange your furniture, stretch during television commercials, turn on some music and dance (or jump around if you’re not the dancing type).  Schedule a hike or walk with your family or some friends.

2. Drink Water
Get into the habit of drinking enough water every day, even if you are not working out yet.  Drinking water leading up to your program start date can help minimize initial muscle soreness.

3. Out with the JUNK, In with the FOOD
One of my go-to health and nutrition resources, Dr. Mark Hyman, always says, “There is no junk food.  There is junk. And there is food.” Empty pantry, refrigerator, freezer, car, and secret snack stash drawer of all the junk you should not be eating.  Then, stock up with healthy food and staples that will help you create healthy meals every day. Here is a list of pantry essentials for beginners.

4. Schedule in your Workout
Decide ahead of time, when you will fit your exercise in your day and schedule it in now!  Evaluate your CURRENT schedule and make whatever adjustments you need to make sure you fit in your workout.  Find out how much time you have to spare, and be realistic.  If done correctly, you don’t need an hour to get a good workout in.  There are MANY effective workouts that you can do in 30 minutes or less. 

There is currently a new MMA program that is out that I am dying to try, however, between school, my day job, coaching, blogging, and motherhood, I KNOW there is no way I can fit in the 40-50 minute workouts.  I am doing another round of 22 Minute Hard Corps instead mixing it in with some yoga during my less busy days.  See when you can carve out 30 minutes of your schedule and use that time for your workouts.  Put the workout in YOUR PLANNER (whether it is on your phone or your paper planner… I know many of you are planner people). 

Even better- set an alarm so you know when you’re supposed to workout.

5. Find Your Why
One of my favorite fitness trainers, Tony Horton, says, “If you’re really caught up in the numbers on the scale, or the dress size, and what’s happening with the tape measure, chances are that doesn’t really motivate or inspire you. Find a new purpose. Find a new reason why. The reason why has got to be so powerful, so strong that you’re not going to quit, you’re not going to fail, and you’re going to be consistent, and show up 5-7 days a week for the rest of your life.”

Now that you are ready to get fit and healthy, it’s time to pick a program.  There are many fitness programs to choose from.  I can help match you with an effective program, and add you to my free Mission Fitness group for motivation and accountability partners to help you stay motivated on your fitness journey.

Get on track with your fitness today!  Email me to schedule a FREE confidential 30 minute video chat or phone call.


Subscribe to my weekly email with recipes and bonus workouts here.

A Cardioholic's Guide to Effective Walking

I love to workout.  If you are my friend, or you have been following me on facebook, you know that my workouts always consisted of sweat fests- intense cardio and strength.  I love my Beachbody workouts! I genuinely enjoy the sweat fests from Turbo Fire, P90X3, Insanity Max, Cize.  But for the next 10 days, I will be toning my fitness routine with power walking*.You can read more about it here.

Should you skip a workout?

Whether you're an avid exerciser or a beginner, there will be days when you won't be able to work out.  How do you know if you should skip your workout or push through?

Take a lesson from me... there are some days when you SHOULD skip your workout and allow your body to recuperate. Check out my blog post at the Read Pray Move for a detailed rundown of when you should and should not skip your workout.

If you want to start a workout program but don't know how or where to start, I would LOVE to chat with you about your fitness goals. Email me today to schedule a FREE consultation!

How to Have A Healthier Thanksgiving (PLUS! Winner of the book giveaway)

     THANKSGIVING.  Family, friends, football, and food... and abundance of food.  Since Thanksgiving is somewhat of the kickoff the holiday season, too much indulgence on Thanksgiving Day may just set the tone for how you eat for the rest of the season. I'm not saying do not enjoy yourself on Thanksgiving dinner but I am saying not to overindulge. So how can you set a healthier tone for the holidays and avoid holiday weight gain?

 

1. PLAN A WORKOUT THE DAY OF  THANKSGIVING.

Fit in a workout for the day. This Thanksgiving Day, I plan on starting my day with my usual work in and work out.  I will be lacing my sneakers, popping in a Focus T25 or P90X3 DVD and getting my work out in. Yes, it is a holiday. But it doesn't have to be my rest day. I choose those two programs because one is 25 minutes long and the other is 30 minutes long. You may not have these programs but I'm sure you can set aside 30 minutes to go for a run or a walk.

If you can't somehow fit in a workout the morning of Thanksgiving, plan to take a walk after Thanksgiving dinner. Make it a fun, family activity. Take the kids, grandma, whoever wants to join, and take a nice stroll around the neighborhood. Let your family members/ friends now what you plan on doing and recruit people to go along with you. If you know you're going for a walk afterwards, you will be less tempted to stuff yourself until you explode during the meal.

2. SKIP THE APPETIZER. ENJOY THE COMPANY.

Do you really need that appetizer??? My dad is a great cook. Everything he makes is off the wall delicious. (OK, I'm drooling now).  I think the reason for that is because he is slow and deliberate when he cooked. So, during get togethers growing up, my mom always had food out so we had things to munch on while we were waiting for the main meal. I know a lot of families have a similar custom. As much as I hate sounding like the Thanksgiving grinch, do we REALLY need all that appetizer? Instead of stuffing your face before stuffing your face some more, why not use that time to play a game? Or actually talk to each other and see what is going on in each other's lives? Or whether permitting, go outside and play football or kickball... or take a walk (haha!).

 

3. DROP THE FORK AND NOBODY GETS HURT.

When you are full- STOP EATING! Stop saying, "Oh, I'm really full." and keep picking at the food! When you are putting food on your plate, instead of putting heaps and heaps of food, start with a little bit of everything. When I say a little bit, I mean a little bit. Enjoy the food. Savor every bite.  Seriously, who gave us permission to be gluttons for Thanksgiving? And, my dear friend? Forgive me for sounding like I'm judging. I'm not judging you. I'M PREACHING TO MYSELF TOO!! In the past, I've acted like the food will vanish if I don't eat it all. If I love it so much, I can pack it up and eat it the following day! According the foodsafety.gov, leftovers can last up to 3-4 days.

4. EASE UP ON THE ALCOHOL.

Another thing people like to do during big gatherings like Thanksgiving is celebrate with alcohol. A glass of wine (maybe even two) is alright in my book. A no-no is drinking yourself to a stupor (ok, maybe that's an exaggeration- but you get my drift). Healthy doesn't only mean not overindulging when we eat. It also means your overall health. Drinking all that alcohol, even if it's only on special occasions, is hazardous to your liver. AAANNND, if there's family drama that has been swept under the rug for the sake of togetherness for the holidays, alcohol may just take get that drama out from under the rug and get everyone riled up!

 

5. HELP OUT WITH CLEAN UP.  BONUS: THE HOSTESS WILL LOVE YOU!

Wanna burn off a bit of those calories you just inhaled? Help clean up after dinner. You'll be moving around and burning calories. The hostess will appreciate it and love you. Just make sure you don't pick at the leftovers as you're putting them away. #1- That's just gross. #2- That's gluttony since you just ate.

My fitness partner and I
geared up for Thanksgiving
by pushing each other
to workout all this week.

6. WORK OUT THE NEXT DAY.

Put it in your calendar! Set a reminder for yourself!  WORK OUT THE NEXT DAY! If you have a workout buddy, schedule it with him/ h er ahead of time so you can keep each other accountable.

Please know that I am not against enjoying the holidays. I love thanksgiving. I have a thanksgiving tree where the kids and I hang cut out leaves that has things we are grateful for. Leading up to thanksgiving, I do a special Thanksgiving devotional with the kids. I have so much to be thankful for including and especially God's saving grace and His new mercies that I desperately need every day. I am thankful for my family. I think that's what Thanksgiving should be about! Reflecting on the many things we are thankful for.

THE WINNER OF THE MY LIFE STILL COUNTS BOOK GIVEAWAY: Christa Cordova!! Congratulations!

Your Life Still Counts... (a book giveaway!)

"For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland." Isaiah 43:19

     "We know that you are not getting this degree to become a CEO of a company and make a ton of money, instead of -- per credit, this particular degree will be -- per credit. That's a 40% discount."

     I stopped dead in my tracks and I silently cried. I was in the middle of the greeting card aisle in my local Stop and Shop and I didn't care. Is this really going to happen? Am I going to college?

     "Hello, Marie?" said the voice on the other line, "Are you there?"

     "Yes, I'm here," I replied, "I'm just trying to gather myself. I can't believe that. Really? As a part time student?"

     I was on the phone with the admissions adviser for Oklahoma Wesleyan University.  I couldn't believe what I was hearing. What this woman just told me about the tuition discount has now made college completely doable for me. I inquired about it but I thought that I will need time to save my pennies.

     A few weeks before this conversation, I began reading  The Best Yes, by Lysa TerKeurst.  I felt that my best yes was to take the steps to go back to college. I prayed and thought about what I REALLY wanted to do and I felt led towards Christian ministry.

    After all, I have this blog that I started with the hope to inspire and encourage others. I wasn't sure what I had to bring to the table for God. BUT GOD, placed this desire to tell others about Him in my heart and so I'm pursuing it.  The biggest roadblock for going back to college was the financial part.  My husband and I have two children, a hefty mortgage, and bills, bills, bills.

     However, based on my conversation with the adviser from OKWU that college was now doable! Really??

    It has been 17 years since I last attended school. Four of those 17 years were filled with working and partying and bar hopping. I was a hamster in a hamster wheel going and going and going but getting nowhere. BUT GOD was there. Even if I didn't know He was. College was so far in the back burner.

     Eventually, I eased up on the bars and partying. I met a man in the most unlikely place in a most unlikely way. It may have been the magic of Christmas, but on Christmas Eve, my birthday, this man won my heart. A year later, I was pregnant. Unmarried. Uncertain. Unprepared. BUT GOD, helped us through it.  The years that followed brought us two boys.

     Marriage is tough and marriage that is lopsided in faith is even tougher. It isn't an easy road to walk BUT GOD helped us through it.  I wanted to do ministry work but it caused a disagreement in our marriage. BUT GOD guided me, encouraged me, held my hand as I sought to become a peaceful, respectful wife to my husband

     And now, here I am. Halfway into my first college course for my Bachelor of Science in Christian Ministry. I just became a part of the Bible Study Live team for Proverbs 31 Online Bible Studies, an online ministry for women. I have this humble blog where I try to encourage others in their spiritual and physical fitness.

   WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT??? I can't end this post with happy ending because my journey is just beginning. I'm entering a new chapter in my life. The pages are blank. I don't know for sure what these pages will say. But I do the know author. He is the Great I Am, the Lord God. "And I am certain that God, who began the good work within (me), will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns." Philippians 1:6 (emphasis mine). 

   Looking back, I can see how God has been with me all the time. I am not proud those late teens and early twenties years. I turned my back on God. I put God in the back burner and only called on Him in my time of need. But all that time, He was there. He is there for you too.

    Do you want to know how God can use your past to create a beautiful future? This book I am currently reading may just have the message you need to hear. In Your Life Still Counts, Tracie Miles helps you recognize that God not only has a purpose for you, but He has prepared you for your divine purpose.  

     And guess what???? I am giving away a copy of Your Life Still Counts! All you need to do is leave a comment below! A winner will be selected by random (I will write the names on a piece of paper and have my boys pick a name... simple as that).  This contest will close at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, November 19, 2014. I will announce the winner on Friday, November 21.