I know the line about damned lies and statistics, etc., but I got a couple of statistics today that I like.

I wrote here a while back--probably six months ago now--that I had gotten a 170 on a practice LSAT, and I had solicited (successfully--thanks, readers!) some advice on what that meant. So this fall I've been teaching two LSAT courses, in large part to prepare myself for the October 4th test. So I thought all was well and good, but then last Monday night I sat for a practice test and got 165. I was pissed--I've been doing a lot of work that I thought was preparatory, and then it turned out I was actually doing worse.

So I decided that teaching alone wasn't enough, and that I needed to start practicing some sections on my own, reading explanations and all, and being more methodical. So I took another practice test on Saturday and got the results back today.

177!!!

You can't see it, but this is Joe doing the happy dance.

Equally happily, I had my last introductory training session at the gym tonight. I've been so-so about food, but really good at getting to the gym for cardio and lifting every morning, for two and a half weeks thus far. Tonight, we redid my measurements: I'm only down one pound, but I've lost a full inch around my chest and half an inch around my neck, waist, and thigh. The computer estimates that I've lost five pounds of fat and gained four of muscle, and that I've lost 1.2 percentage points off of my body fat percentage.

These, friends, are some statistics I can truly get behind!