Because sometimes, you might need to know how to dance like Jill Stuckey.
You might want to have some jamz ready to go, because when you're through with this tutorial, you're gonna want to get your groove on.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Tribute to a Fitness Guru
Lindy has been our on-campus fitness guru for somewhere around five years. She coordinates all of our group fitness classes, hires and trains all of our amazing lifeguards and personal trainers, and organizes bookoos of fitness incentive programs for students and staff (including the five week interdepartmental challenge I talked about yesterday). She personally teaches one of the best fitness classes I've ever attended, TurboKick, and she's full of great advice on how to improve your workouts. She's one of the most goal-oriented, energetic and fun people you'll meet. On top of all that, she's also extremely motivating.
In just a few minutes, I'll be attending her last TurboKick class on our campus, because she's moving on and will soon start working toward her Ph.D. (just one of many of her goals that she sets and then achieves). I haven't made it to a TurboKick class in awhile and that makes me a little sad, because it was definitely a missed opportunity for me. But tonight, I'm ready to push it extra hard.
Her motivating spirit and contagious enthusiasm has definitely made a difference on my healthy living journey thus far, changing the way I look at workouts and approach goal setting. I'm glad I'll be able to keep up with Lindy via Facebook after she leaves, but I'll definitely miss seeing her around the gym.
Do you have someone like this in your life who motivates you and challenges you to become a better version of yourself? If so, leave a comment and tell me a little about him/her.
Update, post class: The last class was super intense and made me remember my favorite Lindy quote (although she didn't say it tonight): "Don't you just love it when the sweat runs in your eyeballs?"
Here's a pic of tonight's workout crew, post class. This is sweat-tastic.
PS About the no eating out and no soda this week from the challenge? I thought I was home free after making it through the weekend, but the urge to resist both of these weaknesses of mine has been mega hard today. Here's hoping I can use the last couple of days to change my attitude toward eating out and soda so I don't backslide too much this weekend when the ban is lifted.
In just a few minutes, I'll be attending her last TurboKick class on our campus, because she's moving on and will soon start working toward her Ph.D. (just one of many of her goals that she sets and then achieves). I haven't made it to a TurboKick class in awhile and that makes me a little sad, because it was definitely a missed opportunity for me. But tonight, I'm ready to push it extra hard.
Her motivating spirit and contagious enthusiasm has definitely made a difference on my healthy living journey thus far, changing the way I look at workouts and approach goal setting. I'm glad I'll be able to keep up with Lindy via Facebook after she leaves, but I'll definitely miss seeing her around the gym.
Do you have someone like this in your life who motivates you and challenges you to become a better version of yourself? If so, leave a comment and tell me a little about him/her.
Update, post class: The last class was super intense and made me remember my favorite Lindy quote (although she didn't say it tonight): "Don't you just love it when the sweat runs in your eyeballs?"
Here's a pic of tonight's workout crew, post class. This is sweat-tastic.
PS About the no eating out and no soda this week from the challenge? I thought I was home free after making it through the weekend, but the urge to resist both of these weaknesses of mine has been mega hard today. Here's hoping I can use the last couple of days to change my attitude toward eating out and soda so I don't backslide too much this weekend when the ban is lifted.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
The Week's Challenges
Yesterday was the beginning of the last week of the at-work challenge. This five-week program was a contest between departments with healthy goals. I think making it a team challenge, made it a lot more awesome. I haven't exactly been in a steady healthy living swing lately and probably would've just quit the contest early on, except for one thing: my team. If I had quit trying it would've really hurt my team and it turns out my coworkers are super competitive.
So here it is five weeks later. Our team is in 2nd place. The push is on to bring in a lot of points this week and that has brought me to two crazy (for me) actions.
1) I'm drinking nothing but water this week.
2) I've pledged not to eat out (at all) this week.
I've been abusing the diet coke thus far in 2013. And if you've been around this blog for any length of time, you know that I move in cycles. I drink way too much diet coke, feel guilty, detox and go cold turkey off of it, that lasts for a few weeks. Then I either forget that I have given it up or think I can just drink one and then I end up hooked back on the sauce with an ever-increasing consumption level. So when I saw on Friday that "Drink nothing but water" was one of the challenges for the week, I thought it was time to go cold turkey once again. Turns out this detox has been no big deal. I haven't really even had a headache, and I've been clean three days now. Sa-weet!
Another of the challenges this week was a Pick Your Own. You could do whatever, as long as it seemed big enough to be worth ten points. I decided to not eat out at all this week. This is also big for me, because I've just really been hating cooking the last few weeks and even when I have cooked something, I don't always get around to eating the leftovers. But the real challenge to this one is the weekend, and I've successfully made it through the weekend without eating out. I even packed a lunch today to eat after church so I could go straight to the gym. So I think I can do it. Of course, the trick will be next week when I am allowed to eat out again, and not going crazy with that.
I also plan to work out five days this week.
Now's your turn. How can you challenge yourself this week?
So here it is five weeks later. Our team is in 2nd place. The push is on to bring in a lot of points this week and that has brought me to two crazy (for me) actions.
1) I'm drinking nothing but water this week.
2) I've pledged not to eat out (at all) this week.
I've been abusing the diet coke thus far in 2013. And if you've been around this blog for any length of time, you know that I move in cycles. I drink way too much diet coke, feel guilty, detox and go cold turkey off of it, that lasts for a few weeks. Then I either forget that I have given it up or think I can just drink one and then I end up hooked back on the sauce with an ever-increasing consumption level. So when I saw on Friday that "Drink nothing but water" was one of the challenges for the week, I thought it was time to go cold turkey once again. Turns out this detox has been no big deal. I haven't really even had a headache, and I've been clean three days now. Sa-weet!
Another of the challenges this week was a Pick Your Own. You could do whatever, as long as it seemed big enough to be worth ten points. I decided to not eat out at all this week. This is also big for me, because I've just really been hating cooking the last few weeks and even when I have cooked something, I don't always get around to eating the leftovers. But the real challenge to this one is the weekend, and I've successfully made it through the weekend without eating out. I even packed a lunch today to eat after church so I could go straight to the gym. So I think I can do it. Of course, the trick will be next week when I am allowed to eat out again, and not going crazy with that.
I also plan to work out five days this week.
Now's your turn. How can you challenge yourself this week?
Friday, February 22, 2013
Posing
Here's how it all began.
I work at a university. An email went out to all faculty and staff asking for volunteers to sit for portrait painting for an introductory painting class. It was really quite a well-written email. It enticed you with a chance to sit for 20 minutes, while at the same time experiencing a side of the university you might not know much about it. Plus, it mentioned that we could keep one of the portraits as payment for our time.
I got it first thing in the morning. I thought about it for a couple of hours before it dawned on me that this is one of those things that is awesome about my job. Most people don't get to have their portraits painted for free! So I emailed back and requested a slot. After a slight emotional roller-coaster ride of being told the slots were full, then being told that I could come at a different time and then being told they were full again before being told I could actually come, I was signed up.
On Wednesday, the day of the portrait, I was pretty giddy. I tried on three different outfits when I was getting ready. Then I took two different outfits to work to ask opinions of my co-workers. I finally settled on one.
Now we come to the portrait sitting.
There were five of us getting our portraits painted at the same time. We sat in the middle of a circle and the class of painters were ringed around us with their easels, paints and brushes. They got to choose who they wanted to paint. They only had 20 minutes to capture the essence of their subjects.
We were told to pick a pose that we could hold for 20 minutes. I immediately started grinning. The push-my-cheeks-upward kind of full face grin. My painter said, "You may not want to smile. It's hard to hold for 20 minutes." To which I responded, "Okay, I'll go with a slight, sly smile then." She laughed and said she'd try to capture that.
They advised us to pick a spot on the wall opposite that we could look at the entire time. That way we'd hold our heads the same way the whole time. This was my spot:
That's right, I got to stare through a transparent heart into a blue sky and green trees. It was great. And bright. I got to sit there for twenty minutes, not moving a muscle and looking through that transparent heart thinking deep thoughts about love and the nature of having a transparent heart. I know I had a bunch of personal revelations along those lines, but unfortunately I have already forgotten them all. Side note: the word next to the transparent heart says "HATE," but fortunately I could not read that from my seat. I actually thought it said "MAKE," ask in "Make Love." But mostly, I just didn't think much about it because it was a small millimeter (as opposed to large millimeter) off of my chosen mark.
The 20 minutes flew by. I couldn't see what anyone was doing, except for my painter, who i could see out of the corner of my eye. Despite her advice not to smile, it was hard not to smile the whole time because I was having such a good time staring into my blue sky transparent heart and watching her peek around her easel at me.
The teacher walked around continuously giving pointers to the painters. She didn't have to give my painter any advice almost the entire time, which, weirdly, made me proud. Obviously, that meant I had the best painter. Toward the end she recommended that my painter buy new brushes, which obviously worried me. (Internal monologue was something like this "My painter is using old brushes? So much so that the teacher is concerned about it? What does that mean for my painting? Will it be ruined by old brushes??")
At the end we got to get up and walk around and look at all of the portraits. They are going to have an exhibit of all of the portraits (factoring in all the time slots, they had more than 30 different subjects) in the library in April. After the exhibit, we get to keep our portrait. I'm going to frame mine.
The result.
It's different than I thought it would be. Turns out I needn't have worried about what to wear. It's more abstract than I was maybe expecting, but it's super cool. She captured my cheeks really well. I also like my eyes and red lips (even though my lips are never red). The only thing I'm slightly underwhelmed with is my hair. Where are my bouncy curls?
Continue after the break to see my digital picture of the finished portrait.
I work at a university. An email went out to all faculty and staff asking for volunteers to sit for portrait painting for an introductory painting class. It was really quite a well-written email. It enticed you with a chance to sit for 20 minutes, while at the same time experiencing a side of the university you might not know much about it. Plus, it mentioned that we could keep one of the portraits as payment for our time.
I got it first thing in the morning. I thought about it for a couple of hours before it dawned on me that this is one of those things that is awesome about my job. Most people don't get to have their portraits painted for free! So I emailed back and requested a slot. After a slight emotional roller-coaster ride of being told the slots were full, then being told that I could come at a different time and then being told they were full again before being told I could actually come, I was signed up.
On Wednesday, the day of the portrait, I was pretty giddy. I tried on three different outfits when I was getting ready. Then I took two different outfits to work to ask opinions of my co-workers. I finally settled on one.
Now we come to the portrait sitting.
There were five of us getting our portraits painted at the same time. We sat in the middle of a circle and the class of painters were ringed around us with their easels, paints and brushes. They got to choose who they wanted to paint. They only had 20 minutes to capture the essence of their subjects.
We were told to pick a pose that we could hold for 20 minutes. I immediately started grinning. The push-my-cheeks-upward kind of full face grin. My painter said, "You may not want to smile. It's hard to hold for 20 minutes." To which I responded, "Okay, I'll go with a slight, sly smile then." She laughed and said she'd try to capture that.
They advised us to pick a spot on the wall opposite that we could look at the entire time. That way we'd hold our heads the same way the whole time. This was my spot:
The 20 minutes flew by. I couldn't see what anyone was doing, except for my painter, who i could see out of the corner of my eye. Despite her advice not to smile, it was hard not to smile the whole time because I was having such a good time staring into my blue sky transparent heart and watching her peek around her easel at me.
The teacher walked around continuously giving pointers to the painters. She didn't have to give my painter any advice almost the entire time, which, weirdly, made me proud. Obviously, that meant I had the best painter. Toward the end she recommended that my painter buy new brushes, which obviously worried me. (Internal monologue was something like this "My painter is using old brushes? So much so that the teacher is concerned about it? What does that mean for my painting? Will it be ruined by old brushes??")
At the end we got to get up and walk around and look at all of the portraits. They are going to have an exhibit of all of the portraits (factoring in all the time slots, they had more than 30 different subjects) in the library in April. After the exhibit, we get to keep our portrait. I'm going to frame mine.
The result.
It's different than I thought it would be. Turns out I needn't have worried about what to wear. It's more abstract than I was maybe expecting, but it's super cool. She captured my cheeks really well. I also like my eyes and red lips (even though my lips are never red). The only thing I'm slightly underwhelmed with is my hair. Where are my bouncy curls?
Continue after the break to see my digital picture of the finished portrait.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Thankful Thursdays
Okay, okay. I realize I have missed a few Thankful Thursdays lately. It's not that I'm not being thankful, but life has been a little busy and Thursdays are generally extra busy.
Happy Thankful Thursday! What's floating your thankful boat this week?
*When I say literally, I mean literally. That is my promise to you.
But tonight, no more delays. I'm declaring my thankfulness publicaly, once again!
Today, I am thankful:
That I am laying flat on my roommate's couch right now.
I'd show you a picture, but sometimes I think its better for you to use your imaginations. Just picture me. Except horizontal. And on a yellow couch. And it's super comfy. There you go. Way to imagine!
This may only be a four-day work week for me, but something about taking vacation days every month really makes your work life a little crazy. Thus, my appreciation of the couch in my non-work life.
This may only be a four-day work week for me, but something about taking vacation days every month really makes your work life a little crazy. Thus, my appreciation of the couch in my non-work life.
For a completely awesome trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!
This past weekend, my friends and I went to see Hogwarts and Hogsmeade and meet some wizards and other cool stuff at Universal Studios Islands of Adventure. As we are some of the biggest HP nerds around, it was a BIG deal for us. Plus, we got to stay at our friend Erin's awesome in-laws' guest house and visit Disney. Life goal of visiting the WW of HP, achieved!
For Butterbeer
Butterbeer, for you non-HP nerds out there, is the drink of choice for Harry and his friends at the Three Broomsticks pub in Hogsmeade, and it was definitely one of the highlights of the trip. I've been wanting to try it for ages and ages. Let me tell you, that first sip I took was so tasty, it literally* made me close my eyes, smack my lips and say "Aaahhh." It tastes like cream soda and butterscotch. Also, it is non-alcoholic, which I mention because I get a lot of questions about it. I find those questions strange. I mean, Harry starts drinking it in his third year at Hogwarts, people.
That my BFF Amie got chosen at Ollivander's.
Ollivander's, for the non-HP nerds, is where wizards go to purchase wands. At WW of HP, they bring about 20 people into the wand shop at a time and only one is chosen to actually shop for a wand. And everyone knows that the wand chooses the wizard. As we were a group of four adults, none of us really had hopes of being chosen. But magic was in the air, and Amie, the biggest HP nerd of us all, was selected by Ollivander to test several different wands before one worked for her. I can not even begin to capture her joy with words. It was off the charts.
That I got my portrait painted yesterday.
I think I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that this was happening. It was such fun, and I really love how mine turned out. I'm planning to write a whole blog about the experience soon. There's going to be an exhibit at school in April with all of the portraits that were painted of faculty and staff on display. So, I'm basically going to be famous.
That my cold is finally starting to subside.
Am I the only one who, when I feel a cold start to come on, know I will be hacking and sneezing for weeks? I'm approaching my third week of sickness and I'm finally starting to feel better.
That my I took my car to get her oil changed today and they didn't want me to do super expensive things like buy new tires or replace "brake shoes" or something equally ridiculous.
Enough said.
For slightly cheesy rhyming poems that make people smile.
I especially like writing these myself.
That my I took my car to get her oil changed today and they didn't want me to do super expensive things like buy new tires or replace "brake shoes" or something equally ridiculous.
Enough said.
For slightly cheesy rhyming poems that make people smile.
I especially like writing these myself.
For Good Shepard Church's choir.
We sing this Sunday and, friends, it is going to be great. Two of my favorite songs, "Salvation is Here" and "Cornerstone" are on the playlist.
For Downton Abbey
I don't care how much they crank up the drama on that show. In my mind they can do no wrong. Of course, what I am not thankful for is the fact that the season just ended and we'll have to wait who-knows-how-long for season 4.
For the Mindy Project
While we're on the subject of TV, can I give a little love to the Mindy Project? I can not explain it well in words, but during the 23 minutes that show is on, I am always smiling with a kind of ridiculous ear-to-ear grin. I want to be Mindy Lahiri when I grow up.
For my friends who ask me do trendy-yet-ridiculous things like create a Harlem Shake video.
Happy Thankful Thursday! What's floating your thankful boat this week?
*When I say literally, I mean literally. That is my promise to you.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Talk About Writer's Block
I know I've been posting fairly infrequently lately, and I really hate that. I read a number of blogs myself (some of strangers and some of friends) and know that feeling, kind of that I've been left out in the cold feeling, when one of them fails to post on a regular posting today. I also know this is not the first time I've gone a week without posting and I have a new excuse each time. This time my excuse: writer's block.
I actually think about my blog and what I'll write about (or vlllooogggaaa about) quite a bit. And lately, while I've had little snatches or snippets of thoughts about what to write about, they haven't been things I could develop into full blown blogs (or vllloooogggaaasss). So I've been blaming writer's block in my head.*
But no more! I decided to just start typing and see what comes out. Probably a bunch of good-for-nothing snippets. Let's see!
1. I appreciate the love for the 6:20 in the Morning vlllooogggaaa. That is a rough time of day, so I'm glad you could appreciate me even at that pre-dawn hour. I think that means you love me. You really love me!
2. I'm not reading as much lately. Not sure why. And those 5 biographies I put on my yearly goals list? Killing me. I'm kicking myself for that foolhardy goal. Why don't I know about myself that all I ever want to do is read fiction, and preferably the YA variety?
3. I think I've finally gotten over my obsession with the Lizzie Bennett Diaries. I mean, don't get me wrong, I still watch every new video she makes, but I don't think about it other then when I'm watching each new video when it comes out. And I don't try to talk about it to random people** most of the time. That's progress.
*I have a LOT of conversations with myself both in my head and out loud. This is normal, right?
**Random people being anyone who stands still long enough.
***Always being hyperbole for the last couple of years.
I actually think about my blog and what I'll write about (or vlllooogggaaa about) quite a bit. And lately, while I've had little snatches or snippets of thoughts about what to write about, they haven't been things I could develop into full blown blogs (or vllloooogggaaasss). So I've been blaming writer's block in my head.*
But no more! I decided to just start typing and see what comes out. Probably a bunch of good-for-nothing snippets. Let's see!
1. I appreciate the love for the 6:20 in the Morning vlllooogggaaa. That is a rough time of day, so I'm glad you could appreciate me even at that pre-dawn hour. I think that means you love me. You really love me!
2. I'm not reading as much lately. Not sure why. And those 5 biographies I put on my yearly goals list? Killing me. I'm kicking myself for that foolhardy goal. Why don't I know about myself that all I ever want to do is read fiction, and preferably the YA variety?
4. I was going to write a V-Day blog about how much better it is to be single. Singleness does not often get the credit it deserves for being wonderful. But then I thought that it would probably come off as pretty smug and possibly offensive to those who are married. Also, not having had the experience of being married, probably means I can't emphatically say that being single is better. You know, without having done the research personally, I mean. So I've decided against that. I may have already said too much.
5. I've been sick and I hate being sick.
6. Next week I'm going to pose for a portrait. That will be painted. Of me. How awesome is this??? I will update you guys more on this next week after it happens. I think it could be a whole blog post. I keep thinking of when Kramer was painted on Seinfeld ("He is a loathsome, offensive brute, yet I can't look away.")
 |
| "The Kramer" |
7. I just found out they're having a polar bear swim in my town in a week and a half. I've ALWAYS*** wanted to do a polar bear swim. Oh, I hope this works out.
It looks like a few snippets added together create one whole blog post. Hooray!
*I have a LOT of conversations with myself both in my head and out loud. This is normal, right?
**Random people being anyone who stands still long enough.
***Always being hyperbole for the last couple of years.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Today, I am irritated.
Warning: if you are a naturally cheery person or just in an exceptionally good mood, you might not want to read the following post. You've been warned.
Today, I am irritated.
It's one of "those" days, even if it didn't start out that way. In fact, most of the day was good. Busy, but good. But somehow in the late afternoon, everything started piling up on me, making me see the world as half empty instead of half full. It hasn't abated in the hours since, so instead of writing a blog about the delicious new item I discovered recently at my Bi-Lo, as I had planned, I'm going to rant a bit. *
I'm irritated by my eyeballs. They are so dry, I would like to rip them out of my frontal lobe right now.
I'm irritated (literally and figuratively) by contacts who make my eyeballs so dry that I would like to rip my eyeballs out of my frontal lobe right now.
I'm irritated by my hair and how it just hangs on my neck.**
I'm irritated by any and all shoes.
I'm irritated by my chapped lips.
I'm irritated by my increasingly sore throat.
I'm irritated at the way the weather can be so biting that it makes your skin feel completely raw one day and then the next day it can be 60 degrees. I'm also irritated that apparently it was 60 degrees today, but I wouldn't know because I was inside all day.
I'm irritated that I caught up on all of the Lizzie Bennett Diary Vlogs and now I have to wait patiently for new ones to come out twice a week.
I'm irritated that my dog was barking at me as I was trying to unlock the door in the dark with my hands and arms all full. ***
I'm irritated that I'm supposed to eat five different fruits and vegetables today as part of our work challenge, and I'm two short today, so I need to go make a snack of salad after I finish this blog. Gross.
I'm irritated by salespeople.****
I'm irritated that I'm so irritated that I can't come up with other words for my irritation.
About the only thing not irritating me tonight is my shower. It is a wonderful place. Sometimes I think I could stand in a shower for the rest of my life. Maybe I'll get a portable one to wear out and about like Ralph Macchio had in the Karate Kid. Except it would not be just for show. It would need to flow warm, decent-pressure water.
I realize these irritations are minor and the fact that this is all I have to complain about means I have a wonderful life. I think I just need to lay flat for awhile.
Do you have anything irritating you that you would care to rant about? Feel free to lay it on me in the comments below. I can take it.
*I figure I write plenty of posts talking about everything I love or all the things going great. You can handle one post full of irritation.
**Got my hair cut tonight, so hopefully, this will not be an issue tomorrow.
***I understand she is inside and alone all the time and she's just anxious for me to hurry up and get inside and greet her.
****I suppose not all. Just the ones that drop by without appointments.
Today, I am irritated.
It's one of "those" days, even if it didn't start out that way. In fact, most of the day was good. Busy, but good. But somehow in the late afternoon, everything started piling up on me, making me see the world as half empty instead of half full. It hasn't abated in the hours since, so instead of writing a blog about the delicious new item I discovered recently at my Bi-Lo, as I had planned, I'm going to rant a bit. *
I'm irritated by my eyeballs. They are so dry, I would like to rip them out of my frontal lobe right now.
I'm irritated (literally and figuratively) by contacts who make my eyeballs so dry that I would like to rip my eyeballs out of my frontal lobe right now.
I'm irritated by my hair and how it just hangs on my neck.**
I'm irritated by any and all shoes.
I'm irritated by my chapped lips.
I'm irritated by my increasingly sore throat.
I'm irritated at the way the weather can be so biting that it makes your skin feel completely raw one day and then the next day it can be 60 degrees. I'm also irritated that apparently it was 60 degrees today, but I wouldn't know because I was inside all day.
I'm irritated that I caught up on all of the Lizzie Bennett Diary Vlogs and now I have to wait patiently for new ones to come out twice a week.
I'm irritated that my dog was barking at me as I was trying to unlock the door in the dark with my hands and arms all full. ***
I'm irritated that I'm supposed to eat five different fruits and vegetables today as part of our work challenge, and I'm two short today, so I need to go make a snack of salad after I finish this blog. Gross.
I'm irritated by salespeople.****
I'm irritated that I'm so irritated that I can't come up with other words for my irritation.
About the only thing not irritating me tonight is my shower. It is a wonderful place. Sometimes I think I could stand in a shower for the rest of my life. Maybe I'll get a portable one to wear out and about like Ralph Macchio had in the Karate Kid. Except it would not be just for show. It would need to flow warm, decent-pressure water.
I realize these irritations are minor and the fact that this is all I have to complain about means I have a wonderful life. I think I just need to lay flat for awhile.
Do you have anything irritating you that you would care to rant about? Feel free to lay it on me in the comments below. I can take it.
*I figure I write plenty of posts talking about everything I love or all the things going great. You can handle one post full of irritation.
**Got my hair cut tonight, so hopefully, this will not be an issue tomorrow.
***I understand she is inside and alone all the time and she's just anxious for me to hurry up and get inside and greet her.
****I suppose not all. Just the ones that drop by without appointments.
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