Unrelated Side Note

I hate when people use the word “skinny” to describe me. While “skinny” might be considered a compliment to 90% of the population, “skinny” is not what I to be. I want to be strong, healthy, active, vibrant, inspiring, and I’m not afraid to tell you that.

So after hearing the word “skinny” one too many times, I stood naked in front of the mirror and really, REALLY looked at myself. I stood there contemplating weight loss and how I thought shedding those pounds was going to magically take care of my water-wing triceps and pudgy little midsection. Well, it didn’t, and it’s not going to, and it was really stupid to have ever thought that it would. There’s no such thing as a magic fix. Everything we do in life we have to earn, right?

I’ve spent the last five months listening to my body, discovering what foods work for me and what don’t, challenging myself everyday to be active in some way, and searching for the thing that would push me over the plateau I’ve been sitting on for way too long. Then, the other night, Matt and I went to Body Pump, and it was an amazing revelation. I feel like that hour of low-weight/repetitious strength training is the thing my workouts have been missing. Something just clicked inside of me. Just like that.

Strength training = strong. Duh.

I’ve never felt a burn like that, and when I walked up the stairs at work the next day, my legs felt solid and strong, my chest felt open and lifted, my mind was clear and focused, I felt human.

Then, this morning, I was reading my cousin’s blog and happened upon this, which pretty much confirmed for me that this is the thing I need to be doing right now. How can I expect my body to carry me through a marathon if it’s not strong enough to do so? More importantly, how can I expect my body to carry me through life it it’s not strong enough to do so?

So, I’m going to approach the instructor in class tomorrow and set up a few training sessions to get me going. It’s time I invest a little bit more in myself and my future. I’m motivated. I’m ready. I want to be my personal best, dammit.

Let’s do this thing.

It’s a four-day work week and the hardest part of a four-day work week? Waiting for the three-day weekend. Against our usual, “Make no plans for a three-day weekend,” Matt and I have plans that involve:

• His cousin’s high school graduation party (must remember to get a card and write her a check)
• A motorcycle ride out to pick Blackberries, raspberries, cherries, and beets!
• Grilling hot dogs at my friends’ pool
• A cookout at an old friend’s house
• Sleeping in
• Perhaps buying new appliances if they are on sale (need to make a phone call and inquire)
• Enjoying a long run–long run!

So, yeah, I was attacked by a bird on my run today. It’s not my fault she built her nest in a tree right next to the road when there’s four acres of woods about 100 feet away. She didn’t land any good pecks since I was able to dodge and weave and was screaming and flailing and running faster than I ever want to run every again in my entire life. But, UGH

WHAT IS IT WITH ME AND BIRDS?!?! SERIOUSLY?!?! A couple of weeks ago, one attacked my bicycle helmet while I was out riding the BWI Trail. I was one bitten on the neck by my friend’s parrot. I won’t even go into the time I killed someone’s bird in a bar by accident.

Stupid fucking birds …

I took off work today so that I could take care of some neglected tasks and chores. Man, I’m glad I did. My house is shining from top to bottom again, and I finally cleaned my car after three weeks of getting into and every time saying, “Man, I really need to wash the bird doodie off this thing.”

Work had been hectic through all of June and left me feeling apathetic about things like ring around the bathtub and bird doodie on my car. But today, the cats went into hiding as I zoomed around like a mad woman scrubbing, dusting, vacuuming, sorting, recycling, and organizing …

Find a cleaner house in Hanover, MD. I dare you.

In addition to a nice, clean house, I also have gleaming wedding rings! I clean my bathrooms and floors with a mixture of vinegar and water, and after dipping my hand into the bucket a million and one times, the mixture lifted the funk and gunk from my rings without me having to scrub them. How shiny and perfect they are! Just like my marriage. SYKE!

So, I have a clean house and a happy psyche again. Whew.

So, I got up this morning and went to physical therapy. My therapist worked me like a rib. I was tired and grumpy and just when I thought she was done, she made me do stationary high knee skips. I hated her. Then she surrounded me in heat and hooked me up to the stim machine. I loved her. I dozed off during the stim treatment and woke up screaming, “FUCK! Turn it off! Oh my God, PLEASE! Someone turn it off,” when the stim machine sent a pulse into my leg that caused my quadriceps to contract rather violently.

As I was leaving, she said to me, “Now, I want you to run five miles tonight. I’m asking you to do this because I want to see if the hip is going to flare. You’re so close to being finished. Will you do this for me?”

Grumble, grumble, grumble. Yes.

By the time I got to work, I was pretty crabby and incredibly SORE. The idea of spending all day at my desk and then going for a five-mile run was too much to bear. It was 78 degrees, breezy, sunny, and I really, REALLY did not want to be there. As I was stewing in my own grump, I got an email from my boss telling me I was free to use some PTO this week. I immediately wrote back, “I’d love to take a half day today.”

Done.

So I left at 1:00, ran a couple of small errands, tidied up the house a bit, packed a gym bag, and headed out to my friends’ house in Glenelg with the thought that a run in the country followed by a dip in the pool, a hammock nap, some grilled food stuffs and coffee, and good conversation would set me right. And it did. It was exactly what I needed.

Sure, it took me and hour and four minutes to run five miles but I ran the entire way without stopping and without any serious pain. AND I FINISHED! What gorgeous, inspiring running country it is out there. I saw twenty cars the entire time; I’d see that many by the time I cross the main road here at home! I have a feeling I’ll be spending every Sunday out there during my marathon training. Oh, yeah, I’m still crazy enough to do that whole marathon thing. I’ll write an apology to my body later.

As a bonus, my friend’s son dove off the diving board for the first time and it was beautiful! I was so proud of him. It’s amazing watching him and his brother grow up. I see them often and every time I do, they’ve both excelled at something and can’t wait to show me. I’m lucky to be a part of their lives.

So, here’s to the best half day ever. From Hanover, MD, good night.

I’ve just been crazy busy with work, domestic stuff, exercise, and personal things. Let’s see …

Physical therapy is going well, but I am hell of tired and seriously cranky from this morning’s session. I have to run five miles tonight so my therapist can determine tomorrow how much longer I need to be in PT. Ugh. Usually, I look forward to running but it’s, like, a million degrees outside and, well, UGH. If my friend Kacey can’t run with me, perhaps I’ll call my friend Farm Friend and see if he wants to go for an late evening run. I could use the company/motivation, and perhaps a cannonball in the pool and some grilled meat stuffs to follow, if his wife it up to it.

I finished my project yesterday and am rather unsatisfied with it. Due to new software, new OS, and trying to get everything finished in time for drafts, reviews, final edits … it felt rushed and incomplete and that aggravates me because I really strive to write the best documentation I can. Oh well, there’s always next time.

Business is going SO WELL for Matt. Things are really picking up speed and he’s busy all the time. So much so that the full-time employee he hired last year isn’t enough! He had to take on a freelance guy to work in the warehouse. It’s amazing how quickly he’s filling his new warehouse space. I mean, when he moved in back in February, we were like, “It will take five years to fill this place.” Good thing it’s only a three-year lease. We’re already shopping around for commercial space to purchase. PURCHASE! Oh my god. Hmmm, I wonder if I’ll ever get my house … ?

After hours of research and several trips to varying appliance retailers, I decided to purchase KitchenAid 1) because they are pretty rad and got excellent consumer reviews 2) they make a fridge that fits our space and 3) we like the style, which conveniently matches our P.O.S. LG dishwasher. We’re looking to purchase at the end of July, when I return from my trip. Here’s to hoping the new appliances satisfy.

So, that’s about it from me. Oh, I scored a half day today. Boo ya!

Only three loads of laundry left to do and my domestic life is back in order. Man, week from hell last week on so many levels and I had nothing to wear, so I could even put on something pretty to make me feel good about myself.

This morning, I was sorting through a metric ton of dirty laundry and Matt was whining that he needed to go out and buy two more pairs of shorts because I hadn’t done laundry in two weeks and he was out of shorts. I freaked OUT on him. Dude, I can put the laundry in two separate piles and you can do your own, or, while your out buying shorts, can you pick up a six-pack of underwear for me? Because I’m out of that stuff and have been for two days. Oh, and I’M DOING THE FUCKING LAUNDRY RIGHT NOW!!! See? Look at me sitting on the floor, gathering and sorting. Do you hear that noise? That’s water running in the washer. What a novel idea!

Then, I apologized for freaking out on him. There was no need for me to react (damn mine Irish temper) and explained that I work hard to stay on top of things around the house but, well, sometimes I fall behind on certain tasks because things are stressful at work or I have bigger projects I’m working on; laundry is not always my top priority. Maybe next time, when he sees the mountains of dirty clothes in the foyer, he can sift through and wash a couple of things he needs. I won’t be offended.

Then, he quietly went about hanging up the venetian blinds for the sliding glass door in the den. He even put the socket and switch covers back on AND put the tools away, without me having to ask. I took this as his way of recognizing that I’ve been a bit stressed, and I deeply appreciated it.

Thank goodness, and as soon as this first load is done, Matt and I are hoping on the V-Star and heading out to Larriland Farms to pick strawberries and spinach!

Yes, I will make a strawberrie pie.
Yes, I will make a quiche.

In other news, thee fridge continues to be the bane of my existence. We discovered this morning that the depth of a 33″ fridge will allow the door to swing open in such a way that the handle will clear the side of the wall, meaning we could get the door open all the way! I was three seconds from running out to Home Depot to order appliances when we decided to measure the back side of the space and it’s only 32 1/2 god damn inches! UGH! I will win this battle, I will!

Things I liked:

• The volunteers. All of them. Hell of awesome. Devoted. Awesome. Just awesome. Really. Awesome. Hugs to all of them.
• That I got a t-shirt IN MY SIZE!!! This never happens.
• That I got a “Top Crab” cycling jersey for raising $1000. Hey, if I’m gonna do it, I’m gonna DO IT. Thanks to all my amazing friends who helped make this happen. It’s not just about the jersey, really.
• The route, which was rolling and pastoral and stunning views of the Chester River and it’s many inlets. Absolutely beautiful.
• The Bike MS logo. It just makes sense.
• The Bike MS slogan, “Join the movement.” Simple. Brilliant and simple.
• The weather–it was one of those days that could make a stone-cold atheist consider that there just might be a God, and for those of us who believe there is one? Wow, just WOW. Thanks for that.
• My team, everyone was in a great mood. What a fun bunch of people to ride with.
• The pirate party at the Betterton Beach rest stop. The inside of my bathroom stall door had a piece of paper taped to it that read, “To err is human, to arr is pirate.” I was highly amused.
• That I got to eat cookies and drink a Coke!
• Walking around campus at my Alma Mater. Man, I just love it out there. What a great decision going to that college was.
• My hips didn’t bother me in the least. Physical therapy, you rule!
• Last, but not least, my bike. So smooth, so responsive. A joy to ride. What a great investment.

Things I didn’t like:

• Getting up at 5:30, which wasn’t really difficult as much as it was just UGH.
• Chasing my 6′2″, 2% body fat, insane-on-a-bike, Marine teammate. Need an explanation? Well, he was in the zone and missed a turn on the way back. So off I went and oh man, did I fly. Chest tight, barely able to breathe, nearly puking, I caught him. It pretty much killed me for the next five miles. I ended up trailing behind for a good distance.

What an awesome event. Truly. We’re doing the whole thing next year. Dave, you Dan and Bridgey should come down. Dan can ride with our team and you and Bridgey can run the SAG vehicles. Yeah! Let’s do it!

What a week. I mean really. Between not eating sweets, the endless rain (which I normally don’t mind but it’s been DOOM AND GLOOM this week), and the PMS, I’ve been fucking up a two-car funeral since I woke up on Monday morning.

To make matters worse, this morning, I wandered into the bathroom at 8:55. Holy crap! What?! Why didn’t the alarm clock go off?! Because Emily was nesting in the power chords and managed to wiggle the clock plug out just enough that the clock had no power. Why didn’t I wake up with the sun? Because I agreed to put a blind in the window as long as we could leave it open just a little at the bottom, which works famously when Emily doesn’t chew the strings to bits, thus destroying the entire blind. She’s is the spawn of Satan, I swear it.

It’s not helping matters that my domestic life is in shambles (for me) While I did finish painting the den, I:

1. still haven’t finished unpacking our camping trip.
2. have a week+ worth of laundry down in the laundry room, and more piling up in the closet.
3. haven’t emptied the dishwasher (from Tuesday).
4. have dishes spilling out over the edges of the sink.
5. am disgusted by our foyer floor, which is filthy from tracking in the entire, sopping wet outdoors each time we come into the house
6. desperately want to vacuum The Egg. It’s all crusty from camping, and I dropped a bunch of cashews between the seat and the armrest earlier this evening.
7. And, I don’t even WANT to know what that is on the bathroom floor.

On a somewhat related side note, Spawn of Satan just walked up to me and started licking my armpit. What is wrong with this cat?!?! Seriously?

and I don’t want to talk about it.