So yesterday I finally started the exercise sacrifice, if exercise can be called a sacrifice. We had to start yesterday in order to get the required four workouts each week in, because for some reason our workout week is Wednesday to Tuesday. I'm not really sure why that is and I don't remember any conversations about it, but it's never been in question. Nothing like waiting until the last minute.
God, I look good on camera. I'm like a ...ummm... natural in front of the ...uhhh... camera.
Did you notice our state of the art workout facility? It's a pretty tiny little place with one elliptical machine, one treadmill, two bikes (one of which doesn't work too well), and four different weight machines. It's not too bad if it were all ours, although we still have to trade off on the elliptical, but if there's anyone else in there it's pretty awful.
I didn't want to do too much, being the first day, but I was still shooting for an hour, so I did, I think, 28 minutes on the elliptical and then some weights, which Tiff and I are still deciding if they count towards brain development, but I'm pretty sure it will have to for the sake of the sacrifice. Anyways, Tiff took a break from her workout to take pictures. At some point, she switched her camera to video, so here's a video that begins with me posing waiting for a flash. The surprise, ironically, is natural.
So the challenge begins and as I mentioned, it was a challenge. I'm going to have to remember that getting very little sleep for a few days in a row, staying up late the night before playing Smallville trivia drinking games, and waking up early does not make for ideal workout conditions.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Wii Have a New Challenge
Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve posted here! I’ve missed it! December was a challenge-less mess, I must say. After the no-sweets challenge, we were feeling good. We did a poor job blogging about it, but a month with little-to-no sugar made us both feel great, even if we did have to skip the pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. And, what better way to ease back into dessert than by having your first cake be your wedding cake?!
That’s when it all went downhill. Vacation… “It’s all inclusive!” was the motto at our resort in Jamaica, and they weren’t kidding. No sacrificing there, that’s for sure. Twenty four hour buffets and snacks and lazy days at the beach make a girl forget all about sacrificing. We only thought about these challenges once on the whole trip and it was during our newlywed debut on stage playing the Couples Game Show while everyone ate their dinner. There are many great questions and answers that came out of this game, most of which are too embarrassing to have in writing. One of my questions was:
What’s the one thing your husband talks about all the time and you think it’s so boring you stop listening?
John’s answer to this was “My Challenges?” which made everyone laugh but me! I actually love these things, so I’m setting the record straight, here for all three of you readers out there! My real answer was football. Duh.
Anyway, vacation and the holidays flew by and now here it is January and I am more than happy to be back on a challenge, especially this one! I pushed for the exercise challenge with a little help from the Wii. My little sister was one of the lucky ones this Christmas who got the almighty Wii. We spent a lot of time bowling, playing tennis, and throwing our backs out trying to hit a Wii baseball. We also took the Wii Fitness Age Test, which asks you to bowl the best you can, hit as many tennis balls in bounds as you can, and hit as many homeruns as you can, then at the end it reveals your Wii Fitness Age! When I found out I was 66, the exercise challenge was locked in!
Unlike the other challenges, this one has no end in sight, which I hope doesn’t affect my success rate of 100 percent. In the next few days we will be setting up all the details. We’re getting a goal tracker for the blog, taking lots of different tests to track our possible brain improvement, and I’m even getting new tennis shoes which I haven’t done since high school. Yep, I work out so little that my 1995 Adidas are the only pair of tennis shoes I own. We’re also going to track our weight and blood pressure and any other cool stuff we can think of.
It’s a true New Years Resolution, one that I’m sure thousands make each January. And if we can be successful - John working the night shift and having no energy, and me with my old tennis shoes to prove to you that I am only one step away from being completely anti-exercise, then really, anyone can do it!
That’s when it all went downhill. Vacation… “It’s all inclusive!” was the motto at our resort in Jamaica, and they weren’t kidding. No sacrificing there, that’s for sure. Twenty four hour buffets and snacks and lazy days at the beach make a girl forget all about sacrificing. We only thought about these challenges once on the whole trip and it was during our newlywed debut on stage playing the Couples Game Show while everyone ate their dinner. There are many great questions and answers that came out of this game, most of which are too embarrassing to have in writing. One of my questions was:
What’s the one thing your husband talks about all the time and you think it’s so boring you stop listening?
John’s answer to this was “My Challenges?” which made everyone laugh but me! I actually love these things, so I’m setting the record straight, here for all three of you readers out there! My real answer was football. Duh.
Anyway, vacation and the holidays flew by and now here it is January and I am more than happy to be back on a challenge, especially this one! I pushed for the exercise challenge with a little help from the Wii. My little sister was one of the lucky ones this Christmas who got the almighty Wii. We spent a lot of time bowling, playing tennis, and throwing our backs out trying to hit a Wii baseball. We also took the Wii Fitness Age Test, which asks you to bowl the best you can, hit as many tennis balls in bounds as you can, and hit as many homeruns as you can, then at the end it reveals your Wii Fitness Age! When I found out I was 66, the exercise challenge was locked in!
Unlike the other challenges, this one has no end in sight, which I hope doesn’t affect my success rate of 100 percent. In the next few days we will be setting up all the details. We’re getting a goal tracker for the blog, taking lots of different tests to track our possible brain improvement, and I’m even getting new tennis shoes which I haven’t done since high school. Yep, I work out so little that my 1995 Adidas are the only pair of tennis shoes I own. We’re also going to track our weight and blood pressure and any other cool stuff we can think of.
It’s a true New Years Resolution, one that I’m sure thousands make each January. And if we can be successful - John working the night shift and having no energy, and me with my old tennis shoes to prove to you that I am only one step away from being completely anti-exercise, then really, anyone can do it!
Green Christmas Follow-Up
Although Christmas is over, it's still worth talking about. Like how my mom got me a book of pentagames! Thanks mom! And to explain more about the Green Christmas that Carrell celebrated this year... or well, last year. In what could be seen as an attempt to save the world, she simplified her Christmas and did without much of the fuss this year.
Her primary goal was to do something different this year, so she attempted to get stuff out of her house rather than see how much junk she could get to fill her house. She decided early on to extend this to her gift giving this year and raised the amount of thought put into gifts. As she says, "It makes no sense to buy stuff that nobody needs." And she's right. Last year, my mom got me a crystal that you can plug in to change colors. Thanks mom!
My mom made candied pecans for everyone every year. Although we never called them pecandies, I clearly remember her making them and especially the way it made the house smell. As I grew older, and I presume in need of less emotional protection, I also remember my mother's obligatory resentment towards the whole process.
Carrell's house smelled of her obligatory gifts too. While she accepted the fact she would need to have many small gifts, she used it as an opportunity to get rid of some stuff. As a teacher, she has gained a mighty collection of mugs, which have recently moved to be about neck-and-neck with apples as the most cliched gift for a teacher. Mugs with apples on them of course taking the cake and eating it too. Mugs filled with fresh cedar chips that smells like fully decorated Christmas trees is the same idea as both frankincense and myrrh, and those worked out as pretty good gifts. As I'm writing this, I'm realizing exactly how wise Carrell is.
Now for wrapping her presents, she used nothing bought at the store and, much like me and batteries, claims she never will buy wrapping paper again. She used tissue paper and brown bags which they say is at least bio-degradable. Plus, brown bags you can get at the grocery store.
Carrell's decorations consisted of decking the halls with boughs of holly, which to me, makes sense. There aren't too many songs about decking the halls with inflatable light-up snowmen and merry-go-rounds that go on sale in late October. I'm not saying there shouldn't be such songs; in fact, I can think of quite a few things to rhyme with Wal-Mart. She also used pine cones and gourds and other stuff from the great outdoors. This also included cattails, which surprise to both her and me, are filled with white seeds that fall out of it with the wind day after day, like snow! I saw her house and it looked great! Even before the tree!
The tree that I have proudly on display, I got on Saturday, December 22 for $35 even though it was in a bin marked $24. It was a surprise for Tiffany that I was getting a tree, and I was in hurry, so I didn't say anything... plus, I'm me and probably wouldn't have said anything anyway. Carrell got a tree on Sunday, December 23 for free even though it was marked $60.
I guess good things come to those who wait... and go green. It's a pretty nice looking tree too.
Her one concession was lights. Although she fought against it, she worried her house was too drab and un-jolly from the street, much like the Fredianni's of my childhood, so she pulled out the fake candles and set them up in the windows of her house where they've been in Christmases past. She quickly defends herself however, saying that she hopes to find energy-saving ones in the future.
All-in-all, it's pretty impressive feat, and now that Christmas is winding down and trees are being drug out to the curb, she gladly reports that the best part is that there is hardly any clean up and she's got all she needs for next year.
Here's to that! And a final Merry Christmas 2007 everyone, and hello 2008!
Her primary goal was to do something different this year, so she attempted to get stuff out of her house rather than see how much junk she could get to fill her house. She decided early on to extend this to her gift giving this year and raised the amount of thought put into gifts. As she says, "It makes no sense to buy stuff that nobody needs." And she's right. Last year, my mom got me a crystal that you can plug in to change colors. Thanks mom!
My mom made candied pecans for everyone every year. Although we never called them pecandies, I clearly remember her making them and especially the way it made the house smell. As I grew older, and I presume in need of less emotional protection, I also remember my mother's obligatory resentment towards the whole process.
Carrell's house smelled of her obligatory gifts too. While she accepted the fact she would need to have many small gifts, she used it as an opportunity to get rid of some stuff. As a teacher, she has gained a mighty collection of mugs, which have recently moved to be about neck-and-neck with apples as the most cliched gift for a teacher. Mugs with apples on them of course taking the cake and eating it too. Mugs filled with fresh cedar chips that smells like fully decorated Christmas trees is the same idea as both frankincense and myrrh, and those worked out as pretty good gifts. As I'm writing this, I'm realizing exactly how wise Carrell is.
Now for wrapping her presents, she used nothing bought at the store and, much like me and batteries, claims she never will buy wrapping paper again. She used tissue paper and brown bags which they say is at least bio-degradable. Plus, brown bags you can get at the grocery store.
Carrell's decorations consisted of decking the halls with boughs of holly, which to me, makes sense. There aren't too many songs about decking the halls with inflatable light-up snowmen and merry-go-rounds that go on sale in late October. I'm not saying there shouldn't be such songs; in fact, I can think of quite a few things to rhyme with Wal-Mart. She also used pine cones and gourds and other stuff from the great outdoors. This also included cattails, which surprise to both her and me, are filled with white seeds that fall out of it with the wind day after day, like snow! I saw her house and it looked great! Even before the tree!The tree that I have proudly on display, I got on Saturday, December 22 for $35 even though it was in a bin marked $24. It was a surprise for Tiffany that I was getting a tree, and I was in hurry, so I didn't say anything... plus, I'm me and probably wouldn't have said anything anyway. Carrell got a tree on Sunday, December 23 for free even though it was marked $60.
I guess good things come to those who wait... and go green. It's a pretty nice looking tree too.Her one concession was lights. Although she fought against it, she worried her house was too drab and un-jolly from the street, much like the Fredianni's of my childhood, so she pulled out the fake candles and set them up in the windows of her house where they've been in Christmases past. She quickly defends herself however, saying that she hopes to find energy-saving ones in the future.All-in-all, it's pretty impressive feat, and now that Christmas is winding down and trees are being drug out to the curb, she gladly reports that the best part is that there is hardly any clean up and she's got all she needs for next year.
Here's to that! And a final Merry Christmas 2007 everyone, and hello 2008!
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Exercise
I have quite a few challenges in mind, and I'm having trouble deciding which to dub my official New Year's Resolution. It might not be all too exciting to write about, but I'm going with one that fell to the wayside during my makeover challenge. Exercise.
Exercise won out as it's the most common of my planned sacrifices, and I feel I should try to make these challenges somewhat relateable. And while I'm sure the world is all clamoring about which they'll try first, a no meat diet or a no sweet diet, I predict exercise finally will be my ticket to mass popularity and my own paparazzi detail.
Maybe not. But hopefully, I'll at least feel better. I should say, though, that while I'm excited by the possibility of feeling better, that's not my focus here. And I'm also not too concerned about my weight, although I will be keeping an eye on that. My goal is to get smarter.
Recently, smart people have done studies proving that exercise not only causes people to do better on tests, it actually rebuilds brain cells. I like the idea of rebuilding my brain. It's something that, after five years out of school and two years working overnights, is probably desperately needed... not that I didn't kill off a good amount of brain cells in college.
So... New Year's Resolution: I will exercise four days a week for an hour a day. There is no deadline for this one, it's just a change in life. I've already got a bad feeling about this as night has fallen on New Year's Day and I'm still wearing my pajamas.
Exercise won out as it's the most common of my planned sacrifices, and I feel I should try to make these challenges somewhat relateable. And while I'm sure the world is all clamoring about which they'll try first, a no meat diet or a no sweet diet, I predict exercise finally will be my ticket to mass popularity and my own paparazzi detail.
Maybe not. But hopefully, I'll at least feel better. I should say, though, that while I'm excited by the possibility of feeling better, that's not my focus here. And I'm also not too concerned about my weight, although I will be keeping an eye on that. My goal is to get smarter.
Recently, smart people have done studies proving that exercise not only causes people to do better on tests, it actually rebuilds brain cells. I like the idea of rebuilding my brain. It's something that, after five years out of school and two years working overnights, is probably desperately needed... not that I didn't kill off a good amount of brain cells in college.
So... New Year's Resolution: I will exercise four days a week for an hour a day. There is no deadline for this one, it's just a change in life. I've already got a bad feeling about this as night has fallen on New Year's Day and I'm still wearing my pajamas.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Makeover Closure
The Makeover Challenge ended... a long time ago. While I did try a lot of stuff, namely tanning and waxing my chest, overall, I'm not too happy about it. Not at all. I did however shave and do like it off a little bit, although much to Tiffany's displeasure.
Tanning is something that I did enjoy. I'm not sure how much effect it had on my skin tone, but I didn't burn in Jamaica, which was the main idea behind it. It does leave you feeling happy and warm, which is important especially from someone working overnights and sleeping during the sunny hours. It costs a lot, however, and I'm not sure it's worth it. Plus the stigma associated with it is something I generally fight against. I don't really care about my appearance. Not to mention the whole cancer-death-dying aspect of it. I can't judge people who do it though as most of the folks I saw tanning were neither orange nor leathery. In fact, I saw many more of those at the beach.
I didn't post about it because it happened the night before we left for Jamaica, but I did Nair my chest. It was pretty crazy; put the stuff on and with one swipe of a rag, I didn't have any chest hair. Or t least not on the top part that could stick out from shirts. The burn directly after the fact is more than a little concerning, and I do wonder what the hell is in that stuff that can kill your hair in no time. It can't be healthy. Now, three weeks later, I'm starting to scratch at my chest more and more as the hair is slowly regrowing, no doubt thicker and fuller than before.
Overall, I did pretty bad with my makeover and as a result, I'm worried about future Sacrifices. I don't have much problem with true sacrifices, having to give stuff up, but when I set out to do something new and incorporate it into my life... that's a whole different ballgame. We will soon find out just how successful I can be, but the makeover gets a dismal 7. In fact, I may have to capitalize that... my score is a Dismal Seven.
Tanning is something that I did enjoy. I'm not sure how much effect it had on my skin tone, but I didn't burn in Jamaica, which was the main idea behind it. It does leave you feeling happy and warm, which is important especially from someone working overnights and sleeping during the sunny hours. It costs a lot, however, and I'm not sure it's worth it. Plus the stigma associated with it is something I generally fight against. I don't really care about my appearance. Not to mention the whole cancer-death-dying aspect of it. I can't judge people who do it though as most of the folks I saw tanning were neither orange nor leathery. In fact, I saw many more of those at the beach.
I didn't post about it because it happened the night before we left for Jamaica, but I did Nair my chest. It was pretty crazy; put the stuff on and with one swipe of a rag, I didn't have any chest hair. Or t least not on the top part that could stick out from shirts. The burn directly after the fact is more than a little concerning, and I do wonder what the hell is in that stuff that can kill your hair in no time. It can't be healthy. Now, three weeks later, I'm starting to scratch at my chest more and more as the hair is slowly regrowing, no doubt thicker and fuller than before.
Overall, I did pretty bad with my makeover and as a result, I'm worried about future Sacrifices. I don't have much problem with true sacrifices, having to give stuff up, but when I set out to do something new and incorporate it into my life... that's a whole different ballgame. We will soon find out just how successful I can be, but the makeover gets a dismal 7. In fact, I may have to capitalize that... my score is a Dismal Seven.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Green Christmas
As I have been away, enjoying my new marriage, and the Christmas season, I have not taken on any new sacrifices this month, but I can guarantee that I will make sacrifices after the New Year. So... This is an honorary post about a sacrifice made by the lovely and talented Carrell Olinger. I will undoubtedly not do it justice.
The spirit of sacrifice may fit better with another christian holiday, but Christmas is definitely the time that the most can be sacrificed. Christmas may be the most wonderful time of the year, but with so much time and energy, not to mention money, put into the holiday each year, how can it not be?
Think about it, every house gets a tree, which generally costs between 40 and 100 dollars, and will be thrown away in less than a month. On that tree, people put ornaments, and then cover with tinsel galore! You probably keep the ornaments, you may even purchase a few more, but the two or three boxes of tinsel galore! is usually a pain to fight with and leaves with the tree. And string with lights that are kept on as long as somebody, anybody, in the house is home and awake. And some people go crazy with the lights:
That's an extreme case, but notice the part right after the town loses energy and just before the nuclear energy backup is switched on. Those lights cost a fortune! And that hurts the environment.
Then under the tree are countless presents, each wrapped neatly in fancy paper and topped with a bow. I'm using a website here, that wrapping paper produces an extra 6 billion tons of waste each year. Christmas cards! "The 2.6 billion holiday cards sold each year in the United States could fill a football field 10 stories high." And where does all that waste go? Right in the laps of our children... and our children's children.
In response, the Green Christmas movement arose. While from the outside, they may look like bah-hum-bugs out to spoil everyone's holiday cheer, the idea is simply to reduce the waste of Christmas, which Carrell Olinger took to heart this year. She set out to have a holly, jolly Christmas, without all the excess.
First step, there was an early declaration by many in my local family and friends circle to cut back on gifts this year. My four gift-laden trips to the car yesterday had me wondering how much some people took this to heart, but I believe Carrell succeeded in the gift count, lowering her total number of presents from last year. Today, I will investigate this, and see how much of an impact it had on the overall giving experience.
I know she cut back on the decorations. Using pine branches as a staple, she decorated with the seasonal smell and look without using the local Wal-Mart. I do recall a "lights are the important decoration" sentiment being said, which is very true, but I believe she was able to last the season without strands of light or fake candles in the windows.
And lastly, she just got a tree two days ago. At no charge, it was a real steal! Except she didn't steal it, she took it off the side of the road. There are pictures to follow.
All in all, I'm very impressed with her dedication to the sacrifice. I'll verify and report back with a final grade. Just another case that life is more interesting when you're sacrificing.
The spirit of sacrifice may fit better with another christian holiday, but Christmas is definitely the time that the most can be sacrificed. Christmas may be the most wonderful time of the year, but with so much time and energy, not to mention money, put into the holiday each year, how can it not be?
Think about it, every house gets a tree, which generally costs between 40 and 100 dollars, and will be thrown away in less than a month. On that tree, people put ornaments, and then cover with tinsel galore! You probably keep the ornaments, you may even purchase a few more, but the two or three boxes of tinsel galore! is usually a pain to fight with and leaves with the tree. And string with lights that are kept on as long as somebody, anybody, in the house is home and awake. And some people go crazy with the lights:
That's an extreme case, but notice the part right after the town loses energy and just before the nuclear energy backup is switched on. Those lights cost a fortune! And that hurts the environment.
Then under the tree are countless presents, each wrapped neatly in fancy paper and topped with a bow. I'm using a website here, that wrapping paper produces an extra 6 billion tons of waste each year. Christmas cards! "The 2.6 billion holiday cards sold each year in the United States could fill a football field 10 stories high." And where does all that waste go? Right in the laps of our children... and our children's children.
In response, the Green Christmas movement arose. While from the outside, they may look like bah-hum-bugs out to spoil everyone's holiday cheer, the idea is simply to reduce the waste of Christmas, which Carrell Olinger took to heart this year. She set out to have a holly, jolly Christmas, without all the excess.
First step, there was an early declaration by many in my local family and friends circle to cut back on gifts this year. My four gift-laden trips to the car yesterday had me wondering how much some people took this to heart, but I believe Carrell succeeded in the gift count, lowering her total number of presents from last year. Today, I will investigate this, and see how much of an impact it had on the overall giving experience.
I know she cut back on the decorations. Using pine branches as a staple, she decorated with the seasonal smell and look without using the local Wal-Mart. I do recall a "lights are the important decoration" sentiment being said, which is very true, but I believe she was able to last the season without strands of light or fake candles in the windows.
And lastly, she just got a tree two days ago. At no charge, it was a real steal! Except she didn't steal it, she took it off the side of the road. There are pictures to follow.
All in all, I'm very impressed with her dedication to the sacrifice. I'll verify and report back with a final grade. Just another case that life is more interesting when you're sacrificing.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Sweeeeeet!! It's over.
So it's now December 3 and I'm just getting around to writing about the end of my No Sweets Challenge which ended three days ago. Truth is I was on a two day sugar rush and then crashed and am just now getting back on my feet. Just kidding.
The challenge started out rough, really rough. I think that was a result of the caffeine more than the sugar, which I think I started drinking with tea. But after the first week, it went really smooth and I didn't have any problems. I actually liked it!
I did not however write much about it... or anything else for that matter. It's almost like without sweets in my life, my life's just not as sweet.
I did do stuff. I even thought stuff. I could have written about a lot. I kept meaning to film all the candy we still have in the apartment... I bunch of fun-sized MilkyWays, a couple of fun-sized Butterfingers, a full sized Snickers, a bag of peanut M&M's, and some other stuff - all leftover handouts from Jane at work... a bunch of the Milky Ways are now gone though.
And it didn't take much before I ate too much. Three Hershey kisses was enough for me at midnight on Friday. I had a Coke yesterday and had to share it with Tiff because I couldn't finish it. I no doubt will fall back into the sugar-filled diet I've grown accustom to, especially as I'm about to head off to Jamaica - I'm getting married! - but for now I'll hold off on the sweets. Thank you very much.
As far as ratings go... I did okay. I slipped up once. I had some soda and a small piece of cake... it had been looking at me for hours, just begging to be eaten. Unlike the vegetarian challenge however, I do feel the difference in my body and will probably think about it each time I eat too much sweet stuff. So I'll say a 23 out of 30. Again, it's not too bad.
The challenge started out rough, really rough. I think that was a result of the caffeine more than the sugar, which I think I started drinking with tea. But after the first week, it went really smooth and I didn't have any problems. I actually liked it!
I did not however write much about it... or anything else for that matter. It's almost like without sweets in my life, my life's just not as sweet.
I did do stuff. I even thought stuff. I could have written about a lot. I kept meaning to film all the candy we still have in the apartment... I bunch of fun-sized MilkyWays, a couple of fun-sized Butterfingers, a full sized Snickers, a bag of peanut M&M's, and some other stuff - all leftover handouts from Jane at work... a bunch of the Milky Ways are now gone though.
And it didn't take much before I ate too much. Three Hershey kisses was enough for me at midnight on Friday. I had a Coke yesterday and had to share it with Tiff because I couldn't finish it. I no doubt will fall back into the sugar-filled diet I've grown accustom to, especially as I'm about to head off to Jamaica - I'm getting married! - but for now I'll hold off on the sweets. Thank you very much.
As far as ratings go... I did okay. I slipped up once. I had some soda and a small piece of cake... it had been looking at me for hours, just begging to be eaten. Unlike the vegetarian challenge however, I do feel the difference in my body and will probably think about it each time I eat too much sweet stuff. So I'll say a 23 out of 30. Again, it's not too bad.
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