Tale of the Scale: This one's for Suzanne

Weight: holding steady at 125#. Since I've only been back working regularly in the gym for about a week, this is good. At this point I only need some rather stubborn belly fat, which I understand is the hardest stuff to get rid of. Patience is my test.

Plan for week of 8/26:
Sunday: personal workout. 1/2 hour each of cardio, stability and weights.
Monday: cardio: 45 minutes and stretching.
Tuesday: workout with Guido. Supersets all around.
Wednesday: Same as Monday.
Thursday: workout with Guido. He's going to surprise me.
Friday: rest (thank goodness).
Saturday: rest and stretching.

The rest of this is for Suzanne. Because she asked nicely. Suzanne wrote this article for BlogHer called the Swimsuit Brigade for Honest Photos. She showed herself (strong, healthy, fit woman that she is) in her own swimsuit. As fit as she is, she did not resemble at all the models in catalogs and magazines wearing these suits.

And she asked that we all go out and take our own photos in our swimsuits and post them on our blogs. Here I am wearing my 5 year old tankini:


Care to join me? Post your photo on your blog and tag it:Swimsuit Brigade.

swimsuit brigade

Tagged... for Random Things...

Ya know, I love Laurie, I really do. (No, that Laurie, whom I also love, but this Laurie!) Which is probably the only reason that when she twittered me that I had been tagged by her, I didn't hurt her! I've managed to avoid this meme for weeks, mainly because my friends do "honor tagging"... that is letting people choose to tag themselves. Laurie, it appears, is not honorable. But she's bright and friendly and a damned good writer, so I'll forgive her.

The nitty-gritty:

Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves...People who are tagged write their own blog post about their eight things and include these rules....At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged and they should read your blog.


Random thing #1: While I'm basically a quiet person, I regularly "practice" conversations (just like Laurie!). Infact I spend most of the day having imaginary conversations with people. The problem with that? When I actually get the opportunity to have one of these conversations, I don't know what to do after I stop talking. I never practice other people's part of the conversations. So I somehow usually make them end.

Last week, I managed to do that in the gym. I had a nice warm moment with my trainer, because he's been in my corner now for nearly a year.. and often the only one there. I've made so many changes this past year, and they all began with our working together. As soon as I finished my warm fuzzy moment, I picked up my 15# hand weights and started doing bench presses... dropping the warm caring moment before it could continue.

Awkward conversations are my specialty.

Random #2: I've worn glasses since I was 8. When they tested my eyes at 7, I was a little near-sighted but within normal range for a 7 year-old. At 8? I could not read the top letter on the eye chart. My vision goes out 7 diopters. If you have 20/20 vision, imagine standing in one end zone of a football field, and trying to read the eyechart positioned in the other endzone.

The evening I first got glasses, I walked outside and wondered: I could see individual blades of grass; leaves on tree; street lights were not simple a glowing ball of light.

Random #3: I like taking photos, but I don't like taking pictures of people. Mainly because it's too hard to get a photo that looks natural and unposed but that still has good composition, light and focus. It's hard for me to "see" people-pictures as interesting, so I rarely do them. And I rarely look at them.

Random #4: I love thai food. I love the complex blend of flavors and spices. Infact I love almost all Asian cuisines. Probably because with these I don't have to consider the possibility of them containing cow's milk.

Random #4A: I'm mildly/moderately allergic to cow's milk. If I've been healthy for atleast 6 weeks, I can have small doses of it: a couple slices of pizza or milk in my coffee while travelling. If, however, I've had a cold or other respiratory infection (which always turns into bronchitis), then I must completely avoid the cow's milk (which also gives me bronchitis). It seems to confuse my friends who have trouble knowing what I can/cannot eat.

Random#4B: Because of this milk thing (and some of the spices used), I am not terribly fond of Mexican or Italian food. If I can order a nice piece of fish, though, in these restaurants I can go for the company.

Random #5: I thought I've had the same size shoe since I was 10: a 6.5 narrow. Two years ago, though, I discovered that my feet had grown or flattened out, and I'm now a 7.5 medium. In fact my left foot is almost wide. This explains a lot.

Random #6: I am a non-swimmer. Give me a life-jacket or anything that floats, and I'll do anything: canoeing or rafting. and I'd like to try kayaking.

Random #7: are we almost done yet? I have never lived more than 12 miles away from I-80. My current 3 miles is definitely the closest.

Random #8: At the point that I've lived in a place about 8 years, I get bored with it and start thinking about moving on. It might take me several years go actually get into another place, but I've never found any domicile that has held my affection for long.

Whew. Finally through that torture. I am moving back to the more normal "honor tagging" principle... please leave a comment here and post your own Random Eight Things on your blog. If you don't have a blog, email me your random 8 and I'll post them here for you.

Courtesy of Deb. Fifty questions, since I chose not to do the "Getting To Know You" thing this week.

1.Whats your name spelt backwards?

ybor arbed

2. What did you do last night?

Baked banana nut bread and watched The Sound Of Music.

3. The last thing you downloaded onto your computer?

A ringtone of the stadium singing "Wild Thing" from Major League.

4. Have you ever licked a 9 volt battery?

Yes. Only to tell if it's really dead.

5. Last time you swam in a pool?

I don't swim. Last time I sat in a pool was our last cruise.

6. What are you wearing?

yoga pants, old t-shirt, polar fleece pullover, slippers.

7. How many cars have you owned?

I'm on my 8th.

8. Type of music you dislike most?

Country. Opera. Kind of a tie.

9. Are you registered to vote?

Have been since I received the right.

10. Do you have cable?

Yes. Cable or satellite is the only way we get any reception.

11. What kind of computer do you use?

An HP laptop with Windows XP.

12. Ever made a prank phone call?

Not that I recall, but I probably did.

13. You like anyone right now?

Yes, I like a lot of people. Somehow I think is a meme written by a high schooler (middle schooler??) and the question has a whole different level of meaning. Adults:So Not Cool.

14. Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving?

No. No. NO. NO. NO. NO. NO.

15. Furthest place you ever travelled?

Singapore.

16.Do you have a garden?

Yes.

17. What’s your favorite comic strip?

Hmm.. I hate to play favorites... but probably "A Rose is a Rose..."

18. Do you know all the words to the national anthem?

At least the first verse.. and most of the second... but not the third.

19. Shower, morning or night?

Mid-day after I workout at the gym. Otherwise morning.

20. Best movie you’ve seen in the past month?

Can't recall a particularly remarkable one.

21. Favorite pizza toppings?

Mushrooms, black olives, sausage, onions, spinach.

22. Chips or popcorn?

Both.

23. What cell phone provider do you have?

Verizon

24. Have you ever smoked peanut shells?

uhm... why would I do that??

25. Have you ever been in a beauty pageant?

No. (definitely school aged author...)

26. Orange Juice or apple?

Pomegranate.

27. Who were the last people you sat at lunch with?

The spouser. The dogs. Before that Roberta and Jeanne a couple weeks ago.

28. Favorite chocolate bar?

Schargenberger's 80% cacao dark chocolate bar.

29. Who is your longest friend and how long?

People tend to disappear from my life when we aren't active together. So longest friend would be about 9 years. Pick a Pickle.

30. Last time you ate a homegrown tomato?

Late last fall. (sigh... will they be ripe soon?)

31. Have you ever won a trophy?

No.

32. Favorite artist?

Ruth Asawa.

33. Favorite computer game?

Don't play many.

34. Ever ordered from an infomercial?

Doubt it.

35. Sprite or 7-UP?

Between that choice? 7-UP. But I rarely drink soft drinks, and I do it's normally a Classic Coke.

36. Have you ever had to wear a uniform to school/work?
Yes.. Catholic elementary school.

37. Last thing you bought at the store?

Paint brushes for a class I'm taking next week.

38. Ever thrown up in public?

Yes. Enough said.

39. Would you prefer being a millionaire or finding true love?

Both? Given I've found love (and have doubts about "one true love" thing) I think I'll take the money.

40. Do you believe in love at first sight?

No. Lust at first sight, recognition of a kindred soul, yes. But Love takes time.

41.Can exes just be friends?

I've heard of it happening, but not often.

42. Who was the last person you visited in the hospital?

My friend Linda about a month or so before she died.

43. Did you have long hair as a young kid?

Yes I did. Long, wavy/curly (thank you perms), and very light blonde.

44. What message is on your voicemail machine?

You've reached me. You know what to do.

45. Where would you like to go right now?

For a long, fast, winding drive along the coast.

46. What was the name of your first pet?

Fuzzy and Wuzzy. Two easter chicks given away by our babysitters.

47. What kind of back pack do you have, and what’s in it?

Definetely school age author. I only a backpack on long dog walks.

48. Last incoming/outgoing call on your phone?

A call from my friend Del.

49. What is one thing you are grateful for today?

I am always grateful for hot coffee first thing in the morning.

50. What do you think about most?

Strange and wonderful things and how to do them...

Think 50 (strange) questions was fun to read?? Why don't to answer them yourself then leave me the link in my comments? Promise I'll go read yours.

Housekeeping A-Z. For the Giggles...

I saw this on Lin's blog and as silly as it is, I HAD to do it. I mean, who would come up with a meme about housekeeping? It's just so June Cleaver!!

Read this over, and if you don't fall off your chair laughing, and end up concussed beyond the power of speech, feel free to share your own giggles. I even left the questions alone so you can copy them easily.

aprons - y/n?
baking - y/n?
clothesline - y/n?
donuts - ever made them?
everyday - one homemaking thing you do everyday?
freezer - do you have a separate deep freezer?
garbage disposal - y/n
handbook - y/n?
ironing - love it or hate it?
junk drawer - where is it?
kitchen - design and decorating?
love - what is your favorite part of homemaking?
mop - y/n?
nylons - wash them by hand or in the washer?
oven - do you use the window or open it to check?
pizza - what do you put on yours?
quiet - what do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment?
recipe card box
style of house
tablecloths and napkins - y/n?
under the kitchen sink
vacuum - how many times a week?
wash - how many loads do you do a week?
x’es - do you keep a list of things to do and cross them off?
yard - who does what?
zzz’s - what is your last homemaking task for the day?

aprons - y/n? NO. It's just one more thing to have to wash.

baking -y/n? While I enjoy baking, there are just two of us. Since they don't make recipes for baking for one, Nope, I don't do it. If I really need a little something, I'll go buy exactly one piece.

clothesline - y/n? Yes. The only good thing about living in a suburb is that I can have a clothesline.

donuts - ever made them? Tried them once (well, fry cakes). Major failure. Burned on the outside, raw on the inside. And again, you can't make one or two. I do buy 2 donuts to eat almost any time I need to get a fasting bloodtest.

everyday - one homemaking thing you do everyday? Everyday??? Is checking email homemaking?

freezer - do you have a separate deep freezer? No. I prefer to buy and use fresh and not have too much frozen.

garbage disposal - y/n? Yes and no. One came with our house, but I rarely use it. We compost kitchen scraps and you shouldn't put meat scraps down one.

handbook - y/n? WTF???

ironing - love it or hate it? Like it on my own terms. If you tell me "I need 5 shirts ironed", I will teach you how to do it. But sometimes ironing can be a zen-like act of moving meditation. Especially with a good iron. It's really hard to find a good iron though.

junk drawer - where is it? In the kitchen by the phone.

kitchen- design and decorating? Design? Kind of contemporary-cozy. Decorating? IT'S A KITCHEN!!

love- what is your favorite part of homemaking? There is a favorite part?? When I can afford it, it's having someone else do it.

mop y/n? No. I usually run my carpet cleaning machine over the tiles, but it's broke. Mopping just moves the dirt around. Until I get better solution, the floors stay dirty.

nylons- wash them by hand or in the washer? Wear them once then throw them out?

oven -do you use the window or open it to check? Open the door. You can't see through my window, and I wouldn't trust it.

pizza - what do you put on yours? light cheese and light tomato sauce, onions, black olives, sausage, yellow or red peppers but not green, mushrooms.

quiet - what do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment? GET?? I make them.

recipe card box y/n? NO. That would require me to care about keeping and using recipes. and I don't that much.

style of house? Currently: two story stucco colonial. Ideal: Urban condo.

tablecloths and napkins - y/n? No. Maybe paper towels.

under the kitchen sink : dishcleaning supplies??

vacuum: how many times a week? You've got to be kidding? First floor, probably once a week if I'm lucky.

wash - how many loads do you do a week? Five or six. It was 3 before I joined the gym, started sweating 5 days a week and creating a load or two of stinky laundry myself.

x’es - do you keep a list of things to do and cross them off? Yes. And I dance merrily around in high heels and shirt dress with 3 petticoats when my list is complete, the house smells like lemons, the windows shine, and you can eat sushi off my dog's beds.

yard - who does what? I take care of the veggie gardens and any bed that has more than simple "trim 'em up" bushes in them. I take care of checking and fixing the drip irrigation system. I mow and fertilize the lawn. HE: trims bushes and trees that he wants to, but not all. ?? Picks up dog poop. Mows the unseeded area under the deck where the dogs hang out.

zzz’s what is your last homemaking task for the day? Let the dogs out before we go to bed. Is that a home making task??