As some of you may know I'm a bit of a klutz. What you may not know is that I can be very determined. Especially when it comes to beating a piece of machinery. So this story begins with a girl and dream. A dream to get back to the size I was a very short time ago. If you don't know a few years back I spent an entire year working on losing close to 60 pounds. I ate healthier and I exercised daily. I never felt better in my life. I told myself I would never go back. I would stay at it and keep fit.
The problem with feeling great is, once you are there you think you will always feel that way. So you (read I) tend to get too comfortable. Surely a bit of ice cream with fruit won't do much harm. Well just a small piece of cake would be ok. I'll work it off. Then life happens. You get busy and you stop going to the gym. Fast food is easier and you only know how to make about five dishes anyway so you (again read I) eat out more and more. Then one day you wake up and WOW these pants are tight! I must have left them in the dryer too long. That must be it. So you dry your pants in damp dry and they are still tight.
So I decided to take action. I don't like to drive and I was actually unaware I was still a member at Curves (Yes it had been so long I had forgotten, I may have even had a dream it closed. Surely this happens to others). So I started using the wii fit. This seems harmless enough. Until the bloody thing starts groaning every time to step onto the balance board. Then you aren't quite as quick or strong or balanced as you thought you were, and that doggon mii shakes it's little head at you and pounds on the ground in frustration. I couldn't take it anymore. So I did what any reasonable person would do, I went to the boxing selection. What better way to take out your frustrations right?
Wrong! I couldn't get past two stars. TWO STARS? Really? I mean I'm throwing punches here that would make Mr. Tyson himself proud. Why I bet even Mr. Ali would have been impressed with my moves. After all one time about ten years ago I took a kickboxing class to get fit. I know how to throw a punch. Well... I thought I did. So I was punching my little heart out at the end where you get to punch yourself into a frenzy. Well I threw my right. Then I threw my left. Then SNAP! Uh Oh! Ouch, that's not good. So the left elbow snapped the bad shoulder slumped (old college injury that one) and as the days passed the pain increased. Apparently in watching the movie Ali with Will Smith I neglected to take note of the training involved in being able to punch for all you're worth. I also forgot what happened to Wylie Coyote everytime he tried to beat Bugs Bunny. Hence wii fit boxing 1, Heather 0.
Good news though the doctor says and I quote "I am NOT old, I am merely older than I was." I love that! It even made me forgive him for making me cry when he lifted my arm and I felt like it might be ripped off. So here I am in my sling, taking medication that apparently will have me pain free to start therapy in about 10 days. Good news is I did figure out I can type on the laptop with two hands as long as I have the heating pad on. So maybe I won't be a prize fighter anytime too soon. But I think I get an "A" for giving it an old college try (I probably should have remember what happened to the shoulder in college too). That's OK I'm sure I'll remember these things as soon as I remember to take the gynko.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Groundhog Day, What is this Miami Beach?
My husband and I LOVE the movie Groundhog day with Bill Murray. To the extent that if it is on television we watch it, especially if it IS Groundhog Day. What I love about this movie is the way it covers so many emotions, and what would you do if you had to live one day over and over again. For his (Bill Murray) character, Phil, gets stuck covering Groundhog Day as a weather man over and over again until he gets it right. Until the moment when he figures out that he needs to look outside of himself to those around him. He goes through every thought process, between what can he get away with and survive, to killing himself to make it end, to figuring out that maybe this life isn't just about him.
This makes me contemplate all the days of my life. With all the peaks and valleys, what one day would I want to relive over and over again. What one day would I rather not, and in that what would I do differently. The movie takes an interesting thought and twists it, turns it, makes you laugh and then makes you think. How would I handle that predicament?
In thinking about this, of course I think of the days that each of my children are born. Perhaps that first time around I wouldn't have waited till it was too late to say OK I've had enough I'll take that epidural now. I think about my wedding day and maybe I would have just acknowledged the fact that me and heels are not a good combination and just had the dress hemmed to fit with the Keds I ended up wearing down the isle in anyway, while I kicked the dress while walking to keep from tripping on it. I think about all the hurtfull things I've said to others and wish I could reel those back in. I think of the mistakes I've made, the challenges I've walked away from instead of walking forward full throttle.
I think of every mistake, every wrong word, every wrong turn and then I stop. What good does it do to look back? What good does it do to think of the things that I should have done differently that can never be changed? I think the moral of the story here is not how we could change the mistakes we've made but how we can look at those mistakes and keep from making them again. How by looking forward and not looking back we can improve and become better people. I can no sooner go back and change the mistakes of my past than I can change the order to the stars in the sky. I have asked for forgiveness. My heavenly father has forgiven me and for that matter knew I'd make them anyway and was willing to send His Only Son to die on the cross for me anyway. What good does it do to think and dwell on things that God has already forgotten? I can only learn and move forward. Praying all the way that as long as I stay on the straight and narrow path I can keep from ever straying from the path He has set for me again.
So again this year I will watch Groundhog Day. I will laugh and I will think. But not about what day I would live over and over again. But of the days I will hopefully be given to do the best I can with. I do love how he is awakened every morning. DJ#1 "OK campers rise and shine, and don't forget your booties cause it's cooold out there today." DJ#2 "It's cold out there every day. What is this, Miami Beach?" After all isn't that why we look forward to Groundhog Day? New beginnings? The end of winter the beginning of spring? It can be cold out there, how will you warm it up?
This makes me contemplate all the days of my life. With all the peaks and valleys, what one day would I want to relive over and over again. What one day would I rather not, and in that what would I do differently. The movie takes an interesting thought and twists it, turns it, makes you laugh and then makes you think. How would I handle that predicament?
In thinking about this, of course I think of the days that each of my children are born. Perhaps that first time around I wouldn't have waited till it was too late to say OK I've had enough I'll take that epidural now. I think about my wedding day and maybe I would have just acknowledged the fact that me and heels are not a good combination and just had the dress hemmed to fit with the Keds I ended up wearing down the isle in anyway, while I kicked the dress while walking to keep from tripping on it. I think about all the hurtfull things I've said to others and wish I could reel those back in. I think of the mistakes I've made, the challenges I've walked away from instead of walking forward full throttle.
I think of every mistake, every wrong word, every wrong turn and then I stop. What good does it do to look back? What good does it do to think of the things that I should have done differently that can never be changed? I think the moral of the story here is not how we could change the mistakes we've made but how we can look at those mistakes and keep from making them again. How by looking forward and not looking back we can improve and become better people. I can no sooner go back and change the mistakes of my past than I can change the order to the stars in the sky. I have asked for forgiveness. My heavenly father has forgiven me and for that matter knew I'd make them anyway and was willing to send His Only Son to die on the cross for me anyway. What good does it do to think and dwell on things that God has already forgotten? I can only learn and move forward. Praying all the way that as long as I stay on the straight and narrow path I can keep from ever straying from the path He has set for me again.
So again this year I will watch Groundhog Day. I will laugh and I will think. But not about what day I would live over and over again. But of the days I will hopefully be given to do the best I can with. I do love how he is awakened every morning. DJ#1 "OK campers rise and shine, and don't forget your booties cause it's cooold out there today." DJ#2 "It's cold out there every day. What is this, Miami Beach?" After all isn't that why we look forward to Groundhog Day? New beginnings? The end of winter the beginning of spring? It can be cold out there, how will you warm it up?
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
A Pioneer I Am Not
I may be a lot of things but a pioneer I am not. We are under a winter storm warning until 7 p.m. Wednesday. OK so I knew it was going to snow. What I didn't know until too late was the magnitude of said snow and ice. I don't watch the news and spend most of my time reading books. I wasn't too concerned with the prospect of snow as we have plenty of food to get us through and I have nowhere that I need to be until it has all passed and gone. Then I get all these reports that we need to be prepared for power outages. Really?
So I spent my evening looking for the minescule amount of candles that I own in the house. I only own them for decorating purposes and if the lights go out. I can't smell them and the potential fire hazzard they hold has always held little appeal for me. So I found the candles and the matches and lined them all up on the kitchen counter ready to go. Then it occurrs to me that if we have no power, we also have no heat. That will be OK my husband says as we can layer our clothes and we have plenty of blankets. To which my reply of course was "Seriously? You would have us all get naked in the bed huddled under twenty seven blankets using body heat to keep warm?" To which his reply is (after he finishes laughing at me)"Why on earth would we need to be naked?" To which I replied with "Uh hello? Survival 101 you get naked and use your body heat to survive. If we have no heat in the house it's no better than being stranded in the car, we are sitting ducks here kid. Our innate desire to survive will eventually take over. You do know what the temperatures are out there right?" This is usually about the point where he just walks me off. As the middle-aged drama queen has taken over and all reason has left the building.
He spent the evening at work. I spent the evening looking for him to come through the door to save us from our impending doom. In between text messages from me asking if we should consider buying firewood for the fireplace that we only used once ten years ago and don't know how to use, he was saving the town from their impending doom of going without their medication in the storm. When he came through the door, I was snug in my chair with a blanket, with a space heater running in the room, watching a movie. I figured I should be as warm and comfortable in my habitat before my habitat became cold and uncomfortable with a potential power outage. But I did get up and throw myself into his arms and thank the Lord for an answered prayer.
I also explained to him that if we had gotten some firewood and we used our fireplace, we could cook our food over the open fire. Just like the pioneers did. To which he looked at me with doubt in his eyes and said "you are going to light a fire over which to cook food?" Honestly I said, I was hoping he would light the actual fire and then I would become all pioneer woman like and cook these wonderful meals with biscuits and such and we would eat out of tin cups and plates. In this fantasy I am also somehow wearing a dress with an apron over it and my hair has miraculously grown and is up in a bun.
If you don't know I'm currently learning to cook more than the five staples we usually eat. Also I rarely bake and if I do it's pre-formed cookies. The last time I made pre-formed cookies I burned them. Apparently there is a rather large difference between 375 and 325. My mind said 375, the instructions however said 325. Hence, only one tray of warm moist cookies and several of the crunchy variety. The idea of me cooking over an open fire is ridiculous to say the least. We will have to survive if and when the power goes out on cereal and chips and diet Pepsi. Because I may be a lot of things, a middle-aged drama queen maybe, but a pioneer I am not.
So I spent my evening looking for the minescule amount of candles that I own in the house. I only own them for decorating purposes and if the lights go out. I can't smell them and the potential fire hazzard they hold has always held little appeal for me. So I found the candles and the matches and lined them all up on the kitchen counter ready to go. Then it occurrs to me that if we have no power, we also have no heat. That will be OK my husband says as we can layer our clothes and we have plenty of blankets. To which my reply of course was "Seriously? You would have us all get naked in the bed huddled under twenty seven blankets using body heat to keep warm?" To which his reply is (after he finishes laughing at me)"Why on earth would we need to be naked?" To which I replied with "Uh hello? Survival 101 you get naked and use your body heat to survive. If we have no heat in the house it's no better than being stranded in the car, we are sitting ducks here kid. Our innate desire to survive will eventually take over. You do know what the temperatures are out there right?" This is usually about the point where he just walks me off. As the middle-aged drama queen has taken over and all reason has left the building.
He spent the evening at work. I spent the evening looking for him to come through the door to save us from our impending doom. In between text messages from me asking if we should consider buying firewood for the fireplace that we only used once ten years ago and don't know how to use, he was saving the town from their impending doom of going without their medication in the storm. When he came through the door, I was snug in my chair with a blanket, with a space heater running in the room, watching a movie. I figured I should be as warm and comfortable in my habitat before my habitat became cold and uncomfortable with a potential power outage. But I did get up and throw myself into his arms and thank the Lord for an answered prayer.
I also explained to him that if we had gotten some firewood and we used our fireplace, we could cook our food over the open fire. Just like the pioneers did. To which he looked at me with doubt in his eyes and said "you are going to light a fire over which to cook food?" Honestly I said, I was hoping he would light the actual fire and then I would become all pioneer woman like and cook these wonderful meals with biscuits and such and we would eat out of tin cups and plates. In this fantasy I am also somehow wearing a dress with an apron over it and my hair has miraculously grown and is up in a bun.
If you don't know I'm currently learning to cook more than the five staples we usually eat. Also I rarely bake and if I do it's pre-formed cookies. The last time I made pre-formed cookies I burned them. Apparently there is a rather large difference between 375 and 325. My mind said 375, the instructions however said 325. Hence, only one tray of warm moist cookies and several of the crunchy variety. The idea of me cooking over an open fire is ridiculous to say the least. We will have to survive if and when the power goes out on cereal and chips and diet Pepsi. Because I may be a lot of things, a middle-aged drama queen maybe, but a pioneer I am not.
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