Speaking of loathing, I LOATHE when people call Nashville "Nashvegas"...I've been to Nashville (obviously) and I've been to Vegas (and proudly spent $1 the whole three days I was there...and no, not as in I was only down $1 after all of my gambling...I mean that I only paid $1 for one slot machine just so I could say I gambled and everything else was covered) and although both cities have an affinity for boots and glitter, they are not alike enough to become a hybrid city called Nashvegas. But, that word went along with my blog title, so we're going to roll with it today.
My boss was making fun of me the other day about my dislike of heights. We are on the 12th floor of a building with floor to ceiling windows and he was asking me if I would go right up to the window and look down. I did, and he said he thought I was afraid of heights. I told him there is a distinct difference between disliking (or loathing) something and being afraid of something. I am not afraid of heights...I will get on an airplane (I just don't like the window seat), I am fine walking up to windows, and I have ridden roller coasters before. But, will I ever be a window washer? Heeeelllll no. Will I ever walk a real tightrope between two skyscrapers? Hell, Hades, and Mt. Olympus no. I had enough trouble walking over the three foot sheer walkway at the Sears Tower.
So, below is a list of the top five things I fear, loathe, and just for kicks, love.
FEAR:
1.) Japanese horror movies. I've been scarred for life after watching 'The Ring' and then dreaming the creepy dead girl was crawling over me as I slept. I'm not the girl who gets scared when she has to stay by herself at night (which is good since I live alone), but after I had that dream I am not ashamed to admit I slept with the lights on for three nights.
2.) Unpleasant surprises. I'm talking about when someone comes up behind you all stealth like and you can't hear them. Then they either touch you or say something and you jump and scream like a four year old girl. Your heart is beating really fast, and chances are, if you have luck like me, you have spilled something all over your new dry-clean only blazer or dress.
3.) Drowning. Which is odd, since I love swimming, have been on a cruise, and used to really want to be a mermaid. I only like breathing out of my nose (I'm sure someone somewhere is going to make that inappropriate) so I don't think I'd enjoy scuba diving. I also do not enjoy colds which make my nose stuffy, but that is for another list.
4.) Pterodactyls. They may not be around anymore, but can you imagine having to live in fear of flying dinosaurs picking you up on your way to Kroger and eating you for dinner? Shudder.
5.) Bats. Very similar to pterodactyls, only they won't eat you but do easily get caught in your hair and scratch you. #Truestory
LOATHE:
1.) Crocs. No, that's not short for crocodiles. I mean the squishy, clog-like shoes that come in every color and pattern. The only excuse someone has for wearing them is maaaaybe that they are a nurse and have to work a grueling schedule. Babies don't even have excuses for wearing them. They are ugly, boxy, and for lazy people. If you really need to be that lazy, at least get the sneakers with the velcro, a la 1991.
2.) Snakes. Spiders, centipedes, wasps, and any other insect-like (because I know a spider isn't technically an insect) creatures don't phase me. I'm well acquainted with the tissue paper death and burial at sea process for these creepy crawlies. But snakes? That's not something I can easily dispose of in my apartment. A few weeks ago, a small snake was waiting on my doorstep for me when I was trying to exit for work. I felt very Indiana Jane after jumping over him (or her...I want to be equal opportunity here). I wasn't going to kick the welcome mat out of the way in case I made it mad, so I really had no other choice than to vault over it McKayla Maroney style...even she would have been impressed. Thankfully I live in an apartment with a pretty good maintenance staff and when I came back Jafar Jr. (remember the sorceror from Aladdin that turned into a snake?) was gone.
3.) UT. I loathe the color, the team, the coaches, and usually the fans. Everyone has that one team they hate. As a UK fan, a lot of people's least favorite teams would be Duke, UNC, or Louisville. I, however, will forever loathe Tennessee. And that damn way-too-catchy song.
4.) WebMD. You go on there simply to find out if you need to make a run to the Walgreens clinic to get some antibiotics for a sinus infection and instead you are diagnosed as having one or a combination of the followings: cholera (Oregon Trail, anyone?), shingles, leukemia, a lung infection, or a simple cold. You end up being way more confused as to what ails you than when you started.
5.) Sarah Palin. Kidding. Maybe.
LOVE: (This category will not include the things you already know I love like UK sports, Bon Jovi (both the cat and the band), animals, milk, Harry Potter, and sarcasm).
1.) Popsicles. I'm not a huge sweets person but I love a popsicle anytime, anywhere. Even outside on the coldest day in winter in Antarctica in a tshirt (you get my drift.)
2.) Irises and calla lillies. Irises were my grandfather's favorite and calla lillies were my grandmother's.
3.) Wheel of Fortune. I may have mentioned this before, but I really really do love it. I so want to win the bonus round someday.
4.) Getting my hair brushed.
5.) Long hot showers that I manage to get out of right before the smoke alarm in my not-so-strategically placed apartment goes off due to steam.
So there you go! Five things to never do or bring around me unless you want to scare me, five things never to do/wear/bring around me if you want me to not sneer at you, and five things that will make me want to love you.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Monday, September 17, 2012
A date? What is that? Oh wait, it's a fruit, right?!?!
Last week I went on a date. I looked good, my hair was curled, and wine was ordered. The conversation went on without awkward pauses, we laughed a lot together, and at the end of the night I was walked to my car. Seems like a perfect evening, right?
Well, there's just one problem: it wasn't my date. How does one end up on a date that isn't actually theirs, one might ask. Well, it's when someone is what is called "a third wheel". There is a difference between being a third wheel and hanging out with your friends that are a couple. Now bear with me, because this could get confusing. Saturday night I had dinner with my friends M & L (the favorite redhead). We had been at Broadway Brewhouse, were hungry, and Pie in the Sky sounded like an amazing idea at the time. We had dinner, laughed a lot while planning my 30th birthday trip (a cruise, in 2.5 years), and went out separate ways when we were done. That was not being a third wheel. Now, let me describe the "date" I went on. We met at a date restaurant (aka, the kind of restaurant you only go to with a person you are interested in seeing on a regular basis). You know the kind, the lights are dim, the music is soft and romantic, and more than likely there are oysters and other supposed aphrodisiacs on the menu. My friend's fiance pulled out her chair for her and scooted her to the table. When I started to pull my own out, he quickly ran over to my side of the table to pull mine out for me as well. Except our timing was off and he ended up hitting me in the knee with the chair, giving me a bruise. They ordered a bottle of wine and offered to share it with me, but I declined and stuck with my single glass of Malbec. The food was wonderful, the dessert made me want to go to three spin classes in a row, and the waiter was incredibly funny. At the end of the night the bill came, and my friends offered to buy my dinner. I thanked them kindly, but declined. They were nice enough to let me crash their date since I never see them and they happened to be in town...I wasn't going to make them pay for the pleasure of my company. They walked me to my car, made sure I got in safely, and then headed to their own vehicle to go back to their hotel and do whatever it is that couples do. (Remember that poem I wrote entitled 'These Are The Things That Couples Do'?)
See the difference between hanging out with a couple and going on a date with a couple? I hope I made that clear. To them, that night was probably the perfect date night. Fancy dinner, good wine, and the rest of the night spent in a hotel with the person they are in love with. Of course I had a good time, but that was not my idea of a perfect date. Yesterday I caught up on my four Cosmopolitan magazines I've had laying on the coffee table for months but had no time to read and so many of the articles discussed "the perfect date." None of them seemed to match my idea of what I'd like to do so I thought I'd outline five perfect dates I'd eventually like to go on in my lifetime.
To start off, I must say that I have been lucky enough to be on some pretty great dates in my lifetime.
1.) Senior prom. I met my date two or three days before. Yep, you read that correctly. He was a relative of the kids that I babysat. I have mentioned before I was very tuned out my senior year of high school and I actually considered not going to prom that year. My date was nice enough to fly in and take me to prom. He was good looking, funny, related to the kids that I adored, and we got to drive a silver Corvette convertible. That's the stuff high school chick flick movies are made out of. I had a great time hanging out with my friends and with my date...and my dress was pretty kickass too. It had cutouts that ran from my shoulder, over my chest, down to my opposite hip. I could have done without the constant pokes at my bare exposed skin to see if I was wearing underwear (I wasn't), but other than that, I had a great night.
2.) I had mentioned to another guy that my favorite Bon Jovi song (at the time) was 'Always.' This guy was a great musician, and somehow figured out how to play the song on the piano for me. When I went to visit him (I had a thing for long distance relationships) he surprised me by playing the song for me. I thought this was incredibly special until I went to Belmont and discovered this was a typical musician ploy to impress girls. After that, songs no longer impressed me.
And there have been many more, but those are the ones that stand out. So now, for my list of five dates I would eventually like to go on:
1.) UK Basketball game with someone who actually likes UK Basketball. Sure, it was great taking D to his first UK game in Rupp Arena. But there's nothing like watching a game with someone who is just as passionate about the players and tradition as you are. When you step into Rupp Arena you are on hallowed ground.
2.) Hiking. This might sound simple, but I like pretty simple things. I like being outside, I like nature, I like getting a workout, and I like getting to know people. All of that can happen on a hike...and it's free!
3.) Making our own sushi. There are classes on how to do this, or, you can do it on your own. Two friends did this for Valentine's Day one year and I thought it was a great, unique idea. He got the fish for the sushi from a local sushi restaurant so it was the right quality and they had a night in, learning to do something new.
4.) Exploring a new city together. I've never been on a trip with someone I was dating and it's something I'd love to do. Walking around a new place, getting lost, and seeing new things sounds like a really great memory to make with someone.
5.) Surprise me. It took a lot for me to write that. Normally, I hate surprises. Don't tell me you have something special planned and sure as heck don't tell me you have a surprise for me. Do something when I least expect it and chances are, I won't get annoyed at you for keeping something from me. It doesn't have to be anything special...have one of my favorite flowers waiting in the passenger seat for me...take me to Starbucks on a Fall day and get me a pumpkin spice latte...leave one of your favorite books at my place for me to read...it doesn't take much to make me smile.
Okay, obviously I need to cut back on the Cosmopolitan articles. Or maybe I just needed to write this to remind myself what a date was, since it's been so long since I've been on one! Either way, I'll try to bring more humor next time. So until then, I'll go back to reading my history and mystery books, finding ways for people to improve their manners, and trying to save my Fantasy Football team.
Well, there's just one problem: it wasn't my date. How does one end up on a date that isn't actually theirs, one might ask. Well, it's when someone is what is called "a third wheel". There is a difference between being a third wheel and hanging out with your friends that are a couple. Now bear with me, because this could get confusing. Saturday night I had dinner with my friends M & L (the favorite redhead). We had been at Broadway Brewhouse, were hungry, and Pie in the Sky sounded like an amazing idea at the time. We had dinner, laughed a lot while planning my 30th birthday trip (a cruise, in 2.5 years), and went out separate ways when we were done. That was not being a third wheel. Now, let me describe the "date" I went on. We met at a date restaurant (aka, the kind of restaurant you only go to with a person you are interested in seeing on a regular basis). You know the kind, the lights are dim, the music is soft and romantic, and more than likely there are oysters and other supposed aphrodisiacs on the menu. My friend's fiance pulled out her chair for her and scooted her to the table. When I started to pull my own out, he quickly ran over to my side of the table to pull mine out for me as well. Except our timing was off and he ended up hitting me in the knee with the chair, giving me a bruise. They ordered a bottle of wine and offered to share it with me, but I declined and stuck with my single glass of Malbec. The food was wonderful, the dessert made me want to go to three spin classes in a row, and the waiter was incredibly funny. At the end of the night the bill came, and my friends offered to buy my dinner. I thanked them kindly, but declined. They were nice enough to let me crash their date since I never see them and they happened to be in town...I wasn't going to make them pay for the pleasure of my company. They walked me to my car, made sure I got in safely, and then headed to their own vehicle to go back to their hotel and do whatever it is that couples do. (Remember that poem I wrote entitled 'These Are The Things That Couples Do'?)
See the difference between hanging out with a couple and going on a date with a couple? I hope I made that clear. To them, that night was probably the perfect date night. Fancy dinner, good wine, and the rest of the night spent in a hotel with the person they are in love with. Of course I had a good time, but that was not my idea of a perfect date. Yesterday I caught up on my four Cosmopolitan magazines I've had laying on the coffee table for months but had no time to read and so many of the articles discussed "the perfect date." None of them seemed to match my idea of what I'd like to do so I thought I'd outline five perfect dates I'd eventually like to go on in my lifetime.
To start off, I must say that I have been lucky enough to be on some pretty great dates in my lifetime.
1.) Senior prom. I met my date two or three days before. Yep, you read that correctly. He was a relative of the kids that I babysat. I have mentioned before I was very tuned out my senior year of high school and I actually considered not going to prom that year. My date was nice enough to fly in and take me to prom. He was good looking, funny, related to the kids that I adored, and we got to drive a silver Corvette convertible. That's the stuff high school chick flick movies are made out of. I had a great time hanging out with my friends and with my date...and my dress was pretty kickass too. It had cutouts that ran from my shoulder, over my chest, down to my opposite hip. I could have done without the constant pokes at my bare exposed skin to see if I was wearing underwear (I wasn't), but other than that, I had a great night.
2.) I had mentioned to another guy that my favorite Bon Jovi song (at the time) was 'Always.' This guy was a great musician, and somehow figured out how to play the song on the piano for me. When I went to visit him (I had a thing for long distance relationships) he surprised me by playing the song for me. I thought this was incredibly special until I went to Belmont and discovered this was a typical musician ploy to impress girls. After that, songs no longer impressed me.
And there have been many more, but those are the ones that stand out. So now, for my list of five dates I would eventually like to go on:
1.) UK Basketball game with someone who actually likes UK Basketball. Sure, it was great taking D to his first UK game in Rupp Arena. But there's nothing like watching a game with someone who is just as passionate about the players and tradition as you are. When you step into Rupp Arena you are on hallowed ground.
2.) Hiking. This might sound simple, but I like pretty simple things. I like being outside, I like nature, I like getting a workout, and I like getting to know people. All of that can happen on a hike...and it's free!
3.) Making our own sushi. There are classes on how to do this, or, you can do it on your own. Two friends did this for Valentine's Day one year and I thought it was a great, unique idea. He got the fish for the sushi from a local sushi restaurant so it was the right quality and they had a night in, learning to do something new.
4.) Exploring a new city together. I've never been on a trip with someone I was dating and it's something I'd love to do. Walking around a new place, getting lost, and seeing new things sounds like a really great memory to make with someone.
5.) Surprise me. It took a lot for me to write that. Normally, I hate surprises. Don't tell me you have something special planned and sure as heck don't tell me you have a surprise for me. Do something when I least expect it and chances are, I won't get annoyed at you for keeping something from me. It doesn't have to be anything special...have one of my favorite flowers waiting in the passenger seat for me...take me to Starbucks on a Fall day and get me a pumpkin spice latte...leave one of your favorite books at my place for me to read...it doesn't take much to make me smile.
Okay, obviously I need to cut back on the Cosmopolitan articles. Or maybe I just needed to write this to remind myself what a date was, since it's been so long since I've been on one! Either way, I'll try to bring more humor next time. So until then, I'll go back to reading my history and mystery books, finding ways for people to improve their manners, and trying to save my Fantasy Football team.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
The Perks of Being a Nerd
Nerd. Dork. Geek. Dweeb. Funny, I thought they all meant the same thing. However, when I went to thesaurus.com to look up synonyms for 'nerd' (yes, I actually did that), I discovered that apparently they all have different meanings:
Geek: Any smart person with an obsessive interest.
Nerd: The same, but lacks social grace.
Dweeb: Mega-nerd
Dork: Apparently this doesn't mean any kind of smart at all. A dork is apparently a stupid person. Although, Geek is used as a synonym...which is confusing so somewhere in there, the thesaurus.com people are confused.
So after reading these enlightening definitions, I technically fall under the 'geek' label...at least I think I do. I do have some (limited) social graces, although I am known for saying what I think without really thinking about the ramifications, cursing in inopportune settings (like during a wedding when I realized my iPod was still on low volume blasting 'I Want It That Way by the Backstreet Boys right before the bride was supposed to walk down the aisle), and having the uncanny knack to ask about someone's boyfriend that had broken up with them two days previous. Oops.
But, I like the word 'nerd' better so that's what I'm going with. Substitute the definition of 'geek' for 'nerd' and now we shall carry on...
I have always been a nerd, but it wasn't until a few years ago that I became proud of it. When I was younger I would watch Sailor Moon and X-Men and wish I had special powers too. Every year when it was my birthday and it came time to blow out the candles, I would wish for special powers. I turned 13 on Friday the 13th and my parents gave me a necklace with a moon charm. I thought I had hit the jackpot. FINALLY I would become special. I waited around all day, wondering when I would feel different, and...yeah, that never happened.
Around that time I transitioned from super hero worship, to my forever-obsession, Harry Potter. If you ask me the name of a character, I can 99% of the time tell you who they are. I immersed myself in the world of Hogwarts, hoping my owl had just gotten lost and would eventually deliver my letter from Hogwarts, where the sorting hat would place me into Ravenclaw and become Head Girl my 7th year and develop a love for pumpkin juice and eventually firewhiskey. Um, yeah...Hopkinsville Middle School and Christian County High School were nothing like Hogwarts. The only group I got sorted into was the 'nerd' category, because I didn't go to parties (re: I wasn't cool enough to be invited) and because I got really good grades.
College was when I finally started to come out of my shell and be okay with sharing that I spent a lot of my time writing short stories about teenage girls with super powers. I was in a sorority (which I became President of, oddly enough), had a ton of friends, and was very social. However, I still kept my nerdiness intact. Time off from class was usually spent at the bookstore looking for new worlds to immerse myself into. I went to every superhero movie that came out (although I was never much of a fan of Spiderman...Tobey McGuire didn't do it for me) and continued my love of Harry Potter. I remember skipping class and staying up all night the day the 7th book came out my senior year. I holed up in my bedroom and barely left to eat.
Nowadays my friends fully embrace and accept the fact that I get very wide-eyed and excited when I talk about Harry Potter, or my rediscovered obsession, Game of Thrones. I remember reading the first couple of books of that series when I was probably too little to be reading them. However, I only read the chapters narrated by the characters I liked, so I really only followed the story of Arya and Dany. I had no idea I was missing out on one of the greatest characters to ever be written, Tyrion Lannister. I also totally missed the fact that the Queen and her brother were in love and produced three children together. Boy, was that a shocker when I watched the first episode of the show! Way to miss a major plot point, Anna Charles.
Sometimes my friends will ask me about things in Harry Potter, just because I know what they are and they think my descriptions are funny. On the way back from a road trip, I was asked to describe what a Patronus was. So, I proceeded to explain that a Patronus took the form of an animal and only appeared when you were thinking happy thoughts. It could protect you from evil, such as Dementors. K thought this was especially amusing...and I must admit, to a non-fan it sounds ridiculous. However, for those of us who know what a Patronus is, we fully appreciate them and I really wish I could use one when a certain supervisor on the 7th floor is looking for me...I'm pretty sure it would chase him away, just like it did the evil Dementors.
So yes...I'm 27 and I still like reading books about magic, heroes and mythical creatures. I mean, with all of the bad stuff in this world, can you blame me for wanting to escape once in a while? But don't tell me if you do blame me and think I'm silly. Because one day, if I do ever get superpowers/magic, you're the first one I'm going to use as my guinea pig. : )
Geek: Any smart person with an obsessive interest.
Nerd: The same, but lacks social grace.
Dweeb: Mega-nerd
Dork: Apparently this doesn't mean any kind of smart at all. A dork is apparently a stupid person. Although, Geek is used as a synonym...which is confusing so somewhere in there, the thesaurus.com people are confused.
So after reading these enlightening definitions, I technically fall under the 'geek' label...at least I think I do. I do have some (limited) social graces, although I am known for saying what I think without really thinking about the ramifications, cursing in inopportune settings (like during a wedding when I realized my iPod was still on low volume blasting 'I Want It That Way by the Backstreet Boys right before the bride was supposed to walk down the aisle), and having the uncanny knack to ask about someone's boyfriend that had broken up with them two days previous. Oops.
But, I like the word 'nerd' better so that's what I'm going with. Substitute the definition of 'geek' for 'nerd' and now we shall carry on...
I have always been a nerd, but it wasn't until a few years ago that I became proud of it. When I was younger I would watch Sailor Moon and X-Men and wish I had special powers too. Every year when it was my birthday and it came time to blow out the candles, I would wish for special powers. I turned 13 on Friday the 13th and my parents gave me a necklace with a moon charm. I thought I had hit the jackpot. FINALLY I would become special. I waited around all day, wondering when I would feel different, and...yeah, that never happened.
Around that time I transitioned from super hero worship, to my forever-obsession, Harry Potter. If you ask me the name of a character, I can 99% of the time tell you who they are. I immersed myself in the world of Hogwarts, hoping my owl had just gotten lost and would eventually deliver my letter from Hogwarts, where the sorting hat would place me into Ravenclaw and become Head Girl my 7th year and develop a love for pumpkin juice and eventually firewhiskey. Um, yeah...Hopkinsville Middle School and Christian County High School were nothing like Hogwarts. The only group I got sorted into was the 'nerd' category, because I didn't go to parties (re: I wasn't cool enough to be invited) and because I got really good grades.
College was when I finally started to come out of my shell and be okay with sharing that I spent a lot of my time writing short stories about teenage girls with super powers. I was in a sorority (which I became President of, oddly enough), had a ton of friends, and was very social. However, I still kept my nerdiness intact. Time off from class was usually spent at the bookstore looking for new worlds to immerse myself into. I went to every superhero movie that came out (although I was never much of a fan of Spiderman...Tobey McGuire didn't do it for me) and continued my love of Harry Potter. I remember skipping class and staying up all night the day the 7th book came out my senior year. I holed up in my bedroom and barely left to eat.
Nowadays my friends fully embrace and accept the fact that I get very wide-eyed and excited when I talk about Harry Potter, or my rediscovered obsession, Game of Thrones. I remember reading the first couple of books of that series when I was probably too little to be reading them. However, I only read the chapters narrated by the characters I liked, so I really only followed the story of Arya and Dany. I had no idea I was missing out on one of the greatest characters to ever be written, Tyrion Lannister. I also totally missed the fact that the Queen and her brother were in love and produced three children together. Boy, was that a shocker when I watched the first episode of the show! Way to miss a major plot point, Anna Charles.
Sometimes my friends will ask me about things in Harry Potter, just because I know what they are and they think my descriptions are funny. On the way back from a road trip, I was asked to describe what a Patronus was. So, I proceeded to explain that a Patronus took the form of an animal and only appeared when you were thinking happy thoughts. It could protect you from evil, such as Dementors. K thought this was especially amusing...and I must admit, to a non-fan it sounds ridiculous. However, for those of us who know what a Patronus is, we fully appreciate them and I really wish I could use one when a certain supervisor on the 7th floor is looking for me...I'm pretty sure it would chase him away, just like it did the evil Dementors.
So yes...I'm 27 and I still like reading books about magic, heroes and mythical creatures. I mean, with all of the bad stuff in this world, can you blame me for wanting to escape once in a while? But don't tell me if you do blame me and think I'm silly. Because one day, if I do ever get superpowers/magic, you're the first one I'm going to use as my guinea pig. : )
Monday, September 10, 2012
Let's Get Physical!
Okay. Sorry for the absence. My world has been insane lately and it doesn't look like it's going to lighten up until October. I'm not saying that to make you think I'm super popular and that you have to call weeks in advance to make an appointment to spend time with me, but it might not be a bad idea. Between (a lot) of travel for work, baby showers, wedding showers, birthday parties, engagement parties, a wedding/long weekend trip, house-sitting and normal work, I have a grand total of three days the rest of September where I don't have to do anything after work or on the weekends. And each of those days has an event pending. Sigh. I should memorize what my apartment looks like so I don't forget.
BUT I want to discuss what is sometimes my most favorite, and other times my most hated, past-time: working out. In high school I worked out all the time. I also didn't eat very much...not a recommended combination. I don't work out nearly as much as I did then (because really, what 27 year old with a job has time to take two spin classes and run on the treadmill for an hour each day?) but I do enjoy staying active. I've tried pretty much every class offered at the local YMCA and am here to share my opinion of each. It's my belief that every person is built for a specific type of exercise. You have your runners, your swimmers, your weight lifters, and your 'I think I'll just wear my new Lululemon workout gear and look for a husband'-ers. Some people are incredibly and can do all of the above. Me? I'm definitely made for...
Spinning/Cycling. Yes, it kicks your butt and damn does that seat hurt the first few times you go. But I love it. I especially like how no one else in the class (except probably the instructor) can tell how hard you are working. Your goal is to cycle for the entire 45-60 minutes. Hopefully you can keep up with the moves the instructor is guiding you to do, but if not, at least keep the pedals moving. When you leave, you look incredibly unattractive...red face, sweat pouring down your neck, and your clothes are stuck to you. But, you feel great knowing you worked hard and you burned a ton of calories in a short amount of time. I had an instructor yesterday that summed it up pretty well: "You're here to work...and work HARD! If you want to have fun, go to Zumba!"
Zumba: This is probably my second favorite of the exercise classes I have taken. It really is fun and it's great to see a class full of people of all shapes, sizes and ages. And no one really cares if you have rhythym or not. I'm kind of 50/50. Some days I'm like "Oh yeah, I got this..." while I'm salsa-ing and other days I'm hoping no one is watching me in the mirror. It's definitely a fun class and I like to go every once in a while to give my legs a break from the bike.
Yoga/Pilates: I know these are two different things, but for the sake of time (and I don't have much to say about either) I am combining them. I want to be good at these, but I'm not. I have trouble sitting still and clearing my mind. Those are probably both reasons why I don't sleep well either. I did do a 20 minute yoga thing OnDemand the other day that was specifically designed for your back, which actually felt really good. Minus Bon Jovi the cat wondering what the hell I was doing on the floor and proceeded to climb on my stomach while I was doing one of the moves and rubbing up against me while I was doing the others. Obviously he didn't care less that I was supposed to be zen.
Swimming: I rate this lower only because I am not a lap swimmer. You want to play Marco Polo (or Marco Stergas, as the kids I grew up with liked to play since that's my dad's name)? I'm down. You want to see who can do the most back flips in a row? Heck yes. You want me to swim four lengths of an Olympic sized pool...say whaaaa?!?! Unless I'm swimming toward Ryan Lochte (a mute, Ryan Lochte, mind you) there is no way in Hades I'm doing that.
Running: I wish I could be a runner, really, I do. I would love to say I completed a half marathon or a marathon. But, it is not in the cards for me. I'm 5'2" on a good day and have short legs. One stride for me is half of one for a tall person. I also can't regulate my breathing for the life of me. I have tried several times to run with varying degrees of failure. I loaded my iPod playlist with 'Don't Stop Believin', 'Eye of the Tiger', and every Lady Gaga song with a good beat known to man to get me motivated. And...it didn't work. For a while I would run a mile on the treadmill before I would start my workout, but that too has fallen by the wayside.
Sculpt Class: OhdearsweetholyJesusGodNO! I went with my friend K one night after work. Another friend H teaches a sculpt class at the Maryland Farms Y, but only in the mornings and I wouldn't be able to make it to work in time. I don't think sculpting is a good excuse to be 1.5 hours late. Anyway, I figured if H taught it, then it would be a good class. Little did K and I know that we were taking a class with GI Joe as the instructor. I could barely walk for four days. It was an intense hour of every uncomfortable exercise imaginable. Even people that were in great shape had to take breaks and lay down on their step boxes in order to keep from passing out. Bad sign. H is trying to get me to go to another one because she says that one was way different than any other she's heard of, but no. Maybe next year. Or never.
How can something that can be so painful bring you so much joy and make you feel so good? There's probably some parallel I could make to 'love' but that would require me to get philisophical, and that's boring.
So, until next time, go exercise, stay hydrated, and keep away from GI Joe instructors.
BUT I want to discuss what is sometimes my most favorite, and other times my most hated, past-time: working out. In high school I worked out all the time. I also didn't eat very much...not a recommended combination. I don't work out nearly as much as I did then (because really, what 27 year old with a job has time to take two spin classes and run on the treadmill for an hour each day?) but I do enjoy staying active. I've tried pretty much every class offered at the local YMCA and am here to share my opinion of each. It's my belief that every person is built for a specific type of exercise. You have your runners, your swimmers, your weight lifters, and your 'I think I'll just wear my new Lululemon workout gear and look for a husband'-ers. Some people are incredibly and can do all of the above. Me? I'm definitely made for...
Spinning/Cycling. Yes, it kicks your butt and damn does that seat hurt the first few times you go. But I love it. I especially like how no one else in the class (except probably the instructor) can tell how hard you are working. Your goal is to cycle for the entire 45-60 minutes. Hopefully you can keep up with the moves the instructor is guiding you to do, but if not, at least keep the pedals moving. When you leave, you look incredibly unattractive...red face, sweat pouring down your neck, and your clothes are stuck to you. But, you feel great knowing you worked hard and you burned a ton of calories in a short amount of time. I had an instructor yesterday that summed it up pretty well: "You're here to work...and work HARD! If you want to have fun, go to Zumba!"
Zumba: This is probably my second favorite of the exercise classes I have taken. It really is fun and it's great to see a class full of people of all shapes, sizes and ages. And no one really cares if you have rhythym or not. I'm kind of 50/50. Some days I'm like "Oh yeah, I got this..." while I'm salsa-ing and other days I'm hoping no one is watching me in the mirror. It's definitely a fun class and I like to go every once in a while to give my legs a break from the bike.
Yoga/Pilates: I know these are two different things, but for the sake of time (and I don't have much to say about either) I am combining them. I want to be good at these, but I'm not. I have trouble sitting still and clearing my mind. Those are probably both reasons why I don't sleep well either. I did do a 20 minute yoga thing OnDemand the other day that was specifically designed for your back, which actually felt really good. Minus Bon Jovi the cat wondering what the hell I was doing on the floor and proceeded to climb on my stomach while I was doing one of the moves and rubbing up against me while I was doing the others. Obviously he didn't care less that I was supposed to be zen.
Swimming: I rate this lower only because I am not a lap swimmer. You want to play Marco Polo (or Marco Stergas, as the kids I grew up with liked to play since that's my dad's name)? I'm down. You want to see who can do the most back flips in a row? Heck yes. You want me to swim four lengths of an Olympic sized pool...say whaaaa?!?! Unless I'm swimming toward Ryan Lochte (a mute, Ryan Lochte, mind you) there is no way in Hades I'm doing that.
Running: I wish I could be a runner, really, I do. I would love to say I completed a half marathon or a marathon. But, it is not in the cards for me. I'm 5'2" on a good day and have short legs. One stride for me is half of one for a tall person. I also can't regulate my breathing for the life of me. I have tried several times to run with varying degrees of failure. I loaded my iPod playlist with 'Don't Stop Believin', 'Eye of the Tiger', and every Lady Gaga song with a good beat known to man to get me motivated. And...it didn't work. For a while I would run a mile on the treadmill before I would start my workout, but that too has fallen by the wayside.
Sculpt Class: OhdearsweetholyJesusGodNO! I went with my friend K one night after work. Another friend H teaches a sculpt class at the Maryland Farms Y, but only in the mornings and I wouldn't be able to make it to work in time. I don't think sculpting is a good excuse to be 1.5 hours late. Anyway, I figured if H taught it, then it would be a good class. Little did K and I know that we were taking a class with GI Joe as the instructor. I could barely walk for four days. It was an intense hour of every uncomfortable exercise imaginable. Even people that were in great shape had to take breaks and lay down on their step boxes in order to keep from passing out. Bad sign. H is trying to get me to go to another one because she says that one was way different than any other she's heard of, but no. Maybe next year. Or never.
How can something that can be so painful bring you so much joy and make you feel so good? There's probably some parallel I could make to 'love' but that would require me to get philisophical, and that's boring.
So, until next time, go exercise, stay hydrated, and keep away from GI Joe instructors.
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