Wednesday, June 29, 2005

New plans, new plans!!! *edited x 1*

Okay - because we are both stubborn/crazy (take your pick) we decided that since we can't afford to go to the beach we are going to go CAMPING instead. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee - I'm SOO excited.
Do we have any idea WHERE we are going? Nope
Do we have any equipment? Nope
Do we have any clue? Nope


Are we gonna have CRAPLOADS of fun?? Oh hell yeah!! I went to the library today, scooped up two books - plan on reading them tonight (I'm skipping the pool - naughty girl!), and then putting together a shopping list for tomorrow, as we plan on leaving FRIDAY. On crack, we are.


*grins* More updates as we actually MAKE more decisions.


Edited: Oooh - but see, as long as I ain't gotta MOVE around a lot, I LOVE the heat and humidity - it's just perfect for sitting out in (yeah, I am crazy). As for the skeeters - *SIGH* does citronella work?? we are going to get some of the little 'bucket' candles.... and hopefully we will be able to find something near MOVING water, so we can dip in it if it get just TOO hot.

Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Treats for me!!

So....me of the expensive tastes - I'm still throughly in love with my iPod, but I despise the headphones - I'm missing out on too much sound (okay, I'm spoiled too!!). So - I went looking for new headphones.  iPodLounge has some great reviews - and I've finally decided that I want these: (click on em to see the review....)



You did notice the comment about me of the expensive tastes, yes??? They retail for 150, and eBay (have I mentioned how much I love eBay lately??) has them for about 90 bucks - which isn't bad at all. So - at some point, I'll get those. *shakes head*  Expensive damn toy.


Speaking of expensive tastes and eBay, I set up a auto-search for the Softub, and I've found several - but NO ONE wants to ship the damn thing to us.  I found one person willing to ship it, and they wanted you to PREPAY 250.00 bucks. mind you, if you get it, it would still be a drop in the bucket compared to the retail price of 3 grand, but damn, ya'll....


I'm also eying an iPod carry case - I LOVE this one because it's upside down - which means that the screen is facing the RIGHT direction for you to read when you look down at your arm - how smartly smart is that?? I can't remember how much it costs - I think that was another 50 bucks or so.


I think that me &  C are going to mosey on down to our local bank on Friday, and HAH! see if he can get pre-approved for an auto loan. I seriously doubt that he can, and even with my additional UMPH behind him (and my almost fabulous bill paying record) but we'll see. *crosses fingers, toes, eyes, legs, and anything else that can be crossed*.  If he can *weeps with joy* I'll be so damn happy I might spit. If he does, we are going to go and get him a car THIS BLOODY WEEKEND. I swear.


Hmph. That's an really expensive treat for me, huh?

stretch/stroke/sleep

Went swimming for real last night - like, not playing in the water, but actually swimming. Oh sweet mericful mother of god is that crap TIRING. I was breathing like a - like a - I don't even KNOW. Sheesh. I certainly felt very worked out. Did a wobbly 1/4 mile (9 laps). I saw it was wobbly, because I know that on at least two laps, I stopped about three strokes from the end of the pool due to either exhaustion, or the fact that I couldn't BREATHE. *gasssp* Well, going to have to work on that whole lung capacity thing. Gahhhhhhhh.....


After I swam, I did treat myself to a little play. :) I put on a belt and drifted in the deep end with the water aerobics ladies, then did a couple of headstands and so forth. All in all, I think I was in the pool for about 70 minutes. I was TIRED when I got out too - but not ravenously hungry like I was before. Though, I've noticed that I'm just - NOT - as hungry now. And even if I am, I can't eat nearly as much - I get full really quick.


Anyhoo - I think that I'm going to go and lift weights tonight....one nice thing about that is that I don't have to be there at a precise time - I need to get to the pool by 5:30pm so that I can get into a free lane during open swim, but the weight room is (obviously) always open, so I can go home, grab a quick bite to eat, change and head out to the gym again.


I'm trying to think of a weekly award for myself. *LOL* I almost want to make a sticker board like the little kids have for going their chores, and for every 20 stickers (4 weeks of going to the gym 5 days a week) I get something. I don't want the something to be too expensive (under 10 bucks), and it certainly can't be food.....hmmm.....I'll figure something out.


I think I may have pinpointed one of my sleep issues! Instead of waiting until I'm exhausted to go to sleep, I should go to BED a little early, and jsut lay there and let my mind unwind in the dark. I laid down early last night, and my mind was just spewing all kinds of random junk - bits of songs, random thoughts, just - STUFF.  And when I finally went to sleep - ahhhh....so restful it was. I still woke up out of a dream, but I woke up at 7:15 after going to sleep around 12:30am, and I was RESTED. So, I'm going to keep trying that.


Something else struck me today.  I have three 8 hour periods in my life.  One 8HP I work to pay the bills. One 8HP I rest to prepare myself for the next day. The last 8HP is mine - to learn/grow/develop/interact/LIVE as I should be.  I'm NOT going to let working to pay the bills interfere in either of the other two, and I'm going to have to be A LOT more consicous about what I do in that last 8HP.  I went to a booksigning Saturday, and while talking to the author, I mentioned that I've got some 'half done' books, that I just stop writing, and I haven't figured out why.  Honestly, I think that I stop because I think that they are crap. I don't - trust - myself, or my talent, enough to actually believe that I would be able to actually produce something beautiful and interesting. The response I gave though, was of course - I don't have the time. And that is SUCH a lie - the same lie that I used to talk myself out of exercising for so very long.  But - looking at my life in 8HP's, I see - that I have a whole EIGHT hours to work out, write, dance, talk to my husband, laugh, love, watch TV, read, play on the computer - whatever. And interestingly enough, I consider the time I spend driving from one place to another to be part of MY 8HP - largely because the iPod let's me listen to music....so I can do something that I enjoy, that brings me joy, that brings me peace, while I'm travelling from one place to another - much better for my mind than that crappy radio music.


Soo......yeah. I'm going to be exploring that concept a little bit more as time goes on......

unpleasant possibilities....

Got a note on this yesterday, and figured I would actually write it out, as I never have before.


I've always wondered if I was sexually abused as a child. I certainly don't remember it - but it would make a lot of things - not necessarily CLEAR, but understandable. I honestly don't remember most of my childhood - from about 5 until 15 is mostly a blur in my mind. I can't remember all the places where we lived - and there were A LOT - some places that my mom will talk about, and I have TOTALLY no recollection of ever living there, much less the people that we interacted with - though sometimes I will get flashes of places in my head, or someplace will REMIND me of someplace else, and I'm never sure if it's a true memory, or just some odd deja vu.


So - what makes me wonder?? Hmm... I've ALWAYS been sexually aware - always. The first sexual encounter I actually remember I was about - 4? and I was 'playing' with a little girlfriend of mine during a slumber party. I can't remember exactly what we did, I just remember us being either under the covers or in a sheet tent, me talking her out of her pajama bottoms, and then playing with her girlparts. After that - I honestly can't remember how many of my little friends I 'explored' with - boys and girls - but for me, it wasn't really exploring - I knew exactly what I was doing, and what results there would be. *frowns*

I finally stopped when I was around *thinks* 13? 14? and it really hit me how HORRIBLE what I was doing was. I remember when I was about 8 or 9, my mom taught me about the facts of life - and that book turned me on. I would sneak it out of the bookshelf and read it repeatedly - it was a kids picture-comic style book, and the page where the mom and dad were under the covers doing their thing got MUCH play. At the same age - I remember because we were living in a house (the only one we ever lived in) and I would go through my stepfathers bookshelves (once again sneaking books) and read every book I could find that had sex in it - there was this one about this country girl who went to DC and fucked her way to the top that I was obsessed with for at LEAST 3 years - I would read the book over, and over, and over, and over again.


A lot of my 'obsessiveness' I suppose, retreated when I hit puberty - at least that I can recall. But of course, that's when I started packing on the weight - whoooo boy, did I start gaining weight. In fact, hah - looking back on it, I was one sad, depressed, smart little girl. All I did was eat and read - usually hiding away in my room, escaping to the wonderful world in the books - but I always tied that to the misery/loneliness that were part and parcel of my puberty years as a Muslim girl living in my mothers' & stepfather's marriage. What a misery of love that was...


There's a boyfriend of my mothers that I DISCTINTLY remember - his name was Omar, and I think she dated him when I was about 3 or so - maybe a little younger and when I was around 13, I wrote a 'letter' to myself - basically an autobiography, and I included him in the list of men that were in my life at one point or another. I showed it to my mother, and she said that she had no clue who he was (and I know that I'm not quite remembering what she said right - but it was basically - he shouldn't be in there) - yet I remember this man CLEARLY, always have. I think it's because - when I was little, my mom would braid my hair into about 5 or 6 thick braids - and I got it into my little head to cut OFF the braid right at the crown of my head. I think he was the one who disciplined me, and if he wasn't, he was definitely in the scene somewhere. I always thought it odd that my mom denied this guy existed - I never had a doubt that I remembered him - in fact I think that he was the one that first introduced her to Islam.


What else? I don't know really - it seems like such a 'faddish' thing to claim *swoons dramatically* Alll of my sexual problems are rooted in the fact that I was abused as a child - even though I don't remember it!!! Gah. I've got several close friends who WERE abused, and who clearly remember their abuse, and - *shudders* castration is too good for the men who abuse children that way.


*frowns* I have a very hard time associating sex with love. It just - it doesn't feel right. I feel like I shouldn't be having sex with someone that I love - that it cheapens/dirties the love somehow. However, having multiple one night stands - well, that's perfectly acceptable, and almost - normal, somehow. The more I love someone, the more platonic it becomes - which is something that I acknowledged about myself a while ago - once I FALL in love, I swiftly fall out of lust - and I've always wondered why my partners didn't value the purity and innocence of my love as much as I did.


Sex to me, is always more fun when there's a power play involved. I've always wished that I could be a stripper - in fact, my VERY first OD entry wayy back in 1999, and right at the start of my rampant promiscuity talked about me either being a stripper or a hooker - and me lamenting the fact that I was too damn fat to dance, and too damn picky to fuck just anyone for money. Sex for money however, or the 'illusion' of sex for money has always made PERFECT sense to me. It's worth something, and I don't mean that in the LEAST bit in an emotional way. And somehow, I don't feel like paying for pussy devalues it - in fact, I feel more like it ACKNOWLEDGES it's value in something concrete, rather than that wussy ass emotional floaty ghostliness that is love.


Incest is one of my 'nasty' little fantasies. Usually uncle/niece, or stepfather/stepdaughter. Rarely father/daughter, and NEVER mother/son. And usually, it's the girl who initiates - who basically seduces the older man - makes him want her, and fuck her well. I've actually never admitted that - it's - horrid. It's taboo, both socially and biologically, and it's one of the few things that'll get me off faster that a 17y/o virgin surrounded by gyrating naked playboy models. I feel - dirty - just admitting it, but - it's a hot, sexy, dirty.

And - see - that's about it. *shrugs* Not much to base anything on. Really - nothing to base anything on. Nothing to even SUSPECT anything on. Simply odd tweaks in my personal sexual personality. The fact that I don't remember most of my childhood I always chalked up to just natural childhood forgetfulness, and the fact that I was homeschooled, so I didn't have the 'regular' schedule of school/home/grades/summer vacation to stabilize my memories in time. My sexual obsessiveness, which turned into rampant promiscuity, and now into sexual withdrawal, I've always chalked up to me just being me. My mother's forgetfulness of Omar is the only thing that - seems odd, almost unexplainable. I need to see if I can find that letter, I know that I still have it.

So - it's just something that I wonder about sometimes - a worry that curls in my gut, that one day I'll wake up from a dream screaming and sobbing with the memories that I don't want to have, don't think I have, yet I worry lurks deep inside my subconscious somewhere. And really, I don't think about it that often - in fact, I usually only think about it when someone else brings it up - I don't want to 'create' memories, and dammit, if I have them, I'd really rather they stay in the deep, deep basement of my mind.

Monday, June 27, 2005

what to do, what to do???

Let's see - we have a fortuitous combination of several things that are going to occur this weekend:
1) I get paid Thursday.
2) C get's paid Friday
3) It's a holiday weekend - so I have Sat, Sun, Mon AND Tues off.
4) C is OFF from the 1st till the 7th because they are replacing the floor in the kitchen.


Doesn't that just SCREAM roadtrip??? I've also been lately having a deep craving for a hot, sunny, ocean filled occurance - and I get to take the hubby along. Suggestions, folx?? I'm going as narrow as driving to the closest beach, to researching last minute trips to - somewhere! Maybe.... Puerto Rico as the hubby has no passport.. Oohhh...... *vanishes*


*pouts*


Dang it. Hubby is being good - *sigh* dammit!! He needs a car. He does. Danmmmiiiiiiiiit...... *waves* bye-bye to the ocean.


Though....if we could find someplace cheap - one of my coworkers suggested Orange Beach, Al..... I need some SALT in my life *does a shimmy shake* And if we could drive - though with gas prices.... but ahhhhhhhhhhh.... *pouts*


Dammit.


edited: Okay, you can't get a hotel at ANY beach within a  500 mile radius of Memphis - unless you want to sepnd 250 a night, or stay with the Bates's..... I'm going ot have to look into Herber (Her-Ber? Herb-er? He-Ber?) Springs a lil more..... what I'll MOST likely end up doing is keeping our happy asses in Memphis and saving some damn money. Dammit.

Theme Entry

I normally don't do theme entries - but this is one close to my little money hungy heart, so I'll do it.


Let's see - 100K.....to be spent on ME. Hmmm....how much wiggle room is there on that 'ME' part?? Well, I suppose (looking at it morbidly) if C died, his bills are my bills, so they are our bills, so paying off his bills is spending money on ME, right? Okay - anyhow. I'm not totally up-to-date on PRECISELY how much we owe, but I'd say - 40K would go to paying off all of our debt.... and that might be a little high, but it's certainly no lower than 35 - before we moved mine alone was 27K I think, and I think his is about 11K, so yeah, 40K is a good price.  Hmm... that leaves 60K. I would buy myself a new car (and I have utterly NO CLUE what kind) so that I could give my car to C (isn't that a sneaky way of spending money on myself and yet really spending it on someone else), and that should take about 30K - leaving 30K.  *thinks* I would then spend 10K on a personal trainer/chef, to whip me into shape. (20K). I'd then spend 4K on that softub I was drooling over (16K). I'd then spend about 6K on new boobs once the trainer/chef finished whipping me into shape (10K). I'd then spend about 5K on a new wardrobe for myself (5K). Then, I think I'd use the rest of the money, and finally get some of the jewelry I've been drooling over for the last fews years (0K).


Yeah - 100,000.00 is enough money to make your eyes pop, but not quite enough money to really DO anything with. I mean - I suppose I could have purchased a house.....but I'd much rather get rid of my own bills - besides, I'm not sure if I house would count as spending on yourself.  And yes, it's rather sad that I would spend 21K on making myself look better, but dammit - it's my money, right??


*sigh* Okay - now back to work to make some money.

Rockin Weekend...and other related thoughts

Ahh... had a lovely weekend....this whole 'social' life thing doesn't leave me much time to sleep, but it's very fulfilling in a different way. And it's also VERY funny how my 'social' life is so - striated. The first thing I did on Sat was with a group of AfAm women - none of whom know about OD or my sexual life - but they understand my life some. The second group was a group of women I met online - obviously they know about my color, but they don't know about 'this' side of me. The last meeting was with a bunch of swingers, and they know the most about me - I'm closest to my full self with them.


Anyhow, C wasn't able to come with me (work) and I really regret that - I really want him to meet some other AfAm married men who swing, simply so that he can talk to them, and maybe work out some of his worries/concerns about full swap. Though, I think the thing might be - he just isn't really interested in swinging. He's - okay - with the idea of a threesome, but I think that's just more because he knows that I'm bi, and he wants to do that to please me. But of his own free will - he's just not that into it. And - well, I don't know. I would love for him to read 'The Ethical Slut'. I LOVE that book - it literally resonates within me - it's a mirror to some of my inner heartdesires..... *sigh*


We've had sex what - twice this week I think? Yeah - once on Wednesday after I met girly (who I've talked to once or twice online, but I'm definitely trying to phase her out) and then again yesterday - I had gone outside to sit in the rain and read my book on Tantra that I brough on Saturday...and he came out and we chatted for a little while, and then he sugessted we have sex. I didn't really want it, but - eh. It wasn't bad. I gave him a lil head, and we started outside until it stopped raining, then we went to the bedroom to finish off. I actually didn't cum (just wasn't in the mental space for it) but I faked a good one to make him cum. It's odd - I rarely feel bad about faking it, largely because I do it SO infrequently, and usually I do it so that we can wrap things up - thank you once again, Dr. Kegel!

But I'm glad that we did it twice this week, as I'm on my period, and it's interesting - I'm just totally not into it then - but I used to be, as long as the guy didn't mind. Gah. I showed him the Tantra book, and his response was 'That's the thing that shows you how to prolong your orgasms, right??" and I told him that yeah, that's part of it, but there is also a spiritual and mental aspect...and he swiftly volunteered to be my practice partner. *smiles* As if I expected anything less?? It's interesting - I think little things like that gives him hope - and reassures him that I really am interested in salvaging/repairing our sexual relationship, and he's cooler with having sex a little less often as long as I'm working on it.


Hmm... what else?? There was something else I wanted to - AH! Lately, (hello Ladies!!) I've been getting noted by several ladies who have gone through the same thing that I am dealing with - low sexual interest in their husbands, but still have a libido, as proven my their roving eyes. They are both about ten years older than me, and have kids - and sweet heaven knows that I want to have this done, settled and behind me one way or another before we start having kids....uh-uh. Not trying to incite that kind of drama in my life - no sirre bob!





Also, I'm debating cancelling my second appointment with the therapist....I didn't really feel that she helped me much....I mean - telling me to stop being selfish and just give him some - well, shit, I figured that out from all of the self-help books. What I want/need is for someone to sit down with me, work me, and figure out why I don't feel horny very often - and not just dismiss it by saying 'oh, that's how most women are'. GAh! Just because most women are this way doesn't mean that is a woman's normal level, and if I'm there talking to you about it, maybe that means that I'm not satisfied being there?

Ah!! I figured out what it was really - that's the thing with me. I RARELY get horny. *and I might have written about this before, but I'mma talk about it again*. I mean, there are sometimes when I might want to be touched....there are sometimes when I crave a solo orgasm to relax, but I RARELY (and never sober!) get into that "I need dick and I need it NOW !!!!!!!!!!" feeling - in fact, the only time I get that way is if I'm surrounded by music, alcohol, and horny men I'm not married to (ie. the club). And I know, as a younger sprite in college, I used to get pretty randy.....still nothing like what I get after a good night out with the girls, but - it came up occasionally - I would wake up from hot sex dreams....hmmm...interesting, thinking about that, I don't think I've had a hot sex dream since....shit....at least a year and a half ago, now??

Which is very interesting, as I used to have those rather frequently....but hmm... that's just died off. So anyhow, debating if I'm going to go to this appointment. I mean shit, OD has been a better therapist than she was in the first session. At least ya'll validate my feelings, don't make me feel like I'm a bad woman, and offer concrete suggestions of things to do/try that aren't in every selfhelp book I've ever picked up.





In other news - I told Jc that I was coming to Atl....I actually called him while I was waiting for Girly to show up on Wednesday, and I casually mentioned it, shortly after he thanked me for the latest batch of pictures I had sent him *evil grin*. He promised me that he was going to block out the entire month of September, and that we had to meet at least once, and that he was going to be on his best behaviour. *evil grin* Just - too, too much fun, really.


Okay - running off now.... :)

Friday, June 24, 2005

Never been so glad....

to see a week come to an end. Oh sweet heavens - it wasn't that I was SUPER busy - it was just that.....ehh.... I have been on high alert all week *gives support phone the evil eye* and I haven't been able to WORK OUT.  *gasp* I've had fond dreams of swimming all week.....hell, I might go to the pool tonight.


Let's see - as I was driving to work this morning, I was thinking 'This social life shit is TIRING!!' Not that I'm complaining (I've been having SOO much fun and meeting all kinds of new people) but I think that I'll have to schedule every other weekend for myself.  Tommorow, I have a book signing to go to at 1pm, then maybe swing by the Mexican Resturant where the Memphis Mafia will be, and then later that night having an early dinner with some new friends.  So - that's my whole Saturday bsuybusybusy....Sunday I plan on laying on the couch and veggin out with my hubby. I was considering being ballsy and going out alone tonight to a happy hour shindig - but BLEH. I was woke up this morning at 5:15 by that hateful phone, and I'm STILL dreaming too much at night.  Everytime I wake up, no matter why or what time, I'm waking out of  a dream. So, basically, I'm just - wiped. Geh.


What else? Really, my life has been dull this last week - work, home & more work, sleep. I feel bad - I SLEPT through C calling me to come and get him last night - I think he got a ride home with a co-worker, but I was totally knocked out. I wonder if it's close to period time - me & my mom suffer from cycle related anemia, and instead of PMS we get the sleepies. And of course, since we are both evil when short on sleep - it SEEMS like PMS, but it's really not.


In other cooter related news, I went to the OB/GYN yesterday.... it was a nice place - an all Women's physician group. Not nearly crunchy enough to be my doctor of choice - and I say that for two reasons. One, I was sitting in the little weigh/blood pressure office, and I was scanning the listing of handouts they had easily available. They had one for labor/delivery. They had one for c-section. They had one for induction. Did they have on for breastfeeding? Nope. *sigh* The other thing was, after the exam, she said - oh, I noticed that your NATURAL bacteria is a little over active - so here's a weeklong prescription for antibotics. Umm.  WHAAAAA??? So yeah - take the anti's, kills off my NATURAL flora, get a yeast infection because there's nothing to fight it, have to buy something to get rid of that, and then that starts a nasty little cycle. *snorts* She might as well have offered a douche coupon (which is about the worst thing you can do to your girls bits - once you start, you can NEVER stop......*wrinkles nose* well you CAN stop, but it ain't pleasant). So - it was cool to hae a black female OB, but...eh.


And then - and OOOH!! I felt so bad for even thinking this - but this is part of my snarky side - when I was sitting in the waiting room, there was a woman there with a....maybe 2 month old little girl.... adorable baby! The baby was on the floor in one of those carry carseat things, and she was fussy....not really crying, or anything - but just - fussy. The mom (who was about my age I'd guess) would look at her and ask 'What do you want??' - in a not so nice tone of voice...and the baby would stop fussing for a while, and look at her, and then start fussing again. Now....I almost wanted to walk over and say 'Do you mind if I hold your baby??' *sigh* And I have to temper that with the simple fact that I've never HAD kids - but...why wouldn't you want to hold your baby? She wasn't doing anything else - just staring at the soaps on tv, and occasionally rocking the carseat with her foot. Is that something that is a side effect of planning on being an breastfeeding mom kind of person? I mean - just looking at that baby, she was ASKING to be held in the only way she knew how. *sigh*  BESIDES the fact that there is no way in HELL I would put my child on the FLOOR in a doctors office. Ew. Ew. EWWW.  *sigh* And then, I thought - hmm...that'll teach the baby to ask for comfort and consolation. That'll teach her that if she want's Mom's attention, she's going to have to act out, cry, and scream. Hmmm....or it'll teach her that she doesn't deserve to get Mom's attention, and she'll start giving up, and finding other things (like the pacifier that was swiftly popped into her mouth) to comfort her. *sigh*


I'm hungry.... I haven't eaten lunch yet, and as it's almost 3, there's no way I'm going to go and get something. I had my nose to the keyboard since around 9:30 this morning, and FINALLY finished what I was working on about an hour ago - but of course, I wasn't hungry then. So instead I'm typing out this entry, and listening to my iPod on shuffle...currently playing: Sexy M.F.  by Prince.  *does a quick lil bop*


Hmm... I think I've run out of stuff to talk about. The world news just pisses me off everytime I read it, so I'm not going to rehash any of the various rants I've spewed this week. I need to start reading my doula books again. I need to clean my house (men just don't SEE dirt, do they??). I need to water my plants - we've got TWO tomatoes now. Still no habernos though... and the lettuce died - I think due to lack of water. *hangs head* I'm going to make some penne tonight (reusing noodles - I made some NASTY pasta salad (which I blame on C as he didn't let the pasta cook long enough) and as I used a WHOLE BOX of penne, I refuse to just throw the whole thing away. So I'm going to was the salad sauce off of it, stick it back in some boiling water for a second, and use some of the herbs from the garden to make a nice little cream pasta.... *licks lips* I have half of a Lenny's sandiwch at home (dammit, I should have brought THAT to work with me - silly girl) that I was thinking about eating - but if I go home and clean the kitchen, I'm going to want to cook too.


Okay. I'm done.


Have a good weekend, ya'll.

Thursday, June 23, 2005

I had lovely hot steaming....

SEX last night. RAWR!!! Wonderful stuff, just wonderful.


And we talked...it was rather interesting, talking to him in such an - open way. I mean, it was - WONDERFUL really....we talked, we cleared some things up - we really connected (in ever so many ways). It was ALMOST better than the orgasms!!


I also met a lady (woman, girl? lady just sounds - old fashioned - ah!) chica last night that I had been talking to online. I'm so not looking for just a hit & Run, and I think that is where her head was at - esp. considering she was whining that I taught her 'patience' by not meeting her AT HER HOUSE the first night we talked, and instead waited until Wednesday (gasp!! a whole FOUR days) to meet her face to face. *rolls eyes* She was a cool sis, but had almost no class, no openness - and seemed to have SERIOUS issues with homosexuality. I'm sorry, I KNOW that I'm not healthy, but there seems to be something really twisted in WANTING a woman - and then turning up your nose at a table with a lesbian couple sitting there. Uh-Uh....not trying to be your therapist darling, I got one of them already! *laugh* She also seemed traumatized by the fact that I have a therapist - ah well......


I'm talking to a few other women, and I've joined a discussion/support group for black bi women, and I'm VERY happy to be a part of that group. The focus is on support and sisterhood, NOT sex (though they do have a spicier side group) and - *sigh* I'm really enjoying it. I MISS having girlfriends dammit - or at least sistagals I can hang out with....


looking forward to this weekend......I just wanna - RELAX.

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

*blinks*

Umm....let's see. I've felt like I've been under the sheets for like the last few days - ever since the weekend. Started doing production support, and I've really had my nose to the grindstone.


I wanna go SWIMMING! Dammit. I seriously might go tonight - though tonight is supposed to be a weightlifting night....hmmm........I'll go home and see if my shorts are clean.


Tired, in general. Boobs hurt too - I think my periods about to come.


Haven't felt like writing much  - been talking to a lot of new folx online, which has been fun. Haven't been doing much reading either - I just feel like times gotten contracted. Odd, odd, odd.


Been noting like a wild woman though...


*sigh* almost lunch time. Heavens I'm tired.

Friday, June 17, 2005

how do I manage

to go from a nice cheap 15 buck inflatable pool - to a 3K hot tub??? I blame it all on M - one of my good friends who has an amazing knack of convincing me to spend MORE money.


But LOOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want one, I want one, I want oneeee (an empty one - no people included!)!!!



It's light enough for one person to set up, plugs into a regular electric outlet, seats 4, has 5 jets.....and doesn't that just LOOK like the most comfy thing EVER??? and - we have this big area right in front of our front door - in this picture, it's the area behind the big gates that are in front of my car....



That area is big enough to fit my car into, and still have plenty of room on either side - actually, if the gate was a little wider, you could almost fit TWO cars in there side by side. It's mostly surrounded by a 8ft high fence - two sides are fenced, one side is our house, and the other side is our next door neighbor - a lovely old lady by the name of Ms. Elizabeth.


*drools* I want one, I want one, I want one!!!!!


And of course, it'll be PERFECT for a waterbirth - already warm and everything........ *sigh*


Yaay!!

Thanks Merciful Minerva it's FRIDAY!!! Though, once again, it doesn't feel Fridayish - not sure why. Maybe because I'm on 24/7 on-call support this weekend? *shrugs* No clue.


*sniff* My hands smell like Play-Doh. I've no clue why, or what the smell actually is, but they do.


I was grumpy yesterday - I went to try and donate blood, and because I had a Nigerian boyfriend back in college, I'm PERMANENTLY deferred - as in, if I ever want to give blood, I'll have to not mention the hot sex with the African Boy. *sigh* I wonder if I showed them bloodwork paperwork, they would un-defer me. *sigh* I don't know - it just sucks, that's all.


Me and C are thinking about getting an inflatable pool - we saw an ad from BigLots for a 10X13 plastic pool for 14 bucks. We could stick it out in the front patio area, and fill it up - I can forsee a lovely floaty summer in our future.


Yesterday was the last day of swimming classes *pout* I really had fun - managed to SWIM 4 laps - so that's an 1/8th a mile.....not TOOO damn bad, for only two weeks of classes.  I've learned that I favor my right side, that you shouldn't laugh underwater, no matter how much fun you are having, and that it's really, really hard to put your booty on the floor.


I think that I might STILL go to the gym next week - for the last few days, the on-call phone hasn't rung while I was at class, AND - I realized that the Y has wireless connections in the front area - so, I could go and workout (at least lift weights) and keep the phone on me - if it goes off, I can grab my computer out of the car, log on through the hub, either solve the issue quickly and get back to my workout, or wrap things up and go home so that I can focus on solving whatever the issue might be. I STILL don't think that there is anyway for me to swim and still be notified - I need to take it to the pool and call the phone to see if it rings loudly enough that I could hear it while I was swimming.  *nods* I'm DEFINITELY going Monday then - just to see, if nothing else.


*does the loopy swirly happy mermaid dance*


It's FRIDAY, it's FRIDAY!!!

I'm wondering.....

exactly what my husband is up to. All week, he's been very affectionate (which I love) very - sexy (which is also enjoyable) but somehow, he's managing to do it in a casual - comfortable (for me) and open way. It's like - *thinks* last night, we are laying on the couch, having just finished a DELICIOUS meal. I'm not wearing a bra, and he tells me to lean back, and proceeds to lift my bra and suck & play with my nipples for about five minutes. Honestly, I wasn't really FEEEEling having sex, but I pushed myself into the moment, and laid back, and worked on the awareness of enjoying the sensation. Then - he stopped, pulled my shirt back down, kissed me, and we cuddled for a little while. It was Sooooooo cool, yet - almost odd. Is he trying to tell me through actions that everytime he approaches me sexaully, intercourse isn't always the goal? That would be kinda sweet, actually.


So - just wanted to make a note/remember that - see how things progress.

Wednesday, June 15, 2005

Ooohhhhh.....interesting.....


What does your birthday say about you?? (shamelessly swiped from Jane Says)


You entered: 1/13/1977


You were born on a Thursday
under the astrological sign Capricorn.
Your Life path number is 11.

The Julian calendar date of your birth is 2443156.5.
The golden number for 1977 is 2.
The epact number for 1977 is 10.
The year 1977 was not a leap year.

As of 6/15/2005 3:44:31 PM CDT
You are 28 years old.
You are 341 months old.
You are 1,483 weeks old.
You are 10,380 days old.
You are 249,135 hours old.
You are 14,948,144 minutes old.
You are 896,888,671 seconds old.

There are 212 days till your next birthday
on which your cake will have 29 candles on it.

Those 29 candles produce 29 BTU's,
or 7,308 calories of heat (that's only 7.3080 food Calories!) .
You can boil 3.31 US ounces of water with that many candles.

Your birth tree is


Elm Tree, the noble-mindedness

Pleasant shape, tasteful clothes, modest demands, tends not forgive mistakes, cheerful, likes to lead but not to obey, honest and faithful partner, tends to a know-all-attitude and making decisions for others, noble-minded, generous, good sense of humour, practical.




The moon's phase on the day you were
born was waning crescent.







Rather relentlessly accurate, too.






*sigh*

I spend most of my day thinking about when I'll be able to sleep next. I spend most of the week waiting for the weekend so that I CAN sleep as much as I want - I went to bed at midnight on Saturday, and woke up at about 4:45PM on Sunday. Ummhmm......16 hours straight.  I think I may have gotten up to pee once, but other than that - nothing.
I'm trying to figure out WHY I'm so damn tired. I refuse to believe that the swimming is wearing me out that bad - I'm seriously NOT working that damn hard. I'm doing a lot of running, yes - but it's not like I'm actually walking to these places - I've got a car. I LOVE the heat, so I don't think it's that tiring me out. The only thing that I could think of is that I'm just not getting good quality rest. I know that I dream for most of the night - and (I need to check this) but dreaming sleep is the least restful of all, if I remember correctly. So - I think that my body is getting plenty rest (and I'm actually NOT physically tired, I'm just SLEEPY), but my mind isn't getting nearly as much rest as it needs. Gah.
anyhow, I've got a meeting at 4 - hopefully we will get out early, so that I can go home, and take just MAYBE a little nap before 6:10pm, so I can get to practice time on time. It's funny, last night I tried to unwind and relax a little, and made it to practice late. Practice by the way, is 6:30 to 7:30, while the kids class is going on. I'm usually there by 6:30 (at the latest) and yesterday, I walked in around 6:45, and the lifeguard was all like 'I was wondering where you were!!!' hee. so cool.


Tonight, we are supposed to practice treading water in the deep end - soooo not really looking forward to that - I don't like not being able to touch the bottom - I get nervous, so to speak. *deep breath* but, I'm going to do it, because I'm a wuss, but I'm not a punk. :)


Ummmm......yeah. *yawn* *sigh* Two more days. No class Friday night, and I'm considering asking C to go out with his coworkers so that he can get a ride a home.


bye ya'll.

Ummm....

Wow.... I haven't gone this long without writing in a while - I've been trying to note people, but I'm not so good with that. Let's see - what's been going on.


I feel like I've been running around like a chicken with it's head cut off - which is actually rather accurate. I was in a training class yesterday (dullness upon dullness with a side of dull) and wrote out my daily schedule for the last two weeks. Now, I understand why I'm tired.

7:30am - Wake Up
8:30am - Work
12:00pm - Lunch/Errands
5:00pm - Home (if I don't have to run any errands)
6:00pm - leaving for Swimming Practice/class
9:00pm - Home again
9:00-10:00 - Squeeze in dinner
10:00pm - Pick up C
10:45pm - Home again
12:00am - Sleep......


So basically, I get about three, three and a half awake hours at home a day - and I can't even unwind during any of it except for the last, because I know that I have to get ready to leave the house again. Grrr. But, thankfully, I only have two more days of swim class, and then next week I'm on call, so I won't be going to the gym (I KNOWW!!! so upsetting - but I really CAN'T be away from my computer for that long, though of course, if I DON'T go - nothing will happen, and if I DO go, something will - isnt' that the way it always works???) and then week after next I'm going to start my 'standard schedule'


7:30am - Wake Up
8:30am - Work
12:00pm - Lunch/Errands
5:00pm - leave work, go to gym
5:30-6:30pm - Gym
6:45pm - Home again
10:00pm - Pick up C
10:45pm - Home again
12:00am - Sleep......


Though, I'm really going to try to go to sleep earlier - a woman needs her rest.  I haven't even been doing much reading over the last two weeks, and that is basically unHEARD of for me. But - everytime I pick up a book, I get sleepy, so yeah - no reading for me.
And hello - I can not WAIT until he gets a car. Oh sweet freedom!


Thankfully, work hasn't been that hectic................but then again, it does make me more sleepy. *yawn*

Monday, June 13, 2005

Questions....

In other news, as Hubby was driving me to work this morning, I remembered what I'm missing...ya'll know how when you are thinking about that one person (or those particular people) us ladies get that gooey sensation in the pit of our stomach? And you sit, and squirm, and wiggle, none of which helps the sensation? Just the thought of him touching you, whispering in your ear, kissing you makes you downright moist and wondering when you'll get the chance to just smell him again? Much less touch/lick/suck on him?

Yeah - THAT feeling. That gooey, flushed, nipple hardening, wet between the legs feeling - THAT's what I miss. As we were driving, I sat and tried to remember who was the last person who gave me that feeling.....and I thought, and I thought, and finally figured that the last one that I could REMEMBER was CK - huh - I think I might have left him off of my list!

We have been friends for - damn near ten years now, as I met him online as a freshman in college - we talked, flirted, loved, and had wonderful cybersex with each other...and we finally tried a 'relationship' which crashed and burned miserably, nearly taking our friendship with it. And we only had sex ONCE. Hell, we only met in person TWICE. But - he - even sometimes NOW - he's the one who - sparks my eye. Not often, I must admit - but just everyonce in a while I blush a little thinking of him.

My hubby? Heavens no - I don't think I've EVER had that feeling with him - even at the beginning of the relationship. The sex was always good, but I never CRAVED it. I never longed for his touch, for us to have sex - it was certainly ALWAYS fun - but just not...............I didn't anticipate it.

So yeah, I miss the feeling of anticipation - of having something lucious and hard to look forward to.....and having the connection alREADY in my head that spurs those feelings, WITHOUT me having to force it.


*sigh* So troubled am I.

Friday, June 10, 2005

Odd....

For some reason, it doesn't QUITE feel like Friday. Not sure why.


Blah - see, this is why my job drives me batty. I get here at 8:45, and by 9:30 I've finished doing everything that I HAVE to do everyday, and for the rest of the day I wait, and hope for something to go wrong that I can work on fixing. Bleh. Or, I work on creating documentation of some sort or another - it drives me BATTY.


Anyhow, today, I figured that I needed to put together a weightlifting workout for myself, and since I know that my main focus is going to be swimming (and I'm SOOOO damn weak!) that it would make sense to find a workout aimed AT swimmers. I figure that way, it won't over strain/over work any of the muscles I have to use to swim, but at the same time, it'll give me a good outline of how to increase my strength. So - I've spent most of the morning (since around 9:45) looking that up online, putting it into Excel, and creating a guide and a log so that when I go to the gym, I have something quick and easy to keep track of stuff with. My last step was making two sided copies - one side has the exercises, with the sets & reps on it, and the other side has the log so that I can keep track of when/how much I'm stepping it up. 
The schedule that I have is a 20 week schedule - so that's about 5 months. I've no clue what I'll switch to after that - maybe after I read Body for Life (I couldn't find the 'For Women' copy at the library - maybe I'll swing by a bookstore tonight and pick it up) I'll have a better idea of what else I can do. Hmm....maybe I'll take a break from the weights and start taking classes. I watched a bit of the Yoga class last night, and that looked fun too....


I was debating whether or not I should go and lift weights tonight, as we don't have a swim class. Speaking of which - they cut our class short last night because of lightening. Me and Caramuscle Deluxe hada conversation about the likelihood of someone getting hit by lightening in an INDOOR pool, but I was sooo ready to go home that I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have. But, I've decided that I'm going to stick to my original plan and wait until classes are over.  I'm a little more sore today - mostly on my left side - clearly because I've had to work it harder in order for it to keep up with my right. So, tonight I'm going to go home, and put on my swimsuit and take the pictures that I said I was going to take at like the beginning of the week.  I need to go grocery shopping as well - I'm going to go back on Atkins Sunday (clean induction) and we don't have nearly enough veggies in the house. *thinks* What else? Oh yeah! I read an article that said that swimming can actually SLOW weight loss - the cold water actually ramps UP your appetite - which I've noticed, as by the time I get home, I'm sooooo hungry - so I'm going to have to be really careful and closely monitor what I eat for dinner, and make sure that I'm not overeating - esp. considering that I'm usually eating around 9 or so. *thinks*


I need to lay out a schedule for myself - weights are easy - I can go straight to the gym right after work, no matter what time I get off. Swimming though - I think I might have to go between 5:30 and 6:30, or wait until 8:30 when the pool is free again. I REALLLLLLY don't want to wait until that late though - just getting out of class at 8:30 is painful enough....I certainly don't wanna be pulling myself out of the pool at 9:30 - even when I don't have to go and pick up C anymore.


Ohh!! I almost forgot!! We did the bouyancy test last night, and for the FIRST TIME I got in the deep end of the pool. It was still kinda scary - as I kept saying 'I'm still a big fat wuss' but it was fun as HELL. I think because I'm more comfy with the whole being in water thing - I know that as long as I keep my head on straight and DON'T panic (like trying to breathe while underwater) I WILL be able to float up to the surface and breathe - and I can move my arms (not quite so good with the legs) so that I can get to the wall - and if worse comes to worse - I know how to roll over on my back, and frogkick to the wall/ladder. So - yeah, additional boost of confidence there.


It's actualyl kinda odd - being HUNGRY around lunch time, instead of being able to just float through half of the day without thinking about food. So - off to my last naughty lunch for a while. :)

Thursday, June 9, 2005

getting wet a little early

So....when I got back to work from lunch - it was SOOO pretty. Sunny skies, fluffly clouds - just a lovely summer day. Knowing how hot my car gets, I figured I'd leave the windows cracked, and leave the sun roof just a LITTLE open.


About five minutes ago, this HUGE rumble of thunder practically shakes the building - oh shit! my windows are open.


Picture this scene - a pair of high heeled wooden wedges, clearly kicked off, laying on their sides, next to the back door. A plump woman, wearing a knee length balck dress - running across the parking lot bare foot in the POURING rain, one hand over her boobs so they won't knock her senseless, the other hand gripping a pair of car keys for dear life - and a huge ass grin on her face.


See - this kinda rain is the PERFECT rain. The water's warm - it's been hot all day, so the ground is still warm - the sun is shining out from behind the heavy clouds JUST a little bit, and everything is all greenishgrayish glowy. It's absolutely perfect stomping in puddles, chasing worms, opening your mouth and tilting your face to the sky, laughing till you nearly choke on the rain weather.


And dammit, I've still got 1 hour, four minutes left before I can go home. By that time, the sun will be back out, the puddles will have dried up, and the only signs left of the sudden blessing of a summer storm will be the accidents that people got into.


Maybe, just MAYBE, if  I'm lucky - I'll get to see a rainbow. Humph. I really wanna see the pot of gold at the end.....

yaaawwwwwwwwwwwnnnnnnnnnn

Ugh. So tired. So very, very tired. But - I look forward to going to swimming class because I don't feel nearly as tired in the water - though WHOA is my ass wiped by the time I get out.


More strokes yesterday - let's see.....so far she's taught us:
Freestyle
Whip Kick
Frog Kick
Sidestroke
Back stroke (which works the shoulders like a muthafucker)
The proper way to breathe while in water
Rolling over (from back float to front float and visversa)
And some other stuff that my brain is too floaty to remember right now.


Tonight, we are doing the bouyancy test (ohhh horrid spelling!!) and she's going to teach us how to tread water - in other words, we're going in the deep end. Yes, I'm a wee bit nervous, as I don't LIKE not being able to stand (if it's needed) but I trust Mama Whale(and yes, that's what errybody calls her) so I assume she won't let us drown.


Went out over lunch to see if I could find some noseclips - I LIKE the backstroke and the frogkick, but that whole water up the nose shite HURTS. I think I might get some goggles too - I swim VERY crooked, largely cuz I can't see, and one side of my body is stronger than the other. I really can't wait to start lifting weights - that's SOOO going to make me a better swimmer. But I've gotta wait a whole nother week. I considered starting going before classes are done, but I don't think it's a good idea for me to lift, then practice, then take classes - I don't want to over extend myself (or pull something) and I think that might be a little agressive.


So - once I leave work, I'm going to go to the place where one of my classmates got her nose clip, and get one - then I need to swing home, as i didn't bring my gear with me today, feed the kitlings and go to class.


I've definitely figured out that swimming is an cardio activity - but it's the coolest kind EVER.


And - I always said that I wasn't afraid of the water - and I'm not - but holy shit, I'm Sooooo much more comfy in the water now - I know how to move better. I definitely think that even if I stopped going to class today, and just practiced, I would be good enough to snorkle - ooohhh... that might be another inbetween reward for me - taking SCUBA classes!


Ah yes, also - by the end of the summer, I'm going to be a strawberry blond, without a doubt. With dark brown roots. *shakes head* so ghetto.


I'm leaping from topic to topic - maybe it's the lemonade cuz I actually FEEL kinda *whooowhoooowhoooooloopy*  *zoooooooooooooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmm!*


Umm... yeah - there was a lady in the pool last night (as I got there at the very end of adult Swim (all kids out of the pool!!)) who was a GREAT swimmer. I mean, she was doing laps like nobody's business. I wanna be able to swim like HER someday *nodsnods* yup - that's me goal.


I've sternly resisted weighing myself - I KNOW I haven't lost anything - but just being active makes me feel better  - and that's what really matters , right? \


Ugh! I ate a salad (yuummm) and drank about 3/4 of a lemonade, and I feel - like I'm on uppers. I mean, if it's blood sugar, it must be bouncing like a damn yo-yo. And I'm getting a headache. Ugh.


Must drink more water.

*wide grin*

Just so that no-one get's the wrong idea - yes, I'm DEFINITELY looking forward to seeing Jc. But he's such a bloody noble beast, he most likely won't touch me, no matter how much I might tempt him - and do I plan on trying? Oooohhh no....at least not TOO much! ;)

Heh. But - it WILL be fun hanging out with him. But - the main reason that I'm so excited is that I LOVE Atlanta. I went to college there, and that city has had more influence on who I am today than almost anything besides my mother. I LOVE Atlanta, and if the traffic wasn't so damn hideous, I might actually consider moving back. I decided against getting a car - I'll be in Downtown, so it's not like I can't take public transit - they have the best damn public transit of any city I've been in other than DC (the city of my birth, and another city I LOVE).


*grin* Though, I will swing by the Toy Store while I'm there. I'm already putting together my agenda.

Oh my, oh my, oh my.....

So....I registered for the conference in Atlanta. It's seven hours away, so I'm debating driving vs. flying.... I'm going to have to rent a car either way, as if I drove, the hubby would need a car (assuming he doesn't have one by then) and if I fly, I'd need a car in Atlanta. Though, driving in Atlanta? Ick, ick, ICK. 


Holy Shit! I'm SOoooo flying - there's a round trip ticket for 150 bucks! I think I would want to take Thursday and Friday and Monday off - I could get in the city on Thursday, have fun, relax, do some stuff, then attend the conference Friday - Sunday, then fly back on Monday, and be back to work Tuesday.  I need to figure out how much vacation time I have.


*grin* I'm excited - I will go out clubbing, and have loads of fun - alllll by myselllfffff!


And yes, I'm sure I will see Jc. And maybe another one of mah boys. I haven't been BACK to ATL since I graduated - this should be sooo much fun. Memorriiiess...

Wednesday, June 8, 2005

perfection

Once, a long long time ago, when I was a teenager and horribly split between being me and being the 'perfect' teen, I told myself that I was perfectly ME. You don't call a tree imperfect because it's not straight - it's just a tree, and in it's treeishness, it's beautiful and lovely, and perfectly Tree.


Anytime you judge something outside of what it is - it's going to fall short. Even a ruler isn't PERFECTLY straight. There are things in life that are close to perfect - but not being those things doesn't make you horrible. It makes us imperfect, wonderful beings.


I have to start reminding myself of that more. I'm perfect as me. As A'ishah, I'm a perfect representation of who I am - cuz I'm measuring me against myself.  And yeah - even the PERFECT me can be a BETTER me - but I really have to let go of trying to compare myself to someone else to try to figure out what I'm worth. I know being slimmer is BETTER for me - but I can't let myself feel bad because I'm fatter than everyone I work with. I just have to accept my state, and work to bettering it. I know I could be a BETTER wife to C, but I don't compare our marriage to others marriages - because - well, they ain't us. And never could be us.....and so how can I possibly compare myself to them?


Being less than perfect is what makes me, me - and what makes other people even interested in me. A little crack in the clay tends to make the pot even more beautiful - it makes it unique. And each of our faults, our failings, our not-quite-the-best choices and decisions - that's what makes us human.


And we're all perfectly human. Imperfections and all.

Further stuff....

I figure that if I heighten my independant level of sexual interest, that I will be able to extend that - attraction/passion - towards him. So, to that aim, I try to get MYSELF off at least 3 times a week - usually when I go to bed before him, I'll lay there, work up a nice little fantasy (or a continuation thereof) and have a sweet little orgasm. I love my vibrator, by the way - no clue what it's called, but it's hot pink, and has a little 'bulb' on the end of a shaft - and the bulb is angled slighty - so I can position it between my legs, and it hits me in JUUUSSSST the right spot. Lovely.


Anyhow, as I've gone through and built various fantasies, I've realized that it's the perverted stuff that turns me on. It's distinct power shifts that turn me on. It's slutty wives, sluttier daughters, and the many many men who fuck them that turns me on. Thinking about a woman and her husband having sex in the back of a car - boring. Thinking about a woman having sex in the back of the car with her husband's best friend while her husband drives and jerks off listening to them - hoooooooot. Thinking about a highschool girl fucking the whole football team - boring. Thinking about her coming home full of cum and fucking her stepfather next to the pool - hooooooooooot.

So - how do I work that into my relationship - with the husband who tells me that while he wouldn't MIND a threesome - I'm the only woman he really desires/wants/needs. How can I sit him down and tell him - I'm not really into fucking you - but I WANT to fuck other men - and then come home and fuck you? Gah. I don't know if he's willing to have an open relationship to save our sex life. I seriously doubt it.....and I will NOT do it behind his back.

And then, I feel enourmously guilty about infidelity being my 'button'. Of course, there's nothing better than something new, but - that's just SO unacceptable to - society as a whole. I mean, marriage is SUPPOSED to be mostly about faithfulness, right? And even as I say this, I know that I've got some serious poly tendencies, but - my husband doesn't. A lot of times though, it's not even the actuality of someone else, it's the POTENTIAL of having someone else that makes it really exciting. Talk about some deliciously forbidden fruit - yuuuummm.

I'm a promiscious little slut, that's the problem. And dammit, if I can't fuck whoever my fancy takes, I'll be celibate - and oddly enough, I can do either, casually and comfortably. It's this whole one man my whole world thing that bugs me.

Tuesday, June 7, 2005

generic babble

Umm... let's see. Enough body consiousness for one day, kay?


Went to lunch - we are not going to mention the place that has noname, but DAMN them Filet-O-Fishes is good. Okay - one more body related thing. I'm going to unabashedly pig out the rest of this week, without a scrap of shame. Then, I'm going to get back on track, and start BRINGING my damn lunches to work again. It's nice enough that I can eat outside - and with a good book - really, what else is needed, hmmm?


Okay - anyhow - went to lunch, and noticed a thrift store. Knowing that I wanted a gym only coverup, I went in there (and dammit - more body stuff) as I went through the racks, realized that they had some REALLY nice stuff. I'm talking Harve Benard, Jones New York, Express - the whole kitand kaboodle - for under 5 bucks a piece. Humph - yet another reason to get slim - I LOOOOVVVEEE clothes.  There's another good piece of motivation.


Oh hell, I'll just give up on the non-body related entry attempt now.


I've got a dress at home - I love, love, love it. Purchased it in Geneva - it's a funky pale pink and chocolate brown print (both colors that I look DREAMY in) and a soft, stretchy fabric. I couldn't resist getting it - even though it didn't REALLY fit then. I mean, I could wear it, as long as it was open, and I had a hot tamale of an outfit that I put together around. We aren't even going to TALK about how much it doesn't fit anymore now - once I can fit THAT dress, I'll really feel like I've hit a goal. Hmmm.....must think of reward.


I've noticed something - everytime I switch cities, I gain weight. I can move around in the same city, and be fine - or even continue to lose - but when I move long distance, it's like the pounds 'magically' appear. I suspect it's a combination of stress, losing track of what I normally do because I'm so 'busy', as well as the long 'downtime' it takes for me to get comfy in a new place. It took me two YEARS to get back on the ball when I moved to Indy - so 3 months for the move to Memphis isn't that dang bad.


Is the day over yet? I've got errands to run before I go to gym. Let's see.... I need to:
1) Go to library - give them like 20 bucks (I console myself by thinking, it's still LESS than the cost of one hardcover book) and get the book of the month for my bookclub, and Jules' recommended book. If I really dig it, I'll get it online somewheres.
2) Go home, take pictures. I need me in a swimsuit, and the pictures of my dress, and if I have a little more time, I might try to find my 'goal' body picture.
3) Wash & dry my thriftstore coverup - I think they clean them, but it still has that 'thriftstore smell'.


Okay - that's not much to be done in an hour and a half....I want to get to the pool around 6:30 - that's when the kiddie class starts - and give myself an hour of practice. I'mma be SOOOOOOOOOO pruny.


 




 


Work is dullishness times 500. I've realized that I have a very low tolerance for whinging, bullshit, and slow-as-mud-people. I'm intelligent, I know that, and sometimes I have to wonder - am I REALLY crazy/too logical/too quick to get to the meat of something, or do other people get some sort of reassurance/pleasure in going around the mulberry bush? I mean damn. You ahve a problem, you find the simplest/fastest solution, you implement the fix. If the solution is going to take two days of painstaking work - AND it's the simplest solution - why are you whinging? Sit your ass down, and do the work. Sheesh. Bitch sessions are SOOOO not profitable. Then again, that might be a side effect of my rearing. Whinging was unheard. If I whined about/for something - I AUTOMATICALLY didn't get it. Period. End of discussion. Momma didn't believe in manipulation - and it was clear who had the power in OUR relationship. So I learned to either make it better, or live with it - but there was NO use in complaining about something that CANNOT be changed, cuz it was just a waste of time. Bleh. and then the things people PICK to complain about always seem to be the things that CANNOT be changed - and they casually ignore trying to fix the things that CAN be changed - but take effort. And oooohhh lord - I'm not pointing fingers cuz heaven knows I DO the same thing - but at least I have the decency to either keep it to myself or spew it out all over OD.


4:02. 43 minutes left. and today, I HAVE the car. YES!

*deep whiff*

I still smell like cholrine, shower and all. And heavens, I'm sooooooooooooooooo damn tired. Seriously. 2.5 hours in the pool, and I'm all like damn - can I go sleep now? But nnnooooo.......must.stay.awake.


Okay. Today's lesson - a little harder - learning more strokes. I will most CERTAINLY be doing ONLY the frogleg (frogkick? frogstroke?) on my back, as everything else causes me to inhale shitloads of water up my nose - a MOST  unpleasant sensation - I still feel like I have pool on the brain. *blinks* and we ain't even going to talk about the eyes - but ahhh.... such fun. And yeah, the left side of my body is MUCH weaker than the right - and I have MUCH less control over it. Must work on that.


I don't think I ever talked about our runaway cat. The patio has a gate (the infamous gate with the padlock) and since it doesn't close fully, we had to 'rig up' a kitty gate. SOMEHOW - and we've yet to figure out exactly how, as the gap (with the kitty gate) ain't THAT damn big - Nikki has managed to escape twice. He returned both times - the first time he came to the front door, and the last time he showed back up inside the patio. Since then, we won't let him out unless we are sitting out there - while G's fat ass can go out anytime he wants cuz not only does he have a deep and abiding affection for food, he's too damn fat to squeeze out the gate - even WITHOUT the kitty gate.
I bring it up, because now Nikki will sit at either the front or back door and YOWL until we tell him to shut up. I'm not sure if he's invoking the cat gods to give him FURTHER ability to slip through doors, or if he thinks his catly boys outside will let him out, or he thinks we'll get so sick of listening to him whine that we'll let him out. Hah. Not happening, slim shady.


*blinks* Damn, not even 10 yet. And I'm hungry - but I KNOW as soon as I sit down to eat, C is going to call. Gah.

Even more bodylicious stuff.....

See - this is why I have chapters, so that I can jsut shove all this stuff in one place.....But anyhow...
I don't have this problem now, but I KNOW I'll have it later - so let's just get this done now, eh? I'm going to shamelessly cut out the ones that I KNOW I won't do.


How to Stay Motivated to Exercise




1. Determine an attainable goal such as exercising twice on weekdays, once on weekends. Creating realistic goals will set you up for success. If your goal becomes too easy, you can always design a new one.
My goal - swimming Mon/Wed/Fri, and lifting weights Tues/Thur. If I FEEL like it - I'll do yoga at home on the weekends.

2. Create rewards for achieving your goal. The reward can be a massage, a new workout outfit, a new CD, a session with a personal trainer, or a new piece of sports equipment - whatever you really want.
I've got several goals - I'm going to plot out a reward for each...
215 pounds - a subscription to Fitness Rx (I think that's the GOOD fitness magazine for women)
199 pounds - An armband carrier for my iPod
170 pounds - (lowest weight!) - Salsa Classes
140 pounds - new tattoo
125 pounds - (final weight!) - holy shit, I've no clue. That deserves like a new CAR or something - I'll have to mull on that one for a bit.

3. Partner with a friend, co-worker or loved one - someone who will support you and your goals without sabotaging them.
Hmm.....this would certainly provide the needed kick in the booty that classes are now providing - anybody wanna be a workout partner?

4. Subscribe to a fitness magazine or online fitness newsletter. New tips and exercises can be inspirational and alleviate boredom.
See reward #1.

5. Create a competition with co-workers or friends. For example, the team whose members exercise for 30 minutes, three times each week for three months wins a prize. You decide what the prize is.
Gah. No, I soooo don't think so.

6. Change into your workout clothes. Sometimes, it's just a matter of getting dressed that causes the biggest barrier. 
Yup! I've noticed even at home, my clothing makes a difference. I think that I'm going to put on my workout clothes as SOON as I get home - that'll a good reminder that I need to get up and go workout!  

7. Erase the concept that if you can't do at least 30 minutes you're wasting your time. Exercise burns calories, increases energy, and improves your health - even in small doses.
Thankfully, I shouldn't have to worry about that - unless I have a late evening appointment, I will ALWAYS have TIME to exercise in the evening.

8. Try a new sport or class. Adding variety, group support and competition can increase your likelihood of exercising.
Hmm...the Y does offer a lot of free classes - but I think that the swimming/weights will caryy me for a while - I LIKE doing both of those things, so I don't think that I'll get bored.

10. Look for ways to incorporate activity into your day, even if you can't do your normal exercise routine. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, go bowling instead of to the movies, or use a push mower instead of a power mower.
Oohh... such a sedentary life I lead - no steps as I work on the first floor, and I don't have much of a choice in our house, I don't go out (dancing! must find a GOOD dance club!) and someone else does our lawn (thank heavens!) But - I suppose I could take the VERY long flight of steps in the library rather than the elevator.

11. Sign up for a race and send in the entry fee. Whatever your activity - running, biking, walking, swimming - there are hundreds of races offered all over the world. Pick a place you've always wanted to visit.
This one actually sounds cool as hell - but that'll be a little further in the future.

12. Join a gym. For some, paying for a membership increases the likelihood of compliance. It also eliminates the bad-weather excuse.
Done!



13. Keep a journal - Keep track of your workouts in a journal. It's a great tool to see your progress on paper.
Well, not quite on paper - but I figure OD is close enough.

17. Make an appointment
Hmmm.... I don't think I'll need this, as I'm doing it every day of the week.

18. Think about how good you will feel afterwards
I LOVE to swim!!! So I think that even if I DON'T feel like lifting, I'll go just to get in the water.

20. Staying motivated
Hah!! I just wanna be a hot momma!


21. Set goals - Set realistic goals that are somewhat flexible. For instance, I will exercise 3 times a week (but not on specific days). That way if you miss a day you can make it up. Don't start out too quickly. Vary your excersise routine to keep it interesting. 
Hmm... I don't THINK I'm asking too much of myself, considering all I do now is go home, get undressed, get online and dick around or read until I have to go pick up C.

22. Change is good - Don't do the same exercises all the time. After awhile they become boring to you as well as your muscles. Variety is the spice of life.
I WILL be interested in taking the Master Swimmer class at some point - one cool thing about swimming - different stokes!

25. Walk to the beat!
Ohhh!! That's what I can do on the weekends! I live in a LOVELY neighborhood - a nice walk with the iPod.

 

30. Display a current pic on your bathroom mirror - Put up a current or "fat" picture of yourself on your bathroom mirror. Everyday when you get up, you tell yourself that you are moving further from that picture (and the way you looked in it) because you will do your workout that day. Each day as you mentally prepare yourself to look better than the picture, you will be motivated to keep going.
*shudder* Ew. But, okay.

32. Stay Motivated - Cut out a photo of a fit person and a not so fit person. Tape them to your mirror or fridge and think, "Do I want to look like this, or like this?"
Ohh...this actually might be fun. Who's body do I think I could have?

34. Turn up the music - Play fast-paced music, even before you start working out. Whenever I feel like rolling over and dying rather than working out, I crank up the radio and it always gets me motivated.
Yup - I've got some house music from a friend of mine, that's my official going to the gym groove therapy.

38. Increase - Every time you work out, always try to increase your exercise by one weight or an extra 5-10 repetitions. This will motivate you to keep trying harder and get a better feeling for yourself knowing that you are improving.
Every time????!!! Ouch - I'll say every week.

more reference Stuff...

20 Words to Change your Life


Whether it’s an overflowing dishwasher, a cranky kid or an hour stuck in traffic, life can sometimes take the wind out of our sails. But little words can make a big difference.

By Sally Stich

“Words really program our emotions and the way we think about things,” says Maryann Troiani, Psy.D., psychologist and coauthor of Spontaneous Optimism: Proven Strategies for Health, Prosperity & Happiness. “Negative words sap our enthusiasm, but repeating inspirational words to yourself can instantly boost your mood and motivate you.” Make these words your own and let them uplift you every week.

BEGIN
Take charge of your life by beginning something you’ve always wanted to do, like going back to college or cleaning out a closet that’s been driving you crazy. If your goal seems overwhelming, start small. Clean one shelf or take one class. “By daring to begin the life you’ve always wanted, you become energized,” says Mari Tankenoff, L.P. and CEO of MindFitness, Inc., a counseling and consulting firm in Minneapolis.

IMAGINE
Your imagination has no bound-aries. As children we pretend, but as we grow up we gradually lose our appreciation for daydreaming. “Every so often, I let my imagination run wild,” says Vicki Inman of West Point, New York. “By thinking about a fantasy vacation or new career, I visualize what I can accomplish. I think that dreaming about something is the first step toward achieving it.”

LAUGH
“Laughter is a direct route to the soul. It broadens your perspective, keeps you healthy, and makes an unbearable situation easier to deal with,” says Joel Goodman, Ed.D., director of The Humor Project, Inc. in Saratoga Springs, New York. Learn a few jokes to tell your kids, hang up your favorite cartoons or call an old friend and relive a funny moment you’ve shared.

BELIEVE
Tell yourself you will succeed at whatever you’re doing at the moment. Troiani suggests setting your mind to predict success. “Convince yourself good things will happen today and they will. If you tell yourself you can’t possibly achieve your goals, you won’t,” she says.

SEEK
It’s risky to say you don’t know something, but finding your way is half the lesson. Allow yourself to grow by exposing your vulnerability and insecurity. Skip the safe chitchat and take a chance in conversations. Travel someplace new. Don’t live strictly inside your comfort zone. Don’t play it safe.

PLAY
As adults, we can always find something that needs to be done at work or around the house and we forget how to have fun. Every week Pat Stoler of Bloomington, Minnesota, makes a conscious effort to take time off—whether it’s to talk to her daughter, build a sandcastle or take a walk. Afterward she is refreshed and able to think more clearly, she says.

TRUST
Analyze the ways you make your decisions. “I have learned to trust myself and go forward when I’ve made a decision, rather than second-guessing myself,” says Alicia McCollum of Ypsilanti, Michigan. “I’ve realized that being paralyzed by indecision is worse than making the wrong decision. You can’t grow if you don’t trust your inner voice.”

LISTEN
Many times when we listen, we’re distracted or preoccupied by trying to defend ourselves instead of hearing what is said. Try listening to the other person’s point of view first, and she’ll be more likely to pay attention to yours.

CREATE
In a world of accelerating change, creativity maintains balance in our lives. You don’t have to be a poet or a painter to exercise your creative muscles. “Even if it’s taking a new route to work, listening to a different kind of music, or brushing your teeth with your other hand, the more you use your creativity, the more it develops,” says Amy Malkoff, a musician and graphic designer in Marblehead, Massachusetts.

CONNECT
“Sometimes we yearn for something but don’t even know what we’re missing,” says Edward M. Hallowell, M.D., psychiatrist and author of Connect. “Simply put, it’s that we need one another.” Relationships are what pull us through the hard times and make the good times meaningful, so nurture the connections that uplift you. Have a family breakfast if dinner isn’t possible, have lunch with a friend or play with your pet.

TOUCH
In our fast-paced society, we keep each other at arm’s length with technology, the limits of our time and a seemingly endless list of chores. But humans need touch to survive and thrive, says Dr. Hallowell. Every morning hug and kiss your husband for a full 30 seconds before you both rush out the door. Schedule a massage for yourself. Pat your friend on the back, both literally and figuratively.

FORGIVE
Forgiveness is life-giving because it puts you in charge. “It doesn’t mean you’re caving in or letting the other person off the hook, but by giving up your resentment and offering compassion, you become empowered,” says Robert Enright, Ph.D., author of Forgiveness Is a Choice. It doesn’t change the harsh words that were exchanged or the unfair treatment you’ve received. But in time, forgiveness may help you remember things differently.

PRAY
“Prayer is asking God to transform the situation and become the heart of your life, your family, your community,” says David Bryant, chairman of America’s National Prayer Committee, a multidenominational coalition that sponsors the National Day of Prayer. So take a moment each day, whether you’re in the shower or stuck in traffic, and connect with God.

HOPE
Hope is the knowledge that even in the worst of times we can triumph over hardship and sorrow and grow in spirit. Hope is what sustains humanity in the face of harsh realities. Whether it’s the desire to attain a certain goal at work or the belief that tomorrow will be a better day, hope conquers fear and replaces it with a vital optimism.

CHOOSE
“We can’t always choose our circumstances, but we can choose our attitudes toward them,” says Greg Hicks, coauthor of How We Choose to Be Happy. If you lose your job, you probably didn’t want it to happen, but you decide whether to be angry or to see it as an opportunity. Perhaps you can discover a new career. Avoid negativity by asking, “What is the opportunity in this situation?”

APPRECIATE
At least once a day, stop to ask yourself what you appreciate about your life at this moment. Do you love the view from your kitchen window? Your husband’s smile? Instead of focusing on what you think are shortcomings in yourself, focus on what you like. Do you have beautiful lips, cute toes, nice legs? Are you a giving and thoughtful person? Admire the good in yourself.

GIVE
Happiness involves giving freely to others. Whenever Gina Meacham of Richfield, Minnesota, is having a particularly bad day, she tries to reach out and help her family or friends. “I have learned that by giving, I actually get more in return than the recipient,” she says.

READ
“Reading removes boundaries. When you read you can learn anything you want to know,” says Carmelita K. Williams, immediate past president of the International Reading Association. Get a library card for everyone in the family, and use it regularly. Try different genres: mystery, historical fiction, biography. Read about things you’ve never considered.

WRITE
By putting your thoughts on paper you can express emotions, organize thoughts and make dreams more concrete. You don’t have to use perfect grammar or fancy words. Write a letter to your mother or your unborn child. Tell your senator what you think. Keep a journal. Write a letter to your husband when you’re angry with him, then tear it up. Words are freedom. Words are power.

RELEASE
Avoid doing something just because everyone thinks you should. Give yourself permission to relax. Stop worrying about what your neighbor, your boss or your mother will think about you. Grieve for people, ideas or moments you’ve lost, and then let them go.



 


 


How to Stay Motivated to Exercise
You know you should exercise, but some days it's tough to get moving: not enough time, too tired, no energy. Counteract those excuses by discovering what motivates you, and use these strategies to develop and maintain an active lifestyle.

Steps:
1. Determine an attainable goal such as exercising twice on weekdays, once on weekends. Creating realistic goals will set you up for success. If your goal becomes too easy, you can always design a new one.

2. Create rewards for achieving your goal. The reward can be a massage, a new workout outfit, a new CD, a session with a personal trainer, or a new piece of sports equipment - whatever you really want.

3. Partner with a friend, co-worker or loved one - someone who will support you and your goals without sabotaging them.

4. Subscribe to a fitness magazine or online fitness newsletter. New tips and exercises can be inspirational and alleviate boredom.

5. Create a competition with co-workers or friends. For example, the team whose members exercise for 30 minutes, three times each week for three months wins a prize. You decide what the prize is.

6. Change into your workout clothes. Sometimes, it's just a matter of getting dressed that causes the biggest barrier.

7. Erase the concept that if you can't do at least 30 minutes you're wasting your time. Exercise burns calories, increases energy, and improves your health - even in small doses.

8. Try a new sport or class. Adding variety, group support and competition can increase your likelihood of exercising.

9. Make a commitment to your dog to go for a long walk at least twice each week.

10. Look for ways to incorporate activity into your day, even if you can't do your normal exercise routine. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, go bowling instead of to the movies, or use a push mower instead of a power mower.

11. Sign up for a race and send in the entry fee. Whatever your activity - running, biking, walking, swimming - there are hundreds of races offered all over the world. Pick a place you've always wanted to visit.

12. Join a gym. For some, paying for a membership increases the likelihood of compliance. It also eliminates the bad-weather excuse.



13. Keep a journal
Keep track of your workouts in a journal. It's a great tool to see your progress on paper.


14. Visualization
It will be a boost to take a moment to visualize your exercise. Imagine the running course; the path, the trees, the wildlife sounds and sights, and the smells of the outdoors. This can be a real jump-start!

15. Fun
There are a few exercise classes that I actually look forward to because they are so much fun. In fact, if my agenda doesn't look too crowded, I often work in an "extra" water aerobics class! 

16. Buying exercise equipment.
Classified ads are invariably filled with exercise equipment that is virtually new and reasonably priced. Decide what you want and watch for it.

17. Make an appointment
Put exercise on your calendar or in your day planner. If you treat exercise as an appointment you're more likely to keep the commitment as you would any other appointment.

18. Think about how good you will feel afterwards
When you think about not going to the gym, consider how you will feel afterwards, if you do go. Think about how you will
feel if you don't work out. With this in mind, get yourself into the gym and you've overcome the biggest obstacle - you!

19. While reading e-mail or websites
I do toe-heel exercises, raising and lowering, which helps flexibility. Sometimes I stretch my arms over my head, to the opposite side for five minutes. Shoulder scrunches and finger stretches and wrist rotations are other easy exercises while reading.

20. Staying motivated
Think of being healthy to watch your children grow up and to see your grandchildren.

21. Set goals
Set realistic goals that are somewhat flexible. For instance, I will exercise 3 times a week (but not on specific days). That way if you miss a day you can make it up. Don't start out too quickly. Vary your excersise routine to keep it interesting. 

22. Change is good
Don't do the same exercises all the time. After awhile they become boring to you as well as your muscles. Variety is the spice of life.

23. How to get going for your workout
Think about how energized and refreshing you will feel after excersising. Also think about how you can get fit and look fabulous at the same time!!!

24. Start small
Naturally, it's difficult to get started and you don't want to do a 30 minute work out the first time. So, start simple!Start out with a 10 leg lifts, sit ups, jumping jacks, etc..., then gradully add more as you go along!

25. Walk to the beat!
I walk for 45 minutes every day. Some days are tough to get going. I've made myself a cassette with 15 min. of slow-to-moderate songs, 20 min. of fast music, then 10 min. of moderate, then 5 min. at the end to cool down. Get your Walkman, Give it a try!

26. Do it, then think about it
When your mind starts arguing with you about starting your workout, tell it you'll get back to it after you've done the first 5 minutes of exercise. Check in with yourself then after you've done that first 5 minutes--you probably won't want to quit!

27. Sign up for a class
Sign up for a class, you will feel more motivated to go. Instead of just planning it out in you agenda. This works especially well if you sign up with a friend.

28. While you watch TV
Most of us find time to watch a couple hours of t.v at night, so why not exercise during that time? Do cardio during your favourite show and weights or abs on the commercials. The time will fly by.

29. Suit workout to you
Before picking a new exercise, make sure you choose a team sport if you like group activities. If you don't like to compete, choose a solo sport. If you like the great outdoors, head outside - if not, head for a gym. Don't waste your time!

30. Display a current pic on your bathroom mirror
Put up a current or "fat" picture of yourself on your bathroom mirror. Everyday when you get up, you tell yourself that you are moving further from that picture (and the way you looked in it) because you will do your workout that day.
Each day as you mentally prepare yourself to look better than the picture, you will be motivated to keep going.

31. Look in the mirror
When you feel lazy towards working out stand in front of the mirrow and examine the flaws of you body that need to get fixed.. workout will seem a lot more rewarding.

32. Stay Motivated
Cut out a photo of a fit person and a not so fit person. Tape them to your mirror or fridge and think, "Do I want to look like this, or like this?"

33. Write it down!
A goal not written, is only a wish

34. Turn up the music
Play fast-paced music, even before you start working out. Whenever I feel like rolling over and dying rather than working out, I crank up the radio and it always gets me motivated.

35. motivation
Well, motivation can come in any form. For me, I am motivated by certain movies and music. So whenever I really don't feel like working out, I just listen to certain songs that just hype me up. For me, the hardest part is always getting started, so the music or movie gives me a jumpstart.

36. My motivation
To be perfectly honest, being appealing to the opposite sex is what motivates me. I look at girls who I think look good and I want to be the guy that girls think looks good. It might sound superficial, but that's what motivates me.

37. Best motivation
Set your alarm early. I set mine at 5:00 and once it goes off, I'm awake anyway and go do my exercises. Do it during the weekdays and give yourself a rest on weekends if you need it.

38. Increase
Every time you work out, always try to increase your exercise by one weight or an extra 5-10 repetitions.
This will motivate you to keep trying harder and get a better feeling for yourself knowing that you are improving.

39. Give yourself tiny rewards..
I tell myself that if I'm able to complete my tough exercise routine today, I'll reward myself with that long luxurious bath I've been dying for later! For every accomplishment, treat yourself to a little something! You deserve it!


 



Reference Stuff....

Top 12 Weight-Training Tips for Women

1) Set a Goal. Decide what you want to get out of your workout. Are you after Jennifer Aniston's arms or a job with World Wrestling Entertainment? Are you lifting weights to improve function, health, appearance, or sports performance? Once this has been determined, you can better tailor your routine, choosing exercises that will target the proper muscles.

2) Be Consistent. Once you commit to weight training, stick with it. True, a long day at work doesn't provide much inspiration, but resist the urge to skip sessions. If you can't do a lot, do a little, Something is better than nothing.

3) Learn Proper Form and Technique. "Exercise is like medicine, it's based on science.If you have no experience with weights, experts recommend investing in a couple of sessions with a personal trainer. One thing to keep in mind is to avoid hyper-extending or locking out any joints. This allows the muscle to relax, which is counterproductive. Also, be sure that your whole body is properly aligned in order to protect the lower back.

4) Get Tired. While many theories exist on the best ways to build muscle, recent research indicates that a single set of 12 repetitions with the proper weight can build muscle just as efficiently as three sets of the same exercise — good news for people trying to squeeze weight lifting into a busy schedule. a single set of exercises using a weight heavy enough to tire the muscles after a dozen repetitions. When you work a muscle to fatigue, you are releasing factors that build endurance and strength

5) Muscles Are Sexy. Many women avoid weight lifting because they are afraid of looking too buff and muscular, opting instead for the treadmill or the elliptical machine to burn calories. In truth, weight training converts fat into lean muscle. Lean muscle burns more calories, aiding in weight loss. It's like having a V-8 engine instead of a 4-cylinder. You have a bigger engine to burn more calories because it takes calories to keep that engine running.

6) Vary Your Exercises. You can fall in love with your trainer but don't fall in love with any one exercise. If you repeat the same exercise, you will overdo a particular muscle group. Everyone undoubtedly has a particular asset they may want to develop, but don't overdo it. Use a full variety of exercises, machines and resistances. Try lifting free weights, water, household items, and even your own body weight. Changing it up will shock the muscles, challenging them to lift the weight.

7) Move Slowly. Don't cheat by racing through your exercises. Remember, it only takes one set so be sure to get the most out of your time in the gym. Take one to two seconds to contract the muscle, hold the contraction for half a second, and then lengthen the release to three or four seconds. You are 20 percent to 40 percent stronger on the way down so following this time breakdown will maximize strength gain.

8) Work Balanced Muscles Groups. People generally work out only what they can see,it's as if they have a 'Cadillac in the front, and a Volkswagen in the back. But too much time devoted to one side may create posture problems. Since, every muscle has an opposing muscle, be sure to work the entire pair. For example, follow stomach crunches with back extensions and bicep curls with tricep kickbacks.

9) Find Female-Focused Exercises. Women should pay particular attention to building strength in the upper back and shoulders. This will protect against poor posture later in life, a common problem related to osteoporosis. And don't neglect your lower body — females are five to six times more likely to suffer a knee ligament tear. To protect against knee injury, focus on building the hamstring muscles.

10) Choose a Get-Buff Buddy. A lifting partner is helpful not only for spotting but for motivation as well. When your arms are feeling like Jell-O and you think you've got nothing left to give, a little encouragement from a friend may be all you need to push out that final rep.

11) Drink Caffeine Before Lifting. Although optional, a little caffeine may give you an extra boost of energy to lift after a long day. You may be surprised by the effects a cup of coffee or can of soda can have on your performance.

12) Be Patient. Rome wasn't built in a day; you won't be either. It takes time to incorporate the benefits of weight lifting. Changes in muscle fiber won't show until four to six weeks, but in the meantime, your muscles are learning how to act more efficiently.



 


Having Problems Creating Your own Exercise Program:
Have you been trying to make your own exercise program but didn't know where to start? Creating an effective exercise program isn't as hard you think, just follow these simple steps.

Have An Attainable Goal
The most important step to creating an effective exercise program is to know what results you want before you begin. If you walk into the thinking just because you have joined your going to get fit. Wrong! You must put fourth an effort to reach them.

Write Down Your Exercise Goals
Whether your goal is to gain 10 pounds of muscle, or lose 20 pounds of fat, write it down. Be very specific about what you want to achieve. The more specific you are, the greater your chances of success. But you must be realistic in your goals also. Your not going to be able to walk into the gym a size 16 and walk out a size 12 on your first day! It takes time.

Create A Plan To Reach Your Goal
Write down the steps that you will take to reach your goal. Bottom line, your exercise program must be consistent with your goals.

Be Consistent With Your Effort
Do you want to know the secret to succeeding with your exercise program? Follow your routine consistently, day after day - and week after week. Nothing takes the place of consistent effort. Joining the gym and not going on a regular basis is not going to help you.

Don't Give Up
Take your exercise program one day at a time. Don't worry about yesterday, you can't change what has already happened. And don't worry about tomorrow, take it as it comes. Quitting is a sure way to never reach your goals. If life is dragging you down, it's better to change your exercise program than quit.

Change Your Exercise Program Often
If you start noticing that you're getting burned out, it's time for a change. Don't be afraid to change your exercise program every six weeks. Mix it up and add variety. Add a new exercise to your program, and throw out the exercises that aren't producing the results that you want. If your not sure of a different exercise for a certain body part don't be afraid to ask someone.

Never be afraid to ask questions
This is the most important part of any program. If you don't know what muscles you are working. Your not going to be able to put together a all around great training program.

Have Fun!
Don't go to the gym thinking it's something you just have to do, and want to just get it over with. Have fun with it Your body will thank you for it!




Twosday

When I was little, that's how I always spelled it - Twosday. I mean, it made sense right? Second day of the week and all? And it certainly seemed more phonectically correct that Tuesday. I also have issues spelling tomorrow....I have to focus to remember - one m, two r's.......alcohol is another one - I wanna mix up that c and h so badly.


Okay. I went to the first swimming class last night - FUN! FUN! FUN! FUN!!!! I had just shiteloads of fun man - I seriously think that it might take just ONE series of classes for me to learn how to swim. And, I can practice before class, so my thing is going to be - go home, feed cats, change into suit, grab a LIGHT bite to eat, go to gym, pratice for an hour before class, be in class for an hour, come home, shower (my hair didn't turn green!! Yaaayyy!!!), dry off, straighten up house, pick up C - and here's the hard part - GO TO BED. 


I was WIDE awake until 2:30 this morning. I'm talking bright eyed and bushy tailed. The only reason I actually went to bed is because I knew that if I didn't get at LEAST five hours of sleep, I would be D.E.A.D today. So, dragged my butt to bed. Still didn't wanna get up this morning - but BOY that rush of energy was interesting.


So - swimming class. If you LIKE the water even a little bit, and want to know how to swim correctly (she's teaching us five different strokes - there are only three people in my class - two of us who don't know whow to swim, one who does, but wants to brush up because he's in a triathalon this summer), breathe correctly, all of that stuff - take a class at your local Y!!! I can FLOAT on my back now!!! *LOL* I just never had my head low enough in the water. I really like it - the class is small enough that I don't feel as bad making a fool of myself - and because I can practice alone - heck the pool was virtually DESERTED by the time I left. *bounces* And MAN! What a workout - I was practing the 'proper' leg kicks, and I could FEEL my thighs burning. I'm looking forward to laps. Dude. *grin* I've almost got the hang of a backstoke too - if I could just learn how to NOT sink under water (I'm a very low floater) and get water up me nose. Practice, Practice, Practice!!!


I also might have to start eating breakfast - I had a normal dinner after class, and some hot milk and cookies shortly before I went to bed (yeah, I was THAT awake) and I'm hungry this morning. *grins* Go metabolism go! I'm going to start weighing myself every Monday too - I can't BELIEVE I've gained almost ALLLLL of my weight back. *sobs* *shakes head* To look at me, you would NEVER think that I needed to lose ONE HUNDRED POUNDS in order to be a 'proper' weight for my height - and even that puts me at the HIGH end of the BMI range. Can you imagine? I don't think I would EXSIST if I lost 100 pounds. Shit. Either that, or I'm in some SERIOUS denial (which is a strong possibility as well.) I would be like a size 2.....seriously. I mean shit, I'm only an 18 now - 100 pounds? Even ASSUMING it's 15 pounds a size (or is it ten)....hmmm.......I need to find that formula I had. Hah! Found it!



First, take your weight in pounds and multiply it by 0.118. The result is value A.
Next, take your age in years and multiply it by 0.059. The result is value B.
Third, take your height in inches and multiply it by 0.298. The result is value C.
Finally, calculate:
(A + B) - C + 11.11 = approximate size
Check it by putting in what you weigh now, and then fiddle with the weight side and see approximately how much you might have to lose to get where you want to be sizewise.


I thought this was an interesting little tool. Based on what I weigh now, it puts me at a  20 - which......isn't tooo far off - a size up (I think - but I refuse to go clothes shopping, so I'm not sure). If I wanna get down to a 10/8 (which is my goal) according to this I'd have to weigh - 125 pounds. Holy Shite. 100 pounds.


I think that tonight, before I go to class, I'll set up the tripod and take some swimsuit pictures. This is the start of me really walking that path again. And once I learn HOW to swim, I'm going to start alternating that and weights - and I'll take a new picture every four weeks - they are worth a thousand words, ya know.......