Sunday, July 31, 2011

Personal Space

  Yesterday we decided to hit a movie.  It's been in the 90's here (like the rest of the country)  for over 2 weeks, and getting motivated  to do anything productive is hard.  Headed over to see Crazy, Sexy, Love.  No this isn't a movie review...  it was enjoyable.  Not as funny as I had hoped,  and Steve Carell seems to always play the same character,  but a particular scene in the movie reminded me of one of my personal pet peeves that just happened that very morning.

In the movie, Ryan Gosling is giving dating tips to Steve Carell while they are at the gym...  Ryan is naked and standing about a foot away from the seated Steve Carell.  Just take the clothes off this picture and you get the idea...

Steve Carell is obviously uncomfortable staring at Ryan's... ahem "junk",  and Ryan is clueless... which brings me to my pet peeve.    At the gym on Saturday am,  I finished up with my swim,  and headed to the locker room to change.   the locker room has 160 lockers.. yes I looked at the number to be sure,   set in 3 bays.    Our particular area had over 50 lockers in it.   Of these 50 lockers,   2 of us were using the space on opposite sides.   I had the locker open and was over at the sinks brushing out my hair.   In walked another woman,  who strolled over to our locker area,  and proceeded to put her stuff in the locker next to mine?????  48 lockers are open.... with enough space to give you at least 4 feet of personal space,  but you choose to put your stuff in the locker next to the one I was using ,  and then stand there in front of both of the lockers getting ready to hit the gym.  In order to get to my stuff I had to say excuse me twice... and you frowned at me ... WHAT !!!!  I bit my lip trying not to be sarcastic,  but really you are an idiot.

There I feel better,  plus now I forever have this wonderful picture of Ryan,  to look at whenever I need inspiration to do more sit ups.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

When did the Cell phone store replace the DMV?

So, I had to get a new drivers license this year,  and had to make the dreaded trip to the DMV.  I planned ahead, had all my paperwork ready,  showed up 5 minutes before they opened.. only had 5 others waiting at the door?   What?   I walked in and was greeted by 6 smiling workers,  and was helped immediately.  I thought I had entered the twilight zone.  I didn't have to take a paper number.. sit in a line realize I had number 999,  and they were currently serving customer 2? (Remember Beetlejuice?)
I commented to the girl who was helping me,  that this wasn't what I was used to. She stated that since people can now get their plates online,  traffic at the office has dropped dramatically.  I guess decreased customers,  makes for happier employees as well.   Wow!  In and out..10 minutes.

Fast forward 2 weeks... thinking about replacing Time Warner with Direct TV.  Doing the math,  I think we will save about 40 bucks a month!  But had some questions about service,  internet,  the equipment etc,  so a stop at Cincinnati Bell was in order.   You can order Direct TV from them,  bundle it with their internet service and get an additional discount.   Stopped by the local store at approx 7 pm on a Friday evening.   Walked in and scanned the room,  7 employees (they are wearing distinctive blue polo shirts, so are easy to point out in the room)  and about 10-11 customers were in the room... Good odds ,  right?   WRONG..

Cell phone companies have the high tech equivalent of taking a number... type your name in a computer kiosk at the door,  watch your name appear on the large screen TV's mounted in the room and see that you are # 4 on the list of people waiting.   Not bad... especially when you look back about 5 minutes later and see 6 more names have been added after yours...

So now the game begins.. you watch an employee finish up with someone and think... YES!  one more name off the list.. but wait... said employee suddenly wanders back behind the magic curtain (back room)  and doesn't return.    Okay maybe it's his break... but then it happens again... another customer leaves,  another employee leaves the floor.  If this is the norm,  I'm not ever getting out of here.  One more time we watch this dance,  and those of us waiting ,  wandering around staring at the cell phones that are covered in so many germs from I don't want to know how many hands have touched them,  and then casually glance up at the TV.. the names haven't changed...  Finally one employee returns and calls out a name.. it only took 25 minutes to get assistance...  But during that 25 minutes.. what had been 7 employees dropped to 3.  What the other 4 were doing in the back is anyone's guess...

Do they have camera's back there scanning the showroom floor where they giggle and point at the customers waiting like sheep to see their name finally make it to the top of the list.

Oh and to top it all off... the employee who finally did call our name... No real answers to any of my questions.    No they don't know when our area will be getting Fiber Optic.. they don't give employees that information...   Okay.. No,  I can't tell you what the $5.99 a month insurance and service charge covers,  or why it is considered optional?,  Not you only have 48 hours to decide if the direct TV system will work for you,  other than that you are locked in for 2 years...

So there is 45 minutes I'll never get back...  but,  I still think Time Warner is out of here... I mean 40 bucks a month is a lot of money.. Now how much time will I need to spend on the phone with Time Warner trying to get my service canceled?

Friday, July 15, 2011

It was the best of times....it was the worst of times

My mother and I created this blog as a no "BS" zone in regards to our own personal struggles and successes with creating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. In looking back over our few postings and reflecting over the last few weeks I realized that I was not being completely honest with myself or the blog world in not updating this site more frequently and sharing some of the tougher or darker sides of this journey. This morning, not unlike quite a few mornings in the last few weeks, I woke up, looked in the mirror and began a self-criticizing dialogue. Thoughts like "ugh look at that roll" or "why can't you weigh less...you are so fat!" floated through my head. These thoughts have created a lack of motivation in regards to my workouts and a lack of control in my dieting. Instead of 15-20 lbs to lose I now have more like 25-30 and I have no one to blame but myself. I feel like a failure - why when I have gone through this incredible journey do I keep sabotaging myself and why do I have such a hard time shedding my "fattitude??

I know there is no "end" date when you are making a lifestyle change, but I also know that I could be a whole lot fitter and happier if I stopped the grazing and slacking. I ran a great 5 mile run on Wednesday, felt great for a good portion of the day, and then came home and pigged out and ended up putting on 2 lbs. I ended up feeling miserable and defeated. I know there are plenty of other people out there who have experienced and done the same thing. We start with the best of intentions, but somehow/somewhere lose our way. So in sitting down to write this blog I had another conversation with myself (this time featuring less criticism) and really tried to identify the reasons behind my own shame spiral. So here are the things I need to change about my own situation and maybe some of this will sound familiar to you:

1. Loathe my career situation - I recently graduated from college with high hopes of having a career in education. However, I have zero prospects and the school year is quickly approaching. Instead of being excited at the opportunity of working with my very own students and sharing my passion for learning, I am instead piecing together a living with part time jobs that have left me unhappy and depressed. So to conquer this one I need to relax! Plenty of other individuals are struggling right now, and I need to realize that a) my job does not define me as a person nor does it define my life and b) if I continue to persevere I will eventually find a position/place where I can be happy

2. Daily weigh-ins/body comparisons - I began weighing myself daily somewhere along the weight loss journey as a way to celebrate my little successes. However, as the weight loss slowed (as it always does) I continued to weigh myself every morning and what started as celebrations became opportunities for self-criticism. So I need to stop the pressure that I have put on myself to conform to a certain body type/weight by a certain date and instead celebrate and enjoy all the things that I can now do in my healthier body.

3. The green-eyed monster - yes jealousy. I have begun to harbor a ridiculous and unreasonable jealousy towards my mother and her own weight loss successes. Every time she celebrated completing a great workout, or losing a pound I didn't respond the way I used to with a hug and a congratulations, but with a passive and indifferent response. Why? Because inside I was jealous and unhappy with my own performance and felt the need to try and sabotage her own journey. That is ridiculous, hurtful, and childish and I have made a promise to myself that I will also stop these behaviors and act as the supportive partner to her that I once was - I am SO sorry mom!

So what does all this soul searching mean? It means its time to relax and focus on the positives again. It means its time to take off the pressure and enjoy the journey. And it means being more truthful with myself and my abilities. I started taking yoga and one of my instructors gave us this quote that I found to be very appropriate:

"Don't seek, don't search, don't ask, don't knock, don't demand - relax. If you relax, it comes. If you relax, it is there. If you relax, you start vibrating with it." - Osho.

Time to breath, relax and get those good vibrations going. I am currently two weeks into a 16 week marathon training program for my second marathon so I will be updating weekly progress reports where that is concerned as well as try and post more about the types of exercise and food that we eat. So hears to everyone who can read this and sympathize...now if we can all just relax a bit more.

Happy Friday everyone!!

- Lindsey

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Conquer the Hill 10K - Race Review

  So okay,  I haven't done a ton of races... yet.... but enough local ones to feel like I am starting to become a bit of a race snob.   There are definitely things that make one race more enjoyable than another,  and Evendale's Conquer the Hill 10K checked off most of the boxes!

  Negatives, They don't use online registration or chip timing ,  BUT  their entrance fees are really low.. like  $15.00 bucks.  If they wanted to use online registration and chip timing I understand that the cost to enter the race would probably need to increase to $20.00.   I think they should consider it... because they have a great event going on.

Positives.  After 30+ years of doing this ,  they understand how to do it right.   No parking issues,  easy packet pickup the day of the race with plenty of volunteers.  Adequate bathrooms.   They didn't use a starting gun,  just a person on a megaphone,  which for those of us hanging out in the back of the start line,  couldn't really hear or understand,  but heck... I just go with the flow anyway.     Course is hilly (hence the name)  but if you live/train in the Cincy area,  you should be used to it by now right?  Lots of spectator support out on the course,  with their lawn sprinklers turned toward the runners.. THANK YOU!  It was cloudy and humid on the 4th,  and I took advantage of every last one of them.   Plenty of water stations,  that were staffed well and much appreciated,  also due to the heat and humidity.   Evendale's finest were out on the course holding back traffic,  so the course was very safe even when on the main streets.    

At the finish you were handed a ticket,  to write down you name/ race bib and your time was entered in after the fact.   (I would like chip timers)  But their total for my time and my time from my Nike+ weren't off that much.   Fruit baggies and bagels at the finish line  and a CUTE t-shirt (one of my favorites) to top off the run.

Great way to start off your 4th of July celebration.