randomness 1 Comment

General Consensus

My Mom called a few days ago, and I told her I was thinking of donating my hair again and having it cut short. Predictably, she squealed, “Nooo!!” I really think it’s about that time again, though.

I’ve shared the few existing photos of the blunt bob from Summer of 2003 earlier. As I recall, that wasn’t even one of my better hair days, but those are the only photos I have of my supar-shortest-evar haircut. This time, I want to go with something a little different. Maybe some layers, maybe long bangs or fringy face-framing hair. Only thing is, I tend not to want to (or have time to) fuss with my hair. I’d want a ‘do that I could wash n’ go, preferably allowing it to dry in the car during my 10-minute commute. o_O

Let me share with you some photos I’ve collected from around teh intarweb of hairstyles that are close to what I might want:
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randomness 1 Comment

What’s My Motivation?

Man… I can NOT get motivated. I had thought that today was going to be a gardening day, just because I got some freshly-uprooted Roses of Sharon at work today, but then it decided to rain. I should be doing my PUSH workout, and finishing up my podcast, and working on the LSM site.

However. I am not interested in any of that. I’m not even interested in playing Civ IV, although that’s probably what I’ll end up doing.

I am interested in totally vegging out, but not taking a late nap or going to bed early or watching a movie or reading a book. I’m definitely not interested in exercising, like I should be doing, and I’m not interested in fixing stuff on the LSM page, although I’ll end up doing that this evening, anyway. Got some smaller stuff to take care of, and need to get started on some bigger stuff, like uploading photos and implementing forums. I’m so dropping the ball there.

Anyway, yeah. Lately, I’ve been in a little bit of a funk in the evenings. Just not interested in being productive, after thinking all day. It’s a problem I don’t mind having, I guess, considering that it means I’m using my brain during the day… 🙂

weight loss 2 Comments

Diet & Fitness Update, Week #16

Gotta get back into the swing of things.

I took my little break from exercise while I was sick, and never got back into it. Also, Aaron and I have been gorging ourselves on the weekends, and I know that our 2½ mile Saturday walks at Wildwood Metropark haven’t been offsetting our binges nearly as much as we wish they would. I haven’t gone back to eating completely shitty during the week, but I also haven’t been eating enough protein, especially in the evenings.

That said, I have purposely not weighed myself this week. No point.

Don’t take this to mean I’m giving up. Far from it. In fact, I’m approaching my fitness plan with renewed gusto this week, despite having a bunch of stuff I need to do. Finish up my podcast, update the Lakeshoremen site… but I’m setting priorities. First, I have to work out. That always makes me feel better and more energized. Then I can do the other things I “need” to do.

I am fucking sick and tired of being all frumpy and shit. I am doing something about it. I’ve gained back the weight I lost while I was sick, and I’m not going back up where I was, dammit. I need to change something about *me* if I’m going to make this thing happen. Cardio has to happen. Protein has to happen. Early rising has to happen. I need to act like I’m already fit, and then it will happen.

(Oh, and I apologize to anyone who recently found my blog who wasn’t expecting me to drop an f-bomb. I do that every now and then.)

Natty Jo, in response to your questions: I’ve actually only been on the PUSH program for two months — and thanks to my being sick and then slacking, I’m only on Workout #1 of DVD #2. So, I guess you could call this my fifth week on PUSH. I’m sticking with Bob Harper myself, although I am curious about the new trainer they have on the list. This particular workout is finally getting to where I need to be, fitness-wise, although I’m having my next DVD focus more on my legs. Yay for arms and abs, though! w00t!

Stay tuned to see how I’m coming along. Next weekend will be the monthly weigh-and-measure (for real this time)!

health & fitness, randomness 2 Comments

Functionally Fit

When deciding how “in shape” you need to be, be it only slightly overweight or totally buff, there’s a term called “functionally fit.” That means that you’re in shape enough to do the things you need to do, and do the recreational activities you want to do. Say, for instance, you decided you wanted to go hiking and camping. Could you do it? How about skiing or snowboarding (besides not knowing how)? Or would it leave you in total pain the next day, or would you even be able to enjoy yourself while you were doing it?

Yesterday, Aaron and Mark and I helped Kris and Jamie move Kris’s stuff from his parents’ basement (where it had been in storage) to their new house in Maumee. Moving it out was mainly a matter of logistics, since he’d moved most everything up into the garage prior to yesterday’s move. We just had to pack the truck so that everything would fit. (Everything did, for the most part; he just needs to go back for his guitars.)

Moving it in, though, involved a steep 1960’s stairwell with no carpet and no banister, in addition to the front stairs up to the house. And I discovered something about myself that I’d been ignoring before: I go to great lengths to avoid cardio. Like going up and down stairs. Moving heavy stuff, sure, I’m all about it. I’ll unload the truck and move the heavy crap to the edge where someone can grab it and take it up to the upstairs bedroom. But actually carrying the stuff up there? Rather not. Because it makes me all out of breath, and my legs get all heavy and tired.

Lazy ass.

This morning when I awoke, my biceps were sore, my delts were sore, my lower back was sore (I lifted one Rubbermaid tote incorrectly, thinking it was a light one when it wasn’t), my ass was sore… I’m sure I’m forgetting something. So what did I do about it?

I grabbed the pruning shears and went outside to give the hedges a haircut.

Now my arms are sore *and* weak, but I’m OK with that. I’d rather keep moving. Today, Aaron and I are going to take a nice, long walk at Wildwood Metropark and test out Fries’s late grandfather’s camera before I offer to buy it.

So… functionally fit? Close, but not quite. At least I learned something about myself, though.