What IS it with the DC metro area bikers? I sometimes jog in the mornings on trails that just happen to feed into the district, and without fail I am always nearly killed by a biker who is trying to run me over. Seriously, all you bikers out there SUCK. The majority lot of you have your heads just SO FAR up your asses, it's incredible. Especially you, guy who rides south on the W&OD around 6 am who yells at joggers. Who do you think you are?! If I could run fast enough, I would run right up on your ass and push you off your stinking bike and then I would stand over you dinging your bike-bell and yelling, "Can't see you in RED, can't see you in RED!!" Dude. Take your reflective belt and shove it.
This morning one whizzed past so close and fast that his "on your left" came just as he was actually literally ON my left - I nearly had a heart attack. Possibly I am just grumpy in the early morning, or possibly I'm lashing out in anger at a microcosm of the entire DC vibe that I detest - the Rat Race (which if you understand that term, you live here). My near-death experience compounded the general suckiness that was this morning's ATTEMPT at a run - I headed out on the Custis, west if you must know, which usually alleviates the problem of having to duck for your life from the bikers since they are mostly headed east towards DC unless they are passing an also east-bound jogger at the same time as you and therefore aim for you HEAD ON instead of trying to sideswipe you...
What was I saying? Oh yes. My run. It sucked. Or rather, I sucked at it. It went really, astoundingly poorly. I couldn't identify which variable was responsible - the near 90% humidity, my cotton (read: death-fabric) ensemble, poor sleep or nutrition - or maybe it was a perfect storm of converging inconveniences. I was extremely nauseated and had to keep stopping to walk. I managed to run about 3 out of the 4 mile loop, the whole time feeling like I was on the verge of puking my guts out. It wasn't a problem of cardiovascular fitness (my lungs felt fine). I'll just chalk it up to a bad day and move on, although I do need to slate at least one long-ish run each week in order to keep my endurance up. Something inside me needs to be able to go out and run 5 miles easily. I don't need to do it all the time, but I need to be able to.
I'm a nutter.
So I'm putting that on my short list of near-term fitness goals. After a week of complete and total slacking on my part since the Turbulence Training contest ended last Wednesday, I have let things go all to pot. So. As of today, as of this morning's revelation of SUCK, I am publicly recommitting to my goals! You heard it right here on Alchemy folks. Here they are, my goals for the next month - a trio of 5's:
"The Triple Nickle"
1. Lose 5 more lbs. By Sept. 1 I will weigh 135#.
2. Do 5 chin ups. By Sept. 1 I will complete 5 real chin ups.
3. Run 5 miles. By Sept. 1 I will be able to easily run 5 miles on the trails again.
Feel free to publicly scorn me if I am slipping again.
**********
Doidle - HI!!! I'm actually an Air Force brat - we lived all over kindom come - Germany (3 times), Las Vegas, Kansas, Alabama (SUCK), DC, Turkey, Italy! I graduated high school in Turkey in a class of ELEVEN. High five for DoDDS brats! :D
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
And it's only Tuesday!!!
I must have some bad karma to work out cause I've had some serious stress the last couple days - jeez.
Metro was broken on my way to work yesterday - well the escalators at Foggy Bottom were broken anyway. They had everyone walking up one escalator and it was such a backup it took about 15 minutes just to get out of the station. It was insane. Of course there were technicians there working on the other escalator - why they had to work on it right then during rush hour is beyond me. Even if it wasn't working we could have walked up it!!
Then of course, the actual train was broken on my way home! GAH!
I got to work today and discovered an email in my inbox about an error I had made in a paper for the PRESIDENT. Yeah. Not smart. Not cool. Everyone makes mistakes, but you don't make mistakes for the big guy - at least not for very long, you know, before they push the 'eject' button (step a little to the left... little more...*)
And I totally bawled my eyes out in the doctor's office over lunch. I went for my follow up appointment with the gyn about not having my cycle anymore. I have no idea why I was crying. I just felt strung out about the whole thing. I got a little misty and she asked me what I was so upset about and I just lost it. I forgot to do the Target trick (you know, where you think about shopping in Target and it calms you down - try it!) so I just sat there simpering. She wants me to do a round of Provera to start my cycle again. I don't really want to do that - I don't want to take any more synthetic hormones than I already have to for my thyroid! I asked her about bioidentical progesterone and she seemed skeptical but said she would look into it. I will probably try that before I try the Provera. I don't want to have to mess with this stuff, but more than that, I'm frankly terrified that I won't be able to have kids. I know that's a bridge I can't really cross until I actually start trying to get pregnant, but I WANT ANSWERS!! It sucks just having to sit here wondering!
Oh, and last night I didn't sleep at all because I was tossing and turning with GI issues all night. I don't know if I ate some deadly combination of something - I can't remember anything out of the ordinary... I did forget to take my candida cleanse stuff so maybe that is why? I have not had any GI issues since I started the cleanse.
So. I kinda just want this day to end!!
*Team America anyone??? LOL.
Metro was broken on my way to work yesterday - well the escalators at Foggy Bottom were broken anyway. They had everyone walking up one escalator and it was such a backup it took about 15 minutes just to get out of the station. It was insane. Of course there were technicians there working on the other escalator - why they had to work on it right then during rush hour is beyond me. Even if it wasn't working we could have walked up it!!
Then of course, the actual train was broken on my way home! GAH!
I got to work today and discovered an email in my inbox about an error I had made in a paper for the PRESIDENT. Yeah. Not smart. Not cool. Everyone makes mistakes, but you don't make mistakes for the big guy - at least not for very long, you know, before they push the 'eject' button (step a little to the left... little more...*)
And I totally bawled my eyes out in the doctor's office over lunch. I went for my follow up appointment with the gyn about not having my cycle anymore. I have no idea why I was crying. I just felt strung out about the whole thing. I got a little misty and she asked me what I was so upset about and I just lost it. I forgot to do the Target trick (you know, where you think about shopping in Target and it calms you down - try it!) so I just sat there simpering. She wants me to do a round of Provera to start my cycle again. I don't really want to do that - I don't want to take any more synthetic hormones than I already have to for my thyroid! I asked her about bioidentical progesterone and she seemed skeptical but said she would look into it. I will probably try that before I try the Provera. I don't want to have to mess with this stuff, but more than that, I'm frankly terrified that I won't be able to have kids. I know that's a bridge I can't really cross until I actually start trying to get pregnant, but I WANT ANSWERS!! It sucks just having to sit here wondering!
Oh, and last night I didn't sleep at all because I was tossing and turning with GI issues all night. I don't know if I ate some deadly combination of something - I can't remember anything out of the ordinary... I did forget to take my candida cleanse stuff so maybe that is why? I have not had any GI issues since I started the cleanse.
So. I kinda just want this day to end!!
*Team America anyone??? LOL.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Big Brother sez Eetchyoor Chemikillz
Saw this on the PN Forums this morning.
"Recently, the Corn Refiners Association announced that they are launching a $30 million advertising campaign that is aimed at convincing consumers that HFCS [high fructose corn syrup] is a natural compound, fundamentally the same as honey. Of course, unlike honey, HFCS is the product of a complex, chemical-intensive refining process that takes place in an industrial setting, but why quibble? Strangely, the FDA has agreed with them. Unfortunately, rather than convince me that HFCS is all-natural, the FDA's stance has made me seriously question the integrity of the federal government when it comes to food purity."
Incidentally, here's how HFCS is made:
"Cornstarch is first treated with a purified enzyme, alpha-amylase, to produce shorter chains of sugars called polysaccharides. . . . The polysaccharides (short chains of sugar) are then broken down even further by adding a second enzyme called glucoamylase. . . . The addition of glucoamylase to the polysaccharides yields the simple sugar glucose."
Natural indeed.
As quoted on this site, Debra Eschmeyer at the Ethicurian puts it best:
"Recently, the Corn Refiners Association announced that they are launching a $30 million advertising campaign that is aimed at convincing consumers that HFCS [high fructose corn syrup] is a natural compound, fundamentally the same as honey. Of course, unlike honey, HFCS is the product of a complex, chemical-intensive refining process that takes place in an industrial setting, but why quibble? Strangely, the FDA has agreed with them. Unfortunately, rather than convince me that HFCS is all-natural, the FDA's stance has made me seriously question the integrity of the federal government when it comes to food purity."
Incidentally, here's how HFCS is made:
"Cornstarch is first treated with a purified enzyme, alpha-amylase, to produce shorter chains of sugars called polysaccharides. . . . The polysaccharides (short chains of sugar) are then broken down even further by adding a second enzyme called glucoamylase. . . . The addition of glucoamylase to the polysaccharides yields the simple sugar glucose."
Natural indeed.
As quoted on this site, Debra Eschmeyer at the Ethicurian puts it best:
"I find the Corn Refiners Association’s chutzpah unbelievable. Our already failing health care system is ill-prepared for the absolute crush and cost of the coming wave of diabetics, yet industry is spending millions of dollars to persuade us to partake of even more empty calories. With 30% of the U.S. population considered obese, the last thing our country needs is more sugar of any kind."
Ode to Target
Oh Target, how do you manage to spellbind me into spending $100 every time I walk through your doors? I don't even like your tawdry, cheap clothes and I certainly don't need any more home goods. Yet somehow I am mesmerized when I walk through your aisles. Lip gloss and moisturizer I didn't know I needed - cleaning products, storage containers, pens and notebooks, and always, always new workout clothes. Today it is pants. Though you never, ever have size Medium for some reason. Ever. Usually I dig and dig and finally find a Medium hanging on an XL hanger.
I did get a piece of poster board to start my vision board, and some glue sticks. I've been ripping pics out of magazines already. A vision board (you probably already know) is where you paste images of your goals, your "vision", on a board and put it where you can see it all the time. The visual images are very stimulating and help you to realize your dreams. I'm all about that! What's going on mine? Hawaii, fit girls with nice abs, Adam, inspiring words ... I'll post a pic when it's finished!
I did get a piece of poster board to start my vision board, and some glue sticks. I've been ripping pics out of magazines already. A vision board (you probably already know) is where you paste images of your goals, your "vision", on a board and put it where you can see it all the time. The visual images are very stimulating and help you to realize your dreams. I'm all about that! What's going on mine? Hawaii, fit girls with nice abs, Adam, inspiring words ... I'll post a pic when it's finished!
Friday, July 25, 2008
Apropos of nothing
Something truly spectacular is happening with the weather in DC right now. It's about 80 degrees out, very little humidity. It's quite comfortable outside! Tourists are lucky to get a reprieve from what is usually the hottest week of the year. We're going to get rain again this weekend - that usually helps cool things off and wash some of the haze (read: pollution) and humidity out of the air.
Holy schmokes, I cannot believe it is nearly August. Gasp. Where oh where is this year going? I know I sound like a broken record, but TIME FLIES, Y'ALL. Soon it will be fall. How I love fall. LOVE. Cooler temps, sweaters, colorful leaves crunching underfoot, freshly sharpened pencils and the smell of chalk, football ... sigh. I should be a prof at a northeastern university, I think. One of the many lives in my head.
As much as I think I want to do something else with my life than what I am doing now, I also can't conceive of leaving this job. As much as I complain and disdain, and as much as I know there are other interesting and important things to do with one's time, in my heart I really like what I do. I like the impact I have. I like being part of history. My name will probably never be written in the history books, but I like knowing I had an influence on events. When people in the future are writing about missile tests and nuclear nonproliferation and targeted financial sanctions, I will know that I had a hand in it. I made things happen. Big things that set off dominoes with GLOBAL effects. What other job can you wake up and see your work on the front page of the papers several days a week?! Trade offs I guess, right?
So, I'm on the metro this morning. The lady I sit next to decides to strike up a conversation with me, despite the fact that I'm listening to my iPod. She wants to talk about how beautiful this furry-looking ... thing is that the lady across from us is knitting. I was watching the lady and actually thinking I felt sorry for her 14 year old neice who will probably have to wear it to school and will get teased by EVERYONE because she's wearing a cotton-candy-pink charpei that her aunt knitted feverishly on the metro. Meanwhile, the guy on the other side of the car is reading the Express paper and intently picking his nose. Picking and picking, digging very seriously. Occasionally he wipes one of his treasures on the paper, flips the page and resumes his digging. Then he starts on the other side. It goes on like this the entire time I'm on the train. I have no idea what could possibly have been IN there?
Holy schmokes, I cannot believe it is nearly August. Gasp. Where oh where is this year going? I know I sound like a broken record, but TIME FLIES, Y'ALL. Soon it will be fall. How I love fall. LOVE. Cooler temps, sweaters, colorful leaves crunching underfoot, freshly sharpened pencils and the smell of chalk, football ... sigh. I should be a prof at a northeastern university, I think. One of the many lives in my head.
As much as I think I want to do something else with my life than what I am doing now, I also can't conceive of leaving this job. As much as I complain and disdain, and as much as I know there are other interesting and important things to do with one's time, in my heart I really like what I do. I like the impact I have. I like being part of history. My name will probably never be written in the history books, but I like knowing I had an influence on events. When people in the future are writing about missile tests and nuclear nonproliferation and targeted financial sanctions, I will know that I had a hand in it. I made things happen. Big things that set off dominoes with GLOBAL effects. What other job can you wake up and see your work on the front page of the papers several days a week?! Trade offs I guess, right?
So, I'm on the metro this morning. The lady I sit next to decides to strike up a conversation with me, despite the fact that I'm listening to my iPod. She wants to talk about how beautiful this furry-looking ... thing is that the lady across from us is knitting. I was watching the lady and actually thinking I felt sorry for her 14 year old neice who will probably have to wear it to school and will get teased by EVERYONE because she's wearing a cotton-candy-pink charpei that her aunt knitted feverishly on the metro. Meanwhile, the guy on the other side of the car is reading the Express paper and intently picking his nose. Picking and picking, digging very seriously. Occasionally he wipes one of his treasures on the paper, flips the page and resumes his digging. Then he starts on the other side. It goes on like this the entire time I'm on the train. I have no idea what could possibly have been IN there?
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Turbulence Training Transformation Contest - Final Results
Or, I cannot believe I am posting pictures of myself in a bikini on the WEBZ!!!
Today marks the end of twelve weeks of commitment to living the Turbulence Training lifestyle. This journey has been extremely rewarding for me - I've had ups and downs, but mostly it's been FUN! I'm really proud of myself for sticking to this through the end and really pleased to see my body changing. I finally feel like myself again - my clothes fit and I've developed some great habits that I let fall by the wayside.
The most important thing I've learned through this process, though, is balance. You can't out-exercise poor dietary habits! But you can run yourself into the ground trying. After recovering from thyroid cancer treatments and gaining about 20 lbs last year in the span of only a few months, I felt like I'd been through the ringer. I went from being a thin, active, fit person to a physically weakened SURVIVOR, who struggled with hormones being all out of whack and feeling totally out of control of my own body! When I saw the TT contest advertised, I knew it was exactly what I needed.
I sat myself down and said, Self, you need to get real! You need to start taking some steps to reclaim your life and your energies! I knew I could do it, but I knew I would need support. The motivation of the TT forum and the other contestants, and all the information provided in the TT interviews and downloads was critical to my success. It's not just about working out. It's about working IN - doing the inner work on myself as I make my way on this journey to 'live the life I imagine' and to take charge of my actions, my mind and my body. Everything in life flows from that - if we don't master our own minds and bodies, what do we have?!
I've followed TT for twelve weeks, doing the workouts pretty much as written. I didn't do extra cardio, I didn't do strange dietary manipulations - these are the results of a normal girl with a stressful job just trying to shed some extra body weight! I love the TT workouts, I love getting a new one every 4 weeks, I love the new and challenging exercises and combinations, I love the sometimes wacky cardio routines, I love coming to this forum and hanging out with my TT buddies, and I LOVE the results! So here they are...
May 1, 2008 vs. July 23, 2008
Height: 5'6"
Age: 28
Weight: 152 / 140 ( -12)
Neck: 12.5 / 12.5
Shoulder: 42 / 41 (-1)
Bicep: 11.5 / 11.5
Chest: 35 / 34.5 (-.5)
Under bust: 30.75 / 29.5 (-1.25)
Waist: 28.5 / 27.75 (-.75)
Bellybutton: 32 / 30 (-2)
Abdomen: 34 / 33.25 (-.75)
Hips: 36 / 35.25 (-.75)
Butt: 39 / 38 (-1)
Thigh: 22.75 / 22 (-.75)
Calf: 14 / 13.75 (-.25)
So I've lost 9 inches and 12 lbs! Woo!! From looking at my pictures, I still have some work to do, but now I know I have the tools to succeed! Thanks Craig!!
Today marks the end of twelve weeks of commitment to living the Turbulence Training lifestyle. This journey has been extremely rewarding for me - I've had ups and downs, but mostly it's been FUN! I'm really proud of myself for sticking to this through the end and really pleased to see my body changing. I finally feel like myself again - my clothes fit and I've developed some great habits that I let fall by the wayside.
The most important thing I've learned through this process, though, is balance. You can't out-exercise poor dietary habits! But you can run yourself into the ground trying. After recovering from thyroid cancer treatments and gaining about 20 lbs last year in the span of only a few months, I felt like I'd been through the ringer. I went from being a thin, active, fit person to a physically weakened SURVIVOR, who struggled with hormones being all out of whack and feeling totally out of control of my own body! When I saw the TT contest advertised, I knew it was exactly what I needed.
I sat myself down and said, Self, you need to get real! You need to start taking some steps to reclaim your life and your energies! I knew I could do it, but I knew I would need support. The motivation of the TT forum and the other contestants, and all the information provided in the TT interviews and downloads was critical to my success. It's not just about working out. It's about working IN - doing the inner work on myself as I make my way on this journey to 'live the life I imagine' and to take charge of my actions, my mind and my body. Everything in life flows from that - if we don't master our own minds and bodies, what do we have?!
I've followed TT for twelve weeks, doing the workouts pretty much as written. I didn't do extra cardio, I didn't do strange dietary manipulations - these are the results of a normal girl with a stressful job just trying to shed some extra body weight! I love the TT workouts, I love getting a new one every 4 weeks, I love the new and challenging exercises and combinations, I love the sometimes wacky cardio routines, I love coming to this forum and hanging out with my TT buddies, and I LOVE the results! So here they are...
May 1, 2008 vs. July 23, 2008
Height: 5'6"
Age: 28
Weight: 152 / 140 ( -12)
Neck: 12.5 / 12.5
Shoulder: 42 / 41 (-1)
Bicep: 11.5 / 11.5
Chest: 35 / 34.5 (-.5)
Under bust: 30.75 / 29.5 (-1.25)
Waist: 28.5 / 27.75 (-.75)
Bellybutton: 32 / 30 (-2)
Abdomen: 34 / 33.25 (-.75)
Hips: 36 / 35.25 (-.75)
Butt: 39 / 38 (-1)
Thigh: 22.75 / 22 (-.75)
Calf: 14 / 13.75 (-.25)
So I've lost 9 inches and 12 lbs! Woo!! From looking at my pictures, I still have some work to do, but now I know I have the tools to succeed! Thanks Craig!!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Monticello, UVA and the Masonic Temple
I dropped Adam off at the airport not long ago and I find I have no motivation for anything other than sulking right now. It's been such a fun, relaxing and perfect week. Now sitting here alone with chores to do and errands to run feels like waking from a dream. It's not like we didn't do any chores or errands while Adam was here. We replaced light bulbs, went to the grocery store, got work done on the car, scrubbed the bathroom and did laundry. But somehow it doesn't seem like a sad reminder of the monotony of life's necessities when we do it together. Maybe that sounds like a nauseating romance novel, but it's true.
All I can think about is that it seems so senseless that we are separated. That he's in Hawaii and I am here. Why? For what? For my career? It's in my power to change the situation. I feel like I'm standing at a crossroads. Down one path, I can see my life if I stay here and keep investing in a DC career. Down the other path is... what? I don't know any alternative right now. I have some ideas of what it could look like, but nothing is clear. And so much it seems like I have to keep on this path in order to secure success and happiness on the other. But is that an illusion? If I'm being completely honest, it's fear that keeps me here. Fear that I will close doors or miss out on opportunities. Fear of failure - that I might be giving up. So here I am. Alone in this city,
waiting. Trying to trust that the universe will nudge me in the right direction at the right time. Even though I despise my choice, if I can see no alternative then it must be the thing for now.
++++++++++++++++++++
Yesterday was relaxing and lazy. We worked out, laid around and went to church. But we were busy on Thursday and Friday. On Thursday we drove down to Charlottesville to tour Monticello (Thomas Jefferson's home) and the University of Virginia. Monticello was awesome! Jefferson taught himself architecture and designed the house himself. It's really well preserved, and full of all the original furniture and books and scientific instruments that fascinated him.
The house is on top of a hill so all around are views of the rolling hills and valleys. We actually had really nice weather while Adam was here. It was hot but not too unbearably humid. Below the house are several gardens where they still grow different plants and vegetables, which you can buy at the gift shop. Jefferson grew all different kinds of vegetables and fruits.
Two long porches stretch out on either side of the back lawn from both sides of the house. You can see views of the valleys below from both porches. All around are gardens making a big oval lawn behind the house in between the porches.
This is another view of the back of the house from farther down the lawn. You can see some of the flowers lining the path around the grass. Jefferson was enamored with ancient Greek and classical architecture - hence the domed roof and the columns on both the front and back of the house.
There was a big fish pond on the South side, which they kept stocked so the fish would be fresh. Another interesting feature was an ice house. When the rivers froze, Jefferson would have his slaves and employees go collect huge chunks of ice and store it in a cistern on the North side of the house. Surprisingly, the ice lasted through the summer.
You approach the front of the house by a long path through a tunnel of trees.
It's easy to imagine pulling up in a horse-drawn carriage! Life must have been much more uncomfortable back then.
After Monticello, we drove into Charlottesville's downtown area and then over to the UVA campus. Jefferson built UVA and the center of the campus is still preserved exactly how it was built. Along both sides of the "lawn" in the center are student residences - I guess it's a big deal to get selected to live in them. But there are no toilets inside, you have to go outside to use a community toilet!
Then on Friday we toured the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria. It's this huge temple that houses a museum and tours of several rooms where the public can learn about Washington and Freemasonry. It was interesting to learn how much a secret fraternity has affected the history of our country. One out of three Presidents has been a Mason. Washington is the most prominent and well known. Ford was the most recent. The museum houses some of Washington's personal effects, which were neat to see. We learned that Washington probably died prematurely. He came down with a severe sore throat and the doctors bled him, which was customary at the time and typically resulted in the loss of 80% of a person's blood volume! That's what killed him.
This picture is in the York room - the Yorks are one of the societies within Freemasonry that focuses on Christian history and artifacts - this room looked like part of a French castle complete with suits of armor, stained glass and a sword from the crusades!
This is a view inside the main hall on the ground floor - full of marble and these HUGE granite columns that weigh two tons each and are solid pieces. Behind us is a statue of George Washington.
That's it for now! It's getting close to 8:30 so I should find out what time the grocery store opens and get done with the drudgery. Hope you enjoyed the pics!
All I can think about is that it seems so senseless that we are separated. That he's in Hawaii and I am here. Why? For what? For my career? It's in my power to change the situation. I feel like I'm standing at a crossroads. Down one path, I can see my life if I stay here and keep investing in a DC career. Down the other path is... what? I don't know any alternative right now. I have some ideas of what it could look like, but nothing is clear. And so much it seems like I have to keep on this path in order to secure success and happiness on the other. But is that an illusion? If I'm being completely honest, it's fear that keeps me here. Fear that I will close doors or miss out on opportunities. Fear of failure - that I might be giving up. So here I am. Alone in this city,
waiting. Trying to trust that the universe will nudge me in the right direction at the right time. Even though I despise my choice, if I can see no alternative then it must be the thing for now.
++++++++++++++++++++
Yesterday was relaxing and lazy. We worked out, laid around and went to church. But we were busy on Thursday and Friday. On Thursday we drove down to Charlottesville to tour Monticello (Thomas Jefferson's home) and the University of Virginia. Monticello was awesome! Jefferson taught himself architecture and designed the house himself. It's really well preserved, and full of all the original furniture and books and scientific instruments that fascinated him.
The house is on top of a hill so all around are views of the rolling hills and valleys. We actually had really nice weather while Adam was here. It was hot but not too unbearably humid. Below the house are several gardens where they still grow different plants and vegetables, which you can buy at the gift shop. Jefferson grew all different kinds of vegetables and fruits.
Two long porches stretch out on either side of the back lawn from both sides of the house. You can see views of the valleys below from both porches. All around are gardens making a big oval lawn behind the house in between the porches.
This is another view of the back of the house from farther down the lawn. You can see some of the flowers lining the path around the grass. Jefferson was enamored with ancient Greek and classical architecture - hence the domed roof and the columns on both the front and back of the house.
There was a big fish pond on the South side, which they kept stocked so the fish would be fresh. Another interesting feature was an ice house. When the rivers froze, Jefferson would have his slaves and employees go collect huge chunks of ice and store it in a cistern on the North side of the house. Surprisingly, the ice lasted through the summer.
You approach the front of the house by a long path through a tunnel of trees.
It's easy to imagine pulling up in a horse-drawn carriage! Life must have been much more uncomfortable back then.
After Monticello, we drove into Charlottesville's downtown area and then over to the UVA campus. Jefferson built UVA and the center of the campus is still preserved exactly how it was built. Along both sides of the "lawn" in the center are student residences - I guess it's a big deal to get selected to live in them. But there are no toilets inside, you have to go outside to use a community toilet!
Then on Friday we toured the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria. It's this huge temple that houses a museum and tours of several rooms where the public can learn about Washington and Freemasonry. It was interesting to learn how much a secret fraternity has affected the history of our country. One out of three Presidents has been a Mason. Washington is the most prominent and well known. Ford was the most recent. The museum houses some of Washington's personal effects, which were neat to see. We learned that Washington probably died prematurely. He came down with a severe sore throat and the doctors bled him, which was customary at the time and typically resulted in the loss of 80% of a person's blood volume! That's what killed him.
This picture is in the York room - the Yorks are one of the societies within Freemasonry that focuses on Christian history and artifacts - this room looked like part of a French castle complete with suits of armor, stained glass and a sword from the crusades!
This is a view inside the main hall on the ground floor - full of marble and these HUGE granite columns that weigh two tons each and are solid pieces. Behind us is a statue of George Washington.
That's it for now! It's getting close to 8:30 so I should find out what time the grocery store opens and get done with the drudgery. Hope you enjoyed the pics!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Berkeley Springs, Little Bennett Regional Park, Henderson Hall
Well, yesterday was .... interesting.
We drove out to West Virginia, just over the border to Berkeley Springs - the nation's first hot springs. Apparently George Washington used to go there to bathe. There's even a little stone-lined spring they call his bathtub. It's a state park where you can get a mineral bath and a massage for $40! It was definitely not swanky, though. More like a public bath house.
We arrived for our appointments and got whisked away to our separate sides - men on the right and women on the left. I was told to undress and wrap myself in a large sheet, then led back to the "Roman bath" which was essentially a large wading pool. The attendant held up the sheet while I climbed down the stairs into the pool of warm water where I got to soak for 15 minutes. She told me I could sit on the steps or do whatever I wanted - but I was not about to sit on the steps. They say they drain the water between each person, but it still felt a little, I don't know, unsanitary or something?!
When my bath was up, I was taken over to a room full of massage tables in stalls and lay down for my massage. She used olive oil, which was kind of interesting. There was no air conditioning, just fans blowing air around everywhere. It was surreal. The massage felt nice enough, then it was over! I went out to wait for Adam.
There was a guy waiting there to bathe who was wearing short shorts and a t-shirt, with a long ponytail. I was trying not to stare because something seemed a little funny about him, so I was staring at the ground when I suddenly noticed his feet. His toenails were no shit about 5 inches long. I almost barfed right there. The big ones were curled around over the ends of his toes - they were thick and brown. They looked like tree bark. TREE BARK. It was so, so, so, SO disgusting! I think I threw up a little in my mouth just thinking about it. All I could think was he's going in there to BATHE in a public bath house!! BAAAARRRRF!!!
Adam finally appeared about 15 minutes later with a bewildered look on his face and we left to find an ice cream parlor. His only comment initially was "that was special." And that his masseuse was called Humpty Dumpty. Later he asked me, "how was the towel over you while they were massaging you?" I said, "it was a sheet covering every part of me they weren't working on - I was all covered up...... why, where was yours?!" He said, "it was just a towel and it was all bunched up just covering up my butt crack.... like right over my crack, covering nothing else.... are you getting an image?!" I just stared laughing, and he said, "I KNEW IT!! I KNEW that was not NORMAL!!" Hahaha! No, it wasn't anything pervy - we don't think - it was just some old quirky dude - LOL!
Here's me and Adam after our massages with the bath house in the background. Yep, it looks like a public pool. The mineral content of the water is supposed to be really healthy for you. Don't we look all glowy? :P What you don't see is all the freaking gnats that were swarming us. I was DONE by that point. D.U.N. And Adam was of course was taking forEVER to take the picture, I was about to have a hernia. Can you spot my scar?
OK. Some more pics! This below is one from our hike at Little Bennett Regional Park on Sunday. The first part of the trail was called the Moundbuilder Trail, and you can see why - these gigantic ant hills were EVERYWHERE around the trail and the trail itself was literally CRAWLING with ants - they were all over the place. We walked quickly though there, I didn't want to stop too long and have them all crawling up my legs! It was creepy!
And here's Adam about halfway through the hike where we stopped for lunch in a little park by an old boarded up one room school house that was used in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Pretty cool to think kids used to come to school there! So different from today. There was even a little rope-suspension bridge.
We just got back from working out over at Ft. Meyer at Henderson Hall - the Marine Corps gym. Adam is Crossfitting now - he loves it. His workout today was some crazy pyramid of hand-stand push ups and L-pullups. Here he is doing the pull ups.
And the hand-stand push ups - they looked really hard and painful.
And here's me doing push-presses in my SuperSet t-shirt! I love it. I'm only putting up 65# - Adam was encouraging me to go for 100. Maybe I could have done that if I'd been fresh, but I was fatigued by that point and I was like, there's no way!
Train hard and expect success!
We drove out to West Virginia, just over the border to Berkeley Springs - the nation's first hot springs. Apparently George Washington used to go there to bathe. There's even a little stone-lined spring they call his bathtub. It's a state park where you can get a mineral bath and a massage for $40! It was definitely not swanky, though. More like a public bath house.
We arrived for our appointments and got whisked away to our separate sides - men on the right and women on the left. I was told to undress and wrap myself in a large sheet, then led back to the "Roman bath" which was essentially a large wading pool. The attendant held up the sheet while I climbed down the stairs into the pool of warm water where I got to soak for 15 minutes. She told me I could sit on the steps or do whatever I wanted - but I was not about to sit on the steps. They say they drain the water between each person, but it still felt a little, I don't know, unsanitary or something?!
When my bath was up, I was taken over to a room full of massage tables in stalls and lay down for my massage. She used olive oil, which was kind of interesting. There was no air conditioning, just fans blowing air around everywhere. It was surreal. The massage felt nice enough, then it was over! I went out to wait for Adam.
There was a guy waiting there to bathe who was wearing short shorts and a t-shirt, with a long ponytail. I was trying not to stare because something seemed a little funny about him, so I was staring at the ground when I suddenly noticed his feet. His toenails were no shit about 5 inches long. I almost barfed right there. The big ones were curled around over the ends of his toes - they were thick and brown. They looked like tree bark. TREE BARK. It was so, so, so, SO disgusting! I think I threw up a little in my mouth just thinking about it. All I could think was he's going in there to BATHE in a public bath house!! BAAAARRRRF!!!
Adam finally appeared about 15 minutes later with a bewildered look on his face and we left to find an ice cream parlor. His only comment initially was "that was special." And that his masseuse was called Humpty Dumpty. Later he asked me, "how was the towel over you while they were massaging you?" I said, "it was a sheet covering every part of me they weren't working on - I was all covered up...... why, where was yours?!" He said, "it was just a towel and it was all bunched up just covering up my butt crack.... like right over my crack, covering nothing else.... are you getting an image?!" I just stared laughing, and he said, "I KNEW IT!! I KNEW that was not NORMAL!!" Hahaha! No, it wasn't anything pervy - we don't think - it was just some old quirky dude - LOL!
Here's me and Adam after our massages with the bath house in the background. Yep, it looks like a public pool. The mineral content of the water is supposed to be really healthy for you. Don't we look all glowy? :P What you don't see is all the freaking gnats that were swarming us. I was DONE by that point. D.U.N. And Adam was of course was taking forEVER to take the picture, I was about to have a hernia. Can you spot my scar?
OK. Some more pics! This below is one from our hike at Little Bennett Regional Park on Sunday. The first part of the trail was called the Moundbuilder Trail, and you can see why - these gigantic ant hills were EVERYWHERE around the trail and the trail itself was literally CRAWLING with ants - they were all over the place. We walked quickly though there, I didn't want to stop too long and have them all crawling up my legs! It was creepy!
And here's Adam about halfway through the hike where we stopped for lunch in a little park by an old boarded up one room school house that was used in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Pretty cool to think kids used to come to school there! So different from today. There was even a little rope-suspension bridge.
We just got back from working out over at Ft. Meyer at Henderson Hall - the Marine Corps gym. Adam is Crossfitting now - he loves it. His workout today was some crazy pyramid of hand-stand push ups and L-pullups. Here he is doing the pull ups.
And the hand-stand push ups - they looked really hard and painful.
And here's me doing push-presses in my SuperSet t-shirt! I love it. I'm only putting up 65# - Adam was encouraging me to go for 100. Maybe I could have done that if I'd been fresh, but I was fatigued by that point and I was like, there's no way!
Train hard and expect success!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Why is everybody so f*cking stooopid?! Oh. And also Screen on the Green!!!
I think I have officially lost - utterly lost - all faith in the medical establishment. My experiences with doctors the last two days put the final nail in the coffin. I swear, my endocrinologist is the only one who seems to know anything, and even he sometimes I suspect of being merely the least retarded of the lot.
I went to the ob/gyn yesterday to find out why I've only had my period twice in the last year. After making me wait FORTY FIVE minutes past my scheduled appointment time (oh. my. gawd.) she has to email my endocrinologist to ask HIM what he thinks about the problem. I should have just gone to him in the first place! Oh, and apparently I have a "prolactin gland." In my brain.
Why is it that I know more with my google education than someone with a medical degree? Forget google, I remember from fifth grade health that she's actually talking about the pituitary gland, which is not exactly IN your brain so much as right below it.
Down in the lab, I'm told it's too late in the day to get the blood work done. I need to come back first thing in the morning, fasted, no sex and UNSHOWERED.
??
I can't find on google anywhere that says I need to be hungry or stinky to have my prolactin tested... but I do it anyway because so help me god if I get there in the morning after eating breakfast and they tell me I have to come back another time without food in my system, I will take someone's face off.
So after being out till past midnight last night at the Screen on the Green, I roll out of bed this morning and take my funky, hungry self over to the clinic. Where I'm told, no you didn't need to fast for this. Fine.
Luckily I didn't have to wait, but the experience was doomed anyway. I've had blood drawn so many times in the last couple of years that I can tell with a glance if the person is going to be good at it or if they're like freaking Hannibal Lecter. So when I saw this woman I instantly knew - no good can come of this.
I bared my arm and she jabbed me - ouch! The good ones barely hurt at all. But it wasn't over with that! Oh no. Next thing I know, she's DIGGING AROUND IN MY ARM with the needle - what the.... ? I'm like, ow, bitch, the fuck are you doing?! (Well, you know, in so many words.) She lost the vein. Does that really happen? And if it does, doesn't it say something about your skills? Like possibly that you're INEPT? If there is a phlebotomist out there who wants to defend this woman, please stand up and enlighten me, it would really make me feel better. Because I was, like, really upset! Not even because it hurt so much as because I just felt so VIOLATED. Apparently my "vein is scarred"... despite the huge number of times I have had blood drawn from that site in recent memory, somehow I still doubt the veracity of that justification. I'm calling bullshit!
Shit.
Anyway, you all didn't want to hear about all that melodrama! You wanted to hear about Screen on the Green! It was awesome. So totally cool I couldn't stand it. There were a TON of people there, the mall was packed! The movie screen was set up in front of the Capitol building, and watching Dr. No with the Capitol all lit up in the background was just like, wow. I was geeking out over the patriotic coolness of it all. And what a great movie. There were some great lines in there that had the whole crowd chuckling over the quaintness. Totally, totally fun. Of course I forgot my camera, but I had someone take a pic of us so once she emails it to me I'll post it. This one I ripped off of flickr.
Today we are driving out to Berkeley Springs to sit in the mineral baths and get massages! I will most definitely bring my camera today - I'm getting up right now to put it in the Camelbak. See you guys on the flipside.
I went to the ob/gyn yesterday to find out why I've only had my period twice in the last year. After making me wait FORTY FIVE minutes past my scheduled appointment time (oh. my. gawd.) she has to email my endocrinologist to ask HIM what he thinks about the problem. I should have just gone to him in the first place! Oh, and apparently I have a "prolactin gland." In my brain.
Why is it that I know more with my google education than someone with a medical degree? Forget google, I remember from fifth grade health that she's actually talking about the pituitary gland, which is not exactly IN your brain so much as right below it.
Down in the lab, I'm told it's too late in the day to get the blood work done. I need to come back first thing in the morning, fasted, no sex and UNSHOWERED.
??
I can't find on google anywhere that says I need to be hungry or stinky to have my prolactin tested... but I do it anyway because so help me god if I get there in the morning after eating breakfast and they tell me I have to come back another time without food in my system, I will take someone's face off.
So after being out till past midnight last night at the Screen on the Green, I roll out of bed this morning and take my funky, hungry self over to the clinic. Where I'm told, no you didn't need to fast for this. Fine.
Luckily I didn't have to wait, but the experience was doomed anyway. I've had blood drawn so many times in the last couple of years that I can tell with a glance if the person is going to be good at it or if they're like freaking Hannibal Lecter. So when I saw this woman I instantly knew - no good can come of this.
I bared my arm and she jabbed me - ouch! The good ones barely hurt at all. But it wasn't over with that! Oh no. Next thing I know, she's DIGGING AROUND IN MY ARM with the needle - what the.... ? I'm like, ow, bitch, the fuck are you doing?! (Well, you know, in so many words.) She lost the vein. Does that really happen? And if it does, doesn't it say something about your skills? Like possibly that you're INEPT? If there is a phlebotomist out there who wants to defend this woman, please stand up and enlighten me, it would really make me feel better. Because I was, like, really upset! Not even because it hurt so much as because I just felt so VIOLATED. Apparently my "vein is scarred"... despite the huge number of times I have had blood drawn from that site in recent memory, somehow I still doubt the veracity of that justification. I'm calling bullshit!
Shit.
Anyway, you all didn't want to hear about all that melodrama! You wanted to hear about Screen on the Green! It was awesome. So totally cool I couldn't stand it. There were a TON of people there, the mall was packed! The movie screen was set up in front of the Capitol building, and watching Dr. No with the Capitol all lit up in the background was just like, wow. I was geeking out over the patriotic coolness of it all. And what a great movie. There were some great lines in there that had the whole crowd chuckling over the quaintness. Totally, totally fun. Of course I forgot my camera, but I had someone take a pic of us so once she emails it to me I'll post it. This one I ripped off of flickr.
Today we are driving out to Berkeley Springs to sit in the mineral baths and get massages! I will most definitely bring my camera today - I'm getting up right now to put it in the Camelbak. See you guys on the flipside.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Summertime fun
Adam is sleeping off some jet lag. Poor guy was pretty beat yesterday. He's been sleeping about 12 hours now - he must need it. I'm going to let him sleep another 30 minutes or so and then drag his butt outta bed! We're going hiking today. Should be pretty epic - both of the ones we were looking at were 12 milers. I really like hiking but I don't do as much of it as I'd like without Adam around. It's just silly to hike alone, really. I should join a hiking club! That's a great idea, I'll have to look into it..... !!
Yesterday we finally went to see the Indiana Jones movie. I thought it was good, we both liked it. The theater we were in was like 55 degrees, it was so freaking cold. The people next to us left in the beginning of the movie because it was too cold. We toughed it out, but both of us were ice cubes when it was done. Our extremities were cramping and numb! It was insane. I did get two free movie passes out of it though - I went to tell the manager and he was very apologetic even though I told him it wasn't necessary.
Tomorrow we're going to Screen on the Green - where they set up a movie screen on the National Mall and show movies every week in the summer. Tomorrow's flick is Dr. No... classic! I'll get some pics to show you guys!
Yesterday we finally went to see the Indiana Jones movie. I thought it was good, we both liked it. The theater we were in was like 55 degrees, it was so freaking cold. The people next to us left in the beginning of the movie because it was too cold. We toughed it out, but both of us were ice cubes when it was done. Our extremities were cramping and numb! It was insane. I did get two free movie passes out of it though - I went to tell the manager and he was very apologetic even though I told him it wasn't necessary.
Tomorrow we're going to Screen on the Green - where they set up a movie screen on the National Mall and show movies every week in the summer. Tomorrow's flick is Dr. No... classic! I'll get some pics to show you guys!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Diet Update
I have less than 2 weeks left in the Turbulance Training contest! Holy cow! Has it really been 10 weeks already, people?! There is no way I am going to look the way I want to in that timeframe. I'm going to keep dieting for another 4 weeks after the contest and then I plan to end the diet whether I am happy with the way my clothes fit or not. 16 weeks at a caloric deficit is quite enough thankyouverymuch. After that I need to focus on something else, like maintenance and doing lots of pull ups and running really much faster than I do currently.
I'm no longer that interested in running really far, now that I've seen how i can get great results without doing that! Running long distances really tears you down and in my experience doesn't really get you anywhere except burned out when you're trying to diet. The nice thing about endurance training is that you can eat a ton of food and not put on weight. It's something to do for fun, but definitely not a necessity or even the best route to fat loss in my book.
I've been without fruit/sugar for a week now. Yesterday I was sitting down in the basement by the State Dept. candy shop drooling over jelly beans and gummy sour candy. I definitely miss my fruit, at a minimum. I admit grudgingly that I do feel better without it though. It's not like I can give up fruit for the rest of my life, that is simply out of the question. I hope once I finally get these supplements in the mail that the yeast detox rids me of the problem once and for all.
I noticed the same thing last year when I did a low-carb diet. My GI issues all disappeared. I don't think it's the carbs, per se, but the fruit and sugar.
Anyway.
I am being *such* a loser lately about getting up for my workouts in the morning.
Seriously, y'all, I'm annoying MYSELF!! I keep oversleeping my alarm. This morning I did an abbreviated bike sprint session instead of the one prescribed in my workout. I ended up being late for work anyway because they offloaded the train I was on due to a mechanical problem (grrrr).
Adam gets here on SATURDAY I am soooo excited! And I get a week off work! We're going to do all sorts of fun stuff!
Adam sent me the pic below from when he and Garret went to BayFest last weekend over the 4th holiday.
Perhaps you'll agree with me that it looks like he might actually be wearing JEAN SHORTS. After all, he IS wearing a CURE t-shirt.
I'm no longer that interested in running really far, now that I've seen how i can get great results without doing that! Running long distances really tears you down and in my experience doesn't really get you anywhere except burned out when you're trying to diet. The nice thing about endurance training is that you can eat a ton of food and not put on weight. It's something to do for fun, but definitely not a necessity or even the best route to fat loss in my book.
I've been without fruit/sugar for a week now. Yesterday I was sitting down in the basement by the State Dept. candy shop drooling over jelly beans and gummy sour candy. I definitely miss my fruit, at a minimum. I admit grudgingly that I do feel better without it though. It's not like I can give up fruit for the rest of my life, that is simply out of the question. I hope once I finally get these supplements in the mail that the yeast detox rids me of the problem once and for all.
I noticed the same thing last year when I did a low-carb diet. My GI issues all disappeared. I don't think it's the carbs, per se, but the fruit and sugar.
Anyway.
I am being *such* a loser lately about getting up for my workouts in the morning.
Seriously, y'all, I'm annoying MYSELF!! I keep oversleeping my alarm. This morning I did an abbreviated bike sprint session instead of the one prescribed in my workout. I ended up being late for work anyway because they offloaded the train I was on due to a mechanical problem (grrrr).
Adam gets here on SATURDAY I am soooo excited! And I get a week off work! We're going to do all sorts of fun stuff!
Adam sent me the pic below from when he and Garret went to BayFest last weekend over the 4th holiday.
Perhaps you'll agree with me that it looks like he might actually be wearing JEAN SHORTS. After all, he IS wearing a CURE t-shirt.
My response: cute!
you're not wearing JEAN SHORTS are you?
A: no, baby ... those are full-length jeans. but if i was wearing JORTS, they'd become all the rage again.
hahaha! He also sent me this little nugget below. God. What am I 12?Sunday, July 06, 2008
What's Scarier than Dexter?
So, my hairdresser moved to Texas. Total bummer! I called in to the salon and asked for an appointment with "someone good." Did that sound to lackadaisical? Or perhaps it sounded too pretentious and the receptionist decided I needed to be smited (smote?). Whatever, you get the point. I'll let you, my dear readers, decide for yourselves THAT YOU AGREE WITH ME THAT THE RECEPTIONIST MUST BE ON CRACK.
I got in the chair and the relatively normal-looking Asian woman started pawing through my hair. She spoke with a heavy accent - that's no problem ... if you know what you're doing (ahem). She pulls out this salon notepad form thing with questions printed on it and starts walking through it and writing down what I say - just a trim, follow the existing cut, long layers... no brainer, right?! I was immediately freaked the heck out. I mean, if she needs to be prompted about what to ask me and has to write down what I want, she's obviously not "someone good" - more like NOVICE. And, really, does anyone want a novice cutting their hair?! I mean, once I went to the Aveda Institute and let a student cut my hair for about $15, but I knew what I was getting myself into and that I was taking a risk to get a deal.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO??
Part of me wanted to say, "sorry I don't want you to cut my hair," and leave!! But I couldn't, I just didn't have the heart! She was clearly giving it her best. I bit my lip.
She washed my hair. Splashed water all over my face.
Back in the chair - she put product in my hair BEFORE starting to cut it!
She combed it out, grabbed her scissors and audibly made a nervous sigh!
Here's what I was thinking the whole time I was sitting there: OMIGOD-OMIGOD-WTF- OMIGOD- OMIGOD-what's she doing now?- OMIGOD-OMIGOD- oh my gawd, I can't believe this - OMIGOD-OMIGOD-OMIGOD- wonder what this is going to look like - OMIGOD- WTF-OMIGOD.
Then I got perhaps the worst blow out EVER. Bless her heart. I felt so bad, I was just like fuuuuck. The cut doesn't seem too terrible, luckily my hair is just long layers so it's pretty forgiving. It doesn't look like a 6 year old got into it with the Mickey Mouse scissors or anything. It's just not a *good* cut. Must find alternative solution to hair problem NOW!
+++++++++++++++++
In other news, I think I have yeast overgrowth. I read Gut Flush by Ann Louise Gittleman.
***MEN, BE FORWARNED!! WIMMIN'S TALK COMING, IT MAY BE TMI***
I am thinking this because I am having recurrent yeast infections, plus multiple GI issues including bloating and gas and reactions to certain foods. I have sugar cravings, but when I eat sugar, I feel awful afterwards. Plus I have a rash on my stomach and under my sports bra, between the girls. When I started reading the section in the book on yeast, I answered yes to almost all of the questions in the quiz she provides:
1) have you taken repeated or prolonged courses of antibiotics? (YES)
2) have you been bothered by recurrent yeast infections? (YES)
3) do you feel "sick all over" with no apparent cause? (NO)
4) are you bothered by hormone disturbances (YES), PMS (YES), menstrual irregularities (YES), sexual dysfunction (NO), sugar cravings (YES), low body temp (NO), fatigue (YES)
5) are you unusually sensitive to tobacco smoke, perfumes, colognes and chemical odors (YES!)
6) are you bothered by memory or concentration problems (YES)
7) have you taken birth control pills for more than 3 years (YES)
8) do some foods disagree with you or trigger your symptoms (YES)
9) do you suffer with constipation (NO), diarrhea (NO), bloating (YES) or abdominal pain (NO)
10) do you have skin problems - itching, dryness, rash (YES)
So the protocol for the first week is:
- no sweets/molds/starches (no fruit or fruit juice)
- consume probiotic foods 1 per day (saurkraut, miso, kefir, yogurt) AND prebiotic foods 2 per day (onion, garlic, oregano, leeks, jicama)
- consume 2 servings soluble fiber per day (veggies, ground flax seeds)
- 1 tablespoon each fish and flax oil
- water and dandelion root tea (lots)
and take the healing supplements:
- Y C Cleanse (yeast homeopathic remedy)
- flora key (probiotic)
- HCL and digestive enzymes
- additional probiotics
I will keep you all posted once I get everything in the mail!
++++++++++++
BTW, did everyone see that Dara Torres, a 40 year old mom, set a record in the 50 yd freestyle swim event and is going to the Olympics?! Holy Cow! I hope I am that fit and healthy when I'm 40! That's the goal anyway!
++++++++++++
I'll leave you with cutie pies Adam and "little" Garret - haha! Such adorable boys :)
I got in the chair and the relatively normal-looking Asian woman started pawing through my hair. She spoke with a heavy accent - that's no problem ... if you know what you're doing (ahem). She pulls out this salon notepad form thing with questions printed on it and starts walking through it and writing down what I say - just a trim, follow the existing cut, long layers... no brainer, right?! I was immediately freaked the heck out. I mean, if she needs to be prompted about what to ask me and has to write down what I want, she's obviously not "someone good" - more like NOVICE. And, really, does anyone want a novice cutting their hair?! I mean, once I went to the Aveda Institute and let a student cut my hair for about $15, but I knew what I was getting myself into and that I was taking a risk to get a deal.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO??
Part of me wanted to say, "sorry I don't want you to cut my hair," and leave!! But I couldn't, I just didn't have the heart! She was clearly giving it her best. I bit my lip.
She washed my hair. Splashed water all over my face.
Back in the chair - she put product in my hair BEFORE starting to cut it!
She combed it out, grabbed her scissors and audibly made a nervous sigh!
Here's what I was thinking the whole time I was sitting there: OMIGOD-OMIGOD-WTF- OMIGOD- OMIGOD-what's she doing now?- OMIGOD-OMIGOD- oh my gawd, I can't believe this - OMIGOD-OMIGOD-OMIGOD- wonder what this is going to look like - OMIGOD- WTF-OMIGOD.
Then I got perhaps the worst blow out EVER. Bless her heart. I felt so bad, I was just like fuuuuck. The cut doesn't seem too terrible, luckily my hair is just long layers so it's pretty forgiving. It doesn't look like a 6 year old got into it with the Mickey Mouse scissors or anything. It's just not a *good* cut. Must find alternative solution to hair problem NOW!
+++++++++++++++++
In other news, I think I have yeast overgrowth. I read Gut Flush by Ann Louise Gittleman.
***MEN, BE FORWARNED!! WIMMIN'S TALK COMING, IT MAY BE TMI***
I am thinking this because I am having recurrent yeast infections, plus multiple GI issues including bloating and gas and reactions to certain foods. I have sugar cravings, but when I eat sugar, I feel awful afterwards. Plus I have a rash on my stomach and under my sports bra, between the girls. When I started reading the section in the book on yeast, I answered yes to almost all of the questions in the quiz she provides:
1) have you taken repeated or prolonged courses of antibiotics? (YES)
2) have you been bothered by recurrent yeast infections? (YES)
3) do you feel "sick all over" with no apparent cause? (NO)
4) are you bothered by hormone disturbances (YES), PMS (YES), menstrual irregularities (YES), sexual dysfunction (NO), sugar cravings (YES), low body temp (NO), fatigue (YES)
5) are you unusually sensitive to tobacco smoke, perfumes, colognes and chemical odors (YES!)
6) are you bothered by memory or concentration problems (YES)
7) have you taken birth control pills for more than 3 years (YES)
8) do some foods disagree with you or trigger your symptoms (YES)
9) do you suffer with constipation (NO), diarrhea (NO), bloating (YES) or abdominal pain (NO)
10) do you have skin problems - itching, dryness, rash (YES)
So the protocol for the first week is:
- no sweets/molds/starches (no fruit or fruit juice)
- consume probiotic foods 1 per day (saurkraut, miso, kefir, yogurt) AND prebiotic foods 2 per day (onion, garlic, oregano, leeks, jicama)
- consume 2 servings soluble fiber per day (veggies, ground flax seeds)
- 1 tablespoon each fish and flax oil
- water and dandelion root tea (lots)
and take the healing supplements:
- Y C Cleanse (yeast homeopathic remedy)
- flora key (probiotic)
- HCL and digestive enzymes
- additional probiotics
I will keep you all posted once I get everything in the mail!
++++++++++++
BTW, did everyone see that Dara Torres, a 40 year old mom, set a record in the 50 yd freestyle swim event and is going to the Olympics?! Holy Cow! I hope I am that fit and healthy when I'm 40! That's the goal anyway!
++++++++++++
I'll leave you with cutie pies Adam and "little" Garret - haha! Such adorable boys :)
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Bad Ju-Ju's
I have to cut myself off from watching Dexter. I like the show, I really do. But it's just too gorey and graphic for me, and violent and scary. I do not do well with horror or anything like that. I was scarred for MONTHS after watching The Ring. And I spent most of that movie huddled down in my seat with my hands over my eyes.
Laugh if you want.
I truly believe that we internalize all that stuff and I do not need those images floating around in my psyche and cluttering up my spiritual landscape.
Not to mention, it really terrifies me! (***WARNING, PLOT SPOILER COMING UP!***) I stayed up waaaay too late last night watching the two episodes my DVR recorded on Sunday about how the ice truck killer kidnapped Dexter's sister, and then how Dexter kills the ice truck killer, and wow, I was really engaged in the plot and the psychological intricacies and twists, but when I turned the tv off to get in bed I was really scared. I am afraid of someone coming and breaking in my apartment to get me. I know it sounds irrational, but IT HAPPENS! And I'm scared of it! Normally I don't think about it, but when I watch stuff like that.... I had to call Adam at work and have him talk me down!
When I first came to DC as an intern, there was a spate of "attacks" where this guy was breaking into womens' apartments and they would wake to find him STANDING OVER THEM watching them sleep. Creepy, right? I was scared shitless because my roommate would constantly leave the windows open and that's how he was getting in. He never hurt anyone, but STILL. Fuck.
Also? I started a new workout yesterday and my ass is SO sore. I guess it was the reverse lunges or something, but I'm in pain y'all. It's a good sort of pain, though! I swear I wouldn't know what to do with myself if some part of my body wasn't sore from working out - haha.
Laugh if you want.
I truly believe that we internalize all that stuff and I do not need those images floating around in my psyche and cluttering up my spiritual landscape.
Not to mention, it really terrifies me! (***WARNING, PLOT SPOILER COMING UP!***) I stayed up waaaay too late last night watching the two episodes my DVR recorded on Sunday about how the ice truck killer kidnapped Dexter's sister, and then how Dexter kills the ice truck killer, and wow, I was really engaged in the plot and the psychological intricacies and twists, but when I turned the tv off to get in bed I was really scared. I am afraid of someone coming and breaking in my apartment to get me. I know it sounds irrational, but IT HAPPENS! And I'm scared of it! Normally I don't think about it, but when I watch stuff like that.... I had to call Adam at work and have him talk me down!
When I first came to DC as an intern, there was a spate of "attacks" where this guy was breaking into womens' apartments and they would wake to find him STANDING OVER THEM watching them sleep. Creepy, right? I was scared shitless because my roommate would constantly leave the windows open and that's how he was getting in. He never hurt anyone, but STILL. Fuck.
Also? I started a new workout yesterday and my ass is SO sore. I guess it was the reverse lunges or something, but I'm in pain y'all. It's a good sort of pain, though! I swear I wouldn't know what to do with myself if some part of my body wasn't sore from working out - haha.
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