I have very few excuses that will actually get me out of jogging.
Having a cold or other respiratory issue is one of them. Being
nauseous. Most often, having something fun to do and expecting to fit
in a run later in the week is the reason that I skip a jog. I expect, with my new job as a full-time
professor, that I'll have to skip a run sometimes to prepare for class.
But this morning's excuse is much less... substantial. I basically skipped my jog because of a blister.
See, I went hiking on Sunday. The description said it was "cross
country" hiking. I wasn't sure what that was, but I went anyway. In my
new running shoes. For this particular hike leader, "cross country"
hiking means off-trail hiking. Basically, we walked through a forest
straight up to a peak instead of using the windy trail. Running shoes
in the forest aren't that useful. I ended up getting a blister on my
big toe because my foot kept sliding sideways.
This morning, I jogged in place a couple times and realized that going
for a run would put a lot of pressure on that blister. So I skipped it. May be I should've jogged and made the blister worse, but I'm
choosing to try to let it heal for a few days. The only problem with this decision is that
I put on a pair of pants from my "too big" box and they fit. :( Oy vay,
I've gotta get active again!
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Back on the Health Path
After moving, I got a terrible cold with allergies on top of that. With unpacking and getting settled, it was a rough time for exercise.
But my new apartment is set up, my new office is set up, and I've started my new job, so things are settling down. That left me room to focus on being healthy! Yesterday, I joined a gym in my new city, and today I went for a run! I found a circular road around my house that is 2.9 miles, almost a 5k. How convenient!
It was my first run in a few weeks, but it went well. My allergies weren't TOO bad, it only got really hot (90 degrees+) towards the end of the run, and I wasn't too slow. I only used 2 tissues, and didn't start coughing until I was almost done. It was no personal record or anything, but surprisingly good for having taken such a long time off, then dealing with the heat and poor air quality. In fact, I probably shouldn't be running outside at all with the air here, but I enjoy it so much!
My eating has improved, as well. I'm getting back in to a healthy lifestyle after weeks of travel and transition. It's quite a relief, actually.
But my new apartment is set up, my new office is set up, and I've started my new job, so things are settling down. That left me room to focus on being healthy! Yesterday, I joined a gym in my new city, and today I went for a run! I found a circular road around my house that is 2.9 miles, almost a 5k. How convenient!
It was my first run in a few weeks, but it went well. My allergies weren't TOO bad, it only got really hot (90 degrees+) towards the end of the run, and I wasn't too slow. I only used 2 tissues, and didn't start coughing until I was almost done. It was no personal record or anything, but surprisingly good for having taken such a long time off, then dealing with the heat and poor air quality. In fact, I probably shouldn't be running outside at all with the air here, but I enjoy it so much!
My eating has improved, as well. I'm getting back in to a healthy lifestyle after weeks of travel and transition. It's quite a relief, actually.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Memorial Church Service
Today, I went to my new church for the first time since I moved. When I got there, the greeter asked if I knew what was going on today. I didn't. She said that we were holding a memorial service for a long-term member. I said, "But I didn't know her." The greeter said that it was okay, that she'd been away for awhile (likely due to being in her 90s!). So I sat down.
The crowd was much less joyful than it usually is in a UU congregation. There were funeral flower arrangements near the pulpit.
The first speaker talked about all of the service that this woman had done for the fellowship, starting in 1967. Then members and her family came up to speak about her. She seemed to be quite a spirited woman. Several of her grandkids spoke. They were in their 30s, like me. They talked about how involved she had been in their lives. Everyone spoke about how she taught them to live their life through love.
During these, I kept thinking of my Gram. I thought about how nice it would have been to have had a service for her, to hear all of these wonderful stories. To be reminded how amazing she'd been. To see how her loved changed so many people.
As I've been unpacking this past week, I've found a lot of pictures of Gram and items that she'd given me. I've put most of them in my superhero-themed room. She is a hero to me. It was a good time for me to reflect on who she was and what I lost. And to remind myself that she'll live on through how she changed each of us, and how we who she helped us become is raising the next generation through love.
I love you, Gram.
The crowd was much less joyful than it usually is in a UU congregation. There were funeral flower arrangements near the pulpit.
The first speaker talked about all of the service that this woman had done for the fellowship, starting in 1967. Then members and her family came up to speak about her. She seemed to be quite a spirited woman. Several of her grandkids spoke. They were in their 30s, like me. They talked about how involved she had been in their lives. Everyone spoke about how she taught them to live their life through love.
During these, I kept thinking of my Gram. I thought about how nice it would have been to have had a service for her, to hear all of these wonderful stories. To be reminded how amazing she'd been. To see how her loved changed so many people.
As I've been unpacking this past week, I've found a lot of pictures of Gram and items that she'd given me. I've put most of them in my superhero-themed room. She is a hero to me. It was a good time for me to reflect on who she was and what I lost. And to remind myself that she'll live on through how she changed each of us, and how we who she helped us become is raising the next generation through love.
I love you, Gram.
Monday, August 6, 2012
What I've Learned from Superheroes
Buffy
- You are most powerful when you have support.
- Sex is dangerous.
- High school is Hell.
- Love is the most powerful thing that exists. Even more powerful than Courage.
- War lords wear dreadlocks.
- With great power comes great responsibility.
- Being special hurts your loved ones.
- You have to hide yourself and be subservient for a man to love you.
- You can run if you have enough support in your corset. But your boots should not have heels.
- Be willing to sacrifice yourself if it will save many others.
- Be polite and courteous.
- Life is not worth living without people to share it with.
- Traveling is fun.
- Helping is fun.
- Aliens are hot. Humans are hot.
- Being an intergalactic lover is lonely.
- Never give up, never surround.
- There is no unwinnable situation.
- Alien women are hot.
- The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Or the one.
- Do, or do not. There is no try.
- You may be on the losing side, but that doesn't mean that it's the wrong side.
- Take care of, and fight for, your crew (chosen family). Even if you don't like them.
One Hour Choir
Yesterday was my last Sunday at my current congregation. Although I stayed up too late watching their production of "8", I really wanted to go to the Sunday service. Additionally, this past Sunday was the one-hour choir! That means that interested congregants show up an hour and a half before the service, learn a couple of songs, then sing them at the service. I love this concept. It's a good way for me to be able to participate in the choir without having to commit to one evening a week for years.
Although, it was difficult to get up that morning. Even for the One Hour Choir.
But, I did. I was a little nervous. I took that singing class, but have never been in a choir. The music director taught us a song, then realized that she had more people in the choir than solo parts. She asked who would not want to solo. I thought that I heard her wrong because no one raised their hand. Heck no, I don't want to solo! So I raised my hand. Phew, got out of that one!
On the next song, she had me singing with two other women. After we sang our part, she asked if I could go higher. Like an octave higher. Okay, may be it wasn't that high. But still. I looked at her with giant, amazed eyes. I think that she understood: No, I can not sing that higher. So she switched the trios around a bit to get me a lower part. Phew, another save!
In the end, it was really fun, and we sounded good. A nice experience. My next congregation will be TINY, so I'm glad that I did this while I could.
Although it's strange to think that I sang in a church choir. May be I should find the songs that we sang so that you would know how not Christian-right-y we are...
Although, it was difficult to get up that morning. Even for the One Hour Choir.
But, I did. I was a little nervous. I took that singing class, but have never been in a choir. The music director taught us a song, then realized that she had more people in the choir than solo parts. She asked who would not want to solo. I thought that I heard her wrong because no one raised their hand. Heck no, I don't want to solo! So I raised my hand. Phew, got out of that one!
On the next song, she had me singing with two other women. After we sang our part, she asked if I could go higher. Like an octave higher. Okay, may be it wasn't that high. But still. I looked at her with giant, amazed eyes. I think that she understood: No, I can not sing that higher. So she switched the trios around a bit to get me a lower part. Phew, another save!
In the end, it was really fun, and we sounded good. A nice experience. My next congregation will be TINY, so I'm glad that I did this while I could.
Although it's strange to think that I sang in a church choir. May be I should find the songs that we sang so that you would know how not Christian-right-y we are...
Monday, July 16, 2012
Late and Early Stress
After a late night introducing a new friend to Firefly, I realized that I my wallet wasn't in my purse. ACK!!! I text my friend to see if it's there, and go look through my car. Being that it was midnight, it was a bit dark, though.
I thought back to when I had last had my wallet. It was in the Downtown Disney parking lot, but I was pretty sure that I threw it in my car. The next place that I went was the gym. My purse (and gym bag) had gotten all turned around in the tiny lockers at that location. I learned that the gym opened at 5am the next morning.
So I go to sleep around 1am, knowing that I'll be getting up at 5am to call them.
Around 5am, I do indeed call the gym. No one's turned it in. I don't think that the lockers are used that much at that location, so I ask if someone could check the locker that I used (I remembered that it was #13). The gym receptionist told me that he was the only employee there, so he couldn't look.
I try to convince myself that I can drop by the gym on the way to work, but deep down I know that I'm going to have to get up at 5am and drive to the gym to look for my wallet. I get up, brush my teeth, try to control my hair, and go to the car. I figure I'll look through it again now that it's lighter. Not really that much lighter, it wasn't even 6am yet! This time, instead of just the passenger seat and back seats, I also looked around the driver's seat. And there it was!!!! Relief.
And, back to bed.
At 6:45am, my alarm goes off. Instead of the lovely and relaxing sounds of classical music, DJ'd by Dennis Bartell, it's beeping. I try to switch to music, but instead turn it off. I convince myself that I'll rest of 5-10 minutes, and get up.
At 7:30am, I wake up thinking "Crap, I gotta go to work!" Since my teeth were brushed and I had showered the night before, I actually was able to leave for work by my normal time of 8am. That's including changing sweaters and nylons after I decided that the first set didn't look right. I stopped for coffee and a smoothie on the way, and got to work fine! But, geez, my 1am and 5am and 7:30am was pretty stressful today!
I thought back to when I had last had my wallet. It was in the Downtown Disney parking lot, but I was pretty sure that I threw it in my car. The next place that I went was the gym. My purse (and gym bag) had gotten all turned around in the tiny lockers at that location. I learned that the gym opened at 5am the next morning.
So I go to sleep around 1am, knowing that I'll be getting up at 5am to call them.
Around 5am, I do indeed call the gym. No one's turned it in. I don't think that the lockers are used that much at that location, so I ask if someone could check the locker that I used (I remembered that it was #13). The gym receptionist told me that he was the only employee there, so he couldn't look.
I try to convince myself that I can drop by the gym on the way to work, but deep down I know that I'm going to have to get up at 5am and drive to the gym to look for my wallet. I get up, brush my teeth, try to control my hair, and go to the car. I figure I'll look through it again now that it's lighter. Not really that much lighter, it wasn't even 6am yet! This time, instead of just the passenger seat and back seats, I also looked around the driver's seat. And there it was!!!! Relief.
And, back to bed.
At 6:45am, my alarm goes off. Instead of the lovely and relaxing sounds of classical music, DJ'd by Dennis Bartell, it's beeping. I try to switch to music, but instead turn it off. I convince myself that I'll rest of 5-10 minutes, and get up.
At 7:30am, I wake up thinking "Crap, I gotta go to work!" Since my teeth were brushed and I had showered the night before, I actually was able to leave for work by my normal time of 8am. That's including changing sweaters and nylons after I decided that the first set didn't look right. I stopped for coffee and a smoothie on the way, and got to work fine! But, geez, my 1am and 5am and 7:30am was pretty stressful today!
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
4th of July, 2012
I write a similar letter most every 4th of July. It's my little "celebration."
How will you celebrate the 4th? The American
Way to celebrate our independence seems to be drinking
beer and blowing things up with imported fireworks; how patriotic. I love this
country. I love that I can publish the
following and not be “disappeared.” I
love that I can read, work, vote, and own property. I love that there are millions of gay
citizens who are happy and proud, eating Oreos.
I LOVE THAT OUR FIRST FAMILY IS BLACK.
But.
I wonder how many women will be beaten in their homes
while you celebrate your freedom. I
wonder how many people of color, of all nations, will be killed in the Middle
East while you celebrate your freedom. I
wonder how many gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender people want to kill
themselves while you celebrate your freedom.
I cannot celebrate the independence of the United States until all of its
citizens are actually free. When
childcare is universal and women have control of their uterus and birth control
options, when people of color have all the opportunities as the White elite,
when GLBT people can celebrate their love, when our country is free from our
dependence on oil, and when we help other nations rather than attack them,
then, and only then, will I celebrate this country.
Waiting to
celebrate,
Dr. Auntie M
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