Bring it on!

Day: 385

Photo taken on Sunday, August 21, 2011 inside CKO Kickboxing in Copiague, NY at 1055am.

Jenn introduces me to a new high intensity workout that I instantly fall in love with this morning. Not only does it challenge me to the point of grunting during the ab work but it is a great stress reliever to punch and kick the crap out of your own personal large bag. Plus we do intervals of sprinting around the gym at random times; what more could a girl want?

Thanks for this, Jenn! I needed it!

^_\

Passed!

Day: 381

Photo taken on Wednesday, August 17, 2011 in the Time Out Room at 1158pm.

Studying for 20 minutes paid off! I am officially a Notary Public! Wu-hoo! Now I just have to send in my application with $40 plus how much it costs to get my stamp, seal, and registry book and I am in business! I'm cheap too, like cheap as in free. Forget the 2 bucks at the bank and come see me if you need anything notarized.

^_\

Glow Worms

Day: 373

Photo taken on Tuesday, August 9, 2011 on the Lexington Line at 814pm. (Pictured from left: Me, Cassandra, and Sonji)

I don't know how they convinced me to do it but tonight I find myself suffering for 75 minutes inside of a 111 degree room. At least I'm not the only one torturing myself tonight. My fellow coworkers-Sonji, Cassandra, and James-have taken me to my very first hot yoga class.

Cassandra had been talking about trying this out for over a year and when she finally went and told me all about it, silly me says, "Next time yall go, maybe I'll tag along." She held me to that and tonight we leave The Surge in tiny shorts and shirts ready to take on the challenge of not being able to breathe while posing.

I take my water bottle and mat inside of a serene room above Chirping Chicken on the corner of Lexington & 85th and pick a spot by the mirror. James sets up to my left, Sonji to my left diagonol, and Cassandra in front. It's a wee bit hot in here already but it is also a nice peaceful atmosphere that is very calming. When the class begins, I really don't notice the heat because it seems to be helping my flexibility and bending and twisting has never been this easy. After about ten minutes I notice my legs are slick with sweat and the hand towel I grabbed is definitely helping my sweaty palm situation. At fifteen minutes I bend over my right leg and a drop of sweat runs down my forehead, over the tip of my nose, and splashes down on my pink paisley mat. It is the weirdest sensation to be sweating this much; it's actually falling off me and creating puddles. I still feel good but now I'm worried I'm going to slip in a puddle of my own body water. This really can't be sanitary.

Okay, it has now been 40 minutes and I think I am going to die. My heart is racing more than it does when I sprint and I have already drank the contents of my water bottle. I'm so thirsty that my sweat puddles are looking appetizing.

We're cooling down now at the hour but there is no cool air coming in and I'm miles away from the door. I want to escape but there are hazards in the way like people and rivers of sweat in between them. I wish there were ropes hanging from the ceiling so I can swing out of here but I would probably just slide off and into the swamp that has taken over the serene yoga room. I check out James and Sonji who look like total pros, like this class is cake. I then search out Cassandra but she has already waded through the muck and is patiently waiting for us outside. I really want to join her but I can't find the energy to move.

At 75 minutes my heart has exploded and we're finally allowed to leave. Once outside in the cool air of 80 degrees, I catch my breath. I then talk to the instructor to make sure that racing hearts and blurred vision is normal your first go around. She talks to me for awhile, giving me helpful hints and encourages me to keep practicing.

By the time we leave, I feel better, more relaxed. My running shorts are quickly drying but I'm sweating through my dry shirt already. I thank my Surge buddies for including me in this punishing exercise and tell them I had a great time suffocating.


I then ask when we can go again.

Hey Fishie Fishie Fishie!

Day: Three Hundred and Twenty Five

Photo taken on Wednesday, June 22, 2011 in our living room at 728pm.

Our fish hide from us when we come over to the tank, probably because Steve is constantly sticking his hand in there to add or remove things. I have never seen a fish tank give someone so much trouble. Steve has a little chemistry set to check the water because everyday it's something: the water is cloudy, another fish has died, too much food on the bottom, the ammonia levels are ridiculously high, etc. I feel bad because I know relatively nothing about the upkeep of a fish tank so all of my suggestions equal, "I don't know what to tell you."

I only had goldfish that I won at the Greenlawn Fireman's Fair that could survive in a bowl forever. The only time I have a problem with a goldfish kicking it early is when I go on a trip to Vermont shortly after winning the fish I so lovingly call Linden. Krysten happily offers to fish-sit for me while away and when I return, she sadly tells me Linden didn't make it. She feels bad since her fish is still around but I understand, fish at a fair are probably so traumatized by the ping pong balls flying at them that maybe he was bound to die soon anyway. It isn't for a few years that I finally learn the truth about Linden's demise.

Apparently, when Krysten goes to change his water in the sink, Linden accidentally slips out of the bowl and right down the drain. When she tells me I laugh and I hope this omission of truth hasn't been weighing on her all these years.

You Say It's Your Birthday

Day: Three Hundred and Fourteen

Photo taken on Saturday, June 11, 2011 in the kitchen at 1129pm. (Pictured from my thumbs up: Jess, Michelle, Chris Reed looking aghast, Kristen, and Charlie)

Nothing says "Birthday Party" quite like cooking crabs alive and then ripping them apart to feed your guests.

If you would like to read about all the other events prior to the savage killing, Michelle wrote a very nice post of the birthday extravaganza here.

1,000 Years of Death

Day: Three Hundred and Three

Photo taken on Tuesday, May 31, 2011 in Lucille Roberts in Massapequa, NY at 7pm.

I love Mat Pilates. It's a toned down version of real Pilates and an easier version of yoga. It's perfect for someone like me who isn't the most flexible and loves core exercises that abuse their stomach muscles. It is relaxing and fun but definitely hard work, especially the Downward Dog because holding up 180 pounds is no picnic.

I have come a long way since trying this class back in 2005 and I respect anyone who teaches or takes the class on a regular basis. I still tolerate the gas passers (hey, it happens) but I still can't bring myself to join in with the group and choose to wait it out. Though when I get home, well, that's a different story. ;-P

Heeey Heeey

Day: Three Hundred and Two

Photo taken on Monday, May 30, 2011 in our kitchen at 806pm.

En garde!

The crabs we catch are vicious and will do anything to remain free. I have had to turn the trap over and pry their claws off the metal until they fall into the bucket and Steve has had to chase them across our deck when two lucky ones actually found their way out of the bucket when no one was looking! One made it as far as the grass by the porch stairs but was retrieved and swiftly brought into the kitchen where the battle continued.

Tonight this guy is going all William Wallace on my crabbing tool and the sharp pings of claw meeting claw has Steve coming in to see what the major hold up is. Steve has to help me maneuver the bucket close to the boiling water because I fear dropping the crab on the floor and him nipping at my toes. After a few more parries the winner of this battle is determined:

Party in the USA

Day: Two Hundred and Ninety Six

Photo taken on Tuesday, May 24th, 2011 in our private karaoke room in Duet 48 in New York, NY at 850pm. (Coworkers pictured from left: Julia, Me, Valerie, Cassandra, Samantha, Dr. Zong, and Peggy. Dr. Mwando had stepped out of the room when we took the pic but he was a big part of the night so that's him below singing some Usher.)

I can't sing. Nor have I ever claimed that I could even though Kim and Pher swear that I thought I could be the next Barbara Streisand and was convinced I would be a singer. I don't remember this at all. I like to sing especially in the car and the shower, but I totally suck. And even though I know this, I will still sing to you any chance I get.

My coworkers have no idea what they are in for when they invite me along for one of their karaoke nights because I croak instead of hold a tune but hell, I don't know what I'm in for with these party animals! I am apprehensive at first, tentatively leaning over Valerie to sing into her microphone when Dr. Zong starts us off with a little BSB, I Want It That Way. Everyone is totally cool and relaxed and just punching in numbers to popular hits, singing their hearts out. I finally work up the courage (have a drink) to ask Cassandra to be the Rihanna to my Eminem.

Yeah, that's right. I rap for my coworkers and at first they sit in stunned silence and then as if on cue, they all burst out laughing. This is a side of me they have never seen before. Never would they think the geeky white girl in medical records with the anime action figures on her desk would rap or listen to anything besides Lite FM. When the song ends I feel like one of them, I'm included, and it's a great feeling to just be accepted into a fun group of people. Now I'm flying high, I'm singing anything they throw up on the screen and taking notes from our Mistress of Ceremonies, Cassandra. She tries to pass the title to me but after hearing her belt out Beyonce, there is no way I can fill those shoes.

By the time Bossdad arrives, we have already bonded over Brad Paisley's Alcohol and force him to sing it again with us and then he has to have his solo, Gnarls Barkley's Crazy as well (since that is the theme of the Surge). When it gets close to 11 they have to pry the mic from my hands and push me out the door to catch my train. Tonight has been an awesome, awesome night that I will forever remember and always want to replicate with anyone who is willing to partake in this kind of fun. There are so many songs we didn't even get a chance to perform! I am definitely up for this again! Who's in?

Crabby Patties

Day: Two Hundred and Eighty Seven

Photo taken on Sunday, May 15, 2011 out on the dock at 1122am.

Donny lends Steve a crab trap and he wastes no time bringing it over to our neighbors, Joe and Linda-who are known in our community as the Crab People-to learn how to set this puppy up. Joe shows us how to bait and then get the crustaceans out of the trap while Linda gives us a Crab Cooking 101 class in her kitchen a little while later. It is the first time that I eat crab this fresh-five minutes out of the pot-and it is the sweetest and freshest crab you could ever possibly eat.

This morning Steve can barely contain himself, he wants to pull up the crab trap so bad to see what our leg of chicken has attracted. Unfortunately it is just a little guy so we can't keep him so we throw the trap back in, knowing he'll find his way out sooner or later. But we're excited about our new hobby regardless of how unsuccessful we are on day one. These "greenhorns" aren't giving up anytime soon!

Power Shot

Day: Two Hundred and Eighty Three

Photo taken on Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at Cedar Creek Park in Seaford, NY at 654pm. (Pictured: The Legs from left to right: Steve, me, and Chris Reed. The peeps on the serving line: Mike and Jenn)

Oh it's that time of year again...HANDBALL TIME!!!!

Being that I'm from the North Shore, it may sound odd to you how much I love this game. But being that everyone I'm playing with on this court is from the South Shore, you know how I learned to love it.

What is cool about this particular game is that anyone can play, at any level, and it's always fun. As much as I enjoy the fast paced intensity of a one-on-one with Steve (or what really should be called a one-on-assbeater), I take pleasure in playing with as many people as we can get on one court. Hilarity will ensue and someone always gets hurt but it's the camaraderie that counts.

Mi Familia

Day: Two Hundred and Sixty Four

Photo taken on Friday, April 22, 2011 in the library of the TDM at 348pm. (Pictured left to right: Steve, Charlie, Preston, Moma, and I)

Preston is currently trying on part of his costume for the Q&U Wedding that his school puts on annually (I don't want you to think he normally wears light bulbs on his head). Kim claims she isn't very creative when it comes to crafting but I know for a fact she is: Kim used to write and draw her own children's books that she would then read to Pher and I. They were very cute and I hope she still has all of them. So don't believe her when she knocks herself because she also glued that heavy bulb to the hat and it stayed in place!

It is definitely fun to go to Michaels with the family in order to come up with an "L" themed costume for the Little Man. It is also fun when on the way out of the store he realizes he has put down his toy train but cannot remember where exactly. We all split up and luckily Preston reclaims his toy within a few minutes of searching. Once we head back, we work on the props together in the kitchen and I think the project turns out to be a success! If you would like to check out the cuteness of the union of Q&U, Kim has BLOGged about it here.

And the winner is...

Day: Fifty

Photo taken on Monday, September 20, 2010 at 138pm after our mini golf game at Pirate's Cove in Orlando, FL.


...not Kate. I suck at mini golf. Seriously.