I have been SO busy the past week. Finishing up with summer classes and getting prepared for a full load (of classes naughty boys!) in the Fall. I don’t know if I’m biting off more than I can chew or if I’m just eager to finish up but I’ll be taking 4 classes. One on line and the rest on campus. I am sure I’ll have tons of writing to do because 3 of the classes are literature classes. I’m a little bit nervous to tell you the truth, but I’m also really excited to spread my wings and fly in the areas I excel at. We’ll see how things go. I’ll keep you posted.

This is really just a quick little post in between things – I’m about to go to a meeting and before that I need to shower and change. My friend and I (who lives next door) have been increasing our exercise quite a bit. I want to walk a half marathon this winter and I’m trying to get prepared for that. We’re up to five miles right now so we have quite a bit of work to do! On the days we’re not training for our marathon we’re biking. I’m finally putting my pink bike to work – and with out the basket for Jackson. He has to wait until I’m finished with my ride before he gets one! We biked for 10 miles the other day and at first I was kind of laughing at how easy it was. But I ride a bike with no gears (it’s a pink cruiser) and there were quite a bit of hills along the way. I got home and I walked like I had been fucking all morning. Use your imagination to give you whatever visual works for you! My thighs are still a little sore today.

So I’ll be logging in after my meeting – probably will log in around 8:00PM – 8:30 at the latest. After my bike ride tomorrow I’ll be hanging out so I hope to speak with some of you then. I’m off and biking/walking by 7:00AM PST these days so I know I’ve missed quite few of my morning guys. I’ll try to make it up to you on the weekend!

Hope your summer is ending on a great note. Stay cool (or dry!) and try to stay out of trouble unless I’m on the phone!

Come dream with me … you’ll be glad you did!

About a week ago I decided I needed a new adventure. Maybe it’s my ADD – maybe it’s avoidance. Maybe it’s that I still haven’t quite kicked my smoking habit as much as I’d like and I need to do something with all this inner ‘teenage’ angst I have. Who knows. Maybe it was a moment of insanity that made me google training for your first 5. Now even though I’m athletic (I’ve sprinted before – short distances, mostly, played softball, danced (not THAT KIND!) – and been a gym rat as of late) so this running more than a minute thing is SERIOUSLY a challenge for me. I’m definitely not a couch potato, but the thought of heavy breathing (why do all my posts take on a sexual vibe?) and sweating doesn’t exactly appeal to me. At least not when I’m alone in the elements first thing in the morning while running.

So I started this whole training project. And this coming week I’ll be on week 2. Ill be running a total of 2 minutes by the end of this week, I think. Supposedly at this rate – in 8 weeks I’ll be running 30 minutes non stop , which “they” say is a 5k. I think I’ll have to run 45 minutes straight to go that distance. I am not running fast enough to do a 10 minute mile. 3 miles is 5 kilometers, right? Damn American school system. Haven’t we been trying to move over to the metric system for the past 50 years now? Wouldn’t it have been easier to just do it already instead of giving us water bottles with liters and telling us how many cm something is next to the inches to avoid confusion. They tell us it’s easy – easier than the American system of units, yet the only people who are using the metric system are doctors and scientists. The smart people, basically. But I digress.

Running is hard. Anyone who runs has my complete attention and then a healthy dollop of respect on the side. People who run past me as I crawl along on my 20 minute mile are impressive. Their leg muscles inspire me and their even breath as they actually say hello to me as they pass is impressive beyond words. If I look in your direction as I’m “running” by you, consider yourself lucky. Half of the time I can’t see through the pain.

I’m exaggerating.

Slightly.

The thing is, I kinda like the challenge. I like running and knowing that whatever is inside of me – any fear or anxiety or worry or whatever, leaves my body because struggling for air and longing for my next breath takes precedent over any emotional trouble I might be feeling at the moment. I like the feeling when I forget the task of running and I look up and see squirrels running up trees, and flowers crawling slowly up someone’s white picket fence, and the fat Morris the Cat body double that lies in the middle of the path every Wednesday morning at about the same time every day as I gasp by. I love how at the end I’m always amazed at what I’ve accomplished. I like how strong I feel I am at that moment, and how my sweat catches up to me all of a sudden — like – “whoa! I’m hot!” flood of sweat that literally drips off my body in rivers of varying size and shape.

I wouldn’t say I’m addicted. Yet. But I’m fast on my way. I wouldn’t say it’s my drug of choice in making myself feel better, but it’s definitely in the top 5. I wouldn’t say I believe this whole process will work and in 8 weeks I’ll be running 30 minutes straight, but I’m definitely willing to try.

What do I have to lose?

I need to just go up to my loft, fall into bed, and force myself to get a few hours of sleep.  But I have so many things to do tomorrow that I can’t quite settle my mind down long enough to feign sleep.  And then what happens if tomorrow is that one day my body decides to sleep in?  Here is what I need to do and what I will ask my callers to reward me for tomorrow if I succeed (I’ll be in desperate need of some heavy duty sex of the nastiest kind.  It’s not every day I want it nasty so take advantage and wish me luck in my endeavors…):

• I need to make breakfast and actually eat it before leaving.  I also need to pack a protein shake for after spin class on my way to my math class, and I also need to pack a little bit of lunch for in between my math class and my tutoring session (also for math). Oh – and if I think of it and am feeling REALLY industrious, I should put some steel cut oatmeal in the rice cooker because I’m running low on some of the best oatmeal in all of the land.  Seriously – it’s that good.
• I need to run to school around 7:00am – figure out where my classroom is for Math (for reasons that will be revealed shortly) and then go to the bookstore to pick up my math book.  I couldn’t order it ahead of time for some reason, and my teacher sent an email to all the students on how to succeed in math class.  I figure any teacher that sends an email to students before class even begins giving them helpful hints, is a teacher who wants you to have your math text book on the first day of class.  I will start my kissing up to my professors by getting my books ahead of time. 
• After I purchase my text book for math class, I’m hoping that the time will be about 8:00AM -8:15AM.  I will then run to my car in the parking lot and rush to spin class.  Mondays are pretty busy because people want to spin their way into forgiveness for their sins they committed all weekend.  I am no exception to the rule.  The popcorn tonight at slum dog millionaire was not the best decision I could have made for dinner I’m sure… even if I did smuggle in my "can’t believe it’s not butter spray" like some diet obsessed drug lord or somethin’. 
• Hopefully around 9:00 I will start spinning.  I need to do it early because of the afore mentioned math class that is already fucking with my life in ways that only a math class can.  I curse the day numbers were invented. 
• At 9:15 the real class will begin.  I will pedal with the rest of the sinners until 9:50am – and then I’ll start cooling down. 
• By 10:00AM I will dismount, take off shoes, put on new shoes, throw on sweatshirt, mop head, grab protein shake, and head out the door to Math Class. 
• Hopefully at 10:20 I’ll arrive on campus with 10 minutes to find classroom.  But being the responsible student that I am, I will have already figured out where Math class is, and will arrive just in time to sit near the front row.  Teachers like students that sit in the front row and I need all the help I can get in math class.
• Math Class will end around 11:50 and I’ll eat my packed lunch on the way to my tutor session with Math tutor. 
• 2:00PM or hopefully before I will be heading on home, hungry, tired, and wet.  Cuz it’s raining, not because math makes me sexually excited.
• Sometime in the afternoon I will meet with the gym nazi (I think) but I’ll have to figure that out when …
• Sometime in the afternoon I fill in my calendar with appts and class times, etc.
• Sometime in the afternoon I will type a quick hello to my favorite people on IM.
• Sometime in the evening I will talk to a few people and hopefully get off because I’ll need it.
• Sometime in the evening I’ll be greeted with a list of items I can choose for Vday gifts.   
• at 11:00pm – 12:00AM I will fall into bed exhausted.

And there you have it.   I’ll also need to eat a few more meals sometime, too, but … I haven’t gotten all that worked out yet.  It’s gonna be a busy week for me until I get a schedule down.  Online classes spoiled me because I didn’t have to travel to classes and worry about specific times (sigh) but … those days are over, my friends.

I’m going to go to bed now.  Sorry for the not so sexy post.  How about a picture…

will that make it up to you?

Vday is coming up, too.  I have NOT forgotten.  School or no school, some things just can’t be missed/compromised.

I’ll give an update to this post tomorrow evening some time.

HELEN: We adore Elaine.

JERRY: She wants to say hi, she’s with her new boyfriend.

HELEN: What’s he like?

JERRY: He’s nice, bit of a close talker.

HELEN: A what?

JERRY: You’ll see.

 

Tomorrow marks my 4th spin class.  I know that I will feel differently about it when I sit on the saddle (again) but right now I would really prefer to sleep in.  I’m tired.  Spin class is tomorrow at 9:15AM and then I’ll come home and attempt to do some studying for my Health Exam.  Then I will probably do some laundry and I’ll have to play with Jack because he’s exhibiting signs of insanity from lack of playtimewithMama.  I know – who can blame him!? Then back to the gym for my session with the nazi trainer – think we’ll be working on legs tomorrow.  Oh damn.  Spin class AND legs?  Ok – so after I crawl to my car and use my hands to steer and operate the pedals I will do my examination and probably around that time I’ll remember the other millions of things I needed to do but forgot.  I should write a list.

I really have to tell everyone in the universe (left over endorphins from earlier this afternoon talking…) I absolutely LOVE spin class.  I love everything about it.  It is just enough pain to make life worthwhile.  It is just insane enough to be challenging.  It is just hard enough to keep my attention for an hour.  It is just extreme enough to give you a work out that you feel for the whole entire day and even though you’re exhausted as (can I say it?) FUCK – you still want to go back the next day and conquer the ‘hills’ again.  So I’m basically hooked.  But I get hooked to things easily.  I am a walking addiction waiting to be attached to anything that has enough of a rush to hold my attention.  Luckily alcohol never really appealed to me after the first few episodes of binge drinking in basements of girlfriends while parents were away (liquor cabinets  are never a good idea, folks).  P.S. The consequence to an addiction can’t be too horrible. But I digress.  Horribly.

Spin class.  Ok – so my very first class I took I was hooked.  I walked in with cushion in hand (those bike seats are no fuckin’ joke!), gallon of water and a beach towel to soak up my sweat and had no idea what I was in for.  The first 30 minutes I was like – whoa.  I can do this.  My goal was simply to keep it moving.  If I couldn’t stand up one more time (to do the simulated hills during the spin class – high high tension and get up and act like you’re climbing a hill and pray for a truck to come along and either hit you so you’ll die, or pull over and offer you a ride) at least I would just keep it moving.  Sit my ass in the saddle and peddle hard in time with the instructor.  And I did.  I got up when I got up and I sat down when my thighs were cussing me out.

Half way into the class this guy comes in and starts the class right next to me.  Great, I thought to myself, now I can’t make those noises I was making! He smiles hello and I smile back trying not to wink as sweat pours into my left eye. For the rest of the class I inwardly grunted and panted my way through – now even more determined to make it through the class because even though I was not interested in this guy – I am not one to be a pussy.  I’m competitive and no guy is going to see me fail and act like a wuss.  Comes from having 3 older brothers who torture you every day of your existence and where "mercy" isn’t even acknowledged as a word.  So we finish – and I’m mopping up the sweat from my body, the floor, the bike, and the bike seat (oooh! that reminds me of this guy I spoke to the other day that admitted to sniffing a bike seat after a hot girl got off of it at the gym.  OMG… like how hilarious and kinky and sweet is that? lol!) trying to regain feeling in my legs.  Anyway – I leave the gym and I’m really trying hard to walk at this point.  But I feel good.  Really good.  And I go around the corner to the parking lot and there the guy is talking to a friend of his I presume.  So I say hi and keep walking and he talks really low so I stop and ask "huh?" He says something again and I still can’t hear a word he is saying so I start to walk towards him.  He starts walking and closes the gap.  And keeps on walking.  He’s now "this" far away from me and he repeats what he said.  But I don’t hear it.  Because this guy is breathing the air I’m expelling from my mouth – directly.  I mean he’s that close to me.  I finally realize he’s talking to me about the class and I back up trying to make it seem like it’s …normal. He kind of leans forward because apparently in his family you speak directly into people’s mouths when you carry on conversations.  I nod my head to something he said, say goodbye to Mr. Close Talker and his friend (who is probably thanking me for rescuing him from Mr InYourFace) and go on my way. 

I know when guys are trying to "hit" on me.  I know when people are trying to get close to me, too, and use cute little excuses to get closer.  But I also know people who are just clueless when it comes to personal space.  This guy was not trying to pick me up.  He just had no clue about personal space.  If I see him tomorrow I may need to give him a quick study on it.   

Have a great Monday everyone!  I will be logged in through out the day.  Look for me for a few hours around Noon, and then again during the early evening.  As always, if you need to make an appointment go ahead and schedule something (morning, noon, or night) and I’ll see what I can do to accommodate you.  If I don’t get the chance to blog about this later — thanks to all who made this a great and busy weekend.  It was fun meeting new callers and it’s always fun to reconnect with some of my favorite older clients too (I mean older like know you long time older not Geriatric old!).  Talk with you soon!