Happy Halloween!

So, it's Halloween and I've had one set of trick-or-treaters. They weren't even really dressed up. I always thought dressing up was the best part. It was sad, really.

I dressed up. I carved pumpkins. I even have spooky music playing on a boombox on my porch. Halloween is supposed to be a fun night when you can be silly, creative, creepy...all those things you really want to be on a regular day.

I'm dressed as a gypsy witch; it's kind of a costume I improvised using the outfit I bought this year at the renaissance festival. Those suckers are expensive, so I was determined to get more than one use out of it. It's freaking my cat out a bit. He wouldn't do very well as a witch's familiar, I don't think. He's a big baby.

I didn't think the candy would get to me, but having it sit around with no kids to hand it to, it's starting to call my name. I've had some Reeses and some SweetTarts. Now I feel all icky and gross. Bleh.

Maybe the kids will start showing up soon and I can get this candy out of my house. Julia and her friend will be back before long, and they'll both have sacks of candy, too. This really is an unhealthy holiday.

Cross Training

Spinning class is hard. I'm just sayin'.

Yesterday, according to my heartrate monitor, I burned 749 calories between strength training and a 45 minute spin class. That's a lot of calories; and I know that ST doesn't burn very many.

I'm still planning on training with Team in Training to run the Country Music Half Marathon, but spin class is going to provide really good cross training, and will provide a respite for my knees from the pavement pounding of running.

I never thought I'd ever be able to enjoy something that is so exhausting, but I really am starting to like cardio training. I remember when I first started running, I couldn't imagine pushing through those hard runs without stopping to walk; but it is true that the stronger you get, the more you are able to withstand. It's hard to explain. It still hurts, but you somehow know that you'll be okay through it. In the past, I had always given up before I reached this point.

I'll be posting more often once the official half-marathon training starts. I'm going to try to set up a format where I post my workout goals, actual workouts, and progress. I'll also post a link to my fundraising website, and I'll record my progress on that front as well.

I can't believe it, but I'm really, really excited about this!

In the Spooky Spirit of Halloween

I'm going to share a personal terror of mine (doesn't that sound like fun??).

I suffer from Sleep Paralysis with Hypnopompic Hallucinations. That is a fancy medical term for saying that occasionally, I will wake up, be unable to move or speak, and I see, hear, and feel things that are not there.

Before medicine and science knew what was going on here, people thought that this was caused by a witch / demon / ghost entering your bedroom and torturing you. It was said that the entity would sit on you (thus preventing movement) and cover your nose and mouth (there is often a smothering feeling associated with the condition) while its counterpart would wreak havoc in your home.

During my last bout (about two weeks ago), I heard someone come in through my garage door, which has a very distinct sound when opened and closed. I heard this person/thing walk up the stairs, open my bedroom door, and felt the person/thing LAY DOWN BESIDE ME ON THE BED. I was facing away from where I felt the presence, so I did not see it. All this time, I can't move; I can't scream; I can't force myself to snap out of it. I am helpless and terrified.

These are not dreams; they are hallucinations, and are VERY, VERY real seeming. It's always familiar sounds and sensations; never something outlandish that I could just blow off as "it couldn't really happen." I've heard someone rummaging through the drawers in my bathroom; turning on and typing on the keyboard of my computer; using my coffee maker; unloading the dishwasher (too bad that one wasn't real); and other things like that. It's really, really awful.

Vanderbilt Center for Sleep Disorder Study wants to do a study on me, but since it is random and I have no way of knowing when it will happen, they really can't. So I can't be treated for it, since no one knows what causes it. It sucks.

HAPPY DANCING!!

You probably guessed based on the post title...

JULIA MADE THE BASKETBALL TEAM!

We're so happy. She worked hard to get ready; she worked on ball handling drills that were no fun; she worked on shooting drills that were fun; she prepared the best she knew how, and it all paid off.

The team practices at 7:00 in the morning, every morning except game days and Fridays. That will get me to work an hour earlier than I usually do, freeing up an hour in the evening for me to do an earlier workout - that means I can do the spinning classes, which kick my butt and are going to get the weight loss really ramped up.

I'm so glad that Julia decided to go out for soccer when she didn't make the volleyball team. I think that the footwork of soccer (not to mention the cardio conditioning of practices) really improved her basketball skills. I think that the improvement she saw in herself boosted her confidence, too. I think we owe her soccer coach a thank you for helping to make it possible for Julia to make the basketball team.

And when the volleyball coach comes and sees the girls' basketball games, he's going to realize it was his loss for cutting her! :-)

Anxious

Today, Julia concluded the second round of basketball tryouts at her school. We will know this afternoon whether she made the team.

I'm so anxious to find out. She just completed a great soccer season. She started the season with zero knowledge of soccer, and ended as a darned respectable defender. She really enjoyed participating in school sports, so I'm really hoping that she makes the basketball team.

If she doesn't make basketball, she says that she wants to go out for cheerleading. I will let her try out, but I guarantee she will hate it if she makes it. I've known the child since before she was born, and she does not have the kind of personality to be a cheerleader at her school. She's too kind, reasonable, empathetic, and level-headed. I really hope she makes the b-ball team. I so don't want to deal with cheerleader drama.

Julia knows that if she doesn't make the team, that I'm proud of her for going for it, and it only means that she needs to work some drills between now and next season, stay in shape, and be ready to try again. But I know that she will be disappointed if she doesn't make it, and I really hope I don't have to deal with that today. I'd much rather pick up a super-excited Julia, ready to start spouting off how much her uniform and shoes are going to cost me...

Blog Merger

You may notice that there are way more posts here on my blog now. That is because I compiled my personal blog into this one, so I don't have to maintain two separate blogs anymore.



So, this one isn't going to be strictly diet and fitness anymore. There will be some general, everyday bloggy stuff. Check out some of the funnier ones, including Bye, Bye, Birdie and Bikram (Hot) Yoga. Others are random stuff about life, my kid, and general observations.

Funniest. Video. Ever.

This is genius.

I'm still here

I know that I haven't posted for a while. It just seems like it will get boring if I blog about every single workout, every single food issue, blah, blah, blah. I'm still doing ST with Brittnee; I'm still running on the treadmill; I've added some spin classes to my cardio routine to mix things up a bit; and that's about it.

I'm thinking about taking the everyday life posts from my other blog, Sic faciunt omnes, and incorporating it into this blog, making this blog an all-encompassing life and fitness blog. That way, I will only have one blog to maintain, and there will be more frequent updates.

While I'm here, I might as well relay an amusing story that happened to me on Sunday. Julia and I met with an old college friend of mine for lunch at Hooters. I hadn't seen him in ten years, so I was really excited about having some beer and hot wings with my friend.

Well, guess who is a Hooters waitress?

Brittnee.

Busted.

She tried to tell me some good choices I could make food-wise, but come on, who eats a flippin' salad at HOOTERS?

I definitely paid for it at Monday's workout, though. :-) She actually told me some really decent sounding things I can order next time (not salads) that won't make me feel deprived, but are a lot healthier than hot wings and fried pickles (the beer stays)!