So!
Monday (Day 5) was really mainly a work day. I had some work that had piled up, and I needed to get that taken care of. One thing that I have trouble juggling is putting out the “attraction energy” to get more work (for money) versus whatever I’m interested in at that moment. This is tough, since I’m not an employee – as an employee, you get to go to work, do your best to do your job with the least amount of effort (hey, you know it’s true), while letting your mind wander around as you get your salary. When you’re an independent contractor, unfortunately, the “mind wandering around to something else” seems to make the pipeline dry up. This is a toughie.
Monday I did some research, though, on various Crossfit gyms. There are 3 in our area. The one that my friend Kat belongs to is the least expensive, and she says it’s the best. There is one closer to me, but it’s very pricey – then another fairly far away (definitely a drive) that’s the most expensive of all. Monday I sent out emails to all those gyms, asking about their pricing, etc. Both the closest one (TJ’s) and the farthest one (The Cave) answered back.
Then interestingly, on Tuesday – which again, if you’re using the feng shui calendar thing, was a day to “start things” – The Cave had a Groupon for 20 sessions at their “Conditioning” level (which you need before you really start) at less than 1/2 price, plus Groupon was having a Fall “Sale coupon” so the 20 classes wound up being closer to 7/10ths off. (Yeah yeah, I’m bad with math, so sue me – basically “a bit over half”).
I signed up for the Groupon RIGHT before the 1:00 p.m. “best feng shui hour” – because I didn’t think about it – I mean, literally, like 4 minutes before. That hour is represented by “Bleeding” – which in feng shui parlance means “Injuries.” (um, duh…) – however, it was in an altogether great day otherwise, so I will just have to watch myself is what I figure.
Right AFTER that (when the 1:00 p.m. hour started) I got the reminder I had set for myself to put away some $ towards TAR in a symbolic fashion. So I have a little piggy bank that I got from my Bank years ago, and “symbolically” put $100 bill into it – which will be the start of my savings for all things TAR. What the heck, again, right? I mean – who knows whether the whole feng shui thing “works” but the wealthiest Chinese swear by it, and if you CAN do it, why not, right?
Today is Day 7 – an Unfavorable/Remove day. I have to get H off to his business trip to Switzerland, and plan to go to the Team In Training workout down on the Marina. I pulled a groin muscle while in Kentucky, but it seems to be healed. Yesterday I did a 3.5/3.0 slope 30 minute walk on the treadmill (still trying to keep it slow as I really don’t want to be dealing with a chronic muscle issue), then did 1,000 yards in the pool, followed by 10 minute tread with hands up in the deep water. My plan is to keep adding 250 yards each time I hit the pool, until I’m up more in the 3 mile range or so. I’ve found that swimming at 3:00 p.m. is a great time – no one is really there, you certainly don’t have to circle swim. I wound up splitting my lane for about 1/2 the time but it’s also nice to be out in the sun. I love my pool – it’s salt-water not chlorine, and also outside. Unfortunately as it’s at the JCC, it’ll be closed as Rosh Ha’Shanah starts tonight. (L’Shana Tovah, Robb!)
A little more about me. When I was a kid, I did everything I could – including trying to wheedle my doctor-father into writing me “medical notes”- to get out of gym class. I’m not quite sure why. It’s interesting, as once I got to college, I wound up being drafted out of my first fencing class onto the varsity team (we went to the NCAAs) – and also was on the varsity/travel/competition teams in Shotokan karate and fencing in my Junior Year Abroad. After moving to Washington, D.C., I got my Masters, but definitely fell off the wagon when it comes to working out. (I did continue with Shotokan karate, however, while in school there.)
In D.C., I went to school at night and worked at a publishing house during the day – there, I met my friend Leslie. On New Year’s Eve between 1987 and 1988, The Washington Post published a calendar that went from January 1st through Thanksgiving. It was put out by Remar Sutton, who had just published his book, Body Worry
This plan started basically with “walk 10 minutes, find a pool, and dust off your bike or find someone who will loan you one.” The Bahamas Conchman Triathlon is dead flat – so it’s not like you needed any special equipment. As you can imagine, 1,000s of people wrote to him. This was back in 1987-88 – I was on the Internet because I’d discovered it during my Masters, but basically no one else was, so it involved writing an actual, physical “letter of commitment” to Remar.
He was pretty much shocked at how many letters he got. (“Oops, did I promise all these folks dinner…?”) We started a band of folks who wound up getting together – the “Conch-Outs.” For example, we volunteered at the Baltimore Triathlon together, etc. – and ultimately a few 100 of us actually made it to The Bahamas. I’m still friends (via Facebook) with one guy and his wife whom I met there, and with Leslie too.
HERE are some photos from back then – yes, that’s me in the mullet!
There, I met a gal who was part of the Hash House Harriers – which I wound up joining, then travelling the world with. That was a crazy time! I also did the Chicago Sun-Times Triathlon with her.
Then I moved back to California, started going to law school, and working out once again fell by the wayside. I got super fit for my wedding – because I wanted to fit into my mom’s wedding dress! – but that was years ago. I did the Ironman (as you can see from previous posts here), and all that jazz, I was in the Marines, etc. – but I’ve never really been “strong,” I more have the “slow and steady” endurance thang going for me.
And – hence – Crossfit. So HERE is the link to the Crossfit “box” (gym) that I got the Groupon for. One thing I like about it is that they also do Gymnastics and Parkour.
What’s Parkour? Here you go (click HERE)
Parkour was featured in the James Bond Casino Royale movie (click HERE).
I’m not saying that a 50+ year old broad can do this stuff, but what the heck? Perhaps! How cool would that be??
Now, mind you, when I was in grammar and middle school, we were “Made” to do gymnastics, and I literally could not do it. I’m not sure why. I know I was scared (I was one scared little kid), and perhaps so tall that I just didn’t “get” my body. But I LOVE the idea of this, and I wonder if I were able to do ONE Parkour move, whether it could look cool for our TAR “Introduction to Us” video.
Hope springs eternal, ya’ll!
OK that’s enough for now – got some law stuff to do, get H ready for Switzerland, then will go to the city for the LLS/TNT run this evening.