Top Gun Day 2015

I am beside myself.  Top Gun Day?  How had I not heard of this before?

My excuse monster!

I was so excited, I changed my clothes and earrings.

The F-4U Corsair earrings are the finishing touch, don't you think?

As a happy coincidence, I had already planned to hike Constellation trail with Chris.  It being named after a plane just rocked.

I even found aviators.

We live here!!

The entire day (which started off painfully, I woke up with an eye ulcer) has taken on a joyous tone.

How could it not?

Hiking with Chris was fun-I made him do all the typical spot photography.  You know, for comparison purposes.

I cannot believe I've been at this three full months now.

Of course, when I get home, I find this picture, too:

Because whatever are friends for, right?

So we have a great time hiking, and as we come to trail's end we meet a man wearing nothing but shorts, heading out on the trail.

Only in Arizona are they this hardcore.

Yep.  Arizona.

 Did I mention it's Top Gun Day?!

Little date tonight-it's all about the nuclear bombing of Japan in WWII.  As Lad and I are scholars of WWII, we were greatly looking forward to it.

But first, let me take a selfie.

Indian food!!!  Loving Taj Mahal.

Thankfully, the lecture took on revisionist history with verified facts, and my son didn't mind my sweatshirt.  In fact, we spent most of the evening talking about F-14 Tomcats and gleefully told everyone who's listen it was Top Gun Day.

All day, my eye has felt like it's had a needle sticking out of it (eye ulcer's suck.). My hand is extra ouchie, the pinched nerve is tweaking.  Yet my attention wasn't on me, and how I felt.  My attention was on others, and on the silliest of things.  Not only did it make the day bearable, it made it most enjoyable.

The amazing things you learn on a quest.

Exercising while Injured: CrossFit

I woke up at 4am, and drifted back to sleep at 6am.  Thankfully, I thought to set an alarm for 7:45am.

Of course, that gave me just 15 minutes to get ready to go...

Yeah, I know maize isn't attractive, but it was cold, and it covered my butt.

Today I was back at CrossFit Prescott, and curious how The Professor could modify a training for a broken hand.

At least he was smiling.

Despite the desire to return, I had still dreaded walking in.  Perhaps this is a throwback to school yard pick-ems when I was always being picked last?  Now injured, seemed even more apparent I "didn't fit in."

Oh, yes, my wingman showed up.  Hadn't seen him in over a month, but there he was.

It took Joey a few minutes to figure out my workout-he was very aware of the limitations and possible further injuries that could occur, and worked within those limited parameters.  In the end, I did five sets of modified shoulder squats with chains (stabilizing both up and down, Joey explained), the agility ladder with hands at stomach, plank and butterfly sit ups.

We did video.  I erased 2/3rds of it.

I was soooo done-I still had two sets to go!

Today took quite a bit of modification, trial & error.  Tonight my legs feel that slight twinge of exercise-I admit it's a good feeling.  (My shoulder, however...argh.  Totally tweaked all day.). I was delighted to be back at the place I wanted up be; even though limited.  I left a sweaty mess, and something in me liked that.  I *know* I actually worked out today; I don't always feel like that.

Let's chat a minute about the "exercise high" that some people feel.  I rarely feel good after exercise-and I wonder if only the 20% actually feel good when it's done.  I do admit I am on a high at the end of every Canyon hike, but after an hour workout?  Not very often.  I believe the brain must be engaged in the activity to have it-and I'm not often in compliance!

Frankly, I'm far more concerned with what type of princess I am.

I want to be at CrossFit, but I love Pilates.  To fuse the two together would be incredible-because I know how much I'll love my sore legs tomorrow.

It was a bad camera day.  I think when I tweak my shoulder, everything else goes to pot.

Tonight we celebrated Becky's 39th birthday; enjoying good food and great friends.

Cheesecake birthday cake!  

On the way home, it snowed.

On May 8th.  Really.

During the night I awoke many times from my dreams, all involving classrooms and teachers.  My legs had become deliciously sore-the result of a perfect workout.  My dreams shifted to a blackboard, filled with quotes.  I started erasing many of them to please the teacher, and began to write my own.

No, I couldn't read it.  It was just a dream.

No hikes this week, did you notice?

So much to figure out...

An Officer & A Broken Hand?!

Becky and I love to dance, our men do not.  Mic and the King know we need to get it out of our system, so neither mind us occasionally heading to Matt's for a twirl around the dance floor.

We keep tabs on each other, and scare off any cowboy who doesn't respect our rings.

So last night was a blast, and I was delighted to find fitness helped my dancing!  I had an exceptionally good partner who knew how to lead, and am now more determined than ever to drag the King into a dance class.  Who knew being fit would help with two left feet?

Earlier in the night, my natural clumsiness claimed an embarrassing win when I went to sit down and missed the stool at the restaurant.  I caught myself with my right hand; it did hurt but nothing unmanageable.  In the car heading home I thought it looked a wee swollen, but not too bad.  Becky was more concerned than I, and was distracted by the conversation.  So when those pesky red and blue lights came on behind us...

Two weeks in a row I've been pulled over.  Neither time was I driving!

Officer Schiska of Prescott PD let us know we were doing 44mph in a 30.  Oops.  Becky sweetly explained her distraction as she handed him the paperwork.  As she was obviously sober, he gave her a warning and went to run her license.

He took a really long time to return.

It seems he dropped her drivers license in a storm drain?!?!  And could not get it out!?!

He sheepishly shared what happened, and we could not contain our giggles.

I promised to blog about it; he accepted that consequence.  We were sent off with a warning, and a delightful memory of a squirming officer.

This morning I woke at 5:30am to a very swollen right hand.  I could hear a clicking noise in it when I moved my middle finger, too.

The King took this picture.

About twice it's normal size.

After two hours at urgent care, the results were in:

Broken and displaced.

Interestingly, my first thought was to laugh.

My second was the Fitness Quest.

 At least I can hike, right?

I texted the King with the news, and texted Dr. Eric, who happens to specialize in hand surgery.  Hopefully in six weeks it will be good as new.  Oh, and that clicking sound? Bone on bone.

So, hiking, running, swimming...?

I get in the truck to find a dozen red roses waiting for me, and an invitation to lunch with the King.

The King's response.

So, no workout today.  Maybe a hike tomorrow.  Definitely need to reschedule my gym for next week...really, the next six.  I am determine NOT to lose my newly found muscles-what a quest this will be.  (I'm right handed and it's the right hand. Typing is pretty slow!)

I look at it this way:  the devil comes to steal, kill and destroy.  I must be on a good path he wants to destroy, so to me, injuries like this prove I'm doing something right the enemy wants to stop.  James 1:2-5 says to count it all joy:). So I'm laughing about my clumsiness.  This Quest just got more interesting.

Awareness

 I must start each day with the news.

Granted it's a British tabloid, but I did know about Bruce Jenner in 2014.

I found the British press scoop the American press, on American news, by 2-4 hours.  Matt Drudge introduced me to the Mail, so it can't be all bad, right?

I forget so many don't know who Matt Drudge is.

I assure you, she knows. 

Any how, I have to have my news fix.  After three news sites I switch to blogs, and then scroll through Facebook.  Satisfied I am aware of what's happening in the world politically (and not politically), I can start the day.

Apparently, this is how the 20% feel about exercise.

Me on the Tower tonight.

I've been made aware that those with the addiction must exercise, or they feel irritable-much like I do if I don't have my news fix first thing.

I'm really loving the retro-1930's equipment.

Pilates focuses on six principles:  control, center, flow, breath, precision & concentration.

Just in case you're only looking at the pictures.

When I manage to hit all six in a set, I am amazed at the immediate improvement, and more importantly, the awareness I have of my body and it's muscular system.  Inhaling or exhaling appropriately gives strength when needed, keeping center allows for not only better form but better strengthening.  I do not feel my mind wander at all as I complete these movements, rather I am fixated on the task at hand.

I wonder if this is how the 20% feel all the time they exercise?

The King assures me that he is like that, but it takes discipline.  (Yet I managed it in a week!  Yippee!)

I am loving the results...

Awareness of the six principles has helped me find a place that I can truly clear my head for an hour and focus on exercise that is showing good results.  Just like I have a need to be aware of the news, I'm finding that this new awareness during exercise is very fulfilling.

Seems I've become aware of a lot of things as of late.

Haven't heard from Maverick lately, so I thought I'd check in.

This afternoon I was telling a friend about the fictional character Miles Vorkosigan.  Ever the source of amusement in my literary sphere, I can't help but think of him tonight.

And on that bombshell...

A Bling Day #47

At 8:23am,  I hadn't left the house, and I wasn't in exercise clothes.

9:55am

When I did leave, I was in full jewelry lady bling.  

It's been awhile since I blinged this much, and the jeans I was wearing are among my smallest.  

It felt good to be blinged.

Ahhhh...a bit of nostalgia for my former career as a senior leader for a jewelry company.  What do I miss?

Dressing up & friends.

That's it!  Nothing else.  So now that I'm through, what do I want to do?

I met a doctor of anthropology for lunch, who encouraged me to take time now to really figure out what I want, and do everything to make it happen.

For some reason, I don't believe being Captain of the Enterprise is a realistic goal.

I don't know what I want to be when I grow up.

Superhero is also unavailable.  

I'm married, so princess is out of the question.

That and Prince Andrew did NOT age well.

Do I want to be a curator?

Do I want to help small businesses?

Do I want to franchise a business?

Do I want to become a Hiking Viking?

Do I want to write?  (Yes)

   What do I want to write? (No clue)

That does put a damper on our relationship.

Do I want to be the conservative voice for #girlpower?

Do I want to go into politics?

Do I want to make millions? (Yes)

   How? (No clue...well, not true.    Whatever I pursue will result in this somehow.)

Do I want to go into radio? (Yes)

   As what? (Fitness Quest or Rush?)

Do I want to fly in an F-14? (Yes, but the navy recruiter laughed.)

Maverick laughed, too.

I'm supposed to find my passion...

Exercise gear had a suggestion.

It's NOT exercise, I can tell you that.

The rest of the afternoon I spent in MSP training for BNI.

Bryce, I miss you as president!!!

I came home no closer to discovering my purpose in life than when I left this morning; not that it means anything.

I need to figure this out, and soon.  This capitalist doesn't do well without a mission.

Too bad moon base Alpha wasn't real.

13 years ago tonight, I went to bed pregnant, a full 39 weeks along.  Tomorrow, I can honestly say I no longer have children in the house:  I'll be the mother to THREE teenagers.  Loving it!

24: Return of the Jedi

Not really Jedi, but I could not write "Return of the..." and not write Jedi.  It's in my geek code.

My favorite Jedi, just in case you were wondering.

Actually, that snearing fighter pilot excuse monster of mine, Maverick, showed up with good tone and guns locked on target.

We had this photo in our locker our senior year of high school.

"It's no good."

I did not want to walk into that gym.

I shouldn't have worried.  They don't call it a gym, any wise.

I prayed someone would call, text, message me and say I was needed elsewhere-anywhere but there. 
This was my last ditch attempt to get out of it:

Here was the response:

Note the good doctor is the only one to quote my antagonist, Nike.

Of course I got out of the car.  I told Maverick to stay there-and headed in to meet the man.

He looks real friendly and Grizzly Adams like here, doesn't he? Actually, he looks more like this:

This is Joey teaching me the rules, biomechanics and real life wearing of a buff.  The professor and I will get along just fine.

I learned more today about my body in one hour with Joey than I have with anyone sans The Knight of Physical Therapy and my sister-in-law (his sister Laurie) who is also a PT.

 Colordash, obviously.  Laurie has the womb-perm.

After instruction in form, the real exercise began.  Joey took no prisoners, and corrected my form.  Repeatedly.  My over active brain tried to process all the different sets of instructions, and I kept making a mess of it.  

It was a real Pvt. Benjamin moment.

Despite his grizzled appearance, Joey kept on me until I figured it out.  Imagine my delight when I not only found the form, but discovered it was EASIER.

Elementary, my dear Watson.

By my fourth and final set, I was drenched in sweat, ready to puke and shaky as a bowl of jello.

But I could do a fabulous on-my-knees push up.

I flipping did four sets of 9-13.  That's about 40 push-ups!  Nose to the ground!

Physics.  Locking it in.  The professor is my new favorite person.

He was my favorite person on Gilligan's Island, too.

OH.  MY.  WORD.

Have you seen this???

Comic relief or scary image that will haunt you?  The King of Athletics & I saw that in Hawaii.  Just had to share.

Where was I?  I was going to hurl so I called Jim, my health coach.  Earlier I had eaten a banana. He told me to refuel with protein, so I ate a half a tin of tuna, 8 wheat thins with a dab of peanut butter, 5 grapes and 6oz of milk.

I have never tasted food so delicious.

Exercise is the best seasoning?  Who knew?

My darling niece Abby posted a picture shortly after I ate; where she was just as cute as a button.

Isn't she sugar?

So I took my picture to send to her.  It turned out rather horrifying, so I didn't send it.  Instead I got ready for my big sales meeting.

Hard to believe these were taken less than an hour apart!

Today, I really, truly wanted to quit-BEFORE I walked into the gym.  I didn't want to try eating right.  I wanted to mope, eat whatever and be sullen (sometimes closed head injuries have these moody flare-ups. It's sooo not me.) It boils down to this:  I didn't want to try.

In exercise, there is no try.  Either you do it or you don't.

No picture of Yoda.  That's too expected:)

I cannot stand "Just do it" or "suck it up."  I do love to hike & swim, but those won't get me the results I need.  I need to fix my posture, gain strength and establish a healthy lifestyle.  Like 80% of the US population, I don't want to do it.  I haven't as of yet figured out how to make it fun, or what my catchphrase is, but today the only reason I walked in that gym today was accountability to my boss that I would write a column called fitness quest.  That's it.  While my fears were unfounded, it doesn't matter.  They were real until I walked through the door.  

The before and after (or after and before) picture shows exactly how I felt about exercise - and the glowing after effects.  My confidence gained quite a boost, and my meeting went better than expected.  Everything about the day brighten because I did some push-ups.  Silly, isn't it?  But true.

So the Quest continues.  Tomorrow we tackle Granite Mountain's #261.  I must try to eat 6 times again (which I did do today!  I had an orange and a piece of bread (#3), the rest of the tuna and an avacado (#4), a double cheeseburger, medium fry and iced tea from McDonalds (#5) and a cup of melted shredded cheese (#6.)  Yes, I am aware the last two were not healthy choices.) At least tomorrow we plan on bringing wine :)