Between the months of April and May, I tracked about 150 miles of running. For someone who’s lived a life hating to run, that’s really good for me. I’ve also lost about 14 pounds (15, depending on the scale) since the start of April. I’m hoping to keep this way of life forever, as long as my body allows me to move in this way. I want my chubby days to be gone!
New laptop and fitness routine
I have neglected this site. Not intentionally. My computer is a worthless piece of…um, microchips? It’s a rotten apple, if you will. Laptops were ordered – one for my mom and one for me. Mom’s came first and so I’m using it until I get a chance to bring it to her next weekend. In the meantime, I’m taking advantage of it here at home. I don’t think she’ll mind. I’m taking it for a test run. Yeah! That’s it…a test run.
So I ran 65 miles in total for the month of April. This new fitness plan seems to be working. The hardest part isn’t so much the exercising but the watching what I eat. I already eat pretty healthy compared to the average American, but my love for food means I usually overindulge. So I forge ahead into May, June and July. Can I lose 10 more pounds by my 29th birthday?
Long time coming.
I’m getting a personal trainer.
Today, payday at work is also the day of making financial commitments. I sent off my donation to United Way, the registration fee for the IKAA gathering this summer, and by the end of the weekend will have paid for 8 sessions with my future personal trainer. Money well spent. I can stop worrying/contemplating/considering. It’s done. I’m going to do it.
Wobble wobble shake shake…hopefully less of that by the time I can wear shorts outdoors again!
Completely addicted
Nate and I are completely addicted to two shows we’re watching on DVD these days:
1. West Wing Season 7
2. Shoot for the Stars (Korean Drama)
We began watching West Wing when we were living in China. Another teacher at Zhanjiang Normal College who was also from the USA had bought seasons 1 and 2 and lent them to us. It was therapeutic to hear intelligent, fast-paced English being spoken…and the writing, acting, and storyline was great, too. When we returned from China a year and a half ago, we continued to borrow/rent/buy seasons 3-5. Now, a co-worker has lent us season 6 and the final one, season 7. We finished season 6 very quickly and are now making our way to the final episodes of the series. I’m telling you it’s addicting!!!! Watching it on DVD allows a person to go from one episode to another, then another and another.
Then there are the Korean dramas that I got into last summer. I think it was sometime in August. I had begun watching Korean movies by renting them from the nearby Village Video here in Minneapolis. I decided to give Korean TV shows a try and see what I thought. I went to Kim’s Market in St. Paul where they have an extensive selection of Korean movies and dramas. Most I am guessing are only in Korean. But one shelf has the boxed sets of Korean dramas that are translated into English. Good translations, too. It began with Rooftop Room Cat…then Secret (not so great, but still semi-addicting), then Dae Jang Geum (54 episodes!), then My Girl, and now Shoot For the Stars.
Here’s where I set myself up for dorkdom:
Watching West Wing, at times, makes me feel good and hopeful about what the USA can be. It gives me hope in politics, in government and in being a citizen of the USA. If you haven’t watching West Wing, don’t become skeptical and assume it’s a show trying to make everyone feel like the USA is so wonderful. It’s not. It points out what is clearly wrong about this country, too. Yet, it gives me a glimmer of hope…something I need since we’re onto year 7 of the Bush administration.
As for the Korean dramas, well…they give me a glance into a culture that is both foreign and personal to me. I wonder how “real” of a portrayal these shows are of Korea. I’m sure there is an element of truth to some of what I see, but like any entertainment industry, there is a stretching of reality, too.
So now you know my entertainment addictions. What are yours?
Germs
I can’t seem to avoid them! I could probably be a very healthy person if it weren’t for all the germs that 2 year olds absorb and then spread to everyone else – including me. I am going on cold #2 for the year of 2007. This one, unlike the last has attacked my throat. So far, just mild symptoms. I hope it stays this way and goes away quickly. I hate being sick in any way, shape or form. I’ve decided that even if I really do get another full-fledged cold, I’m not going to use that as an excuse to not workout. I’m still going to get on that treadmill and groove for an hour a day. Who knows? Maybe all that internal heat will kill off some of these germs that I come into contact with daily.
From there to here
Gateway to a Chinese University
This weekend we’re hosting two students from the University we taught at in China. About 10 students total from the University are in Minnesota for almost a month learning more about the USA in a cultural program. As far as I’m aware, they had to go through a highly selective interview process to get chosen. I’m not sure if the students we will be hosting for the weekend stay will be former students of ours or not. There’s a possibility since 3 out of the 10 students are amongst the 500+ that I taught throughout the course of that school year.
It’ll be quite a trip to see their reactions to Minneapolis and the USA in general compared to the life and culture they’re most familiar with in Guangdong, China. If it’s anything like my reaction the first few weeks of living in China, I’m sure they’ll be quite shocked. Unfortunately they’re here in the middle of a brutal cold front, which won’t make the shock any easier. This weekend is forecasted as the coldest weekend of the winter with -20 degrees being a reality. Considering the coldest it tends to get there in the winter is 35 degrees (and that’s really roughin’ it), I am worried that the students won’t have the proper winter gear to stay clear from frostbite. Looks like we’ll be doing lots of indoor activities to stay warm and entertained. I have to remember that upon traveling to such a different culture, nearly everything is interesting so I doubt it will take much for the students to be in awe. I was in awe simply by looking out the bus window on the drive into China.
Knowing I’ll see these students in a few days has brought up some memories and conversation about China so I’ll leave you with some pictures of the city we taught in. You may have seen them before, but it’s nice to have a visual aid of the city they’re coming from.
Typical street
Popular mode of transportation
College dormitory
Shoping mall
Neti Pot
Tried it for the first time tonight. It reminded me of swimming and going underwater and getting water up the nose by accident…only it wasn’t an accident.
I’m going to keep doing it and see if it helps this awful sinus cold that won’t go away, go away!
Feng Shui Horoscope
A friend emailed me this…
Write your answers on a paper:
1. Which is your favorite color: red, black, blue, green, or yellow?
2. Your first initial?
3. Your month of birth?
4. Which color do you like more, black or white?
5. Name of a person of the same sex as yours.
6. Your favorite number?
7. Do you like California or Florida more?
8. Do you like a lake or the ocean more?
9. Write down a wish (a realistic one)
Random happenings of my day
1. I had a toddler kick me in the shin. On purpose.
2. I felt a tickle in my nose the entire day and must have sneezed at least 40 times.
3. I brushed my teeth twice while at work.
4. I skipped my workout.
5. I drank an organic energy drink with 80 mg of caffeine. I’m still buzzing 12 hours later.
6. I ate 2 oranges.
7. I committed to hosting some students from the university I taught at in China who will be in Minnesota next week!
8. I did the hokey pokey.
9. I held two children in my lap at the same time. One’s name is Clementine and the other’s name is Guddu.
10. I checked out the book “Yellow” from my work’s library.
Synergy
I’m trying to fight this cold with Synergy Kombucha tea. Last night the SO and I went to see Songs of the Dragons Flying to Heaven, a play directed by Young Jean Lee. I laughed through much of it but was struck by how uncomfortable it seemed to make most of the audience feel.
Today is thankfully a Sunday in which I don’t have to work so I can do peaceful things without a deadline in mind. I’m listening to my body and taking it slow and being okay with that. No need to try and cross everything off my list of things I should be doing, when in the here and now I just need to concentrate on feeling better.
And so I am.
