Tracking

Part of the whole deal with 24 Hour Fitness is a suite of online tools for your membership.  One of the cooler things is the tracker that shows when you sign in to the gym and it will give you an average number of times per week and such.  Well, I have hit the gym 12 times in 16 days.  I am pretty darn proud of that.  I went to Turbo Kick this morning.  The past two weekends I have struggled with going to the classes because of the bus schedule.  Today, I finally got my life together and was able to get to class on time.  It was a good workout and I am fairly proud of my performance.  I still need to work on my endurance but I am able to keep up and other people come to tell me that I did a good job which always feels nice.  Also, Laura told me that she could see a difference already.  It's small but it's there.  I know my legs have gotten a lot stronger and have trimmed up a bit.

On the Time front, things have improved for the time being.  Then again, they are always better until they're not.  I need to just not engage.  I hate the idea that he is able to just get away with behaving so immaturely but for my own sanity, it's better to just walk away.

FYI

Slamming doors are not the best mode of communication...unless it is in Morse code.  Then, it's effective but still extremely off-putting.  I'm glad I had a good workout tonight or else this might really bother me.

Dirty Girl

Sorry that I haven't been posting very much lately.  It's because all of my time has been going to work, working out and transportation between those points.  I have worked out 7 times over the past 10 days.  I am quite proud of that.  The workout on Friday involved a whole lot of squatting so I was too sore to workout yesterday.

In other news, our dryer is broken.  This is of particular concern since now that I am working out regularly, I am going through workout clothes quite quickly.  This presents quite the quandary.  I sweat...a lot.  This means that I get very stinky after a workout.  This, in turn, necessitates the washing of the clothes I was wearing during my workout.  I have a very limited supply of these clothes.  You see my problem?

Also, I re-ordered my Clinique face stuff.  It has been working pretty well but I ran out of the face wash over Christmas break and have been using Trader Joe's Tea Tree Oil Face Wash.  I think the Acne stuff made a real difference.  I think working out might have a negative effect on my face because I don't bring my face wash with me to the gym.

Muang, Amy and I all belong to the same gym so I have only gone to the gym by myself twice.  It is great to have gym buddies so we can all encourage each other to go.  I don't think I will keep up the same pace of workouts but I think I can still commit to going at least a few times a week.

Blergh

10 hour day.  First day of citizenship classes went well but the class was WAY too full.  Talk Time went well and then I had 2 mock interview back to back.  I am so glad that today is done.  I am too busy for my own good.  On a positive note, the meds are working on my skin.  I am clearing up in a big way.  I need to hold on to those things right now.

Much Has Happened, Little Has Changed

I went home for a blissful 6 days of visiting friends and family.  It was wonderful and I came out of the whole deal with a bitchin' new 32Gig iPod Touch, complete with front and back cameras.  I also got an awesome hat that looks like a koala from my sister that I constantly get compliments about.  Seeing all of the lovely ladies of Veto Street was awesome, especially because it resulted in a "soft and sultry" new 'do.  That description is courtesy of Ms. Laura East.

The first week back was stressful because it meant the start of all of our classes.  I have my first citizenship class of the quarter tomorrow morning.  The church that I teach at is getting all snippy and blaming us for things that are not our fault but as a result of their pettiness, I am severely constricted in my teaching space.  I am going from a Sunday school classroom to a small conference room.  I am not happy about this.  On the upside, IT is ordering a projector for us so I can use more effective visuals with my students.  I hope this can really lock in all of the information I am throwing at them.

Muang had propositioned the idea of being gym buddies before the New Year and I am finally going to take her up on it.  Her gym has Turbo Kick and Zumba as well as all of the normal treadmills and ellipticals.  I can also make a great workout playlist on my iPod.  I hope that this will add a new dimension to my life and make me healthier.  That's all for now.  I have many things going on but that's all I feel like writing for the moment.

Some "Only In Seattle" Pictures



Mount Rainier in the background.  Gorgeous Seattle skyline



Pike Place Market all decked out for the holidays. Note: the Christmas carrot.

This is the exterior of the Experience Music Project.  I will be there for a crazy huge New Years' Eve party.  It's a funky bit of architecture.

Rising Up To The Challenge

I survived this week!  The celebration went off smoothly, although not without a hitch.  There were some technical difficulties with the translation devices.  I am not 100% happy with my performance of "The Star Spangled Banner" but I did get a lot of compliments on it.  We got a lot of great feedback about it and overall, I am pleased with the result.  Laura and I took off early as a well deserved break.  We went out for drinks and karaoke with some of the volunteers.  I had a few and bought a round for my compatriots.  It was a good time but all of the stress and the late night meant I was dragging in a big way on Friday.  I left early then too but that was because I knew I would be working the weekend.

I just completed a weekend of utility discount assistance.  We got to give people half off their utility bills which was cool, although it is only for customers of Seattle City Light and Seattle Public Utilities who are not in subsidized housing so we had to turn a lot of people away.  It was good that I got to make some good contacts working for the City of Seattle.  Muang was there on Saturday so we got to chat most of the day.  I am so beyond pumped for coming back to Michigan!  3 more day and then I will be home!  Book your time now because I am going to be a busy lady!