Weekend in Review - Parts of Me Hurt that I didn't Know Existed...

I am sure you are all on the edge of your seats wondering how my workout went...I will fill you in, but first I have a few announcements...and I need to take another Tylenol....

My new best friend

I would like to dedicate this blog posting to my parents...formally  known as Jim and Charlene. See, after my last posting, (about my lack of coordination) my mom, formally known as Charlene, posted a little message that said "You hit a home run on this one. Dad and I were going to name you Tripp".  Now this little jab runs deeper than the surface joke of "trip" and "coordination"....it is a direct reference to my mortal enemy Sarah Palin and her son, Tripp.  I'll admit...I got it and I laughed at it. But from here on out, my parents, Jim and Charlene, will now be referred to as Sarah and Todd....

In sticking with learning Chinese, I learned a bit about their economy this weekend as well.  I stepped on my ear buds for my iPod and needed new ones, so I went on ebay to find a new pair.  I bought some on Saturday for 18 cents from China....they will be here by February. So far I have not had to communicate with the seller, but if I do, at least I will know how to say Hello.  Ni Hao!

So the workout....Woke up early Saturday with almost zero anxiety. My friend/personal trainer, Laurel had called me the night before and told me what to wear and what to do. Though I was still a little anxious, I felt confident that everything would be just fine....and it was!  She showed me several machines, we worked on our legs, backs, and abs. We did some cardio on the steppers, a cool down  on the treadmills, then some stretches. I broke a sweat and got my heart rate up to a respectable number. I wasn't panting or extremely tired.  I actually felt wonderful, albeit a bit sweaty and smelly by the time we were done.

Seriously...I absolutely loved my time at the gym. We were there almost 3 hours! As I went back to my car I was so pumped! I was smiling and walking on air. I thought "I want to do this every day!"  "I can't wait to come back!" In fact, I was even thinking about the pants/t-shirt combo I would wear next time. The absolute best thought that went through my head was "I didn't fall and I didn't embarrass myself...I am like perfection personified".

However, I was only perfection personified and unembarrassed for about 2.5 minutes after that thought though...

As I pulled out of the parking lot, onto the main road, I was still brimming with jubilation and pride. So happy, in fact, I turned the radio on and began to sing at the top of my lungs....Miley Cyrus..."Party in the USA"...as I drove, it seems the urge to dance came over me as well, so I was singing, bouncing, "nodding my head like yeah" and  "putting my hands up" (well, one hand up). I was in my own little world.  As I got to the "And a Britney song was on" part, I was seriously belting it out...that's when I noticed the two teenage guys in the car next to me....laughing....and dancing...looking and pointing directly at me....so here I am...32 years old, belting Miley, singing about Britney, my hair sweaty and sticking up all over, once again, mortified...so I didn't embarrass myself at the gym, but I did manage to do it eventually.  I will take my bow now.  Bravo to me!

Let's fast forward to this morning...6:08am EST...alarm goes off...I open my eyes...turn my head...and I feel it...stiffness...pain. Every movement I make....I think my nails and hair even hurt actually. I got out of bed like a 95 year old woman and hobbled into the kitchen.  Flipped the coffee on and grabbed the Tylenol. My jubilation is over.  Turning my head hurts...laughing hurts...walking hurts...standing up hurts...sitting down hurts...it hurts to walk up and down two flights of stairs every time Chloe needs to go out...it hurts to bend...my abs hurt when I take a deep breath...my ass hurts even while sitting still...I tried to take my laptop to the couch, but it was too much effort to get up...I just kind of flopped off...but then had to get up anyway, since I was now on the floor...at this point, is was about 7:30am...

One hot shower later, some more Tylenol and several hours passing, I feel a lot better. I am still sore, of course, but it is manageable...I still want to go work out...no pain, no gain, right?  Let's be honest...the last time I worked out was probably over the summer while playing Wii at my sister's house...I was sore the next day then too actually.  I am going to do this though...It can't get worse, right? I want to work out...I just think I will remind my personal trainer that we should stretch both before AND after next time....

Day in Review - Sprucing Up, Learning Chinese and Workout Anxiety

Ni hao. For those of you who do not know, that is Hello in Chinese. I heard on CNN yesterday that all of us should learn Chinese because China will become more integrated into American life in the next 10 years. I am teaching myself how to spell the words in the English Alphabet since my computer won't type Chinese characters. So far I know how to say "Hello", Ni Hao and "I would like an order of sweet and sour chicken, please" - Wo xiang yi tang cu ji zhixu, qing.  I figure that's all I will need to know for today...

Did you notice I have spruced the blog up a bit?  I seriously considered moving it to a new platform, but honestly, I couldn't be bothered with learning a whole new system, so to satisfy my urge for change, I just moved some things around and changed the background.  Nice?  Do you like?  It spoke to me through my screen, so this is the one I chose.

Saw on Huff Post today that Todd Palin is involved in some prostitute/affair scandal...Love it!!!!  I do hope my "best friend" Sarah is all right...All I have to say is karma is a bitch sometimes.

So I am supposed to work out tomorrow....and I am having some anxiety about it.  Not the type of anxiety where I need to pop a few Xanex or anything, but I have always had a fear of working out. It isn't because it's tough...I can handle that. It isn't because I will be sore...that's what Tylenol is for.  The real reason is...well...I am not extremely coordinated. See, I have an issue where I will just randomly trip and fall on my ass sometimes.  No snow, no ice, just walking...I am plain clumsy. There have been many instances where I just fall.  I have broken my wrist twice...once tripping over my dog, once tripping over my iron. I fell in the middle of Central Park once...I have fallen down stairs, I have tripped over air....I spill things on myself all the time, which is why I don't often wear white.  I don't know if this is something I am just naturally excellent at, or if I can blame my parents for crappy genes in the coordination department, but it all comes down to this...I have Workout Anxiety.

This all started when my friend Laurel invited me to check out her new gym with her. I immediately agreed because, at the time, I thought it sounded like a good idea!  I was pumped for about 20 minutes...until I had a vision....it was a vision of me....falling....off an elliptical....in front of one of those big windows where about 20 other people could see me.  Yes...this really happened to me.  I know the person it happened with is probably peeing her pants right now...I know she reads this.  Not only was I mortified beyond belief, but I got hurt! I had a bruise the size of my hand on my leg, a scrape on my arm and hit my head in the process.  Go ahead...you can laugh.  I can laugh about it now, and you better believe the friend I was with was doubled over in laughter the entire time this was going on. (This was not the same friend who was with me in Central Park when I fell in front of about 1000 people, but she laughed too, for the record)

Since I have had this suppressed memory return, I have had anxiety about going. I know I have to do it and I know I need to face my fears. When I get anxiety about one thing, it just naturally leads to something else...I now have anxiety not only about falling, but what I am supposed to wear? Should bring my shoes with me or wear them? (it is snowy out, my sneakers aren't the best snow shoes), Will I remember to put on deodorant? What I should do with my hair? Should I take a shower before and after or just after?  What if I have to pee? What if there is a really hot guy there and I am a sweaty, red faced mess? What if I can't figure out how to work the machines? Ok...I need to stop, because I will need a Xanex if I keep going.

Maybe I should mediate before going....I will keep you posted....

I have never told anyone about this anxiety or the event that led to it.  Of course my friend who was with me knows...and the 20 people who saw know...I'm sure I probably told my dog too, because I tell her random things like that...but now you all know and hopefully you will remember this, if you ever see me at a gym...or even walking down the street, for that matter....take cover...and step away....you may go down with me.

Oh!  I almost forgot!  Seriously...the REAL Russell Simmons friended me on MySpace....RaNdOm!!!!!