The Best is Yet to Come

As I’ve come to realize recently, I’m just a tad bit OCD when it comes to my workouts. Weird.

I’ve noticed the following peculiarities in the last few weeks:

* When running, I HAVE to start out on my left foot, or I have to stop and restart.

*On the elliptical, the incline settings have to be even numbers, 2 - 4 - 6 or 8, for some reason 3 - 5 - 7 and 9 are not ok in my brain!

*I have to put the left glove on first when lifting

*If I don’t put my towel in just the right spot, it bugs me until I move it

I’ve also noticed the whole left foot thing on the escalators in the train station. I always have to get off with my left foot - what is wrong with me? j/k, it’s nothing to actually be concerned about, I just found it kind of funny.

I got off the train this morning, headed over to the office from Union Station and, of course, the Veterans are handing out poppies today for Memorial Day.

 SO, I pass one of them and he looks right at me, so of course I feel like I have to acknowledge him, so I tell him that I need to get some change and that I will come back later for one. His reply to me? “No you won’t….” in kind of a snotty tone……to which I reply “wow, that was pretty rude”…one of the other vets said, “don’t worry, he’s just like that”.  I am annoyed by his assumption that I don’t care, and that I truly won’t come back.

This brings up multiple issues for me. Being the chatty kind of gal that I am, of course I plan on detailing all of them below for your reading enjoyment.

A. Why I took offense to his comment:

1. In my family, we ALWAYS donate and ALWAYS have poppies. We also fly American flags and put out extra for Memorial Day and July 4th. Being that my stepfather (bless his soul, he passed away 2 years ago in May - right before Memorial Day) was a decorated combat vet who served in Vietnam with the Army, my sister and brother-in-law were both in the Air Force, my grandfather was a combat vet in the Army in Korea and also boxed in Army fights, one of my cousins was a fighter pilot in the Air Force and flew combat missions during Desert Storm (he now flies for Southwest), another cousin was in the Army during Desert Storm and now serves as some sort of diplomatic something or other to some embassy……..and I’m sure I’m forgetting someone, but you get my drift. It’s not as though I come from a family or background where we do not honor the Armed Forces or its members.

2. My favorite man, commonly referred to on my blogs as #1, is also a decorated combat vet, and not only that, was a green beret serving in Iraq. Trust me, I do my part to show appreciation to my favorite serviceman as much and as often as I can!

3. My past man, and current friend, is an Army recruiter, he’s #2 to anyone who has followed my romance saga from the beginning of my blog - this is who I dated during 2006 while #1 and I were apart for 3 months.

B. Why I am completely saddened by his comment

He surely has to have put up with a lot of bullsh!t from other people to be so negative. And that sucks. I am quite positive that many people walk by these vets as though they are invisible, or make some brush-off comment just to get away, which is what I am sure he assumed I was doing.

Our servicemen and women are the very reason we have the freedoms that we have now, and that so many people are quick to complain about because their ignorance has blinded them is very disheartening.

I love how these big-mouths can go out and claim their right to free speech and then turn around and use that right to rip apart our military and its members, at the same time that those service people are the ones who fight to keep that right alive for us and also try to address wrongdoings being done unto others less fortunate living in countries where freedom is not something taken for granted.

I know how horrible it was for my stepdad when he came back from Vietnam, and have seen the shrapnel scars on his arm from his tour. I know about the night terrors and that he witnessed horrors that he could never speak of because they were just that traumatic. I remember hearing the stories, not very often because he didn’t like to speak of it, about how cruelly he and his fellow soldiers were ridiculed and hated simply for doing their job.

I also know how much being over in Iraq changed #1’s life when he returned - namely, it changed a lot of his personal relationships and changed the course of his future.

The freedoms I happily enjoy are only there because somebody else fought for me to be able to have them. The freedoms I will enjoy tomorrow are only there because our servicemen and women will continue to fight to preserve them.

To all those people complaining about how horrible our government and military are, might I kindly suggest that you pack up your sh!t and move to Canada or Mexico…..better yet, how about Iraq? Then come back and tell me how bad our country is.

I’d write more, but I have to go make a donation to the vets to get my poppy.

….or at least, on the bb.com front page!

I had no idea that my blog was featured on the bb.com front page until I saw the profile comment from my good friend Thorra. Of course, then I scrolled down and saw the message from bbcom developer. Thanks!

Wow, I will definitely agree about the new job - which I still absolutely love. The fact that my predecessor was more hype than actual productivity and had a sour disposition has made my transition into her place very smooth indeed.

As for the man, yes, he IS great…..and I’ve been nagging him for a while to put his info up on Bodyspace, since people come up to him in the gym all the time and ask him what he does to stay in such great shape. He finally caved and let me create his profile……but, in the interest of anonymity I will not be shouting it out from the rooftops, as he really is more interested in providing advice to those who ask him for it and now he can simply direct them to his Bodyspace, and then get on with his own crazy, intense workout. Otherwise, we get stuck in the gym for 2+ hours, and that really bites.  Of course, bb.com is also the best resource out there for anyone seriously seeking quality advice, so it makes perfect sense that way too.

And, yes, the boobs are new, but they are all mine! Had a reduction done after much contemplation. Many people have PM’d me asking about it, and I’m always happy to provide any advice or information that I can. It’s one of the best things I’ve done for myself and would not hesitate to do it all over again. Plus, it helps that my great man really likes them! AND, I can RUN again!!!! No black eyes!!! (unfortunately, the achilles tendinitis is still an issue, but we’re managing that one quite well, so far. I still hate getting up in the morning to go jogging/running, but #1 is a SUPER motivator, even when I think he’s pushing me too hard).

And, finally, I have now lost over 60 pounds. WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jeepers, there’s only 48 more to go! Ugh! But, at least I have two great trainers - #1, and Martin in our gym who helped #1 prepare for his bb competition in March. And yes, all I hear from Martin is "cardio! cardio! cardio!", and now #1 is reciting it as well. Aaarrrggghhhhhhh……..

Sorry I’ve been slacking a little on my blog lately, and I promise to be better!

I would have thought that by now, after being back on my thyroid pills for a week after that idiot nurse screwed up my refill and I missed my pills for 2.5 days, that I’d have my normal energy levels back.

Not so.

On top of the energy lull, I’ve put back on a few pounds and since my energy is so low, just getting on the elliptical is a chore, much less pedaling. And yes, I notice it the most right around my midsection. Sucks big time.
I’m still having a harder time than usual in the mornings and getting the total energy slump right around noon. Totally sucks. AND, I’ve been doing some research to show #1 that I’m not really nuts, and have found that there is a connection between hypothyroidism and increased allergy symptoms, chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis. Wish I’d known that one a long time ago….

Speaking of sinuses, I haven’t had to take any Pseudoephedrine in a couple days….I was desperate over the weekend from all of my recent sinus pain and headaches and  found my neti pot, or as I affectionately refer to it, my  "snot pot". It really sucks at first, but I definitely notice a difference with the sinus irrigation.

Check out www.sinucleanse.com for more info, and a somewhat disturbing video of what it looks like to pour water into one nostril and have it come out the other……I have their plastic pot for travel and a really pretty ceramic pot from the health food store.

#1 has offerred to take some new pics for me on Friday after work……

I’m ultimately aiming for something that looks like THIS: (and, uh, yeah, I’m aware that that will take a LOT more work, and potentially a tummy tuck too!)

I love CHICAGO……I love my new JOB……I love my MAN……..I love my new BOOBS (now that the scars are fading so nicely)

I do NOT love my ass, or my stomach, my bills, my mess in the spare room or the blisters on my feet.

Other than that, everything is ducky.

While we were working out in the gym tonight, I happened to look up while doing my leg curls and saw a guy with a red tipped cane making his way to one of the machines. He was completely blind!!! I watched him feel the stacks with his fingers to figure out where to put the pin for his set.

Anyone who complains that they can’t get their lazy butt into the gym because of, well, anything, has no right to bitch after seeing this.

And, yes, he was blind as a bat - I watched him stick his way all the way back to the locker room. Just wondered, though, as I’m typing this - how did he get there and back?

So I brought my nieces to the hotel pool to go swimming, all well and good. They love it and we have fun.

One of my coworkers shows up and we start talking about stretch marks and stuff because the woman in in fantastic shape after having two kids (4 & 2) - and looks hot in a bikini without any of that extra skin or unsightly stretch marks.

So as we’re talking, I somehow make the comment that I’m still fat, and my oldest Niece (11) - looks at me and says "no, Auntie, you’re not fat" - so I reply, "well, I’m sure not skinny yet, how about fluffy?" - "nah she says, I’d go with chubby".

Just got back from a killer workout….deadlift day. It sucks when he’s there because it hurts more, yet it’s great at the same time because I know that I get a better workout when we go together. I love how he pushes me to lift more and push harder, and at the same time I could kick him for making me so darn sore!

On a happy note, today was my first day at my new job, and I absolutely love it. The people are great, the view is even greater……outside the window across the street is the old Post Office building where last week they were filming scenes for the next Batman movie and fire broke out……if only I had started a week earlier! Apparently, the building is an ongoing joke because it seems that it’s on fire quite often according to my new boss. Hmmmm…….

Anyway, that’s all for now….hope everyone has a super weekend.

I busted out this shirt the other day and walked into the kitchen to grab my coffee……looked up to see #1 staring at my shirt with a big smile on his face (he’s never seen it in person - pictures not quite the same as real life) Turned to me and said, WOW, that shirt looks REALLY good on you! Made me feel all warm and gooey inside….nothing like a little positive motivation from my favorite man!

I’ve now got today and tomorrow to slack off and get my messy closet cleaned up before I start my new job and rejoin the ranks of the gainfully employed! Woohoo! Need to get back to the city today to pee in a cup, then it’s an hour and a half of cardio for me. Hitting the gym for bench and biceps with #1 this afternoon, still feeling sore in my legs from Monday’s workout.

Pain? Muscle Soreness? BRING IT ON!!!!!!! I got me a dress to fit into, and while I can zip it up, the bumps and bulges NEED TO GO AWAY!  In the words of the famous boy band….bye, bye, bye……(to the bumps and bulges)