IronOrchid’s BodyBlog

May your stuffing be tasty,
May your turkey be plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have never a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!

"It doesn’t matter what you do during the holidays. What matters is what you do the rest of the year, between New Year and Thanksgiving/Christmas." (c)

I really liked this way of thinking.

Especially now, when my kitchen is getting full of those special sweets: fruitcake, eggnog, bourbon pecans …

I have done 8 pull-ups at one set today! That’s my new record!

And it feels so great!

Oh, well. Recently I’ve decided to use Smith machine for my squats because my back is my real problem in my life. So right now I’m learning the basics - the proper techniques and I don’t use a lot of weight for the start.

This morning was definitely not mine at the YMCA at the Suncoast. I came early (ha-ha! I thought it was early!) to do several strength exercises before my kick-box aerobic classes. I was going to do the squats but I noticed some weights on the Smith machine so I went for my pull ups. Several minutes later I looked towards the machine and saw no change…

I don’t know! For me, the Smith machine with no weight on it and no people around means it is free to use. But! …

… I’ll continue. The Smith machine was loaded and there was nobody using it. I was puzzled. I came up and asked the nearby-biceps curl-guys if they’re using it and got a negative answer. At the same time a person came up to me and told me "he was using it", pointing at a chatting crowd of four males. Yeah, after my question started "which one of those…?” we figured out whom I address my question to. He was SO simple! He said I could use it! That’s it!  And he continued his conversation. Ha-ha-ha. There were the weights hanging on that machine total almost the same as I’m!

Thanks God, they don’t make it more then 45 pounds per one! I was short of time but I cleaned it and did my things. But do you think the nearby-biceps curl-guys offered their help? No way! They were watching me like making bets if I could do it or not!

I got used to people listening to my foreign accent and not my question. It is OK with me.

But as an immigrant and a person brought up in other country, I have a question for American guys: is that normal NOT to offer you help to a person who is twice smaller then you’re but doing the same thing as you’re? Are you that afraid of receiving “no, thanks”? Is that all about “that scary sexual harassment thing”? (Personally, I did not see any in this case: a question of an assistance is a question of an assistance, nothing else. Especially when you’re among other people. ) Or what?!

And I have another one. Is that so hard to "clean the machine after yourself"? I mean removing those weights, so people could use it? Especially, when somebody pointed that out for you? (in a way, I guess, because I did not have a chance to tell that in plain words, the guy turned away from me very quick. )

This is not the end of my story.

The pathetic part is that after an hour I came back to finish my pull ups. And I looked at the Smith machine… Oh my… The same weights were hanging up there, as high as possible, and there was nobody around! Even if I wanted to remove it I’d have to use a stair. And I’m not sure if I could cope with that weight so up high.

Any suggestions? For my future BEFORE strenght traing preparations? :) How should I manage those things?

P.S.: I did not mean any offence to Amercans! I was not born and raised here, I’m trying to figure out how to live here. Thank you.

Wow! I am so proud of myself today. I have repaired my washing machine all by myself. I still can’t believe I’ve done it but it is working right now, I can hear it.

Well, I do our laundry on Sundays (I’m a person of schedules). Today I started it as usually but the washer quit working in the middle of the cycle: it could not drain the water. So I googled the thing and found a wonderful site FixYa.com with step-by-step instructions how to. I printed it out (http://www.fixya.com/support/r385845-checking_drain_pump_in_whirlpool_duet) and got myself busy for an hour. I spent about fifteen minutes only to figure out which part is what and where (English is not my native language so sometimes I don’t know the meaning of the word). Then for half an hour I was removing the water with a cup and towels. It was not fun but necessary if I did not want to have my floor flooded.

Finally I dug out a toothpick and a color catcher cloth out of the drain pipe. Unbelievable, but it managed to go through those tiny holes in the wash tub!

So, besides saving money and time on repair men, it was a good new experience for me. And I was not afraid to do it at all. I believe in my strength. There is no thing I cannot try. I might not succeed but thanks to regular exercises I have muscles and I am strong enough.

It feels good.

It’s almost been a week since I’m sick. The worst part of it I feel weak and dizzy while taking antibiotics. I even cannot think of exercising.

Thanks God there is such a thing as oatmeal! What a great food, honestly! I can add anything to it, it’s easy to digest and give me energy.

Water, lots of water…

I’m looking for some info on how to start exercising again when it is over. I’ve never been that sick before, I have no idea what I’m supposed to do after being sick.

It’s almost been a week since I’m sick. The worst part of it I feel weak and dizzy while taking antibiotics. I even cannot think of exercising.

Thanks God there is such a thing as oatmeal! What a great food, honestly!

*Law of Mechanical Repair*
After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch and you’ll have to pee.

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