maunaloa’s BodyBlog

My holiday weekend starts at 2:00 pm today and I don’t return to work until next Tuesday.   I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving.

Top 5 things I am thankful for are:

1. My mother is a cancer survivor.  She is my heart and I adore her.  She was diagnosed with breast cancer 2 years ago, right before Christmas.  When she told me, I remember falling to my knees, hugging her and telling her I would be there for her every step of the way just as she has been there for me every step of the way.

2. I have a relationship with my father again.  We were estranged for 12 years and finally found our way back to each other last year, right before Thanksgiving.

3. I am healthy.

4. I have a job that most days, I enjoy.

5. I have a wonderful family and friends who know who I am and STILL love me.

 *UPDATE* My mom told me on Thanksgiving that her mammogram came back clean as a whistle.  Truly THE best Thansgiving ever.

I’m not going to compete.  I will just focus on being fit and looking fantastical and fantabulous.

So, I had a little conversation with the scale today.  It told me I gained 2 lbs.  I asked if those 2 lbs. went to my butt.  *fingers crossed*  It said, "Unlikely."  Scale and I are no longer on speaking terms.

Yesterday, I was vacuuming my car and the vacuum attacked me.  It assaulted my face!  Today, I was on the highway, when all of a sudden, a ladder falls off of the van in front of me.  So, I had like 3 seconds to make a decision that would not result in all of the highway being on the 6 o’clock news.  (Yeah, I ended up running the ladder over.)  What’s gonna happen tomorrow???  I feel like I’m in the movie "Final Destination." 

April 6, 2009

- Signed up at new gym. (HOORAY!)

- Weight: 123 lbs.

- Size 6

- Waist: 29 inches

- Bodyfat: 31% (!)

November 2, 2009

- Still going to the gym an average of 5-6 days per week. (HOORAY!)

- Weight: 107 lbs.

- Size 2 (sometimes 1)

- Waist: 26 inches

- Bodyfat: 24% (still!, but it has decreased)

One of THE best things is seeing the weight loss in my face.  I looked at my license the other day…EGAD!

I have gotten numerous messages about some of the following so I figured I would blog about it.  If you’ve come this far, maybe you’re willing to go a little further?  If so, please continue…

1. Why did I pick the name maunaloa?

I chose the name maunaloa because I get mistaken for being Hawaiian when I have a tan.  Additionally, I liked the sound of maunaloa and (more importantly) I like to confuse people…

2. Was I born in Korea?

Yes, I was born in Seoul, South Korea and I was adopted when I was a year-old.  People ask me if I remember Korea at all.  Ummm…what do you remember when you were a year-old?

3. Do I want to go back to Korea someday?

Most definitely.  I will need strong drugs to tolerate the flight and lotsa cash cuz I know it will be an expensive trip.

4. What’s it like being a crisis clinician? 

I have been in the mental health field since 1993 and I think I have gone a little crazy myself.

5. If I could pick another career, what would it be?

Forensics.  No doubt.

6. What is something that people wouldn’t know by looking at me?

This one time (not at band camp) I ate a lb. of spaghetti in one sitting.  Another time, I ate 4 lbs. of raw peas (I love them!) but yeah, that had devastating consequences.

7. What irks me?

I will keep this short…in no particular order: selfishness, tailgaters and my stumpy legs.

8. What are my fitness goals?

Oh yeah, I AM on bodyspace…so I should probably throw in something about fitness.  Well, I would like a lean, hard body full of muscle while still looking like a lady.  Not sure if I want to compete…jury’s still out on that.

9. How do I stay so young looking?

My Asian pearl cream…no sah…I am fortunate to look young, I guess.

10. How do I keep my teeth so white?

Let’s see…at the tender age of 15, I had to get 4 teeth extracted to make room for braces that were on for 2 years so, yeah, my teeth are important to me.  Crest Whitestrips are also helpful.

I was truly touched after reading Britt’s (LadyFirefighter) blog from yesterday.  I think we all have been there.  The most important thing to remember is that when you can’t move forward, don’t move back.  Just stand where you are.

Britt’s blog reminded of a song by Donnie McClurkin called, "Stand."  The song starts like this:

What do you do when you’ve done all you can
And it seems like it’s never enough?
And what do you say when your friends turn away,
And you’re all alone, alone?
Tell me, what do you give when you’ve given your all,
And it seems like you can’t make it through?

Well you just stand when there’s nothing left to do
You just stand, watch the Lord see you through
Yes after you done all you can, you just stand
 

After you’ve done all you can…you just…
Stand.

After a much failed first attempt at blogging (stevew31 and Al–1961 know what I am talking about), I decided to give it another try.  So, this is really my first blog.  I wasn’t sure what to write about, but I was *inspired* this past Friday night.

A friend sent me a link to a video entitled, "Beautifully Imperfect."  (Look it up on youtube.  It made me cry.)  In essence, it is about a woman’s last thoughts at her husband’s funeral.  (Bear with me, I am going somewhere with this.)  As she speaks, she draws the people in with humor and closes with tears.  She recalls all of the little "imperfections" that made her husband "perfect" to her or "beautifully imperfect" as she coins the term.

This video got me thinking about my fitness journey.  After all, it is a passage, a trip and a process.  What is my goal?  Initially, maybe it was to be perfect, even though I know there is no such thing.  (I have a mild case of OCD and Type A Personality…although my family and friends might argue major case of both.)  Is my intention to compete?  Possibly…still haven’t made a decision.  The important thing is that this video reminded me that my imperfections make me who I am and I am OK with that.

I am not perfect, but I am "beautifully imperfect."