Inadvertently Joining the Strike

Tina Fey, a Saturday Night Live writer, walking the picket line

I realize that I haven't written anything on the blog in a while. I've inadvertently joined the strike. Please feel free to use this as an opportunity to re-read prior posts that you really enjoyed or to read the ones you've missed.

Seriously - I've been in the midst of a flu-like case of writer's block. I just don't know if it's the 24 hour type or worse. Hmm, should I have opted for a flu shot this year? Anyway, in the meantime, enjoy the reruns - if they're good enough for television, they're good enough for me :)

To read prior posts, just click on a link over there on the right...

Workout with the Stars

Last Monday I took a mental health day. I consider it legit since I did have two medical appointments, one physical and one mental. So what if one was for cosmetic reasons and one was for enlightenment reasons. I use my fair share of sick days; I just use them when I’m not throwing up sick. Thankfully I haven’t been throwing up sick on a work day in a very long time – guess I better knock on wood in a very large forest after having said that.

I started my mental health day by sleeping in, sort of. I still got up at my usual 5:15 am and made coffee, but then I went back to sleep until 6:30. That was probably the best hour of sleep I’d had in a long time since Maddie the cat also decided to sleep rather than purr in my ear and try to keep me awake. Then I got up and did some things around the house before heading off to the gym. Normally I’d be at the gym when they open at 5:30 but I decided to wait until it was light out so that I could jog there. "Light out" ended up being about 10:00 am.

I had a pleasant jog to the gym in some of the most gorgeous weather we’ve had in a long time. The weight room was filled mainly with trainers and their clients. I did my workout by making room for all of them including a little dog that was following one of the clients as she and her trainer moved from machine to machine. I gave a few pets and "hi sweeties" to the little pooch each time it walked past me. A few times it couldn’t decide whether to stay with me or follow its owner. Eventually I put dog and owner together and realized that the dog was "Tulea" and her "in-fabulous-shape-for-69" owner was Jane Fonda.

Just the week before, I was working out right next to Vern Yip. Now that I think about it, that was also on a day when I got to the gym late. I guess the moral of the story is that the early bird may get the worm but won’t get to work out with the stars.

On the other hand, the really early bird might get to see a "star" in the middle of a Waffle House fist fight…

Still the Same...

Doc. B. has been puttin' up with me for ten years. The picture here is of us back in the fall of 1997. Are we still the same? Yes and no.

The 40's are treating me well and I'm making better choices. Other than that, I'm still the same. Same neurotic, don't want children 'cause I'd make them neurotic too, worrier that I am. I just manage my "stuff" better (or hide it better?).

I started off the anniversary weekend in a much different fashion than I might have several years ago. I went to a yoga/journaling workshop that was being taught by two of my favorite yoginis. Incredible ideas on how to incorporate my journal with my yoga practice and visa versa. A worthwhile way to spend a Saturday afternoon - I'd sign up again. This is certainly a choice I would NOT have made in 1997.

Then we went to a 60th b-day party for our friend the "Dental Hygiene Queen". Some of her other best buds organized the Mexican-themed gathering complete with margaritas, cerveza and all the food fixings. The crew went two-stepping afterwards, but we headed home to get some beauty rest before our big adventure the next day. Again, a choice I would NOT have made in 1997. Me, leave a party early?

Our Sunday morning destination: the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. The drive alone was worth it - all of the leaves were just starting to show their colors. We went on a hike, didn't see any bears (I have ursaphobia), but saw hordes of people. Thankfully the hordes could best be described as out of shape families - all of whom were wearing flip flops or croc shoes - so they obviously weren't going too far down the trail. We were able to have a nice hour long walk in (mostly) solitude.

Then we went out to dinner at "Salsa's" in downtown Asheville - a recommendation from two friends who were at the 60th b-day party. We both ordered vegetarian meals -for sure something I would NOT have done in 1997.

I wonder what the next ten years will bring and what choices will become more "standard"? Let the countdown to the 20 year mark begin!