Wednesday, February 23, 2011

It's Wednesday

Ah, Wednesday. We meet again.

Wake up...


Work out...

Tackle my laundry...

Hunt for jobs and auditions...

Work on the wedding...


Find there are still eight million things left to do...

Ignore list by blogging...


And here we are. Back to laundry, job hunting, and finishing my to-do's. Happy Hump Day! 


Tuesday, February 22, 2011

The Art of Working Out

A couple of weeks ago I marched myself down to a local gym and signed myself up for a membership. Sure, I can continue to hop on my treadmill at home, huff and puff in the privacy of my residence without the thought that someone might see me gasping for air. Why on earth would I want to leave my personal gym for a public one? One word: Motivation.

See, this is not my first time joining a gym. I'm no stranger to these sweat boxes. I know what lies behind those doors. Gym devotees, those who spend hours perfecting their physiques so that not an ounce of fat lie on their impeccably toned bodies. These people sweat much, speak little, and work hard. I envy them.

These dedicated gym goers inspire me to get in shape, tone my buns and all that. They have some sort of built in mechanism that screams "MUST WORK OUT!" Me? I've always had to talk myself into hitting the gym. Alarm goes off in the morning and I lie in bed for five minutes, sometimes more, going over and over all the good reasons to get up. "You'll build muscle," "you will feel better having worked up a sweat," and my personal favorite, "you wear leotards and tights while staring at yourself in a mirror for hours at a time. Get up."

Since I graduated, I haven't necessarily had to wear leotards and tights every day, therefore, my interest in the gym has been pretty scant. Can you blame me? It's been a mental break that I have thoroughly enjoyed and savor every day. For the last two months I haven't planned my meals around what I wear and that may or may not sound weird to you, but let me tell you, it's nice. That's not to say I went completely hog wild, I just took a vacation from my regimen.

Now the vacation is over, it's time to get back in gear. Besides, swimwear is out right now, there's no getting away from it. I've shared with you readers about swimsuit shopping woes last year. It can be brutal. Can I get an amen?

Once I got my plastic member card, I decide I'm going to take some of the yoga and pilates classes. It's been a while, but hey. I'm a dancer, I can totally do this. Yes, that may be, but I'm a dancer whose taken time off. My body is not like it was at fifteen where I could jump into the splits without warming up. It's also not like it was two months ago, a little on the stiff side. Whoops. But answer me this: Why is it that when given a difficult option in life, we take it, attempting sometimes the most impossibly hard levels known to man?

Case in point: Pilates Class. The teacher is great, giving us all sorts of options from baby simple to the hardest of hard. Because I think a good challenge is a good idea and I'm a flaming idiot, every difficult option she gives, I take.

So I'm in pilates, working hard, puddles of sweat all around me, probably the amount of a small water tower, and I am dying. DYING. "For the sake of all that is holy, why is this so hard?! I" My muscles are shaking uncontrollable, screaming at my every move. My poor abdominals have grown accustomed to my easy-peasy conditioning and hate me. It wouldn't have surprised me if they jumped off my body and headed for the hills. At points in time I really question how badly I wanted a washboard set of abs or abs for that matter. 

My clothes are soaked and I'm slipping around my map like I was on a slip and slide. I'm surrounded by all these women and we're all breathing hard, but I refuse to cave. I have to work hard, I am a dancer for goodness sakes! I can do this!

Finally the class ends and I'm just flat worn out. At least I survived though, I made it through and that's what counts. Of course the next day I can barely move because I'm just one giant body of soreness.

You ask, why on earth would you put yourself through such misery? Pride. I didn't want to be a pansy. I wanted to be one of those gym devotees, capable of taking on any exercise. Let me tell you, pansy or not, I am never suffering through a class taking every difficult task when I am that unprepared. I like a good challenge, but man, I should have eased in.

On top of that, I started up ballet classes again. Yes, I broke out the tights and leos. Dancing felt so good and stretching was incredible fulfilling. I was a giant knot for a few days, solid grapefruits for calves. No worries though, I've recovered and have been steadily working out the last few days. It's all part of the process of getting in shape.

Here's the one weird thing about my exercise regimen, every time I work out, all I can think about is food. Is that just me or does anyone else do that? Hmm, maybe I'm just weird.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

A (Late) Valentine's Recap

I've started about three different posts and have yet to finish one. My brain is on a million different things and I'm having trouble concentrating on just one task long enough to complete it. Yeesh.

So a week ago was Valentines Day. We'll be moving on to Mardi Gras, Saint Patrick's Day, and Easter before you know it. I hope you all enjoyed your Valentines as much as I did. Pyro Man surprised with a neat adventure for the evening and I had to share.

I spent the day baking my first cheesecake for my sweetheart, getting dolled up for our date, and battling traffic through downtown Dallas and Ft. Worth. As soon as I arrived at his place he whisked me into his black steed and we were off to an unknown location. "Where are we going?" I inquired. Pyro Man happily plopped my Valentines surprise into my lap, hand wrapped in his jacket. I love his wrapping skills. Fumbling through the jacket I find my copy of the Pioneer Woman's cookbook.

"Ohmygosh. You're taking me to see Pioneer Woman?!"

"Yes ma'am."

"YAY!! I'm so excited!!" And I was. My face hurt I was smiling so much.

Just this previous Saturday he asked me to bring my cookbook because his sister-in-law wanted to copy some recipes. Of course, I was thrilled to share and offered it up, no problem. Little did I know he just wanted to have it so he could surprise me by taking me to her book signing.

An hour and so drive later, we arrive at the book store, me eager to meet Ree Drummond, him eager to eat. Get in the store and see there's a line a mile long so we get to the end and begin the wait. Only problem with this is we're supposed to have colored wristbands and they line up people according to color. We hop out of line, grab a band and find out the color we pick in the last of about seven or so colors. They're on the second color and it's 7:00 p.m.

Well, if we're going to wait, might as well grad some dinner. Luckily we find a Cantino Laredo restaurant just across the street and we head towards the smell of good Mexican food. Sometime later we emerge stuffed to the gills and ready for the (hopefully) short wait. Oh no. Not that simple.

By this time it's after 9:00 p.m. and there are about two more color groups to go before ours. One of the bookstore employees told us she stayed until almost 2:00 a.m the last time she came through town. Since we had an hour drive home and Pyro Man had work the next morning, we opted to leave. 

I may not have gotten to actually meet Pioneer Woman, but I did see her! And Marlborough Man was there signing books and her kids were, too! I'm still planning on going to her signing in Norman in a couple of weeks. It was a sweet surprise trip for Valentines and I'm so glad he thought to take me. Thank you, Pyro Man, for a wonderful evening!

Friday, February 11, 2011

Predicament

I have a situation. Well,  two activities I'd like to do this coming Monday. So it's not really a dire situation, more like I'm being a bit dramatic over this conundrum that I'm having. 

In order to explain my predicament, I have to set the scene. Pyro Man has recently moved and we're now only and hour away from each other instead of four (Yay!) Now we're able to see each other more often which is fabulous, BUT he has a new job that keeps him working odd hours. 

Mind you, I'm not complaining. He's got a job (hooray!) and I'm...still working on that one. While I'm searching for auditions, keeping in shape, and planning our wedding to be, there is still plenty of time to see him on whenever he is off work. My boss right now (me) allows pretty flexible hours, thank goodness. 

OK! Here's the thing. As we all know, Valentines Day is this coming Monday. I've already told you how I love Valentines, it's so pretty, what a lovely holiday, yadda yadda yadda. It's also the day you should spend with your loved ones, right? Right!

(Pryo Man, cover your eyes for this next part.)

Except....The Pioneer Woman has a book signing IN DALLAS this coming Monday, VALENTINES DAY!! 

What's a girl to do?! I've followed the Pioneer Woman blog for over year, tried a great deal of her recipes, bought her cookbook (which is now covered in my notes and food splatters), and even bought her newest book, Black Wheels to Tractor Wheels. I love PW and the happiness she brings to my kitchen. In short, I have to meet her. 

Here I sit, trying to figure out how I can go to her signing while still making a date with my fiance for Valentines. I'm racked with guilt if I make him go with me--I mean, what can I do to make this book signing appealing to him? Is there a deal I could strike with him like we go to this book signing and I promise I'll go to Cabelas with him for eight hours straight? 

Or, I don't go, spend Valentines Day with my love and quietly die inside because I won't get to meet this author I admire so much (How's the dramatization of this going so far? Are you getting the feeling that I'll be crushed if I don't meet PW?). 

But wait. What's this? A book tour schedule! Well, I'll be darned--there's a signing in Norman, OK! And better yet, I'll in OKC during that week anyway! HUZZAH! My predicament is solved!

(Pyro Man, you can uncover your eyes now!)

Well, that worked out well. Still get a hot date with Pyro Man and I get to go to the book signing. Good Friday after all. 

On another note, I just found out this morning there will only be one Rockette audition this year in New York City. Dang. The competition just went up. Better go buy my plane ticket and get my rump in gear! Happy Friday!! 

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Sew Excited!

Last May, my mother gave me a beautiful sewing machine for my birthday!

*See tired sunburned Julie with her beautiful new machine. I had just gotten back from my trip to Disney World and I was the color of that red ladybug ribbon. Well, my backside was far worse and let me tell you, that was one painful flight home.*


In any case, that sewing machine has been sitting in my room ever since just waiting for me to take a crack at it. Well, I'm finally going to do it! Tuesday I have a private lesson set-up so I can finally learn on to sew on my little machine! Hooray!

If you can't tell, I'm pretty excited! Mom is a wiz on the sewing machine and she has done some beautiful work. From Halloween costumes to my sister's wedding dress (which she hand beaded), she's done it all. For a long time she sewed costumes for local theaters and dance costumes including all my solo pieces.

I've always thought, "Geez, my future kids are going to be gipped because I could never do what Mom did for her kiddos." She also French braided our hair and I'm no good with that either, but I don't think Honey the Kitty will want her fur braided any time soon.

Now that I'm finally going to learn how to sew, I don't have to worry about gipped kids (or kitties)! It's been a long time since I've been on a machine and when I was, I was shaking so bad that I'd like to never get a straight seam sewn. Guess that means I need to take some time before I work my way up to some challenges. I'd just like to be able to sew myself a spring dress!

For now I think I'll get just acquainted my with machine with the first big step, giving it a name. I'll let you know if I sew my finger on Tuesday!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Saint Valentine

I love Valentines Day. Despite how most of the population dreads Singles Awareness Day, I've never thought it as such. Maybe that's because my parents always made it a special day to celebrate all the love we have in our lives. Most every Valentines I would find some card and a little box of chocolates sitting at our breakfast plates. When I left for college, these little messages of love came through the mail instead.

Remember in elementary school how we'd have Valentines parties and everyone would make a special mailbox so they could get cards and candy from friends? Are they still doing that? One year I made a violin Valentine box when I started orchestra--I think that was the best one I ever made.

In any case, I was shocked to see how low in supply stores have been for boxes of Valentines. What happened? Are kids not doing that any more?  I think it's fun to send Valentines to friends and tell them how much I love them. If you didn't get a chance before, Valentines was the best time! So dear readers, I'm wishing you a Happy Valentines and hope you like your virtual cards!






Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Happy Birthday, Big Sister!!

To my sweet Big Sister,


Happy Birthday!!!


I hope you have a fabulous day and I'm so glad Mom had you so I could have a big sister to play with--just kidding! But really, I'm lucky to have such a great older sibling like you!

Love, 

The Buglette

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Ice Day 2011

I brought the ice from Oklahoma down to my beloved Texas. Sorry folks, it just followed me. Really though, we've been housebound for the last two days due to some serious ice issues and I know my friends in OKC are snowed in on top of the ice. Yeesh. Is it spring yet?

Normally on any given ice day I'd be avoiding homework, visiting with friends, baking some delicious treats, and soaking up much needed down time. This time, however, I've been cleaning out my room, emptying boxes, and putting a gigantic dent in the unpacking process. Somehow I've managed to get three closets worth of stuff into one. How? I can't even tell you. There's still a long way to go, but I feel pretty productive if I do say so myself.

One of my tasks involved cutting up old t-shirts. Sounds like a waste of time, right? On the contrary! Since I was a kid, I've been saving my favorite t-shirts and cutting them up for a t-shirt quilt. From my first cheerleading shirts to sorority shirts and everything in between, I've kept up with these pieces in hopes that I could sew them together for a lovely memory quilt. How nice...except for the fact that all my pieces are a million different sizes and now I'm going to have to figure out how to put them all together in a pretty pattern. Hmmm.

I've been reduced to writing about my unpacking process and for that, I am terribly sorry. Good news though, Honey the cat has offered me a full time position in being her caretaker--she thinks I need only to care for her and her alone. Carrying her around and playing with feathers is so much more fun than searching for positions online. The only downside with this offer is no pay and no benefits. Sorry, Honey, I don't think I can live without a paycheck for that long.

Back to unpacking I go. If I get my room completely finished today, I can start on reorganizing my bathroom. Score! Happy Hump Day everyone!!
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...