Life

By kilax, May 23, 2013 5:22 pm

Apparently, my bad hearing (or maybe it’s the inability of my brain to put two and two together) dates way back to my childhood. Growing up, I remember my dad talking about going to “swamp” meets. I just couldn’t figure out what a swamp meet was, or why people who want to meet in a swamp!

Swap meet, Kim. Swap. Sigh. On that note, do NOT look at the third definition for swap meet on urbandictionary.com.

I wonder if my need to search for local races when I travel is akin to my dad’s need to look for local swap meets when he travels. Probably. Make the most of satisfying your interests when you travel, right?

Anyway. My parents were in town last weekend and my dad went to a swap meet Saturday morning and brought this back:

“Oh, cute! Dad found a book,” I thought. 

Wait a second. On closer look… this book looks familiar!

Yes – that is my dad’s dad featured on a two page spread in this book!

My dad was quick to point out his car is in there too, ha ha (see red arrow below, not foreground):

I really enjoy the text on the page with my grandpa on it:

Besides the rich (to me) history told in that short paragraph, it cracks me up that the author is asking where my dad and his brother were when it was time to wax the car. If I were going to choose words to describe my dad and his brother, lazy and unhelpful would be some of the last ones. So it just points out the humor of it, even more, to me. 

Sigh. What a treasure, right? Apparently my brothers have copies, and my dad was on the lookout for more. 

I’d like to put it up somewhere, maybe in a shadow box, like this, with the pages propped open?

Or maybe on a ledge?

How would you display something like this?

I can’t mention this book without talking about how it makes me feel. Seeing that picture of my grandpa, looking so strong and capable… sigh. I guess it makes me feel grateful I knew him when he was like that, and didn’t only know him for the last years of his life, when dementia took over his mind. But geesh. It just makes me feel robbed that he passed so young. Or, what seems young to me. 

And the mention of my dad’s brother. He passed too young too, before my grandpa. I was just becoming adult enough to have actual interesting conversations with my uncle (meaning, I had interesting things to share, not that he didn’t, ha ha). Sigh. Feel robbed there, too. 

So maybe, however I display it, I should put a picture of my uncle in there, too. 

Life, News

By kilax, May 22, 2013 7:36 pm

I wonder if in the future, along with the “where were you when “xyz” happened?” question, if there will be a “how did you find out?” question. It’s almost like we need to add that now. 

I don’t regularly watch the news, read the paper or listen to the radio. I get my news from three sources: word-of-mouth, rss news feed, and Facebook. 

And if I’m marking my rss news as read because I don’t feel I have time to read it, and I’m working at home by myself and not chatting much with outsiders, well, you see what that leaves. 

Is Facebook a good news source?

You know what news I heard first on Facebook this year*? The Sandy Hook shootings*. The Boston bombings. The Oklahoma City destruction. The London soldier attack. Many other stories. 

I also read about many more awful things in my rss news feed that never made it to Facebook. It’s interesting what people find important enough to share/speak their mind on. It’s interesting that people want to share certain things at all. 

Mostly, we share the things to which we can relate. Which, honestly, makes it much more emotional for me to find out about things on Facebook than from a news source. It feels more real, raw, emotional. To read about the brutal London attack from someone who is from London. I feel sad about the situation. I feel sad for how the situation makes that person (sharing on Facebook) feel, since it’s their hometown. I feel scared by how public the attackers were. I feel scared by what the attackers said. 

In the end though, this all reminds me how often I rely on social media for information. And… I don’t think that is good. For me. 

It’s slanted. What you read is completely dependent on who you are “friends” with, or who you “follow.” It makes me think strange things, that I shouldn’t think, like “Why was everyone so passionate about this incident, but not this one that was very similar? Why did they speak their mind on one and not the other”? “Why did this get so many mentions, but not this“?

I am reading in to it way too much. I have to remind myself that most people are probably sharing their thoughts because it makes them feel better. 

I also have to remind myself that many voices lamenting the same thing is too overwhelming for me, personally to read. 

Anyway. Just wanted to share those thoughts. I’ve had them for awhile now, and it’s like they finally came out in a way that made sense to share.

So. Back to the beginning of this post. I think it’s time to stay more caught up with the news, outside of social media. I can’t avoid it. But I can come prepared.** 

*and 2012
**I would rather read something from a news source first, than have the shock of seeing it on Facebook. Not sure why it is different for me, especially since the first thing I do when I read something on Facebook is look up facts from a news source. 

Health + Fitness

By kilax, May 22, 2013 6:36 am

The awesome thing about the ACE Personal Trainer Manual that I am studying is that it is super repetitive with major concepts. So if you miss something, no worries, you are going to read about it a few more times.

The annoying thing about the ACE Personal Trainer Manual that I am studying is that it is super repetitive with major concepts. So you are reading the same things over and over. Enough already, I get it!

Heh heh heh.

The most comical thing, lately, is how much the book is drilling in about client adherence. I get it. You want to develop a program for a client that they will adhere to – you want custom plans that are not too easy, not too challenging… you want the client to want to come back. You want them to eventually like exercise. I get all that!

Data is the a great example of adherence. A few years ago, he would just slither around in his harness! Now, he has built up to long walks. Go Data!

It’s just so funny. Almost any instructional section I have read lately is followed with a warning paragraph.

(My wording)Varying the intensity of workouts not only engages different muscle fibers, it also keeps things interesting for the client. BUT OMG! ADHERENCE, PEEPS! DON’T MAKE IT TOO INTENSE OR NO ONE WILL EVER COME BACK TO YOUR STUDIO EVER!!!!! EVER!!!!!!!

I suppose it’s funny to me, because one of my top concerns* in developing exercise programs is keeping it challenging. I really want people to leave the workout feeling like they got a great whole-body exercise, and challenged themselves. I don’t want them to feel like it was easy. I want them to feel the workout was worth their time.

But that is minor disconnect between the book and real life, for me. A lot of the people in my classes already have the adherence – they are already committed to exercise, taking the class, and doing other cardiovascular activity on the side. So, while I get where the book is coming from, I think it is too cautious at times!  

I was thinking about this, because I am reading about it, but also, dang, I am so sore from the class I taught Monday night. In fact, someone in my office asked me if I am hurt because I am walking so slow. Ha ha ha.

I’m that “good” sore. That “ooo, I worked some weaker muscles” sore.

So that made me wonder. Maybe not everyone has that “good” sore. Maybe for some people, all sore is “bad” sore. Maybe, my perception of good sore needs to be altered if I need to focus on adherence.

What do you think? Do you have levels of soreness? Is there a “good” one that comes from a challenging workout?

*Obviously, safety and comfort is first (among other things).

Life

By kilax, May 21, 2013 6:17 am

Naive is not typically a word I use to describe myself. Like, ever.

However, I continually find myself feeling this way, when I hear things “after the fact.” What the heck am I talking about?

Well, I have talked to enough people about this to make a huge assumption that most recreational groups are going to have some drama. And no, not talking about an acting tribe. I am talking about this definition of drama:

A way of relating to the world in which a person consistently overreacts to or greatly exaggerates the importance of benign events.

image from here

This is one of many things I was talking to my dad about during our run/bike ride Sunday morning. Presumably, you join a recreational group because you want to share a somewhat specific interest with like-minded people. You’ve probably already tried to share this interest with other people in your life, and come to the conclusion that a group targeted toward this interest would be better for you.* Following?

So it can be disappointing, when you join a group, and find yourself stressing over silly drama, and not enjoying that specific interest as much as you hoped.

And this is where I am happy to be naive. Most of the time, I am so unaware of people’s drama, that I find out about it way after the fact. Then I have that, “Geesh! I am really naive! I had no idea that was going on,” reaction. And then, I am happy for it.

Are you naive (unaware) when it comes to drama, too?

I would rather find out about something silly after it’s all said and done, than waste energy thinking about it in the moment. That is just too draining.

I have gotten some flack for saying no to things I don’t want to do and for not spending time with people I don’t click with, but honestly, doing these things keeps my life more drama free.** So, I will continue to do them. I’m selfish and I’ll admit it. My happiness and peace of mind is my #1 goal!

This all sounds really negative, and implies I am having an issue with one of the groups I am in. I’m not trying to be negative – I am celebrating my naivety. And I am not having an issue with a group I am in – because I am too naive for that, remember? Ha ha ha.

Spill it – what’s the drama in  your recreational group? Or are you in some magical group where everyone plays nice and always agrees?

Ha ha. The wording of that last questions makes it sound like people should not disagree. No, they most surely can, and should. But when people make everything in to an issue, or personal attack… ugh. Get over yoself, yo. We just wanna have fun!

*So you quit pushing away these other people by always talking about the same thing, ha!
**If I were writing a how-to for staying drama free I would include those two things, and “keep gossip to a minimum.” There are things I know about people that I really don’t need to know.

Life

By kilax, May 20, 2013 6:27 am

My parents were visiting this weekend so we could take my dad on a helicopter tour of Chicago!

Mom, Dad, me, Steven and our friend, Eric. My mom didn’t want to go on the ride, so we asked Eric along!

Just as cool as last time. Still amazed by how close you can get to the buildings. We were waving at people in the Ledge at the “Willis” Tower. 

I don’t think I could ever get tired of riding in a helicopter over Chicago. It’s just such a neat perspective! Of course, I would love to fly over other cities, too. 

Anyway. You guys heard enough about riding in a helicopter the last time we did it. I actually wanted to tell you about a super odd coincidence we experienced on the ride!

We were talking with our pilot and found out he’s from my home town in Iowa and went to the opposing (better, ha) high school to mine! 

Then it got odder. He also went to the same university as me and Steven. He graduated a couple of years before me. We weren’t in the same program or anything, and my university has a lot of students, but! We know a group of the same people, since he lived on their dorm floor!

What are the odds, right?!

I had to text our mutual friend, and he found it very interesting/amusing, too!

Have you ever met a “stranger” and found out you knew some people in common?

I don’t think I mentioned it here, but the runner I chased down in my hood actually has some mutual friends to me!

And, this is not the same, but this whole scenario reminds me of the time that a stranger asked me for directions in Chicago, and it turned out to be my boss (from Iowa’s) wife, whom I had never met!

And… a few more pictures from the ride for you!

Running + Training

By kilax, May 19, 2013 8:31 pm

Highlight of the Week: Trying trapeze! Having my dad’s company on my Sunday run!

Monday | May 13, 2013: 5 m run + teaching strength class + 3 m run (w/Bobbi)
Loc: hood, Temp: 59°/61°, Time: 50:40, Pace: 10:08 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: like it was too hot
Strength: medicine ball circuit, Difficulty: easy (more watching than participation), Felt: awkward with the circuit style workout
Loc: Grayslake, Temp: 48°/48°, Time: 31:40, Pace: 10:42 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: like it was faster / hungry
Tuesday | May 14, 2013: 5 m run
Loc: Millennium Trail, Temp: 75°/79°, Time: 53:45, Pace: 10:45 avg, Difficulty: medium, Felt: hot
Wednesday | May 15, 2013: strength class
Strength: Liebert bars and free weights, Difficulty: hard, Felt: big
Thursday | May 16, 2013: 5.15 m run (w/Emily)
Loc: Nippersink FP, Temp: 53°/53°, Time: 49:22, Pace: 9:35 avg, Difficulty:easy, Felt: happy to have company
Friday | May 17, 2013: trapeze (w/Erin)
Saturday | May 18, 2013: rest
Sunday | May 19, 2013: 10 m run (w/Dad)
Loc: Millennium Trail to Nippersink FP, Temp: 65°/76°, Time: 1:48:43, Pace: 10:52 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: surprisingly good

Notes:

• I had a higher mileage goal in mind this week. Oops. Next week. I have a hard time getting up early to run when I stay up late with houseguests (excuses!!!). 
• And those mileage goals may not be met in the heat (more excuses!!!). My Sunday run felt good, but I just can’t go as far, or as fast, once the temp gets in to the 60s/70s. 
• I knew I was going to have some soreness from trying trapeze. It was just a matter of where and when. Sunday morning. Pecs, abs and latissimus dorsi. It was humorous when I took my parents to see the studio where I teach and my mom asked me to do a pullup. I could barely lift my arms up to reach the bar without feeling pain. And that moment was caught on camera. Awesome. Teaching should be interesting tomorrow!

Health + Fitness, Life

By kilax, May 18, 2013 9:34 am

A few times, Bobbi and I have discussed how we have such great groups of friends now, and aren’t sure if we have room for more friends. I’ve wanted to talk about this here, but wasn’t sure how to do it without making myself sound like a huge ass. I think I figured out a way.

Maybe?

Last night, I did trapeze with Erin. ZOMG!!! So fun! I can see why she loves it. But we’ll get to that below.

Huge thanks to Erin for getting me the photos!!!

We were redeeming a Living Social deal that included dinner after trapeze. Erin and I sat at the end of the table with the rest of the Living Social peeps*, and spent most of our time talking to a young couple. 

I was sitting there, talking to them, enjoying our conversation SO MUCH, thinking, “There are so many wonderful, interesting people in the world! I want to meet them all! I want to be friends with them all**.” WANT ALL THE FRIENDS!!!

No, Kim, no. You do not need to make friends with every interesting person you meet. You don’t need to chase down runners in your hood. You barely have time with your closest friends, say, take for instance, the one with you?!?! Gah, if anything, this awesome evening with Erin made me miss all the time we used to spend together when we were training for the Milwaukee Marathon. 

Sigh.

I just get this urge. When I meet someone and get a good feeling about them, I think “I want to spend more time with them!” I don’t think about the fact (right away) that I barely have time to spend with my close friends now. 

And that is why I sometimes think, “geesh, maybe I should not be trying to make more friends – maybe I have enough.”

So. If that makes any sense. 

Moving on…

The Living Social deal we purchased included introductory lessons with trapeze, silks and acroyoga at Trapeze School New York. There were maybe 20 of us, and we were split in to two groups – one did trapeze while the other tried silks and acroyoga, then we switched. 

My group tried trapeze first (Erin was in our group and just practiced advanced moves since she has been there quite a few times). Holy cow! I tried not to be afraid, but just getting up to the platform to jump off, my body was shaking. Oh, endocrine system. You so smart.

But it was a huge thrill, and I loved it. I am a bit of an adrenaline junkie!

I actually thought playing with the silks and trying the acroyoga was super cool too. 

I made sure to try it out with my dad (my parents are in town for a helicopter tour of Chicago) later last night. Ha ha.  

Since I was able to swing from my knees and extend my arms during my go at trapeze, they let me try a catch. Which… I totally messed up the hands part. Oops! But that was really cool! I got everything else right!

I had so. much. fun. And am so happy that Erin asked me to go. I am not sure I would have thought to try this on my own! I definitely want to go back and try it again… in August. After I take that test in July. DO ALL THE THINGS IN AUGUST! MAKE ALL THE FRIENDS IN AUGUST!

*I was thinking “Who would want to eat dinner with a bunch of strangers?” But if you like making conversation, it’s really fun. I bet that is what it’s like when you get paired to eat dinner with certain couples on cruises. 
**Slight exaggeration.

Health + Fitness

By kilax, May 17, 2013 6:41 am

FGF #1? Ha ha ha. Just kidding. I am not starting some annoying new series on my blog. 

Have you ever had someone see a quality in yourself that you weren’t really aware was there?

Gosh. Something I would love to write about, but just can’t wrap my head around, is how we perceive ourselves… as compared to how the outside world perceives us. And not that I am saying how you are perceived should be a huge concern – do what makes YOU happy, yo. But sometimes, when someone acts particularly odd, I think to myself  ”do they even realize how they are coming off right now?!” And then, “maybe if they did, they wouldn’t act this way? Or maybe they know and don’t care?!*”

I think it would be interesting to spend a day seeing yourself from other’s people’s eyes. Just to get an idea, of how the ingrained daily acts we follow actually appear to others. For example, I realize I am really obnoxious. And that I tease a lot, often, too much. I sometimes wonder how that comes off. Would you want to see how others perceive you? Anyway. THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS POST IS EVEN ABOUT! Oops!

Moving on…

This year is turning out really differently than I expected it to. Not that I had any idea how it would turn out… and I guess that is it. I didn’t plan for anything exciting to happen this year, so it’s cool that it is. 

And yes, yes, yes, I talk about it a lot, but the exciting thing is that I am teaching a strength class, doing one-on-one strength sessions, and taking the ACE Personal Trainer Certification exam in July. 

I am not going to say “never in my wildest dreams” did I think I would become a personal trainer, because, yeah, I had thought about it. But in that wildest dream sense. In that “yeah, it’s my passion, but how would that even work?!” sense. So I never even let the logical part of my brain try to figure it out. 

But then, my trainer pointed out to me all the qualities that I had that were material for a good trainer. And then I started to see myself from his perspective. And with his encouragement and a HUGE amount of support, I decided to go for it.

And that is making this year really exciting for me.

So, anyway. It makes me feel good that someone else saw an opportunity for me, pointed it out, and is supporting me on getting there. I hope other readers can share similar experiences!

68 days and 23 hours until the exam**. Ha ha.   

NOTE: my blog is doing some funny commenting stuff in Chrome. Comments still seem to be going through, but going to a weird error page. Please let me know if you see this error. 

*And acting that way is what makes them happy?! Ha ha.
**As I am reading the study material, it seems like it would be so crucial to have some experience before going in to take the exam… but I realize a lot of people need to certification to get the experience. I am lucky that was not the case for me.  

Life

By kilax, May 16, 2013 6:22 am

• Just in case you don’t know what a microwave is supposed to do… ha ha ha.

• Speaking of microwaves, we don’t have one. Never have, in our house. People think that is odd. How often do you use a microwave? I think it’s funny when I am at someone else’s home and don’t think to use it. I am so used to using the stove! I do use the microwave at work though. When it’s not broken.
• Obligatory first racerback burn of the year pic! This tan happens to me each year, and it just makes me laugh. However, I better watch it next year. Depending on what kind of dress my sister has me wear for her June wedding… that could look really bad!

• Steven is back! He was gone Saturday afternoon – Wednesday afternoon visiting his family in Kansas City. I had an entire post listing funny things I do when he’s not home… but it wasn’t so funny. So I didn’t post it. Ha ha.

Left a little note for him in the car.

• I FINALLY registered for my ACE exam on July 25th! Yay! I had another long post about that, and how I realized I am a planner who doesn’t like to set goals, but need to feel like I am accomplishing things each day to feel happy… blah blah blah. It was long and boring-o. Basically, I need to study each day to not feel panicked about the test. Even though I hate goals and plans to achieve them… I gotta stick with this one. 

• I wanted to follow up with the “Oh, Brother” post and let you know that Matt was the first to correctly guess that a “leg tube” is a foam roller. Matt got his new foam roller last weekend!

Other Random Thoughts Thursday Posts: 39, 38, XXXVII, XXXVI, XXXV, XXXIV, XXXIII, XXXII, XXXI, XXX, XXIX, XVIII, XXVII, XXVI, XXV, XXIV, XXIII, XXII, XXI, XX, XIX, XVIII, XVII, XVI, XV, XIV, XIII, XII, XI, X, IX, VIII, VII, VI, V, IV, III, II, I.

Life

By kilax, May 15, 2013 5:50 am

Do you consider yourself a homebody? Or the opposite of a homebody?

For awhile, I was worried I was turning in to a homebody. I enjoyed working from home so much, and NOT commuting three hours every weekday, that it made me not want to travel in to the city that often.

And that made me feel bad.

For a second.

Duh. Why would I want to travel 50 miles one way often, for work or entertainment? That’s ridiculous! Not wanting to do that all the time doesn’t make me a homebody. It just means I want to live a life outside of commuting.

Steven and I have met people who assume there is NOTHING to do in the suburbs, and think we MUST go in to the city each weekend so we don’t die of boredom. No. No, no, no.

Anyway. I do enjoy time at home. I don’t need to go out every night. But more often than not, I find myself leaving the house a few times a day for activities. And that, with a balance of being at home some nights, makes me feel the best.

I was thinking about this this morning because I know people who I would consider to be more of a homebody than myself. They leave the home to work, run errands, see people, etc. … but they don’t like it. They’re uncomfortable. They are unwilling to try activities outside of their norm. They prefer to stay in their home every night, and rarely travel. They want to stick to what they know.

And I think that is why homebody has a negative connotation. And why google came up with this when I searched for the definition:

“Perceived as unadventurous.” Yeah. That’s honestly how I view those people.

And that is why I said “I was worried I was turning in to a homebody.” I was thinking that enjoying time at home and not commuting all the time and wanting to go in to the city often made me unadventurous. It doesn’t. Ha. But I can definitely see how it would make other people view me that way!

But the real question is… why do I see “adventurous” as an important quality for people to have?! Why can’t they just be happy with what they know?

When I lived in Rome in college, a classmate of mine said she’d probably never leave the states again after she got back. And she probably won’t. She moved back to her hometown right after graduation and is still there.

And there is NOTHING wrong with living in your hometown! But why say, “I’ll never travel outside of the states again?!” Gah! I get such a rush off of seeing/discovering new places (domestic and abroad) and trying new things… why limit yourself?

Because we’re all different and not everyone enjoys that. I know, I know.

But adventure is important to me.

It’s funny. I know quite a few people who spend a lot of money to vacation at the same places each year (hey – not much different than us always traveling to where friends/family are)… and I want to be like “try something new!” I mean, I know if you love something, you want to go there over and over ( like us with restaurants), but come on! When we went to Aruba, one of the people on our flight was on their 20th trip there. I guess I’d just want to see more.

Ha. What do I know? And what does that have to do with being a homebody? Not much. That’s just me wishing we had time/money to see all the places we want to see!

And I’m aware of all the contradictions / hypocritical statements in this post – 1. me saying I don’t like the commute but questioning people who don’t like to travel, 2. saying it’s lame to go to the same places year after year, when I do that, 3. implying that homebodies cannot be adventurous without leaving the house (not true at all – for all I know, they try a new recipe each night, etc.), 4. implying there’s no adventure in exploring US soil (ha – we all know how much I loved SLC), 5. The biggest one of all – knowing I do need time at home to recharge or I get really worn out from doing too much!