With our Direct TV, there is an exercise channel on demand. I can download various exercise programs and do them at my leisure. I was checking some of them out before I settled on one I wanted to do on the days I am not walking. I am not very motivated as I have previously mentioned so this was interesting. So I watched a routine for simple cardio moves with some of the Biggest Losers (who now are thin and in shape) and liked one of them. Then I watched one with Jillian Michaels from the same show…she had three people on there…one who was showing you how to do the exercises if you were advanced and buff, one who did them low impact for beginners and buff, and then Jillian herself doing them at I am assuming a normal pace and even advanced in some. Well...I am here to tell you that I watched this 30 min routine and kept talking to Jillian. I mean, come on…have some people, at least ONE, that are overweight! Skinny and ripping biceps are not motivating me very much…I would rather have one person on there that I can relate to while I am struggling to kick my leg to the sky or crunch what I can’t find or lift my butt off the mat when I tell I you am but it is still touching! Anyway, I liked a few of them so I saved them to try this week.
On to the belly dancing. Belly dancing…there is a reason that you need to be skinny and in shape to do this form of dance. I know some will say otherwise and that once you learn the steps you can use it as a form of exercise. I am here to tell you, I think you need to be in shape!
Apparently there are four moves you need to master before you can do this dance. They involve your hip and moving it in such a way that I think I could seriously break it! Or at the very least, injure it to the point where Mark will not be getting lucky for awhile! Step one…was the hip twist and bump move. Apparently, Mayte Garcia is quite the pro at this dance and has been doing it since she was three years old. Twist and bump my hips….Lordy. Step two was the rolling of your hips…vertically and doing figure 8’s. Ok…that would mean I need to be coordinated….hahaha. I can walk and talk, I can rub my stomach and pat my head at the same time but figure 8 my hips while rolling them too…nah-uh. Nope. Step three is ribcage circles…vertical, diagonal, and horizontal …ok now I am supposed to move my hips AND ribcage…fat chance! I mean it…everything moves when I try to move my ribcage. See you have to be thin…like Mayte. I saw her ribcage move. And diagonal? What the hell move is that? That could put you in traction! Step four…basic arm, head and shoulder moves…ok ok..this step I could do…just this step…alone…by itself. But noooo you have to do it at the same time as the other three! I kept saying, “that has to hurt” and “are you kidding me?” or “no freaking way my hip will do that without me dying.”
Mayte then put them altogether and it was very good. I was alone in my house…I most certainly could have tried them all with her but I was not going to LOL. I kept asking her if it hurt to move like that…she assured me with her movements that it did not but I was still hesitant. I listened to her tell me how good this was for your stomach, back, and hips. I believe it but at the risk of hurting myself I just wonder if sticking with the walking would be better. Mayte also told me it was easy. She made it look very easy. But she doesn’t understand when she tells me to watch how my hips move and how my ribcage moves in circles I can’t see mine for all the fat on them LOL.
Ok I admit, I want to try this but I am not a dancer nor am I coordinated. I plan to give it another shot…alone, in my house, with the blinds closed. I will take it for granted that my hips will move the way she tells me and that my ribcage is going in the direction it is supposed. Or I could just sit and watch her do it again and talk to her…she really is nice, very encouraging and did you know she was Prince’s ex wife? Oh and she attended the same high school as Priscilla Presley did when she was dating Elvis.
Yeah…I am going to belly dance my way thin or into traction.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Venting
Ok just a vent...I really am tired of my girls telling me I have no schedule to follow or thinking I do nothing but sit at home watching tv or on the computer. OMG...I do not have a job...BUT I do have things I do. For too long the house has been only getting the bare basics of cleaning so there is that and I do have errands to run, and people to see (ok so most of the time it's for fun but still!) and at this point in life I find I have doctor appts now..blah. I am doing things to get back in school and I do not appreciate them telling me "every day is the same" - I still have Mondays...grrr. I kinda (kindly) went off rook just a vent...I really am tired of my girls telling me I have no schedule to follow or thinking I do nothing but sit at home watching tv or on the computer. OMG...I do not have a job...BUT I do have things I do. For too long the house has been only getting the bare basics of cleaning so there is that and I do have errands to run, and people to see (ok so most of the time it's for fun but still!) and at this point in life I find I have doctor appts now..blah. I am doing things to get back in school and I do not appreciate them telling me "every day is the same" - I still have Mondays...grrr. I kinda (kindly) went off on Valerie this morning when she asked me why I was in a rush. I told her I had a schedule to follow and I was behind. She said, I didn't have to follow a schedule...well I crapped on her cracker...told her that I have my schedule to follow and when I am behind it sucks for the whole day and maybe even the week. That is all...thank you.n Valerie this morning when she asked me why I was in a rush. I told her I had a schedule to follow and I was behind. She said, I didn't have to follow a schedule...well I crapped on her cracker...told her that I have my schedule to follow and when I am behind it sucks for the whole day and maybe even the week. That is all...thank you.
Monday, September 12, 2011
As seen on TV....my thoughts.
I am not one for buying those “as seen on TV” products and the infomercials crack me up most of the time. I recently saw one for Eggies System for hardboiled eggs. Pretty neat contraption but I rarely have issues with peeling hardboiled eggs and when I do; I really don’t care because I boil an extra few anyway. But it got me to thinking how many useless products are out there that we foam at the mouth to have and then we use a few times and then it collects dust at the bottom of a closet awaiting the next yard sale to be had. I have guilty of falling for the pitches and oohhhs and awwws of the wonders of the item. So has my husband. And my girls. Lessons learned, sometimes.
Years ago, I bought the thigh master….come on you know you had one too. I used it for a bit, hubby did too and then it got put away in the closet. He bought an ab machine thingy…I made him return it, it wasn’t worth it. He likes the exercise “as seen on TV” products. I have a deflated Bean in my garage that he blows up from time to time and then lets sit in my living room. Unused. Yes he used it when he first bought moons ago. The Snuggie was his latest….actually I bought it for him; he really wanted it and he does use it. The girls make fun of him constantly….”Dad, it’s a robe backwards” or “Dad, do you know how retarded you look? “ He proudly wears it. I find it comical.
I, on the other hand, go for the kitchen gadgets. I bought this stovetop griddle once and was so excited to use it. One side is a griddle, I could make pancakes for all and sit and eat with them instead of being the last to eat. The other side was a grill top, hot dogs, chicken grilled in the house when it was raining or too cold to go out (upstate NY winters.) Well the downside of this nifty invention was that if your burners (needed two) weren’t the same size, the food took longer to cook anyway. And I can’t use it on the ceramic top I have now. It sits in the cabinet at the moment. I bought this salad spinner, yes they are cool and useful but I found myself still drying my lettuce leaves as I always have, with paper towels. The space age saver storage bags…they are good, I will admit and bought a set…We use them still but that’s only because they are storing blankets in the closet.
There are some great products out there and we as people are eager to buy anything that will make our lives easier and take less time to perform a task. We get sucked in with “lose half your body weight in only 6 weeks” and those photo shopped before and after pictures. I mean does that aha bra really work, or the jeans that make you appear skinny until you boomerang them back at yourself when you take them off. Do these products come with hazard insurance?
I will admit there are some useless gadgets that are actually useful…if that makes sense. I bought Jennifer hangers that were slim – you know the ones, you can store double the clothes in your closet with them. Good for the dorm room closet! Ha, the joke was on me. They are good and do live up to their advertising - however, what they fail to mention is consumer will then go buy more clothes to hang because there is more room to do so. Oh those, inventors are smart for sure…that’s why they are rolling in some dough while I just bake cookies with it.
Since I started to write this endless gibberish, I realize the Eggie system is still on my mind. I may have to see if I could use it. After all, the eggs are cooked with a flat bottom, making them stand flat and you do not have to peel the eggs. It even lets you add seasonings to the little egg holder cooker thingy. You can’t beat the price either…just $10 and you get 12 egg cookers! Is shipping free?! Where’s my credit card?!
Years ago, I bought the thigh master….come on you know you had one too. I used it for a bit, hubby did too and then it got put away in the closet. He bought an ab machine thingy…I made him return it, it wasn’t worth it. He likes the exercise “as seen on TV” products. I have a deflated Bean in my garage that he blows up from time to time and then lets sit in my living room. Unused. Yes he used it when he first bought moons ago. The Snuggie was his latest….actually I bought it for him; he really wanted it and he does use it. The girls make fun of him constantly….”Dad, it’s a robe backwards” or “Dad, do you know how retarded you look? “ He proudly wears it. I find it comical.
I, on the other hand, go for the kitchen gadgets. I bought this stovetop griddle once and was so excited to use it. One side is a griddle, I could make pancakes for all and sit and eat with them instead of being the last to eat. The other side was a grill top, hot dogs, chicken grilled in the house when it was raining or too cold to go out (upstate NY winters.) Well the downside of this nifty invention was that if your burners (needed two) weren’t the same size, the food took longer to cook anyway. And I can’t use it on the ceramic top I have now. It sits in the cabinet at the moment. I bought this salad spinner, yes they are cool and useful but I found myself still drying my lettuce leaves as I always have, with paper towels. The space age saver storage bags…they are good, I will admit and bought a set…We use them still but that’s only because they are storing blankets in the closet.
There are some great products out there and we as people are eager to buy anything that will make our lives easier and take less time to perform a task. We get sucked in with “lose half your body weight in only 6 weeks” and those photo shopped before and after pictures. I mean does that aha bra really work, or the jeans that make you appear skinny until you boomerang them back at yourself when you take them off. Do these products come with hazard insurance?
I will admit there are some useless gadgets that are actually useful…if that makes sense. I bought Jennifer hangers that were slim – you know the ones, you can store double the clothes in your closet with them. Good for the dorm room closet! Ha, the joke was on me. They are good and do live up to their advertising - however, what they fail to mention is consumer will then go buy more clothes to hang because there is more room to do so. Oh those, inventors are smart for sure…that’s why they are rolling in some dough while I just bake cookies with it.
Since I started to write this endless gibberish, I realize the Eggie system is still on my mind. I may have to see if I could use it. After all, the eggs are cooked with a flat bottom, making them stand flat and you do not have to peel the eggs. It even lets you add seasonings to the little egg holder cooker thingy. You can’t beat the price either…just $10 and you get 12 egg cookers! Is shipping free?! Where’s my credit card?!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
My thoughts on 9/11
VERY LONG POST
Warning...I may offend some of you with my opinion and if I do, I apologize in advance. I also know some of you have very strong opinions on this topic as well and that's fine too.
Yesterday this was a status on a friend's FB page and it hit a big nerve with me.
"liar...this was no mistake...and if it were, he should be removed from his job for being to ignorant....cripes...
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/09/05/colorado-school-comes-under-fire-for-hanging-saudi-flag-higher-than-american/"
My first problem with this is if you just read the fox news report on the story you are missing facts. You have to go to the source...that being the article from the Greeley Gazette.
Second, how can this person call the principal a liar and said it wasn't a mistake and that he should be fired. Good Lord, if that is the case, fire all of us from every job. In the Gazette article, the principal said the flag was not in that usual place, so that means someone else placed it there and lower than the other flag. Yes that is very wrong but as soon as he was notified of it, he resolved the issue. I know what our flag symbolizes for our country and the fact that someone placed it lower than ANY other flag bothers me, however, no one has the right to say you knew it was there or that you should be fired from your job because some jackass thought it would be funny to disrespect out flag.
This friend has a tendency to put down our government often and other cultures as well. That brings me to what I really got ticked about - Before I head into that though, please understand I totally do not condone anyone, no matter their culture, race, or whatevers threatening our President (whoever it is), our country and its people. That is intolerable. I also, do not condone that for any country but as we all are fully aware of, peace does not reign everywhere and thus we have what we have in this world.
I do not agree with our current President but I respect the office. I have said a few things against the man and totally wish when the election went on more people didn't vote for him because he could be our first black President but as he said many times, we need change and that is what they followed him for. We do need change...oh we need change. Anyway, getting off my topic here.
9/11 is approaching and I have read several things on this lately and some of it really does bother me, How can one say you can't mention God at the 9/11 remembrance...God is laughing at that one and we all know he is. Even if you don't mention His name out loud, you got your thoughts and prayers...so yep that is a joke. I also heard that no emergency service personnel were being invited, surely that is a mistake as is the fact that tickets or whatever invitations were sent to the families inviting them to the remembrance were delayed. 9/11 is no joke but the crap that the media and NYC mayor or whomever is doing is. I am so tired of hearing things were omitted or changed so no one is offended. Shoot, I am offended when the guys think it's sexy to walk holding their pants up at their crotch but no one is changing that just for me! Walking on eggshells isn't going to change how those against us think...they will just confirm their thoughts that we are wimps and don't stand up for what we believe in. Get over it already!
The other thing this friend often disses is Muslims. Grouping all of them as terrorists. Really? Are you serious? I really get tired of hearing that all Muslims are terrorists...Not all of them are. Yes there is a large group that is and no we should NOT be worried about offending those that want to hurt our country and its people. However, why do we need to punish all Muslims for what the black sheep of that culture has done and continues to try to do? That's sort of like saying all white people were/are slave owners and they should be punished for that. There are many Muslims who fear for their lives every second of every day because they do not believe or choose to follow those that are terrorists. Oh and not all terrorists are Muslims...some are full blooded Americans that have gone against their own country.
9/11 I was living here in GA on the Air Force Base and my girls were in school, Mark was sleeping as he worked the midnight shift and I was home. My neighbor came over when we heard about the happenings and we were headed up to the school to pick up our kids...they were on lockdown in the gym (school was on base too) - We were told we could get them since we lived on the base and the base was on lockdown as well. The kids at the school were terrified, no clue what was going on outside their bubble so to speak. This is a school of military kids....meaning all different children from all different cultures...including Muslims. I even think one of the teachers was from Saudi and she was a favorite there.
At the college that I worked at there are several Muslim students (all here legally) that only wanted to escape the horrors of their own country for a better life...that is why they came here. (why GA though, I will never know) The stories they have shared with me made me cry and angry. It truly angers me. I live in a military town and there are so many students at this college that have a military person in their family and I have seen these Muslim students go up to them and THANK them for what they have done in Iraq and Afghanistan and they hope to be able to return one day to their country and live in peace. Your religion and faith is part of who you are, no doubt about that but everyone interprets their religion differently...I see this every day and quite often on FB with this particular person. Think about this, you all know someone who says they are Christian quotes the Bible, etc. but interprets the Bible for their own use. I know I worked with one person that did this often. Racism is everywhere (I wish it weren't) and that is what this person is doing when they group everyone of a certain culture together. If we were to follow their line here, then all of us are terrorists...yep...we are. Even this particular person. I hate being negative and I hated wanting to think or say bad things about others...it slips out and I regret it but I get back on my good vibe train. But one day, this person is going to go one step too far and I will have to spread crap on her cracker! Hehehe.
9/11 is a day no one will forget, it changed our country and the way we think. Sometimes I think it changed us to the point that we are accusing anyone who may be different or seem a bit off. Ya know, those people were there before this happened and we just ignored them. Most of them are still harmless nutcases but there are some who are out for their own agendas...no matter their culture. We also need to remember that on that day, America lost thousands of people and they left behind families...it's those people and their families that we need to remember on that day. They need the prayers. I am not saying we should forget who did this horrible actrocity to us but I am a firm believer in two things...God will take care of us and if you give more time than necessary to evil, they are winning. They want you to think of them. The day that Saddam was executed and the day that Osama was killed was a victory on the war against terrorism but there are more to take their place, unfortunately. The Bible tells us "an eye for an eye..." So, I don't know if we will ever see a day when no one in the world is fighting someone else.
And that my dear friends, is what is on my mind this week.
Warning...I may offend some of you with my opinion and if I do, I apologize in advance. I also know some of you have very strong opinions on this topic as well and that's fine too.
Yesterday this was a status on a friend's FB page and it hit a big nerve with me.
"liar...this was no mistake...and if it were, he should be removed from his job for being to ignorant....cripes...
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/09/05/colorado-school-comes-under-fire-for-hanging-saudi-flag-higher-than-american/"
My first problem with this is if you just read the fox news report on the story you are missing facts. You have to go to the source...that being the article from the Greeley Gazette.
Second, how can this person call the principal a liar and said it wasn't a mistake and that he should be fired. Good Lord, if that is the case, fire all of us from every job. In the Gazette article, the principal said the flag was not in that usual place, so that means someone else placed it there and lower than the other flag. Yes that is very wrong but as soon as he was notified of it, he resolved the issue. I know what our flag symbolizes for our country and the fact that someone placed it lower than ANY other flag bothers me, however, no one has the right to say you knew it was there or that you should be fired from your job because some jackass thought it would be funny to disrespect out flag.
This friend has a tendency to put down our government often and other cultures as well. That brings me to what I really got ticked about - Before I head into that though, please understand I totally do not condone anyone, no matter their culture, race, or whatevers threatening our President (whoever it is), our country and its people. That is intolerable. I also, do not condone that for any country but as we all are fully aware of, peace does not reign everywhere and thus we have what we have in this world.
I do not agree with our current President but I respect the office. I have said a few things against the man and totally wish when the election went on more people didn't vote for him because he could be our first black President but as he said many times, we need change and that is what they followed him for. We do need change...oh we need change. Anyway, getting off my topic here.
9/11 is approaching and I have read several things on this lately and some of it really does bother me, How can one say you can't mention God at the 9/11 remembrance...God is laughing at that one and we all know he is. Even if you don't mention His name out loud, you got your thoughts and prayers...so yep that is a joke. I also heard that no emergency service personnel were being invited, surely that is a mistake as is the fact that tickets or whatever invitations were sent to the families inviting them to the remembrance were delayed. 9/11 is no joke but the crap that the media and NYC mayor or whomever is doing is. I am so tired of hearing things were omitted or changed so no one is offended. Shoot, I am offended when the guys think it's sexy to walk holding their pants up at their crotch but no one is changing that just for me! Walking on eggshells isn't going to change how those against us think...they will just confirm their thoughts that we are wimps and don't stand up for what we believe in. Get over it already!
The other thing this friend often disses is Muslims. Grouping all of them as terrorists. Really? Are you serious? I really get tired of hearing that all Muslims are terrorists...Not all of them are. Yes there is a large group that is and no we should NOT be worried about offending those that want to hurt our country and its people. However, why do we need to punish all Muslims for what the black sheep of that culture has done and continues to try to do? That's sort of like saying all white people were/are slave owners and they should be punished for that. There are many Muslims who fear for their lives every second of every day because they do not believe or choose to follow those that are terrorists. Oh and not all terrorists are Muslims...some are full blooded Americans that have gone against their own country.
9/11 I was living here in GA on the Air Force Base and my girls were in school, Mark was sleeping as he worked the midnight shift and I was home. My neighbor came over when we heard about the happenings and we were headed up to the school to pick up our kids...they were on lockdown in the gym (school was on base too) - We were told we could get them since we lived on the base and the base was on lockdown as well. The kids at the school were terrified, no clue what was going on outside their bubble so to speak. This is a school of military kids....meaning all different children from all different cultures...including Muslims. I even think one of the teachers was from Saudi and she was a favorite there.
At the college that I worked at there are several Muslim students (all here legally) that only wanted to escape the horrors of their own country for a better life...that is why they came here. (why GA though, I will never know) The stories they have shared with me made me cry and angry. It truly angers me. I live in a military town and there are so many students at this college that have a military person in their family and I have seen these Muslim students go up to them and THANK them for what they have done in Iraq and Afghanistan and they hope to be able to return one day to their country and live in peace. Your religion and faith is part of who you are, no doubt about that but everyone interprets their religion differently...I see this every day and quite often on FB with this particular person. Think about this, you all know someone who says they are Christian quotes the Bible, etc. but interprets the Bible for their own use. I know I worked with one person that did this often. Racism is everywhere (I wish it weren't) and that is what this person is doing when they group everyone of a certain culture together. If we were to follow their line here, then all of us are terrorists...yep...we are. Even this particular person. I hate being negative and I hated wanting to think or say bad things about others...it slips out and I regret it but I get back on my good vibe train. But one day, this person is going to go one step too far and I will have to spread crap on her cracker! Hehehe.
9/11 is a day no one will forget, it changed our country and the way we think. Sometimes I think it changed us to the point that we are accusing anyone who may be different or seem a bit off. Ya know, those people were there before this happened and we just ignored them. Most of them are still harmless nutcases but there are some who are out for their own agendas...no matter their culture. We also need to remember that on that day, America lost thousands of people and they left behind families...it's those people and their families that we need to remember on that day. They need the prayers. I am not saying we should forget who did this horrible actrocity to us but I am a firm believer in two things...God will take care of us and if you give more time than necessary to evil, they are winning. They want you to think of them. The day that Saddam was executed and the day that Osama was killed was a victory on the war against terrorism but there are more to take their place, unfortunately. The Bible tells us "an eye for an eye..." So, I don't know if we will ever see a day when no one in the world is fighting someone else.
And that my dear friends, is what is on my mind this week.
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