Disneyland Family 5K -2014

Disneyland Family 5K -2014

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Fitness, Television and Kissing - Today's Mental Meanderings

GETTING IN SHAPE - I started a new fitness program today.  A friend's posts about success on her FB page intrigued me, so I decided to give it a try.  I've noticed over the past few weeks that the little "muffin top" has gotten a bit bigger and the jeans don't fit quite as well as they did a few months ago.  I work out sometimes, I play basketball once a week (or every two weeks) and I started running to train for a 1/2 marathon in August.  But I felt like I needed a kick start.  So, here we are, Day 1.  I'll let you know how it goes.

I took "before" pictures last night and let me just say "UGH!"  Of course, no one likes their own mirror, but man - those photos are NOT flattering.  I was pleasantly surprised when I stepped on the scale for my starting weight though.  I had expected something about 5 pounds heavier, so maybe it wasn't quite as bad as I thought?   The program is a protein shake for breakfast, one for lunch and then a healthy dinner for 30 days.  The plan calls for you to go as vegan as possible, with no animal proteins or products and dairy and gluten free as well, but I'm not sure I can quite go that far.  I like cheese too much, and even eggs or a steak once in awhile.  Others that have done the program and posted information (including my friend) have mentioned that they have not followed it strictly, but have still enjoyed good results.  I'm just looking to lose the "muffin top" and get back into my "skinny" jeans. (Not that I really have skinny jeans, but isn't that what everyone says?)   The last time I took action like this was when B was 18 months old.  I decided that I was tired of carrying around the extra "baby weight" and joined Weight Watchers.  I lost almost 20 pounds and kept it off until I had K.  Now I'm done carrying around her extra "baby weight."  Ha.   I'll keep you posted (pun intended) on my progress.

TELEVISION - I'm finally catching up on some of the shows - finally having more than a few minutes each night to veg on the couch.  Last night I caught up on the Voice (although I'm still almost 2 weeks behind) and let me just say.... WOULD THE COACHES PLEASE STOP TALKING ABOUT THE "RASP" IN SOMEONE'S VOICE?  When did that become a "thing"?  It's almost as bad as Christina starting all of her comments and sentences with the words "I mean."  GRRRRR.     Come up with a new word!    Moving on... SMASH - still so bummed that it will be going away.  Really, such a great concept - why can't the network get on board?  When I finished watching the show from 2 weeks ago, I almost felt sorry for Jimmy.  He frustrates and annoys me most of the time, but at the end of that show, I realized that he was winning me over.  Why?  Maybe I continue to have an affinity for the "bad guys," the ones that you know will hurt you but you want them anyway.  I find Derek's character to be laughable.  Honestly, a guy who has been in the business as long as he supposedly has, suddenly having a gut check moment when it comes to women?  And wandering around like a lost little boy, unable to decide who to chase after first.  I don't buy it.  And while we're at it, let's discuss Karen's seeming inability to make a decision and stick with it.  She wants Jimmy, then she doesn't, then she wants Derek and then she doesn't, because she realizes she still wants Jimmy.  Um.... have we forgotten that she had a fiance just last season?  Yes, he was a bit of a jerk and yes, he cheated on her, but did she turn off her feelings for him that quick? (Aside from the fact that he simply disappeared from the show, of course.)  Back to Jimmy - I watched last week's show and was back to not being sure about him.  He annoyed me again, but I still found myself rooting for him just a bit.  Strangely, at some points in the show, he looked good and at others, I was unable to look at him - something just seemed "off" about his face.  Strange yes, but this is me we're talking about.  Just a few more weeks until we officially say goodbye to this show.  I hope a cable channel picks it up, or they find another way to keep it alive.  Then again, depending on how they end the season, one has to wonder where the story would go.

And finally, KISSING...  I wrote a long time ago about the confusion that I sometimes encounter with people, and the struggle over kissing versus hugging.  Friends I have known for ages, of course I can hug when I say hello.  People I know through business or wives of people I know... not so easy a question.  This morning, it occurred to me that I sometimes have the same struggle about kissing, and with family.  My family was never very affectionate.  I don't remember seeing my dad kiss my mom very much at all and we certainly did not get a lot of hugs and kisses from our parents (that I recall.)  Hugs from Grandma, of course, but not much beyond that, as far as I can remember.  So as I was dropping B off at school today, she wanted a kiss (which she always does, and which is fine) and she kissed me on the lips.  I felt that moment's twinge of a question - is this ok?  Should kids be kissing their parents on the lips?   I suppose that is because somewhere, buried deep within, there might be a Puritan trying to get out.  I thought I had squashed her completely when I moved to California, voted Democrat and took up pole dancing classes for exercise, but maybe she's still in there somewhere.  But she raises an interesting question - what is o.k. affection between parents and children?  Obviously, there are lines to be drawn.  But this is one of those grey areas that I have to wonder about.... and how does that spill over to relationships with brothers and sisters, and even in-laws?   B loves to give K kisses, but at some point as they get older, will it be wrong for them to kiss on the lips (closed mouth, of course.)  And both girls give Nana and Papa kisses all the time - again, on the lips.  So I wonder.

Like I said, much of my issues likely stem from my own family's "reserved" nature when it comes to displays of affection.  So I suppose that I will just continue to give (and receive) kisses, because you know that at some point, they won't want them anymore.... I should probably just take what I can get while they are young and still willing to be seen in public standing next to me, right?  Don't even get me started on having to hold Mommy's hand in the parking lots!

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