For the last 4 months, I have been working on losing weight, which includes joining Weight Watchers and exercising more. It's been going pretty well, and I am fairly happy that I am down 30 pounds. Though of course I would like to have lost more, that's pretty reasonable. Also, I haven't given up peanut butter, ice cream or chocolate. I probably wouldn't have lasted if that had been required.
I'm at that point where I need to buy some new clothes, but I still need to lose more weight, so hesitant to buy too much. The first thing I bought? New bras. Went to Nordstrom's last weekend and used a fitter, who helped me pick out very nice, very expensive bras. Fortunately I found out you are only supposed to wash them every 4-5 times you wear them (unless you sweat heavily), because I only bought 3. Band size was 4 inches smaller! But cups were 2 sizes larger, which was a huge surprise. I also bought a couple of shirts for my trip to Chicago. Which I didn't end up wearing. Next will be pants, because I only have a couple of older ones that I can wear now. Yeah, I know, terrible problem to have.
The exercise part is a mix of highs and lows. After a few weeks, I got the ActiveLink, which is a device you wear and every so often you plug it in to the USB port on a computer and it tells the WeightWatchers online tracking system how many extra points you get. I found out that I am so sedentary during the day that my 40-50 minute walks in the morning didn't even get me to baseline on the ActiveLink. I have to add at least 30 minutes at lunch and a stroll in the evening to get to the 4-point target.
The high part is that agility is way more points than I expected. I mean, each run is only a minute or less, and there are a maximum of 5 runs a day. Of course, there's also warming him up and walking him out afterwards, plus I usually work 2 or 3 classes. But still. My first agility trial was 7 points for one day. The last one, I was a leash-runner for half of the first (really large) class on Saturday and ended up walking fast back and forth for over an hour. That day I got 11 points.
On the other hand, the exercise video I got doesn't seem to earn me as many points as walking for the same amount of time, even though I feel like I am working a LOT harder. Consequently, I don't use it as much as I probably should.
Anyway, I actually started this post to talk about what I did this morning. It is supposed to be hellish hot later today, so I decided to walk Bravo when I got up. Russ has been running every other day, and so he decided to go along. We went down to Lake Normandale just as the sun was coming up, so it was really pretty. Russ took off running and after a few minutes, I started to run as well. I've done that a little over the past few weeks. This time I ran most of the way down one side of the lake. Then I had to stop and walk for a while. I picked up running again for maybe a third of the next side, then walked the final part. It's supposed to be a total of 1.9 miles, and I'm guessing I ran at least 3/4 of a mile. Which is much more than I would have run if Russ hadn't been ahead of me.
The thing that annoys me is that Russ only started running again about 5 weeks ago. Before that, he had been going on our evening ambles for maybe a month. He now runs every other day - started with half a mile and built up. Today, though, he ran nearly the whole lake path, while I was exhausted after less than half running, the rest walking. And to add insult to injury, he came home to do pushups and lift weights, while I collapsed in a chair.
Guess it's good that now I have someone to push me.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Friday, July 5, 2013
Challenge 2 - low light
Last week's Challenge was low light photos. I decided to try a photo by candlelight. I need more work on this...
Russ and Bravo
*This was supposed to have been published on 6-23. Oops.
Playing with my new camera
I'm exploring the world of DSLRs with my new Pentax K-30. Having lots of fun!
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| Self-protrait with shiny blue camera. It now has a black & white floral strap with soft pink lining. |
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| First outing was to Bush Lake at dusk. |
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| The iris at the lake were gorgeous. |
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| I missed the deer that was about 20 feet from me at the lake, but saw several the next day at Richardson. This was the first - a young buck |
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| Then the doe. |
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| finally the fawn hiding in the grass |
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| On the Fourth, I visited the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden. But didn't see too many wildflowers. |
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| Next stop was the Sculpture Garden where they had another installation of Artist-Designed Mini-Golf |
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| And of course, the iconic Spoonbridge and Cherry. |
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Live like a dog
Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.
Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.
Take naps.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.
Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.
Take naps.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and
let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you’re not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.
ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you’re not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.
ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!
Saturday, June 1, 2013
On failure and motivation
Today Bravo and I competed in another agility trial. Once again, we failed to successfully complete the Jackpot game. We seem to have hit a roadblock with this particular game, as we have gone 0 for 4 this year.
When I realized what had happened, I was quite upset. I contemplated just leaving, without completing the last 2 games of the day. I walked around outside for a while, fighting the frustration. If I couldn't get out of this mood, there was no point in continuing, at least not today. Bravo enjoys this so much, and I can't run him if I'm in a bad place. It wouldn't be fair to him. And I didn't have much time.
I managed to shake it off a bit, and got ready for the standard run. This is a game where you just follow the numbered obstacles. The ending was tricky, changing directions, alternately pushing out and pulling in. We ran well, and Bravo responded perfectly to all my cues, verbal and physical.
The last run of the day was Full House, where you make your own course, incorporating 3 single jumps, 2 "circles" (tunnel or tire jump) and 1 "joker", all while accumulating the appropriate number of points for your level. It seemed to me that getting enough points wouldn't be too tough, so I decided to put in a few techniques that don't show up in courses all that often, but that we have been practicing in class. Again, we kept the teamwork going throughout the run and finished the day with a great run and a first place ribbon.
When I got home I decided to review our stats.
2011: 13 trial days, 49 qualifying scores
2012: 13 trial days, 45 qualifying scores
2013: 6 trial days, 17 qualifying scores
Completed all 80 runs for Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4, as well as 31* of the 40 required for Level 5 in just over 26 months. That's a pretty good record. We have about an 80% success rate, and I can't really complain about that.
I had set my sights on completing Bravo's C-ATCH (those 9 remaining runs) before he turns 9 in September. But you know, that's a very arbitrary measure of success. We got started running really late, not until Bravo was 6. I'm happy with how we're working in general, and I love how enthusiastic he is. The most frequent comment I get is that he is so happy when he's in the ring.
So I plan to celebrate the joy and teamwork. Challenge myself to use different techniques and not just play it safe. Make sure that Bravo is having fun in each and every run. And have fun just running with my dog.
.jpg)
When I realized what had happened, I was quite upset. I contemplated just leaving, without completing the last 2 games of the day. I walked around outside for a while, fighting the frustration. If I couldn't get out of this mood, there was no point in continuing, at least not today. Bravo enjoys this so much, and I can't run him if I'm in a bad place. It wouldn't be fair to him. And I didn't have much time.
I managed to shake it off a bit, and got ready for the standard run. This is a game where you just follow the numbered obstacles. The ending was tricky, changing directions, alternately pushing out and pulling in. We ran well, and Bravo responded perfectly to all my cues, verbal and physical.
The last run of the day was Full House, where you make your own course, incorporating 3 single jumps, 2 "circles" (tunnel or tire jump) and 1 "joker", all while accumulating the appropriate number of points for your level. It seemed to me that getting enough points wouldn't be too tough, so I decided to put in a few techniques that don't show up in courses all that often, but that we have been practicing in class. Again, we kept the teamwork going throughout the run and finished the day with a great run and a first place ribbon.
When I got home I decided to review our stats.
2011: 13 trial days, 49 qualifying scores
2012: 13 trial days, 45 qualifying scores
2013: 6 trial days, 17 qualifying scores
Completed all 80 runs for Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4, as well as 31* of the 40 required for Level 5 in just over 26 months. That's a pretty good record. We have about an 80% success rate, and I can't really complain about that.
I had set my sights on completing Bravo's C-ATCH (those 9 remaining runs) before he turns 9 in September. But you know, that's a very arbitrary measure of success. We got started running really late, not until Bravo was 6. I'm happy with how we're working in general, and I love how enthusiastic he is. The most frequent comment I get is that he is so happy when he's in the ring.
So I plan to celebrate the joy and teamwork. Challenge myself to use different techniques and not just play it safe. Make sure that Bravo is having fun in each and every run. And have fun just running with my dog.
.jpg)
Bravo, showing the joy
courtesy of Herreid Photography
*For anyone who is nerdy enough to add all this up, you will notice there is an extra run. I have 1 more qualifying score than I need in the Jumpers game.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
On gender politics
Yeah, I'm tired of the political rhetoric from this campaign, too. But I read an article about the election gender gap in the NYTimes today, and it struck a chord.
“What was really frustrating is that there was this myth manufactured by Democrats in Washington that the Republican Party as a whole is against women,” said Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, who said she watched with disappointment as her friend Senator Scott P. Brown of Massachusetts was tarred by the broader fight and lost his bid for re-election, to a woman. “There is no doubt we need to do a better job as a party in reaching out to women, recruiting strong women candidates and sending a more positive message,” Ms. Collins said.
When you put a goal in the party platform that would not only ban abortion, but also some forms of contraceptives, then I think it's fair to assume that is one of the party's objectives. When Republicans fight as hard as they did to allow companies to opt out of providing contraception coverage in their health plans, then yeah, I look at that as being against women. I'm not sure Democrats manufactured a myth, here.
“It has never made sense that my party, the party of individual freedom and personal responsibility, thinks the government should be involved in issues” like abortion, Ms. Collins said. “We are the party that trusts individuals to make their own decisions. That is one of the defining issues of the differences between Republicans and Democrats. So this is just bewildering to me.”
This is something I have always wondered about. I DON'T agree with the statement that a defining issue between Republicans and Democrats is that Republicans "trust individuals to make their own decisions". But they do talk a lot about individual freedoms, especially in regards to guns. When the issues have to do with sex (abortion, contraception, homosexuality), all of a sudden individual freedom and personal responsibility are not part of the Republican conversation.
I feel like this was a pretty rough campaign. Attack ads were more ubiquitous than ever. In the past, I think Republicans were successful in their smear campaigns (e.g. swift-boating), and Democrats were not very good at hitting back (kinda like the first presidential debate, what little I could stand to watch). While I would prefer to think candidates should campaign on their own issues and goals, without resorting to such relentless attacks, that leaves you open to the situation from the movie American President, where "they're the only ones doing the talking". In this campaign, I thought the Democrats did a good job of capitalizing on the mistakes, lies, and mean-spirited positions that many of the Republicans took. Yes, there were some failures, but overall, I think this election was a success for liberal's and women's issues, and that Republicans made their own beds when it came to alienating women voters.
And by the way, I think it should be a rule that when a health plan doesn't cover contraceptives, it can't cover Viagra either.
“What was really frustrating is that there was this myth manufactured by Democrats in Washington that the Republican Party as a whole is against women,” said Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, who said she watched with disappointment as her friend Senator Scott P. Brown of Massachusetts was tarred by the broader fight and lost his bid for re-election, to a woman. “There is no doubt we need to do a better job as a party in reaching out to women, recruiting strong women candidates and sending a more positive message,” Ms. Collins said.
When you put a goal in the party platform that would not only ban abortion, but also some forms of contraceptives, then I think it's fair to assume that is one of the party's objectives. When Republicans fight as hard as they did to allow companies to opt out of providing contraception coverage in their health plans, then yeah, I look at that as being against women. I'm not sure Democrats manufactured a myth, here.
“It has never made sense that my party, the party of individual freedom and personal responsibility, thinks the government should be involved in issues” like abortion, Ms. Collins said. “We are the party that trusts individuals to make their own decisions. That is one of the defining issues of the differences between Republicans and Democrats. So this is just bewildering to me.”
This is something I have always wondered about. I DON'T agree with the statement that a defining issue between Republicans and Democrats is that Republicans "trust individuals to make their own decisions". But they do talk a lot about individual freedoms, especially in regards to guns. When the issues have to do with sex (abortion, contraception, homosexuality), all of a sudden individual freedom and personal responsibility are not part of the Republican conversation.
I feel like this was a pretty rough campaign. Attack ads were more ubiquitous than ever. In the past, I think Republicans were successful in their smear campaigns (e.g. swift-boating), and Democrats were not very good at hitting back (kinda like the first presidential debate, what little I could stand to watch). While I would prefer to think candidates should campaign on their own issues and goals, without resorting to such relentless attacks, that leaves you open to the situation from the movie American President, where "they're the only ones doing the talking". In this campaign, I thought the Democrats did a good job of capitalizing on the mistakes, lies, and mean-spirited positions that many of the Republicans took. Yes, there were some failures, but overall, I think this election was a success for liberal's and women's issues, and that Republicans made their own beds when it came to alienating women voters.
And by the way, I think it should be a rule that when a health plan doesn't cover contraceptives, it can't cover Viagra either.
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