Thursday, January 12, 2012

Still Recovering & Buy Art From a Pirate?


Photo: "Mannequin on Deck"; Watercolor on 8" x 10" Paper. It and several
others will be at my art show this Saturday.
My body is still trying to recover from last weekend’s list of workouts I did.  Saturday, it was a hip-hop fast paced Zumba class where I’m sure I looked part idiot – part spasmostic.  It was a challenge to keep up and trying not to run into anyone else in the class but I will admit it was fun!  A good cardio workout too! 

Sunday came and I tagged along with Diane to a Boot Camp Work Out.  OMG!  During the warm up period, I found myself already in trouble.  1.5 minutes of “flutter kicks”?!!! (Flutter kick= lying on back, hands under small of back, lift legs off of floor and scissor kick without touching floor.)  The 1.5 minutes felt like 3 minutes of literally wrenching my gut. 


From there we stood up and did what I refer to as a “tsunami” of squats where we would “rest” for 10 seconds in the squat position.  Then as fast as we could go from squat to stand and back to squat in under 30 seconds.  We repeated this a few times and the “rest” was no rest no matter how much the instructor said it was.  My front thighs are still feeling this one today (4 days later.).  The rest of the Boot Camp went thru a series of dead lifting and “burp bees”, swinging kettle balls with push-ups, and arm press with 15 lbs. weight bar with jumping pull-ups.  By the time I got to the jumping pull-ups, my arms were saying NO MORE.  I had to opt out.


It was ¾ thru the day that I realized I was still signed up for reformer pilates early Monday morning and I was still very so sore from the morning.  But Monday morning came and I hated the thought of paying for a class and not showing.  So I went to class, but I’m glad I did because it ended up being a good thing.  The instructor took up some really good stretches at the end of the class that made all the difference to me walking half way decently.


I’ve been terribly stressed this last week getting ready for my 100 Salt Lake City Porches Art Show.  Click here to get the 411 on the art show.  I’m so stressed in fact that I have a sty in my right eye that seems to not be going away.  The last two mornings, I’ve woken up to almost not being able to see out of my right eye.  I’ve had to apply warm compresses on it to make the swelling go down.  I’ve been wearing my sunglasses quite a bit because I can’t wear eye makeup (I feel SO nude!) and my right eye is slightly swollen with red.  I just hope it goes away before my art show this Saturday.  I was teasing a friend that I may have to find a sexy eye patch to wear for the show.  “Want to buy a painting from a pirate? Argh!”    

Friday, January 6, 2012

Looking Back & Thinking...

"Man in the Window"; Watercolor on 9" x 9" Paper done by me as a study in use of light.

The old year is over and the new one is just starting out.  It’s always interesting to look back over the year and see where and what you’ve done.  I’ve managed most of my goals for this last year and I’m still playing with some ideas of the goals for this New Year.  I'm thinking about what I want for my goals for this New Year. But first, here’s the review of the goals for this last year….

1.)    Save More Money! 
I did save more than the previous year but not as much as I had set out to do originally at the beginning of the year.  I think I had set out too unrealistically high of a savings goal and didn’t leave any room for those things that happen in life and the occasional need to splurge every now and then.  But even with all of that and some car repairs, I still managed to save about 70% of my original savings goal for the year which isn’t too shabby at all.  Early in September, I sat down and looked at the savings goal and made some adjustments accordingly.  I’m thinking I’ll keep up that new improved somewhat more feasible pace of savings for the New Year.


2.)    Finding More of a Balance Between Cycling and Running-
As I look over the post it notes that I kept track of my monthly stats, I see that I did improve this last year with trying to maintain more of a balance between the two.  Overall, I didn’t do as much mileage on the bike which sometimes I found a bit of a challenge.  Also, I think that a rainy Spring helped out with the balance issue too.  But I tell you I have been loving some of this warmer weather that’s been happening the last two weeks.  I’ve gotten in about 80 miles in, and this is late December & early January.  I went out this last Monday and I felt like I was cycling during the month of October.  Oh, but I bet the local skiers are NOT loving this!


3.)    Do 1 Century on the Bike. 
Never did quite do this one and the two times I attempted it were unplanned failures.  One time I was riding and later discovered I was riding the 45 miles I did do with the brake rubbing hard on the back tire.  The other time, my body broke down at the 75 mile marker and I had to turn around early.  And then, after all of that, I just wasn’t in to doing the whole Century thing.  I sometimes question whether I really want to push myself enough to do another one.  A few years back I did 8 Centuries in a year, and since then I’ve kind of been burned out on them.  I seem to love going anywhere between 60 to 75 miles and having enough energy to do something else in the day.  I don’t think that I’ll put this as a goal for the next year.

4.)    Be More Weight Conscious! 
I think I did very well on this one and I did manage to lose and keep off 22 lbs. total over the year.  I still have about 11 lbs. (as of weigh in this morning) that I would like to lose.  But I feel healthier and have had several comments that I’m looking good.  I would like to get down to my goal weight for this next year.


5.)    Commute more or Walk More to Work.
I didn’t do so well on this one.  Between rainy weather and colder weather, I kind of turned into a whimp.  Perhaps, I’ll toughen up and do more this next year?  We’ll see!


6.)    Finish the 100 Salt Lake City Porches Art Project. 
DONE!  I finished No. 100 the last week of the year.  In fact, #100 will makes its debut at the art
show that I am currently getting ready to do this Jan.14th.  Click here and you can scroll thru the 99
 porches to see the progression.  I really can see how my painting has improved over the year.  I
 also have been amazed at the response during the project and it’s been fun meeting all these porch owners!

7.) Narrow Down the Clutter in my life. 
I did managed to make a few trips to the good will but there still is a few places in my one bedroom apartment that could use some work but the last couple of months I’ve been rather over ran with the remnants of the 100 Salt Lake City Porches Art Project.  But I will say at least it’s not ALL 100 that were in my small apartment, just mainly the about 76 that I haven’t sold.  BUT I have hope for a couple more at least to be sold during the show.


That how the year went and I want to think about what my goals will be for the next year.  But in the meantime, here are the Stats for the year….
302.50 miles running
  2307 miles cycling
  11.2 miles swimming
  44 hours and 19 minutes on the elliptical
  &
  58 Books Read!