Shocker

While at the gym on a bike I was watching the bay of TV screens set up and at one point I thought I saw a man who looked just like Santa Claus on the show the Biggest Loser.

Before I realized it was not the real Santa Claus I was upset that Santa has been forced to participate in the show the biggest loser. All I could think of was poor Santa, I hope some of his elves put together a daring rescue attempt.

Food fun

While house sitting I woke up one morning to a kitchen that was not stocked with any breakfast foods. I decided it was either too early to go out for breakfast or I did not want to go out.

I realized biscotti & wheat thins make a decent breakfast. It would also hold me over for a few hours until I had finished sleeping in and showered and would be ready to leave the house.

Biscotti & Wheat thins...the NEW breakfast of champions!

A nicer club

I have a membership with 24 hour fitness. I have the sport membership so I go to the clubs that have every amenity but they look as nice as the average gym or YMCA.

Tonight I wanted to try out a new 24 hour fitness location and did not know it was a step up from my sport membership. It is the Ultra Sport and there is a difference!

The clerk pointed out I did not have Ultra Sport clearance but let me work out there anyway. At first I did not think it was big deal until I started looking around.

The place is decorated with ornate wood & stone. They provide towels in the locker room. The showers are full showers with closing doors. The entire time I was there I kept thinking I wondered out of the 24 fitness lobby and ended up in the gym for a very expensive upscale hotel.

It was so nice I actually came out with a British accent.

If I had the money to upgrade my membership to the nice gym...I would. I probably can not afford the upgrade and don't need it but it was fun to work out & see the inside of a nice gym.

Peace & Calm

Tonight while visiting with friends I was told I look peaceful and relaxed. It has been about a month that I have been back at my old job and I am happy. I am no longer stressed and feel good. I am happy to be doing what I was doing nine months ago.

It is said hind sight is everything and as I look back on where I was nine months ago I was frustrated with not being able to move anywhere at the University and with my job. I wanted a change but did not have any goals or any idea of what I wanted to do. I realize that I took the promotion I was offered for all the wrong reasons (like moving up the ladder for the sake of moving up the ladder, more money is good, have my own office, etc., etc.). I was not happy and fortunately was able to realize that doing something different was not what I needed.

Someone recently said to me "The Grass is greener over the septic tank". I believe it and realize that what needed to change was my perspective. I use to get angry over certain job duties, and now after having been promoted and moved back to my old job, I am grateful to perform those job duties that angered me. Not only am I grateful but I enjoy them and do them glad fully knowing I am helping others.

It is interesting how the changes we need are internal and those are the ones that make a big difference in life.

Five hour energy

I usually have a mid after noon lull at work where I fall asleep unless I am active, or eating a mild sized meal, or unless I am consuming copious amounts of caffeine or sugar.

I decided to try some Five hour energy to see if it works. I tried half a bottle and it worked! I took it around 3 p.m. and still had energy when I got home around 7 p.m.
I actually had enough energy to get in a work out and still felt like I had plenty of energy after a workout which completely tired out my muscles. I tried two small swallows of it the next day and it also worked for a few hours.

It has a lot of caffeine so I can not take it all the time (I may have acid reflux which is exacerbated by caffeine). It also has a lot of vitamin B so maybe the key is to find something high in vitamin B and take that.

Experiment

I trimmed hair on part of my body. I could not bring myself to shave it so I left the hair but trimmed it very short. I have always been curious what it would be like without hair in a certain spot.

It is odd to touch that area as I am use to feeling hair and it is not there. Whenever I touch that part of my body I wonder if it is really my body. I forgot I shaved it and when I didn't feel any hair there I began to wonder if I had walked through a high microwave or radio-wave area and it caused all the hair to fall out.

It is very freeing on one hand but odd because it is not the type of thing most people talk about. I want to tell people about it but I realize if I bring up something like this at work it could lead to anything from social alienation to harassment charges.

To be me and have my crazy life.

Taking the Bus in different parts of town

It is interesting taking the bus in one part of town verse another.

I usually take an express bus from the Park and ride by 6th & Union. Most of the patrons fit the business look and most are going down town. All are middle to upper class and dressed well and polite but not overly talkative or loud. There is not too much talking on the bus and the bus hits all it's stops. Most of the patrons on this bus are white.

This last week while house sitting I took a local bus from the North Eastern corner of Park Hill. Most of the patrons are mixed in dress, some students, some business workers, and some with a gangster look. All have an urban feel and I can not guess the socio-economic status accurately but I am inclined to say lower class. There is a lot of talking on the bus and even the buss driver is talking. They know everyone and talk about everyone & their business so it has the feel of a community that is close but gossips a bit and feels comfortable sharing opinions. People play walkman's loud enough the bus driver can hear it and children are on the bus unsupervised, screaming and teasing each other. The bus driver's do not stop at all stops and the only way to get the bus to stop is to pull that cord which requests a stop. Most of the patrons on this bus are black.

I like how quite and peaceful the bus is from the white neighborhood & how efficiently it seems to run. It is easy to read on that bus. I do like how lively the bus is in the black neighborhood. It is fun to ride and you never know what will happen so I always have a story to tell. I like both neighborhoods and both cultures even though they seem radically different.

What I like about night

I like the wide array of color that one sees from various neon bulbs & signs at night. I like the different lights & colors from signs, traffic lights, bars, & even truck stops.

Since I am house sitting near the commerce city by the industrial district I see more variety than in the suburbs. In the suburbs the lighting at night is either a weird white or that soft yellow. I see so much more variety down town or in commerce city. There are plenty of blues & reds and every now then a light that makes people look green. There is yellow and all sorts of shades in between and all sorts of interesting effects on people's skin, cars, side walks & walls.

Maybe is why I have enjoyed driving in these areas at night or I have always had a certain affinity for these parts of town?

Maybe I need to buy a Kaleidoscope to get my color fix?

New Year's 2012

This was the second New Year in a row spent house sitting. This year I sat for a different couple who own fewer animals. I have spent most of the last week and a half watching their movies & reading their novels.

My prediction for 2011 was it will be “a year where I weigh options to find balance in my life. I will have time to myself and miss out on a few social events. I will watch a few movies and celebrate alone.” I also ditched out on a fundraising event due to poor planning that night so that should have been worked into the prediction as well.

That was a very accurate description of how 2011 was for me. I did spend much time reflecting on what was happening to me and all my possible responses. I did have a lot of time to myself, not all by choice as I was sick & house sitting quite a bit, and I did not attend as many social events as I planned. I did not get involved in as many charity or fund raising type events as I planned. I did watch many movies and had to celebrate a few things on my own. Wow I am glad this depressing year is over!!!

This brings me to 2012 and my superstitious belief that how I spent New Years Eve will be a prediction or reflection of what happens to me during the next year.

New Years 2012 I was house sitting and taking care of animals. I was late to a small party with friends and had a good time. We played bored games and hung out. I did not know everyone so I made sure I talked to a few different people and joked with the few people I knew there. I noticed I have a habit of sitting quietly and I tried to make more of an effort to engage people. I did not eat much and watched what I ate. I also remembered I am attracted to Hispanic or Latin women.

My prediction is 2012 will be a year where I am late to events; I spend time with small groups and make an effort to talk with others. I push myself to get out of my comfort zone and I spend time admiring hispanic women. 2012 sounds much better than 2011!