In which I'm not quitting the gym...yet

Basically, I'm like Chandler right now. Or at least I felt like him a week ago Saturday. Remember that Friends episode where he tries to quit the gym? (I guess life does imitate art.) Similarly, my plan to save money by canceling my gym membership is completely backfiring on me. I went in there last Saturday to quit, because I was using my membership so rarely anyway. And they instead talked me into having a free session with a personal trainer.

Yesterday, I had my appointment, and it was great. I genuinely enjoyed it. My trainer was nice; he took me through a bunch of exercises, and some of them were a little hard, but I didn't feel like I overdid it. Maybe he was just being easy on me this session ... I don't know. Right after I got home yesterday, I felt like I worked out, but I wasn't dead tired. Which is awesome. Maybe I was doing it wrong before. Today I'm a little sore, but in a good way. It's not unbearable, and it proves I did something right.

I think the problem that perpetuated my former on-again, off-again gym schedule is that I would go for the first time in a while, overdo it, burn out, wait a while, repeat. So I never really got into a rhythm or learned techniques, especially once my schedule no longer worked to go with people like the bro-in-law or other friends who were more fitness literate than me.

So, before I left the gym yesterday, I had such a good experience that I signed up (read: paid for) three more training sessions. I'm a little sad (intimidated) that those will be with a female trainer, but maybe I'll get along with her too. And her schedule was more flexible than the guy who trained me this weekend.

I guess the bottom line is that even though I'm actually spending more money than I was before, maybe this accountability and education is what I need to get a little more fitness in my life. I'm ready to give it a try and see what happens. Time will be the tell...

Alien Like You

So, in the last post, I mentioned Being Erica, the Canadian show I've been catching up on. I'm interested to see where the third season goes (but I'm also going to try to slow down my viewing pace now that I'm to the beginning of the current season--don't want to run out of episodes too quickly).

Here's a great song that one of the characters sings: (might have some spoilers for season 2)



In searching for this video, I found out that the guy who plays the character Kai is an actual musician, Sebastian Pigott, who has a band with his brother, Oliver.

According to Wikipedia, ABC is working on a U.S. remake of the show. I'm curious, but I have to wonder if it will be as good as the original. I guess we won't know until we see it, assuming it gets through development and is picked up.

discoveries

I don't think nostalgia is necessarily a productive emotion, but I've been experiencing it quite a bit lately. It may have something to do with still living in the same area I grew up and made all my nontraveling memories in.

It could have started when I watched The Social Network twice in one week. Besides just being an amazing film, it made me nostalgic for the friends I had in college--those who were CS majors and those who weren't--and that era of life. Facebook spread so fast (I'm also kind of nostalgic for its old page design). At the time, I didn't realize we (at UIUC) got it the first fall after it was invented.

Then, last weekend, I cleaned out the closet in the room that was mine at my parents' house. I saw the Daily Illini issues I'd saved from the week of 9/11 and some of the more epic Illini basketball wins. I saw some of the clothes I wore as I made all those memories with my high school and college peeps (don't worry, I've phased most of those out for style reasons). And the souvenirs from when I traveled abroad in '98 and '00 (to England and Australia, respectively). All that to say, it's been bittersweet reviewing all those memories lately, but I guess I can also look forward to making new friendships and fun memories in the future? We can only hope.

On another note, a friend of mine posted about this great Canadian TV show, Being Erica. The whole run (so far--it's still on-air) is available on Hulu. The premise is intriguing and I think offers many possibilities. And there's time travel and love for books involved, among other things. What's not to love? (It might be my new favorite.)

various musings

On Tuesday, I watched this video from a recent L.A. Creative Mornings talk. The speaker talked about finding something you're passionate about and making it part of your life and about changing up your routine--find a different approach, go a different way. I was inspired; it's worth a watch.

I'm not a big fan of winter in Illinois: cold weather, ice, and snow. I will be so happy when spring arrives. But I have thought of one benefit: grocery shopping is easier. Since the temps are usually near or below freezing, no one has to hurry home quite so fast to get their freezer or dairy products back into cold storage. It's not like they're going to melt in the trunk.

If anyone ever asks me to design a vending machine, I know what I want it to include. SunChips, roasted almonds, and Triscuits instead of pretzels and donuts. Beet chips and sweet potato chips instead of traditional potato chips. Luna bars and low-sugar granola bars instead of Pop-Tarts. The tuna lunch packs can stay. And it definitely needs a whole row of Frappuccinos.

Of all the Disney protagonists

...in the classic animated films, Belle is the one I identify with the most.

Here's her song:



I love this movie.

tasty holiday cookies

Check out my new post with a recipe for delicious Christmas ginger cookies.

Eating Choices, Parties, and Innovators

So, for another overdue update...

On Careful Eating Choices
I'm still generally eating healthier than I was a year ago, but my close adherence to the South Beach Diet has lapsed somewhat. Don't get me wrong, I'm still usually choosing whole-grain bread/rice/pasta products and limiting my intake of actual sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. I don't keep soda in the house usually, but I wished I had some root beer to go with the leftovers I ate for lunch, even if it had been artificially sweetened. In general, I could probably be eating more vegetables and fruits and fewer desserts and snacks, low-sugar or high-fiber though they may be. I actually care about the nutrients I'm missing, so maybe I should return to being a bit more strategic about my dietary habits before the holiday eating events start accumulating.

On Parties and Downtime
I ended up being invited to two Halloween parties last weekend; one was a costume party and the other wasn't. (I went as Penny from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog to the first.)

(Inspiration Photo)

I've said before that I'm introvert, and it couldn't be more true. But I was surprised by how much fun I had at both parties. I met some new people, reconnected with some old friends, and enjoyed the weekend. I went into the second party only knowing one person, and came home with a few new acquaintances. I'm cautiously optimistic that my conversational skills are getting stronger. I genuinely had a fun time socializing most of the weekend ... but I also felt pretty drained at the end of the day Sunday. I'll admit that I'm happy to have only one social commitment this weekend. It will be fun, but I'm glad I'll also have time do a little bit of recharging and writing.

On Innovators
I just started reading Where Good Ideas Come From, by Steven Johnson. I loved the promo video for it, so I'm looking forward to discovering what the book itself has to say.

I enjoyed watching The Social Network. It was a well-executed movie and it reminded me of how awesome committed entrepreneurs can be. I think Mark Zuckerberg is a genius. He's got skills and a vision for helping people connect (in an innovative way). Also, I have a special place in my heart for people who can code like that. And sometimes I wish I were one of them.

Listening to the real Zuckerberg is so inspiring. I don't think everyone is likely to have that much impact on society, but I do think he's a current example that good things come to people who work hard and follow their passion. I'll leave you with this video from an interview he did this past summer.