Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Self enlightenment the good old fashioned way

Today I participated in my first Spinning class. According to a friend of mine, you are guaranteed to burn 1000 calories in 60 minutes. Self-imposed ass kicking at it's best. As the instructor is setting up my bike for me he says, "Your goal as a first-timer is simply to finish". Damn if that isn't the best introduction to a workout I've ever heard. Just finish.

I did indeed finish, and it ended up being as intense as everyone said it was going to be. My thighs were burning and my legs were all wobbly when I stepped off the bike. It was excruciating. I won't be able to walk for days. My legs are sore in places I didn't even know muscles existed. I absolutely loved it.

Lately I've been feeling very old. I came across some pictures a few days ago, some photos of me at my Senior Prom. I looked so glowingly happy and pretty that I barely recognized myself. It's hard to remember what it felt like to be 17. That girl in those pictures has no idea what cellulite or crow's feet are. She has no idea what it feels like the have her heart broken or what it's really like to stress about money.

These days I look in the mirror and all I can see are these adult realities staring right back at me. Where did all the innocence go? As far as I knew I still had a least a little of it left over, getting me ID'd at restaurants when I ordered a glass of wine with my steak, but lately it seems that my eyes give me away. They reveal my old spirit.

One of my New Year's resolutions was to spend some time rediscovering my inner child. I'm not really sure how to go about doing that, so instead I'm working on rediscovering my high-school ass through intense aerobics! Seems like a fair trade to me.

Saturday, January 21, 2006

Saturday, January 07, 2006

Five Guilty Pleasures

1. Smothering Nutella all over a banana and pretending it's healthy
2. Watching Regis and Kelly in the mornings while eating breakfast in my bathrobe
3. Drinking milk right out of the jug
4. Going over to someones house who has their cd's arranged alphabetically and randomly switching around a few of them
5. Spending 2 hours just wandering around Barnes and Noble, drinking over-priced coffee and looking through books

Friday, January 06, 2006

Happiness is a warm gun ... er, warm cup of coffee

I didn't get to sleep until 5 am last night -- something I haven't done since I was in college. I'm feeling it today, but not as much as I thought I would. And the biggest surprise of all was waking up to my bedroom bathed in sunshine. It's been so long since we've seen the sun here in Michigan that I almost forgot how much it can really lift you up. It was just the boost I needed.

I've really been feeling burnt out lately -- stuck in a rut, of sorts. I wouldn't say that I've been upset or sad, just sort of blah. Periods of blah are definitley necessary from time to time, it allows the mind to coast and build up for periods of colorful intensity, but I'm ready for the blahs to end. I'm ready for the color, the intensity.

I've noticed that I haven't really been reading or writing much lately, or doing anything that really awakens me mentally and spiritually. One of my New Year's Resolutions is to rediscover that creative side of myself -- spend more time doing things that challenge me.

I'm looking forward to the weekend. I desperately need some me time to rejuvinate my spirits and re-awaken my soul.