104/144 days
I have 104 days left. That is 3 months and some 14 days. Sounds like a lot of time when you count it that way. Then again, we live from weekend to weekend and see how the boxes in between fill with all the details that become bullet points in our life’s resumes. Okay, that line was slightly bizarre even by my own quirky style, but shall blame the twilight and continue on with my blinders.
So, it has not been a good week. Gym-wise so-so, but emotionally and muscle-wise not good. Not at all.
A dear friend of the family (she is like the elder sister that I never had) suffered a heart attack out of the blue on Thursday morning. One minute he dropped his son at school and was banging the keys on his laptop to get something for the other son and next minute he has excruciating pain, and when the brave grounded wife drove him alone to the emergency, his EKG came abnormal and underwent an emergency Cath procedure to remove a block and place a stent in him. She had called me (for support) and to drive her up to the other hospital and that started a three day exercise in perseverance, prayer and faith.
Over the weekend, after relief had set in, more thoughts seeped in. Our lives are fragile. Every single act that we strive to put together day after day, our dreams, relationships and work are at the whim of the unseen hand.
It is a thankful few days in honor of the timing, alert actions and the medical profession that we take for granted. For small mercies, and how this little nudge in our normal busy lives can rattle us as people, as spectators and as a community. It also makes us want to continue to be healthy, to change little ways of doing things so we can live better and longer. Ultimately isn’t that what motivates us eager humans?
Exercise:
Diet:
Thought for the week:
It is long and wordy. But I like to look at this occasionally just so we can remind ourselves of what Life is and what it most definitely is not. We tend to over analyse and scrutinize our life a little more skewed than we should, to live well and simply and stress free.
But I do know that life is simple and life is short.
Verdict:
Am off to the gym now before a week of driving and knots lay in store for me. This isn’t yoru average 10K post, but it all ties in with goals and motivations and why we do what we do.
I may not have done much for my body, but I know my soul has felt good, sober and fortunate. For that I am thankful.
Happy Valentine’s folks. It isn’t a day of commercialization if you choose not to see it that way. It’s a day dedicated to the loved ones in your life. Forget the cheese, just enjoy the chocolate, the wine and some warm hugs.
am late!
Munchkin likes to chill when she gets home. She is not your hoppity hop sorta kid whom you can drag from one activity to another (while being a tiger mom in training) with a taco bell burrito and a snack on the way.
She comes home, and she needs to plonk herself down on that couch, gape at that Nickelodeon channel and demand food! Unwind and be lazy and then if all the stars are aligned right, she will allow herself to get to work. Any kind of work. Including taking her empty glass or plate and walk it to the sink.
Today, she was running late and barely had 30 minutes before she had to head out for Jazz. She does her usual and I tell her in slow tones:
You have about 20 minutes to get dressed and go. Ok?
She has that u-got-to-be-kidding-me look.
Okay, just eat your snack for now and I’ll tell you.Â
…..
It’s 4:49
Munchkin, we have 5 minutes to leave.Â
She turns back angry. Then it becomes a whine.
What? Just 5 minutes?Â
I nod my head
FIVE minutes? ..and her voice goes into a shrill – Just five minutes. But I still have to go change! Why did you tell me before?Now am going to be late! I can’t be late! Mom!!Â
I calm her with my apparently now calm voice
It’s okay, you can be a few minutes late, don’t worry!Â
Noooo, I can’t be late! I don’t want to be late.
The tears rush now.
Aw baby, don’t cry, it’s alright! You still have 4 minutes to go change and then it will take us 3 minutes to drive there and it’s snowing too, so we should hurry. But go on now, eat up.Â
She calms down. Gobbles her last pieceof sandwich, slyly feeds the dog with a tiny triangle, and looks at me with a smile
NOW I am going to go change and we can go.Â
I laugh and pull her close, asking her
So you don’t like being late?
Her eyebrows furrow. No!Â
Why? What happens if you are late?
Her eyes go round, and she has the is-that-even-a-valid-question look on her face as she indignantly and bluntly replies
Coz I’ll be late.Â
*a silent duh hangs in the air*
She scuttles off to change and I start this post.
***
It must be wonderful to not be or do something coz it is just wrong to be or do that particular action. Repercussions need not be a motivation for that act to take place. I suppose only children in their pristine sense can be plain and unassuming, something that disappears quickly  as they grow up. They are fed (by adults or parents) the consequences of their actions and words such as “bribe”, “reward”, punishments”, and such sneak into their head.
Some actions are just wrong. Not because they can trigger a sequence, but just for that moment, they are wrong. They are very capable to stand their ground and hold themselves for what it’s worth.
I like that instance.
113/144 days
Less said about this week, the better. Yes, that bad.
Exercise:
Diet:
Thought for the week:
Sometimes, it’s okay to stop and smell the roses and eat cake. In our rush to push ourselves we forget that we need to be kind. We are one of a kind and we are special. We deserve to slow down and live the moment.
Verdict:
Tomorrow is a brand new day and beginning. I miss the sauna and the gym.
120/144 days
I have 120 days or 3 months and 29 days left for the big May 28th run.
So am back at the gym, and I must say am liking it, despite running around in circles for a parking spot at a 24 hour open gym! It’s that crowded and extremely motivating I must say.
Tht combined with the number of “older” Asians that pretty much make a living at the place. I mean, why not? You walk in, Hve clean lockers, you swim, sit in the steam room or spa, shower, have asmoothie at the bar, then get your nails done, go upstairs and bike for a while, attend a zumba class, stretch, swim and shower and grab a healthy sandwich and make it in time home for sleep. No?
Despite the tone, I meant it in all seriousness when I said it’s motivating. The determination and the perseverance. Got to learn it from them.
So here we go:
Exercise:
Diet:
Thought for the week:
I love to exercise, but I still have to laugh at it. You go to the health club, you see all these people and they’re working out; they’re training, they’re getting in shape. But nobody’s really getting in shape for anything.  In modern society, you really don’t have to be physically strong to do anything. The only reason that you’re getting in shape is so you can get through the workout. So we’re working out, so that we’ll be in shape, for when we have to do our exercises. That’s comedy. — Jerry Seinfeld
Jokes aside:
What’s your excuse?
Verdict:
It’s been a good gym week. Am beginning to warm up to the gym and making a schedule. It is also a great place to people-watch, which helps me when am sketching imaginary characters for the book I probably will never publish. As they say, the journey is more interesting that the destination. Ive always believed in it, and this venture of mine is no different.
I now believe I can do the 5K most definitely. Not run but walk. I don’t think I can run and keep my knee healthy to live the next 30 years of my life stress-free. Not yet at least. I believe that I will be able to do the 5K in March for this PiMiler at my son’s school. It will give me the boost I need to do the final 10K on Memorial day weekend.
Maybe the next time I am sitting in line twiddling my thumbs to pick up the boy(s) I’ll go on ahead and walk the streets!
