TA/Meta Continuity & anything else Spring 2020

[eventmom]

yesterday - essentrics strength + 30 min charlene prickett cardio
today - TA 2.3 day 4 + dc 1.2

I think this semester is going to be pretty stressful. Faculty like me who have in person classes are being encourage to concurrently record/stream class. This may sound simple but it's at least 2 extra pieces of equipment I have to hook up correctly, have to set up a zoom session, get it to record, then wait for it to save and repost it. So why am I teaching in person? The first day I show up and all the students have ditched class because of the recording, I'm out of there and we go 100% on line. Friday I went for training and it was not very straight forward.

and you two can have my lifetime share of cauliflower. I hate it. You can put on it anything you like, I hate it.

buzzer - weird stuff can happen around horses for certain I think shoes/boots were a definite need and a bike helmet will be okay for now. glad LB liked the remodel idea!

hi ebianco!

[ebianco]

Hi everyone!

Yesterday I had my more recovery type day, well kind of because the weather was really nice so I decided to go for a run, so tomorrow (when I would usually run) I'll do something a little easier going. And after running I did the Fitprime yoga compilation for about a 45 minute workout. Today was my best running time yet! I credit that to the cooler weather and feeling really fresh today.

Today I did Firm Tortoise, and for next time I am adding a little more weight to my barbell.

Eventmom Your work sounds like it is a stressful mess!! I really hope they change their mind and that you can do it all remotely.

LOL about cauliflower. I never used to eat it, then a couple of years ago decided I loved it.

Buzzer I thought I edited my earlier post to ask about your hand!! I hope it is feeling much better.

Your 1/2 of a relaxing movie sounds fabulous!!

My sugar detox has been going really well. I really decided to give it up for good so I'm really not experiencing cravings when I look at sweets. (everyone in the household still has sweets). I decided after overeating bread yesterday that I want to eliminate that too. I did get some very low carb bread at the grocery store today though. Only 4 net carbs per slice and it tastes really good! I have been feeling more satiated although I am still overeating slightly I feel like. But my bloat is starting to really improve so we will see. I hear you about the Frosted Flakes!

[Buzzer]

Body Beast Bulk Arms... DONE!

I really pushed myself again. I did mess up and on the concentration curl hammer curls I did regular biceps again (as preacher curls with the ball) and didn't realize they were supposed to be hammers until I was ready for the final set. So I did the final set, which was supposed to be the set of 8 for burning out, and did it as hammers. Then I did another set of 12 reps just to get some hammers in.

I focused and squirmed and tried to do my best form and heavy weights, then I rested more than Sagi between sets. I walked out feeling super worked out, and thinking "that was much better without Sagi!!" So week 2 of block 3 is done.

DH rented a skid steer for the weekend, and spent yesterday moving around the dirt piles. I can't even tell you how much better it already looks!! We have 2 1/2 acres, and we had so many dirt piles from the digging of the foundation. The kids loved it because it was great for digging, but it looked crappy. Now we have about an acre of just sandy dirt, which will be horrible if we get any sort of heavy wind, but the piles are moved, the space is opened up, and it's beautiful! Feels like a fresh start.

LB did melt pretty bad when DH started taking down HER dirt hill. It's been there for years.... probably 10 or more. DH dug out our crawl space by hand when we moved in, and carted out the dirt 5 gallon bucket by 5 gallon bucket. The dirt hill was probably 12-15' high, and LB and her friends have sledded on it, dug it, played on it, and generally it is pretty popular with every kid that comes over.

Well, the dirt hill has to be moved. LB melted down over it. I don't blame her! DH was a little more "whatever" about it, but he finally relented and told LB he would just move the dirt hill somewhere else. She has a huge hill right now, I don't know how long it'll be there, but it's further back in the yard. I am going to look for "free delivered fill dirt" now, because we need a bunch anyhow, and get some extra so she can keep her hill.

Sadly, DH got about halfway through taking down her hill when the skid steer broke. I'm concerned because we need to take the blocks off the truck today and if it for some reason doesn't work with the forklift on it, we are in trouble. He seems to think it'll be fine. So no more work today with the skid steer. I have a ton more I want done (moving the rest of the dirt, digging out a flat area for a patio), but at least we got some of it done. I am annoyed that we paid for a skid steer for the whole weekend, and it arrived late (was supposed to be here at 9am and they didn't drop it off until about 10:30) and we only got about 8 or 9 hours of work out of it and now it's dead for the weekend. What a waste.

DH is all "well, maybe it was something I did" but I am thinking that a skid steer can handle a lot of work, what he was doing (moving dirt) should have been like a rest day for that thing!!

Anyhow, LB got to work the horses which cheered her up. I told DH she feels things a little more deeply than we would, she doesn't have quite as much control and understanding of her emotions and how she feels. He needs to give her time to mourn. I think that's why he agreed to just move the dirt somewhere else instead of just integrate it all into the rest of the dirt.

Ebianco: Most of my hand feels 100% better, the bottom part of my pointer finger has a huge blister than covers about 1/2 of the front of the finger. However, since the blister appeared it feels great!! I am now just putting gauze and tape on it to protect the blister.

What kind of bread did you get? I got the one that was at Costco, and it tastes so BAD. It's a gluten free bread, so maybe that's different than what you got. It tastes like.... I don't even know how to explain it. Maybe what I imagine dusty cardboard tastes like? with some sunflower seeds on it, of course.

Since we were working in the yard yesterday, I ordered pizza. I got the "adult" one with the meat and veggies, with a gluten free crust. I got the cheese "kid" pizza with regular crust. The gluten free was good!! Expensive, but good!! However I ate a piece of the cheese too, and woke up this morning with a tummy ache. Lesson learned. LB can have it! DH didn't notice the difference with the gluten free one though. I think that also tells me that that bread is not bad because it's gluten free, it's just bad. And since it's Costco, I have two loaves of bad, expensive bread. Yay me.

I'm glad the sugar thing is going well for you! I threw away a lot of candy last trash day, and have found myself a few times going back into the pantry looking for it. I am not disappointed when I remember I threw it away, so I call that a win! I'm glad your bloat is disappearing too. that's been a plague for years and I am kinda irritated I never realized it was gluten. I was talking to a guy at the horse riding birthday party who quit gluten and sugar and lost 30 pounds! I think that's some pretty good motivation. But of course, he's a guy, he could have just quit drinking black coffee and lost the weight too.

Eventmom: That just makes no sense. Why have in person classes if you have to record it? I was the kid though that would have shown up for class AND watched it later to reiterate it to myself. So you would have had to keep showing up for me. What a pain though. It's like having a whole new job added to your job description. However, with the way it sounds like things are going, with a lot of campuses closing already and going 100% on line, I think perhaps it won't be too long you have to do it!

LB is already asking to go get more furniture and miniatures for her remodel of the house. HA! I told her she has to wait a bit, but now she's all excited for it and wants to get all the cute furniture and stuff now!!!! It's funny, I have been telling her for probably 5 months to remodel SH&G. She just didn't get it. Now that she does, she is all excited!

[eventmom]

today - 20 min sara ivanhoe yoga - these are so old but they were filmed in hawaii overlooking an ocean. After I jumped my horse, I came home did 20 min of cardio and stretched.

I agree with both of you that we will end up 100% remote for undergraduate courses. I'm thinking of running a pool and giving participation points to the student who correctly guesses our last day of in person classes. I cannot imagine we will return in person after thanksgiving. Even making it through september will surprise me. Buzzer, if someone uses the videos to rewatch that would be 100% fine with me. We are being 'asked' to record/stream for students who can't attend due to illness - and I know i have one student who is international and cannot get back into the country. Our students when surveyed wanted in person classes so we've done so much work to make it happen in a socially distanced manner that if they then just don't show up it's very frustrating. And the expense - microphones, webcams, so much equipment that was purchased.

buzzer - how big is that doll house? My s-i-law long ago gave me a miniature room with saddle, western painting, etc. She used to work for a company that made that stuff. I am done with it and don't want to move it ever again. Maybe LB would like some of it? I don't know if it's even the right size, I have no idea how sizes work.... I could send pictures if you like.

ebianco - great job on the sugar. I need to do better!

[Buzzer]

Firm Vol 1... DONE!
walking/running for 2 hours pretty much constantly... DONE!
day of rest... done.

So yesterday I woke up and felt kinda icky. I ate pizza the night before, so I think that's why. I felt lethargic and just blah. I did vol 1 with 3 pound weights, and no weight on my legs. It was hard! I think I realize now why cross training is so important. I sloughed though it! However, after I was done my knee feels magically better. I think there was something I needed in that workout after all!!

So I felt sad about my workout. I did my best, but my body wasn't up to it. we got word that our blocks for the garage were showing up at 4pm, so I sat on the steps of the camper like it was Christmas and I was waiting for Santa. We had some skid steer problems (hydraulic leak) that killed one skid steer, and somehow I found a place that was open on Sundays and rented another. that's a long story, but I'm glad we got another!

There were 30 pallets that were each about 12' high of blocks. We had to unload all of them in 2 hours. DH needed help getting the pallet jack under the first ones, so I would run down the hill to the intersection, then help him get the pallet loaded. He couldn't see in front of him, so I would run up to the bottom gate, and direct him in. Then I would run up the yard and meet him to help him set the pallet down where we needed it. After about the first 5 pallets, he was good at taking them off the truck, so I started just waiting at the gate to direct him in then running up the yard to help him place it. 30 times all together. I got 18,000 steps in yesterday. I was EXHAUSTED.

I was dirty, dusty, tired, my legs hurt, my back hurt, my everything hurt. I was so glad my knee was better otherwise I couldn't have done that. Of course after the truck left our neighbor friends stopped by with their kids to talk to DH. LB asked if the kids could stay, I said "I don't care" and went in to take a shower. The water ran black for the first few minutes. My feet were black. I was so dirty. Showers feel so good when you are that dirty, don't they?

Anyhow, I had bought tickets to a movie theater here that is doing a "drive in" in their parking lot. We didn't go, so I gave them to the lady up the street with 4 kids (one of them LB's BFF) and they took LB to the drive in. She apparently spent the entire $10 I gave her on candy and icees that she shared with her bestie. HA! She was sugared up!

DH stayed up until she got home, I went to bed. I woke up at 11pm with the dogs barking, and LB had come home. She woke up early today too. I ended up taking a rest day today because I woke up late and just didn't want to do a workout.

Anyhow, I was tired, DH was tired, LB was wired, and there was lots of 8 year old sugar to be had. HA!

Tomorrow I am back at it. Now I need to figure out how to do my body beast rotation, add in a firm or two, and yoga. Good luck to me!

Eventmom: I do wonder how many people will show up. It's like a party or a wedding, 50 say they will show up and only 30 do. Hopefully it's just for a short time you will have to do dual roles!!
Send me a picture of the miniature room! That sounds right up LB's alley!!! HA! Do you still have my email? I don't know if you can do it on PM here. I'll PM you my email.

[eventmom]

TA 2.3 day 5 + TA popstar

buzzer - that's so much physical activity after Volume 1 Yikes! So I think all my students who could come to class came to class. I know I had 4 that couldn't attend. The international student who was traveling back to the US; and 3 (or 4) who couldn't attend - usually waiting for a covid test or had been exposed and told to quarantine for 14 days. So I guess the zoom went okay while I taught in person. No one thinks we will finish in person. No one thinks we will come back after thanksgiving but when exactly they will move on line I don't know. The students were all very good about wearing masks in class and all over campus so that was great. I'll try to get pictures soon.

[Buzzer]

Body Beast Chest and Tris, then Legs, then Back and Bis... DONE!

I apparently have fallen behind on checking in!! I have gotten all of these workouts done. I pushed hard, took longer than the video, changed some stuff (especially on the leg workouts) and really felt my muscles. I did light leg extensions, light leg curls on the leg workout instead of lots of squats. I channeled Firm instructors, I channeled Sagi. I channeled my old self. I did really good.

Sunday or Monday, I wore a shirt that at the beginning of the summer was tight on me. It was one of those that when you lift your arms, you put them down but your shirt stays where it was. I wore that shirt and it was still a little small, but more comfort small than stays where it was small!! I told DH I don't know if I have lost weight or if the shirt got bigger, but maybe the shirt got bigger.

Today I did the back and bis, and focused. It took me an hour and 10 minutes to get through the whole thing!! But, I really feel it. I gave up on pull-ups for now, and am doing lat pulls. I am glad I have that lat pull machine!

I really am enjoying this rotation. I think this is the first rotation I have finished in YEARS. Probably since JNL fusion? I think I may have done an STS since then. But I will say this is the first rotation that at the end I'm not looking forward to doing something else!!! usually I am done and ready to move on. I think changing up the exercises to make it more "me" is helping with that!

We have had a busy week. These next 2 days are still busy, then next week I think we slow down a bit. Whenever we have slow weeks, I think "wait, we need to DO something!" and when we have busy weeks I want to slow down. It's a balance!

Eventmom; My niece and nephews schools all started early and are ending the semester at Thanksgiving. that makes total sense to me, rather than having them come back after so much contact and infect each other for two weeks of stressful finals!!

[eventmom]

yesterday - 45 min of essentrics stretching
today - TA hip 2.3 day 7 no cardio as I was running late.

buzzer- congrats on the shirt fitting better! and loving your rotation enough to finish it! The stress of dual delivering - in person and zoom concurrently is wearing me out. I don't think our university had it together very well for this shift. There were so many things changing at the last minute. The extra technology to do this was only available 2 days before classes started then students complain (as far as I know not about me) faculty not ready to teach this way. yep!!! I have no idea how long we will stay in person - cynically, how many professors have to die for them to give up?

hi ebianco!

[Buzzer]

Bob Harper Biggest Loser Yoga day 1.... DONE!
Body Beast Shoulders.. DONE!

I bought the biggest loser yoga for about $5 off eBay, and it arrived loose in the case. So I decided I need to try it in case it doesn't work. It worked fine. I did program 1 (which said day 1-3 or something like that) which was 35 minutes long. It was pretty good. Bob does have them hold a plank for a minute a few times during the workout, but I think that was just because he liked to, IMO, torture the participants and a yoga is no different for him. I always hate how he snickers whenever he's doing something like that and someone starts to make a noise because it's tough. However, between him and Jillian I like him better.

I did donate all my Jillians. She just wasn't for me. I still have her series where she did like an STS type series (I don't remember what it's called) but only because someone put it on DVD's for me so it isn't original. I think I did maybe a week of it. It was fun, but not great.

Anyhow, then yesterday I did Body Beast shoulders, and pushed really hard. Today my shoulders are definitely feeling it! I went heavier, lifted slower, rested more. It took me about an hour to go through it all. I have been doing my CEC's for Personal Training since my certifications are due again (I am keeping them up because I've been certified over 20 years, I don't want to lose them, and you never know when you will need to go back into it again!) and the program I am doing is for strength training over 50. I'm not there YET (creeping way too close for my liking though), but it was interesting that it was saying to lift as heavy as you can then rest 1 to 2 minutes between sets. I did about a minute between sets, and it was great! I lifted heavier, and wouldn't have been able to do one more.

With Sagi, he doesn't rest much and goes right into the next set. I am not putting that pressure on myself and I feel like I'm getting more of a workout from it. Less of an endurance workout. I rested more yesterday and it was perfect. I walked around, sat and looked around, listened to my podcast. I am enjoying my workouts more and more.

I am dealing with my left knee feeling tight (which worked out for one day after I did Firm Vol 1, so I might throw that in again today or tomorrow), and my right leg has some sciatic pain. I have been dealing with that off and on, usually during my leg workouts, but this is the first time it has lasted a few days. I don't know if it ties to the yoga workout or not, but I noticed it after that. it's just constant! Hopefully I can stretch and get that out, and hopefully the vol 1 firm workout takes care of it.

Other than that, just sore muscles from lifting! Feels so good.

I have to get CPR recertified, so this morning I was looking to see what my options are. They have it online! I am so excited. It says it takes about 2-3 hours, so I will have to set aside a morning I wake up way too early and get it done.

Eventmom: My poor niece went to college last week and apparently still has not made a friend. Everything is on line, even the clubs. Her roommate opted for online classes, so she is in a room alone. Plus with all the social distancing, kids are afraid to go out and meet each other. I think I appreciate you doing in person classes for now because I am wishing my niece could have an in person class to hopefully meet someone! It's sad how isolated she is and how far away from home she is. I just don't think that's healthy either. So I guess just giving you a little ray of sunshine in what you are doing, that perhaps it'll be worth it if it helps someone not be so lonely.

[Buzzer]

Body Beast Chest... DONE!
Rest day... done.

Wow. I really pushed on chest today and it was GREAT. I added a second set of 15 reps on the first exercise, since I am starting out pretty cold and need a warm up set. I took more rests on the whole thing, that way I could push myself more and focus on the movements. I squeezed and focused and rearranged my stance and really felt it through all the reps!! By the last set of "double set" where you do a chest fly combined with a press, I was done. I did short range of motion on the flies since my old shoulder injury was hurting, and after about rep 5 I just stopped. I know the last 3 reps won't make the workout more effective, I had pushed so hard through all of the exercises, and instead of worrying about the uncomfortableness I was feeling in the old injury and focusing on that instead of the work, I just figured it was fine to be done.

I am noticing more tone in my upper body, which I LOVE. I am in my last week of this rotation, but I do think I will continue on!!! Probably just rotating the build with the bulk workouts. I am really feeling good.

I also have pretty much taken gluten out of my diet, with a few bites here and there but not even sampling noodles when I make them! I feel great! No bloating in the evening! Had I known that's what it is, I would have taken gluten out way sooner. it's easy not to eat it when you know how it will make you feel.

I am trying to feel better about myself. I haven't been super confident in how I look for years, so I am trying to get that back. I know I am getting older and will not look like I did in my 20's or 30's, but I want to at least feel younger instead of so darn old. I haven't worn makeup in YEARS, mostly since LB was born. I had a friend recommend some semi-permanent eyeliner (I like eyeliner because it doesn't flake like mascara does) because I hate that when I wipe my eyes it smears and then is gone. It really has been working! And I've gotten compliments. that coupled with the no bloating I have been feeling sure has made a difference. I feel better, not "whoo hoo! I'm great!" better, but "maybe I can wear a skirt today" better. If that makes sense!

We have been so busy with friends lately. Sunday I took a rest day, and I had sciatic pain in my right let all day. At church and at the party after, I spent the time stretching my hips and working on getting rid of it. It helped because yesterday it was gone. LB played and played with friends the whole party, from 3:15pm until we went home at 8:30pm. Then yesterday she had a dentist appointment, then we met some friends at Urban Air for 3 hours. Today she is meeting a friend we haven't seen in almost a year at the park. Tomorrow she just has violin, so we will rest!!! I am getting school in here and there, and figuring when things slow down, which they will, we will focus on school in the mornings. I just feel like we have to get in as much friend time as we can until the state shuts down again, which I'm sure it will.

LB was so cute last night. She opted to stay up with DH instead of going to bed when I did, so she was up about an hour later than I was. DH was in the camper working, so she was in the living room alone. She would come in and hug me, and wake me up, and one time she came in and said "it's lonely in the living room without a parent." HA! I laughed and told her to go to bed then. I guess she did because DH said when he came in the house, she came out and said "I was just seeing who was here" and then went back to bed. I love that kid.

Today will be time with our friend, school, practice violin, and go to the store day. Perhaps fold clothes and clean up the house too!!