Planet Fitness

Have I ever mentioned how I suck with money?  Of course I know I’m NOT alone in my handicap.  There are plenty of good spenders/bad savers out there.  But amidst of all this I’m contemplating joining a gym.

I’ve a bad history with joining a gym.  You know that whole “Ok-I’ve-joined-a-gym-so I’ll-pay-for-it-but-never-actually-go there” kind of philosophy.

My history then got better once I had my son and even better once I had some REAL weight to lose.  But my wanting to join a gym is about more than wanting to stay ahead of the numbers on my scale.  Its about my health.

My health is decent mind you, no reason to complain.  But soon I’m turning 47 and the other day when I was walking up 4 flights of stairs I realized how out of shape I am.  Sitting behind a desk eight hours a day will do that to you.  I need cardio to build up my wind resistance.  Using some universal weight machines wouldn’t hurt matters either. 

I’ve no waist anymore and little if any patience either.  So rather than roll over and take I’ve managed to find a solution:  Planet Fitness.  You know the saying “If it seems too good to be true it probably is?  Well this might just be exception.  The location that is right near my work (the drive there is 5 minutes or less).  And its ten dollars to join and ten dollars a month, not bad.

As I think about last Winter and feeling my apartment getting smaller.  Smaller than the quaint space it already is.  I think this might work.  Heck $10 is three lattes @ Starbucks, not that I drink lattes anymore.

All Dressed Up and No Where to Go……….sorta

 

So for the month of October I’m working at a Halloween store, just the weekends.  The irony of the matter is I get a discount on costumes, BUT I’m working the weekend of Halloween.  Arrrrrrrrrrgh.  Even a girlfriend is throwing a Halloween party THAT Saturday night.  God forgive me but I think her party will be done by the time I get there.  That’s my two cents, what do I know?  I’ve never entertained more than one guest at a time, heh heh.

So when I THOUGHT there was a chance for me to still go to the party, I stupidly went and bought a costume.  I figured I’d take advantage of the 50% discount.  Now routinely I opt to be either something scary or funny.  I almost NEVER do the sexy route.  Why?  Because personally I don’t think I could take myself seriously trying to be sexy outside my bedroom door.

But this year for whatever reason I went the sexy route and bought the sexy outfit.  I probably should have picked better.  What did I pick?  Something REALLY politically incorrect:  Naughty Nun.  I guess I liked the costume design.  Its strapless with angel sleeves that are separate from the dress but attached by a single strip of material.  And there is a collar that runs from the center of the dress around the throat, very modern, very sexy.  You might not think it’s a nun’s habit if it weren’t for the dress piece which shows it is. 

I bought black fishnet thigh highs to go along with….and figure I’ll wear my black boots and a long rosary around my neck. 

But WHERE will I get to WEAR this?  Of course I could use the dress later on for “fun in the bedroom” WITHOUT the head piece of course.  Of all the things I could have picked for that purpose (and there were plenty in the store) why did I pick this one?  I could have picked something more……flexible.  Sometimes I can’t help myself I just love taboos.

That night On Halloween Eve I’m supposed to work until 11:00 and then close and then leave.  Now since its Saturday night I probably could “get away” with going to a club/bar, etc just to use the outfit but I fear I will probably be too fucking tired to do this anyway.

I guess there is always next year.

 

Awareness.............for Dummies

<big>Awareness for Dummies!

In the movie Philadelphia Denzel Washington’s character, who plays an attorney keeps uttering this great phrase which is :  “Could someone please explain this to me………like I’m a 5 yr old?”  Let me explain.

A friend of mine is involved in community service.  He’s usually arranging fundraisers for charities but charities where their primary purpose is Awareness.  What?  For instance “Autism Awareness”  or “Epilepsy Awareness”?  Huh?

Why would anyone have to be made aware of illness we ALREADY know exists?  In my limited experience isn’t there something better to be done?  I conveyed my point with this friend.  Okay wouldn’t it better to use money for something like support groups?  If I have someone in my family that is gravely hindered by some illness wouldn’t a support group behoove the whole family? 

I was tedious with this friend, probably because I wanted to piss him off at the time.  I was like “Who the heck doesn’t KNOW that Epilepsy exists? I mean its not as if its contagious?  What purpose is being served in doing this”  I just feel that type of thing is a waste of money, money that could be used for something with more of a specific purpose.

Maybe I just don’t understand the true meaning of the word Awareness where illnesses are concerned.  So maybe someone please explain this to me………like I’m a 5 yr old?”<big>

Smoke 'em if you got 'em................NOT

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/smokers-waste-a-year-of-their-lives-on-fag-breaks/689928/

So today we get an e-mail which (paraphrasing) reads:  “Smoke breaks will no longer be allowed during working hours.  Smokers who wish to smoke must do so during their lunch hours.”  Wow, are they serious?

The only thing I could think was they must have heard the same thing I did on 1010 Wins, (also see the above article).  It basically states that the average smoker uses one hour of work time to smoke.  I’m wondering if management heard about this and thought, damn we should cut that shit out pronto!

Of course when there are smokers in management this rule never seems to “take”.  Previously I’ve worked for other employers that when they have that “Great American Smokeout” (I think that’s what its called.  The employer has offered to sponsor a smoking cessation class for those wishing to quit smoking.

I once heard that the addiction of smoking is strikingly similar to quitting heroin.  Luckily I’ve had to quit neither of two.  It almost makes alcohol addiction seem carefree as a muthafucker.

As for the new rule at work.  I give it less than a week.  Shit like that never works because the addiction of smoking fucks with the moods and actions of the smoker.  AND because there is literary no way to ENFORCE it.  Not without firing good people/employees who also happen to be smokers.

Plus there are always people in management who smoke.  And people in management are just as addicted to that nicotine staining, wallet-draining, little firesticks as anyone else.  Of course they could also solve this situation by offering smokers the ability to split their lunch hour.  They could take two 15 minute breaks and one half hour lunchtime.

She Shoe Shamed Me.....

So this morning I was watching SATC.  Yep sometimes I still watch while having breakfast, God forbid I read.  Its mainly for background noise really, until I come up with a better way to start my morning.

In the particular episode I watched today it had Carrie feeling badly because someone made her feel bad about her expensive shoe fettish.  Now while I’m hardly in that league of shoe shopping, I’d be lying if I said I did envy Imelda Marcos.

The Fall is here and for the life of me I have NO CLUE where my boot collection is stored.  In the interim though are the delight of Fall shoes.  Usually some pumps, a leftover pair of black patent leather Mary Jane’s.  Without the means to do so I must find a way to replenish that part of my wardrobe.  I can figure that part out later. 

But for now the IMPORTANT question.  What to buy?  I’ve been scouring fashion mags and websites to see what is truly in style.  From there I usually temper my choice between what’s in style, what I consider classic and what my budget will allow.

And even with all the looking I do not truly SEE what’s out there.  Any thoughts?  Suggestions?

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – a DVD Review

So being deep into the 2nd of the trilogy of the Stieg Larsson novels I decided to see the Swedish movie version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

It was pretty good. Although like with most adapted book to screen stories the viewer would have greatly benefited from reading the novel FIRST. In the book, the reader was giving he benefit of so many additional details (ok some of which were tedious) but necessary in order to build up the suspense which ultimately lead to the thrilling conclusion of the story.

I’d like to say that while watching I wasn’t overly analytically dissecting the way the movie version told the same story, but I’d be lying. The movie I think has less depth without the benefit of reading the book first.

Do you see what I see?

If there’s one strong thing I’ve learned in recovery is that reality is all about perception. What one person thinks constitutes a shitty day, perhaps a day that’s overcast and filled with clouds; might be another’s ‘perfect day’ because they hate too much sunlight, etc. The proverbial ‘glass half full’ concept.

I have a gf and whenever she was into a new guy she would always project all these huge fantasies onto him. Often comparing all their similarities as if just the idea of it somehow signified that they might be a perfect match. Often I’d listen with a lot of mental eye rolling. I enjoyed her optimistic perspective, never saying too much about any of it figuring good, bad or indifferent she would find out first hand whether he was THE ONE.

I confess that perhaps long ago in another life I might have been like that optimistic young girl myself. As I sit here hardpressed for even a smidge of memory I come up empty.

I’m looking for a relationship. I won’t lie. Getting older doesn’t rob me of the romantic notions that I still have. While I don’t want something “full-time” (jude shudders, thinking of the mediocrity and mundaeity of full time relationships), I do want something, full of life, precious moments and (wait I gotta stop here I’m getting the dry heaves at all this mushiness). Okay……..I’m back. Ideally I’d like something, someone to hold hands with during the movies and make out with during the previews. Maybe abit more than that, but you get the idea.

I don’t think project too much in terms of fantasies about me and men. If anything I probably think more about the friends I make now, knowing, wanting them to be long lasting. Now with men I try to take it one day at a time. The slower pace helps me to not carry around unnecessary anxiety.

I told my sponsor earlier that I’d like to want more something more with this guy. Its as if I’ve got the parking brake of my enthusiasm on, I don’t want to let myself WANT something I can’t have. I’m trying to have patience here, but I know myself and am afraid of my feelings. I know that if a man acts “lukewarm” with me I’ll lose interest. (Jude shrugs) I know this. For me dating is about passion. That was one of the many reasons I loved D…….his passion, his attentiveness. Lukewarm actions and lukewarm men do NOTHING for me, nothing.