standing on my head

...the world is miraculously precarious.

solitude II

XXVIII

How can I then return in happy plight,

That am debarr'd the benefit of rest?

When day's oppression is not eased by night,

But day by night, and night by day, oppress'd?

And each, though enemies to either's reign,

Do in consent shake hands to torture me;

The one by toil, the other to complain

How far I toil, still farther off from thee.

I tell the day, to please him thou art bright,

And dost him grace when clouds do blot the heaven:

So flatter I the swart-complexion'd night;

When sparkling stars twire not thou gild'st the even.

But day doth daily draw my sorrows longer,

And night doth nightly make grief's strength seem stronger.

charge!

Get all the energy you need for the day from these guys.

waiting

something old, something new

many hands

stand steadfast

festival lantern

just hang your shoes anywhere

'tis the mikan season

So they're still a little green... the farmers are bringing crates and crates of them into the sorting plants.

the sea urchin and the rock fish

"i am a rock, i am an island"

"you've got a friend in me..."

100th post

most of them have been small potatoes...
here's to the next 100!

your monday...

can't have been quite this bad. In fact, we all should be thankful that none of us will have to suffer such a fate as these spiny lobsters, who were picked up out of a carton of water and skewered with sticks before being laid on the grill. (They tasted great in miso soup, though.)

solitude

The other day I was reading a daily reflection in the Magnificat monthly publication, in which the author made the case that whereas normal, sinful people get lonely very quickly and are always in pursuit of crowds and noise to distract them from their loneliness, saints are so absorbed in God that they seek solitude to give Him their undivided attention. Again, in other sources, we come across the idea that it is a terrible thing to be afraid to be alone with oneself. So it is.

But I don't think it's quite right that everyone should strive to be a hermit, either. As in the story of Martha and Mary, if everyone sat at the Lord's feet and listened to Him, no one would prepare meals or look after the guests-- the Lord may choose to do this Himself, as He multiplied loaves and fish or allowed the disciples to catch so many fish their nets were bursting-- but we must observe that He chooses to allow regular, work-a-day sweat to see to most necessities. He could, too, I suppose, have designed children to be able to look after themselves, much like fairies and elves in the old tales. But He didn't. So we have to conclude that mundane, annoying, noisy, dirty work is not merely drudgery that slow choosers or latecomers (Marthas) are saddled with, but that it is actually beneficial for a person to be so employed.

In the meantime, what about the Marys? There are numerous people in the world who, though unconsecrated, are single and living alone, and to all appearances they have an ideal life: what have they to do but contemplate the Lord's word and grow in peaceful righteousness, safe from the hustle and bustle of a family, free to dedicate themselves to worthy causes? I would say that though their trials are different, they have just as many as the Marthas. When they can't feel the Lord's love or hear His voice, solitude is a heavy burden indeed. Martha's main cross may be to keep loving her family and stay even-tempered through a never-ending cycle of chores and accidents and squabbles and needs and whining. In contrast, even when she feels unneeded, unloved, useless, foolish, and confused, Mary's cross is to keep faith that there is a God, her loving Father, and a unique reason for her existence.

because it's Friday

Please take the time to enjoy some cute animation to one of the happiest, coolest modern-yet-retro songs I know! I love the YouTube videos that combine this song with Scrubs dance sequences, but I'm not sure if it's entirely legal to spread those around the web.

Tenshing and I went to lift weights again tonight. And I realized that today marks the end of the 8th straight week I've been doing aerobics consistently (at least 5 times a week). Awesome!

*bubbles*

your game face

We've all made a face like this cat's once in a while. Well, the nice thing about most faces is that they have such a wide range of expression. Things would be dull if all we had to show the world was a sentimental and saccharine smile.

It was a long Monday for me, so after dinner and some knitting I took a walk down by the harbor. Even though I am doing aerobics every weekday morning and starting strength training once a week, I think the occasional walk is a good change of pace. I read that slow-paced exercise, like walking, makes your muscles use a higher proportion of fat for fuel (as opposed to more glycogen/carbohydrates).

Be that as it may, I also like walking outside because of the ever-changing colors and smells, and because it seems to be the most natural use of one's body. Think about it. If all a body did was a proportionately small amount of explosive activity followed by long stretches of sitting and then lying down, something is clearly off-balance. It may not be possible to have an office job and a perfectly active lifestyle, but taking a 40-minute walk a few times a week can only be an improvement, I think.

It certainly improves one's mood. Not excessively, like some fake infomercial happiness, but nicely, just the right amount to bring one back into balance with everything.

all about me

Thanks to Sue from Living and Learning!

1. What's your middle name?

Angela

2. What's your favorite magazine?

I haven't been in the habit of reading magazines for years... once upon a time I liked American Girl Magazine and Ranger Rick, though! Nowadays I think National Geographic might be a good source of inspiration for photo composition.

3. What are you wearing right now?

Workout clothes... purple shorts, black tank, and black hoodie.

4. What color are your bed sheets?

Blue.

5. Who was your third grade teacher?

Sister Alma

6. What is the weather like right now?

Dark and cool, with a good chance of rain.

7. Do you know how to ski?

No.

8. What was the last thing you drank?

Cold water.

9. Dream vacation?

I wouldn't really care where I went as long as someone else was taking care of all the logistics, and if we were able to fly first class if it was a 6 hour+ flight. But I'd like to be able to go horseback riding and canoeing, and maybe have an archery lesson.

10. Favorite article of clothing?

Workout clothes.. anything from Powder Blue/Turbowear.

11. Do you prefer baking or cooking?

I don't much like either, but I'll go with cooking.

12. Is your hair above or below your shoulders?

Above.

13. What drink do you order when out?

Water, or hot water so I can use an herbal teabag. A really splurgey drink would be iced cocoa with whipped cream on top and hazelnut syrup.

14. What book are you reading?

The Fitness Leader's Handbook, Third Edition.

15. What did you dream about last night?

It was a vivid dream. I was leading a tour group across a famous bridge somewhere, and one of the group was trying to jump off the bridge, but at that moment one of my real life friends came cycling toward us and fell of his bicycle onto the pavement, and then everyone rushed to make sure he was alright. Then later, I was with someone else and we were trying to hide from some creepy Guy Noir-type character who kept following us.

16. What was the last movie you went to?

I took myself to see the last Harry Potter movie two summers ago.

17. Any injuries at the moment?

No, thankfully.

18. What color is your bathroom?

Yellow.

19. What's the state of your laundry right now?

All done except for one pair of socks.

20. Do you take vitamins?

An iron vitamin, most days.

21. Where do you love to shop?

The TurboKick website, Whole Foods or Trader Joes, Amazon.

22. How often do you buy groceries?

Twice a week, usually.

23. Do you have a pet/pets?

No, but one day I'd like a friendly cat, or a subdued dog.

24. If you are married, when is your next anniversary?

Pass

25. How do you take your coffee and/or tea?

I've been off of both... 

26. Mac or PC? Desktop or Laptop?

Mac for sure! My faithful lappy.

27. Favorite month of the year?

Back home, August. In Japan, May. I think.

28. Do you have a hobby?

Who doesn't? Aerobics, photography, studying (anything), languages, listening to music, writing, knitting.

29. What salad dressing do you prefer?

Raspberry vinaigrette.

30. Live or fake Christmas tree?

I prefer a live Christmas tree, but I'm thankful for the fake mini ones I have at this stage.

31. Did you walk or take a bus to school?

Car.

32. Do you have any phobias?

Mukade, big brown spiders, cockroaches, drunk old guys, travel.

33. What's your favorite snack food?

Fresh fruit or the chocolate "Balance Up" bars my local grocery store stocks.

34. When do you take your shower/bath?

In the morning, after a workout.

35. What time did you get up this morning?

8:49, because it's the weekend!

36. What's your favorite animal?

I guess I would say horses.

37. Have you ever broken a bone?

No, thankfully.

38. Do you wear makeup?

Yes, and I love it.

39. Do you speak any foreign languages?

Japanese.

40. Have you ever played a sport?

What, like officially? For school? The only school sport I did, and that very poorly, was track. 

41. Your last package contained ...

A practice book for the reading comprehension section of the JLPT, and another practice book for the listening comprehension section.

42. What's on your desktop?

An abstract purple/colors swirl. At work, Richard Armitage.

43. What is your home page?

The Apple homepage. Funny, I never look at it, but I never change the settings, either.

44. Extrovert or introvert?

I don't like being put in a box.

45. Favorite board game?

Clue... and I have a vintage old school Clue set here. :)

46. What class did you like best in high school? In college?

In high school, it was either journalism or English. In college, Japanese at my Japanese university.

47. What would you do with an extra hour each day?

Sleep. Or go for a walk.

48. Do you have allergies?

Yes, but the allergen(s) are yet unknown.

49. Are your nails painted?

Nope.

50. Where are you right now?

In my living room.

***

strength

Tonight I got to do something I've been looking forward to for a few weeks now... go to the weight room and start strength training. I was lucky enough to have Tenshing and Brad come along, too, and Ms Abe was there to help me out with the machines.

Now, the first few months I was here, I used the weight room a few times a week. I was convinced that if I just went and worked on the machines, I'd be fine and fit as a fiddle, but it didn't work out that way. My visits became increasingly sporadic, I got bored with the routine, and eventually I convinced myself I didn't really need to build muscle, anyway. So in the end, I stopped going altogether, and I hadn't even achieved any noticeable toning.

This time, I'm convinced that the key with strength training, at least for me, is to get some people in place to hold me accountable and bug me if I start to slack off. I think part of the problem with my initial foray into the sports center was that I expected to meet some other fitness-minded people who might be interested in working out with me; I know better now... the patrons don't really talk to each other, and the staff are either shy or busy doing their jobs. So one has to set up fitness buddies on one's own, if one wants them. I really hope Tenshing and Brad and I can keep each other motivated.

What are my goals?

1. Develop some upper body strength-- be able to do 5 "real" push-ups and 1 pull-up by 2011.

2. Overall toning and tightening.

3. Get rid of the belly bulge I developed this summer.

Honestly, that belly bulge has pushed out people and mechanical failures to become my biggest annoyance. It's no surprise, really: I was in poor health starting in October of last year, leading to a gradual slowing and then standstill to exercise; then in the late winter I had a series of sicknesses that reduced my diet to white toast and honey, sugary sports drinks, and jello. I got a little addicted to that diet, so I stuck to it longer than necessary, and so it's no wonder that one day, the waistbands just got too constricting.

Furthermore, this particular piece of anatomy was several months in the making, so it stands to reason that it will take at least a few months to get rid of it. It's awfully hard to be patient, but I have to keep telling myself it'll pay off if I keep working out and eating well, instead of throwing in the towel and watching movies all weekend with a stash of snacks from the convenience store.

Ultimately, I know I'll get the better of my body, because my big goal is to become a certified group fitness instructor, and to get a specialty certification in Turbo Kick. Other formats I'm interested in teaching are Hip Hop Hustle and Zumba, but I'm going to take them one at a time. I love the workouts, I love that feeling of strength and agility, I love sharing it with other people, and I love motivating people and seeing their radiant smiles after a great workout.

A healthy body isn't built on aerobics alone, though, and that's why I've started strength training. I'll start by going to the weight room once a week, and then build up to two, maybe three times. In the meantime, I'll keep reading the fitness leaders' book Aunt S sent me, and when I finish it I'll think about ordering study materials for the ACE and/or AFAA fitness instructor certification courses.

Why blog about all this? Well, the saying goes that the goals you fail to write down are merely wishes. Wishes are nice and poetic, but I'd rather live a life I love than waste time only dreaming about it. Here's to planning and accountability!