Shredding It (Part 2)

As promised, Adam joined me for day 2 of the 30 Day Shred work-out. I could barely contain my glee since he did nothing but mock me and prolong my suffering during day 1. As I gasped and panted away - and could barely keep up - he was there to the rescue making sure to pause the DVD player at any moment that I lagged behind.

Thanks to Adam, I didn't miss a single jumping jack, push up, or crunch. And for each time that he hit "pause" I added another tablespoon of black olive puree to his dinners (olives are his enemy...simliar to my overwhelming hatred of spiders).

So on to day 2. He attempted to back out because I only have one set of weights. Oh no. No no no. I grabbed two family sized soup cans to use as weights for myself, and surrendered the hideous free weights for Adam's use.

He was not getting out of this.

After the warm-ups initial torture, we dropped to the floor for the first set of push ups. I'll admit he hung in there and did pretty well. After 3 more minutes of weights we collapsed into the push up pose for round two. At that point, sweat was beading on his forehead and he screeched:

"MORE PUSHUPS!?!?!"

Oh yes, my love. And we are only on minute 7 of this evil work out plan. Jillian, I hate you. Adam, I told you so.

As the minutes wore on, I could see him lagging a little behind and at one point he completely stopped to wipe his forehead (I think at the same point in the video when I was crying for water on day 1). I was cruising through Jillian's "butt kicks" as Adam was hunched over looking like he was 2 seconds away from collapsing. Or crying. Maybe both.

Me: Do you want me to pause the video? [insert snarky attitude here]
Jillian on DVD: There is NO reason to modify this move! Keep it up! I have 400lb people who do this move!
Adam: :GASP:Very funny::GASP GASP::
Me: Well, just let me know if you want me to pause it. I'd be happy to pause it if you need water or a break. Or a good cry. haha.
Adam: ::wheeze::Shut your face.::GASP PANT::

I'm loving this. What goes around comes around. I'm feeling very satisfied today.

And sore.

Shredding It

Last week I was browsing Amazon and came across a work-out DVD called "The 30 Day Shred". It features three levels - beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Each workout is 20 minutes. I thought it would be a great idea for when I can't get to the gym don't want to go to the gym. Twenty Minutes. Really easy, I thought.



WRONG.



The DVD features Jillian Michaels from The Biggest Loser, and her 2 body twin minions who collectively weigh 140lbs. I pretty much hate all three of them. My arms hurt just typing this and I'm not even done with day 2. Jillian may seem nice enough, but when your face is so red -30 seconds into the work-out - it matches the Red Velvet Cake you'd rather be eating, you know you have problems. As Jillian started screaming "You can do it! Now is not the time to quit!!" I started crying for water and let a few four-letter words fly in her skinny-arsed direction. I didn't know it was possible to sweat so hard in a twenty minute time frame. I think I may have had a small anxiety asthma attack somewhere between the first set of curls and the jumping jacks she puts you through.



Jillian on TV: Keep it up!!!! Only four more to go and you are NOT quitting now!

Me: SHUT UP You skinny tart! WATER! ADAM! I NEED WATER IN HERE!

(for the record, Adam laughed at me and said I could have water when I finished the set. Jerk. Who's side is he on anyway?!)

Jillian on TV: Just think how great you will feel when you have completed this work-out series!

Me: HOW :::PANT::: IS ::PANT:: SHE EVEN ::PANT:: Carrying ::pant pant:: on a con ::PANT PANT:: versation right now?!?!:GASP PANT PANT:: WATER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MY TRACHEA IS ON FIRE GIVEMEWATERRIGHTNOW!!!



I collapsed on all fours at that point. I think I was five minutes in. Adam made sure to pause the work-out...I wouldn't want to skip a single second, now would I?



To be completely honest, I got a little scared during the warm-ups. THE WARM-UPS. When a warm up simulates competitive swimming, you know you're in trouble.

The box cover declares that you can lose up to 20 pounds in 30 days. For the amount of misery I am in today, I think it should be 40lbs. Or I should have a written guarantee that Jillian herself will come out and train me if I don't lose the full 20. I may die first, though. I'm not sure yet.

After I completed the 20 minutes, I was crawling to the shower (if you think I am exaggerating, let me assure you that I am NOT) and trembling when Adam said "I think I'll do that with you tomorrow!"

HAHAHAHAHAHA ::BREATHES:: HAHAHAHAHAHAH!

Misery loves company. I can't wait for this.

She Sparkles

For those of you that don't know, I was homeschooled from 1st grade through 8th grade. I attended a typical suburban kindergarten in Colorado before my mom decided to pull me out and teach me at home for the next 8 years. We moved to Vermont during 6th grade where I was homeschool for the next two years until I attended "normal" high school from 9th through graduation.

I could probably write an entire book on homeschooling and my opinions on it. For now, I will just say that my past has definitely molded me into who I am now. The decision to homeschool may not be an easy one, and it's definitely not for everyone.

And no, I never wore a denim jumper.

But I was sportin' some sweet hair that could also double as a scarf:

Last week, Adam and I went to a MLB game with a couple of friends. As I walked into the stadium I had a sudden flashback to my first day of public high school. Certain memories will come back to me with sudden urgency that serve to remind me where I have been, and how far I have come.

Having no real exposure to the typical American middle schooler, I was not prepared for what was ahead on that hot August morning back in 199_. Instead, I had spent the summer prior to my freshman year in blissful ignorance while everyone else hung out with friends they had made in elementary and shopped for the coolest back-to-school clothes. So, for starters, my mom picked out my wardrobe for the day. I'm lying. She picked it out for the entire year, but the first day of school is always the most important, and since it was basically my first day EVER let's multiply that level of fashion importance by a factor of 10.

She couldn't have picked anything worse if she tried. I nervously walked into high school wearing a bright-as-sun yellow top with black denim (I just vomited in my mouth again) cut-off shorts, yellow socks, and black keds.

It honestly elevates my heart rate just to put those facts in black and white. Or should I say black and yellow?

As if it couldn't get much worse, she insisted I wear a baseball cap that was completely covered in purple sequins. Apparently the atrocity still exists because I googled it and found an exact replica for your viewing pleasure:

They are still available for $10 if anyone wants one. Any takers? Anyone? Anyone?

Once I crossed the threshold, I made a beeline for the bathroom and tore the glittery monster off my head. Seriously, it had the capacity to pass all moral bounds and it was sitting on my cranium. I'd rather wear a marquee that flashed "HERE COMES THE NEW GIRL" in blinking lights.





As I shoved Sparkles into my bag, I glanced up at the bathroom mirror and saw the most horrific hat hair one could imagine. Seriously. There was NO fixing it, so I was left to determine which would be worse? The hat hair, or the hat. Just then a group of girls my age came prancing into the bathroom, took one look at my hat hair and my hat, made a 180, and pranced out as they erupted into raucous laughter.





And it wasn't even 7:05am yet. What joy.





Surrendering to defeat, I shoved the hat back on my head as the first bell rang. Immediately after the bell, the principle came on the PA system to remind everyone that there would be a school wide assembly in the Gymnasium.





School wide.





SCHOOL WIDE.





Sparkles and I merged in with the crowd and headed for the gym. I heard a sprinkling of giggles from behind me and felt pretty certain that I wanted to die. As I entered the gym I felt my first panic attack of the day wash over me as I saw over 1,000 bodies moving about. I sat in the first open place in the bleachers I could get to and twinkled away under the fluorescent lights.





Try to imagine what it's like going from 8 years of school where the largest class consists of 1 student, to walking into a packed gymnasium wearing sequins. Yeah, I have that pained look on my face, too.





If you're wondering, the day didn't get any better. In fact, I ate lunch crouched down in front of my locker and felt another bead of sweat run down my forehead each time a teacher asked me to stand up and introduce myself. Add one panic attack for each teacher that said "Nice hat."





I went home that afternoon, and made Sparkles "disappear".





Did you know homeschoolers are master magicians?