Misconceptions

So, my cycling class on Saturday went well. I only had two students, one of whom was a friend of mine I'd invited to try to ensure someone was there. The girl I didn't know arrived first. I introduced myself and we started chatting a bit. I asked her if she normally attended classes to which she told me she did. I confessed that it was my first class and told her what I had planned for the hour. She nodded politely.

This next paragraph is going to sound either insane or conceited but bear with me. I am a perceptive person. I notice things that a lot of other people tend not to notice. I sometimes question whether I really have the right idea about someone or something but then I've often found out I was correct after all. So when I say that I could almost hear this girls thoughts, you need to try and give me the benefit of the doubt instead of assuming that I was just being paranoid.

She was thinking "This girl seems nice but she doesn't look like she's as fit as I am. This is going to be a weak class. Oh well."

This made me a tad nervous but I had practiced my class twice during the week to make sure that it would go smoothly and also to be sure it was adequately difficult. I was also a bit nervous (although very happy) that my friend was able to make it because she's been training really hard and ran a couple of half marathons this summer. She was excited to come to the class but I was hoping she wouldn't find it too easy and boring. And I had no idea what the fitness level of any other participants would be. I took a few deep breaths and started the class.

About 20 minutes into the class I wasn't worrying anymore. We were all sweating and working hard. It wasn't easy for anyone. But it was fun. (At least I thought so.) The girl I didn't know kept checking me out periodically during the entire class and I could almost see the surprise on her face. She couldn't believe that I was not only keeping up with her but that I was actually going a bit harder. At the end of the class she said in a round about way that it had been the most difficult class she'd been to (score!) and my friend said she'd had to take it easy a few times because she knew if she didn't she might barf. (sorry)

Now, I am a competitive person but I wasn't trying to be competitive that morning. I was just trying to lead a workout which would be challenging for my participants. I was glad to have achieved my goal. I knew that no one was pushing themselves beyond their limits and that everyone was safe. I will save my competitive nature for when I am the student, not the teacher. It was rewarding though, to know that I'd planned a difficult and enjoyable class and also to know that I'd surprised someone with my fitness level.

I am cool with being that instructor who isn't a stick but damn, can she give you a good workout!

On The Road Again

So we are on holidays right now and trying to get visiting and stuff in before the winter really sets in and we are feeling house bound. Not to mention that in only two short months I will be back at work and working every Saturday which really makes going anywhere pretty much impossible.

We were visiting our good friends on the weekend as well as Peter's brother and his family. We've been having a great time. Today we are off to visit my sister and her family. This is going to be incredibly relaxing because my niece and nephew ADORE Miss A and will keep her so busy and happy that it will be almost like I don't have to parent at all. I don't know what it is about being with those kids but she is always behaves amazingly well. I won't have to cook. It's going to be great!

Amazing!

It's been a while since I've talked about how amazing I think blogging is. How grateful I am for the wonderful people I've met since I started my blog.

A couple of weeks ago I was in a foul, foul, horrible mood. (Not unlike today...sigh)



I don't even remember why now. Probably the usual, getting up at 5:00am with the baby, barely getting back to sleep before Miss A is at our bedroom door telling us "the sun is up". (Say, that's what happened this morning too...) Anyway I was terribly grumpy and feeling sorry for myself. When I went to check the mailbox I found this inside from Beth, one of my bloggy friends.



I felt sheepish about my silly bad mood which almost immediately disappeared. Inside the package was a lovely card and presents for the girls. Miss A was thrilled.



She loves books and this one has become one of her favorites. She has memorized it and can pretty much read it to me now.



It still blows my mind that someone whom I've never met in person would take the time and care enough to send us a gift. And this is not the first time this has happened. Bon, yet another one of my wonderful blogging friends sent me ONE OF THE GREATEST 80'S MOVIES EVER!! for my birthday. (but I couldn't find the link to the post about it!) She took the time to read a short story I entered in a competition. So did Elizasmom and she also worked on editing it with me. Thanks to her it was a much better story. A much better story that still didn't win. :)

The only thing that makes me sad about having 'met' such amazing people is that they all live so far away. I fully intend on meeting each of them some day and am totally confident that when we meet for the first time there won't be any of that awkward first meeting stuff. I think we'll be totally comfortable, like old friends. Because really, that's what we'll be.

Where to Put My Academy Award?

Remember this?

Well, thanks to my super cool friend Myles I have the opportunity to be an actor as well as a rapper.

This is a phony commercial we filmed. I think my performance is riveting.

Ounce of Prevention Foundation

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I'm Okay!

I'm glad that people care when I'm not around. Just letting everyone know I'm fine, I'm here. I had an old friend visiting from out of town. I haven't seen her in about ten years at least. We spent a lot of time talking, laughing and catching up. We also had to look after A in the process which sometimes put a damper on the visiting but hey, that's life with kids!

And I have rearranged my work schedule so that I can take this course. Last night was my second class. It was my first day back at work after holidays and then a three hour class on anatomy and physiology... Blah.

Anyway, there will be a Say WHAT? tomorrow as per usual and all should be back to 'normal' next week.

Just Another Day...

Well, as of Sunday I am now 31 years old. Look I even updated my “About Me” so it must be true. It was a very nice birthday. Starting off with waffles and tea in bed with presents on the side. I received two CDs. The Automatic “Not Accepted Anywhere” and The Killers “Sam's Town”. I've been listening to The Killers in my car. It has been quite a while since a CD has had me on the edge of tears like this one often does. It makes me feel like an unstable 15 year old kid again. I think it may also have something to do with the books I've been reading...

We then spent the day at a water park about 1 hour out of town, had a picnic lunch there and came home to have supper with my mother, family and a friend.

All in all it was a lovely day. We are also having a get together at a friend's place this Friday. It should be fun. Of course we'll be playing Karaoke Revolution and also perhaps Dance Dance Revolution with my final birthday gift – a dance pad. Woo Hoo!

I may be 31 but I have the interests and hobbies of a teenager!

Surprise!!

I don't know if you all know my blogging friend Bon. She has had a rough time lately. But recently has some things to celebrate. Like sleeping in her own bed again. It got me thinking. What could I do, way over here in Canada to welcome her home? And then it occurred to me. I could sing!

Peter and I stayed up ridiculously late singing, filming and editing this crazy video. There are some pretty funny parts. Like in the middle I say 'blah, blah' when there's no singing. Sorry the audio isn't very good. Turns out the microphone that comes with the game must suck. It sounded good to us through the camera but then when we hooked 'er up I was all quiet sounding. Maybe that's not such a bad thing. Hope you like it anyway.

So here goes. Bon, this is for you baby!

Visiting

This weekend we went to visit some friends in the city. We had an absolutely lovely time. I hadn't seen my friend 'M' in so long and it always amazes me how we are so easy with each other as though no time has passed at all. She has the sweetest little boy who is so gentle and kind. I think Miss A kind of overwhelmed him what with her running around yelling, squealing and dangling from death defying heights. They seemed to get along though and the two of them had the cutest little kiss before bedtime.

And thankfully it turned out that I worried for nothing about her disrupting their whole household routine and everyone's ability to sleep. A little time spent laying with her on a bed in the room she slept in and she was out like a light and didn't make a peep till morning. Hurray.

She also had nice naps on the way in and out the city. We took this picture in my friend's driveway right after we arrived.

Explanation

I realized that when I posted the video I was in that I never really gave much explanation. And surprisingly no one really asked any questions. Also somewhat surprisingly all the feedback was positive. Cool.

For any of you who don't know what the heck I'm talking about, here is the video.



I met Myles and his brother when I was 15. Since high school he hasn't been living close by for much of the time. He joined an art collective group for a while and made movies. But now he's living here again. We have been hanging out. And he writes music. And then we started singing together sometimes. And then we liked a song so much we decided to make a video to go with it. The End.

The best part is that the entire video was filmed in my living room with a blue screen behind us. And Myles magically put us in the subway, at an ATM and me – in jail. Awesome!

Anyway, thanks to those of you who have left nice comments. I'm not sure if there will be any more videos or not. It depends if anything else we do is that good again.

Cuteness and Cuddles

One of my best friends had a baby girl yesterday. 9lbs 2 ½ ounces! I was so excited for her because finally (this is her third child) she was able to have a midwife as she had always wanted to. The birth pretty much went awesome other than she was a tad on the large side... the baby I mean!

My friend called me shortly after having her sounding all normal and fine as though nothing major, like giving birth, had just taken place. She sounded the same way when she called me after her last baby was born, all nonchalant and stuff. I think she is a born mother.

It has been a while again since I have been up to the maternity ward in the hospital. It still sends all kinds of positive and negative feelings rushing back to me. My friend seemed to be doing as awesome as she sounded on the telephone. Her husband was cuddled up with the baby but I got to hold her for a while. She was sweet and tiny and she didn't even scare me at all. Probably because I knew I didn't have to take her home and look after her. That always helps. Still holding the little soul made me feel a little twinge of desire to have another one. And I figure that's promising when compared to my feelings of totally ditching the whole idea.

Because my friend has an incredible green thumb I couldn't resist getting her baby these. My friend thought they were great. And I also got baby's big brother a Bob the Builder book and big sister a princess coloring book. I hope it makes them feel a little less left out to get something since new babies always get a ton of gifts.



This friend is my inspiration. She is a fabulous mother and makes it all look easy, from giving birth to potty training and beyond. Yet she tells me the truth about the trials and tribulations that motherhood brings. I'm glad this is yet another bond that we share.

Not Alone

The other day I had the most amazing conversation with a friend of mine. We had been playing phone tag and then we eventually caught up with one another. She and I were very good friends when we were younger. We both got married and she moved pretty far away and we kind of drifted apart. Not emotionally, just physically. We really lost touch with one another for a while.

We both have children now and since then I have found that we have gradually reconnected. She recently moved back 'home' and somehow that seems to have made a difference. Knowing that she is physically living closer now makes it seem that much easier to reconnect.

While talking to her on the telephone the other day I was amazed to find that we are still just as close as ever. We had absolutely no trouble opening up to one another the same way we did when we were seventeen, writing letters back and forth. We were surprised to find that we are living rather parallel lives at the moment. Sharing very similar struggles that are very real and very frightening. Though our situations are serious we managed to laugh at ourselves and find comfort in the fact that we are not alone.

After hanging up the phone that night I cannot express the renewed feeling I had. I was so thrilled to have been able to have such a great conversation with her and I realized just how much I'd missed her presence in my life. And knowing that although our lives may not be perfect, we have each other to lean on for support. And that's the kind of thing that makes it easier to get out of bed in the morning (or in the middle of the night as it may be.)