Words to Watch Out For

Marisa walked over to give me a high five after class Thanks for hanging in there.


A high five was not the only thing that Marisa gave me. Watch out when Marisa works out with you or says Get ready for the pain. I told her that she hadn’t really been treating us with kid gloves up until that point.

We did progressive circuits:

60 seconds of swings, right and left

60 seconds snatches, right and left (120 around the body with a catch for me)

60 seconds clean and press, both sides


90 seconds of swings -- right and left sides

90 seconds of snatches (180 seconds of around the body… for me)

90 seconds of cleans and presses, right and left


120 seconds of swings...

120 seconds of snatches (240 secs of around the body for me)

120 seconds of cleans and presses...


My calluses were very pronounced and the only thing that I could really feel at the end of class.

Should Have Gotten More Than One Tube

More of "This" Needed As Well

Every Woman Should Know How to Clean

I'm many things but I'm not really an a.m. exerciser but since my exercise schedule is getting complicated, I dragged myself out of bed and headed to Kettlebell 101 because I didn't want more time to elapse between classes. I made it to class in the nick of time.

After the last encounter with kettlebells, I thought my upper body would be sore. Not.

I cannot fully describe how sore my hamstrings were. I took at least two Epsom Salt baths, a yoga class, did self-massage and hamstring-specific stretches but the 'strings remained sore for almost four days...

For today's warm-up, we ran around the small room, rotated our arms while running, shuffled to the side, skipped and ran backwards. I was so happy when we started doing stretches. The stretching portion included but was not limited to a figure eight with our arms; my mind/body connection is so challenged when we're supposed to reverse the figure eight. We did this one stretch where you cross one leg over the other with the feet right next to each other then bend at the waist. Mike was impressed that we could all bend post-Thanksgiving.

After the warm-up, we did swings, one arm swings, the press, catch and lunge, rows, around-the-body with a catch, push-ups etc. After this series, Mike took us three newbies to the side to work on the clean while the bigger group did Turkish Get-Ups et al.

Did you know that you're leaking power if you don't properly rack the kettlebell on your biceps and forearm during the clean? I didn't.

It helped when Mike said that the motion for the clean is like zipping up a jacket. I kept making a popping sound when racking my kettlebell. Mike said it was because I was strong* and kind of flinging the kettlebell (10kg) up but he said it's a lot to learn and we'll just chalk everything up to kettlebell practice.

Things I need to remember:

Hand Off Body (During One Arm Swing)

It's Not A Squat Stance

Squeeze the Butt

Thumb Back

Don't Try to Control the Kettlebell (During Swings)...

I was a mess when I tried to swing and clean. Mike was like don't overthink it. How did he know that I'm prone to overthinking?

Even though Mike was joking, he is right: every woman should know how to clean.





*Other people keep telling me that I'm strong. I'm not sure why I need to keep convincing myself. In addition, when I shuffled past the mirror, I noticed that I am more toned even though I've been thinking otherwise.

From Saucy to Non-Saucy in Four Days

I really did myself in on Monday or maybe fatigue has been accumulating for a while but when the opening credits rolled for Barney's Version, I was out like a light about five minutes into the flick and didn't move for another two hours plus. Nice Friday, hunh?

I'm told, by Hazira, that Barney's... is a good movie but sad.

In all honesty, I think it was the Healing Touch that made me sleepy. Hazira was kind enough to work on my calf which has been tender to the touch.

Healing Touch and self-massage seems to have taken care of the tweak but not the fatigue.




This morning, I raised my head long enough to let Jessica know that I would not being joining her and the 'rents for a 20 mile bike ride. I later emerged from the bed around 11:00 a.m. and only because I made myself get up.

I finally decided to tackle my brake light thanks to the internet because my car manual was not very helpful at all. Some nice person left perfect instructions for disassembling the light situation. At one point, half of my body was in the trunk to get at the final and trickiest lug nut but I finally got the precious little bulb out.



While I got the replacement bulb, I also got windshield wipers because inspection time is near. I felt so accomplished for someone who rolled out of bed at 11. Hope your Saturday has been relaxing or whatever you needed it to be...

The Gospel According to Hazira, The 'Fugee (Special Birthday Edition)

Do not become friends with a refugee if you know what's good for you. Besides the fact that they will make Borat-like pronouncements, the wants and needs of a 'fugee are endless. Despite my admonishment, Hazira is my friend and what follows below is her gospel:

You were so furious then you got in touch with your better self...

None of my relationships are so easily destroyed.

I think when we are spontaneous, we are at our most human.

Obama is such an example of positive psychology.

I felt safe the moment that I met you but I also sensed that you could be a tough character.

You know what energizes me? Nice people energize me...

Keepittogetherkeepittogetherkeepittogether.

In my country, we don't have to call before stopping over at someone's house.

Me: I just have one more thing to do -- get my battery checked out.

Hazira: If you go and get it checked out then you're going to need a new battery.

After demonstrating my new self-massage skills...

Hazira: Tapping. Okay, drumming...

I feel so relaxed just watching this show (In Treatment).

Nobody gives me credit...

Do I get recognition for that?

I'm going to reflect on that later.

Once you are a refugee, you're always a refugee.

Happy Birthday Bosanski Scalawag!

Sexy Photos of Older Ladies

It's Friday -- Return of Frivolity Day. To mark the occasion, I thought I'd chitchat about stats which are kind of like an accident for me. I see an accident and know that I should keep my eyes on the road lest I get into a rubbernecking-induced fender-bender.

I have a love/hate relationship with information and technology. Once, when I got a ticket, I got postcards from lawyers wanting to represent me in traffic court. Really?

And I still don't know how I feel when someone calls me back after I've decided not to leave a message.

Occasionally, the search stats amuse me and remind me of things I've been preoccupied with:

i got japanese peppermint oil in my eye what do i do

calories burned belaying

pickles and pinapple to lose weight

san diego "sausage king" preservatives

calories in hanuta mini

roadkill helper

drea go

eye

is moritz ice cubes gluten free

sexy sticktoitiveness

are nickers and gravy ways real

the unjustly punished child by sharon olds

"bored with the pathetic story" "it bores me"

10 minute solution картинки

"massage my own feet"

sexy photos of older ladies upper body

Gratuitous Embellished Sexy Photo of Older 'Drea's Upper Body in Oiselle Shirt Scored from MizFit

sexy yoga body

I like the simplicity of Drea Go. If I ever change the title of my blog, I think I have the name. I'd also consider Sexy Yoga Body even though I don't do that much yoga.


Any interesting phrases in your stats?

Squeezing My Toes

I went to the library to get an acupressure book. After this post and this one and not to mention the other one and the last situation, who's surprised?

I saw that The Acupressure Atlas was on the shelf and was too impatient to request it and have it delivered to my regular library. That could take days, after all. My decision to pick up the book was a good one since I haven't browsed the library's shelves in ages; it's such a cool feeling to slow down, look at all those spines and be tempted by a title, pick up one and it inspect it further.

My eyes fell on such a cool book. Cooler than cool. Self-Massage for Athletes.

I have found the routines for massaging feet, quads, hips, knees and shoulders extremely helpful.

Here's an excerpt from the routine for massaging your feet:

Glide both hands over your foot for warmth.

Try gliding your knuckles over the bottom of your foot...

Squeeze all five toes together a few times, then roll your whole foot at the ankle, relaxing and surrendering to the sensation.

Squeeze & Roll each toe, gently pulling, twisting, and stretching it...


You'd be surprised how good squeezing your toes together feels. Or maybe you're not...