Wait for number fourteen. It's worth it.

[clevermanka]

I'm going to start tracking my food intake. Again. UGH. I hate doing that so much. It might be the best way to get a handle on a few things, though.

1. After three months working with Andrew, I have not lost anything around my middle. Nothing. Not even an inch. And that's where, traditionally, I have lost (and gained) weight first. My legs and arms are getting stronger, but I'm not seeing change where I want it. This might be the way my body is changing as I age, but I want to make sure I'm not sabotaging myself by not eating enough/eating too much of something/shorting myself on macronutrients, etc.

2. My swelling issues are still unmanageable and inconsistent. They are, in fact, so unmanageable that I can't fit into the jeans I wore just last week. And I really can't blame that on period bloat four days after starting.

3. A food diary will help me manage a rotational diet. BTW, that consultant I emailed never wrote me back, not even to say "no thank you." Fuck you for nothing, asshole. RUDE. I'm going to ask Dr. Khosh this afternoon if he has literature about a rotational diet.

The state of Kansas is changing its retirement policies in 2014. Basically, we'll pay 2% more into our retirement accounts every paycheck. Which is...fine. I won't be pulling out $50 a month for a flexible spending account after December, so I won't notice. Probably. But anyway, reading through the materials made me wonder when Id be able to retire from KU with full benefits. I did the math (age + years of service = 85) and figured out that I can retire at 58 with full benefits. Fifty-eight does not seem very far away from where I'm sitting. Here's hoping KU keeps me on for another fifteen years. Hell, I've got thirteen years under my belt as of October. I'm nearly halfway there!

For the past month, I've been incorporating bellydance drill movements into my recuperation stages when I'm exercising at home. Nothing too taxing or time consuming, just layered shimmies and isolations while my pulse comes down. They look so much better than they did a while ago when I had that disastrous attempt at dance practice. This makes me feel good about scheduling my sessions with Andrew the same days I perform at KCRF. I'm going to demand a lot of my body on those Sundays, but I think it'll work a lot better than having a heavy lift on one day and then push myself at faire the very next day.

Speaking of, I'll be performing at The Event Formerly Known As Smoker every Sunday except the last weekend (have I already mentioned this?) when I'll be performing on the Monday of Columbus Day (ugh). Provided, that is, that I get an accurate contract. I'm not performing without a contract that I've agreed to and signed. And no, I haven't heard a peep from management since our last inconclusive communication on July 30.

Fellow rodent-lovers, I'll leave you with this. See subject line of entry.

"" (Watch on YouTube)

Comments

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Awww.. I'm never been enamored with ratties, but that's adorable!
(little drowned rattie diving for peas.. oh my!)

[hdsqrl.livejournal.com]

OMG, ADORBS. :D

[tessagratton.livejournal.com]

DIVING FOR PEAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[miischelle.livejournal.com]

You don't have to teach rats to dive for peas. THEY LOVE PEAS!!!

[blackdwarv.livejournal.com]

SQUEE!

[kazoogrrl.livejournal.com]

Ratties are awesome!

[kazoogrrl.livejournal.com]

I've been using Rachel Brice's online Datura Studio since the new year and it's pretty awesome. I do well being able to turn off my brain and letting someone else drive, and though I do appreciate in-class feedback I also enjoying doing some yoga and learning combos whenever I want. I want to keep supporting my teacher but she's currently a 45 minute, $8 toll drive away, so I might take off a session. On the other hand, a beginner level flamenco class might start up and I am SO THERE!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Hmmm! Checking out that Datura Studio this afternoon! I'm much more of a traditional Raqs Sharki sort of girl, but I'm open to other styles and teaching methods. Thanks!

[kazoogrrl.livejournal.com]

The only ones I have not been totally on board with, so far, are Amy Sigil and Zoe Jakes' videos. I'm not into Amy's style and I don't think Zoe is a very good teacher. Rachel's short drills are great, I really like Ashley's teaching style, I've just started using Henna and Sidonia's videos (note: the later is super perky in a, to me, endearing way) and I use Colette's for brushing up my ATS. For $35/month it's totally worth it for me, and I can build a practice or use it for a quickie. If you do sign up for the monthly service note that it's recurring billing so you have to cancel the membership as it won't expire.

I like to do drills sometimes while I'm cooking, I'll set up the laptop in the kitchen and practice along while something is boiling or baking or whatever. Never while chopping, though, and definitely not while using the mandolin which I can barely use with much concentration (as I found out earlier this week).

[siro-gravity.livejournal.com]

I am going to do a food diary, too. It's really hard to stay on track, and I'm hoping it will help.

I LOVE the rat vid! They are so cute! The pea trick, AWWWWW!

[aprilstarchild.livejournal.com]

You don't have to train them to dive for peas, they totally do it on their own, once they learn that peas are tasty.

Mine did hate to get wet, though.

(I've totally seen this video before. I might get rats again someday. And then train them! Yes.)

[aprilstarchild.livejournal.com]

LOL I just said the same thing! TRUTH.

My rats also loved raw kale. And cream of wheat. And corn cobs. And empty popcorn bags....