Sore All Over!

S is for sore! 

Sore is me. Not the good kind, where you know you did a fair workout. The kind where every time you have to get from sitting to standing or vice-versa, you limp and cringe like a MUCH older woman! 

I give all the credit (blame?) for my current state to whomever the lady was that taught the CSI class Tuesday morning. She was all smooth, flowing, in charge. Had good music playing. I didn't even think it was that tough of a workout. Until this morning! 

Photo from eHow

It's my calves that took the biggest beating, I think. But that's not what my thighs, ass or abdomen would say, I'm sure. I may need a massage to recover!

Wanna know the weirdest part? I like that the workout was so well rounded and effective. So when I'm done licking my wounds, I'm going to go find her, and inflict her particular brand of torture on myself again. 

And there you have it!

Respect

Borrowed from http://acelebrationofwomen.org

R is for respect.

All I'm asking... is for a little respect, just a little bit, hey baby, just a little bit. Is it too much to ask?

They say you can't demand it, you have to earn it. So, what if you feel you have earned it, yet still, on many occasions, just don't seem to get it? Rodney Dangerfield knew all about that I guess. Was he onto something when he just made fun of it, laughed it off, turned it into a grammy winning album? Probably so.

I can't seem to get there from here right now. I think I'm actually stewing. I KNOW I'm stewing.

I'm into the Oxford English Dictionary. My mom got me the full unabridged version for my college graduation, so I whipped it out to see if I'm stewing over the right thing. Here's what they have to say:

1 [mass noun] a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements
2due regard for the feelings, wishes, or rights of others:

So, here's my issue. I want to feel like the people who are closest to me have due regard for my feelings, wishes, rights. However, my significant other is not giving me that impression at the moment. 

I don't think he has the same regard for the Oxford English Dictionary that I do, so I went elsewhere to try to find what his definition of respect might be, because I'd hate to think he knows full well he is being disrespectful by my definition and yet, chooses to do it anyway. So, I found this in the Urban Dictionary. I'm sure there's no one on the planet who's not heard of it, but to clarify, it's a place where individuals can submit their own definitions and moderators (and users) give these self crafted meanings the thumbs up or down. Literally. I take this straight from their pages, so all credit goes to whomever wrote this:

Respect

908 up, 177 down

It means valuing each others points of views. It means being open to being wrong. It means accepting people as they are. It means not dumping on someone because you're having a bad day. It means being polite and kind always, because being kind to people is not negotiable. It means not dissing people because they're different to you. It means not gossiping about people or spreading lies. We are lacking respect for each other.

Well, I guess by this definition I could be accused of not accepting people as they are and dissing people due to being different than I. Technically, I suppose I'm gossiping here, but I am NOT spreading a lie.

I believe it is true that cleanliness is next to Godliness and that sloth is one of the Seven Deadly Sins. I think one should practice good hygiene, not only to be closer to God, but to do their part to be presentable (even desirable) to their mate! I can't find any excuse for being so lazy you can't even shower when you're off for several days in a row. Especially when someone you love has already requested, suggested and even BRIBED you to mix in a shower once in a while. 

I do try to value other points of view, and I've shrugged off many a day where a shower and shave just weren't a top priority, but I don't think it's polite and kind to know what would make a loved one happy and just opt not to do it. I think it shows a serious lack of R.E.S.P.E.C.T. 

And there you have it!

Quiz

Q is for quiz. 

A couple of days ago I got what I thought was a pretty cool assignment at work. Up until then, I'd say my duties would have to be classified as purely tactical and not requiring much in the way of skills or smarts. Sad, but true.

I overheard a discussion about how one of the girls had just recalled that in order for participants in a webinar to get what they truly wanted from their attendance (PACE credits) they'd have to pass a ten question quiz. Then there was some discussion on the presenter and her likelihood of being reachable enough to provide said quiz on her topic.

Next thing I knew, I was assigned the task of drafting that quiz. Nevermind that I was the newest kid on the block, and didn't even know the definition of autovalidation, much less the ins and outs of its benefit in a lab setting if used correctly, or the regulations that apparently apply to its use. All I was told was to review the presentation PowerPoint and attempt to draft ten questions that would prove the attendees had understood the material presented. I LOVE that kind of thing. So I wrote the quiz. Hilarious. 

I've still not heard if my attempt was successful. I have to admit my ego is dying to hear that what I culled from the material in fact resulted in a perfectly suitable quiz. But either way, it was the first time I felt challenged and engaged in the duty at hand since I started two months ago. 

Don't get me wrong, I am happy to have my job, and always try to perform all my tasks with diligence and a good attitude, but this one I relished. I wonder if I missed my calling and should have been a teacher so I could write quizzes to my heart's content! Probably not. 

And there you have it! 

Painting

P is for painting.

Painting has become a bit of a running theme around here lately. In May, my artist friend Katherine gave me this huge canvas that's been sitting in the corner, in all its vast, blank whiteness trying to scare the crap outta me. It's working.

I've managed to take what I'm going to call some significant baby steps toward taming that beast. I have purchased not only some paint, but a splendid array of paint brushes as well. Who knows, one day I may approach that canvas armed with my tidy new brushes and make a hot mess. I might even produce something I'd be willing to call art!

I think I have a long way to go before I could produce a painting even half as spectacular as the one I recently commissioned from another artist friend of mine named Chris Clark. That stunner was delivered last Sunday to our surprise and delight. It's a likeness of one of my favorite spiritual places, Lake Shrine in Pacific Palisades. In the foreground there are two white swans and three lotus flowers with light dancing off them in a precious glow. In the background is the Windmill Chapel where my daughter was christened. I've dreamed of a painting like this for so many years and now, I have an original! I think of it as a gift from us, to us, representing the gorgeous beginning of our new life together.

I can't forget to mention the largest painting venture of late being the exterior of our home. We recently had all kinds of wood repairs made due to termite damage. From there we hired professionals to finish and paint the entire exterior of the house. I wish I could properly describe the color we finally selected after painting several two by two foot swatches of varied colors all over the side of the house to try them on. The winner, after much deliberation, was a color called Smoky Mountain. It seems gray in some lights, but in others it seems like a gray tinged with a little bit of dark, smoky merlot wine. You can't call it purple, but you wonder if it has some in it. It's PERFECT against the bright white of all the trim. Our house was in great need of a facelift and it feels good to drive up and be proud of what we've been able to accomplish together in such a short time.

And there you have it!