Monday Moanings - September 16, 2013

I'm having one of those days!

Niagara-on-the-Lake 2013

Maybe it's because I spent much of last week in an idyllic setting of flowered streets and intelligent conversation offered in soft, almost hushed tones. Maybe it's because I spent much of last week enjoying wine tastings (more on that later) interspersed with visits with the likes of Somerset Maugham, Oscar Wilde and others at the Shaw Festival. Maybe it's the weather - damp and cold here today. Maybe it's just me.

Whatever the reason the fact remains: I got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning. I'm irritable and whiny, grumpy and inconsolable. Harumph! The first target of my bad side this morning is diet. I'm tired of policing every little bit that goes into my mouth! For over a year now I've measured and weighed and recorded (myfitnesspal), every gram, every millilitre, every carb, protein, fat and fibre of every meal. Only vacations have been exempt from such meticulous scrutiny. For over a year I have busted my buns, and other muscle groups, at the gym at least three times a week. As you might have guessed, these too are recorded in detail (endomondo) with info from a heart rate monitor. I train in my zone and push it too with high intensity intervals. I wear a Fitbit, a sophisticated pedometer that tracks my every step, and more, and I aim for at least 7000 steps a day.

My blood sugars are great and that's a very good thing for diabetic me, BUT I have not lost a single pound! Please do not take this as an appeal for weight loss advice and diet plans. God knows once this post is seen by Facebook, I'll get all kinds of free advice. And there's another target for a rant today - all those very annoying adverts streaming into the middle of my newsfeed, most of which are bogus. Spare me from snake oil companies offering quick fix berries, cleanses and belly fat melters. Yee Gads!!

No, this is just me on a Monday, moaning. Katie Scarlett O'Hara and I know that tomorrow will be a better day. Tomorrow I go to my first yoga class led by my friend and woman of many talents, Elaine Jackson (jacksonyoga.ca).  I have high hopes for this new venture and along with those aspirations, I've got some low anxieties too. Not to worry; it's all very typical for an introvert meeting a new situation. By tomorrow all will be gone with the wind!

Things are already looking up - I got this post written and considering all the growling and hand wringing that preceded cold fingers meeting the keyboard, that is an accomplishment!
Time to get rolling; a new week has begun. Enjoy!

Vineland Estates Restaurant 2013

Monday Moanings - April 22, 2013

So much to do; so little time.
I'm feeling somewhat overwhelmed at the top of this week. Is this an age thing? I recall that not too many year ago a week full to the brim was something I got excited about. Positively energized, I bounced out of bed Monday morning and hit the ground running, not stopping until Friday afternoon. Now, I may bounce out of bed and even hit the ground walking quickly, but a single day sprint is the best I can manage.

And I fret! Man oh man do I get wound up about how to get through that endless To Do list, and where does  all that anxious energy get me? Directly to the into the failure bin, thrashing around in waters of despair -- UNLESS I set my mind and body to 'doing' instead worrying; then, wonder of wonders, all the essentials get done often with enough time left over to wonder what I was so worried about.

Today is Earth Day. "Act for the Planet" is the slogan this year. Now surely, here's another opportunity to be overwhelmed by all that needs to be done. I can sign petitions, re-post to Facebook and retweet on Twitter all the calls to action; I can donate support to local and national initiatives, but the first best thing I can actually do, the best personal action I can take, is to make environmentally responsible choices at home today and every day. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle - as tedious as it is to sort through my discards, castoffs and refuse; as inconvenient as it is to find and then get to reputable recyclers of electronics, metal, window glass, Styrofoam packing blocks and other obscure trash; as frustrating as it is to understand the curbside recycling rules and schedule - Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.

So much to do; so little time...

Monday Moanings - March 25, 2013

I should have been at the gym this morning, but instead I frittered away the appointed time slot for this activity, parked in front of my computer, a steaming latte for company. It was all so very easy...

A brief check of my email - a few replies and satisfying use of the 'delete' key - then it's over
to the BBC World News. I see that the EU worked out a deal with Cyprus and, OH, Prince Harry is going to tour the US for 6 days promoting rehab for injured troops. Why is Canada left out? Hmmm... Well on to the CBC World News; not much different from the 'Beeb', but a click over to Canada and well, 'The Pandas are Coming, the pandas are coming'! There's a link to check out the plane's progress on a flight tracker. And the PM himself is going to meet them. Cute, even very cute, but it seems a little over the top doesn't it? How much is all this costing us? I leave that hanging in the air and click over to Facebook. A talented painter friend of mine has posted a picture of one of her paintings, an absolutely gorgeous apple blossom. Surely Spring must be coming any day now? Over to Twitter to have scroll through Chris Hadfield's latest pics from the ISS, and across to Google+ to check out a few new posts. Good time to check my security settings, again. All is well. "Bing Bing" announces a new email - just junk, but while there, my clicky finger finds the JigZone puzzle of the day; an ornate hawk needs piecing together.

Of course tempus fugits all through this April in Cyberland adventure and I look up at the big rabbit's watch on the wall; the little hand is on the 9 and the big hand -- well let's just say it's past 9. Oh Crap! I've missed the gals at the gym. I'm not even dressed yet. But then I am reminded of a recent workout study that found that less is more. Two 40 minute cardio workouts and two 40 minutes resistance training (Yay! I'll be good at that one. What? Not that kind of resistance?) a week is optimum. With this new intel I draw up a revised workout schedule and lo and behold, today is a rest day!

Oh look! A bowl of jelly beans!