The thought for the day:
“God’s hands are more skilled than a great surgeon;
they are more tender than a caring nurse;
they are more precise than a fine diamond cutter;
they are more creative than the finest artist or designer.”
Blue skies, a few clouds.
It’s going to be a great day.
T-1 today.
I was feeling pretty calm about it all (all being the fact that my belly button is about to be cut open tomorrow), until the crazy American within me surfaced as I was strolling down the aisles of Sainsburys.
It was almost like a reflex. The one that comes over Americans and makes them fight over tins of Spaghetti-o’s and load their SUV’s with water-cooler-sized jugs of water as news reporters stand in front of them and report on the impending natural disaster. And makes Americans make educational videos like this:
I wasn’t trying to be dramatic to start with… I just was thinking, “What will keep in my fridge not only for the four days I’m gone, but also until I’m finally strong enough to walk a mile to the grocery store and am able to carry it all back?”
So I started strategizing and chucking non-perishables into my trolley… and came up with the following things that the American Disaster Planners would be proud of:
-Pasta and sauce to make some great penne a la vodka
-Carrot, bean and quinoa soup
-Tons of Weightwatchers frozen meals
-Eggs to scramble
-Yogurt
-Frozen green beans
-Cereal & long life soy milk
-Apples
-Chocolate porridge
-Peanut butter and jelly!! (freezing the bread!)
Otherwise, preparations are going well. I’m about to take the polish off my toes, as I’ve learned that they need to be able to see my circulation during surgery. I’m a bit annoyed about this, frankly, as they are currently a nice shade of black cherry and I’m quite determined to be the hottest woman on the table for the day…
24th November: Day 43 of doing one thing as if I was living that day as my last.
I’m so excited! I’ve been thinking for nearly a year that I needed a completely new workout mix. I’ve been rescued along the way by my incredible sister. But it was only today that I got my act together and put together a fresh set of tunes to get my blood pumping, and more importantly, me out of the saddle and clinging to the handlebars for a killer uphill.
Just in case you’re looking for a new playlist, here’s what comes under Winter 08 Workout Mix:
“Duel” -Bond (warm up)
“No Melody” -Turntable Rocker
“Breakin’ Dishes” -Rihanna
“Starlight” -Muse
“Supermassive Black Hole” -Muse
“Can You Hear Me” -Enrique Iglesias
“Vida la Vida” -Julian Marshall (club mix)
“Disturbia” -Rihanna (dance mix)
“When I Grow Up” -The Pussycat Dolls
“So What” -P!nk
“Shine On” -R.I.O. (Spencer & Hill remix)
“The Black Pearl” -Scotty (Dave Darell radio mix)
“My My My” -Amand Van Helden
“Turn My Swag On” -Soulja Boy
“Ice Ice Baby 2008″ -ReAnimator (2Phaze remix)
“Move This” -Technotronic
“Let Me Think About It” -Ida Corr & Fredde Le Grand
“Gonna Make You Sweat” -C&C Music Factory
“One More” -Jens O (radio edit)
“Wonderful Night” -Fatboy Slim
“Ma Ya Hi (Dragostea Din Tei)” -Dan Balan
Two music videos to make you wish you were clicked into your pedals to cycle miles upon miles to nowhere, right now:
And some old(ish) faves that could become your new ones:
“Dancing with Myself” -Billy Idol
“Just Dance” -Lady GaGa
“Inner Smile” -Texas
“Ride on Time” -Black Box
“Stronger” -Kanye West
“Jimmy Mathis” -Bubba Sparxx
“Toy Soldier” -Britney Spears
“Bouger Bouger” -Magic System
“Freakshow” -Britney Spears
“Lovers of Light” -Afro Celt Sound System
“Unbelievable” -EMF
“Life is a Highway” -Joe Cocker
“Lovin’ Each Day” -Ronan Keating
“Pour Some Sugar on Me” -Deff Leppard
“Ooh La La” -Goldfrapp
“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” -U2
“Never Let You Go” -Jakarondo
“Great DJ” -The Ting Tings
“Heater” -Samim
“Strength of a Woman” -Shaggy
“Maneater” -Nelly Furtado
“Shake It” -Metro Station
“Banquet” -Bloc Party
“I Love NYC” -Andrew W.K.
“I Touch Myself” -Divinyls
“City of Blinding Lights” -U2 (ran the last mile of the San Diego marathon to this!)
“If” -Janet Jackson
“Love Today” -Mika
“Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)” -Mika
“Sweet Escape” -Gwen Stefani
“Le Disko” -Shiny Toy Guns
“Hot N’ Cold” -Katy Perry
“Run the Show” -Kat DeLuna
“Stolen” -Dashboard Confessional (cool down)
20th November: Day 39 of doing one thing as if I was living that day as my last.
White girl who can’t dance. Yep.
But I went to Nike Rockstar anyway.
It was my first hip hop class. I jumped in mid-season, and it was actually quite a relief that people thought I was behind, rather than just really uncoordinated.
On top of the trying to will my limbs to reach the right place in the right timing, I used to cringe every time there was a suggestive hip shake, or sexy undulation. Tonight, though, I was filled with confidence. I had just messaged with one of my favourite Texans, S, who told me that afternoon that I’m a HOT MAMA. I was dressed in tight leggings and a sleeveless racer back top that had given me quite the audience beforehand while I was draped over a piece of metal, doing reverse sit ups. So I shook my bootie, disregarded any mis-steps, and adopted some major urban ‘tude.
I may just go back!
Photo from www.coolermag.com
18th November: Day 37 of doing one thing as if I was living that day as my last.
This one’s silly. But I’m going to tell you anyway.
The first time I stepped into a locker without cubicles was middle school. It was awful. I thought about creeping into the unused shower room, but I figured I’d get caught and we were all in the same boat. So we, pubscent girls, twisted and turned in our clothes until we managed to unhook our little training bras and show as little flesh as possible.
Since then I’ve loosened up a bit. Meaning I don’t take an extra fifteen minutes wriggling around to cover up every patch of skin. But I certainly never graduated to the Belgian women who draped their naked bodies over the lounge chairs and continued their conversations seamlessly.
It all changed on Tuesday.
It was my first morning working up a sweat at the place that encourages Londoners to leave the cleavage to the girls and loose the moobs.
I descended the stairs, feeling every step in my bum after my killer workout. It was then that I realised that I had forgotten a towel. And this otherwise relatively nice gym doesn’t give them out. (Oh the plight of the girl spoiled by Equinox and Royal La Rasante!)
So my choices were: hit the showers before and after a long, chilly, accessory-free walk, or wipe off the sweat and don my work clothes.
I resisted the temptation of instant gratification and went for the option that provided the least embarrassment and smell for the following eight hours.
It was quite a long walk. I was acutely aware that I was in London rather than Germany. I hightailed it to the shower and back, fearful that a colleague might be lurking around the corner. And then I set out a big sigh of relief.
Afterwards, though, I realised that this was in no way been a walk of shame but in retrospect was pretty empowering and not so bad to bare my woobs (woman boobs) after all.
But don’t get any ideas. I’m investing in some serious towels…
12th November: Day 31 of doing one thing as if I was living that day as my last.
My secret mission went down in the fruit and veg aisle at Sainsbury’s. I ducked between the rows of carrots and leeks in my inconspicuous fluorescent biking shirt, vest and leggings. I made my way down to the heavy hitters. I began grabbing the heaviest bags, my head full of 2’s as I marveled at the British measurement indecision. It was then that the man with the gun began to sidle up beside me, acting as if he was creating order amidst the spuds. He had seen my growing pile out of the corner of his eye and the gun was now turned on me. “Can you please put the potatoes back m’am,” he said as his pressed the trigger and engaged the red beam with the white and black bars.
“They’re my potatoes,” I said, lifting the bag again, “I’m just calculating what I need.”
He wasn’t convinced. He picked up the second bag from the floor and placed it back in the green bin.
“Seriously, mate, I’m just converting kilos and pounds,” I said, beginning to think that the mission would need to be aborted until he found a new target.
Seeing that he was quite determined, I placed one large bag in my basket and headed for the soy yogurt. I dug through the crates of vanilla raspberry, for strawberry and wondered if I should just give up on reaching the magic number.
But I didn’t want to give up. I had had this idea before and my recent discovery of the article I clipped last spring resurfaced the idea. Even more, it was my inclination to eat every apple in my fruit bowl, plus all of the candy floss/cotton candy smelling oatmeal hiding out in my bottom drawer, and then scrounge around on other desks that made me feel like I needed a bit of a lift.
So I piled in the pink pots and headed back to the heavy sacks.
Having already calculated to five bags of various sizes, I hoisted them onto my hips. So heavy. Really actually unbelievable. I walked up and down the aisle, in shock that I used to carry this much around. If I were on Biggest Loser they would have strapped the bags to me with duck tape and made me take a victory lap around the track. Thank God I’m not. But even without them piping in “What did you do today to make you feel proud?” for some fantastic before & after b-roll footage, I felt really proud, and slightly teary, as I slipped back into the crowd with my lighter basket, sure that no veggie browsers understood what a milestone carrying those sacks were for me.
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