The Pain Cave

Looks like I’ve had an amazing recovery from the time change blues, because I had no problem falling asleep last night and was up and at it early this morning.

After today's Saint Patrick’s Day Potluck, which was well attended, I took care of a bit of business that had been rummaging around in my brain ever since I saw a sign down the street, a few days ago, that so peaked my interest that I’d parked, gone into the business to investigate.

The yoga girl wasn’t available to speak with me, but I later looked on her Instagram and decided, though I can still do SOME yoga, my body is no longer flexible enough to do her kind of yoga. However, while speaking with the guy explaining the yoga schedule, I learned of other fitness options, including personal training.

Getting toned, tightened and strong is something I’d been thinking about, looking into and wanting for a long time.

Back in August, while out of the area hunting Pokémon, I’d spotted another sign and popped in.

Did not get a good feel for the location, the facility, the training methods or the trainers ─ not to mention the drive was out of my way, so I passed and kept intermittently considering other places.

The place down the street just popped up out of nowhere (in business since August they tell me), and "down the street" is just two blocks from the complex. I can walk there and back.

The guy/trainer I was initially speaking with seemed knowledgeable and had a really good feel about him, but I started hyperventilating when the subject of how much it was going to cost came up. Consequently, I'd left saying I'd think about all he'd told me. Plus, I checked Yelp (excellent reviews) and his Instagram (where I saw videos of his successful transformations).

After thinking about it and thinking about it and factoring in the cost, I decided, from prior research, the cost is comparable and getting off the couch, motivated once again, in shape and active, is worth the price.

I went in for yoga, came out with a personal trainer who calls his training room “The Pain Cave”.

He set me up for Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays beginning this Thursday, whereupon I said, “I’m scared”.

His response ─ “Don’t be. I don’t kill anyone right away. I bring them up slow”.

I just hope I don’t cry.

Springing Forward

It doesn’t seem logical that time springing forward one hour would throw me so off center but with that time change, along with all the chaos going on in the world running through my head, the day has been challenging. Starting with my not being able to fall asleep last night.

There I was ─ tossing, turning.

Sleep wouldn't come, so I turned on the lights and put in some reading time.

Unlike Bob Woodward’s book Fear, which was so boring that I’d get sleepy after a page or two, Cliff Sim’s book made not being sleepy worse because it’s so interesting, stimulating, a lot of laugh out loud funny.

It must have been around 1:00/2:00 that I put down the book, picked up the tape player and popped in a meditation tape.

That did the trick because next thing I knew, I was waking up ... but late, very late ─ 9:30 a.m.

Waking up so late didn’t give me the time to putter around that I usually need before I decide to start living. And, but for the fact I HAD to make a Sprout’s and Ralphs market run, because I was out of staples and also needed to pick up something for tomorrow’s Saint Patrick’s Day potluck, I’d have blown off the entire day.

Getting dressed turned into a circus because, after picking out a pair of warm socks, I lost one between the bedroom sock drawer and the couch.

After looking here, there, back/forth from one room to another, I gave up, sat down on the couch to collect my thoughts and ......

There the missing sock was, on my left foot.

I began to reconsider trusting myself outside, but carried on.

The wind was howling so, not wanting to drive 20 miles, I took a chance on that new Sprout’s ─ where the parking lot had been so crazy.

No problem today. There was not a line at that chicken place, no armed guards, and plenty of parking. However, I did see a sign on the door of Sprout’s that I’ve never seen in any market anywhere, any time.

I got in, out and on to my next stop without getting shot, but what the heck is that sign about?

Did someone actually come in and do their grocery shopping while carrying a gun?

At any rate, I hurriedly picked up what few items I couldn’t get at Sprouts, and something easy peasy for tomorrow’s potluck at the next stop.

It’s a good thing that Sweet Tooth had run its course, and I’m now not remotely tempted, because these on my counter overnight would have been dangerous.

At any rate, as I turned to push my purchases away, after going through the checkout line, the casher got my attention with “Ma’am, Ma’am”.

I turned, puzzled and asked, “Did I not give you enough (money)?”

“You didn’t give me any”, said she.

Still puzzled, trying to put it all together, I realized the cash was still in my hand.

“Oh”, said I. “That’s why I’m carrying this in my hand”.

I made it home without further incident, but I can’t wait for this day to end, and will probably stay home until my mind, body, spirit adjusts to this time change.