Happy Valentine's Day

>^.^<

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Green Defeat

Dear Distilled White Vinegar,

I had high expectations for our relationship, Vinegar. I had bought into the claims that other cleaners are chemical ladened and causing strife in my life as I knew it. Insert you, distilled white vinegar, to the rescue as the miracle, green, all-purpose cleaner. Mirrors, counter tops, laundry, toilets, shower & bath - you, my savior, were supposed to clean and deodorize everything.

And for the most part, you have lived up to the hype. My mirrors sparkle so much I can almost hear the sparkle 'ding' only heard in commercials. Friends have raved about their experience using you to clean their floors and gym clothes. I have diligently sprayed you on the tile & in my tub. I have used a soft green scrubby to remove the ever present soap scum. Yet I wondered why the tub was turning grey. I've cleaned it several times a week using you, Power of Green, every time...it could not be you that was the problem.

Perhaps it was just the lighting. Yes, I agree it is a little darker in the room as a couple of lights have burned out recently. It must be the shadows cast by my body or that the light is different due to the change of seasons. Maybe it is not grey at all but just a figment of my imagination caused by my weary eyes.

Your kept your ruse up well, sir. Well played, I might add.

Today my old friend Magic Eraser caught my eye. A sexy little thing. She reminded me how well we had previously worked together cleaning the tub. Feeling a little guilty by betraying your trust, I put the magic white sponge in my hand and ran it along the bottom of the tub. Imagine my surprise when she revealed a white tub below the layer of grime you did not remove.

While my mirrors may sparkle to a degree which is blinding, your ability to clean my tub is...well frankly just disappointing. Consider yourself removed from tub and shower duty. My old friends Magic Eraser & Kaboom have reenlisted and are ready to serve.

>^.^<

Fail!

I can admit failure. I have completely failed in my quest in the 100 push-up challenge. I'd like to blame my girlfriend who was going to do this with me when she injured her elbow, but the failure is really all mine.

I couldn't tell you when it happened, but one day I just stopped doing push-ups. Sad isn't it? I'm not surprised, I've never been able to stick to an exercise plan.

The up-side to this is that I can do 20 push-ups in a row! That is 10 more than I could do when I started...and those first 10 I can do without batting an eye.

>^.^<

Ulitmate Push-Up Challenge 2010

It was my intention to blog every day during my Ultimate Push-Up Challenge 2010. Clearly that has not happened. Let's see how I've done:

Day 1
I struggled with my decision how to approach the challenge. Is the goal to perform 100 push-ups a day for 100 days. Should I attempt to perform 100 consecutive push-ups? Should I do one set of 10 at a time? Do as many as I can at a time? I obsessed over this a bit too much - as usual.

I decided to do as many push-ups as possible a day, with the goal of 100 push-up per day. I started at lunch and tried to do as many consecutive push-ups as possible. I first tried your standard "good-form" push-up where the only points on the floor were my toes & hands. I eeked out two push-ups. Really? Yup - just two. Then I tried an alternative-form from my knees. I managed to do 10 good push-ups. From the knees it is from here on out.

Before I left the office, I did another set of 10. OMG! I thought my right arm was going to fall off during my drive home.

No - I'm not kidding.

Before I went to bed I eeked out another set of 10.

Total push-ups: 32

Day 2

After I woke up I immediately did a set of 10. Then I walked into the bathroom and did a set of 10 reverse push-ups using the bath-tub as my support structure. Yahoo! It's 5:30am and I'm up to 20 push-ups for the day!

At lunch I went into a conference room and did a pitiful 6 push-ups before my arms completely gave out.

Total push-ups: 26

Day 3

I decided to take the day off.

Total push-ups: 0

Day 4

A breakthrough day!

During my obsessing on Day 1, I found a website that has created a six week training program to help you perform 100 consecutive push-ups. They're plan seems easy enough, so I thought I'd give it a go. I started at the beginning - Week 1, Day 1 (6 - 10 push-up column). Did two full sets - once in the morning and again before bed. I also did 6 reverse push-ups.

HOLY CRAP! I did as significantly more push-ups today! My goal of 100 push-ups a day is getting closer.

Total push-ups: 66

>^.^<

100 Push-up Challenge - Day 1

An old friend of mine challenged me to participate in a 100 Push-up, 100 Days Challenge.  This is based on the 100 Push-ups, 100 Days Challenge! she found on Facebook.

 

When she brought it up recently it seemed that we had different interpretations of the challenge.  I understand it to be 100 push-ups per day for 100 days.  Not consecutive push-ups, just 100 throughout the day.  Her understanding...well it isn't mine and I'm not entirely clear what her understanding of the challenge is. 

 

None-the-less the challenge starts today.  Of course I had forgotten it started today until I read one of her FB postings reminding me of the start date.  *sigh*  I'm already off to a bad start.
 

Well it is lunchtime now and it is a beautiful day.  I should march right downstairs (using the stairs and not the elevator of course) and do some push-up outside...and I would if I didn't feel so goofy about doing them in public. 

 

I think I'm going to find a conference room and close the door.   Wish me luck!

>^.^<

When your day doesn't start well...

1. One of the cats has peed in the sink.
2. Ends up on a snow bank in an attempt to avoid hitting another car.
3. Attempts to extract self from snow bank without avail.
4. Exits vehicle and evaluates situation.
   
5. Calls husband for rescue.
   
6. While waiting a kind stranger pulls car out of snow bank using a strap and a bad-ass Ford F450.
7. Contacts husband to call off rescue effort.
   
8. Merges onto expressway, reaches respectable speed and front end of car starts to shake.
9. Convinced of have a flat, pull the car over on the shoulder to evaluate the problem.
10. Find both tires are fine, but perhaps a little low.
11. Decides to call husband to report latest development, but has "Low Battery" cell phone juice. 
    
12. Reasons problem is just the tires - no need to worry husband.
    
13. Drive slowly (read - posted speed limit) to the Oasis with intent to fill tires with air at the gas station.
14. Arrive at said gas station only to see the air machine is out of order.
15. Remember that there is an emergency air compressor in the trunk.
16. Hope that when you open the trunk that the trunk lock will latch and close properly without much fiddling since penguins are only comfortable in this arctic weather.
17. Plug compressor into cigarette lighter-receptacle-thingy.  Attempt to turn on compressor without luck.
18. Plug compressor into second cigarette lighter-receptacle-thingy.  Attempt to turn on compressor without luck again. 
    
19. Blown fuse.
20. Now realizes why cell phone charger does not work any longer.
21. Also realizes problem with front end is not the tires, but a "bigger problem."
    
22. Continues trek to work hoping car will not fall apart.
23. Arrives to work with great urge to pull out knitting in an effort to relax. 
    

How were the first 2 1/2 hours of your day today?

>^.^<

A Letter from my Husband

Dearest wife,

Seems your daughter is even more "head strong" than you. (pig headed might even be an appropriate word)

Our little joy and I had a to-doo today that took a little over an hour of our respective lives. (Which of course, I have much less of in reserve)

Seems our "precious", enjoys throwing cat food around the kitchen as I found her engaged in this activity much to my dismay. I immediately took action to end the aforementioned activities and found myself demanding that she clean up her mess. I engaged her and she cleaned up every piece of cat food (at least a hundred or more) piece by agonizing piece by picking it up and placing it in the closest cat bowl. Over and over and over again until there were 7 pieces of cat food left on the mat. At this point she declined further action on the cleaning front and decided that she had done all she was going to do. This became an issue for me and our standoff commenced. She wailed her discontent and stopped only to insert her thumb into her mouth for the purposes of suction. I laid down and waited for her every now and then asking in a firm but reasonable voice to please "finish up," "Clean up her mess", "She made it, she cleans it." Etc. She removed herself a number of times only to have me walk her back to her perch and counter with her wails of discontent. The neighbors I am sure have called state agencies who are probably assembling with swat teams and firearms outside for a raid at any time. The standoff continued for a minimum of an hour with her scheming to walk off and entertain herself with a ball or other toy and I countering with a quick and decisive walk back to the cat bowls. The cats of course were probably starving but would have none of this war and stayed clear. Finally, she relented and picked up the 7 pieces of offending cat food. All is well with the world now.

I win and she gets to nap. Unfair this world be. Unfair indeed.

With love and affection,

Your husband.

>^.^<