Pushing the outside of the envelope my fanny.

August 11, 2003

All these years of watching television have filled my head with crap like “Push yourself to the limits” and other athletic shoe crap. Stupid shoe companies. I’m using the same crosstraining shoes I’ve had for the last six years or so, and while I’m thinking about a new pair in the future, I’m happy for the time being. Where was I going with this? Oh yeah. Exercising can’t be stagnant, it has to keep changing or your body adjusts to it and won’t get any better. I’ve been using the same jogging route for the last month (has it been that long?) and it’s still challenging, but I think it’s the terrain and not the distance, personally. My jogging route is downhill for a little bit and then a whole lot of uphill, which is hard on the body. Not physically hard, but it’s hard to keep going after jogging uphill for so long. Anyhow, I decided to “Push myself to the limits” and I went past my regular stopping place, which was more uphill. Man, that killed me. I was barely able to walk up the rest of the hill. I only go for about 1.6 miles regularly, so this pushed me to maybe 1.75 miles and I sure couldn’t go any further, though I did have to walk the other 1.25 miles or so home. If I could just make it all the way up that hill, it would be pretty flat for the rest of the way home. I could do it past that, but that hill takes too much out of me. I tried doing my route in reverse once, but it was mostly downhill, which wasn’t as good a workout. I can do 2.6 miles on a treadmill, though. Yay. 10% of a marathon. If I had a flat route to take around here, I think I’d jog more, at least longer and for further distances. As it is, I don’t think I can go much further up that hill.

And speaking of pushing yourself, I had something happpen that’s never quite happened to me anymore: I actually collapsed while exercising. It’s not as bad as it sounds, mind you, but I was on pushup #40 this afternoon and my arms gave out on the way back up on my last one. They just gave out and I fell back to the floor. Well, it was only a few inches drop, but it kind of surprised me nonetheless. I guess that’s my limit.

I had fun seeing my friend today. I was expecting to go have coffee downtown at a place she suggested, but she wanted to try a tea place in northwest Portland instead. It was kind of neat, actually. They gave us menus that had four pages of different teas on it. Just like touring a brewery and seeing all the beers they have on tap! Anyhow, I tried a “500 mile chai” with soy milk and honey. I guess the 500 miles part means it’s super-caffeinated. I’d never had chai before, though a lot of my friends have gone gaga over it. When I tasted it, there was a taste that I couldn’t quite place. I kept drinking it, kept thinking about where I’d tasted it before. Hannah then let me know that what I couldn’t quite place was the taste of pumpkin pie. Who the heck drinks liquid pumpkin pie? I drank the whole pot, but I was a little put off by the taste, and I don’t think I’ll have too much chai in the future. I needed whipped cream and turkey on the side for it to be appropriate, you know what I mean? Just too strange for me. I think I should have tried another kind of tea, but then again, this has been a time of trying new things for me. Someone I talk to online commented that they’ve never met someone who tried as many new things as me. Hear that Mom? Hear that Dad? They think I try a lot of new things! Ha ha ha! For those not in the know, I used to be (still am, perhaps) the pickiest eater in the world. I’ve gotten better, but I’m still kind of particular about some things.

No dinner menu tonight. I only talk about that when I do something interesting.

Tomorrow my Mom and I may go see “Pirates of the Caribbean,” which should be fun. It’s gotten some good reviews, but I’ve heard a few people say that it’s good but not THAT good, like it’s been overrated. Did you hear they made a ride from the movie at Disneyland? Oh wait. The movie is based off the ride. People knock movies based off video games as having shaky plots, but people seem to forget about the movie based off a board game (”Clue”) and now one based off a nearly 50 year old ride at Disneyland. Shaky, yes. I’m also getting my monitor fixed tomorrow. It will be nice getting my big screen back after using the little one that makes my eyes hurt. Spoiled by the big screen? Perhaps. Adjusted to it? Definitely. Later.

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