photograph by Jack Culpepper
My brother sent me a few photographs he took recently at the Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge where he lives and works. All the pictures were beautiful, and as I told him, “they made me squeal with delight.” I’m sure you will see more of his photographs on the blog in the future, but this one really spoke to me. The first word that came to mind--serenity. I was immediately reminded of the times I have visited Jack’s home on this 45,000 acre refuge devoted to protecting the longleaf pine ecosystem and the red cockaded woodpecker. There is a quiet and a calm there like I have not experienced anywhere else. The only sounds are those of nature, undisturbed.
Since most of us don’t have an oasis of serenity right outside our door, we need to find ways of cultivating peace and tranquility wherever we are. With 24-hour news (and most of it bad), the internet, email, cell phones, email on your cell phone, text messaging, and the like—all intended to make our lives easier of course—it’s not unusual to find yourself in a perpetual state of stress and angst.
Since most of us don’t have an oasis of serenity right outside our door, we need to find ways of cultivating peace and tranquility wherever we are. With 24-hour news (and most of it bad), the internet, email, cell phones, email on your cell phone, text messaging, and the like—all intended to make our lives easier of course—it’s not unusual to find yourself in a perpetual state of stress and angst.
We have to make a point to slow down, to breathe, and just be quiet—to listen to the voice inside.
50 comments:
Kath, I saw your comment last night, and I responded on yesterday's blog. Hope you are feeling ZESTY today!
Last night, instead of serenity outside my door, there was a bum who first asked for a dollar. When I said no, he asked to me to take him to Taco Bell and buy him a sandwich. I started lecturing him on fast food and the Paleo Diet and he went away real fast.
Shana, that is soooo funny! LMAO.
Good morning all.
I have to second Pat's comment about Kath from yesterday. When she showed up in the jeans and I think a white shirt or tank? You looked awesome!!! And I wanted your jeans...well...and a body like yours to fit in them too!! :o)
Shana~ I set my DVR for the Naked show, so hopefully it will record one soon. Yay!
Pat~ I love that word ZESTY too.
Shana~ That is too funny with the Paleo and fast food thing. Poor guy! :o)
So, I weighed in today because it's Thursday. I will just say I was not happy with the outcome. MEH!! That is all.
It helps me to try and keep in mind that both Shana and Sheryl told me I was looking leaner/slimmer yesterday, so I will just focus on that. :o)
Uh oh...I can already tell that today is a HUNGRY day. I'm already hungry and I usually don't have my snack until around 10:30 or 11am.
Hmmmph!
Oh, and a note on the Serenity...Pat, you really are a great writer. I can almost hear the nature sounds of birds chirping or the leaves rustling.
That is part of the reason I love to go to Stone Mountain. The fivel mile walk around is very relaxing and peaceful. The parts of it where you can see that water glimmering with the sunlight on it is so calming to me. Especially in Fall, as the leaves start to change...the smell of a campfire burning is wonderful.
I also love to sit at the top of Stone Mountain. Hearing the wind blow and watching the Hawks or other birds play in the wind or nose dive into a tree is great. Well...as long as that tree isn't next to you. :o)
Yay! SOmeone posted!!
Sorry you're having a hard week Miki. We all have those days/weeks. Good for you for focusing and being thankful for your "Happy Bits". Crossfit, lunch with a friend, etc.
Glad you are starting to feel better.
And...You don't look LUMPY at all!! I was noticing yesterday how small your waist looks. I didn't notice any lumps.
I know it just makes you hungry Kath, when I talk about food, but I get kind of excited about my meals. Not sure if that is a good things or bad thing. Anyhoo, I think I might make Chicken Cacciatori tonight. Hmmm, we'll see. I have some fresh tomatoes I need to use up. I figured that with some zuchinni,mushrooms, onions, and some fresh garlic might make a nice little sauce. I'll have to see how much sauce I can get out of those Roma Tomatoes if I squish them. Hhmm, my neighbor has some fresh basil growing too. Maybe she'll let me have a few pieces.
Hah! Miki, I love it!
Wrote a long post and realized I'm not saying anything new. So, suffice it to say,Happy Thursday everyone!
HGB! I just realized the CFED blog is back!
I'm sure Shana can give you something.
Squats, Lunges, Sit-ups,push-ups, running, and even jump rope all come to mind.
I would invite people, but my place is sooo small and I NEVER eat at the table. Well, not the dinner table because then I would be staring at the wall. I eat at my little coffee table, which now seems sooo low because my NEW couch seems high and fluffy.
Sheryl? HGB?
Here you go Miki:
Travel Workouts
Simply pick one and do it. No more excuses!
• Run 1/2 mile 50 air squats - 3 rounds.
• 10 push-ups 10 sit ups 10 squats - 10 rounds.
• 200 air squats for time.
• "Susan" Run 200m 10 squats 10 push ups 5 rounds.
• Sprint 200m and do 25 push ups, 3 rounds.
• 10 Handstand push ups and a 200m run 3 rounds.
• Tabata squats and tabata pushups.
• 5 push ups 5 squats 5 sit ups, 20 rounds.
• Walk 100 meters on your hands, even if it is 2 meters at a time.
• 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 sets of sit-ups and a 100 meter sprint between each set.
• Invisible Fran...21-15-9 of air squats and push ups for time.
• Spend a total of 5 minutes in a handstand, or headstand. If you are using the headstand do not stay over a minute at a time.
• Run 1 mile for time.
• 10 push ups 10 air squats and 10 sit ups, 6 rounds for time.
• Do one air squat and take one breath, ( you can breath all you want while you do the squat or squats) do 2 and take 2 breaths etc...up to 10, and then come back down to one.
• 3 vertical jumps 3 squats 3 long jumps - 5 rounds.
• Handstand 30 seconds and 10 squats, 8 rounds.
• 10 push-ups 100M dash 10x.
• Tabata squats.
• 5x 400M sprints.
• 10 X 100 m dash.
• 25 pressing snatch balances each arm. No weight.
• Run 1 mile, lunging 30 steps every 1 minute.
• handstand 30 seconds and 20 air squats, 5 rounds.
• 10 handstand jackknife to vertical jump, 10 handstand jackknife to tuck jump, 10 handstand jackknife to straddle jump.
• 100 air squats. For time.
• 4x 25 jumping squats
• 10 vertical jumps, 10 push ups, 10 sit ups, 4 rounds...for time.
• 10 air squats every 1 minute of your 1 mile run.
• 100 burpies for time.
• Run 1 mile for time.
• 10 push-ups 10 squats 10 sit ups 10 rounds.
• 10 vertical jumps, run 400 meters, 5 rounds.
• spend a total of 3 minutes in a handstand.
• 100 air squats for time.
• Handstand 1 minute, hold bottom of the squat for 1 minute, 5 rounds.
• Sprint 100 meters, Walk 100 meters, 10 rounds.
• 100 push ups for time.
• Run 1 mile for time.
• 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 Burpies and Sit ups.
• 50 sit-ups, 400 meter run or sprint or walk. 3 rounds.
• 10 walking lunges, 10 push-ups, 10 rounds.
• Tabata Squats.
• 50 split jumps for time.
• Workout...Handstand for 30 seconds or 5 handstand push ups...400 meter run. 4 rounds.
• 10 burpies, 100meter sprint 10x for time.
• "L" sit off the floor. 10 rounds of 10 seconds...if you can't do it sit with your legs straight out and try to lift your heels of the ground for 10 seconds instead!
• run 400 meters, 50 air squats. 4 rounds.
• handstand 30 seconds, to squat hold 30 seconds. 10 rounds.
• Ten vertical jumps ( jump as high as you can, land and do it again), 10 push-ups 5 rounds.
• Run 1 mile for time.
• 10 push-ups, 10 squats, 10 rounds.
• Tabata Squats: 20 seconds on 10 seconds rest, 8 rounds. Count your lowest score.
• Handstand to Jack-Knife to vertical jump. 30 Reps.
• Run 1 mile with 100 air squats at midpoint, for time.
• 7 squats, 7 burpies, seven rounds, for time.
• 10x 30 second handstand to 30 second bottom of the squat hold.
• Burpee to the push up position, do 10 push ups, burpie out. 5 rounds.
• Run 1 mile, plus 50 squats-for time.
• 100 burpies for time.
• 5 squats, 5 push-ups, 5 sit ups, 20 rounds.
• Plebs plank, bottom of squat, hollow rock hold, 30 seconds each for 10 rounds. Use the transition times as your rest periods...they should be as brief as possible.
• 5 push ups with a 30 second plebs plank(a hold at the top of the push up, arms extended and body tight like a plank!) at the end of each 5 reps, 10 rounds. Then 3x 100m dash @ 80%.
• Handstand practice, 25 tries at free handstands, then a 1 mile run at 80%.
• Handstand 10 seconds jack-knife to vertical jump. 25 reps...
• Mime 4x 25 sumo deadlift high pulls, make them perfect. Be sure the hips extend before the arms bend!
• 50 air squats x 5. Rest equal amounts as it took to do each 50.
• Run 1 mile and do 10 push-ups every 1 minute.
• sprint 100m 30 squats...8 rounds.
• 30 push ups, 30 second handstand or Plebs Plank..3 rounds.
• 10 sit ups and 10 burpies...10 rounds-for time.
• handstand hold, 30 seconds, squat hold 30 seconds...10 rounds.
• 250 jumping jacks...for time.
• 100 jumping jacks, 75 air squats, 50 push ups, 25 burpies. For time.
• Tabata Push-ups.
• 30 second handstand against a wall, followed by a 30 second static hold at the bottom of the squat. 5 rounds.
• with eyes closed do 10 air squats, open eyes..do 10 push ups eyes closed, 5 rounds for time.
• Run 1 minute, squat 1 minute 5 rounds.
• run 1 mile for time.
• air squat x 10 push up x 10 sit up x 10 3 rounds for time
• 10 push-ups, 10 hollow rocks, run 200 meters....5 rounds.
• Do Tabata Squats with eyes closed.
• bottom to bottom ( rest at the bottom of the squat instead of standing....without support on your hands or butt and make the bottom good, straight back, butt back).....tabata squats.
• 20 sit ups with support under the lumbar spine, 20 push ups, run 400m, 4 rounds.
• Handstands, 30 second hold, 30 second static squat, 30 second rest, 8 rounds.
• sprint 50 meters, 10 push ups. 10 rounds.
• 50 air squats, 4 rounds. rest for 2 minutes between rounds.
• 3x 20 tuck jumps. 3x 30 second handstands.
• 400m run/sprint 30 air squats, 3rounds for time.
• 20 jumping jacks, 20 burpies, 20 air squats...3 rounds
• Warm up. Run 100 meters and do 20 air squats. 10 rounds.
• Handstand 5x 30 seconds. Run: 2x 800 meters for time. Do the handstands first. Rest and recover and do the runs with a rest in between that is as long as it took you to run your first 800.
• 100 air squats 3 min. rest, 100 air squats.
• Run with high knees for 15 seconds and drop into a pushup, get back up and run with high knees again for 15 seconds.......repeat 5x. Each pushup counts as 1 rep. Rest. Do 3 more rounds.
• 10x 50 meter sprint.
• Test yourself on a max set of push ups...tight body chest to the floor...full extension!
• If you cannot do "mens style" do your pushups from the knees. After that do 100 air squats for time.
• Tabata...20 seconds on 10 second rest 8 rounds of...tuck jumps and then sit ups
• run 400m air squat 30 hand stand 30 seconds 3 rounds for time
• 5 handstand to jacknife to high jump, 5 handstand to jacknife to tuck jump, 5 handstand to jacknife to split jump, 3 rounds...for form
• 50 burpies for time.
• 5 pushups, 5 squats, 5 sit-ups - 20 rounds
• Run 1 mile, stopping every minute to do 20 air squats.
• 30 second handstand, 60 second squat hold ( at the bottom of the squat) - 5 rounds
• run 200 meters, 50 squats, 3 rounds
• Tabata Squats
• Air squatsx20, Burpiesx20, Push-Upsx20 - 3 rounds...for time.
Courtesy of Eva T
Thanks for that Sheryl. I might be going home to California for Thanksgiving so those will come in handy.
Miki~ If you go to crossfit.com, you can see the workout for today. I'm guessing they've made up an Alt WOD as well, even though it is not posted.
Can I just say...I am sooo hungry today and it is finally feeding time at the zoo and my lunch tastes sooooo good! Yay!
CFED WOD:
clean and jerk
1 rep in first minute
2 reps in second minutes
3 reps in third minute, etc. until fail
RX weights: Men 135#, Women 95#
I did 5 minutes and 55#. My shoulder was bugging..really wish I had made it to 6.
by the way, I was able to get on the CFED site this morning from my home computer, but now cannot get on it from my laptop. I am getting the shakes people...I need the CFED blog.
HGB = Happy Grateful Bit
Sheryl HAHAHAHAHA That list is freaking LONG haha cracks me up. I've actually been trying to find it on Eva's blog and couldn't (I'm adding it to my site)
I'm sure being on the rag has NOTHING to do with my mood haha. Naw, seriously, by sexy/zesty I mean "wanna feel myself UP" haha meaning, when I'm confident with what I'm eating, when I like my muscles sticking through (I don't touch my stomach and think eewww, I touch it and think mmmm pretty niiiccee), when I feel like my body is my best outfit.
If I gain like 6lbs (which I have), it goes straight around my waist & face and I feel slow. My body has to be right for me, yanno? I don't want to be skinny. ...I just like being the right size for my bones. hehe this sounds dumb right? ;) Trust me, I have weighed 100lbs and I have weighed 150lbs and I am lucky I distribute everywhere -- but I would like to be REALISTIC and get my bodyfat measured. BTB has that dunk-tank van come around so instead of using the scale or MY opinion, maybe an accurate accounting is in order.
thank you for feedback about how I look in my jeans tho y'all, it's sweet and it helps. I am trying HARD to wear non-mumu clothes so I can let my body be what it IS. I used to wear loose/camouflauging clothes to "hide". I am focusing on letting me & thing be about truth and in the open baaayybbeeee lol.
Gnomes~ I can still get on it. Must just be your laptop.
Kath~ You wear that BODY proudly!! You have worked hard for it!
I wanna get in the dunk tank too!! It hink my bodyfat is still closer to 30% or over instead of lower.
Hey everyone. Having a busy day and no time to say much right now other than "hey." I'll check in this evening.
Would love more details about when/where for the dunk tank...
Miki~ It's a more accurate way of testing your bodyfat percentage.
Fell off the Paleo wagon last night at Raging Burrito (I blame Jonathan...) I ate tortilla chips and fish tacos with flour tortillas.
Also, I just had a huge lunch. All, healthy Paleo stuff, but I let myself get TOO hungry.
That's okay. Instead of feeling guilty, I've decided to look for more HGB's ...
1. Excited about the workout... I LOVE cleans AND jerks!!
2. The bike Gnomes gave me now has tires with air and I'm going to ride the bike to the gym in the AMAZING weather tonight!
3. Yesterday I did 50 unbroken OHS with 45#.
4. I got to sleep late today AND I get to sleep late again tomorrow!
5. I got a nifty little bell for my bike. I will sound the like the paperboy coming up the street.
6. I have a new assistant!! And I am SOOO excited! (Thanks, Pat, for being my HGB today!)
OH YEAH ...
#7. THE WEBSITE IS BACK!!!
Hahhhaa...LOL at your "Nifty little bell!" That's sooo cute! :O)
I kind of like cleans and jerks too.
Ok, I'm going to take a minute to post this. I wasn't sure if I should or not, but I checked with Shana, and she thought it would be ok. I don't want us all to get too focused on the number on the scale, but I'm sharing anyway. I weighed today at WW, and I was down 4.2 pounds since last Thursday! I couldn't believe it! I haven't lost weight in weeks now...as a matter of fact I've crept up 5 pounds since the middle of June. I told Shana I think it must be the fact that I got my head screwed on right and have been much more positive in the last week...maybe it was 4.2 pounds of negative energy! =o)
And I'm excited about helping Shana with CFED stuff! Lots of good things happening!
WOW Pat!! That is wonderful!! Yay for you!! You've been working so hard, so that is a Great Pick-me-up, I'm sure!!
Woo-hoo!!
Can you come screw my head on correctly too? Please?
New assistant Shana/Pat? More details please. Like for real, or Pat is just being her wonderful helpful self?
Can't wait to see you riding that bike with a bell. Glad you are using it.
Okay, so update on the bike... something is wrong with the brakes. Apparently it is inadvisable to ride a bike without brakes. It goes great, it just doesn't stop. Ever. Until you get to a curb ... or tree. Then the landing is challenging at best.
I tried to talk Jonathan into taking it to the bike shop for me but he's using some lame excuse about needing his car to get to "work." Pheh.
OH, and yes, Pat is officially hired.
I'm helping Shana with CFED office and clerical stuff, whatever she needs really ... in my spare time of course. The goal is for me to take some of this off Shana so she can focus on what she does best...kicking our a$$es.
I'm excited about it because you know how I love all things CFED.
This day is just CRAWLING by!! Grrrr!
That is great Pat! Just don't let her make you clean the bathrooms (I told her I was leaving my job last week to work for her - she told me I had toilet duty)....
Also, Shana, looked into airfare to get you to Union City. Looks like you should fly into San Jose. It is $314 right now on Frontier - I had you flying out on the Nov. 12th, flying home on the 15th. Are those the right dates? When is the next fundraiser?
Cleaning toilets is Chuck's job. =o)
You might also want to check Delta for flights. Since their hub is here, they seem to be a little cheaper than what I've found on other airlines. Of course, I was looking at Thanksgiving dates, but still couldn't hurt to look if you haven't already.
Delta nonstop to San Jose is $338. It is nonstop - so you might want to pay a few extra bucks so you don't have a Denver layover....
Okay, Delta is not cheaper for those dates.
It is non-stop and a few dollars more, but she also wouldn't get there until just before 10pm, which really would only be 7pm here. Anyhoo, non-stop is nice.
Okay... not that anyone cares, but I think I changed my mind for my dinner. I think I'm going to make Stuffed Yellow Peppers instead of Chicken Cacciatori tonight. I have some turkey breast I need to use up. Yay!
The site was down yesterday for "Maintenance" and they didn't update it today. It should be back to normal tomorrow. Everybody has just been blogging under the Tuesday's comments.
Miki~I guess I like to plan and have something to look forward to. I know that if I don't have a plan of what to make for dinner, when I come home tired from the gym, I won't want to make anything and will then end up eating something that I probably shouldn't. So, if I atleast have a plan in my head, I know it'll be pretty quick to make, and I will just do it instead of digging around for something else.
Miki, the reason the CFED site is still on Tuesday is because it was down until this morning so Shana wasn't able to do a post for today. Since she was working this morning, the earliest she could have done it was this afternoon...so she is just waiting until tonight and will do a new post for tomorrow. It requires Shana (or someone) to update it...it doesn't change on it's own.
I guess you guys didn't hear that they couldn't get me in to the Level II in November and now it's looking like I won't be able to do a Level II at all... I might have to go to another Level I ....?
I just had the friggin most hilarious thing happen. I said outloud in my office "crap I am mentally-hungry and feel like I want something sweet, CRAP" -- and our secretary in the next office said "well tell yourself that you're not really hungry, tell yourself that you're thirsty"
As soon as she said it a lightbulb went off over my head and I said "YEA! I'm going to do that, I'm sure that's iT actually" and she said "yeeaaa I try to TRICK myself all the time"
HAHAHAHAHAHA
I just love that phrasing "trick myself"... like into thinking I don't really want that.
I mean for pete's sake, I ate a little chicken-caesar-wrap not FIVE minutes before.
Trick myself... sounds like a good tip to me! ;)
I'll get the name of that FatVan that was at BTB yesterday... it's a mobile unit (not to be confused with the CFED-mobile unit) and in the privacy of the van, you get the hydrostatic dunking in your bathing suit. So you don't have to parade in line with everyone else.
I think it's $45bux. We should get some folks together.
FatVan - love it....makes me think of the Batman theme song.
Shana - what if we stick you on a plane and you show up? I guess you shouldn't, but that stinks. I'm sorry. Well, in my book, you are already Level V certified - so nothing to worry about.
So Pat the post seem all to appropriate after our conversation tonight at the gym. I hadn't made it to the blog all day. Slowing down is something that I have to actively work on. I call it the hampster wheel. While being on the hampster wheel and walking can be OK for awhile if you start running you get thrown off before you know that you are tired. I'm currently working on making hard choices about what I want to be involved with outside of work.
Pat, I am so proud of you! You really are an inspiration and give me hope that I can do it, too! I did get back to the workout tonight, but I had to scale it back a bit. I am still not feeling the best, but improving!
I love the pictures from Jack! Thanks for sharing them. It makes me long for the days when we would ride the horses around the fields as a kid! And, I took all that peace and quiet for granted then. I long for it now!
I had a very busy day and did not get to read the posts until now right before bed, but wanted to drop a quick note! Hope everyone has an awesome weekend!
Ya'll would have to pay ME to get in that damn fat van. Ignorance is bliss, people.
Miki, the cert... long story. I supposedly won a Level I or Level II cert for getting a X FIT license plate on my car. Now they're saying the gig is up and if you got your tag photo in already, Level II is no longer available and if you want to go to a Level I you have to go before Jan 1, '09. Well, I already have my Level I.
The update as of 10:50ish PM tonight, Lisbeth was able to get me on the waiting list for Level II. Everyone, visualize me getting on the plane to Cali, passing my Level II and showing of my L2 certificate! Maybe we can collectively manifest me OFF of the wait list and registered for that CERT!!!
Meeks, you do have a LOT of extracurricular activities.
Thanks, Byron!
Shana, I'm picturing you in that level II cert!
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