My Pain and Other Ramblings

I've been struggling with an upper back pain for nearly a week. It gets better, then it bothers me again, then better again. It's just below my right clavicle (but I think the source is in my lats). I was doing bent over rows last week, trying to get back into my weight training in a more regular way. I was sore, but it was manageable. I noticed things got bad after the night I spent hunched over doing my daughter's hair.

What is it with this aging crap? Ten years ago, I would have rebounded with no trouble. Now, it's taking days and pain meds to make me feel better. And, why does it start so early? I guess I was delusional in thinking that aging wouldn't be noticeable in my thirties. So much for that. It's noticeable and has been for a while. Ugh!

I found out last that the Babe placed third in her competition category. She didn't seem to care, she just kept talking about how fun it was (my girl). The teacher was miffed and I was trying to understand, along with her, how the other group placed ahead of them. The other group was cute, but they didn't look like they were having as much fun nor were they as energetic. I guess, like other competitions, it could be who you know. I noticed at last night's practice, one of the mother's was being very critical of their dance routine. I don't do well with psycho-competition (or pageant) mommies. She turned me off really quickly with that stuff.

This Saturday, I hope she still has a good time. I now have details. They are the last group to perform from their studio. Luckily, it's at 3:oopm, which is earlier than last Saturday's dance time. The location is also closer. Cool.

My coworker is still gone and boy, am I feeling it. You really need two (maybe three) people working in this position. She's having a good time and I'm so happy for her (really, I am), but I miss her and her help. She'll be back on Friday. I'm hopeful that she'll just jump right in and not take two or three days to get back into the rhythm of things. Sometimes, that can happen.

My Sunday Morning

Um, yeah. I'll have more to post later but...I can't even tell you how weird this was...waking up to this on October 12th.

From La Bella Noire...Wow! Another award!!

When you receive the prize you must write a post showing it, together with the name of who has given it to you, and link them back.

Choose a minimum of 7 blogs (or more) that you find brilliant in their content or design.

Show their names and links and leave them a comment informing they were prized with ‘Honest Weblog’. (I’m lazy today, but I will try to get around to commenting)

Show a picture of those who awarded you and those you give the prize (optional).

List [if you can and or dare] at least ten honest things about yourself. And then, pass it on.

My seven (um, five...there are only a handful of blogs I read these days. Too busy):

Radio Ventriloquist
Miss Construed
Maintain Sane
Fried Chicken and Manduros
Soshallitbe

Ten honest things about me:

1 ) I love, love, love horror movies and honestly would love the opportunity to work on set or help with a screenplay. Too many repeaters around right now. It's time for originality.

2 ) Disco is not dead. It reigns supreme in my car (singing at the top of my lungs).

3 ) I love to cook, but don't have the time I'd like to spend doing it as well as I think I can. Around Christmas, I'm the baking queen.

4 ) I'm not a fan of the great outdoors. Hubby's always trying to camp and stuff, but I believe in showers and mattresses.

5 ) Was totally addicted to the Travel Channel before we ditched satellite.

6 ) I'm afraid of my talent. I've been told over and over again that I can sing, but I never believe it.

7 ) I think, "Lady in the street but a freak in the bed," was coined about me. You just never know about some people.

8 ) I love, love, love to travel and want to do lots of it once I'm retired. I just hope I can afford it then (our economy...does it have a snowball's chance?!).

9 ) I was never in fights in school, but the friends I kept had all been in their share. I guess they were sort of my body guards.

10 ) When I was an extra on a popular t.v. show, I hoped it would lead to more offers. It did, but I haven't done any more spots. I really, really want to.

Running with the Big Boys

What a weekend! It's hard to believe that it's really Tuesday, since we packed so much into two days. Friday evening, hubby began putting away the carbs; chocolate moose cake and juice. Not much, but enough to make him a bit more coherent than he had been during the week. Saturday morning, he stuffed four or five slices of lemon cake down his gullet on the way to the high school. We dropped the kids off at my mother's and made it to the school with around ten minutes to spare. The backstage was already littered with lawn chairs and towels, men and women eating and talking, figure competitors gluing themselves into their bathing suits. It's a somewhat familiar scene for me, but I was really surprised at the number for figure competitors for the show. Three categories (short, medium and tall) with at least ten per category.

After hubby found out his categories (three total), and his athlete number, we chatted and waited for his turn. I was his oil lackey, so I greased him up good for the judges. Unlike the natural shows, we weren't sure how they moved the athletes for placing. It was hard to tell if he was even placing at all. He wasn't doing the best of poses at first, and then I saw something click within him and the "star" came out. He was doing much better.

Between categories, he would "pump up" and try to bring out his size and vascularity. He definitely had the goods because many a guy would say to him, "Man, you're ripped!" or "Looking good!" They were also surprised that he wasn't a heavy weight. At the weigh-in, he only weighed 167...his size just makes him appear so much bigger. There were guys who weighed much more and weren't as big as he was.

After the morning votes, we went back to get our girls then left for the hotel (we didn't want to make the long drive home, only to turn around again for the evening show, so we set up a room at a hotel in town). The room was nice, with a mini-fridge and a closet with magnetic doors (which made my girls very happy). We rested and hubby went down to the hotel exercise room to pump up some more. When he returned, we showered and dressed for the evening show, then left for the school.

My hubby looked amazing in the evening and all the eating and working out truly made a difference. It was too bad the votes were already in, because he looked so different by night fall. (I hoped they had some wavering results that tipped his way.) I got my kiddlings squared away in the audience seating, then went backstage to help with the oiling process again. There was an energy at night that wasn't present during the daytime (as was expected...the pressure was off and now the athletes could have fun). My hubby's pose-down routine was wonderful (set to a Kirk Franklin song) and I was so proud of his performance. I was also excited to see how many of his friends came to support him. He came out to prove that he could compete with the "big boys" (most of whom are on questionable supplements) and he did just that. He placed second in all of his categories!!

At the close of the evening, I was happy and exhausted (I can only imagine how hubby felt). He was too ready to eat and we ended up driving all over town, until we settled on our favorite Mexican restaurant. We ordered out and took our two, too sleepy kids back to the hotel. They awakened (at 11:30pm) and watched t.v. while we ate (they had already eaten) and we all passed out around midnight.

Sunday morning, we awakened to a snow storm. I don't think anyone was really prepared for cold temps and snow, but we were well rested and happy. Hubby took us all to breakfast, then home for a nap (it was bliss!). We spent the day resting, laughing and talking about the previous day's events. Hubby's mind was no longer roaming and wandering, which made his previously frustrated wife very happy.

Thinking Blogger (Who, me?)

Thanks, RN_Buffoon, for nominating me for the "Thinking Blogger" award (takes a deep, low-waisted bow). And now, for the instructions:

1. If, and only if, you get chosen, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think.

Here are the bloggers that amaze and delight me:

Radio Ventriloquist "God's Child" - An amazing lady with her eyes wide open. Her heart and spirit are definitely her flowers. She's adventurous and always discovering something new (I live vicariously through her!) therefore, I visit her site often.
Maintain Sane "Icey" - A mom who's endured so much and still manages to raise herself up higher. She doesn't post as often as she used to, but still worth the read.
The Brutha Code - Another talented writer not afraid to say exactly what's on his mine. I discovered him a couple of years ago (BTW, it doesn't hurt that he's in my brother fraternity)
Yeah...I Said It - A new read for me. A talented writer with a natural gift for comedy. He's not afraid to laugh at himself or you.
Blography of Southern Writer - Astrologer and writer extraordinaire and a heart the size of Texas! I think we were maybe related in a former life.

2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme.

3. Optional: Proudly display the Thinking Blogger Award.

So, I've finally accepted the award. Now, on to the after party!