Lots of outtakes on Flickr, of course.
Lots of outtakes on Flickr, of course.
Lots of outtakes on Flickr, of course.
Merry Christmas!
Lots of outtakes on Flickr, of course.
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Thinking about inking
Or, more specifically, not getting any tattoos for a while. I spent a lot of money in the last quarter of 2023 and am slowly catching up. And now that water fitness is a very important part of my life, I want to minimize my time away from the pool by consolidating appointments. That means saving up money for 2-3 tattoos at a time, maybe having an appointment on a Friday and then another the following Sunday. And it could be even more tattoos if I get a bunch of smaller ones.
I thought of one I might get yesterday, and just now realized I had two on the same line in my to-do list, so that list is now 15 items long.
Boring update is boring, but I know people definitely wonder when I go a long time with no new tattoos. Check out this cute picture of Tuvix and one of the presents Garrett got me for Christmas! We couldn't open presents until NYE because Garrett got a cold a week after I did and his mom didn't want to catch it on Christmas.
![Christmas was late, but worth the wait]()
I thought of one I might get yesterday, and just now realized I had two on the same line in my to-do list, so that list is now 15 items long.
Boring update is boring, but I know people definitely wonder when I go a long time with no new tattoos. Check out this cute picture of Tuvix and one of the presents Garrett got me for Christmas! We couldn't open presents until NYE because Garrett got a cold a week after I did and his mom didn't want to catch it on Christmas.
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Water vs. ice
Yesterday was a slightly harrowing race against the weather as well as time. I got a text from Chrissie, a water fitness buddy, asking what the weather was like in Everett. Over in Marysville where she lives, she'd woken up to hail and it had started to snow. I was clueless because I keep my office curtains closed all the time now. I got up and checked out the back window and saw tons of hail! I checked the forecast and saw it was going to turn into snow but the temperature was holding high enough that I wasn't worried about the roads too much.
The drive to the YMCA for class was interesting and only slightly dangerous. Everyone was doing a good job at going slow and carefully except one guy who came sliding out into the main road from a side street. If I had been a couple of seconds earlier he would have slid right into me!
The weather I didn't realize would be more of a problem for us was the wind. Just as I was finishing drying off after my shower after class, the locker room went dark. Good thing there are emergency lights in there because there aren't any windows. We were going to Garrett's mom's place for dinner anyway so we just went early since it was going to be a while before power was restored at home. Thankfully it was a small and very localized outage so it was addressed quickly. It snowed a lot the rest of the evening but nothing stuck.
Now it's the next morning and the biggest problem is the record low temperature. Right now it's 22 degrees but it'll be 16 at 7am. There's a good chance class will be canceled because roads could be slick. I'll keep an eye on the inclement weather alerts page on the YMCA website.
Normally I don't like to talk too much about things that are in the works but because I will be happy either way with how it turns out, I may as well share that I have applied to become a water fitness instructor. Our instructor Judy is currently teaching four classes a week, two in the morning and two just before lunch. She'd really like to only teach in the morning, so they opened a position for Tuesdays and Thursdays for the 11:15 class.
I didn't even know they were looking but a gentleman in my class who has done some substitute teaching for our class and whose wife is an instructor at another facility told me that I should apply. I asked Judy about it and she was very excited by the prospect of the two of us filling up the schedule and being able to substitute for each other.
Obviously it would be cool to make a little money and get a free membership, but the part that excites me the most would be making playlists for the class. I've always known that I couldn't really be a DJ but water fitness playlists would be a piece of cake. I was especially inspired recently by another instructor Connie's playlist that was front loaded with a bunch of disco hits.
The reason I don't mind sharing that I've applied now is that if I don't get the position, I'll still be very happy because I'll have the ultimate freedom to go to any classes I want. Or miss them. Teaching would be incredible, but I'm already so happy as a student. There's a pretty good chance that I'll be the only applicant so we'll see what happens. Ramping up would include CPR training which is strange to me because there are always up to three lifeguards watching the class. It is strange that I'm nearly 50 years old and I've never had CPR training. I suppose it's about time!
The drive to the YMCA for class was interesting and only slightly dangerous. Everyone was doing a good job at going slow and carefully except one guy who came sliding out into the main road from a side street. If I had been a couple of seconds earlier he would have slid right into me!
The weather I didn't realize would be more of a problem for us was the wind. Just as I was finishing drying off after my shower after class, the locker room went dark. Good thing there are emergency lights in there because there aren't any windows. We were going to Garrett's mom's place for dinner anyway so we just went early since it was going to be a while before power was restored at home. Thankfully it was a small and very localized outage so it was addressed quickly. It snowed a lot the rest of the evening but nothing stuck.
Now it's the next morning and the biggest problem is the record low temperature. Right now it's 22 degrees but it'll be 16 at 7am. There's a good chance class will be canceled because roads could be slick. I'll keep an eye on the inclement weather alerts page on the YMCA website.
Normally I don't like to talk too much about things that are in the works but because I will be happy either way with how it turns out, I may as well share that I have applied to become a water fitness instructor. Our instructor Judy is currently teaching four classes a week, two in the morning and two just before lunch. She'd really like to only teach in the morning, so they opened a position for Tuesdays and Thursdays for the 11:15 class.
I didn't even know they were looking but a gentleman in my class who has done some substitute teaching for our class and whose wife is an instructor at another facility told me that I should apply. I asked Judy about it and she was very excited by the prospect of the two of us filling up the schedule and being able to substitute for each other.
Obviously it would be cool to make a little money and get a free membership, but the part that excites me the most would be making playlists for the class. I've always known that I couldn't really be a DJ but water fitness playlists would be a piece of cake. I was especially inspired recently by another instructor Connie's playlist that was front loaded with a bunch of disco hits.
The reason I don't mind sharing that I've applied now is that if I don't get the position, I'll still be very happy because I'll have the ultimate freedom to go to any classes I want. Or miss them. Teaching would be incredible, but I'm already so happy as a student. There's a pretty good chance that I'll be the only applicant so we'll see what happens. Ramping up would include CPR training which is strange to me because there are always up to three lifeguards watching the class. It is strange that I'm nearly 50 years old and I've never had CPR training. I suppose it's about time!
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That was fast
I met up with my friend Melissa at the Mill Creek YMCA yesterday to hand off some tangerine and lime liqueurs I made, some for her, and some for Erika, who lives even further South. We chose that specific day because the water fitness instructor who does the more challenging Wednesday class here in Everett is there on Mondays.
I mentioned to that instructor that I had applied for the Tuesday/Thursday opening in Everett and she said she was pretty sure a couple of people had been hired already, but it might be possible to teach classes at other locations. Later on in the afternoon, I got an email regarding my application saying they could pass my application along to the other locations if I would like.
I said no thanks, though. Seeing as how I work full time, I'd want my home base location to be here and I could substitute elsewhere if needed once up to speed. I don't really want to pull myself to another location on a set, frequent basis. And I'd said as much in my application in the first place. So I'll probably apply the next time they need someone in Everett and am looking forward to seeing what the classes from the new people are like.
Today I learned I need to pay more attention to my work calendar as things get added and moved around. I have to miss today's class because our Monday meeting was moved to today, and I could have asked for a different time if I'd paid attention when the notification came through. I'll head over there and walk myself around the track once I've given Tuvix his morning walk.
I mentioned to that instructor that I had applied for the Tuesday/Thursday opening in Everett and she said she was pretty sure a couple of people had been hired already, but it might be possible to teach classes at other locations. Later on in the afternoon, I got an email regarding my application saying they could pass my application along to the other locations if I would like.
I said no thanks, though. Seeing as how I work full time, I'd want my home base location to be here and I could substitute elsewhere if needed once up to speed. I don't really want to pull myself to another location on a set, frequent basis. And I'd said as much in my application in the first place. So I'll probably apply the next time they need someone in Everett and am looking forward to seeing what the classes from the new people are like.
Today I learned I need to pay more attention to my work calendar as things get added and moved around. I have to miss today's class because our Monday meeting was moved to today, and I could have asked for a different time if I'd paid attention when the notification came through. I'll head over there and walk myself around the track once I've given Tuvix his morning walk.
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A bi phase
No, not bisexual. Not even bicoastal. I've had several nights in a row of biphasic sleep. If you're not familiar with that or haven't clicked the link or even googled, that's when your sleep is broken up into two segments. Thanks to modern things like clocks, electric lights, and jobs, we've mostly abandoned the practice.
Or tried to. How many people suffer from what they think is insomnia because they go to bed and sleep for a while before waking up again and struggling for hours to fall back asleep? Thanks to social media, we know that it's a lot of people. What's really happening is that their body and brain are trying to assert their own natural sleep schedule, which has a gap in the middle.
Articles about biphasic sleep make the rounds every few years and you always see the same response from people. They wish they could do it, but thanks to capitalism, they have to be up at a certain time to go to work. But, much like with exercise, the truth is that if you go to bed earlier you can do what you want. People are obsessed with trying to enjoy free time in the evenings after work, but they're actually too exhausted to make the most of that time. And yet somehow not exhausted enough that they can't stay up late on their phones or binge watching shows or playing video games.
Rearranging your day so you do want you want before it's even time to work is the ultimate life hack. People who work out in the morning have a much easier time sticking to it because the interruptions of the evening don't factor in. Gyms, parks, sidewalks, and trails aren't mobbed like they are the rest of the day, too. Early mornings are even a great time to hit the grocery store and get all kinds of other stuff done.
I digress. It's easy for me to end up having biphasic nights because I'm ready for bed by 6:30pm and am generally done watching an episode of my current bedtime show by 7:30. I now know that if I wake up at 11:00 or so, I can attempt to fall back asleep, but there's no point in trying very long; if it doesn't happen right away, I'll be up for a while.
Modern life doesn't lend itself to a lot of the traditional activities associated with the waking period of biphasic sleep. And neither does the practice of sharing a bedroom. I have my own room, so when I wake up, I can just play another episode or two of what I'm watching. Depending on their living situation and interests, some people might choose to read, cook, or even get some exercise or meditation in. It's most important to figure out what they like to do and give themselves permission to do it.
What's most important to know about biphasic sleep isn't the stuff you do while you're awake. It's the quality of sleep. A good biphasic night is full of extremely vivid dreams and waking up feeling absolutely incredible. Not just refreshed, but euphoric. If you could bottle that feeling, you'd make billions.
And good sleep makes your body feel better, too. You'd think I'd wake up even more sore after being in bed from 6:30-4:30 some nights, but I actually feel much better. Quality of sleep is very regenerative.
You'll never convince most people that they'll like their life better if they go to bed earlier and maybe don't sleep all the way through the night in one continous chunk. But people like me who ended up doing it through circumstance can end up extremely happy they did. It definitely sucks when there's a concert or something, but that's pretty rare for me. I'd rather have a harder time on special occasions than give up a regular schedule that works very well for me.
I don't know if I could be a night owl even if I tried at this point.
Or tried to. How many people suffer from what they think is insomnia because they go to bed and sleep for a while before waking up again and struggling for hours to fall back asleep? Thanks to social media, we know that it's a lot of people. What's really happening is that their body and brain are trying to assert their own natural sleep schedule, which has a gap in the middle.
Articles about biphasic sleep make the rounds every few years and you always see the same response from people. They wish they could do it, but thanks to capitalism, they have to be up at a certain time to go to work. But, much like with exercise, the truth is that if you go to bed earlier you can do what you want. People are obsessed with trying to enjoy free time in the evenings after work, but they're actually too exhausted to make the most of that time. And yet somehow not exhausted enough that they can't stay up late on their phones or binge watching shows or playing video games.
Rearranging your day so you do want you want before it's even time to work is the ultimate life hack. People who work out in the morning have a much easier time sticking to it because the interruptions of the evening don't factor in. Gyms, parks, sidewalks, and trails aren't mobbed like they are the rest of the day, too. Early mornings are even a great time to hit the grocery store and get all kinds of other stuff done.
I digress. It's easy for me to end up having biphasic nights because I'm ready for bed by 6:30pm and am generally done watching an episode of my current bedtime show by 7:30. I now know that if I wake up at 11:00 or so, I can attempt to fall back asleep, but there's no point in trying very long; if it doesn't happen right away, I'll be up for a while.
Modern life doesn't lend itself to a lot of the traditional activities associated with the waking period of biphasic sleep. And neither does the practice of sharing a bedroom. I have my own room, so when I wake up, I can just play another episode or two of what I'm watching. Depending on their living situation and interests, some people might choose to read, cook, or even get some exercise or meditation in. It's most important to figure out what they like to do and give themselves permission to do it.
What's most important to know about biphasic sleep isn't the stuff you do while you're awake. It's the quality of sleep. A good biphasic night is full of extremely vivid dreams and waking up feeling absolutely incredible. Not just refreshed, but euphoric. If you could bottle that feeling, you'd make billions.
And good sleep makes your body feel better, too. You'd think I'd wake up even more sore after being in bed from 6:30-4:30 some nights, but I actually feel much better. Quality of sleep is very regenerative.
You'll never convince most people that they'll like their life better if they go to bed earlier and maybe don't sleep all the way through the night in one continous chunk. But people like me who ended up doing it through circumstance can end up extremely happy they did. It definitely sucks when there's a concert or something, but that's pretty rare for me. I'd rather have a harder time on special occasions than give up a regular schedule that works very well for me.
I don't know if I could be a night owl even if I tried at this point.
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Going where I'm needed
I now have a great opportunity to do water fitness every morning rather than 7:45 MWF and 11:15 TTh. Mukilteo now has classes Tuesday and Thursday mornings. To be clear, Monroe and Stanwood also have classes Tuesday and Thursday mornings, but they are 16 and 26 miles away. And traffic coming back from either would be terrible. That's unfortunate because Connie, one of my favorite instructors, is at the furthest one Tuesday and Thursday mornings.
Anyway, the new opportunity in Mukilteo's a great one. I like going there. I like the instructor who'll run these new classes. And I feel lucky it worked out that way because there's an instructor who teaches there other times who I don't really vibe with. I've never had her class, but I've been near her in the water during someone else's. She's kinda flinty.
I mentioned to a classmate in Everett whose wife teaches the Wednesday Mukilteo class that the new Tueseday/Thursday classes are a great opportunity for morning people like us and he said they're being offered on a trial basis right now. They have three months to get the class level up to some magic number that'll justify its existence. So I'll be going at least on Tuesdays.
I'll probably go Tuesday and Thursday, but starting soon, there'll be a reason to stay in Everett even though it's the later time that I like less. Even though they were looking for someone to teach Tuesday and Thursday at 11:15 when I applied, they actually ended up using the two new people for Thursday at 11:15 and Friday at 7:45. Now my "main" instructor Judy will teach Monday and Tuesday while she goes back to school. I'm glad she has the opportunity to do this, though I'm already in the mood to retire and am baffled by people older than me who want to start a new career. I still wish her luck, of course.
So on Thursdays I'll have a choice between supporting a new instructor in a class that comes with a built-in crowd, or supporting one I already like that's on the bubble. The choice is obvious to me but I'll still be curious what the new one's class is like.
I may also end up going to Mill Creek on Fridays! If that's the case, I could end up not doing class with either of the new instructors here in Everett. The deciding factor there is whether my friend Melissa decides to join the Y. Mill Creek is convenient to her house, and if I join her there on Fridays, I can work my weekly WinCo trip into it. We met there on Friday and really liked the instructor's class. It was tough! Classes there are only 45 minutes and in this case, I was relieved. It will be less difficult next time I go because I'll join the other gentlemen who were further back in a deeper lane rather than stay up front where I have to crouch down a lot.
Though I will say the crouching was a really great workout for my hips.
Since the instructor didn't recognize us she came over to chat. I introduced myself as an Everett regular and Melissa as my guest, and told her that I like water fitness so much that I even applied recently. Her face lit up and she told us they are always looking and explained a specific need coming up in a few months. I told her that since I work full time I'd like to have my regular class be in Everett if I start teaching, but of course I have a few months to really think about it now and might change my mind.
If I'm there every week because Melissa joins, that'll definitely help me decide if it's a place I want to teach. It's definitely a nice pool for water fitness instructors who teach from the side of the pool because there's a special built-in surface designed specifically for that. But I don't see myself teaching from the side unless I have tatttoos to heal. I just picture my knees and ankles being very unhappy about that.
Today's the start of my first week where I get to do water fitness at roughly the same time every morning and I'm quite excited about it. That does mean I won't sneak in those extra Tuesday/Thursday morning walks, but I'm ok with that. Eight workouts in six days does begin to feel a bit excessive. And thankfully the morning light is coming back and hopefully bringing better outdoor walking weather with it. I walked outdoors yesterday when I spotted a break in the rain on the radar app, and it was glorious.
Anyway, the new opportunity in Mukilteo's a great one. I like going there. I like the instructor who'll run these new classes. And I feel lucky it worked out that way because there's an instructor who teaches there other times who I don't really vibe with. I've never had her class, but I've been near her in the water during someone else's. She's kinda flinty.
I mentioned to a classmate in Everett whose wife teaches the Wednesday Mukilteo class that the new Tueseday/Thursday classes are a great opportunity for morning people like us and he said they're being offered on a trial basis right now. They have three months to get the class level up to some magic number that'll justify its existence. So I'll be going at least on Tuesdays.
I'll probably go Tuesday and Thursday, but starting soon, there'll be a reason to stay in Everett even though it's the later time that I like less. Even though they were looking for someone to teach Tuesday and Thursday at 11:15 when I applied, they actually ended up using the two new people for Thursday at 11:15 and Friday at 7:45. Now my "main" instructor Judy will teach Monday and Tuesday while she goes back to school. I'm glad she has the opportunity to do this, though I'm already in the mood to retire and am baffled by people older than me who want to start a new career. I still wish her luck, of course.
So on Thursdays I'll have a choice between supporting a new instructor in a class that comes with a built-in crowd, or supporting one I already like that's on the bubble. The choice is obvious to me but I'll still be curious what the new one's class is like.
I may also end up going to Mill Creek on Fridays! If that's the case, I could end up not doing class with either of the new instructors here in Everett. The deciding factor there is whether my friend Melissa decides to join the Y. Mill Creek is convenient to her house, and if I join her there on Fridays, I can work my weekly WinCo trip into it. We met there on Friday and really liked the instructor's class. It was tough! Classes there are only 45 minutes and in this case, I was relieved. It will be less difficult next time I go because I'll join the other gentlemen who were further back in a deeper lane rather than stay up front where I have to crouch down a lot.
Though I will say the crouching was a really great workout for my hips.
Since the instructor didn't recognize us she came over to chat. I introduced myself as an Everett regular and Melissa as my guest, and told her that I like water fitness so much that I even applied recently. Her face lit up and she told us they are always looking and explained a specific need coming up in a few months. I told her that since I work full time I'd like to have my regular class be in Everett if I start teaching, but of course I have a few months to really think about it now and might change my mind.
If I'm there every week because Melissa joins, that'll definitely help me decide if it's a place I want to teach. It's definitely a nice pool for water fitness instructors who teach from the side of the pool because there's a special built-in surface designed specifically for that. But I don't see myself teaching from the side unless I have tatttoos to heal. I just picture my knees and ankles being very unhappy about that.
Today's the start of my first week where I get to do water fitness at roughly the same time every morning and I'm quite excited about it. That does mean I won't sneak in those extra Tuesday/Thursday morning walks, but I'm ok with that. Eight workouts in six days does begin to feel a bit excessive. And thankfully the morning light is coming back and hopefully bringing better outdoor walking weather with it. I walked outdoors yesterday when I spotted a break in the rain on the radar app, and it was glorious.
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The longest day
It's not really possible to know for sure where I picked up the little cold I have now, but it's funny that I have one this week. Just under a year ago, we went out with our friend Claire and later that week tested positive for COVID. I'm not sure if we got it that day or if I brought it home when I went out to a karaoke night to write about it later that week. The timeline for the former is a little long, but the one for the latter is a bit short. In the end, it doesn't really matter or change anything.
But! It's funny that we went to brunch with Claire Sunday and then Monday night I had a slight tickle. Tuesday and yesterday I had some stuffiness and still went to water fitness both days, but it was downhill from there yesterday afternoon. It's not all that bad, just bad enough to keep me home.
I wouldn't have been at the later class in Everett today anyway because I'm so happy about the earlier option in Mukilteo, but I heard from a friend who hasn't been to class lately who said she'd be there. And then I heard from her later that the lifeguard that's always goofing around to the music during class fell in the pool today. I'm a little bummed to have missed that. Don't worry, he's fine.
I'd really like to feel good enough tomorrow for class because it'll be the new Friday instructor's first session. She joined our class yesterday and we learned she's got some experience. It's fun to see what different instructors bring tot the table.
This morning I was curious if a sauna and exercise could help me get better faster, but the advice I found says no. You have to stay hydrated and sweating a lot is the opposite of that, and you need to rest and exercise is the opposite of that.
I've been up since 3:30 and that feels like ages ago. Not exercising really makes the day crawl.
But! It's funny that we went to brunch with Claire Sunday and then Monday night I had a slight tickle. Tuesday and yesterday I had some stuffiness and still went to water fitness both days, but it was downhill from there yesterday afternoon. It's not all that bad, just bad enough to keep me home.
I wouldn't have been at the later class in Everett today anyway because I'm so happy about the earlier option in Mukilteo, but I heard from a friend who hasn't been to class lately who said she'd be there. And then I heard from her later that the lifeguard that's always goofing around to the music during class fell in the pool today. I'm a little bummed to have missed that. Don't worry, he's fine.
I'd really like to feel good enough tomorrow for class because it'll be the new Friday instructor's first session. She joined our class yesterday and we learned she's got some experience. It's fun to see what different instructors bring tot the table.
This morning I was curious if a sauna and exercise could help me get better faster, but the advice I found says no. You have to stay hydrated and sweating a lot is the opposite of that, and you need to rest and exercise is the opposite of that.
I've been up since 3:30 and that feels like ages ago. Not exercising really makes the day crawl.
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Hello from Island HQ 3
I was sad to discover recently that our favorite dog-friendly rental in Coupeville was no longer available to rent via the Vacasa app, and I couldn't find it in Airbnb or VRBO either. It was the perfect getaway mainly because of its very large laundry room that's specifically marketed as a place to leave your dog if you need to get out of the house without it, which we needed in order to go to Oystercatcher, our favorite restaurant. It also had the perfect layout, put together with the understanding that people would want to enjoy its incredible view of the water as well as the TV. And there was a giant mirror on the side wall so you could see even more of the view. The huge sectional couch was even good enough to sleep on, which was handy for bringing my mother-in-law along.
I can't remember if the place we stayed a couple of times before right on the water allows dogs but it's not ideal because, being right on the water, it doesn't really have a yard. Just a deck on that side and a driveway next to the house. It was time to find a new dog-friendly spot.
That search proved to be tough. Lots of places are dog friendly here, but have a weight limit of 50 pounds. Tuvix weighs about 75. A lot of them also have rules stating the dog can't be left unsupervised. So, no going out to dinner. It took a lot of searching but I finally found three options to send to Garrett. Two of them had good views and hot tubs, and Garrett picked one that's got a huge fenced back yard overlooking a stunning bluff. This is the view from the back of the back yard. It's really crazy that the house next door doesn't have a back fence!
![20240209_170903]()
This house is better in just about every way. The last one didn't have a fence so Tuvix couldn't run around. It only had one bathroom and this one has two. This one has a hot tub. This one's a lot bigger. It's in Oak Harbor rather than Coupeville, but it doesn't really matter if you're driving to dinner if you have to drive eight miles instead of three. We decided not to go out this time, though. Better to see how it goes the first time without having to worry about what's going on with Tuvix back at the rental.
![20240209_171055]()
I'm not really worried about him misbehaving. Probably the main precaution to take would be to move items out from under the sink if he'll be home alone. We originally didn't have a child lock on our under-sink cabinet when we got him, but then I found him with a blue mouth chewing on a piece of steel wool. Garrett disagrees, but I think using one of the bathrooms as a temporary kennel would be an option if he's not comfortable leaving Tuvix in the main part of the house. Really the only major concern would be the rugs.
There are of course some drawbacks but nothing we can't overcome. The stove is a gas range, and I've never understood why people like them. It's very far from the sink and garbage so good mise en place is important. The pans are terrible, so I think we'll bring our own next time. The furniture layout isn't great, but we figured out what to do when we bring Garrett's mom. Thankfully, unlike in some places, there's no rule against moving the furniture. You're just expected to move it back. There's a firepit and tons of wood available, but the wood's not covered so there's a good chance it'll be wet. You can always dig deep to find some that's dry if it hasn't rained too much.
The biggest difference is that it's much less private. Nobody wants to lose any part of the great view out back, so everyone can see into everyone else's yard. Even the hot tub is in full view. If this were my house, I'd have to put up some nice garden walls around the hot tub for privacy. And that hot tub would be sunken down into the deck instead of precariously perched at the end with the only way in and out being a couple of very scary steps that are high up and have no handrail.
I'd actually want to change a lot of things if I were to live here. But as an occasional weekend getaway, it's great.
I can't remember if the place we stayed a couple of times before right on the water allows dogs but it's not ideal because, being right on the water, it doesn't really have a yard. Just a deck on that side and a driveway next to the house. It was time to find a new dog-friendly spot.
That search proved to be tough. Lots of places are dog friendly here, but have a weight limit of 50 pounds. Tuvix weighs about 75. A lot of them also have rules stating the dog can't be left unsupervised. So, no going out to dinner. It took a lot of searching but I finally found three options to send to Garrett. Two of them had good views and hot tubs, and Garrett picked one that's got a huge fenced back yard overlooking a stunning bluff. This is the view from the back of the back yard. It's really crazy that the house next door doesn't have a back fence!
This house is better in just about every way. The last one didn't have a fence so Tuvix couldn't run around. It only had one bathroom and this one has two. This one has a hot tub. This one's a lot bigger. It's in Oak Harbor rather than Coupeville, but it doesn't really matter if you're driving to dinner if you have to drive eight miles instead of three. We decided not to go out this time, though. Better to see how it goes the first time without having to worry about what's going on with Tuvix back at the rental.
I'm not really worried about him misbehaving. Probably the main precaution to take would be to move items out from under the sink if he'll be home alone. We originally didn't have a child lock on our under-sink cabinet when we got him, but then I found him with a blue mouth chewing on a piece of steel wool. Garrett disagrees, but I think using one of the bathrooms as a temporary kennel would be an option if he's not comfortable leaving Tuvix in the main part of the house. Really the only major concern would be the rugs.
There are of course some drawbacks but nothing we can't overcome. The stove is a gas range, and I've never understood why people like them. It's very far from the sink and garbage so good mise en place is important. The pans are terrible, so I think we'll bring our own next time. The furniture layout isn't great, but we figured out what to do when we bring Garrett's mom. Thankfully, unlike in some places, there's no rule against moving the furniture. You're just expected to move it back. There's a firepit and tons of wood available, but the wood's not covered so there's a good chance it'll be wet. You can always dig deep to find some that's dry if it hasn't rained too much.
The biggest difference is that it's much less private. Nobody wants to lose any part of the great view out back, so everyone can see into everyone else's yard. Even the hot tub is in full view. If this were my house, I'd have to put up some nice garden walls around the hot tub for privacy. And that hot tub would be sunken down into the deck instead of precariously perched at the end with the only way in and out being a couple of very scary steps that are high up and have no handrail.
I'd actually want to change a lot of things if I were to live here. But as an occasional weekend getaway, it's great.
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Finally, a photo
Water fitness class exists in a rare, phone-free space for me. When I get to the Y, I lock my keys, wallet, and phone in a security locker out in the lobby because locker rooms are the perfect environment for theft. Lots of alone time, and it's easy to bring bolt cutters in via a duffel bag. In spite of that, I went for years without using the security lockers. But a while back, I thought maybe I should use one, and then when I went in the locker room I saw that the part of one of the lockers that the lock goes through was severely bent. That sealed it and I always use the security locker now.
That makes things complicated sometimes. Wanna exchange numbers? Meet in the lobby afterward. Want someone's number that your friend has but you don't? Hopefully they'll remember to text them your number later on when they have their phone again. One time I got a message to pass to one friend that was passed to me from another. It took a send and two forwards to get it to its intended recipient.
Our instructor Esther asked at the end of class a week ago if she could take a photo and everyone was rightfully excited. We exist! We just don't have proof.
![Water fitness class 20240207]()
Of course, the end of the Wednesday class is the worst time to do it. It's already the hardest class each week in Everett, and a lot of people dip out by the end. There are 23 people in this photo, but there are often twice as many people in class and recently they counted 60 in the class and adjoining river walk!
We had no idea if and when we'd ever see the picture, so you can imagine how thrilled I was when it popped up in a Valentine's Day promo this morning. I love my water fitness friends and am so happy to have this picture of some of us.
That makes things complicated sometimes. Wanna exchange numbers? Meet in the lobby afterward. Want someone's number that your friend has but you don't? Hopefully they'll remember to text them your number later on when they have their phone again. One time I got a message to pass to one friend that was passed to me from another. It took a send and two forwards to get it to its intended recipient.
Our instructor Esther asked at the end of class a week ago if she could take a photo and everyone was rightfully excited. We exist! We just don't have proof.
Of course, the end of the Wednesday class is the worst time to do it. It's already the hardest class each week in Everett, and a lot of people dip out by the end. There are 23 people in this photo, but there are often twice as many people in class and recently they counted 60 in the class and adjoining river walk!
We had no idea if and when we'd ever see the picture, so you can imagine how thrilled I was when it popped up in a Valentine's Day promo this morning. I love my water fitness friends and am so happy to have this picture of some of us.
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What's been going on? A whole lotta nuthin'
I had the most minor cold I can ever remember having, but it seems like nothing good or simple can ever just be the end of it. After wondering if he had COVID for several days, Garrett finally tested positive on Sunday. I'd sat right next to him the entire day Saturday, so I decided to isolate all week, even as my tests kept coming back negative. I spend a lot of time with older folks at water fitness and as much as I miss them, the idea of getting any of them sick is a much worse prospect.
Garrett's tests are clearing up nicely, though his last dose of Paxlovid is today and we're bracing for a rebound. My Paxlovid rebound was pretty bad, but then again, so was my COVID. Garrett's case this time around is very mild, so hopefully it'll really be done this weekend.
We've been doing an excellent job staying away from each other, so as long as my test Monday morning is clear, I'll head out to water fitness. I'd like to go again Tuesday, but I have a recall repair scheduled for my van. I asked the guy who scheduled it for me if they take a long time and he said it's not the repair that does; they have to take photos and submit using an online form for approval, and that process can take hours. And unfortunately they're in Lynnwood, the next city south of us. There's currently no service dealer for Ford in Everett.
But that's ok. I took a half day off work and can take a bus from the dealer to the Korean spa and get a scrub and massage. That's definitely a great way to kill some time.
Garrett's tests are clearing up nicely, though his last dose of Paxlovid is today and we're bracing for a rebound. My Paxlovid rebound was pretty bad, but then again, so was my COVID. Garrett's case this time around is very mild, so hopefully it'll really be done this weekend.
We've been doing an excellent job staying away from each other, so as long as my test Monday morning is clear, I'll head out to water fitness. I'd like to go again Tuesday, but I have a recall repair scheduled for my van. I asked the guy who scheduled it for me if they take a long time and he said it's not the repair that does; they have to take photos and submit using an online form for approval, and that process can take hours. And unfortunately they're in Lynnwood, the next city south of us. There's currently no service dealer for Ford in Everett.
But that's ok. I took a half day off work and can take a bus from the dealer to the Korean spa and get a scrub and massage. That's definitely a great way to kill some time.
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Home base on wheels
I mentioned before that I had a recall repair scheduled for Venga, my van. What I didn't mention was what it was for. They're replacing all the door latches because some of them go bad, making it hard to keep the doors closed. Keeping the doors closed on a vehicle is quite important! I planned on missing class yesterday for that process and everyone ended up missing class Monday when we woke up to this.
![20240227_073743]()
Yup, that's a tear in that canopy. It didn't happen just because of the snow, it tore when I was pushing from underneath to get the snow off. Will this finally be the year we get a permanent solution? We shall see. I found one I want to check out in person.
As is often the case, the snow cleared quickly and I drove the ten miles to the dealership yesterday, then took the bus two miles back this way to get to the Korean spa. I had a fantastic time there, as usual. As the guy at the dealer suspected, they didn't have the parts, but they're able to get them overnight so work should begin tomorrow. I ended up leaving the van down there and taking the bus all the way home so I only have to make one more trip.
It definitely sucks not having my van. I scored a ride to class this morning but my gym bag is--you guessed it--in the van. It wasn't too hard to assemble a bag of alternate supplies, but I'll have to wash the Crocs I keep at home in the shower this morning because I use them to go outside here and don't want to track dirt around the facility. True, I could wash them in the shower at the Y, but then I'd have to carry them in another bag, separately from everything else.
One thing that's not in my van that I wish I thought to bring along yesterday was my earbuds. There's nothing quite like a bus ride when you have to listen to everyone else. The earbuds are kept in my hydration backpack that I walk with, so they weren't abandoned at the dealer. But it never occurred to me to bring them along. That's what happens when you no longer spend three hours on the bus each day.
Speaking of walking, I do very little of that now that morning water fitness is available every weekday. But I recently was out on the waterfront and was very impressed with what my camera was able to capture. The first image below is no zoom, and then I zoomed in on the mountains for the second.
![20240222_070817]()
![20240222_070828]()
I was really shocked at the level of detail when I saw it later on a computer.
Yesterday thanks to the melting snow it took about a half hour to drive to the dealer. The bus route between here and there is a nice express route that runs every ten minutes or fewer during the day, and Google Maps estimates 49 minutes for me to get there by bus when the time comes. It's nice to have a great bus route like that available, but I'll be glad to have Venga back.
Yup, that's a tear in that canopy. It didn't happen just because of the snow, it tore when I was pushing from underneath to get the snow off. Will this finally be the year we get a permanent solution? We shall see. I found one I want to check out in person.
As is often the case, the snow cleared quickly and I drove the ten miles to the dealership yesterday, then took the bus two miles back this way to get to the Korean spa. I had a fantastic time there, as usual. As the guy at the dealer suspected, they didn't have the parts, but they're able to get them overnight so work should begin tomorrow. I ended up leaving the van down there and taking the bus all the way home so I only have to make one more trip.
It definitely sucks not having my van. I scored a ride to class this morning but my gym bag is--you guessed it--in the van. It wasn't too hard to assemble a bag of alternate supplies, but I'll have to wash the Crocs I keep at home in the shower this morning because I use them to go outside here and don't want to track dirt around the facility. True, I could wash them in the shower at the Y, but then I'd have to carry them in another bag, separately from everything else.
One thing that's not in my van that I wish I thought to bring along yesterday was my earbuds. There's nothing quite like a bus ride when you have to listen to everyone else. The earbuds are kept in my hydration backpack that I walk with, so they weren't abandoned at the dealer. But it never occurred to me to bring them along. That's what happens when you no longer spend three hours on the bus each day.
Speaking of walking, I do very little of that now that morning water fitness is available every weekday. But I recently was out on the waterfront and was very impressed with what my camera was able to capture. The first image below is no zoom, and then I zoomed in on the mountains for the second.
I was really shocked at the level of detail when I saw it later on a computer.
Yesterday thanks to the melting snow it took about a half hour to drive to the dealer. The bus route between here and there is a nice express route that runs every ten minutes or fewer during the day, and Google Maps estimates 49 minutes for me to get there by bus when the time comes. It's nice to have a great bus route like that available, but I'll be glad to have Venga back.
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Manifesting
I will be a contestant on The Floor.
I will win.
I will be a fan favorite and Rob Lowe will retire and I'll become the new host.
Please don't ask me what category I'd like to play. I feel like that would jinx it somehow.
I will win.
I will be a fan favorite and Rob Lowe will retire and I'll become the new host.
Please don't ask me what category I'd like to play. I feel like that would jinx it somehow.
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A taste of the action
Yesterday before class at the exact moment I pulled my swimming resistance gloves out of my bag to lend them to Judy the water fitness instructor, Judy appeared right next to me out of nowhere. Absolutely incredible timing. I bought those gloves anticipating a day when I'd just need a little more oomph from my workout, and I learned a couple of weeks ago that they'll definitely provide it. I wore them for about ten minutes during an already-tough class and had to take them off.
Judy was curious about them because one of her hands gets a little sore and she wanted to see if they would help. I told her to keep them as long as she wanted so she could truly know whether she wants a pair. She mentioned that the shin splints that kept her away from class while I was away isolated due to Garrett's COVID were still an issue, and asked if I could be available to join at the front of class to properly demonstrate jumping exercises she can't currently do.
I said I'd be more than happy to, of course. It turns out it's very important. No matter how much an instructor explains something, a lot of the students will do what they see the instructor doing, rather than what they say to do. Every single class, she explains that a certain hand motion means to try to kick your own butt with your heels, and even yells, "Kick your own butt!" while doing the motion. I always spot someone doing the hand motion instead of the kicking. That's why she needs jumpers to help, otherwise a huge swath of people won't jump when they're supposed to.
Everyone cheered when she called me up. Quite a few people have told me they'd love to see me teach, even before I ever applied. And I'm always turning around and scanning through the whole class each time, checking in with my friends and goofing around.
Helping Judy teach was such a rush and so much fun. But it was also exhausting. The spot she teaches from is shallower than what I normally work out in, and it was a lot harder there. It doesn't seem like it would make a huge difference, but it really, really does. I got really wiped out and hot, really fast, with literally everyone watching.
Some of the dumbbell exercises also involve jumping, but once we moved past those, I ended up putting a little less effort than normal in because I wanted to demonstrate the proper form that everyone else should be doing, but lower in the water. One move mimics archery, and it's surprisingly difficult to maintain the correct motion over and over, even though I've been doing it weekly since the end of October.
Two friends I know originally from Livejournal were there; it was Joleen's second time in class and Melissa has come to a lot of different ones with me. I've been telling Melissa that Judy is my overall favorite instructor because it's the perfect mix of fun and exercise, and she's the most thoughtful when it comes to matching up exercises and music. Melissa agreed, and ended up joining for real yesterday. That came together nicely because her husband recently joined at another location, so she was able to convert that to a couple's membership and pay less than she would have on her own.
I normally do only morning classes now that Tuesday and Thursday are available to me at Mukilteo, but I'm going to the later one in Everett because Melissa happens to be able to go today and was excited for a second day in a row with Judy.
I've had the same conversation a few times with Mike, who originally suggested that I could be an instructor. I say the start time isn't great because people who need to go to work have a hard time with a class that's 7:45-8:45, and I'm just very lucky to have a flexible schedule. He replies that water fitness is mainly enjoyed by retirees. I say that'll always be the case if people with jobs can't come. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy.
But the pool is usually packed enough that maybe someday the demand will be there for additional classes. I think it'd be neat if there was one that was a lot earlier. And I'm super curious if the people I used to talk to in the pool at 5:15 would do a class at that time. I guess all I can do for now is keep recruiting.
After class yesterday I emailed the person who handled my application to be an instructor. She previously said she could send my application around to other locations but I declined, stating that I'd prefer Everett as my home base. Judy convinced me I should try to get my foot in the door wherever I can, so I asked my application to be send to Mill Creek, Mukilteo, and Marysville.
Even if nothing ever comes of that, I'm still so happy being in class. It was really neat to get a little taste of what it's like up front, though.
Judy was curious about them because one of her hands gets a little sore and she wanted to see if they would help. I told her to keep them as long as she wanted so she could truly know whether she wants a pair. She mentioned that the shin splints that kept her away from class while I was away isolated due to Garrett's COVID were still an issue, and asked if I could be available to join at the front of class to properly demonstrate jumping exercises she can't currently do.
I said I'd be more than happy to, of course. It turns out it's very important. No matter how much an instructor explains something, a lot of the students will do what they see the instructor doing, rather than what they say to do. Every single class, she explains that a certain hand motion means to try to kick your own butt with your heels, and even yells, "Kick your own butt!" while doing the motion. I always spot someone doing the hand motion instead of the kicking. That's why she needs jumpers to help, otherwise a huge swath of people won't jump when they're supposed to.
Everyone cheered when she called me up. Quite a few people have told me they'd love to see me teach, even before I ever applied. And I'm always turning around and scanning through the whole class each time, checking in with my friends and goofing around.
Helping Judy teach was such a rush and so much fun. But it was also exhausting. The spot she teaches from is shallower than what I normally work out in, and it was a lot harder there. It doesn't seem like it would make a huge difference, but it really, really does. I got really wiped out and hot, really fast, with literally everyone watching.
Some of the dumbbell exercises also involve jumping, but once we moved past those, I ended up putting a little less effort than normal in because I wanted to demonstrate the proper form that everyone else should be doing, but lower in the water. One move mimics archery, and it's surprisingly difficult to maintain the correct motion over and over, even though I've been doing it weekly since the end of October.
Two friends I know originally from Livejournal were there; it was Joleen's second time in class and Melissa has come to a lot of different ones with me. I've been telling Melissa that Judy is my overall favorite instructor because it's the perfect mix of fun and exercise, and she's the most thoughtful when it comes to matching up exercises and music. Melissa agreed, and ended up joining for real yesterday. That came together nicely because her husband recently joined at another location, so she was able to convert that to a couple's membership and pay less than she would have on her own.
I normally do only morning classes now that Tuesday and Thursday are available to me at Mukilteo, but I'm going to the later one in Everett because Melissa happens to be able to go today and was excited for a second day in a row with Judy.
I've had the same conversation a few times with Mike, who originally suggested that I could be an instructor. I say the start time isn't great because people who need to go to work have a hard time with a class that's 7:45-8:45, and I'm just very lucky to have a flexible schedule. He replies that water fitness is mainly enjoyed by retirees. I say that'll always be the case if people with jobs can't come. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy.
But the pool is usually packed enough that maybe someday the demand will be there for additional classes. I think it'd be neat if there was one that was a lot earlier. And I'm super curious if the people I used to talk to in the pool at 5:15 would do a class at that time. I guess all I can do for now is keep recruiting.
After class yesterday I emailed the person who handled my application to be an instructor. She previously said she could send my application around to other locations but I declined, stating that I'd prefer Everett as my home base. Judy convinced me I should try to get my foot in the door wherever I can, so I asked my application to be send to Mill Creek, Mukilteo, and Marysville.
Even if nothing ever comes of that, I'm still so happy being in class. It was really neat to get a little taste of what it's like up front, though.
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Morning math
Yesterday after class in Mukilteo, one of my classmates told me about that facility's eGym system, and that piqued my interest. You may remember, I left a message to talk to a trainer at that location and never heard back, and in the meantime found water fitness and fell in love with it anyway. But one machine that you sign into with a fob that can set the proper weight for you and instruct you and keep track of your progress sounds so much better than figuring out a whole routine on top of learning to use regular weights or machines safely.
That location isn't just the only YMCA with the machine around, it's the only gym in the state that has one. So hopefully it won't be too hard to get a reservation. I'm kind of kicking myself this morning for not stopping at the front desk to ask about it on the way out of class. But I hadn't had time to really think about it yet.
I'm not going to Mukilteo on Tuesday because I'm getting my teeth cleaned, so I thought it would be smart to see if I can be set up to use the system before class on Thursday. The options are to call a number or to talk to the front desk, so I'll just stop by today. That required a little planning, times are estimates of course:
15 minutes to drive to Mukilteo YMCA
15 minutes to talk to them about eGym
15 minutes to drive from there to WinCo for my weekly veg stockup*
20 minutes for that shopping
10 minutes to drive to Everett YMCA
I'd like to arrive at 7:15 as class starts at 7:45, so I'll leave at 6:00. I'm pretty good at this. Recently I managed to hit Lowe's to pick up our new kitchen faucet as well as WinCo--both about as far from the YMCA but in opposite directions--and arrive two minutes before my goal time. And of course it's never really that big a deal because I pad my arrival to my workout so much. What can I say? It's a great place to be, so even if I'm way early today, I'll be that much happier.
*Baby carrots, celery, and grape/cherry tomatoes, I eat them along with Grillo's pickles with every breakfast and almost every lunch.
That location isn't just the only YMCA with the machine around, it's the only gym in the state that has one. So hopefully it won't be too hard to get a reservation. I'm kind of kicking myself this morning for not stopping at the front desk to ask about it on the way out of class. But I hadn't had time to really think about it yet.
I'm not going to Mukilteo on Tuesday because I'm getting my teeth cleaned, so I thought it would be smart to see if I can be set up to use the system before class on Thursday. The options are to call a number or to talk to the front desk, so I'll just stop by today. That required a little planning, times are estimates of course:
15 minutes to drive to Mukilteo YMCA
15 minutes to talk to them about eGym
15 minutes to drive from there to WinCo for my weekly veg stockup*
20 minutes for that shopping
10 minutes to drive to Everett YMCA
I'd like to arrive at 7:15 as class starts at 7:45, so I'll leave at 6:00. I'm pretty good at this. Recently I managed to hit Lowe's to pick up our new kitchen faucet as well as WinCo--both about as far from the YMCA but in opposite directions--and arrive two minutes before my goal time. And of course it's never really that big a deal because I pad my arrival to my workout so much. What can I say? It's a great place to be, so even if I'm way early today, I'll be that much happier.
*Baby carrots, celery, and grape/cherry tomatoes, I eat them along with Grillo's pickles with every breakfast and almost every lunch.
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Decor update
Remodeling the orange bathroom was also a reset. The previous version was more of a junky, maximalist vibe, and I couldn't bear to bring most of what was in it into the new, sleek version. So now I have a lot of orange decor I should probably hang up in my room and office, and some space to fill on the walls in the bathroom. I was feeling productive Thursday morning so I grabbed a couple of frames from the garage and got to work hanging a couple of new acquisitions. The main motivator was seeing my good friend Shannon for the first time in over a decade, which would also be her first time seeing our house.
A couple of different people sent me an Instagram Reel of Brandon Campbell working on a very cool cityscape design, which I liked a lot, but not enough to buy right now. But then I found this:
![Art by Brandon Campbell]()
I was really bummed to get rid of our Corelle Butterfly Gold dishes recently due to their lead content. This reminded me of the design so I snatched it up. And we kept a few Butterfly Gold pieces to use underneath plant pots. I should have kept more.
![Art by Daniel Ryan]()
This print by Daniel Ryan reminded me of Sam and Steve, and I was so glad it was orange so I had a good justification for the purchase.
I've already mentioned that it'll be a while before I get new tattoos thanks to all the time I spend in the pool. But my ears stay out of the water, so I'm making some changes there. As much as I loved the way the three identical blue rings looked as bubbles for my fish tattoo in the rook, daith, and forward helix placements, the outer ones weren't comfortable. We switched the rook to a curved barbell a few weeks ago, and the forward helix to a nice flat disk on Friday.
![Updated fish ear]()
Now I can sleep without a travel pillow taking the pressure off my ear. But not for long. I have some jewelry on order for both ears. And Ben got two sizes of that disc for me to choose from, and I thought of a use for the extra disc yesterday. But there's no point in sharing until each new piercing is done.
A couple of different people sent me an Instagram Reel of Brandon Campbell working on a very cool cityscape design, which I liked a lot, but not enough to buy right now. But then I found this:
I was really bummed to get rid of our Corelle Butterfly Gold dishes recently due to their lead content. This reminded me of the design so I snatched it up. And we kept a few Butterfly Gold pieces to use underneath plant pots. I should have kept more.
This print by Daniel Ryan reminded me of Sam and Steve, and I was so glad it was orange so I had a good justification for the purchase.
I've already mentioned that it'll be a while before I get new tattoos thanks to all the time I spend in the pool. But my ears stay out of the water, so I'm making some changes there. As much as I loved the way the three identical blue rings looked as bubbles for my fish tattoo in the rook, daith, and forward helix placements, the outer ones weren't comfortable. We switched the rook to a curved barbell a few weeks ago, and the forward helix to a nice flat disk on Friday.
Now I can sleep without a travel pillow taking the pressure off my ear. But not for long. I have some jewelry on order for both ears. And Ben got two sizes of that disc for me to choose from, and I thought of a use for the extra disc yesterday. But there's no point in sharing until each new piercing is done.
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Not waiting to weight
Yesterday was my eGym orientation, which was great. Better than I thought it would be, because I thought it was one machine and if that was the case, it'd come with difficulty getting a reservation on it. Turns out it's a circuit of machines, so a rolling group of as many people as there are machines in the circuit can use it at the same time with minimal waiting. The original plan was to start Thursday before class because I'm doing today's later water fitness class thanks to a dental cleaning appointment.
But then I woke up at 3:11 and realized I have plenty of time to do everything I want. I'll head out to Mukilteo in time to arrive when the facility opens at 5:00, do 1-2 circuts on the eGym (30-60 minutes) and then hit the grocery store for some frozen chicken we need* on the way back home. Soon it'll be time to get my teeth cleaned, and then later will be water fitness at 11:15.
That should be my last late class for a very long time because I really want to do strength training twice a week. And that just so happens to be available at the facility I want to be in early Tuesday and Thursday anyway.
*Garrett made chicken and rice for Tuvix yesterday because he wasn't really interested in his regular food and when I took him out to do his thing, it wasn't entirely solid. Frozen chicken breasts or tenderloins are a staple item here, but we only had one piece left.
But then I woke up at 3:11 and realized I have plenty of time to do everything I want. I'll head out to Mukilteo in time to arrive when the facility opens at 5:00, do 1-2 circuts on the eGym (30-60 minutes) and then hit the grocery store for some frozen chicken we need* on the way back home. Soon it'll be time to get my teeth cleaned, and then later will be water fitness at 11:15.
That should be my last late class for a very long time because I really want to do strength training twice a week. And that just so happens to be available at the facility I want to be in early Tuesday and Thursday anyway.
*Garrett made chicken and rice for Tuvix yesterday because he wasn't really interested in his regular food and when I took him out to do his thing, it wasn't entirely solid. Frozen chicken breasts or tenderloins are a staple item here, but we only had one piece left.
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A new view of my piercings
I had my dental cleaning this morning and wasn't expecting that it'd include a full set of x-rays. Imagine my delight when I looked up and saw all my jewelry on the screen:
![Piercing x-ray, full]()
I asked if they would email that image above and they did! So here's a closer look at each.
![Piercing x-ray, left ear]()
Left ear from top to bottom: forward helix, rook, daith, double lobe orbitals
![Piercing x-ray, right ear]()
Right ear from top to bottom: rook-to-conch industrial, upper lobe orbital, lobe
I asked if they would email that image above and they did! So here's a closer look at each.
Left ear from top to bottom: forward helix, rook, daith, double lobe orbitals
Right ear from top to bottom: rook-to-conch industrial, upper lobe orbital, lobe
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Athleisure Suit Larry
I never really understood the athleisure concept, where people have an outfit that they'll wear all or most of the day and that will include a workout. And I'm generally not a person who sweats a lot unless it's summer and I'm walking outside. Maybe it's because I always wore my walking outfits for a whole week or until they got too wet or dirty, whichever came first.
But now that I'm doing strength training followed by the pool on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I kinda get it. And I guess the employees at the YMCA are all great examples. Everyone you see there working at the front desk is in a nice ahtletic outfit. How many of them are teaching or joining a class that day or just working out at some point? No clue, but they're all ready for it and I suspect they all just have a different standard for how sweaty it's ok to get at some point during the day. And I'm sure the ones who really end up drenched go from their office athletic gear to their workout/instruction gear and back.
I realized I probably wouldn't like trying to stuff a whole second outfit in my swim bag, so I got a bigger one. This one doesn't have a waterproof compartment like the old one, so there's a challenge. I kept my shower towel and the hand towel I used at the sink afterward in there. That compartment usually isn't necessary because I keep my bag on a hook at the entrance of the shower area, but once in a while those are full and the bag gets wet. It's been a long time since that happened, though. If it becomes an issue, I'll just get a smaller waterproof bag to keep towels in. I already found one I like.
That compartment would still be handy right now because thanks to strength training, I have a fob and my earbuds to contend with. They don't have to come with me to the pool or the shower area, but I still wanted something to keep them in. I started searching "small waterproof case" on ye olde Amazon and wasn't quite seeing what I wanted, but then I remembered, I have a ton of small waterproof cases. I needed something for hair gel, and the one I liked came in a 12-pack. So I have gel in the van for spa days, gel in my indoor walking bag, and gel in my swim stuff.
Of course, that indoor walking bag's about to get put away for a while. Currently Sunday's the walking day, and that'll always be outdoors because the Y doesn't open until 10am. I really wish they opened at 5am every day. Even if they couldn't open the pool until later on the weekends, I know a lot of people would make use of the rest of the facility.
I'm all packed up now. I'll wear my shoes and socks, which I rarely do because you have to get your feet really dry after the shower for those. If I have my Crocs on, I don't care about a little dampness. But they don't sound great for the weight room even though I'm not using free weights. Shorts and a tank top with appropriate undergear are folded up nicely, along with an extra hand towel for wiping down each machine as I get off it.
If I were to go that athleisure route, I'd forego street clothes altogether and just show up in my weight room outfit plus a hoodie. That'd certainly save some time and space in the bag, but I'm just not into the idea of coming out of the pool, showering, drying off, and then putting on something I worked out in earlier.
Of course this will all get switched up again should I ever become an instructor. They all make their initial appearance in Y gear and set up before getting into swim gear. Except for the ones who teach from the side of the pool who just live the athleisure life the entire time.
But now that I'm doing strength training followed by the pool on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I kinda get it. And I guess the employees at the YMCA are all great examples. Everyone you see there working at the front desk is in a nice ahtletic outfit. How many of them are teaching or joining a class that day or just working out at some point? No clue, but they're all ready for it and I suspect they all just have a different standard for how sweaty it's ok to get at some point during the day. And I'm sure the ones who really end up drenched go from their office athletic gear to their workout/instruction gear and back.
I realized I probably wouldn't like trying to stuff a whole second outfit in my swim bag, so I got a bigger one. This one doesn't have a waterproof compartment like the old one, so there's a challenge. I kept my shower towel and the hand towel I used at the sink afterward in there. That compartment usually isn't necessary because I keep my bag on a hook at the entrance of the shower area, but once in a while those are full and the bag gets wet. It's been a long time since that happened, though. If it becomes an issue, I'll just get a smaller waterproof bag to keep towels in. I already found one I like.
That compartment would still be handy right now because thanks to strength training, I have a fob and my earbuds to contend with. They don't have to come with me to the pool or the shower area, but I still wanted something to keep them in. I started searching "small waterproof case" on ye olde Amazon and wasn't quite seeing what I wanted, but then I remembered, I have a ton of small waterproof cases. I needed something for hair gel, and the one I liked came in a 12-pack. So I have gel in the van for spa days, gel in my indoor walking bag, and gel in my swim stuff.
Of course, that indoor walking bag's about to get put away for a while. Currently Sunday's the walking day, and that'll always be outdoors because the Y doesn't open until 10am. I really wish they opened at 5am every day. Even if they couldn't open the pool until later on the weekends, I know a lot of people would make use of the rest of the facility.
I'm all packed up now. I'll wear my shoes and socks, which I rarely do because you have to get your feet really dry after the shower for those. If I have my Crocs on, I don't care about a little dampness. But they don't sound great for the weight room even though I'm not using free weights. Shorts and a tank top with appropriate undergear are folded up nicely, along with an extra hand towel for wiping down each machine as I get off it.
If I were to go that athleisure route, I'd forego street clothes altogether and just show up in my weight room outfit plus a hoodie. That'd certainly save some time and space in the bag, but I'm just not into the idea of coming out of the pool, showering, drying off, and then putting on something I worked out in earlier.
Of course this will all get switched up again should I ever become an instructor. They all make their initial appearance in Y gear and set up before getting into swim gear. Except for the ones who teach from the side of the pool who just live the athleisure life the entire time.
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The aforementioned shorts and tank top
I was rereading the last entry and realized it had been a while since I posted a selfie here. I liked that outfit so much that I got a photo and even flipped it so the tank top makes sense. If you get the joke.
![Not a gym selfie!]()
I really like those shorts and have no idea why I put them away in a drawer for years. I've been wearing black shorts with my tights when I walk for a long time, but I can't remember why I quit buying patterns. I think I'll look for patterns next time I have to shop for shorts.
Anyway, here's proof of life. I saw at flickr how few photos I've posted lately. It makes sense because I was already taking fewer photos during walks because I've been going to the same places for so long. And now I'm usually in the pool instead.
I trimmed my beard down a bit the next time I was in the shower after that.
I really like those shorts and have no idea why I put them away in a drawer for years. I've been wearing black shorts with my tights when I walk for a long time, but I can't remember why I quit buying patterns. I think I'll look for patterns next time I have to shop for shorts.
Anyway, here's proof of life. I saw at flickr how few photos I've posted lately. It makes sense because I was already taking fewer photos during walks because I've been going to the same places for so long. And now I'm usually in the pool instead.
I trimmed my beard down a bit the next time I was in the shower after that.
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Icon origins
For a long time now, I've introduced new blog icons with a post. And it's also been a very long time since I added a new one. I didn't even bother adding additional icons at Dreamwidth until I noticed recently that they had the option to import them from Livejournal. And in that process, I accidentally imported all the entries I manually posted at Dreamwidth ever since cross posting stopped working, doubling them. Oops.
But one of my favorite former LJ friends Ed messaged me a nice 575 photo today and I decided it should be my new icon. He spotted it on TV while watching the New York St. Patrick's Day Parade on TV. New York is great for 575 spottings because it has very long blocks.
![575 NYC]()
What a lovely treatment on the numbers. And I love the accidental Mondrian effect.
But one of my favorite former LJ friends Ed messaged me a nice 575 photo today and I decided it should be my new icon. He spotted it on TV while watching the New York St. Patrick's Day Parade on TV. New York is great for 575 spottings because it has very long blocks.
What a lovely treatment on the numbers. And I love the accidental Mondrian effect.
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Here we go
I recently mentioned that I asked the Everett Y to go ahead and send my application to be a water fitness instructor over to Marysville, Mukilteo, and Mill Creek. My contact here recently let me know I might hear from Mill Creek, which I kind of expected since I talked to an instructor who was planning on leaving. Instead, I heard from Marysville! Their Monday/Friday morning classes are so popular that they often hit capacity, so they're doing the smart thing and adding Tuesday/Thursday. Would I be interested? Would I ever!
Of course a lot has to happen between now and then. Lots of training and certification, and then I have to come up with playlists and routines. Thankfully I work with four different instructors each week and I have a lot to draw from. And I already got one to agree to share the routine that she and everyone else at that facility use. I don't plan to copy that class by any means, but there's a lot of great dumbbell work in it.
We talked about making my class earlier, too. Classes in Marysville used to be at 6:30am and those current Monday/Friday classes are at 7:45. I said if 7:45 is what they want for four days of the same thing, I'm game, but it's a better opportunity to offer something earlier. That way people who still work but whose schedules aren't as flexible as mine can enjoy water fitness. Nothing is set in stone yet, but 6:30 is looking pretty likely.
There are a couple of drawbacks. The most major one is, that facility requires instructors to teach from the deck rather than the water. I've always seen that while I was there, but figured it was the instructor's choice. I'm fine with it, but I have to get creative in order to demonstrate things I normally do floating in the water standing at the side of the pool instead. I also have to be mindful of my speed. You can go so much faster when you're not in the water, but that won't help anyone.
The other thing to contend with is that they don't give the instructors a headset microphone. They tried, but were never able to get it so people in the pool could hear well enough to make it worth it. So that means a little bit of yelling, and being mindful of my need to use as few words as possible in order to preserve my voice. I'm not a loud person at all, so that will be interesting.
It feels premature to talk about this right now, but getting ramped up is going to consume a lot of my time, so there might not be anything else to talk about for a while.
Right now I'm doing strength training Tuesday and Thursday before class in Mukilteo, and won't be able to do that any more. So I might do strength training Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early and then drive back to Everett for water fitness. I live close enough to the Everett Y that it's not really extra driving. I mean there's lots of extra driving because I'd be leaving Everett every weekday morning, but going to the local Y isn't extra driving on top of that.
One thing that excites me a lot is getting to tell my Everett instructors that I'll be able to sub for them. I'll be in those classes anyway, may as well lead when needed.
Of course a lot has to happen between now and then. Lots of training and certification, and then I have to come up with playlists and routines. Thankfully I work with four different instructors each week and I have a lot to draw from. And I already got one to agree to share the routine that she and everyone else at that facility use. I don't plan to copy that class by any means, but there's a lot of great dumbbell work in it.
We talked about making my class earlier, too. Classes in Marysville used to be at 6:30am and those current Monday/Friday classes are at 7:45. I said if 7:45 is what they want for four days of the same thing, I'm game, but it's a better opportunity to offer something earlier. That way people who still work but whose schedules aren't as flexible as mine can enjoy water fitness. Nothing is set in stone yet, but 6:30 is looking pretty likely.
There are a couple of drawbacks. The most major one is, that facility requires instructors to teach from the deck rather than the water. I've always seen that while I was there, but figured it was the instructor's choice. I'm fine with it, but I have to get creative in order to demonstrate things I normally do floating in the water standing at the side of the pool instead. I also have to be mindful of my speed. You can go so much faster when you're not in the water, but that won't help anyone.
The other thing to contend with is that they don't give the instructors a headset microphone. They tried, but were never able to get it so people in the pool could hear well enough to make it worth it. So that means a little bit of yelling, and being mindful of my need to use as few words as possible in order to preserve my voice. I'm not a loud person at all, so that will be interesting.
It feels premature to talk about this right now, but getting ramped up is going to consume a lot of my time, so there might not be anything else to talk about for a while.
Right now I'm doing strength training Tuesday and Thursday before class in Mukilteo, and won't be able to do that any more. So I might do strength training Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early and then drive back to Everett for water fitness. I live close enough to the Everett Y that it's not really extra driving. I mean there's lots of extra driving because I'd be leaving Everett every weekday morning, but going to the local Y isn't extra driving on top of that.
One thing that excites me a lot is getting to tell my Everett instructors that I'll be able to sub for them. I'll be in those classes anyway, may as well lead when needed.
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Today in TimeHop
11 years ago, I walked several miles each morning Monday-Thursday to the bus stop farthest from our place. It was the Montlake freeway stop and the next stop was on the other side of the lake. I also would ride the bus well past my office, often all the way to the end of the line, and walk the rest of the way. Depending on timing, sometimes I would do a neighborhood loop before getting on that bus that took me by the Seattle yacht club. On that day, because I was on that segment of walking rather than waiting at the bus stop, I missed witnessing a fatal wrong-way head-on freeway collision.
The guy whose fault it was had been up all night drinking and tried to make his way back to Tacoma, but was heading toward I-405 instead of I-5. Both would work, but for some reason he decided to turn around on 520. The woman he killed normally took the bus, but had plans after work so she drove. I didn't know exactly what had happened until a few hours later, and our bus ride to work took a very long time because we had to take I-90. It was not that guy's first drunk driving incident.
A year later, we no longer lived in Seattle. We took a bus from our apartment in South Everett to the downtown area for some bar hopping and a pedicure. That was our first time in Everett's only gay bar at the time. Eventually that owner would move to a bigger space and take over an additional restaurant, but ultimately had to close both businesses. He opened a bar a few cities North of here that was the target of a lot of harassment, which ultimately closed after a fire. There hasn't been a gay bar in Everett since.
The guy whose fault it was had been up all night drinking and tried to make his way back to Tacoma, but was heading toward I-405 instead of I-5. Both would work, but for some reason he decided to turn around on 520. The woman he killed normally took the bus, but had plans after work so she drove. I didn't know exactly what had happened until a few hours later, and our bus ride to work took a very long time because we had to take I-90. It was not that guy's first drunk driving incident.
A year later, we no longer lived in Seattle. We took a bus from our apartment in South Everett to the downtown area for some bar hopping and a pedicure. That was our first time in Everett's only gay bar at the time. Eventually that owner would move to a bigger space and take over an additional restaurant, but ultimately had to close both businesses. He opened a bar a few cities North of here that was the target of a lot of harassment, which ultimately closed after a fire. There hasn't been a gay bar in Everett since.
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Ears update
Most of the pictures I post of myself and my ears are in selfie mode, flipped. It's because I choose to share myself the way I see myself, which is in the mirror. But these are some very nice new photos of my ears taken by Vaella, the apprentice at Foundation Body Arts.
![Ear update]()
This is the one that's been pierced most recently. Vaella was looking to do forward helix piercings, among others, so I decided I'd add one on this side. That color is called "blurple" and is somewhere between blue and purple. The two peacock opals are a surface piercing done by Ben, the main piercer at the shop. My first surface piercing ever! They've always been available but this tragus-adjacent placement is the first one I've ever wanted. I just don't see myself getting anything done on my cheek, forehead, or anything else quite so prominent. The surface tragus piercing just looks like another ear piercing at first glance. In fact, the first time I saw one was on the show Bar Rescue, and that person had one and a matching tragus, and it looked like three tragus piercings. Very impressive! I'd consider that if a tragus piercing wouldn't stop me from using earbuds and earplugs. I hope this heals well, I like it a lot and have some cool ideas for jewelry options.
![Ear update]()
My fish orginally had three "bubbles" in the form of matching rings in my daith, rook, and forward helix. I switched to a barbell in the rook and a disc in the forward helix for comfort. Ben gave me two options for disc size and I chose the larger one. A few days later, I asked if he still had the smaller one, and if he could pierce below the existing forward helix. He did, he could, and it looks great. I also asked for a circular barbell for the daith to add another bubble, and he suggested popping a bead between the two balls on that. So when that comes, I'll have gone from three bubbles to seven. And I think I'll stop there.
Thanks to our tax refund I have some money for tattoos, but will hold off a bit before scheduling those. Right now is definitely not a great time to take a break from the pool.
This is the one that's been pierced most recently. Vaella was looking to do forward helix piercings, among others, so I decided I'd add one on this side. That color is called "blurple" and is somewhere between blue and purple. The two peacock opals are a surface piercing done by Ben, the main piercer at the shop. My first surface piercing ever! They've always been available but this tragus-adjacent placement is the first one I've ever wanted. I just don't see myself getting anything done on my cheek, forehead, or anything else quite so prominent. The surface tragus piercing just looks like another ear piercing at first glance. In fact, the first time I saw one was on the show Bar Rescue, and that person had one and a matching tragus, and it looked like three tragus piercings. Very impressive! I'd consider that if a tragus piercing wouldn't stop me from using earbuds and earplugs. I hope this heals well, I like it a lot and have some cool ideas for jewelry options.
My fish orginally had three "bubbles" in the form of matching rings in my daith, rook, and forward helix. I switched to a barbell in the rook and a disc in the forward helix for comfort. Ben gave me two options for disc size and I chose the larger one. A few days later, I asked if he still had the smaller one, and if he could pierce below the existing forward helix. He did, he could, and it looks great. I also asked for a circular barbell for the daith to add another bubble, and he suggested popping a bead between the two balls on that. So when that comes, I'll have gone from three bubbles to seven. And I think I'll stop there.
Thanks to our tax refund I have some money for tattoos, but will hold off a bit before scheduling those. Right now is definitely not a great time to take a break from the pool.
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A colorful afternoon with Bev
A few weeks ago, Garrett's mom Bev mentioned she'd love to do a paint and sip sometime, and coincidentally, our neighborhood bar posted that they had one coming up yesterday. And it was a perfect day to take her to it because Garrett's out of town this weekend for aviation stuff. The only reason I knew about the event was because the bar posted it on their Facebook page in addition to their separate events page that I didn't know about yet. I have no clue why there are two separate pages, but I've been out of the loop ever since they created that second one.
There was a very nice surprise when we got there: Marci was hosting!
![Paint and sip 7]()
She used to do several events in the bar every week and when the bar went delivery-only for COVID, she was the driver who brought us our first delivery steak dinner. I wrote about her back in the day and even was her substitute bingo host for two weeks when she went on a cross-country road trip. Eventually she stepped down from all her bar gigs and deleted her Facebook page, and I wasn't sure I'd ever see her again. We're now connected again via her new FB page and she's got a new husband. It was super fun to catch up.
We had fun but Bev wished she'd started with the wine earlier so she could have felt less of a need to be a perfectionist. The little tilt to her vase drove her nuts, but I think it looks great. The objects you look at in real life are rarely viewed from straight on, after all.
![Paint and sip 6]()
Here's the back of my head and my painting. Of course I decicded to do an orange background.
![Paint and sip 2]()
And here's the whole group outside with our masterpieces. It was a really fun time and everyone chatted with everyone else. Bev and I stayed for lunch and had a wonderful time talking about the things that are on her mind these days.
![Paint and sip 4]()
The next paint and sip is a "paint your partner" session, we'll see if I can convince Garrett to go.
I noticed Facebook suggested most of the people in that photo as "people you may know" once I got home. It'd been a while since I saw that creepy feature.
There was a very nice surprise when we got there: Marci was hosting!
She used to do several events in the bar every week and when the bar went delivery-only for COVID, she was the driver who brought us our first delivery steak dinner. I wrote about her back in the day and even was her substitute bingo host for two weeks when she went on a cross-country road trip. Eventually she stepped down from all her bar gigs and deleted her Facebook page, and I wasn't sure I'd ever see her again. We're now connected again via her new FB page and she's got a new husband. It was super fun to catch up.
We had fun but Bev wished she'd started with the wine earlier so she could have felt less of a need to be a perfectionist. The little tilt to her vase drove her nuts, but I think it looks great. The objects you look at in real life are rarely viewed from straight on, after all.
Here's the back of my head and my painting. Of course I decicded to do an orange background.
And here's the whole group outside with our masterpieces. It was a really fun time and everyone chatted with everyone else. Bev and I stayed for lunch and had a wonderful time talking about the things that are on her mind these days.
The next paint and sip is a "paint your partner" session, we'll see if I can convince Garrett to go.
I noticed Facebook suggested most of the people in that photo as "people you may know" once I got home. It'd been a while since I saw that creepy feature.
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Countdown to Wednesday
On Wednesday this week, I led the full hour in water fitness and it went significantly better than my first four-song appearance the week before. Even though I had a hell of a time keeping it on, having a microphone that time was a huge help. I've since bought my own and crossing my fingers that it'll work this week. There's just no way to tell until you plug it in and try. I confirmed here at home with a crappy bluetooth speaker that it functions, it's just a matter of how well. Due to my misunderstanding of the technology, I narrowed my search to Bluetooth ones, and didn't have that many to choose from. Now I realize the connectivity technology doesn't really matter; it's how the headset connects to the receiver, not directly to a speaker.
I can just return the headset (actually a 2-pack!) if it doesn't work. And that also makes me realize I should maybe buy another one that's a little nicer between now and Wednesday. Or at least bring a headband so the one that's at the facility might stay on better.
This week's routine is a lot looser. I have a list of moves I want to get through for the full songs and some clues to when to change to the next move according to music cues. That's a lot easier than trying to count out bars of music while paying attention to myself and everyone else. Tabata songs are even easier because they count out 20-second bursts with 10-second breaks. You just choose what moves you want to highlight during the bursts.
Wednesday's session wiped me out completely, for hours. I think part of that is due to most of my exercise being in the water lately. I'm down to one walk a week these days, on Sundays. But since that facility has a walking track, I spent the hour before class walking and listening to my playlist one last time. And I'm very excited to get out for five or so miles this morning. No rain the forecast, which is a nice change.
I can just return the headset (actually a 2-pack!) if it doesn't work. And that also makes me realize I should maybe buy another one that's a little nicer between now and Wednesday. Or at least bring a headband so the one that's at the facility might stay on better.
This week's routine is a lot looser. I have a list of moves I want to get through for the full songs and some clues to when to change to the next move according to music cues. That's a lot easier than trying to count out bars of music while paying attention to myself and everyone else. Tabata songs are even easier because they count out 20-second bursts with 10-second breaks. You just choose what moves you want to highlight during the bursts.
Wednesday's session wiped me out completely, for hours. I think part of that is due to most of my exercise being in the water lately. I'm down to one walk a week these days, on Sundays. But since that facility has a walking track, I spent the hour before class walking and listening to my playlist one last time. And I'm very excited to get out for five or so miles this morning. No rain the forecast, which is a nice change.
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