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Circuit training and Dachshunds
Mar. 28th, 2011 05:11 pmForgive me for my buff user-icon. I just finished circuit training for the evening, and it's inspiring that I am already training my latest cheerleader: Amber. Rufus was the one who started the tradition of Dachshund-cheerleader during my circuit training sessions. Oddly, he was the head cheer leader, and Fritz didn't take much notice of me.
Until Rufus passed away... and then he immediately sat in the same place Rufus had learned to sit (I got too anxious when Rufus would get too close to my free-weight military press moments, especially in the beginning when I was starting with the 20-25lbs in each hand, by the end of circuits at that time, I was beginning to hit muscle fatigue after my 4th set in the last few minutes. I made Rufus stay further away for fear that one day I'd drop a 25lb weight on his head!!!
So he learned that he had to stay a little further away and watch. Today, for the first time I CT'd with Amber in the room. She doesn't like to jump off the bed that is in the guest room - which is now, by the way, our old bed from our bedroom instead of an air bed. No box spring, but it is a real mattress now. She feels she cannot jump, even from one layer of mattress. So while I did my military press and leg kicks, (I have no idea what they are really called) - I moved her there. When I was doing my situps and pushups she made me nervous because my bare flesh was exposed (I wear shorts and a bra top because CT really cranks out the heat when I do it).
Today I upped my squats and lunges to the 12# weights on each side (I guess that makes them squats and lunges with 24lbs, but when I started CT'ing, I never even tried to figure out what I was doing exactly. It doesn't particularly matter to me).
I tried to leave her down for pushup/situps, but during my pushups she walked under my belly and each time I dropped down into a pushup, she would get crushed under me against the floor. Seemed risky. Then with the situps, she tried to crawl under my armpit and into my lap. Awkward...
During leg kicks, Amber decided she hated it and was barking at me. Now, leg kicks are kind of a bitch for whatever reason...... it doesn't help with a tiny Dachshund freaking out :P
Needless to say, by the end of my 4 circuits, she had fallen fast asleep on the bed. During my last pushup and situp set, she decided to stare at me, and it did remind me of the old Ru. Fritz still park-took in cheerleading. If I can get her to understand exactly where to sit to get in on the fun without getting irritating, this will be awesome :)
It all started by accident with Rufus, and now has become something I really enjoy about training at home. My dogs treat it and act like it's a special treat where we all hang out and watch the human do weird things... (jumping jacks anyone?) Amber seemed perplexed at why I'd be doing those.
Needless to say that my workout is done for the day, and it flew by because I was sort of managing a puppy. She didn't really slow me down. I took to setting her on the bed and deciding that her place was there, no matter how many barky tantrums she was going to throw at me ;)
Time for a shower, and then I want to head to Target to look for tension rods and Jim. I'll be driving to Marysville tonight, to get my check engine light turned off with Justin. Blargity. Needless to say, the work day has been work-packed, with a lot of productivity going on. I'd write more about work, but this is a public entry. So I'll leave it for another day. Needless to say that life right now is taking a definite turn for the better, and I know it has to do with some very specific mental shifts I've gone through in the last 2 months. While I thought I was lagging behind those who were close to me through their morphing, it occurs to me that point where I felt left behind, I might have just been on a non-comparable place in my path. When I came home, I walked through my house and realized that while it has a few things to tidy up for my Australian house guest and dear friend (Joel from CGW5), it really isn't the "MEGA SESSION" I thought I was going to need. It appears that the slow, small, gradual accumulation of constant tiny pieces of work are adding up in record amounts. My life in all areas feels like this is true. While I have not done any major sprints with self improvement, I have done a gradual marathon of things here and there, particularly a constant "let go and accept" concept - that has added up into something that has me finding day to day joy from morning until night. While I don't have any expectations on what this looks like every day, it is like not having those "joy looks like this" expectation has brought me a deeper sense of inner peace.
While I had to back off of social engagements and really let my life transform itself, it seems I needed to fill myself with energy first, before continually handing out energy to others.
All in all, I can't complain. I've only gratitude to myself for all the steps, the tiny steps, it took to get me here.
I am SO excited for a pendant that is coming in the mail that I bought off Ebay. Mom's fault. ;)
It's a teardrop Amber chunk, that has a Amethyst setting on the top.
Thanks to Jim and the tiny dog, I might start taking over the not-stone of Amber for my jewelry collections! I suppose it was something I had never considered as a property/item I would want to wear, but suddenly I'm drawn to it. And without Mom's ebay-istic tendencies, I would never have thought of it either.
AT first I was hesitant for Amber and her name, but it is becoming clear that the name is perfect, and cute... need I say, I think it fits her. It is already clear she's the right dog for our household. Jim is already smitten with her, and I see that Fritz is getting there. ;) It does also give me a lot of joy to see them play, because I know it's an element that even with Rufus, he never had. Rufus tolerated a few meager play sessions, but the 8+ year old Rufus wasn't interested in long, frequent play sessions, and Fritz definitely loves to play. (Rufus was 8 when Fritz came about).
Fritz at 7 is energetic and truly a good playmate to the tiny Amber already. While I wanted a lab puppy, it amazed me with how hard it was to find one. Until I bought Amber, and last weekend I was at Mom and Dad's place. On their street corner someone was selling lab puppies. I had spent MONTHS looking for a damn lab, persistently calling top breeder's in the area, only to have my phone calls never returned. The notion that I was refusing to "force" it to happen, I gave up.
And BAM. At the right time, Amber appeared. The following week or two later, the Lab puppies are being sold on the damn street corner. It would seem it was not meant to be. It makes me grateful for the fact I did not force it. Once again I am shown the lesson that the right thing is what is most simple, and feels the best. While in some cases there is no such thing as "simple," but there is such a thing as "most simple of all the options."
And in this sense, Amber was yet one more beautiful example of how I am trying to lead my life right now. I am confident that we are raising a puppy that will make it easier as the one and only, handsome, special Fritz continues to age. Since Rufus has crossed the veil - the bond between Jim, Fritz, and myself got stronger. There is no sense of taking life for granted around here. It isn't that we did before. It's that we grew to appreciate in a new way. And this house is bursting with Spring energy, since bringing Amber home. She has definitely helped moved the energy flow of our household. What a beautiful Ostara surprise. My deep gratitude to the Spring deity, Ostara. I sense that my life is fertile with coming expansion. I'm freed of expectation of exactly what... and enjoying every moment of it.
It awakens my pagan side and makes me realize I should offer Ostara some honor this month, before March is spent.
-Angela
( Today, I honor Ostara. )
Until Rufus passed away... and then he immediately sat in the same place Rufus had learned to sit (I got too anxious when Rufus would get too close to my free-weight military press moments, especially in the beginning when I was starting with the 20-25lbs in each hand, by the end of circuits at that time, I was beginning to hit muscle fatigue after my 4th set in the last few minutes. I made Rufus stay further away for fear that one day I'd drop a 25lb weight on his head!!!
So he learned that he had to stay a little further away and watch. Today, for the first time I CT'd with Amber in the room. She doesn't like to jump off the bed that is in the guest room - which is now, by the way, our old bed from our bedroom instead of an air bed. No box spring, but it is a real mattress now. She feels she cannot jump, even from one layer of mattress. So while I did my military press and leg kicks, (I have no idea what they are really called) - I moved her there. When I was doing my situps and pushups she made me nervous because my bare flesh was exposed (I wear shorts and a bra top because CT really cranks out the heat when I do it).
Today I upped my squats and lunges to the 12# weights on each side (I guess that makes them squats and lunges with 24lbs, but when I started CT'ing, I never even tried to figure out what I was doing exactly. It doesn't particularly matter to me).
I tried to leave her down for pushup/situps, but during my pushups she walked under my belly and each time I dropped down into a pushup, she would get crushed under me against the floor. Seemed risky. Then with the situps, she tried to crawl under my armpit and into my lap. Awkward...
During leg kicks, Amber decided she hated it and was barking at me. Now, leg kicks are kind of a bitch for whatever reason...... it doesn't help with a tiny Dachshund freaking out :P
Needless to say, by the end of my 4 circuits, she had fallen fast asleep on the bed. During my last pushup and situp set, she decided to stare at me, and it did remind me of the old Ru. Fritz still park-took in cheerleading. If I can get her to understand exactly where to sit to get in on the fun without getting irritating, this will be awesome :)
It all started by accident with Rufus, and now has become something I really enjoy about training at home. My dogs treat it and act like it's a special treat where we all hang out and watch the human do weird things... (jumping jacks anyone?) Amber seemed perplexed at why I'd be doing those.
Needless to say that my workout is done for the day, and it flew by because I was sort of managing a puppy. She didn't really slow me down. I took to setting her on the bed and deciding that her place was there, no matter how many barky tantrums she was going to throw at me ;)
Time for a shower, and then I want to head to Target to look for tension rods and Jim. I'll be driving to Marysville tonight, to get my check engine light turned off with Justin. Blargity. Needless to say, the work day has been work-packed, with a lot of productivity going on. I'd write more about work, but this is a public entry. So I'll leave it for another day. Needless to say that life right now is taking a definite turn for the better, and I know it has to do with some very specific mental shifts I've gone through in the last 2 months. While I thought I was lagging behind those who were close to me through their morphing, it occurs to me that point where I felt left behind, I might have just been on a non-comparable place in my path. When I came home, I walked through my house and realized that while it has a few things to tidy up for my Australian house guest and dear friend (Joel from CGW5), it really isn't the "MEGA SESSION" I thought I was going to need. It appears that the slow, small, gradual accumulation of constant tiny pieces of work are adding up in record amounts. My life in all areas feels like this is true. While I have not done any major sprints with self improvement, I have done a gradual marathon of things here and there, particularly a constant "let go and accept" concept - that has added up into something that has me finding day to day joy from morning until night. While I don't have any expectations on what this looks like every day, it is like not having those "joy looks like this" expectation has brought me a deeper sense of inner peace.
While I had to back off of social engagements and really let my life transform itself, it seems I needed to fill myself with energy first, before continually handing out energy to others.
All in all, I can't complain. I've only gratitude to myself for all the steps, the tiny steps, it took to get me here.
I am SO excited for a pendant that is coming in the mail that I bought off Ebay. Mom's fault. ;)
It's a teardrop Amber chunk, that has a Amethyst setting on the top.
Thanks to Jim and the tiny dog, I might start taking over the not-stone of Amber for my jewelry collections! I suppose it was something I had never considered as a property/item I would want to wear, but suddenly I'm drawn to it. And without Mom's ebay-istic tendencies, I would never have thought of it either.
AT first I was hesitant for Amber and her name, but it is becoming clear that the name is perfect, and cute... need I say, I think it fits her. It is already clear she's the right dog for our household. Jim is already smitten with her, and I see that Fritz is getting there. ;) It does also give me a lot of joy to see them play, because I know it's an element that even with Rufus, he never had. Rufus tolerated a few meager play sessions, but the 8+ year old Rufus wasn't interested in long, frequent play sessions, and Fritz definitely loves to play. (Rufus was 8 when Fritz came about).
Fritz at 7 is energetic and truly a good playmate to the tiny Amber already. While I wanted a lab puppy, it amazed me with how hard it was to find one. Until I bought Amber, and last weekend I was at Mom and Dad's place. On their street corner someone was selling lab puppies. I had spent MONTHS looking for a damn lab, persistently calling top breeder's in the area, only to have my phone calls never returned. The notion that I was refusing to "force" it to happen, I gave up.
And BAM. At the right time, Amber appeared. The following week or two later, the Lab puppies are being sold on the damn street corner. It would seem it was not meant to be. It makes me grateful for the fact I did not force it. Once again I am shown the lesson that the right thing is what is most simple, and feels the best. While in some cases there is no such thing as "simple," but there is such a thing as "most simple of all the options."
And in this sense, Amber was yet one more beautiful example of how I am trying to lead my life right now. I am confident that we are raising a puppy that will make it easier as the one and only, handsome, special Fritz continues to age. Since Rufus has crossed the veil - the bond between Jim, Fritz, and myself got stronger. There is no sense of taking life for granted around here. It isn't that we did before. It's that we grew to appreciate in a new way. And this house is bursting with Spring energy, since bringing Amber home. She has definitely helped moved the energy flow of our household. What a beautiful Ostara surprise. My deep gratitude to the Spring deity, Ostara. I sense that my life is fertile with coming expansion. I'm freed of expectation of exactly what... and enjoying every moment of it.
It awakens my pagan side and makes me realize I should offer Ostara some honor this month, before March is spent.
-Angela
( Today, I honor Ostara. )
