Monthly Archive for June, 2009

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Did we learn nothing from Terminator or Battlestar Gallactica?

Published on Thursday, June 4, 2009 in Fun and Random Thoughts. 4 Comments Tags: , , .

Well, I’ve finally jumped into this century with both feet.

Remember when I talked about texting?
Remember when I talked about switching to a paper calendar when my Palm died?

Well, I was getting tired of pressing the number keys on my phone a bajillion times to send a text, and I was feeling the urge to go back to an electronic calendar. That’s when I decided to check out my options, and I asked people for some suggestions.

Palm and Sprint have a new device coming out on the 6th called the Palm Pre, and all the videos about it make it look awesome. I used to be a diehard Palm user, so I have no doubt it will be great.

I have been with Sprint for over 10 years (can you believe it!?) and I get a new phone every 3 years or so…so I’m almost always in a contract with them, but it’s worth it for the perks. I’ve never had to pay much for a new phone, so the sticker price of the Palm Pre was a bit too steep for me. Even with my discounts (and I get a LOT of discounts), it was pricey.

There is always the iPhone, but the plans are really expensive! And, the cost of getting out of my current contract made that venture astronomically expensive.

Then, I noticed that a lot of my friends were raving about their BlackBerry devices.

I’ve always ruthlessly made fun of “CrackBerry” users, so it should be no shock that I became one.

Remember my foray into Facebook?
Remember my reluctance to join Twitter?

Heh.

It was only a matter of time.

Well, I got my new BlackBerry yesterday, and I’m completely smitten. The plan I’m on is barely more than I was paying for my podunk phone and service, so I think I made the right choice. And, with my discount, the cost of the actual device was minimal.

There is a learning curve (Literally!  I got the BlackBerry Curve!  Ha.), so today, my brain feels swollen. But, I’m slowly figuring it all out.

I’ve already started to see the benefits of this little machine.

Last night, as we were watching TV, I got an email…from the couch. I checked my calendar…from the couch. I emailed back suggesting a meeting time…from the couch, and I got a meeting confirmed…from the couch.

And, speaking of TV, Claire and I were watching TV from my BlackBerry yesterday afternoon. What!?

The service was a little wonky in parts, BUT WE WERE WATCHING TV FROM MY PHONE.

Can you imagine what would have happened if we told our childhood selves that this was possible…and affordable!? We’d have been burned at the stake for suggesting such witchcraft.

I totally know why it’s called a CrackBerry.

Psssssh…like that’s a bad thing! ;)

Today, we decided to use the built-in GPS to get us to the Zoo. I know how to get to the Zoo, but I wanted to see what she told us to do. (Yes, she’s a she. And, yes, I’m going to name her.) She calculated our route and accounted for traffic (!!) and directed us to go a way I’d never gone. I’ve lived in this city for 10+ years, and I had no idea that the way she told us to go would even work.

We got to the Zoo in record time, avoided all of the typical traffic clusters and got rock-star parking. I’m amazed.

While I’m shocked that this kind of technology exists, I’m finding it hard to resist. Did we not learn anything from Terminator or Battlestar Gallactica? Well, until some half-human/half-machine guy from the future comes back to tell us that we’re doing it all wrong, I’m not going to worry. :)

Not a Summer Camp for Shoes

Published on Wednesday, June 3, 2009 in 30 Day Shred. 2 Comments Tags: , , , .

So, last weekend, I went to a Boot Camp. One of my friends had invited me to join her at this free event put on by her gym. I figured, “Why not?” I’d always been curious as to what these entailed, and now that I’m in the midst of doing the 30 Day Shred again, I wanted to see what all I could do.

Plus, how bad could it be?

I deal with pain and the potential for pain with humor, so it was no surprise that my Twitter Updates and Facebook Statuses up to that day were filled with questions about Boot Camp and if it was like a Summer Camp for Shoes.

I can’t say I was surprised to find out that it was just what I thought it would be. Deep down, I knew it would be hard.

I try to keep this blog clean, for the most part, so I will refrain from using the language necessary to describe this Boot Camp.

There were no songs. There were no crafts. There were no marshmallows to roast. And, no one even wore their boots. I feel totally misled! ;)

It was an hour of pure torture. I can honestly say that without my experience with The Shred, or getting to this place weight-wise in the first place, I would have died. I would have keeled over on the lawn and collapsed. It was intense!

After the HOUR (yes, HOUR) was over, I was exhausted, but I didn’t feel too bad. My friend asked me if I’d consider doing another one, and I heard my voice say I would. Then I laughed and joked that I’d give her an answer tomorrow.

Well, the next day rolled around, and I almost sent her a text that read, “I hate you.” But, I’ve seen enough Law & Orders to know that things like that taken out of context are never a good thing. Plus, the strength needed to open my cell phone was proving to be too much for me.

My whole entire body was broken. I’m not sure how it happened, which of the running laps or sprints or jumping jacks or squats or pushups or kickboxing routines (on repeat) was the final straw, but my body was broken. Maybe it was the part where they made us run up and over the picnic tables? I don’t know.

My husband wouldn’t let me do my next day of the Shred. I didn’t have the energy to fight him, and I figured that 60 full-minutes of Shred-like workouts should count for something.

I’m still sore, but I have almost a full-range-of-motion in my extremities back. I am back onto the routine now, after taking a break for a couple of days. And, if you have a problem with that, I’ll show you some of the kickboxing moves I learned. :) You think I’m kidding? At one point one of the three massively muscular trainers was giving me a hard time, er, I mean “being encouraging,” and I asked him if we could go back to those moves and use his head as a target. He thought I was kidding.

Heh.

But, I did it! I completed a Boot Camp without barfing and without passing out. Yes, those really were my two goals.

Will I do it again?
Ask me when the drugs have worn off…

:)

Summer Break is here. Now what?

Published on Tuesday, June 2, 2009 in Featured Elsewhere and Mile High Mamas. Closed Tags: , , .

I have a writing piece up and running at Mile High Mamas, the parenting blog of The Denver Post today!

Summer Break is here! Let’s go exploring!

Need some new adventures this summer?  Looking for something to do to pass the summer days…the looooooooooooooonnng school-less summer days? ;)

Well, Mile High Mamas asked an entire city of mamas those very questions, and you wanna know what they said?

Click on over to check out THE List!

The comments are closed here, but I’d love to hear what you have to say over there!

Three…and a half!

Published on Monday, June 1, 2009 in Claire, Milestones, Month-at-a-glance and Photos. 3 Comments Tags: , .

She finally let me take a photo, but her name written in the magnetic letters on our fridge had to be involved. Fair enough. :)

On May 30th, Claire turned three-and-a-half! When I told her I wanted to take a picture of her, she vehemently declined. She didn’t want a picture taken, because she was still three. Her age wasn’t any different. She insisted that I was wrong.

“You ARE three-and-a-half!” I said.

“NO I’m NOT!” she yelled.

“Oh, really? Then how old are you?” I asked.

“I’m not telling…” she said in the most sing-songy voice imaginable.

Thus proving, she is indeed three…and a half!

;)