Thursday, January 24, 2008

I did it!

The alarm went off at 7:01 this morning (really 6:57 because my clock is 4 minutes fast and I'm too lazy to reset it), and I actually got out of bed with a minimum of complaining, put on my workout clothes, and went to the gym. I was planning to use the elliptical on Erin's advice, but someone was already using it (disadvantage of having a gym in your apartment building: it's very small), so I wound up on the treadmill. I did a modified Couch to 5K workout where I ran for as long as I could stand, then walked briskly until I was ready to run again.

And it wasn't fun. But it wasn't awful. And I did it, and I'm happy about that. Although I'm still waiting for the alleged endorphins to kick in and make me feel energetic for the rest of the day.

Moving on: you people are crazy with your comments! I practically need a whole separate blog just to respond to you and your questions (or, more accurately, DEMANDS).

First of all, in response to the people who asked to see the china: I don't have it yet, because it's going to be a wedding gift, so my ability to respond here is limited. However, you can see the red version of the pattern on the company website; ours is in lilac, which you can see a little sample of here.

Second, the lovely Maxie has awarded my blog an E for Excellent, because (she says) she loves my writing AND because she wants to know what my blog name means. I have actually posted an explanation of the meaning before (also, re-reading my first-ever post is pretty funny now, since I stated that I couldn't imagine anyone I didn't know personally ever wanting to read my blog). Then a few months later I posted a modification when I learned that my Wolof is not as good as I thought (this is also where the tagline in the masthead came from), but this is not the first time I have gotten this question. I should probably put the explanation in my Blogger profile or something, so that new visitors can see it if they aren't the type to go hunting through my archives for hours to find something that may or may not actually be there.

So for those of you who don't feel like clicking the links, the short story is that when I named the blog, I thought that "du wax loolu" meant "shut up" in Wolof, but I discovered a few months later that I was slightly off, and that it really means "he/she doesn't say that." Not having much of a choice, I decided to embrace the new name. And here we are.

Oh, and by the way? Remember how I said that when we were on the Kiss Cam, I was afraid that we might look totally ridiculous? Well, I got over it by reminding myself that at least we didn't know anyone there. Until yesterday, when a girl in my office stopped me in the hallway yesterday to say, "Hey, I saw you on the Jumbotron!"

Okay, one last thing. I watched American Idol last night. And that girl from the Air Force? I thought she was really good. Now, to be fair I can't sing for shit, but more often than not I agree with the judges, and I can usually tell if someone is decent or not. And I loved her audition, even though she sang Black Velvet, which is a dangerous song for an audition. I was shocked that all three judges voted no. So, those of you who also watched the show last night: Is it just me? Was she actually bad, and I didn't notice?

45 comments:

  1. Getting recognized from a jumbotron must be an incredibly surreal experience. I'd flip out. At least you know you've made it? lol.

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  2. I just think Black Velvet was a terrible, TERRIBLE song choice. I seriously have to wonder about these people who spend so much time and energy on auditioning, and then DO NOT THINK IT THROUGH, like, AT ALL, when it comes to what song to sing. I mean, do they not WATCH THE SHOW? I think she should have chosen something more upbeat.

    Way to go on the workout! Also, 7:00 is 45 EARLY? I'm practically at WORK by 7!

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  3. I love the china! I think the light color works well with a bold pattern. The red was a little overwhelming... Super job going to the gym! I usually HATE how it feels when I am dying on the eliptical, but i like the exhausted feeling when you're done and can barely walk to the car to go home. I haven't seen last night's AI auditions yet (they are still trapped on the DVR) but did you see that farm boy Drew a few nights ago? He sang a george strait song. I think i love him...

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  4. You.rock! Hurray to for making it to the gym this morning.

    How I wish I could absorb the health benefits of your exercise while I slumber. Since I can't, it looks like I'll have to get off my butt :(.

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  5. The china is very cute!

    I'm a freak who goes to work by 6:30am, and I am constantly shock at the number of people in the gym at that hour. (have to drive by an enormous LifeTime Fitness on my way to work)

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  6. I love the china! Polka dots are a big favorite of mine, too. I'm hoping to incorporate them into our wedding in some way. I'm thinking maybe the ribbons on the bouquets? Not sure yet.

    I'm jealous that you have a gym in your building. I'd love to have that. Instead, I sleep the extra hour. I need to remedy that...

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  7. you are E for Excellent! and i've always wanted to be on the kiss cam so badly but never make it!

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  8. I do not watch American Idol. So I sadly cannot comment about the quality of her vocal talents.

    Though now, I'm going to have that song stuck in my head all day...awesome :)

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  9. Your china is bitchin'.

    And I don't watch American Idol, but my distaste for that Black Velvet song....it is so strong. I don't know why, I just really hate it with a burning passion.

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  10. Woo hoo on the running! The china is AWESOME.

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  11. The AI girl was great, but I agree with others who've said that "Black Velvet" was the wrong song.

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  12. I'm impressed! My alarm goes off every morning at 5:00 to work out, and I generally just stare at the clock until 6:15, and then take a shower.
    :)

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  13. i bought a gym membership last night. yeah. so good luck with going to the gym. I need it too.

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  14. I clicked on all the links for the explanation... and then you included the explanation. ahhhhh... lol. but I think it's a very valid question. I thought about asking once. :)

    and how funny you got recognized on the jumbotron..you're famous!

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  15. Yay for the gym! I agree with Tessie on the air force chick. Poor song choice, and she sang it kind of clasical.....it was weird. The whole show is weird. I thought the guy who had the baby was decent too. But, I guess, what do I know.

    Did you watch the lie detector show afterward? I watched for about 15 min before I had to change it.

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  16. yaaaay gym! way to go you! i need to rouse my butt of this here office chair in about 5 mins and do the same...

    LURVE the china. i agree with stacey that the red was a touch overwhelming, but i love it in the cooler lilac.

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  17. I thought the Air Force girl was good, too. And that China pattern is way cool.

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  18. Your plates are fabulous... and the story of the naming of your blog is hilarious.

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  19. Oh my! Those plates are just too pretty. Love love.

    I didn't watch American Idol, but I'm sure I can catch it on Youtube.

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  20. someone saw you guys? awe you're famous from the jumbotron now. lol

    i still think it's adorable :)

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  21. great ... next time your alarm goes off to go to the gym in the AM ... get my lazy ass up too.

    thanks. its greatly appreciated.

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  22. I love the china!
    I can't watch AI until after the auditions because I feel like I'm going to have a seizure with all of the sideways camera angles and montages. Also, the crazy people drive me nuts! But, I will be watching when they get to LA!

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  23. Love the China. I don't usually get the endorphins kick when I work out. I think it has something to do with the fact that I work out in the afternoon after what are usually exhausting days so no matter what I do I still just want to go to bed. That is, when I actually work out.

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  24. nice work on getting up. when im not rowing (aka expected to be IN westchester by 530) i can rarely drag myself out of bed. t and i were going to get up today but... nope didnt happen.

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  25. Your jumbotron story reminds me of our company outing to a MLB baseball game. Because we were in a suite, they were supposed to post our company's name on the jumbotron at a set time. We watched them scroll all through the alphebetized list, straight past where my company should be, until we saw why my company wasn't there ... it said "Nilsa S. Group" ... that was at least 5 years ago and I am still trying to outlive the humor!

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  26. I can't imagine this is the first time you've heard this, but give the morning workouts at least 3 weeks. Then, if you're not feeling the endorphins, go back to sleep.

    I used to love working out in the morning, but now that I get to work an hour earlier, it would mean getting up at 4:30 am. As in hours before dawn. As in the time one should be crawling back to bed drunk after a night out.

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  27. Ah! That china is GREAT! I hope you get every piece you registered for!

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  28. Wow I love that China! Also, running is boring, I really wish there was a way to jazz it up... Like synchronised jazz hands or something.

    And finally: Jumbotron is a ridiculous name for a sports arena. It sounds like a 50 metre tall mechanical elephant-robot with guns instead of tusks.

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  29. You are totally right about Air Force Chick on Americal Idol. She was good. I would have liked to have seen what she could have done. She could have worked on the nerves. Ps. Hi! First time commenter :o)

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  30. Go you for getting up before 7 and working out!!!
    Also, that is crazy that someone recognized you. lol

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  31. Yay! Good for you for going to the gym! I always want to, but I rarely do. Once you get there it's really not so bad, it's the getting out of bed part that sucks.

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  32. Good for you, getting on the treadmill. I hate it, and prefer the elliptical, but whatever works. Also, I didn't know that about your blog name but now I'm amused. :)

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  33. ^5 on getting to the gym. my body flat out refuses to workout at the time of day - i tried it once and was beet red within about 10 minutes of being on the bike and nearly passed out about 2 minutes later. c'est la vie - i can only do workouts in the evenings and by then i've had allllllll day to think up the perfect excuse. gah!

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  34. I'm not sure that endorphin thing actually works. Unless the workout is of a more... er... private nature.

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  35. Congrats on the gym visit! Wo woo!!!!!

    You are kicking ass, Jess!

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  36. I am definitely in favor of those plates. They are wonderful in so many ways.

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  37. That endorphins thing is a MYTH! At least, the amount of running I'd need to do to get to the endorphins is so not worth it!

    BUT YAY YOU!

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  38. Yay! thanks for explaining :-)

    I love the dishes...they are adorable

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  39. I think she was just too nervous, her poor voice was shaking all over. I thought she was good, too bad the judges couldn't see past all that!

    Oh, I love the china too! What a beautiful and stylish pattern, I'm jealous. Mine is so plain.

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  40. I'm sorry I am so behind on reading you... life is way too busy.
    I love how I'm so much more dedicated to my blog that I'm more worried about offending my bloggie peeps than people who I don't call back.

    Getting up early to go to the gym is something I only accomplished once in my 26 years. So super kudos to you for that.

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  41. Hey, thanks for the link! :) Also, thanks for posting that couch to 5K link. I've heard of such a program before but could not remember what it was called so could not google it. I mean sure, my usual motto is "I only run when chased" but I've been toying with the idea of exercising more often.

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  42. Congrats. I'm still thinking about exercising. At least I'm thinking about it, right?

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  43. I hate the gym too.... and I have never ever experienced those alleged endorphins- someone somewhere is lying.
    I'm a big fan of yoga though... makes you strong and flexible without ever feeling like a workout. It rocks. Must start doing that again.

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  44. During college, a girlfriend of mine and I were on the Jumbotron at a Seattle Seahawks game. We boogied and hammed it up for the camera... and at school the next day THREE people told me they saw us (there are only 2,600 at my school, so it was easy to recognize a familiar face).

    As for AM-workout endorphins... repetition is key! (Just what you wanted to hear, I'm sure.)

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