Archives for September 2012

09/28

Sara In Le Petit Village: Travel Guest Post!

Coucou Fit With Flashers! My name is Sara Louise. You might already know me from the guest post I blogged here last year, or maybe you know me from my little space in the blogosphere, Sara in Le Petit Village. But in case you don’t know me, hi and it’s very nice to meet you.

While Ami is cavorting in Mykonos (so hard not to hate on her right now) I’m filling in with some bits about sightseeing around my neck of the woods, Provence, France.

The first time I came to Provence it was three years ago and I was visiting my husband who at the time was my boyfriend and I was trying to decide if I should make the leap and follow him over here. Well it didn’t take much to convince me.

One of the first things I discovered while I was here in Provence was this teeny tiny bottle of Heineken.

{no, I am not a giant}
Will you look at that thing for heavens sake? It fits in the palm of my hand! How can you not love a place that sells baby sized beers?
Besides becoming completely obsessed with baby sized beer bottles, I became pretty obsessed with the Provence countryside too; you could just be driving along and suddenly… BAM!
The most perfect lavender field you could ever see. 
Because I’m a city girl at heart and while lavender fields are all well and good for a spell, I was itching to see more, so we drove to Avignon where I became awestruck. You see, when you’re in Avignon, you’re just walking along the small and ancient cobbled streets that weave through the city, and then you turn a corner, and suddenly, this looms over you…
Le Palais des Papes (Pope’s Palace) in all of her majestic glory (anything that pretty is definitely a girl). Standing in front of this felt like a fairytale. 
And then as if Provence didn’t already have me in it’s gorgeous grasp, on one of the last days of my vacation, my husband and I were driving back from a trip to Aix-en-Provence when we came upon this place…
{La Tour-d’Aigues}
I was so overwhelmed that I made my husband pull over so I could take a look and was completely surprised to discover that in all the times he had driven by before, he had never stopped there, and in fact, didn’t even know what it was (in case you are interested, it’s the ruins of a Renaissance Castle in La Tour d’Aigues). Because for him, driving by beautiful ruins of châteaus long past was a daily occurrence, totally normal in his French life. And now luckily for me, it’s totally normal in my French life too.  
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Filed Under: France, guest post, sara in le petit village, travel
09/25

Spidatter: Travel Guest Post!

While our girl Ami is coasting through life on a far better continent,
can someone please explain to me why NASA hasn’t gotten its shit together yet and invented teleportation…?
Because then I’d be here—

Positano, Italy
Amalfi Coast, Italy
Amalfi Coast, Italy
Amalfi Coast, Italy
Amalfi Coast, Italy
Positano, Italy
Positano, Italy
Erica, the best (and craziest 🙂 traveling companion known to man…and my happy little self.
I’d also probably weight 20 pounds more than I do now, thanks to the absolutely ridiculous pesto and Limoncello options…  Life is SO hard!
Flash we hop you are having the absolute best time. Don’t work out too much.
 
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Filed Under: Greece, guest post, Italy, Spidatter, travel
09/24

Out Of Office Reply

I’m in Mykonos, Greece. 
It’s the bomb. 
And this isn’t even the photo from the hotel’s website or anything. 
I took it with my iPhone. 
It’s that amazingly beautiful here. 
We’ve had a couple 10+ hr days, are exhausted, and
I’m jetlagged like a mofo if that makes you hate me less… ? 
; ) 
Happy Monday! 
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Filed Under: Greece, Summit, travel, TRX
09/20

Scaredy Cat…

I’m going to Greece today!

I have 10 flights over the next 10 days!
4 of them today!
It’s a good thing I don’t hate flying or this would really suck.
#sarcasm
I DO HATE FLYING. 
I’ve said it before. 
Anybody who knows me knows this. 
I also fly nearly every weekend for my job. 
Dumb, yes? 
Here’s just a little explanation of this: 
Before I get started: 
I KNOW that flying is safer than driving. 
I KNOW that’s it’s faster and more efficient (I’m always for efficiency). 
I KNOW that thousands of flights take off each year and there’s hardly ever an accident. 
I KNOW that I basically have to suck it up,
 get over it, and get on the damn plane… 
or I’d have  seriously limited travel experience. 
I KNOW all these things. 
But for whatever reason, I think each time I take a flight, I’m chancing death. This is why I drive if I have to travel anywhere that’s within 6 hours. Even though I’m aware that statistically, I’m more likely to be killed on the freeway than in an aircraft, I’d still rather avoid flying if I can… 
Despite ‘knowing’ all of this, 
this is me during take-off, 
turbulence, 
and landing:

White knuckles all the way…

The take-off and landings are the scariest. 
Because they say that’s when most crashes happen.
It’s bumpy, you’re turning, you’re ascending.
It all seems very unstable to me. 
So I board every flight with an arsenal of technological distractions.
Know what’s great?
 The only time you can’t use your distractions
(music, movies, computers, e-readers, etc)
is DURING the scariest parts of the flight!!!

This is why I’m a big fan of planes
that have tv screens on each seat back.
At least you’ve got something to do during these moments.

……
Also:
When you see a plane turning from the ground, it looks like this: 
Just a slight angle, 
nice and easy. 
When you’re INSIDE a plane and it turns, it feels like this: 
Completely sideways!
Unsafe and unnatural. 
WTF?! That big ass machine is not supposed to move like this. 
What if a huge wind gust comes along and flips the plane right over?!
I feel like that could happen…

And why do they have to lower the landing gear when we’re still going SO FAST?
The plane slows so much and it feels like everything’s going to rip apart.
I feel like they should slow their roll a bit more before they start that ish.

via

And I don’t know how many times I’ve heard that we’re delayed
due to “mechanical issues.”
Are you effing kidding me?
 Can you please not announce that there are problems
with the plane I’m about to board?!

All I picture is somebody out there with duct tape, patching it quickly
so they don’t have to hear everybody complaining about being delayed.

via

I know they’re trying to keep everybody posted,
but I could do without that tidbit of info.

Lie to us!

Say the captain had diarrhea.
Say there’s bad weather somewhere along the route.
Say somebody puked on the previous flight and they have to clean it up for a bit…

DO NOT TELL ME SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH MY PLANE
and that you’re gonna “fix it up real quick and we’ll be on our way in no time”

I mean, do you want me to freak out like the lady in the Airplane! slapping scene?
(Don’t worry. I won’t. I’m not that bad.)

……

But since I can’t do anything about any of this,
I’ve learned to just sit back,
close my eyes for the first 10 minutes,
down a cocktail or two
and breathe.

via

And maybe look into an aeronautics class
so I can actually find out what’s happening on an airplane when it flies.
Maybe that’ll help?

What silly phobia do you have?

I’ll be back in 9 days!
Have a great weekend
: ) 

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Filed Under: fears, flying, Greece, travel
09/17

Stretching with Animals Pt. 2

I have to stretch as soon as I finish working out, 
or it doesn’t get done. 
Stretching is hard when you’ve got two dogs in the house. 
You’re on THEIR level. 
Which means it’s time to play… (like last time) 
or snuggle… 
Tango, helping me with my adductors: 
And Churchill providing moral support for my piriformis: 
Look at those faces! 
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Filed Under: Churchill, stretching, Tango
09/08

Being grateful…

“Nothing is more revealing than movement.” ~ Martha Graham
I’ve always ridden in cars with my feet on the dashboard. (A weird start to a post, I know. Bear with me though…) Even now… I drive around with my left foot up, settled on the space between the dash and the driver’s side window. It’s comfy, but I always end up taking my leg down after a few minutes. 
When I was younger I remember riding around with my feet up as usual and my mother saying “You’d better keep your feet down. If we were to get into an accident your legs would be broken and you wouldn’t be able to dance for a long time.” Wow. Way to freak me the F out, Mom. 
But she was right. And that’s what I always think about when driving around with my left leg up. I noticed myself doing it again today while driving my rental car back to the airport in Atlanta. The car in front of me tried to change lanes without looking, almost hit the car next to him, and swerved back wildly. Luckily, I was far enough back that it didn’t affect me too much and I was able to slow down before being in his pathway. It got me thinking though… what if? What if he’d just hit me and sent me into the wall while my leg was up on the dash? What if I’d broken my leg or pelvis? What if I’d been paralyzed?  What if it wasn’t that dramatic but as a result I couldn’t move as well afterwards because of it? That’s a really scary thought… 
Movement is such a HUGE part of my life. I move every day, in a bunch of different ways; teaching fitness classes, showing my clients proper form in their workouts, taking a dance class, taking Tango for a run, or just bouncing along when my favorite song (that week) comes on the radio. 
I have to remind myself, 
in this moment, 
that it’s a GIFT to be able to move 
and move well. 
“There are movements which impinge upon us the nerves with a strength that is incomparable, for movement has power to stir the senses and emotions, unique in itself.” ~ Doris Humphrey

For my physical and emotional well-being I need to move. So why waste my days lying around doing nothing (with the exception of rest/recovery days)? What if I were in a sudden accident and not physically able to move?! My TRX friend, Zen recently said “Your privilege of movement is perishable.” And he’s absolutely right. 
While I’m sitting here waiting for my flight I find myself internally whining a little about how sore I am from the week. I’ve trained others, trained myself, taught an 8 hour TRX Rip Training course yesterday and am teaching an 8 hour TRX Suspension Training Course tomorrow in Detroit. Makes me tired just thinking about it… But then I remind myself that I could be sitting here without the ability to be sore at all. Without the option to move or not move tomorrow. 
So today, I will be grateful that I’m able to move and move well. 
I’ll cherish the moments that I have to make my body stronger,  
and give it the best nourishment and attention possible to make it thrive.  
…and stretch like a mutha tonight. 
; ) 
What are you grateful of in this moment? 
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Filed Under: Glad Game, movement, quotes
09/06

SYTYCD

These two pieces from So You Think You Can Dance
last night are so brilliant. 
I almost can’t handle it. 
So here they are, if you didn’t get to see them. 
(If you want to fast forward to the performance, go to the one minute mark)
Tyce Diorio’s piece:
(I took his classes growing up. And while I don’t care for him much as a person, because his head is as big as this stage, he does really good work. And his real name is “Keith” just so everybody knows.)

Mia Michaels’ Piece:
She is sheer genius.
That’s all I have to describe her choreography

Eliana and Chehon, you are my jam.
Looking forward to watching you win next week.
; ) 

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Filed Under: dance, SYTYCD
09/05

Up Close and Personal…

So today was a big day because of the following 3 events:  
1. Annual Lady Dr. appt 
…always a good time
2. 1st Bikini Area Laser Hair Removal Appt. 
-Sidenote- 
Because of a Groupon deal last year, 
I’ve been getting my underarms done 
for the past several months and it’s wonderful
to no longer have to shave there.
They did another Groupon deal last week, 
so I bit the bullet and signed up again, 
not realizing the appt was just after my Lady Dr. appt.
Also not realizing just how thorough they are. 
Hell-o. 
3. Back to the Lady Dr a few hours later
 for a “just-in-case” internal ultrasound 
to make sure I didn’t have a cyst
on one of my ovaries. 
(I don’t, so don’t worry). 
So in summary, 
3 different people got up close and personal 
with my Lady parts today. 
And unfortunately, none of them 
were my boyfriend, Ryan Reynolds. 
Damnit… 

Fact:
 Your day was less awkward than mine
Glad Game for you. 
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Filed Under: Lady Dr., lady parts
09/03

Book Buzz: Deep Survival. Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why

When my book club was getting off the ground I said the only way I’d join was if we didn’t read any depressing books:

No rape/molestation
No children dying
No abandonment
No self-pity, “why me?” victim books. 

Those are serious issues, and ones that I’ve helped other friends get through and frankly, I don’t want to read about it in my spare time. There’s enough horrible stories in real life and on the news. I want to read inspiring, adventurous, fun, sexy, comedic, good books for entertainment.

So I suggested this book, which has been on my Amazon Wish List for a month or so. My first response from that group email?

“How is that book NOT depressing and horrible?!” 

: ) Fair enough, Sarah. Fair enough. However, this is one of the most inspiring books I’ve ever read.

I’ve been into outdoor adventures for a long time. I like to climb, hike, packpack, camp, etc. I don’t get to participate in as much as I’d like (when you do work travel on the weekends, it limits your “fun travel” time) but I love learning about what ‘not to do’ when you’re in the great outdoors. My good friend, Jenn has worked for the National Park Service and I’ve heard lots of stories from her about people that die in crazy circumstances and ones that survive in crazy circumstances. It’s a morbid curiosity of mine, but one that I think could potentially save my life one day…

In a nutshell: 

First it shows the difference in personalities that determines who survives life and death situations and who doesn’t. Those that are more likely to accept the crisis situation, figure out a plan, and move forward are more likely to get themselves out quickly, before they die. Those who are in denial, focus on self-pity, and wait for something/somebody to come rescue them usually perish. I like to believe I’m a survivor. I don’t spend time wallowing. When something bad happens (in any situation), I figure out what my next step is, and act. I don’t place blame, I don’t wallow, I figure it out.

Then the book talks about the way the body reacts in certain circumstances that make people make smart/not-so-smart decisions. It gets scientific here, but still captivating.

It supports all these thoughts with many tales of survival (and some of peril) in a really gripping fashion: 
*How one teenage girl walked away from a plane crash with no supplies and survived 11 days in the jungle while other adults, with tons of supplies stayed put and died. 
* How one man survived 76 days at sea because he planned for everything that could go wrong and made the right preparations in order to fish and catch clean water from a small life raft. 
*How two grown men nearly died on a mountain climb because they were so hellbent on making this ascent they ignored several signs telling them they shouldn’t have started the climb in the first place; late start, storm coming, severe lightning threats, etc. 
 I read this book in about 5 days and loved every bit of it.
 If you’re fascinated by the same types of things, I’d highly recommend it. 
Plus, it includes several tips on how to prep yourself for decision making
in the thick of it. 
Kindle edition was only $9! 
Holler. 
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Filed Under: Adventure, Book Buzz, jenn, outdoors, reading, rock climbing