Close Up

In the spirit of Thanksgiving (even though I'm a little late), I just thought I would take the time to express my gratitude for the wonderful people in my life. To include, but not limited to:

My darling husband, my supportive parents, my amazing sisters, my sweet in-laws, my adorable nieces and nephews, my fabulous friends, my fellow inspirational yoga instructors and bodytalkers, my loyal yoga students, my fellow entertaining bloggers, my fellow motivating gym rats and last but not least, I would like to give thanks to the dear man who sat next to R and I at a wedding we attended last weekend, for not only offering to take a picture of us, but who zoomed in so close that only our little (or rather big) heads are shown; for it is the only picture we took all weekend.


For these things, I am grateful.

Math

I want to tell you a true story about a girl named *Janet. Janet was in college. Math was not her best subject. Far from it, to say the least. In fact, English had always been her most favorite. She loves to write and reads for pleasure. She was a good student. She graduated high school at the age of 16 and started college right away. She consistently held a 4.0 GPA, with choice electives in psychology, sociology, and business. Needless to say, she put off taking math until the very last semester. It soon came time for Janet to bite the bullet and enroll herself in what she thought was going to be a semi-basic, college-level math course, which turned into the most difficult of problem solving she had ever done in the history of solving problems. Her words, not mine. Before I continue, let me first point out that some of her classes were online via BlackBoard or Web Study; and math was one of them. Week after week, she fell more and more behind. Countless tears streamed down her face in frustration. Thoughts of failure (in this class, not in life) flooded her mind. Multiple emails and phone calls to the instructor, and hundreds of (at least that's what it seemed like) educational YouTube tutorials later, she was still not getting it. She read each of the chapters twice and turned her homework in on time, every time, but it still was not enough. She didn't know what to do.

Until one day, a beautiful winter day, she was sitting at the computer, frustrated with this weeks assignment, and an idea popped into her little head. She brainstormed on it for about a minute, and then proceeded onward.

What was her idea, you ask?
Craigslist.

People post everything on Craigslist. Everything from job listings, to vacation rentals, to "casual encounter" personal ads. "So, why not post my homework?" Janet thought. She clicked on the tab at the top of the page that read "Post to Classifieds". Then, she had to specify a category; "Job Offered" seemed to be the most fitting. A list of rules popped up on her screen that she was forced to abide by if she was to proceed. Rules such as "All jobs must offer monetary compensation" (Done!), "No jobs involving nudity" (Dang it!) and "No positions requiring upfront fees" (Too easy!) were among them.

She continued...
With the title of her ad being: "Good at Math???", she was sure she'd capture the right crowd. They'd click on her ad and see the details which read (something along the lines of) this: "College student in (obvious) desperate need of help with math homework. Seeking a math genius who wants to make a little extra holiday cash. Will pay per assignment. Serious inquiries only."

It didn't take long for the Craigslist team of employees to come across this scandalous little ad and delete it, but not without first sending a courtesy email to Janet explaining that the ad was "inappropriate" and had therefore, already been deleted. (In Janet's defense, she did follow all of the rules; I mean come on, she was willing to offer cash for a job well done; she wasn't requesting anyone to pay upfront and it's not like she was making them complete the assignment in their birthday suit). Totally unreasonable, but nonetheless, there was nothing she could do about it.

Bummed and disappointed, (although, not surprised at the turnout of her so called "fabulous idea"), Janet went back to her homework. A moment later, she received a notification of a new email. It was from a woman named Rachel Hall, a name unfamiliar to Janet. She opened the email, and lo and behold, it was a response to the ad! Craigslist hadn't won after all! Rachel was a single mom and she loved math (weird concept, I know). She could use a little extra pocket cash (who couldn't?!) so she accepted the job on the spot, and without further ado, was hired immediately.

This is how it would work: Janet would scan the necessary pages of the text book and email them to Rachel. Rachel would complete the assignment in clear handwriting, all the while making sure to show all her work, and then email Janet when she finished. Rachel would put the assignment in an envelope under her door mat and when Janet would come by to pick it up, she would take the assignment and leave the cold hard cash that Rachel had so (honestly) earned in the aforementioned envelope. Janet would turn in the assignment and continue her week free of stress. Janet's grade went from an F to a C in a matter of weeks, and it was only a matter of time before she'd see an A in the grade book next to her name. Things were looking up after all...

Right up until Janet's mean old husband, *Rob, put an end to everything and Janet was back to square one.

Now let me just warn you now: it's about to get a whole lot worse (better?). So if you're one of those "goodie goodie two shoe" types, then stop reading now. And if not, well, then by all means, read on...

So after much deliberation between Janet and Rob, a solution was agreed upon. Rob had a friend at work, we'll call him *Steve, who was a math and chemistry professor and he would talk to him about the predicament his wife was in and see if he was willing to lend a hand.

Suffice it to say, that Steve was (is) very passionate about math and was more than happy to help out. And mind you, when I say "help out", what I really mean is that he would complete the remainder of Janet's homework assignments for her. There were only a few weeks left in the semester, but Steve still somehow managed to bring Janet's grade up from a C to a B+, and that was good enough for her!

(Oh, and if you're wondering about the final; let's just say Steve willingly accepted Janet's plead for him to do it for her. Since it was done online, no one would have known the difference anyway!)

All in all, things worked out for the best. Janet learned her lesson: Ask for help when you need it and get creative when you can!

Janet and Rob are still happily married and doing well. Janet successfully completed her degree and is perfectly happy in a job field where she is not required to use math.

Please note:
*Names have been changed to protect the author of this blog, her husband, and her husband's co-worker.

The End.
:)

Flying Car

So I have been wondering for quite some time now why we aren't traveling around in hover crafts yet. I mean, seriously, it IS 2010 people. We (and when I say we, I certainly ain't talkin' 'bout all us "regular folk") should have had this under wraps a decade ago. Anyway, needless to say I was quite excited to see this little beauty in the Hammacher Schlemmer holiday catalog. And who'da thunk it?! It's only $350,000!

Introducing....The Flying Car!!!!


Designed by a team of MIT graduates, this is the vehicle that converts from a street-legal automobile to a Light Sport aircraft in 30 seconds. A 100 hp, four-cylinder engine powers both the craft's three-bladed propeller for a maximum airspeed of 115 mph and its continuously variable transmission, rear-wheel drive to above 65 mph when on the road. When the wings are folded, the craft easily stores in a home's garage. It can be driven to one's preferred airfield on four DOT-approved tires with full road suspension. An electro-mechanical system is activated from inside the two-person cockpit to deploy the self-locking wings into place for take-off provided by a 1,700' runway. Built to fly within VFR conditions, sophisticated modern avionics aid navigation from a touch-screen LCD. Dual pedals and a joystick manage the craft's flight control surfaces--dual rudders, ailerons, and stabilator--while a steering wheel, accelerator, and brake control its road movement. Its 23-gallon gas tank provides a 425 nautical mile range (35 mpg on the road), indispensable for easy day trips from Long Island to Martha's Vineyard. Carbon fiber, titanium, and aluminum construction. Includes comprehensive familiarization with craft. Requires a Sport Pilot Certificate. Special conditions and guarantee limitations apply. Car mode 6' 8" H x 7' 6" W x 19' 6" L; Aircraft mode 6' 6" H x 26' 6" W x 19' 9" L. Empty weight 970 lbs.

Maybe I shouldn't give up hope just yet!?

Shout out!

I know I often write of the silly things R does, but he does some wonderfully sweet things too that are in need of some serious recognition and acknowledgement. So here goes...

When R came home from a two week long TDY trip, he brought me back a yoga mat bag. I already have one that I love that he bought for me when we were in NYC, but he said he wanted me to have an extra one just in case I ever wanted to switch out. He also brought me back a little stone with the word 'Courage' engraved on it and said that when he saw it, it reminded him of me because I am a courageous person (I asked him for examples, but he wasn't able to give me any, so I'm still unsure of the true reason. Perhaps that was the only one they had???) Hehe! Just kidding ;)


Last March, we were looking up places to go to celebrate our 5 year anniversary. Seattle, Atlanta, Charleston, South Carolina, Washington D.C., Baltimore, Boston and Chicago were all suggestions we were looking into. I had found a list of fun things to do in Chicago, to include seeing the Sears Tower, going to the Lincoln Park Zoo, and seeing Chicago on Broadway, of course! R said that if we were going to see a Broadway show, we were going to do it the right way--New York City style! So he proceeded to plan a vacation to NYC where we saw a Broadway show every night we were there! It was so much fun and so sweet of him! And he actually enjoyed it just as much as I did! We ended up seeing Chicago, Mama Mia, and Blue Man Group (which is technically off broadway, but is still pretty entertaining)! Here's a picture of us in Central Park! It's one of my favorite pictures from that trip!


A couple weeks ago, I had painted my nails a dark green color. I asked R if he liked it, and he replied with, "I really like the green, but it's a little plain. You need a little design or something on your ring fingers!" LOL!!! I lit up like a Christmas tree when he said that! If there's one thing I love, it's painted finger (and toe) nails and even more when there's a splash of freehand design on one or two nails! He knows me so well and he appreciates my uniqueness :) I love that about him!

This last year for my birthday, I told R I wanted one of those cookie cakes you get at the mall. (I had told him this the year before also, but I never did get it, so this year I made it very known that's what I wanted). Haha Anyway, he exceeded my expectations by not only getting it, but having it decorated with the OM symbol and a personal coded message that only I can crack ;) He also got me those big number candles that I think are so much more fun than the regular ones :) Here's proof:



I love R's face in this picture! It's as if he's saying, "Yep! I done good!" Hahaha


When we were getting ready to carve pumpkins last week, R was looking up ideas and patterns online. I had mentioned earlier that I wanted to carve a yoga pose or a yoga symbol into my pumpkin, and so he found a picture of my favorite pose (Scorpion), blew it up, and printed it out for me to carve on my pumpkin! And then, juuuuust in case I wanted another option or two, he also printed out two other yoga poses, Lotus and Reverse Warrior. What a sweetheart! I ended up with a Scorpion and the OM symbol on my pumpkin and R carved a ghost in his!





If you've been keeping up with Ladyoga since she first launched, you are well aware of the fact that we refer to our cars as Palmer and Suzi Q. Neither belong to either of us in the sense that Palmer is not "mine" nor is Suzi Q R's (or vice versa for that matter). However, it is no secret that we both prefer Palmer over old Suzi Q any day. With that being said, R takes Suzi Q about 90% of the time just so I can have Palmer. Even if I am staying at home, he'll leave me with Palmer just in case I want to go somewhere. Such a gentleman! (However, even after 6+ years of being together, we are still working on the "opening the car door for me" thing. My dad has done this for my mom for as long as I can remember and now R is paying for it because I won't settle for anything less) :) What can I say, no one's perfect, right? ;)

A couple weeks ago, R and I took a weekend trip to Virginia. The night before we left, R made a quick stop at Books-a-Million on his way home from work to pick up a couple yoga magazines for me to read on the drive. He got himself a book on CD and figured I'd want something to keep me entertained while he listened to his book (one he knew that I would be bored to death if I had to listen to). So thoughtful, right?! Job well done, Honey!


What a sweet, generous, considerate, and loving person you are, R! I am beyond grateful to have YOU for a husband and I will forever be humbled to be your wife partner :)) I LYLO Baby Cakes :) XOXO

Paper

Another funny R story, I can't help but share!
Piggybacking on the "R eats dog food" post:

A couple days ago R and I were in the kitchen. I was clearing off the table and had given R a pile of his stuff to put away. Next thing I know, I turn around and see R standing in front of the trash can chewing on something and spitting it out in his hands to throw away. I stood there for a couple seconds, observing this animal like behavior. With a confused look on my face, I ask, "Are you eating...paper???" He corrects me by saying, "I'm not eating it, just chewing it up". "WHY?!?!" His reply: "There was sensitive information on it, so I couldn't just throw it away". I reminded him that's the reason we have a paper shredder. He said, "I know, but with a paper shredder, you can put the pieces back together. Now, I KNOW no one can put this back together". LOL!!! Well okay then! Can't argue that!

What can I say? The MAN I married is an ANIMAL!! And I love him even more for it!
Happy Tuesday Ladyoga Readers :)

True Story

If people saw the way I eat lunch after a 2-3 hour morning gym session, I would be so embarrassed, I'd probably never show my face again. True story.

Two nights in a row, it was 10:00 PM before I realized I had forgotten to feed my dogs dinner. They were driving me crazy and that's when it dawned on me that they must be hungry. Ooops. (I'd be a terrible mother). True story.

My personal trainer says I shouldn't eat carbs after 5:00 PM. I cheat by putting croutons on my salad. True story.

My blog post titled "Confessions" has by far the most views than all of the other posts! For some reason, I find that quite comical. True story.

I gave myself the title "Recycling and Compost Nazi". It's something I'm actually quite proud of. True story.

If you chew gum while cutting onions, your eyes won't water. True story.

I find it weird that my dogs have thumbs. True story.

R and I quote the tv series "Friends" and "King of Queens" in our everyday jargon. True story.

And we vote on Dancing With The Stars. Often we disagree on who we want to vote for, so we compromise by playing Rock, Paper, Scissors. True story.

I read my horoscope every morning. True story.

I've never seen or read the Harry Potter series or the Lord of the Rings series. I'm pretty confident that I'm not missing out on much. True story.

My dad used to walk around the house turning off all the lights while shouting (or sometimes singing) "Why are all the bloody lights on?!" I find myself doing the same thing. True story.

My dad also used to tell me I would always leave the kitchen cabinets open and I never thought I did; until I moved into my own house, that is. Let's just say it's not an uncommon occurrence to walk in my kitchen and see the cabinets wide open. So apparently I do. True story.

Last week I killed a spider that ran across my carpet with L Dog's paw while he was sleeping. He slept right through it though. True story.

A few more thoughts I've recently had that have somewhat boggled my mind:

Why is it that the three main radio stations here insist upon playing the same five songs over and over? We have decades and decades of great music, why must we hear only the songs that came out just two months ago???

What's the trick to peeling a hard boiled egg and keeping the egg shell in as few pieces as possible?

Why are we still traveling in cars as opposed to hover crafts?

Is "cannot" one word or two? And if it is only one, why aren't "must not", "have not" and "should not" only one word as well?

Why is it that when I asked the cashier to "please bag my groceries in as few bags as possible" she proceeds to double bag a bag with only frozen chicken breasts in it?

Perhaps for the same reason she didn't ask to see a picture ID when she asked to see my credit card when the back clearly reads "Please See ID" in the place where my signature is supposed to be? Just a thought.

Also, can someone please explain to me how facebook is now worth 7.9 BILLION DOLLARS?! That is just plain crazy.

Who's idea was it to put an "s" in the word "lisp"? That's just evil!

And why are we still contemplating the chicken and egg thing? The chicken came first. Noah didn't take a couple of eggs on the ark, he took two chickens. Simple as that.

And last but not least: I saw this in an email, as I'm sure most of you have as well, but I honestly don't know the answer to this question:

Which is worse?

Dogs?


Or kids?

You tell me.