About three weeks ago, I decided that it was time to start adding in some weight training. My weight loss is kind of stalled (too much cheese? could be) and I’m not getting out to karate class as often as I should (anyone surprised? didn’t think so)

I took an introduction to kettlebells class with a local RKC instructor. It was pretty damn awesome.

Kettlebells are essentially a ball of iron with a handle.

Check out Lorna Kleidman (Author of Body Sculpting with Kettlebells for Women) throwing some iron around

In case you are wondering, that’s 20kg or 44lbs that she’s tossing around. (oh yah.. and I’m a real fan of that person asking if she got her boobs done.. classy.. really)

I didn’t think 44lbs was that much really, until I realized how much of your core and entire body are engaged in swinging a kettlebell.. not to mention the fact that you need to keep from whacking the back of your arm with those 44lbs when you heft it into the air.

I can clean 15lbs.

I can clean and press 10lbs.. (that’s what she’s doing with 44lbs)

I took another one on one class and then decided it was time to join the group.

Turns out I don’t do so hot in groups.

I’ve pretty much figured out that women undercut each other.. we set each other up for failure.. it sucks (case in point: little miss “did she get her boobs done?” comment in the video above)

Now, everyone was perfectly nice. No one was obviously pissing in the corners.. but..

there was this one woman who gave me the hairy eyeball. She was a tiny little thing but she could really move that iron. Seriously lifting heavy.

We were asked to get three size kettlebells, light, medium and heavy.. for our skill level. I took an 8, 15 and 20. So we are cruising along through class and there was an exercise where we pair up.. whatever.. I paired up with someone and when I got back to my spot, my 20lb was missing.

Thought that was weird.. how did I lose a 20lb ball of iron? Fortunately I didn’t need it again (cuz I was tired).
The last thing we do is a 2 minute two handed swing.. swing as much as you can with the heaviest weight you have.. I was tired so I grabbed the 15.. only to hear the woman who gave me the hairy eyeball say “Hey! do you want your 20lb back?”

WTF?

It’s not like I had the only 20lb bell in the room.. there were at least 5 more up against the wall that no one was using. Why did she have to take mine?

Because I was the “newbie”.. because she was claiming this space as “hers”. .. because it was obvious that she was trying very had to be “teacher favorite” and she didn’t like the new girl coming in and possibly threatening that.

Sheesh.

Do I think she did it consciously? probably not.. but do I think her intentions were obvious?

She might as well have literally pissed in the corner and yelled “MINE!”

Well she may have gotten her wish because I pretty much decided that it wasn’t worth it for me to rush home, eat something fast, rush to training and train for only 45 minutes to rush home again.

So I bought a bell of my own. I can do this by myself and not have to deal with the BS.

Yesterday we took my little darlings to their doggy chiropractic visit. A very good friend of ours is a Chiropractic veterinarian. Since we are all trying to eat better, instead of bringing the usual goodies, we brought something healthy.

I have been wanting to make Texas Caviar, a recipe that was shared by Brie in the South Beach Diet group on Ravelry. Since not everyone can get on Ravelry, I posted the recipe here with Brie’s permission.

This turned out way tasty… seriously. I will admit to making it with canned beans… oh well.. time was short!

So anywho, Qay has been very very very sore lately.. her back right hock has some arthritis in it. It was described to us as feeling like “a bag of gravel”.. shudder..

Qay has not been eating for weeks.. for weeks we’ve been trying to find what it is she wants..

Turns out, she wants red pepper flakes.

Red Pepper has been used to treat pain since the capsaicin interferes with substance P which transmit pain to the brain. So the pain may still be happening but the brain doesn’t register it.

Because her knee was so out of whack, she threw her back out. Our local chiro vet couldn’t get her to adjust. She was so sore her muscles wouldn’t release. So our friend used an activator and that seems to have done the trick.

So, I leave you now with one of my favorite comedians.

Been fooling around with the blog, trying to use the WordBooker plugin and Recipe Press and it was giving me fits.

Yah, cuz my theme is old.. like two years old and evidently the templating system in WordPress 3.0 is really very different than it used to be.

So I decided to just adapt the new “default” theme for WordPress and I did it the right way. You know, copying it into a new file, renaming it in the style.css file so it doesn’t get all wonky and over written when WordPress updates again? Yah, like that..

(ETA: 07/07/10- evidently I’m supposed to do it THIS WAY now)

And I gave myself a schnazzy new header. The old was was kinda just chucked together.. I’m quite happy with this new one.

In other news.

I finished my first shawl! Yay me! It’s for my mom. She bought me some lovely yarn from a farmers market. It’s kool-aid dyed alpaca. Handspun.

Pretty yes? Lumpy? kinda.. but I think it’s okay. She’s going to be surprised when she finds out I used her gift to make her a gift!

I made the Travelling Woman shawl because, well it looked easy. I did an extra repeat of chart A.

It looks kinda messy before it’s blocked

Before blocking it was 32×13

Of course, it was curly so kinda hard to tell exactly how long it is.

After blocking.. whooboy! 57×20!

I got the niftiest shawl pin too. My mom is a Dragonfly nut (sheesh.. I hope she’s not reading this). Just in case, though, I won’t post a pic!

We have been trying to eat at least one serving of beans a day . Black beans are basically my favorite! They are great because they are a complex carbohydrate and the Doc says they help stabilize blood sugar and do mad good things for your cholesterol levels. Surprisingly, they are high in anti-oxidants, something we usually equate with colorful fruits.

Basically, black beans rawk. Whole Foods has an excellent list of all the things that rawk about black beans here.

In an effort to make eating beans simple and easy, I’ve concocted a recipe that is a mashup of other things I’ve read. 90% of it comes from cans, meaning you can whip it up really quickly. Try to get low sodium if you can. There is no added salt to the recipe, but you will find plenty in canned products.

Shop wisely. We have found that the “Full Circle Organic” has the least sodium with Progresso being right behind it (although still pretty high). If you can use dried beans, that is awesome, but I’ve tried it and I just don’t have the knack of cooking dried beans. Anyone have any tips?

This uses chicken broth (Hannaford Organic brand is REALLY low sodium) but you could make this vegetarian and lower in sodium by omitting the ham and using vegetable broth

This makes about two quarts and freezes really well. This is South Beach Diet Friendly for all Phases.

Recipe can be found here: Black Bean Soup

Last weekend was Karate Camp! Two days, three trainings (I missed one) and just hanging out with other karateka. Some from our club, some from out of the area. It’s pretty cool.

Except..

Well I don’t camp. I’ve tried.. really, but what it comes down to is that I like having a bed.. I like having my own shower.. and I like having some alone time. I’m really not a social creature. I do have a good time around other people but only in small doses… long story, but I never learned to be around people when I was a kid.. I’m surprised I’m not a hermit! So ya, a little time to myself is good.

I drove out Saturday afternoon.. I should have been there sooner, but I just didn’t get rolling as quickly as I thought I would. But I got to camp in time to hang out for a bit before heading into the dojo for my first training.. but it was the second training of the day.

Um.. it was hot. Like 90-ish or something. The dojo is a converted barn.. really well done actually.. good floors, mirrors and of course, on the front hung the American Flag, the Japanese Flag and a picture of Gichin Funakoshi,

We started with basics

Then some sparring

That’s me there, getting some correction on how I hold my hands.

Then kata.. did I mention it was hot?

That’s me, the green belt.. my blood pressure is fine.. honest.. it was just really really hot.

“More hip forward!”

I never get that “pinky to elbow” thing right.

I’m always getting corrected on this too.. it’s the little things really..

Enough picking on the greenbelts already (LOL!) Time for everyone to get in the act

By this point, I was pretty warm

Whew.. that was a long 90 minutes! But excellent really.. I got a LOT of instruction, lots of input and lots of really good information!

We bow out, and we all go to change.. I’m out of my gi, into my shorts and ready.. really really ready for some water.. when I hear someone yelling down the hall. One of the women changing in the same room as me says “Jeni, I think Sensei is calling you”.. whooboy..

I pop out and Sensei says “oh you’re changed already. We were going to test you!” (The club had held kyu tests the week before but I was out of town.)
I promptly bolted back into the changing room, told the girls that I was going to test and threw my gi back on.. Someone threw me a bottle of water, which I downed and then bang.. off I went.

I was soooo tired.. so ready to sit down.. I was running on reserves really. But somehow, I got through. Everyone was watching but I was to tired to pay attention or really care.

But. I passed. yay!

After that, I was ready to go check into my hotel.. (I got called princess a few times)

It was a nice little hotel not far from camp. I check in, and hop in the shower.. and that is when I notice… this.

Ye old “farmer tan”. I have a matching blotch on my leg. It’s from the car ride! LOL

I had a refrigerator and a microwave.. and this quaint little note

Long story short (too late!) I went back to camp, hung out by the campfire until 11:30 before heading back to the hotel. Many people slept in the dojo on air mattresses. I guess a pretty wicked thunderstorm came through and the rain on the tin roof was pretty loud.. I don’t know because while they were in tents and open buildings, I was in my (ahem) cozy air conditioned room with the big screen TV and cable.

I got back to camp around 7AM and just sat by the pond with my knitting.. I wish I thought to take a picture of that morning.. so beautiful.

We had another training and at 9:30AM it was still nice and cool. After that it was time to head home.

I left out a lot… we laughed a lot and we goofed around a lot and ate smores.. it was a seriously good time.

So, we have been doing really really well on this whole diet thing. I’m down almost 25 pounds! I’m obsessing over the scale.

Anywho, we’ve stuck pretty much to the no sugar thing.. but it was Qay’s Birthday.. and Qay loves carrots and traditionally, she gets carrot cake for her birthday.

No Cake makes Qay a Sad Panda

So that we could all have “cake” , I took a muffin recipe and adapted it to get rid of the processed sugar and use only whole wheat.

They came out way good. Yes, they have sugar, but the sugar comes from honey and pineapple and carrots.

See all the yummy carrot shreds?

If you want the recipe, I posted it.. I’m starting to collect my recipes over on this page

So I’ve been a green belt for a while, but evidently, I’ve not been pushing myself as much as I should. Last Thursday in class I got a rude awakening.

I’m not nearly fast enough. Or I’m just comfortable and have gotten lazy.

Or both.

During one step attack I got tagged.. I got tagged a LOT.

So I think I need to figure out how to push myself to move faster… problem is, I still feel like an elephant on roller skates. When I get tired, I get sloppy. I don’t execute things correctly. Have to figure out how to fix that.

On the other hand, my back stance is getting better… Sensei’s words were “much better! about time.” Hey you take compliments where you can get them right?

On the knitting front.. eh .. I’ve been plugging along on my Swing This Socks but I grow tired of them. The first sock is done and the second one is on it’s way. But.. eh..

I did finish this Acorn Head scarfish like thingy.. but it’s too small for me. I ran out of yarn.. I’ll be gifting this to someone with a small head.

I didn’t even bother working in ends.

I feel like crocheting.

So I started this 9 to 5 shrug… so I can hide the tattoos at work. I like to wear sleeveless dresses and tops sometimes, but if a client comes in, I like to cover them up.

I ran out of yarn for this too. Drat… AND it’s not available to order again until Monday.

So now I’m on to the Summer Breeze cardi.

Here is my gauge swatch. Pretty isn’t it?

I have a giant ball of crochet cotton. I shouldn’t run out this time.

I hope.

Over the past few months, I’ve come to realize how complicated my life has become.. or more correctly, how complicated I’ve made it. Constantly feeling like I have to do something, start something, be something.

I have a million projects all started.. none finished… and not just knitting projects either… this brings a sense of chaos that I used to thrive in.. or at least I thought I did.

Lately, I find myself less willing to spend a ton of time in front of the computer.. less willing to do things that I really don’t want to do. I’m not talking about the things that HAVE to be done.. but I’ve finally realized that I’ve created all these projects so that I “don’t have time” to do the things that have to be taking care of.. like keeping the house clean, spending time with my dogs and my family.. etc etc.

What was passing for time with my family was “sitting my ass in front of the computer and killing time until it was time to go to bed”. Well, yah, that’s nice… what was happening was that I was avoiding so many things that I put on my plate that the only “safe” place away from all these projects was the computer. Ironically, many of these projects were websites and blogs that sat while I played Facebook games.

That may sound odd reading it… I’m just sort of spouting off okay? I’m not sure it’s going to make any linear sense.

So, I’m simplifying.

I’ve (possibly temporarily) shut down my collar business. It wasn’t bringing me joy.

I’m in the process of wiping out extra websites that I don’t need. I’m clearing out old projects.. I’m slowly creating order from chaos.

I took a couple baking class. Now you may not know that I was enrolled in culinary school a few years back. I basically took the classes that I thought would be fun. And didn’t take the ones that weren’t. Baking bread.. that is my thing.

Bread is simple

Flour, salt, yeast, water. That’s all you need (unless you make the bread shown above. Then you need potatoes and rosemary… and yes I made that)

Making bread brings me joy in it’s simplicity. Bread is magick. Making bread means that you create something complex from simple, humble ingredients.

Karate brings me joy in it’s simplicity. Sure there is a lot to learn, but the basics are simple. Respect, Focus, Intention, Dedication. If I were to sum up karate, for me, those four words are it. Simple. Technique is important sure, being able to defend yourself, of course… but I keep going back because of the simplicity of the Dojo Kun

Seek perfection of character
Be Faithful
Endeavor
Respect others
Refrain from violent behavior

Simple.
Karate is making something complex from simple, humble beliefs and techniques. Finally nailing that jump in my kata? Joy. It’s a simple jump when you watch it.. but finally leaping in the air, feeling that power that comes with doing something correctly .. even just once.. knowing, mid air that you are going to nail that landing? Joy.

A website that sits there and does nothing because you started it to get attention or for someone to notice you.. or say wow you are awesome? Desperate. Sad. Pathetic.

Finally figuring out that your worth has nothing to do with other people?

Joy.

Mistake 1:
Thinking I could miss training and still learn.

Mistake 2:
Stepping back on the wrong leg during one step attack.. during my kyu test (doh!)

Mistake 3:
Thinking that I could ignore my bum knee. (ouch!)

Sensei was showing me how to do Kokutsu Dachi (back stance) correctly for Heian Yondan. The kata opens with two stances that are SLOW which means if you don’t do it right it looks pretty darn sucky. And I’m still not doing it right.

I mirrored his movements and BANG my knee yelled at me… we no likey…

Frustrated, angry, embarassed and in pain, my eyes start welling up..

Great.. just cry like a girl… go on.. be a big wimp. Way to go.

I really do think that 90% of this is psychological. This has hurt in the past.. so I believe it will hurt again.

I pulled myself together and took my test. I don’t know if I passed.. but at least I tried damn hard. Maybe too hard.. maybe that is why I made mistake #2.

The other 10% is that my quads need some help.

I’ve been reading Stumptuous.com and Mistress Krista (ok.. that gives me a cheap thrill.. but that is what she calls herself) has convinced me that I need to try free weights. I’ve tried the machines.. like twice… and lets face it.

1. I’m already at the gym three days a week for karate (or I should be .. and if I’m not it’s because I’m either lazy or can’t make it for some reason)

2. The machines are boring and mindless and isolate muscle groups. This seems inefficient to me.

I just requested The New Rules of Lifting for Women from the local library. I can pick it up tonight I think. There is supposed to be a routine in there that is efficient and something I might be able to do at home.. I won’t have a barbell, but that’s okay.. I’ll start small.

It seems like the squat is the way to go for .. well pretty much everything.. so I tried to squat with no weights the other day… darn near fell on my face. So I commented on Krista’s blog for a little advice. She sent me to this link on “lurning to squat good” Looks like there are some great tips in there!

As soon as my knee starts behaving again, I’m going for it.

These past few weeks have been nuts. All three (yes I said three) of my bosses were on the Company trip to Aruba… meh. Which means chaos for me. Oh well.. oh and Shel went off to San Francisco for conference which meant not only was she away for a few days but I was stuck with that song in my head for like a week.

My Ravelympics project was a bust.  I finished one sock (now renamed the “Purple Torture sock of Doooooom!”) and it was like way too wide on the bottom of the foot.. it was essentially a paddle.. urm.. Off to the frog pond it goes.

On the karate front, well there ain’t much news. I’ve been working and not going.. which blows.

The weight loss, however is going like gangbusters inspite of not exercising. I think I may have finally hit a plateau though. But since January 14th I’ve lost 15(ish) pounds. Go me!

Not much in pattern news. I’ve been working on a vanilla sock and started the gusset of the 2nd one last night while watching Firefly. This will be the second time around trying to watch this series. Now that I watch Castle, I find I have an appreciation for Nathan Fillion. Quirky. I like him. So we’re giving it another go.

Once that sock is done I was going to make the Devil’s Snare Socks but I just noticed that they are for SPORT weight. meh. I might try it anyway