I Just Want to Hang Out...

No big deal!  

Last month, I challenged Steven to the Cabla-Goobla-Goobler Challenge.  We had to do some sort of fitness + watching the Cable Guy + drinking beer + blogging.  The idea of was to break out of the food comma and get some beerness in before December.

Immediately, I ran into a problem.  Okay, 2 problems.

1. My computer was broken.  I replaced the battery, fiddled with the magnets, and then finally gave up and rode it over to Bike World.  My bike bf Steve-Oh set to work on what he thought was a "stupid girl" fix.  An hour later, with a new speed trap, we were back out the door.

2. I could not find a good time to be wasted!  If you have read this blog, you might know that last year, this event resulted in a miscommunication induced sh!t show.  Ideally, I would find an evening where I could complete this 1.5 hour event and then pass out, but I just couldn't find the time.

(Problem 3 was hiding the case of Heine when we had a Franksgiving party.)

I don't think I was the only one with that problem.  I got a message from Steven on Sunday, November 25, at 7:49: "Have you done challenge?"

"No," I replied. "I was going to text you.  I need an extension!"

She replied, "Okay, good.  I think your blog post said until the 30th."

So, I hemmed and hawed, worrying about schedules and coming up with the BEST CHALLENGE CONCEPT EVER and not actually coming up with any good ideas, when I finally said to myself, "Rice, remember those words of wisdom: you get what you get, and don't give a sh!t."  Or something like that.

Before.

Sunday afternoon, December 2, I saddled up for a little ride on the information super highway.  It wasn't going to be legendary, but it was going to be done.

Holiday keeps me company, though she hates the trainer.

So, so I rode.  And, I drank Heines.  And, I laughed out loud, because, if you don't already know this, The Cable Guy is a hilarious movie.

I didn't ride farther than last year, and I didn't drink as much beer, but I did it.

Four Heines, dranked.

Twenty miles: rid.

Reflection: the world of work seems to have stymied me.  There is just too much edu-ma-cating to do to really rock fitness, eat perfectly, blog prose so vivid it would make you weep, and shenanigan.  But, we can't give up!  These blogs represent all that is good and silly and irreverent in our worlds.  So, dear reader, you get what you get and don't give a sh!t!

After.

Heretofore unknown version of the Cat 5 tattoo--that's right, on the front of my calf.

The upshot: I got my bike step up on the trainer.  No excuses now!

Roll credits!

I do have some stuff in the blog hopper, like a Survivor Cross ReCap and the annual Mid-Winter RAGBRAI Total Recall Blog Series.  So, stay tuned gentle reader.  

And, Steven, listen, I just met you and this is crazy, but here's my number, so call me maybe. 

Needles November Challenge: Concession

Well, in November, our beloved driver and "beaver wrangler," Kelly challenged me to a 26-day challenge.  The results were so-so.  I had a slow start, and didn't do as much as I would have liked to have done, but I did more than I would have done.

The Needles challenge certainly helped pull me out of my early-November funk.  So, that's pretty good.

Item 1: Lost an average of 2-pounds per week: FAIL. I am, more or less, where I started at the beginning of November.

Item 2: Reduce one inch waist size: UBER FAIL. I didn't even measure my waist because I have no tape measure, but if the scientifically accurate jeans method is anything to go by, I still failed on this one.

Item 3: Increase bicep curl by 8 pounds: BOOM!  I started curling 45 pounds max, and I manage to eek out 60 pounds.  I didn't work on biceps in particular, but I have been back to the H2K gym, which helps.

Item 4: 50 sit ups or crunches in 90 seconds: BOOM!  I did crunches and I managed to get 50 done with 27 seconds to spare.

Item 5: 30 push ups in 60 seconds: BOOM! I did girl push ups, but I got 30 out with like 17 seconds to spare.

Item 6: Ride the trainer 4 times per week at an average of 12 miles an hour: ???  I didn't ride the trainer that much, but I did get back to H2K on a regular basis, I also went to a handful of spin classes, and I survived Survivor Cross!

Item 7: No cupcakes: No comment.

Item 8: Only six servings of bread per week: I sort of forgot about this part of the challenge, so again, no comment.

And there you have it folks.  It was not a victory, by a long shot, but I do think that the Needle Challenge helped me bust out of my post-10-Miler, tried-to-give-up-the-Beaver-gym-in-October ennui.  I am back in action, and I started making a plan for 2013.

And, like Steven, over at See Teacher Run, has written about in recent blogs, I am getting a little tired of just meh-ing my way through challenges.