Silver Fanny Packs and Dying Goats

Being able to sleep in til 5am on a Monday is pretty much like an early Christmas.

...Minus Jesus and the need to give anyone anything lined in fleece.

I slept like a baby.  Like a 130lb, slightly anxious and caffeine-addicted baby.

It was beautiful.

I must confess that my sleep habits have not improved since moving to the city, and perhaps have slipped further into a state of I'm-so-sleep-deprived-and-dangerously-close-to-making-poor-decisions-at-any-moment.  Many of you know exactly what I'm talking about and have operated in this state for way too long.

Perhaps I'm still trying to find a groove from the past 2 weekends.  Ah yes, girls weekend...

3 of my dearest girlfriends from NC made the trek up to the big city last Friday.  If the Universe felt aligned its because the 4 of us were together, being ridiculous, and solving world problems between coffee binges.

It was wonderful to see them and laugh our way through the weekend.

I keep telling myself we've grown up, and yes we have,...BUT then there's that moment when I'm fairly certain our dinner conversation completely offended everyone within earshot.  Amazingly none of us feel the need to apologize.  We're more likely to say you're welcome.

So between a little shopping, great food, and some insurmountable karaoke moments, it was quite the time.  No, I did not get on stage myself.
Have you ever heard a dying goat?
Exactly.
No one desires to hear that.  But you can bet your sweet rearend that when the music was loud enough to drown out my vocals, I was hitting notes all over the place.  Thank God for amps and temporary hearing loss.
Huge props to my girls Ashley and Blair who managed to crank out a memorable NC gal version of "Shoop".
...And this is why we're friends...

In fitness related news, I am preparing myself for the beginning-of-the-year folks.  Christmas is just around the corner, which generally means one last casserole blow-out before the stretchy pants head into retirement.
I get it.  Mine are getting a workout as well.
So cheers to mentally preparing for a new year and pants without an elastic waist.  I have many thoughts to come on this topic as we approach 2015.  Thoughts on health, perspective, and an overall sense of forward momentum in life.
Life's too short and too awesome to remain stagnant.

Christmas,...
I honestly cannot believe its just around the corner.  I head to NC in less than a week to hang out with the Parker crew and I couldn't be more stoked.  Its been roughly 2 1/2 months since I've seen those crazy folks and loved on my nieces and nephew.  To say Aunt Mena will be in rare from when the plane lands is an understatement.
Sparkles is probably prancing around getting the house ready in her Christmas attire.  God bless her.  98% chance she'll rock the festive sweater vest and my day will be made.
No judgement.  Its free entertainment.
To be honest, I almost bought her a matching fanny pack on Canal St last weekend.  I think the only thing that stopped me was knowing I was enabling her.  I've seen Intervention way too many times to know that the enabler is a problem, and although we are not dealing with heroine or meth in this instance, one might argue a metallic-silver fanny pack is just as bad...

Well, on that fashion note, its back to the grind for yours truly.  One more client and then back to my shoe box for the evening.
Life is GOOD.

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Well, the Christmas decor is up and I'm practically running around harking the herald.  That makes no sense,...I need my coffee to kick in asap.

Its amazing how much space a 4' tree seems to take up in a studio apartment.  I almost opted for a branch and one silver ball.  I feel you Charlie Brown, I feel you.

I do have this horrible feeling though that when I return from the gym Oscar will be trying to digest an ornament and pooping glitter like a fairy.
82% chance.

What a solid weekend.
I went to my first Broadway production Saturday night and have to say it was nothing short of phenomenal.  It was definitely a NY highlight and left me very aware of my inability to remotely carry a tune.
I can't.
I deserve to have my larynx removed and the theatre would literally clear out from pure fear of more to come.
So thankfully I was not a part of the cast of Les Miserables, and wow what an unbelievable show.   Dinner, show, post-show coffee,...awesome night in the Big Apple.

Training is going well, very well.
Of course I am meeting some amazing people, and grateful for the opportunity to impact more lives outside the NC borders.  And the ridiculous comments that come immediately following a tough set or hard cardio interval are pretty much as brash as in the south...and actually, a little more colorful.
I was compared to Satan the other day.
Followed by a smile.
That was interesting.

Speaking of training,...here we go...
Its been a beautiful struggle the last few weeks in my own training.  Not as much of a mental/focus issue, but more about assessing where I am and where I want to go.  I've spent the last few years navigating some rough waters with work load, divorce, relocation, and sheer exhaustion from the gravity of it all.  Yes, my training kept me sane, but it lacked a clear, definitive goal outside of not dropping a weight on my face or making myself bleed on the treadmill.
It simply was not the time to add another thing on my plate that required such a high level of dedication and focus.
But here I am.
Stronger.  Wiser.  And now open to the possibility of a long term goal to give my training specific direction.  Well, life is funny sometimes and timing is everything...

As I entertained these thoughts and pinpointing what that goal looks like, I was approached by someone near and dear to me who asked me to compete in a show with him next August.
There was no question.
It was an internal YES,...so we're headed back to the stage.
I am absolutely thrilled, but it will be different.  I'm shifting from Figure to Bikini for this show, and going through a Natural federation.  All new and exciting things, and excited to share the experience with someone I admire and who can absolutely call forth my best in my most exhausted and potentially doubtful moments.
Thank God for those people.

So that's the news on this end.  Meanwhile I'll keeping sucking down this coffee and start preparing for the next 9 months.
Its like I'm having a baby.
Minus the lactating and randos touching my belly.  Side note: that's just weird.  I don't know you.  You don't know my fetus.  Why are you caressing my growing uterus?

I'll stop there.