An entirely different kind of exhaustion

I was finally able to go back to working out. If you remember, after three grueling Monkey Bar gym events I got a little carried away with push-ups and strained some tendons in my left arm.  I let them heal for a week and was about to go back, I was missing that adrenalin rush I was getting from extreme exercise.

BUT - my campaign got in the way and 2 weeks went by.

Yesterday I thought instead of doing the Muscle Training I would try their Boot Camp which was more cardio/muscle.

OMG - While I would have muscle fatigue before, I had whole body fatigue with this.  Plus, I almost crashed through a window which might have been embarrassing 

After tossing a 5 pound ball back and forth which sounds easy at first we got into groups of three for a rely race.

Run 30 yards to the other side of the gym, back and forth, then "skate" forward and then backwards 30 yards and THEN monkey crawl (only hands and feet touching the floor) forward and then backwards.

RUN - I can do that.  My turn came and I sprinted towards the other side - HOWEVER - I was just getting to top speed when I realized I needed to slow down. My new shoes have SO MUCH TRACTION on that carpeting that when it came to slow down, my legs were already weak from previous exercising that I could not stop without tumbling forward.

There was no sliding to a stop.  At 10 yards away I was just getting to top speed and I was having trouble slowing.  Luckily I was flailing  enough to slow and as I neared the window I was praying it would hold because I was going into it.  I did veer to the left a tad looking for the support and managed to not kill myself.

The rest of the race was a blur.  All I remember was the final leg and I collapsed gasping for air.

Once I got home I noticed my left knee is bloody with floor burn and I'm moving like an old man today.  I have a photo shoot this afternoon and hope I can have a little more mobility.
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I've been listening to some interviews with Europeans about their impressions of America and Americans.  Very very interesting.

For one thing they are amazed that in America success is encouraged.  In Europe it's almost the opposite. Success is sort of looked down upon and discouraged.  Also something interesting is that it is considered impolite to ask someone in Europe what they do for a living as they do not want share that part of their lives.

In Italy the word "dream" is always used with irony or sarcasm.  And you would NEVER tell someone to "follow their dreams" A vision for the future is laughed at.  They believe that dreams do not come through and even thinking of change is ludicrous and a waste of time.   

There is a word used in Italy "magadi (sp?) which is used in every other sentence which translates to "if only" or something like a regret,  something that will never happen. When the woman was with Americans she said her friends would encourage to "do it" which for many Europeans is so far out of their comfort zone because you don't go for your dreams, that's ridiculous and will ever happen.

 One other thing that struck me (many things actually) was that they said where they come from there is NEVER a time where they can look out upon the land and not see the presence of man. In America the space is so vast they can imagine the world before the presence of man which is breathtaking.

Construction of Sagrada Familia began in 1882, completion date in 2028

In America National Parks are like their Cathedrals.  While we are in awe to their amazing Cathedrals they are in awe with our National Parks.       

anyway - - - -

Just looking into Europe. 

Amsterdam to Rome to Paris and all points in between.  It will be in a Rick Steve's Tour which is a small group (24 people) and not what people normally think as one of those crowded bus tours.

 NO NO NO - not that one! Although it would be a hoot.








Trust me - we have looked into the bus thing and read hundreds of websites NOT hosted by Rick Steve's to see the REAL opinions.

http://youtu.be/S_6Md89XQGs



Speaking of  Cathedrals.  This is St. Micheal's Church, Old Town, Chicago where I attended my brothers son's wedding.

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Lastly -  Milo the cat.

Took him into the vet yesterday for a  . . . . costly procedure.

Things were adding up on his health so it was time.  He had what we thought was an ear infection,  a wort lumpy thing in the petting zone and something was going on with his back hip.    

Well, he had a polyp in his inner ear which pretty much clogged everything up and was extremely uncomfortable (he had been telling us that for a while) a wort was taken off and x-rays on his hip which showed a spinal stenosis at the sacrum (a narrowing of vertebral canal) . . . could have been worse.

OH - birds - saw my first Robin last Saturday (might have said that already).  Yesterday saw my first red winged black bird.

Have a great weekend.   Love ya all!

Grinder