a questioning blog about nothing

1. Is it right to feel guilty about missing a workout during the off-season?

Last Monday, Mr. Spie left really early in the morning (3:00 a.m.) on a business trip. Sunday, in preparation for his trip, I made him get the dreadmill out of hibernation as I will not be able to run outside until his return. (What a waste of daylight savings time ending!) Monday morning, shortly before my alarm went off (5:30 a.m.), Captain Destruction was wandering around the house. I captured him and snuggled with him until he fell asleep again. This action, however, did not leave me enough time to get my run in before I had to rouse the troops for school. I need to get over feeling guilty over a missed workout -- especially a missed workout during off season.

2. When do you cross the line talking about an athletic event you participated in?

In my swim class, there is a woman that talked incessantly the first day about the marathon she had just completed. (most likely the Chicago). Every sentence was "When I was in mile 20 of the marathon..." or "I am still so very tight after the marathon", "My foot hurts still after running the marathon" I completely understand the excitement of completing your event.


On Sunday, a week later, the marathon continued..."I was so elated to get out and run this week. It was the first time that I ran since the marathon." "It was a great run, a little slow though because I just did a marathon". I listened in silence as she talked to her friend, but my in head I was thinking "Enough already!" I am torn between making a comment like "I know. After I ran my first marathon it was hard to get back into the groove, it becomes easier after subsequent marathons" or tracking how many weeks that she will continue the marathon talk.


3. Is it wrong to anxiously await the arrival of your Ebay purchase? Does this giddiness become weird if the purchase is new set of Carmichael training dvds?


On Tuesday, I discovered in the most unfortunate way the Captain Destruction had gotten a hold of my one and only trainer dvd. It is (was) a time trial work out and as I was in the middle of the final "power interval" of 5 minutes sustained at 100+ rpm. I was staring at the clock, intently, wishing that time would go faster than it was. Rather than going faster it stalled, then stopped -- at 1:46 of the interval left to go. I kept pedalling waiting for it to correct itself.

Pedalling. Waiting. Pedalling. Waiting. Still pedalling. Still waiting.

Oh, Tatar Sauce!!

Finally, I stop, get off the bike, fast forward the dvd a few seconds, get back on the bike and complete the never ending interval. I needed to replace this dvd. I love being told what to do in training and at 5:00 a.m I am not creative nor motivated enough to do a real intense work out on my own. An Internet shopping trip was in order. So, Happy Birthday!! early to me, I now am awaiting 5 new dvds!! Four of which I will use. The fifth is a mountain bike workout that I intend to convince my husband to use.


4. Is remodelling your kitchen the during the holidays pure insanity or a great way to keep company at bay?


I am at T minus 18 days before we are ripping out the kitchen cabinets. At best I am looking at 1 month without a complete kitchen. The appliances are expected to take residence in my garage on the 19th and installation has been scheduled for the Friday after Thanksgiving. I am excited about the new kitchen. I have to admit that I am even a bit more excited at the prospect of not having to entertain during the holidays. No kitchen = no food + no cleaning, because why bother!


5. At what point do you write a letter to a store manager?


Tuesday is my grocery shopping day. After I drop the two oldest off at school, the two youngest and I drive to the grocery store with list in hand. Our school does a grocery store gift card fundraiser, so I shop that store to give money to the school and get a discount on my tuition. I arrive at the store and am greeting by signs that indicate that due to a system upgrade starting a four a.m. and until further notice, they will be unable to accept gift cards and debit cards for shopping purchases. We walk in and stop by the service desk to see if the upgrade is still going on. It is and now I cannot shop there because my methods of payment (gift card and debit card) are now eliminated. I gather the kids and return to the car to shop at a different store as we are desperate for food. As I drive the 15 minutes back into town, I wonder why advance notice could not have been given about this upgrade. I could have moved my shopping day, planned in advance. Surely they must have known this ahead of time. I am not the only person in the world that shops once a week am I?


Upon arrival at grocery store number 2, my children indicate that they would like to ride in a truck cart. We examine 3 truck carts before we find one that has both steering wheels. I have two children riding so I need two steering wheels. The drawback to the cart with the dual steering wheels is that there are no functioning seat belts. I decide that the steering wheels outweigh the seat belts and I will deal with the consequences of my choice as they appear. Shopping goes fairly smoothly. The two year old (Captain Destruction) is doing fairly well. He pops out of the cart when I stop, but gets in when I request him to. Near the end of our shopping adventure, he starts to get a little antsy and starts to climb the outside of the truck cart. I am not driving fast. I am stopping frequently to put items in the cart, so I am not too concerned when he rides on the sides of the truck cart, but am adamant that he will not ride on the roof and stop and request that he get off and back in the cart when he attempts to "truck surf".


I am in the last aisle, searching for the elusive last item on my list and a gentleman approaches me. He is the operations manager of the store (as indicated by his name tag) Here is our conversation.


Operations Manager --"I just wanted you to know that it is unsafe for him to ride on top of the truck" (Mind you that the cart is not moving at this time and I am standing still looking for my last item -- CD must have climbed on the truck while I was searching for the item)

Me -- "I understand that you are doing your job, but understand that I am just trying to get my grocery shopping done as quickly as possible"

Operations Manager --"But, if he should fall...."


"If he should fall, I wouldn't dream of holding the store responsible"


Operations Manager --"Just as long as we have had this conversation" -- and he walks away.


Now, I am a little upset (insert a nastier word to get the real emotion). I find the elusive item, with CD in the truck cart and see the Operations Manager talking to a wine vendor. I stop by him and wait for him to finish.


Me "I just wanted to let you know that part of my problem is that this cart's seat belts are not functioning. If they were, my son would be belted in."


Operations Manager -- "I doubt that that would stop him from climbing on the top of the cart"


Me "I don't think that you have ever had a precocious two year old and he would be belted in"


Operations Manager -- "I have had my share of precocious two year olds"


Then I walked away. As I waited in line, because I needed the food, I seethed. Then the lady behind me jumped line in front of me and when I questioned her about it she wasn't even apologetic.


Fortunately, it is not a tale all of woe. A cashier from heaven appeared and took me immediately, helped me bag my groceries, and I was out of the store before the tears appeared and the line cutting lady even had her groceries on the belt.


NOW, after all this questioning and contemplation, I still have no answers and have realized that I have a lot more to remodel than just my kitchen. I obviously need to remodel my attitude and most significantly my parenting skills (according to the operations manager at my local grocery store).