Thursday, May 21, 2009

Best Mom Tip #62: Don't correct your gym instructor

Today I learned that the incredibly perky woman in front of the room in any woman-centered excercise class does not ACTUALLY want you to tell her how many reps you are on. Apparently, this is some sort of schtick she uses to get you to do more. Since I am able to count really well, I just find it annoying when she yells "I think that was just 20" when we all know it was really 40.

Back in January I joined my local YMCA because, although I had lost 35 pounds since my son was born in August, I still weighed a good 30 pounds more than I really wanted to. Also, I couldn't wear any of my clothes.

I started slowly by meeting with a trainer and setting up a strength training program that didn't tax any of my hurty joints. It's now been about 4 months and I have lost 20 or so pounds and my back doesn't jiggle any more. But I got bored in the weight room so now I take classes 5 days a week.

Which is why I've learned not to argue with the teacher. She just makes me do more scary ab excercises. Today I also mentioned that her missing cat was probably eaten by a coyote. I don't think we'll be hanging out any time soon.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Best Mom Tip #61: You don't HAVE to share if you don't want to

You may have noticed that I haven't posted anything for about a month.

"What is wrong with her", you've been thinking. "Doesn't she know that I need something to use up 45 seconds of my late afternoon sugar crash so I don't fall asleep at my desk?"

Well, honestly, I've been kind of depressed about being at home and wondering what I want to do with my life and being really grumpy in general. A lot of people benefit from writing those thoughts and feelings down, but I just wind up wallowing in my funk when I talk about it more.

So I've ignored you all. Sorry about that. I'm feeling better now and I can probably comment on my life at home with little kids without sounding bitter. For me, being completely honest about everything I've been feeling would just make me sound ungrateful and unloving toward my beautiful children.

We live in a world where everyone shares everything all the time and it gives us both a sense of self-importance and a belief that we're entitled to know all about people we don't even know. I almost bought the new People magazine where Kate Gosselin talks about how she and Jon might break up.

I am genuinely curious about their marriage--and then that made me feel creepy so I put it back down and just got my tube of cookie dough. This family is losing itself because so many of us are interested in their lives.

Obviously I don't have a TLC show or several book deals, but I still felt like I could relate to something in their lives--maybe if they hadn't talked about every aspect of their lives for so long they wouldn't have to address marital issues in national magazines. Sometimes, DOING life instead of TALKING about your life is more productive.

So I'm only going to share when I feel like it. Consider this my philosophy: The unexamined life IS worth living--at least for a month at a time.