Take the Long Way Home

Well.  I just walked for about an hour from my house,
 (hahahahaha... Lena's shorter so I guess she's the cop!)

...to Smoothie King,


and then to the Main Library on Goodwood


where I am now. 

(Listened to a RadioLab podcast while I walked.  It was about the beginning and development of the show Candid Camera - it was really interesting!  Check that out here: RADIOLAB

It took about an hour or so, I think.  Google maps says my route was about 3 miles.  I guess that's good for me. 

My Fitbit wants me to take 10,000 steps a day.  Depending on the particulars of a day, I usually end up with about 5,000 when I leave work.  If I go early to Crossfit

and walk or run a little on my own before class, I can hit the 10,000 then... or sometimes I'll hit it during or after class... or, sometimes, I'll end my weekday in the 8,000's.

On any normal Saturday or Sunday, I move so little that sometimes I don't even break 2,000.  Seriously.  Right now, I'm at 8,464.

  And I still have to walk home.  Unless I punk out and get Lena to come pick me up... hahaha...
  She's so cute.  :-)

So here I am at the library, had several things I wanted to do here but can only remember 1 or 2 or them.  Such is the life.

One thing that's been on my mind a lot lately is AGE!  I am 42.  I weigh about 20 pounds less these days than I did over the previous... 10 years or so?  I'm in better shape, yada yada... but I'm FORTY-TWO!!  Like EVERYBODY around me, a lot of the time, is younger than I am!  I don't ever want to hear someone refer to me as "that lady" - I like being "that girl."  My eyes are a little puffy, I have a few wrinkly places on my face, a couple of sun spots, and I find the occasional grey hair... I don't like it at all!  The people I work out with, a lot of them, I could be their freakin' MOM!  That is SO WEIRD and I DO NOT LIKE IT AT ALL!!!!!

But that's one of those things I can't do anything about.  So I'll have to find ways to cope.  Maybe I should read up on things like "embracing my age" or whatever.  That is definitely one thing that has me agitated a lot lately, though.  Errgh..

At LEAST my putting so much effort into working out is like... preventative maintenance.  The stronger I make my body, while I am easily able to do so, the stronger it will remain when I get (*cough*) old.

(See, Amber... I listen... LOL!)

 (This is Amber, one of our awesome coaches.  She makes some really wise comments while we work out... not preaching;  just tossing out her Mardi Gras beads of sound advice.  Like talking about the functionality of fitness and strength.  Smart, strong woman there, and a great motivator.)

(Y'all COME WORK OUT WITH US!!!  We have an awesome, brand-new building, a top-notch staff I like to plug as often as I have the chance, and a program that will be scaled to your individual needs and abilities from day one, forward!  Yes, it's hard work... but it is SO WORTH IT and, for what it's worth, a lot of fun!)

Okay, that will conclude my Geaux Crossfit commercial for today.  (Click the link!! haha)

Not much else to say today.  I just missed blogging so I wanted to poke my head up and say hi, like Punxsutawney Phil.


And now, I believe, I am seeing my shadow.

 (yep, there it is...)

Soon I will refill my water bottle and begin my trek back home.  There I will take a good, hot shower and settle back into my couch for some good TV viewing. 


I love the weekends.

Take care, y'all!!

xo
Nicole

(MUSIC AS THE CREDITS ROLL)

The Dark, Damp Night of Romance and Mystery

...Tried really hard to come up with a gripping title for this one; that's what came out, so...

This will be another blog post sharing a dream that I woke up from this morning... it affected me strongly, so much so that I knew I needed to write it down.  I typed it into Google Keep (where I keep many of my dreams I feel are worth documenting) then decided to go ahead and make it into a blog post.  Let's see what I can derive from the tangles inside my head that produced this conpletely fictional dream.

I dreamed I was dating (let's call her Jane). Well, considering dating her. She came to my house to pick me up and take me out. It was very dark,

To dream that darkness comes upon you signifies failure in some work that you are attempting.  Darkness is synonymous with ignorance, the subconscious, evil, death, and fear of the unknown. If the sun breaks through the darkness, then you will overcome your failures. If you feel safe in the dark, then it suggests that you like not knowing about certain things. As some might say, ignorance is bliss. 

To dream that you cannot find someone in the darkness signifies that you need to keep your temper in check.  You have the tendency to let your emotions get out of control and lose your temper.

To dream that you are lost in the darkness denotes feelings of desperation, depression, or insecurity.

To dream that you are groping around in the darkness indicates that you have insufficient information to make a clear decision. Do your research and do not rush into making choices.

something that made me think of the French Quarter but without the lights or the people. The air was wet.

To dream that it is humid suggests that you may be lacking some understanding in a situation. As a result, you are feeling anxious.

The only lights were like candle lights.
To dream that it is dim indicates that you are lacking clarity in a waking situation. You need to shed some light or perspective on the issue. 

I had it in my mind that I wasn't going to get involved with her - that she was bad news - that we would just be friends.. But, like a strong wind, she swept me off my feet and spun me around and around in her arms.

To dream of romance suggests that you need to be more affectionate in your waking life. Perhaps you are longing for more romance in your personal relationship.

(In the dream, she was a lot taller than me; in real life, she is not.)

To dream that others are taller than you suggests that you have a tendency to overlook things. Alternatively, the dream denotes low self-esteem issues. You are looking down on yourself.

She spun me around in her arms then pressed me against the wall and kissed me. I was thinking, why the hell not, let's just go with this.

To dream that you are French kissing...

(Seriously??  Who says that anymore??  LOL)

...in your dream suggests that you need to express emotions in a more honest way. Perhaps you need to show more passion or be more open with your sexuality.

Then she said, "Come on, let's go!" But I told her I needed to make sure my house was closed up and all the lights were turned off. She said, "Of course," very kind and patient. Of course I found no lights on when I went through the house, but I did find the back door

To see a backdoor in your dream suggests that you need to search a little harder to find an answer to your problem. Sometimes the solution may not be obvious. Alternatively, the dream indicates that you are trying to find short cuts to do things.

wide open and Hippie was outside.

To see a pet in your dream represents civilized instincts. You are keeping your temper in line. Alternatively, seeing a pet indicates a need for love and acceptance. Perhaps, you are lacking attention from others and are feeling neglected. 

I scooped him up and brought him in and shut the door, then went back out front where Jane was waiting on a motorcycle. I got on, we sped off into the night and went where there were lots of other people and restaurants and cars but it was still very dark.
To see or ride a motorcycle in your dream symbolizes your desire for freedom and need for adventure. You may be trying to escape from some situation or some other responsibility in your waking life. 

There was a lot more to the dream; in it, I was also contemplating dating someone else and was partially involved with them. I had not made up my mind. But, to let Jane know (to be honest with her) without being completely honest, I mentioned that they wouldn't take a hint and get gone, and asked her for advice on how to handle that. I don't remember what she said, if anything.

Then we were in some kind of vehicle without a top,

To see or dream that you are in a convertible refers to your glamorous attitude. You are showing off your power and influence.

her and me and maybe 2 gay guys?? Not sure. But we were riding around and they were pointing out great places to go, to eat, etc.

Then I was at Jane's place, with some other people, in a kind of library.

To dream that you are in a library signifies your search for knowledge and your hunger for ideas. You may be trying to seek out new meanings to life. You need to study and evaluate your situation before taking action.

We were discovering/discussing how, when she was in the military, they disguised her

To dream that you are in a disguise indicates that you are hiding from something or someone in your waking life. It is time to face reality and stop hiding behind a facade. Alternatively, the dream suggests that you are being someone you are not.  (Translate to her/she/Jane, I guess.)

as a man and gave her many, many identities to get into places in other countries and do spy work.

To dream that you are undercover indicates that you are hiding your true feelings or true nature. Perhaps the dream is trying to tell you that you are being someone that you are not.  In particular, to dream that you are an undercover cop implies that you are going against your conscience.  **(I'm not sure if this if referring to me or to her or to how I think about her.)

We were looking at all the... kind of like school yearbooks... but they were each about just her and what she had done under each identity, with pictures. It was fascinating. She was not with us at the time and I felt a little guilty, like I was prying... then I felt kind of proud because I was impressing the other people there with this information I knew about her that they hadn't known of before.

Then I found small, flat, 8 1/2 x 11 boxes like boxes of blank Avery labels. Each was labeled with one of her identities and had inside a sheet of chocolates, pieces together like a hershey bar, but each the size of a small school picture, together forming an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet. I started eating them, feeling a little guilty for going through her things and probably destroying things that were one-of-a-kind, but I kept going because the people were so impressed. I shared the chocolates with them.

I don't know if this was in the dream or as I was waking up, but I remember thinking this stage of her flattering me and being head-over-heels with me was sure to be short-lived. Because she was an alcoholic. And eventually, the rapt fascination would turn to disinterest then gradually turn into abuse. Because that's how those relationships work. The sweep you off your feet and amaze you with their wildly romantic and spontaneous actions; you are the world to them... until you're not. You are everything, then the excitement fades and you are nothing. You are the apple of their eye until you are the outlet for their anger. Etcetera.

But, in real life, I do miss Jane my friend and would like to spend some time with her. She was abusive to (as well as enamoured by) another real-life friend when they dated. I had that in mind when I first met Jane and am sure that kept me from going down a road I don't want or need to ever go down again. But she did turn out to be a really great friend.

Yeah so, my attention and/or desire to piece apart and interpret this dream ran out about halfway through.  Maybe I'll get back to it later.  For now, I'm going to read some Proverbs and enjoy the sound of the hard raid outside. 

Sleepy Time

It is quiet in my house. Aside from the sleep-breathing of Lena and Luna... my partner and my dog, respectively. Not snoring tonight; just the sweet, deep-breathing sounds that accompany restful sleep.

I have had so much to say lately! And, invariably, always a reason why right then wasn't a good time to sit down and construct a blog. So, here I am, willing to give a little bit. So, enjoy 😊

Tonight, on the Crossfit whiteboard, was a statement that made me laugh to myself- something to the effect of, "Crossfit- making different muscles hurt every day." So true, so true... except for when they take a mind to work LEGS all week.. not a fan of that.

BUT. I have learned repeatedly that if I just GO, good things will happen.

Lots of good going on lately. For now, I think I'm going to read until my eyes won't stay open. Currently working on "The Surgeon" by Tess Gerritsen (sp?). She wrote e books off of which the show Rizzoli and Isles is based. Twisting and intricate stuff. I highly recommend.

Good night, all! Sweet dreams and have a very pleasant tomorrow!

P.S. - I ordered a shirt today that cracks me up. It says, "I did it. I let the dogs out." Pahahahahaha

Later!