Little Bits and Pieces for the Week

-  This past weekend in Bikram, the teacher encouraged us to let go of judgement with our poses and class, which meant not judging days, classes, or poses as either good or bad.  I put a lot of thought into this over the weekend.  I let go of the negative more easily- I leave it on the field, per se.  However, I started to recognize how much value I put on labeling things as good or positive.  This weekend, I tried to just let things be what they were, without judgement.  

- On a similar note, I ran 5 miles on Sunday without pain.  I decided to not label the run as good- just that I did it and let it go.  The carryover from yoga made me realize that when my runs are "good" or "bad", so is the way I view my life.  I felt better by not putting a lot of value on one run.     

-  I am appreciating my good friends more and more with every day that passes.  Thank you to my friends that know me as a person as well as value and support me.  

-  Laura and I have some good ideas about raising money for lost/hurt/abused/neglected animals.  I think I have a broken heart from something I saw this weekend.  I wake up every single morning thinking about it, and I have cried every single day.  Time to take more action, because I don't think my heart can ever heal just sitting here.  Will keep you updated when we get our plan in action.

-I often find myself wishing that girls would be more direct.  The female culture is so weird to me sometimes.  If you have something to say, just say it!  I have been thinking about the sociology of females a ton lately, mainly because I want to be surrounded by good, strong women.  When I encounter female weirdness (fakeness, pretending to like someone when you really don't, being nice when you don't mean it, etc...), it throws me for a loop.  Really what it amounts to is for me to continue to work to be a more honest person and good friend, and then I think the same will come around to me.     

-And I am nervous about my test this weekend.  I also recognize that no matter how big I think it is right now, it is will small.  It will be a speck in time pretty soon.  

-  Last thing on my mind.  This is my last week of lunch time swim at the Quince Y.  I had to do 200 push-ups out of the water (20 at the end of 10 50s- where you go straight down under water and come straight back up on the side of the pool).  I didn't mind it at all, and thought it was good strength work.  I could tell some people in the pool thought it was a waste of swim time, as we weren't getting in as many yards as we could.  I used to feel that way too, but I have noticed that even on fewer yards most of the time, I am improving because I have given up some control to the coach and just trusting that he knows swimming better than I do.  I think sometimes we get to be the "more is always better" sport.  But if you have been swimming the same times on tons of yardage, maybe you could consider changing something up and seeing if it makes a difference?    

- Oh, one more thing.  My papa came over today and I showed him how I could do a pull-up.  We started talking about his marine days, and he told me for his test he only did 3 pull-ups (you at least pass the test on 3, so it was okay).  So, I think I will try to beat his 3 pull-up best.  He also told me he ran 3 miles in under 18 minutes in full marine gear/boots for max points, and I don't think I can beat that one.  I felt better thinking there may be a running gene in my family after all, though.