One of the best things about living on or near an Army base is the plethra of gym membership opportunities. Depending upon the local gyms, you can do anything from Mixed Martial Arts to Pole Dancing. (I hesitate to take this class, I figure if I was any good at it, I couldn't fight the urge to make some money off it. The stage name Stretchmark Sally has a nice ring, lol)
So, in light of my current health debacle, I thought it wouldn't hurt to break out the spandex. Well, it wouldn't hurt me, but the rest of you might not appreciate it.
So with the spandex where it belongs in the dumpster, I join the On Post gym.
They have a variety of options there as well. I have attempted almost all of the classes by now. I like the rest of the world have joined the Zumba craze. Now my taking of this class will vary by daily teachers. Not out of dislike for any of them, just out of my lack of coordination. I have long accepted that some stereotypes apply to me. Hence, I am a white girl and I still clap and snap my fingers, and bob my head when I dance. Its sad, but its who I am :(
I actually had one girl interrupt me just when I was in my groove, so she could ask me..."um..yeah you know thats the instructor up there right?" I'm guessing she didn't understand how the rythym got me.
Aside from Zumba, I also take atleast a weekly, cycling class. I haven't riden a bike since I was about 12, so I was very concerned about this endeavor.
Week one: class wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Couldn't wait for next weeks class. Realize next day, my butt was bruised and I hate cycling.
Week two: Realized reason I made it through week one, because my tension knob wasn't working then but not to worry.....it's been fixed. DAMN IT! But it gets better. Half way through the class I'm peddling my little heart out, and my seat falls, with me on it. I think I handled it without any real attention being drawn and peddle on. But then it falls a little further, and LOUDLY. The best part was when class was interrupted to help me adjust my seat. Good thing that went unnoticed, huh? lol
Week three: I really think someone should add a camera to the bike seats. We could get our yearly colonoscopy while we peddle. I don't think I've ever let anybody get as friendly with me as that bike seat.
Then of course, we have Yoga. This is probably my favorite of the three. I'm terrible at it, downward facing dog seems to make me gassy (I'm sure the girl next to me appreciates that),and I always have to pee mid class. But the quiet meditation portion of the class gives me plenty of time to plot revenge on those who have wronged me :) I think because I am so busy during the day, I depend upon this time to work out my inner issues, lol. (yes I know thats not what I'm supposed to do and it defeats the purpose....do I need to add you to the list? lol jk)
But seriously I really do like Yoga. Once you've spent all day dancing, jumping, cycling, yoga is a great way to wind down and release some of that muscle cramping you know you are going to feel in the morning.
But my all time favorite gym activitie: The Sauna. Now most people will think its because I get a chance to be lazy...they're pretty much right. But there are several other personal benefits. I walk out of there sweaty and I automatically feel more comfortable being at the gym. I have a tendency to have a little anxiety when I go to the gym. You walk in being well...me. You see all these fit soldiers doing one handed pull ups, women who do nothing but run and eat seaweed it seems and its intimidating. So first stop is usually the sauna. Once you are in there for a few minutes, not only do you feel more comfortable and ready to go, but you get to start you gym visit with GOSSIP!! Maybe its being locked in a hot wooden box together but nobody can stand the silence. Men, women, enlisted, officers it doesn't matter.
So twice a day, you can find me getting physical at the on post gym. I suggest you look for the giddy female in the sauna, its probably me.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Dear Middle East...
I understand the desire to fight. I understand the desire for less government, and I can even to a point understand your various governments need to control the situations at hand. However, I am asking you as a personal favor to KNOCK IT OFF!
Yes I am a lowly American infidel. I understand how the request of a female will be automatically denied, but please take my request into consideration. I am desperately trying to get my husband out of the US Army. You are not helping!
I long for the days that my husband will no longer be sent to your region of the world, but for some reason you constantly insist he and his friends come back. Its getting kind of old. Now I knew when I married him, there was a possibility I would have to share him with the rest of the world. However, I think you are being a little selfish with his limited time. He has a wife and 3 kids who miss him as well. He really doesn't need a group of bastard children who insist on throwing temper tantrums.
I think the appropriate course of action right now is a Time Out. I suggest you all go to your palaces and think about what you have done. If they have to pull the tanks over you are gonna regret this mister! Don't make them come back there!!!
They've already called Nana (sorry I meant NATO) and they know how you are acting. So don't expect NATO to come to your rescue.
See you say you want the Americans to stay out of your business. Yet, you won't let us. The guys/girls really don't want to be there. But you leave them no choice.
Here, I (as well as thousands of others), are trying to get our husbands to retire or move on to greener pastures. They would be out of your turbans for ever. But, that cannot happen if you keep killing your own people. Do you see the problem here?
You are killing your people and replacing them with ours, who in turn will be forced to kill/injure more of your people? Thats not a good way to keep your country populated! If you kill off all of your people then who will you control?
See so it's in your best interest, that for the time being, you stop and let these soldiers go on their way.
Sincerly
US Army Wives
Yes I am a lowly American infidel. I understand how the request of a female will be automatically denied, but please take my request into consideration. I am desperately trying to get my husband out of the US Army. You are not helping!
I long for the days that my husband will no longer be sent to your region of the world, but for some reason you constantly insist he and his friends come back. Its getting kind of old. Now I knew when I married him, there was a possibility I would have to share him with the rest of the world. However, I think you are being a little selfish with his limited time. He has a wife and 3 kids who miss him as well. He really doesn't need a group of bastard children who insist on throwing temper tantrums.
I think the appropriate course of action right now is a Time Out. I suggest you all go to your palaces and think about what you have done. If they have to pull the tanks over you are gonna regret this mister! Don't make them come back there!!!
They've already called Nana (sorry I meant NATO) and they know how you are acting. So don't expect NATO to come to your rescue.
See you say you want the Americans to stay out of your business. Yet, you won't let us. The guys/girls really don't want to be there. But you leave them no choice.
Here, I (as well as thousands of others), are trying to get our husbands to retire or move on to greener pastures. They would be out of your turbans for ever. But, that cannot happen if you keep killing your own people. Do you see the problem here?
You are killing your people and replacing them with ours, who in turn will be forced to kill/injure more of your people? Thats not a good way to keep your country populated! If you kill off all of your people then who will you control?
See so it's in your best interest, that for the time being, you stop and let these soldiers go on their way.
Sincerly
US Army Wives
Thursday, March 10, 2011
What Happened To Honor?
I know its been a while since I posted, but I feel like tonight I really need to get upon the soap box. My question to the world today? What happened to honor? duty? integrity? Or just being a decent human being?
Now I know everyone's version of "decent" varies, but I think we can all agree one should not go out of their way to hurt another for their own personal satisfaction or gain? By hurt, of course could mean a variety of different things. So I will leave that to your imagination.
When I first came into Army life, the standards were high. You screwed up, you were out. You cheated on your wife, your rear belonged to the Army. You beat your kids, failed to pay child support, or abandoned them you went to jail or faced serious consequences. You drank too much or did drugs you got help or left the Army. DWI's... there were NEVER more than one while you were in the Army. The wives watced their kids. The houses were never trashed and the lawns were always clean.
So my question is what happened? My first thought is maybe after 9/11 when there was an increased need for soldiers and everybody wanted a little payback, maybe our "selection" process slacked a little. Maybe we started overlooking little issues and before you know it, those little issues snowballed.
Maybe its like this all over and I've just been to naive to see it until now.
How is it that a nation with one of the strongest Army's in the world with the highest of moral standards, has turned into what we see before us today?
Just in one day, You can see a soldier leaving his family for another female. You see multiple wives neglecting their children. You see trashed homes, and disgusting yards. You see wives doing things that make me want to lie about being associated with them. You hear about how soldiers have gotten 2-3 DWI's and nothing is being done. You hear how another soldier has gotten drunk and killed an entire family. You hear about how we should be sensitive to these soldiers because they may have PTSD.
I've made my feelings about PTSD very well known. There were wars before Iraq and Afghanistan and it was never ok for those soldiers to get away with this, so why is it ok now?
Ghandi said, "be the change you want to see in the world". I can't imagine anyone set out to make these kinds of changes.
I put this question before all military wives, family members and soldiers reading my blog...what happened?
Now I know everyone's version of "decent" varies, but I think we can all agree one should not go out of their way to hurt another for their own personal satisfaction or gain? By hurt, of course could mean a variety of different things. So I will leave that to your imagination.
When I first came into Army life, the standards were high. You screwed up, you were out. You cheated on your wife, your rear belonged to the Army. You beat your kids, failed to pay child support, or abandoned them you went to jail or faced serious consequences. You drank too much or did drugs you got help or left the Army. DWI's... there were NEVER more than one while you were in the Army. The wives watced their kids. The houses were never trashed and the lawns were always clean.
So my question is what happened? My first thought is maybe after 9/11 when there was an increased need for soldiers and everybody wanted a little payback, maybe our "selection" process slacked a little. Maybe we started overlooking little issues and before you know it, those little issues snowballed.
Maybe its like this all over and I've just been to naive to see it until now.
How is it that a nation with one of the strongest Army's in the world with the highest of moral standards, has turned into what we see before us today?
Just in one day, You can see a soldier leaving his family for another female. You see multiple wives neglecting their children. You see trashed homes, and disgusting yards. You see wives doing things that make me want to lie about being associated with them. You hear about how soldiers have gotten 2-3 DWI's and nothing is being done. You hear how another soldier has gotten drunk and killed an entire family. You hear about how we should be sensitive to these soldiers because they may have PTSD.
I've made my feelings about PTSD very well known. There were wars before Iraq and Afghanistan and it was never ok for those soldiers to get away with this, so why is it ok now?
Ghandi said, "be the change you want to see in the world". I can't imagine anyone set out to make these kinds of changes.
I put this question before all military wives, family members and soldiers reading my blog...what happened?
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