I’ve gone to yoga a few times. I hated it. Every time. At my last attempt, at my current gym, the instructor told me I am way too young to be so tense. Well, yeah.

I found yoga boring. I found it long. Time seemed to stand still in the 90 minute classes, each pose lasting forever. The poses were difficult for me. I am not at all flexible and I just hated it!

And then my daily Vital Juice newsletter presented a special offer — 2 free yoga classes at The Fierce Club. The VJD description was intriguing:

The atmosphere here is laid-back and boisterous compared to more traditional studios. Still, you’ll get a no-nonsense workout. Their Core Strength Vinyasa class combines cardio and muscle toning with an emphasis on firming your middle.

Missy and I decided to try it out last night. Our instructor was Sadie, one of the co-owners. From the website:

If you get bored easily in yoga class, want an incredible workout and are adventurous, whatever your level, this class is for you! Sadie will expand your edge without pushing you over it, with a vigorous, core-centered and creative flow. You’ll sweat, tone, sculpt and burn calories, all without becoming overwhelmed. But you will leave stronger, more lean, flexible and ready to face the day head on. She plays the music you might have on your ipod rather than purely “yoga” sounds, and to this rock and roll soundtrack, you’ll move, play, laugh and learn an incredible amount of the alignment and anatomy in your poses.

Hmmmm let’s see. Get bored easily in yoga? Check! Want an incredible workout? Check! Want to sweat, tone, scuplt and burn calories without being overwhelmed? CHECK! It appeared this class was designed specifically for me.

As soon as you walk in, you’re in the studio. I walked in and told them I read about the free classes on Vital Juice and Shannon, the other co-worker, was sitting there and exclaimed, “We love Vital Juicers!” She was extremely friendly and introduced herself. The guy at the desk was great as well, and explained where I could find the mat and the changing rooms. I got ready and was relieved when Missy arrived. I reserved spots for us and then went up to Sadie to tell her we are new and have no idea what we are doing. I also told her that I am not flexible and that I have taken yoga classes and hated it.

She said, “I used to hate yoga, too, until I developed my own style! Don’t worry — even if you hate this, at least you’ll get a really great workout!” I loved that. So friendly, so open. She understood what I didn’t like about yoga, which is pretty unusual for a yoga instructor! She had Missy and I move up to be closer to her so she could correct us and assist when we needed it.

The class began and we started with abs. It BURNED. So much that when it came time to do a plank my abs were on fire! The class flowed quickly after that as we moved from one pose to the next. None of the poses were strange or boring — they were all strength exercises. They involved holding our bodies up with our arms and supporting ourselves with our core. If a pose was particularly challenging, it wasn’t a big deal since we moved on to the next very quickly. It was tough on the arms, the thighs, the abs. I was sweating.

It really felt more like a strength class than a yoga class. It was nonstop, the music was awesome, and it was a real challenge. I was surprised by how well I did — I was able to do most of the poses! One of the more advanced moves we did was almost impossible until Sadie came and helped; I was shocked to see I was doing it!

My arms burned most at the end of the class, when we did two sets of these 20 jump things, with only our arms to hold us up. By the last 5 in each set I could barely do it, my arms were worked so hard! When they claim to give you more of a workout in 60 minutes than other yoga classes give in 90, they weren’t joking.

And you can all get a free class at The Fierce Club too! Just click here.

The class was incredible and unlike anything I have taken before. I have another free session to use, but there is one caveat — the class brought out my shoulder injury. You must all think I am a big complainer and all I do is talk about what hurts me. But for some reason these things just happen to me.

My shoulder story
One morning a few months ago I felt a sharp, intense pain in my left shoulder. I figured I must have slept funny on it. But it continued to hurt. I experienced that same sharp pain every time I bent my arm back to put on my coat or put on my scarf. It happened if I leaned on my arm. It happend if I turned to the left. I ignored it, thinking it would go away, but after a month it was clear it wasn’t going anywhere.

I went to an orthopedist and he sent me for an MRI. The MRI revealed that I had bone marrow edema in my shoulder. “You must have gotten it from lifting weights,” the doctor said. Nice theory, except that I had never lifted weights. “It seems like post-traumatic osteomitis,” the doctor said. Nice theory, except that I experienced no trauma. So basically I had this shoulder injury called bone marrow edema with no known cause. The orthopedist sent me where all orthopedists send me — physical therapy.

I went for a couple months and then stopped. By this time, the sharp pains had ended and I was left with a constant, dull pain. We did nothing in physical therapy that I couldn’t do on my own. My left shoulder feels very different from my right. I am always aware that it is not as it should be. I feel a tightness all the time. I can’t sleep on my left side — it hurts so much to lay down on that side. I often feel pain but not that initial sharp pain. But I always feel a throbbing. And it hurts. I figured it was just something else I would have to live with — like my knee, like my stomach.

I felt sad and defeated as I mentally made a list of the exercises I can not currently do because of my injuries: running, spinning, yoga, stairmill, possibly elliptical. Sigh. I am just trying to be active and do good things for my body. Is that so much to ask!

Back to Yesterday
I was so focused on my knee yesterday that I completely forgot about my shoulder. I didn’t even think to tell Sadie about it. During class when the pains started I knew I had messed up, but I wanted desperately to continue with the class and get as much out of it as I could. But I felt the pull, I felt the pain, I knew that the class was making my shoulder worse.

I finished the class (trying to put more weight on my right side when I could) but feeling like I really hurt myself. At the same time, I loved the class and was excited and happy about it, wishing I could do it again but knowing that my shoulder wouldn’t let me. I went to talk to Sadie and I told her how great the class was — and how I reignited an old shoulder injury. I sadly admitted I didn’t think I could come back for another class.

“You should have told me before the class that you had an injury!” Sadie exclaimed. “I know,” I said, “But I forgot all about it until the pain started!” Sadie understood. She said that next time I take class, to tell her first about my shoulder and she can help me with poses that will put more strain on my arms (as I think I was supposed to be doing in this class) and less on my shoulders. She told me that there are definitely ways I can avoid straining my shoulders in her class.

Today when I go to the doctor about my knee I will tell him about my shoulder. I got my MRI at the hospital where he works, so he should be able to see the report. Maybe he will have something new to say about my condition. I was even thinking it was a good thing yoga hurt my shoulder because I might have forgotten to mention it to the new doctor otherwise. I am curious to hear what he says about both my knee and my shoulder — fingers crossed!

In happier news, I LOVE my new doormat! Here is a picture of me standing on my new mat. No, i didn’t put it out yet!

And here is Doomat Giveaway Contest Winner Andrea with her son Logan and her new doormat:

Andrea loves her doormat as well! And she took cuter pictures! Of course, Logan is adorable. But I didn’t think to hold my mat up like that, I was so intent on it being on the floor. Haha.

Another big thanks to Coco Mats ‘N More for their generosity!

On Sunday I tried running outside for the second time. I wasn’t feeling so great as it was day 4 of my 5 day medical test, but I really wanted to do it. It was a beautiful day and lots of people were outside. I went to Transfigure but I didn’t get any cardio in and I hate being inside a gym on a gorgeous day.

Mistake – Eating chips as my mid-day snack.

The run started out pretty good. I was going very slow, but I was going. But then I got very thirsty. I could taste the salt from the chips. I am not even a salt lover. But I had seen that Dirty makes Sweet Potato Chips now, and I bought a bag earlier in the week. I was eager to try them, and I was hungry, and they are quick and easy –  which led to the decision to eat them. While I am a Popchip devotee, I must say that I enjoy the fact that Dirty makes two flavors that I hope Popchips will make one day – Honey Mustard and Sweet Potato.

So during my run I was plagued with thirst and had to stop at every water fountain I ran by. Keep in mind it was 90 degrees out.

I had to walk a couple times, which is no big deal. I know that is part of beginning to run. But I think running might be particularly difficult for me for some reason. I wore my HRM and when I looked, towards the end of my run, it was at 193. I wasn’t running fast at ALL — I was  going very slowly. I know I need to practice and get better, but that leads me to my next problem.

Pains!

I have had knee problems for years. When they started, it would be an intense, sharp pain on the outside of my left knee when I walked down stairs or downhill. It got to the point where I couldn’t go on stairs at all, and the people behind me trying to get down into the subway were probably very annoyed. I had gone to an orthopedist and he did an x-ray and it was normal. He diagnosed me with patella femoral syndrome and explained that my legs were very weak and couldn’t support my body, which in turn put all the pressure on my knees. He sent me off to Physical Therapy to get stronger.

The pains went away on their own but every now and then would return. It primarily happened in my left knee, but my right knee began having the same symptoms as well. Last year the pain became particularly bad. It reached the point where sitting hurt because my knees were bent. I went to another orthopedist.

He gave me the same diagnosis and sent me, once again, to Physical Therapy.

The problem is, the pain isn’t constant and physical therapists have a hard time focusing on what to do when they can’t recreate the pain. So that didn’t last long. I figured I would just deal with it; sometimes I get pains in my knee. The pains go away.

And then I decided to get into running.

For my first few treadmill runs, I was fine. Then one day I did a 45 minute run and during the last 15 minutes I felt the old pain come back. I should have stopped running, but I didn’t. I won’t make that mistake again, but it happened. My knee hurt for a couple days after that and I decided to order the knee sleeves that Caitlin uses. I figured they would hold my patella in place and hopefully my knees wouldn’t bother me too much during and after eksusize.

I have been using them pretty religiously since I got them. I don’t use the one on the right as much, only for running, while I use the left for pretty much everything, including my Transfigure/Core Fusion/Physique 57 classes. I make a point not to squat or lunge far during those classes as those moves also bring on the pain.

On Sunday, midway during my run, I began to experience the same (NOT knee) pain as during my last run. It is on the outside of my upper thigh, right below my hip. It only happens on the right side, but it happened all 3 times I tried to run (the first time, which I don’t really count, was cut short right away specifically because of this pain). The pain is bad, and it hurts to go up stairs and to walk while I am experiencing it. Once that pain gets bad enough, I can’t run at all.

I stretched before my run to try and avoid the pain, but it didn’t help.

Additionally, towards the end of my run (which ended up being 40 minutes including the walking) my left knee pain began. The same old. The outside of my knee. Hurts to bend it.  Once I felt that pain I had no choice but to immediately stop running. 

The rest of the night was difficult for me since we walked to dinner and I was in so much pain. The knee pain subsided pretty quickly, but the upper/outer thigh pain did not.  I told the boy I that running is not for me, and I would not be trying that anymore.

Of course, once I saw everyone outside by the water during my lunchtime walk yesterday, I texted the boy and reneged. I love warm weather, and I need to try again.

But it gets worse. I have started experiencing knee pain in spin class. Not the same pain. This pain is not on the outside of my knee, but it is only on my left knee, which is the bad one. This spinning pain is on the front/inside, right next to the kneecap. It is extremely painful during spin, particularly during the sitting portions. The pulling up movement hurts it the most.

It started a little while ago, but has continued. I wear my knee sleeve to spin (despite the sweaty, skin-pinching discomfort) and it doesn’t help. Last night I went to my first 60 minute spin class. The pain didn’t start until the last 20 minutes or so, but once it began it was bad. I had a hard time walking out of the gym, I could barely bend my leg.

And now I am worried. If I can’t run that would suck but since I never ran in the first place it’s not such a big deal. But you all know how addicted to spin I am, how much I love it, how much I crave it. I know a break is in order, but *waaaahhh* I don’t want one!

After last night’s spin experience and Sunday’s running, I decided it is time to once again visit an orthopedist. I need to know that there is no major damage. I need an x-ray. I need to hear that I can spin again. So tomorrow afternoon I am trying a new doctor.

I know that the outside pain is patella femoral, but is that also the cause of the inside pain? Or is it something different? I need to know.

Knees suck. They carry the weight of the world — okay, just the weight of our bodies, but still — that is a lot of pressure for such weak joints! And yes, I know I use my knees a lot. I spin 3 – 4 times a week. I do the elliptical about 2 times a week. Sometimes I try to run. I walk as much as possible. Sometimes I try to do squats and lunges.

But my initial knee pain started BEFORE I did any of those things. Of course by putting so much strain on my knees I am surely making it worse, but I already had knee issues to begin with. I am curious to hear what the doctor says tomorrow!

In other news, my doormat arrived, so quickly! I will take a picture with it later or tomorrow to post. I love it! And thanks to the A Woman’s Infinite Confidence event, I got some amazing chocolate that I will discuss later this week or early next week. I promise it is GOOD. Hint: A combination of crispy and creamy from a brand you are familiar with that is only 1 Weight Watchers point! AND tonight Missy and I are trying a new workout!  I am VERY nervous. I am wearing my workout clothes to work and I am proud to announce that none of my clothes are on backwards. I am very comfortable. I am excited to provide a full report of the workout. Hopefully I have time this week.

And lastly, look what I got!

SEATTLE’S BEST HENRY’S BLEND! My adorable little brother lives in the Seattles and his middle name is Henry (which explains Henry Day) and I call him that often, as well as some variations, including but not limited to Henries, Hen, Hens and Henny.

Needless to say, I was thrilled to have gotten a sample of this from an event the boy went to.

From the Seattle’s Best website, here is the story of Henry’s Blend:

Henry the cat
The day we started roasting our first espresso blend in the ’70s, a furry visitor trotted up to our doorstep, sniffing the air. There was definitely something special about this friendly orange tabby that showed up every time the beans hit the roaster. We started calling him Henry, after another Henry with a nose for great coffee. Henry the cat eventually became our official company mascot, dropping by every day to check on the roasts, get some attention and take advantage of his milk-tasting benefits. And when our first roast was ready for a name, the obvious and only choice was Henry’s Blend®-still a popular blend today.

Henry is Seattle mascot!!!!

Hi kids and pups!

First thing’s first — the Venus Week Giveaway Contest Winner!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

10

Timestamp: 2009-04-28 13:28:53 UTC

And the winner, lucky number 10 is…. Gillian from a creative blog I enjoy very much, One Gillian Reasons! Gillian, you will receive Always Infinity pads, total body exercise bands, Omega-3 Vitamins, Dark chocolate treat by Godiva, and Gourmet cinnamon almonds all packaged in an Envirosax reusable tote.

It was very interesting reading what you all want to do to make your Venus Week last all month. The most common responses were cutting back on refined sugar and getting more sleep — both FANTASTIC choices! I’d like to work on those myself. Congratulations, Gillian!

Let’s get back to Basics. And by that I mean Core Fusion Basic. That is where I went on Saturday.  I had already tried Core Fusion Sport, Physique 57 and Transfigure. I have yet to try The Body (going on Saturday!) and the Nalini Method.

But what I am most looking forward to now is Core Fusion Open.

That’s right. I am more interested in going back to the same place I have been twice. My experience on Saturday was probably one that Exhale would like all Basic level students to have. The kind that leaves you wanting more — and wanting harder.

I was happy to use a 10% off coupon that Exhale emailed me to thank me for attending my first (free) class last week. Buy the DVD kids, it is cheaper than a class yet it comes with a FREE class. That means you get a DVD and a class for around $13. If you plan on trying the studio it would be silly not to!

But I digress. There were maybe 7 of us in the class. The first thing I noticed was that many body types were represented. This made me happy. Also, there were a couple of much older women. During my two visits to Physique 57, I did not encounter either.

The teacher reminded me a lot of my friend Emily (both professional dancers). Her body was petite and insanely toned and her hair was a gorgeous mass of curls that weren’t very long but stood out as if they were.

She asked if anyone was new and I told her I was. She asked about any injuries and I told her about my knee (I have had patella femoral syndrome for years). She, like the instructor I had in Core Fusion Sport, told me she would help me with any exercised that might bother my knees and  advised me not to squat down as far when doing those. The class started as all these classes do with the leg/arm lifts.

And then, the plank. I knew this was coming. When I take Transfigure we always start with a plank. But I enjoyed the plank in Core Fusion basic much more. Why? It was short — just 45 seconds! Yes, I loved it. Yes, I know I need to hold the position for longer to challenge myself. Yes, I know I CAN hold it for longer. I also know that I can hold it for longer while alternating raising each arm off the floor. But at the time, I wasn’t thinking those things. I was thinking about how nice it was that the plank lasted for such a short amount of time.

We did some pushups, but not many, which I also liked. Then arms with weights. I decided to only take 3 lbs and not take 2 lbs. This is a big challenge for me, but based on my second class at Physique I felt I could do it.  We did LOTS of arm exercises. It was tough and challenging. I loved it.

We moved on to thighs which burned, but didn’t last nearly as long as the thighs section at Physique 57– and I was grateful for that. But — my thighs were SO sore from when I went to Physique two days earlier that the moves were even more challenging. We used eksusize balls here as well, but did not engage in any “thigh dancing.” The instructor was so sweet and told me she could tell I was really pushing myself and corrected me whenever I needed it. Pushups were interspersed throughout. And then we did butt, and when we did an eksusize that entailed keeping my right foot on the floor, knee slightly bent and left leg up behind me, my right leg was shaking so intensely that I simply could not do the moves! I am sure that I would have had more endurance for it if I hadn’t gone nuts at Physique a couple days before. But that is good, it means it is working!

Instead of going right to abs we did some twisting  moves on the floor that I was unfamiliar with. The purpose was to show us how to move our bodies while keeping our core in place. It was interesting but not exactly tough. Then we went on to abs, and while it was very challenging and effective, I have to say I preferred the abs section at Physique 57. At Core Fusion Basic, we spent a lot of time curled up (not against a wall) and that position for too long hurts my back. At the Physique 57 beginner class, there seemed to be a bit more variation in the abs moves.

The best part of Core Fusion is the relaxing at the end. I love the soothing music they use and I love stretching out with the strap. I also greatly prefer the atmosphere of Exhale to Physique 57, since Exhale is a spa with a beautiful locker room, free locks and a peaceful environment. I also prefer the classroom, which is much more spacious and has a gorgeous super high pointy ceiling with windows. The feeling in the room is airy and freeing.

I left Core Fusion Basic feeling so happy that I went — but thinking that this workout wasn’t nearly as challenging or fast paced as its Physique 57 Beginner counterpart. As I discussed this with a girl in the locker room, she informed me that the Open level Core Fusion classes are EXTREMELY fast paced, much like Physique. And then it hit me — Transfigure (the instructor comes from Exhale) must be exactly like Core Fusion Open. Transfigure is specifically stated to be for “Intermediate to Advanced fitness levels” — that’s it! I HAVE taken Core Fusion Open, and now I am SO excited to go back to Exhale to confirm this with certainty. I can’t wait!

The big difference between Core Fusion Basic and Physique 57 Beginner is that Core Fusion’s really IS a beginner class. It is designed to teach you the basics, while Physique 57 throws you right in to the nitty gritty. Both are good ways to acquaint students with the classes, and I now understand why Core Fusion offers so few Basic classes. They really are just a learning point to move on to Open.

So the next day, I went to Transfigure. We did the plank and held it for longer than I was able. We moved our arms off the mat during the plank. We did side planks. We did lots of tough moves that pushed me to my limits. We did variations of abs that didn’t kill my back, including some creative eksusizes that involved lying on the floor with our strap wrapped twice around the bar and holding it for support. I used 3 lb weights for the arms, which was harder than ever because my triceps were SO sore from Physique 57 and Core Fusion Basic — but I was able to do it. Thighs were at the bar and very tough. Butt was done on the floor, also very tough. We “thigh danced.” If this is what Core Fusion Open is, and I believe it is very similar, then I will know which of the two big players I prefer…

I will give my official word once I take the Open level class, but based on what I know I believe I would say I prefer Core Fusion to Physique 57. I like the studio better (although I haven’t visited their Upper East Side or Downtown locations). I like the atmosphere better — it is much more serene. I like the variations of people who take the class. I like the non-competitiveness of the class (Physique has a bit of a competitive air). I liked the instructors in both places, but I felt like I got much more personalized attention at Core Fusion. Core Fusion classes aren’t packed to capacity — there is room to move and breathe. The instructors at Core Fusion payed more attention to my knee injury.

Again, I need to take an official Open level class, but my experience thus far — two classes at Exhale, two at Physique and a bunch at my gym with an Exhale instructor all lead me to believe that I prefer Core Fusion. And, the location is more convenient for me.

 Tonight I have hour long spin – Rev Up For Summer. I am excited, but can’t help obsessing about how good regular Core Fusion would be for me. I have always had a tight lower back, despite 12 years of dance. I am not at all flexible. I am weak. My body hurts too much to run (more on that later this week). Plus, I love the way I feel in the days following a class. I feel overall stonger. And I’d get so toned! Need to think more…

Fusha West
On Sunday night, the boy and I walked around in the gorgeous weather trying to find a new place to eat. We stumbled upon Fusha. My apartment is a couple blocks from the East Side location, but the West Side location was new. The outside seating was packed with people, including a few the boy knew! We chose to sit inside since we didn’t want to wait.

The boy ordered Pad Thai and steamed broccoli. I ordered a Hawaiian Roll (salmon and pineapple wrapped with avocado and topped with spicy mayo). We ordered sweet potato fries to share. I also got the coolest drink, a Strawberry Fields. It included strawberry vodka and strawberry nectar and came in a long thin cup (not sure what it is called). It had some carbonation which I believe was champagne. It was light and delicious!

Eventually the Pad Thai and sweet potato fries come out. The Pad Thai, I might add, is made with fettuccini noodles. Strange. Also, not good. The boy did not like. He LOVES the Pad Thai from Amber, which is owned by the same people as Fusha. The sweet potato fries didn’t look like sweet potato fries — they looked like regular french fries! I confirmed with the person who brought them over (not our waitress) that they were, in fact, sweet potato. He said they were, and when I tasted it I realized he was right! Have you ever heard of yellow/white sweet potato fries? They were delicious and came with duck sauce to dip! The guy asked what we were waiting for and we told him steamed broccoli and a Hawaiian Roll.

I told the boy he didn’t have to wait for me since I knew he was very hungry. I didn’t plan on having many fries, but my Hawaiian roll didn’t come out yet and I was hungry too. I was surprised that the Pad Thai took less time than the Hawaiian Roll. I continued to eat the fries. I had a few tastes of Pad Thai. My food still didn’t come. My waitress had not come to our section in a long time, so I told another waitress that the boy’s food came out a long time ago but mine still didn’t. She said she would tell our waitress.

The boy finished his Pad Thai. I finished the fries. Still no broccoli, still no Hawaiian Roll. Finally, our waitress comes over and I tell her we are waiting for our food. She apologizes and says they are out of broccoli. An Asian restaurant is out of broccoli??  The boy didn’t want anything to replace it since he ALREADY FINISHED HIS MEAL. Had the waitress come and told him as soon as she learned that there was no broccoli, perhaps he would have selected another vegetable or side to order. He wasn’t given that opportunity.

As for my roll — my ENTREE — she apologized for that as well and assured us it would be comped and that it would come out shortly.

We waited and waited. Finally my roll came out. Keep in mind the ingredient list consisted of rice, salmon, pineapple and avocado. Not so difficult. When she brought it she told us that the roll had come out earlier, but another server took it. Uhhh… okay.

I ate it and I must say it was delicious. We were ready to leave and the boy got up to ask the waitress for the check, since we had no idea when or if she would approach our section again. He came back and we waited. And waited. The other waitress saw us and asked if we wanted our check. “YES,” we said. She brought our check immediately. A little later, our waitress came with our check as well and was surprised to see we had already gotten one. Ha.

The boy looked at it and saw that my “comped” Hawaiian Roll was still on there. Our waitress came by and we told her that she had said it would be comped. Suddenly her story changed. “Well, you see, you know, the thing is… we would have to pay for it. I would have to pay for it and I can’t do that.”

“Ummm.. okay. But you told us it would be comped.”

“Well, no, you see, we would have to pay for it in that case…”

“Okay, but then why did you tell us it would be comped?”

“Well, I asked my manager, and he said I would have to pay for it.”

So basically, the waitress told us my roll — which didn’t come out until well AFTER the boy finished eating his meal — would be comped without asking her manager first if she has the authority to do so. She asked him after she ALREADY TOLD US, and he said no.

“But we took off your broccoli! The broccoli’s not on the check!,” exclaimed the waitress as if she were doing us a huge favor by removing a charge for a food we didn’t eat. “Uhh.. well yeah,” the boy said. “That’s because you didn’t have it. Of course it wouldn’t be on the bill.”

She didn’t seem to get it. “Well, we took it off for you,” she said. The boy and I just looked at each other and decided to let it go.

Can you believe that they didn’t bring out my entree until after the boy finished his, they were out of broccoli but decided not to bother telling us in time to order something else, they offered to comp my entree because it came out so late but reneged on the offer, and then acted like they did us a favor by not charging us for the broccoli they didn’t have??

Let’s just say her tip was not the most generous.

Shortly after I arrived at work this morning, I overheard someone in an office near my cubicle on the phone with security asking what is going on with “the three planes.” I had no idea what was happening. Minutes later, the entire building was told to evacuate.

We went outside to the designated spot where my business group is supposed to gather during emergencies. We have rehearsed this in fire drills before. When I  got outside, there were thousands of people around who evacuated from my building and the others surrounding it. No one knew exactly what was going on, but there were rumors of a movie shoot. Movie shoot??

People tried finding out the news on their Blackberries but there was no news about it. I tried calling the boy only to find that phone lines weren’t going through. The people I work with who were here during 9/11 were particularly unnerved as this was reminscent of their experience then. Including the announcements that “all is fine, you can go back to your desks.”

Some people had looked out their windows in my office and seen 3 planes swooping very near to the building. Two of these planes were fighter jets. I wasn’t about to go back in until I knew exactly what was going on and that these planes were no longer in the air. A man with a loudspeaker was announcing that we should all go back to work.

A coworker and I approached two policemen, who told us that the three planes were a “military exercise” and assured us that they had already landed. I decided it was okay to go back to my desk. By then, the news had caught wind of the story. You can probably imagine how furious I was to read that this was planned, but security was NOT informed. I was even more furious to learn that the purpose was a PHOTO OP to make it look like Air Force One.

I would think — but what do I know — that it would be COMMON SENSE to um, INFORM security in lower Manhattan of ALL places about airplanes swooping in circles around their buildings. I work right next to the WTC site. I walk by it every day. Many people I work with were here when that happened. I read stories today about evacuations that occured all over lower Manhattan and Jersey City. Evacuations where pregnant women ran down 50 flights of steps. Evacuations where people ran so quickly down the stairs that they fell and injured themselves. Evacuations that caused panic attacks. And I am sure there are more stories like this.

I can’t imagine what they could have been thinking by choosing not to give a little heads up to everyone about this. It was planned. Did they really think this wouldn’t cause a major disturbance?

The email we received in the office came from the head of New York and New Jersey protective services. It said, “This morning, the U.S. Air Force conducted a military training exercise in the downtown area between 10 and 10:30 am. A low-flying commercial-size jet and two F-16s flew low over the Hudson River and circled several times around 10 a.m., causing some evacuations of office buildings in Lower Manhattan and Jersey City, N.J.

The maneuver was not an emergency and we were not notified in advance.”

Lovely.

And look at this line from this article: “Later on Monday morning, the Police Department acknowledged that it had been notified about the event but said it had been barred from alerting the public.”

The police were barred from alerting the public?

I can’t. I have no words for this. I really hope someone gets in some serious trouble for this.

**UPDATE** Click here for more pictures. And I meant to add (I remembered when I saw Roberto’s comment) that I don’t get why they couldn’t Photoshop what they needed rather than scaring the entire city. OK. Rant done.

Anyway.

The reason I got in late this morning (imagine I got in after the evacuation and it was totally empty??) was because I finally got that x-ray done I had written about last week. I was able to get the pill from my doctor’s office on Tuesday morning. I had to get it from the front desk girl who had originally sent me away. Someone else left it in an envelope (very professional) with my name on it.

The girl made a point of going through every envelope over and over, looking annoyed. I knew she wanted me to think it wasn’t there and go away. I waited. Finally I decided to try and help: “There’s a pill in it, so it won’t be a flat envelope,” I said so she could shift her focus. Instead, she snapped, “If it’s here I’ll see it!”

Whoa. Okay. Eventually she did find it in the pile — after passing through it a few times, I might add. She gave it to me and when I got to work I called radiology.

“Hi, I’m just calling because I need to come in for an x-ray on Monday and I want to be sure someone can do it,” I told the person on the phone. “Yeah, just come in then.” “Okay,” I began. “But the thing is, last time they first had to check when I got there if a doctor was even available. I need to be 100% sure that a doctor will be available when I come on Monday.” The woman assured me that as long as I got there early, I would be seen. She said the doctors get in at 8:30, but I would be safe if I got there at 8:00.

Okay, so far so good.

So on Wednesday morning I took the pill. Five days later, Monday arrived. It couldn’t have come any sooner. I get to radiology at 7:45 and tell the woman why I am there. She said, “Oh, did you call last week about this?” I told her I did and she said, “You never called me back! You weren’t supposed to just come here!”

My heart dropped.

You all know that I confirmed and reconfirmed that not only is this a walk-in situation where they do NOT take appointments, but I spoke to them on the phone last week and they told me to get there early. AND I checked with my doctor and he also promised that someone would be able to do it as long as I went during the week.

“Uhhh… you never told me to call you back. You just said to get here at 8:00 so I could be seen,” I said.

“No, no, you called because you didn’t know when you were supposed to come. I told you that you need to talk to your doctor and call me back. You were supposed to call me back. You can’t just walk in here! How do you even know this is the right day?”

“Um.. I think that was someone else. We never had that conversation. I knew what day to come and I just called to confirm I could be seen today,” I explained.

“Oh, okay. Then I guess it was someone else,” she said. Go have a seat and someone will be with you shortly.”

Phew. Bullet dodged.

I sat down and not too long after a tech called me in. He had me change into a gown. Now, I am no stranger to hospital gowns. But this one was unlike any other. The ties just didn’t work. I ended up having to twist it far and tight around my body and tie a tiny little knot all the way on my side near my back. That can’t be right.

I went to the room and he took 2 x-rays. The tech said the pictures looked great and told me to get dressed and wait in the waiting room while he shows them to the doctor. A few minutes later, he comes out and tells me the doctor isn’t in yet, but he is sure the pictures are fine and I could leave.

I know, I know. I probably should have stayed and waited for a doctor to get in. But. I was in an insane amount of pain as a result of this test. All I could think about was getting home as quickly as possible to do what needed to be done to relieve the pain. And I left.

I’m not concerned. I’m sure it is fine. I’m just glad it is over.

So in doormat news.

Coco Mats ‘N More is seriously the nicest company ever. After the contest was over they emailed me to let me know they decided to give ME a free mat, too!

After careful deliberation, I decided on this mat for myself:

And Andrea, the winner of the contest chose this one:

Thank you Coco Mats ‘N More! Oh and one more note — Coco Mats now has a blog!

What a beautiful, warm weekend this was! I went to both Core Fusion Basic and Transfigure. Keep in mind I went to Physique 57 on Thursday! Ouch. I was so excited to write about Core Fusion (and the difference in their beginner class versus Physique’s) that I started blogging  about it as soon as I  got home not realizing that I was  going to be late for dinner! I also ran outside again and have a bit to say on that as well. I also need to discuss the service I received last night at a restaurant. But I’ll leave it for tomorrow since this one is long. Stupid planes.

Please enter my Venus Week Giveaway Contest if you haven’t yet – I will announce the winner tomorrow!

I’ve discovered the solution to my pants at work problem! As you might remember, I purchased maternity pants because of my disproportionately large tummy as a result of eating lunch. This is because of my GI problems. The pants sucked, I returned them. Soon it will be summer and I can wear dresses every day — can’t wait! But it is still cold in New York and as I planned out my day yesterday morning I had an idea.

I had my second class at Physique57 after work and while getting my workout clothes together I thought, “Why don’t I just put them on now?” So I did.

I wore workout clothes to work! My Lululemon Groove Pants look unusually like work pants when worn with longish cardigan to cover the tush and low pointy heels. I also wore my workout top under my cardigan and a nice scarf to dress it all up a little — and cover my kinda bare chest!

I was SO comfortable all day. Perfect! No one would ever know I was wearing gym clothes and I could be comfy at work in something that stretches with my belly. I plan to do this again! And again, and again…

So that’s that. Then I got to class, took one look in the mirror and my shirt rose up a tiny bit and I saw the little Lulu logo and realized — MY PANTS WERE ON BACKWARDS. All day I was wearing my pants backwards and had no idea! I was really humiliated about it during the class and couldn’t stop obsessing, even though I am sure no one noticed and it didn’t even bother me until I noticed! That is something I would do. At least I had Missy and Diana to laugh about it with!

I just need to tell you one more time how fun popships is as a company. Tory emailed me to tell me that my entry about the popdrop was poptastic! I wonder what other pop-related words they use over there!

So last night I went to the Spring Street location of Physique 57. It was much bigger than the 57th street location — but the class was also MUCH more crowded. At times I felt a little packed in and had to maneuver to find space, but otherwise it was fine. The class was HARD. My thighs were burning with more intensity than ever before. I actually thought we spent a little too much time on thighs — I would rather spend more time on arms or abs. But it was wonderful regardless. I had said the last time I went to Physique that the arms portion felt a little easy, but that was NOT the case this time! I did up my weights by a pound on both the heavy and the light, but we also spent more time doing arms last night. I guess each instructor varies it a little bit. I was happy about that – I want toned arms!

I was happy to have Missy and Diana there with me. Diana made the class look like a breeze — every time I looked over at her she didn’t seem to be struggling at all. AND she can do a split! Although she confessed after that her cool demeaner was a cover for her scorching pain. Missy looked more like I felt, which was a comfort. The other girls in the Beginner class all seemed to be pros. They knew exactly what moves were coming next and got positioned in them before the instructor said anything. I felt a little intimidated and it seemed almost competitive. The time went SO quickly. I was shocked when the instructor said it was time for abs because I know abs is one of the last things we do and it meant class was almost finished! That’s the best thing about Physique — it kicks your ass but the time flies so you could do it all the time and not get bored.

And I want to add that every morning I walk up the same staircase to cross the West Side Highway with no problems. This morning my quads were burning as I tried to climb the stairs and I had to keep stopping!

I am very excited to go to Core Fusion at Exhale tomorrow so I can accurately compare. I like the atmoshphere at Exhale much better — it is much more laid back and calm. I mean, it is a spa! But when I went last week to take Core Fusion Sport with the boy, it just seemed so much more chill. I have a feeling I will really like Core Fusion tomorrow!

Core Fusion Sport, by the way, is HARD. You hold a weighted ball (I used the lightest, 6 lbs) and do lots and lots of eksusizes holding it and moving it. We did a bunch of planks while keeping our hands on the ball which was ridiculously tough for me because my hands were sweaty and kept slipping! I didn’t get the most out of that portion of the class because I was struggling and didn’t think of the obvious solution — do the planks on the floor! Next time, I will. And there will be a next time — the boy and I both felt so challenged, the instructor was friendly and helpful and considerate of my knee injury and we really got a full body workout. Now that we know what to expect, we can pace ourselves better and do modifications of excercises if necessary. We want to try and go once a week, whether it is Core Fusion Sport or just Core Fusion. I will know more after tomorrow’s class!

I tried running outside for the first time for real last Sunday with the boy. The good news — I was able to run! Veryyyy slowly, but I did it! The bad news? I only lasted 20 minutes! I can run on the treadmill for 45 minutes and spin every day of the week but running outside knocked me out. It is very different to propel yourself forward rather than running essentially in place. I was out of breath and my chest was hurting badly. I also got a bad pain in the outside upper part of my right thigh. I have gotten that pain before when I tried running outside for a few minutes once. Any idea what that could be? I stretched before I ran but maybe I am not stretching whatever that muscle is? I had a hard time even walking the rest of the day. But the leg pain isn’t what stopped me — what stopped me was feeling like I just couldn’t go any more!

But I did love it. I loved being outside and running next to the boy (although eventually he kept going while I turned around to run back). At one point I just stayed behind a couple that were going at a pace I liked, which worked really well. I also felt like an imposter, but a proud one.  Everyone around me probably assumed I was someone who runs and had no idea that it was all new to me! I know I was going sooooo slowly, but I don’t care about speed. I just care about actually being able to run outside so I can do it all spring and summer — and participate in my first 5k! So now that I know I can do 20 minutes, I hope that next time I can run for 30! I hope to try again on Sunday in the beautiful warm weather. My knee has been bothering me lately so it depends how I feel then… but if I can, I will.

One last workout update, on Tuesday my gym is having a special 60 minute spin class (I’ve never gone longer than 45) with 2 instructors called “Rev Up for Summer” — I am VERY excited!

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for. The winner of the Doormat Giveaway Contest!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

58

Timestamp: 2009-04-24 15:52:02 UTC

Out of 69 total entries, the winner is…. Andrea from Healthy Living in MD.  

OMG…I love “Wow…Nice Underwear”. That’s classic! I’ve also provided a link to your contest at my site:
http://ittybittyaa.blogspot.com

Congratulations, Andrea! Can’ t wait to hear which doormat you choose! Which reminds me…. I still have to choose which doormat I plan to order from Coco Mats ‘N More as well! My roommate suggested this one, which is funny because it is true as our apartment is 320 square feet and anyone who visits really shouldn’t expect much!

Oh and I forgot to mention Mallory has her own new URL too: http://baconwrappedlife.com — check it out! Have an amazing WARM weekend!