#34: Get juicy.

Date Completed:  4/27/2010

Juicy: It's a state of mind. I can't claim to have coined using this term as an adjective - it's far too fabulous. I'm giving full credit where it's due, to Ms. Katie Haggerty* at Life Time Fitness, for turning this five letter word into a lifestyle. The term is used in so many ways in our cardio classes at the gym, but for the most part, we loosen up in warm-ups, get our muscle juices flowing, and have a lot of fun. However, we also say we ARE juicy when we look and feel confident. Anyone can be juicy. I'll be honest though - I didn't feel all that juicy when I started these classes. Then, I realized that during this hour, no one was watching me. No one noticed if I was off-beat or my moves looked like Elanie in that Seinfeld episode where she dances at the dinner party. No one cared how many emails were in my inbox, what my rear looked like in skinny jeans, or if I flossed that morning. I wondered how long it would take for me to *feel* juicy though. Surprisingly, not that long, and it didn't require a mirror or scale! All of a sudden, life's little annoyances didn't bother me quite as much. I smiled more, laughed more, and wanted to get out more. Things just started to "click". I wondered for a while when I'd be comfortable marking this off my list though. I figured when someone (other than Katie) actually told me I was juicy, that might work. Well, on April 27th, my new friend Kathryn (soon to be blogged because that's on my list too) said I was juicy and I have the Facebook post to prove it. Works for me - NEXT!

*For more info on Katie and how fabulous she is, check out the Lululemon Athletica link. She's one of their St. Louis Park location ambassadors. If you're in the market for any wonderful workout clothes too, check out the Lulu store nearest you or online. By far, these are my new favorite items: Astro Crop, Still Short, and the Knock-Out Short. The Static Charcoal fabric is the softest most amazing thing ever.

#23: Tell someone how much they mean to you.

Date Completed:  4/21/2010

I have been blessed with great relationships over the years, whether through work, school, travel or family, and the combination of technology and professional/social networking has made it easier than ever to connect and re-connect across the miles or across town. I am thankful for many people in my life, but perhaps none so much as my “sister” Cristina. My mother met Crissy through her work at the college about 20 years ago and our families bonded immediately. We have shared so many experiences, including Cristina’s American citizenship, my two graduations from ASU, the birth of Crissy’s three children (Sarah, Kayla and Ryan, whom I am proud to say I named) with her husband Yeddy, countless math and English tutoring sessions, the passing of my father and Yeddy’s who I know are chillin’ together right now, three confirmations (Crissy is my sponsor, I am Kayla’s sponsor, and my mother is Sarah’s sponsor), and an adventure of a lifetime in Colombia during the summer of 2009. I wrote Cristina a note recently to remind her how much she means to me, but there really are no words to describe our relationship. I guess that’s one reason why it’s so special. Someone once told me “You can’t pick your relatives, but you can choose your family”. Cristina, Yeddy, Sarah, Kayla and Ryan are definitely an important part of my family.

#63: Do something just because it’s the right thing to do.

Date Completed:  4/22/2010

Viral videos: Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they’re everywhere. While there are so many great things about technology and social networking, some days I feel a little over-connected. Today, I followed my standard morning routine of logging onto my computer to ease myself into the morning hours. Right in the middle of my Facebook news feed was a video post (off of someone else’s wall) with an intriguing title and moderately recognizable single-frame picture. Curiosity clearly got the best of me, so I clicked on that dangerously small “play” button that should have a pop-up box warning “Are you SURE you really want to see this???” Needless to say, the video (coincidentally also posted on YouTube) had all too familiar faces and places and the content...ugh. I’m actually still drying off my monitor from when I literally spit out my bottled water. As I sat there shaking my head for a while, my cynical side kicked in and I muttered comments about karma and such. But then, I realized that the right thing to do was probably to let one of the "actors" know he was now a public figure lest he not be aware which was actually the case. So, I texted him to let him know and after some back and forth about how this could possibly have happened to him (eyes rolling), it also donned on me that I had completed one more item on my list! And that karma thing? Even better when Mercury is in Retrograde!

#18: Use your passport.

Date Completed:  4/8/2010

My spring vacation this year was once again in Puerto Penasco (Rocky Point), Mexico which is pretty much the maximum road trip time I can be contained in a wheeled vehicle without getting cranky. I had my mind on the beach, almonds in hand, and my iPhone fully charged, so I was set. The trip was amazing as usual – quality time with my Arizona family and sun that fully cooperated so I left feeling like an Arizonan again. My favorite random memories (in no particular order):
- Mangoes
- James saying “Otay. Yeeeeah baby!”
- Apples to Apples and water pong
- Walking on water at the sand bar
- Jason Derulo lyrics
- Planning the town of “Z” with my girlz
- Driving back to AZ for shopping and a visit to Alice at Zwirl for mochi

What I could have done without:
- The 7.2 earthquake felt all through the Baja on Easter. I must have some sort of bad PTO mojo lately. Next trip is going to be totally impromptu so Mother Nature doesn’t have enough time to plan a disaster!

#24 (April): Participate in one volunteer/non-profit activity each month.

Date Completed:  4/18/2010

My April activity was identified through Volunteer Match and benefited a local non-profit organization called Kids Care Connection which offers quality, developmentally appropriate, value centered, and affordable child care and preschool education. Despite the fact that my allergies were acting up and I was going on about two hours of sleep (Lisa has kindly reminded me that this seems to be a common theme with my Sunday volunteering), it was a nice time. Volunteers from the community were tasked with helping the school get ready for their enormous garage sale by moving donated items from the parking lot storage pods into the church for staging. It doubled as my workout that day which was great too! Another nice benefit was being reminded that I need to de-clutter and have a garage sale of my own this year (also on THE LIST). Purely coincidentally, my one of my friends also blogged about volunteering yesterday and reminded me that it is National Volunteer Week. If you live in the Twin Cities, I found another cool volunteer site called Hands On. There are a variety of ideas, whether you're interested in long-term commitments or event-based opportunities. Check it out.

#64: Let go. Do something with reckless abandon. Feel good about it!

Date Completed:  4/17/2010

Oh. My. Word. Enough said. Lisa thinks this one should actually be #17, but since that was technically already complete by this date, I'm using it here. Plus, it sooo qualifies!

#17: Do something unexpected/surprise someone.

Date Completed:  4/1/2010

Unlike my other list items, this one I didn’t actually seek out to complete quite yet. In fact, I actually had a little plan for this one but I ended up completing it before my strategy could even be implemented. Don’t get me wrong – I’m still scheming to complete this one again later in the year, but I’ll take credit in advance for getting this done early, even if it was accidental! As for this list item though, Lisa picked me up from work and took me out to lunch. Now that I think of it, just getting us out to lunch should have been on the list since our schedules are so hard to align! Anyway, as usual, we got caught up in our funny stories, laughing and event planning. Well, when she dropped me off and I opened the door and leaned to get out, she noticed some strategically placed ink (courtesy of Mark Walters who owns Living Canvas). In between the “OMGs”, she managed to tell me I could officially cross this item off the list. We laughed at the irony, because getting a tattoo is actually on Lisa’s list for this year!

#7: Complete Dave Ramsey’s “Seven Baby Steps”.

Date Completed:  3/19/2010

A couple of my friends are financial wonders - they are thoughtful about how they spend, how they save, and in general, how they plan. I’ve never put much effort into any of this and the thought of working with a financial advisor is intimidating to me. It actually causes me anxiety so I’ve put it off as long as possible. When a friend told me about Dave Ramsey’s program, I thought it might be attainable and help build my confidence. So, I set out to “begin my journey to financial peace”. One thing led to another and while I was working through the seven steps (luckily I got to skip #5 and #6 is ongoing), I found myself making smarter financial choices in general. I find that “save versus splurge” purchasing decisions are very similar to the “Eat This Not That” concept. Little choices all add up, right? At worst, those small savings decisions could allow you to splurge later on something you might appreciate even more! So, while I’m not quite ready for Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover, I feel a little smarter about finances, have my basics established, and might even set up that time with the financial planner yet (after all, it’s on THE LIST).

#70: Spin.

Date Completed:  3/28/2010

Trust me on this. It doesn’t matter how much they cost. Just buy the padded seat bike shorts before you try a spin class. Mine are the Pearl Izumi Attack Shorts and they were worth every penny. After a few months of trying to back out of this list item, I finally attended a spin class at Lifetime Fitness. To my disbelief, I absolutely LOVED it. This was a major conquest because I have serious bike anxiety. The last time I rode my bike was Spring 2006. I remember distinctly that it was a lovely day and I decided to ride about six miles around my neighborhood. All was fine until I realized I ought to head back home. Well, those little rolling hills that were so easy to glide down, were now inclines that felt like a 15% grade against the less-than-gentle breeze. At one point I had to dismount and actually push my bike uphill so the toddler who was taking his first steps next to my tire didn’t pass me by. I swore that was the last time I’d ever get on that bike. Well, spin was different! It was so enjoyable with the music, dim lights, adjustable settings to modify tension, etc. The varying levels and positions allowed everyone to tailor their class experience. So, am I sore? You bet. Will I live? Hopefully even longer! Sometime this year I may even get back on my bike and tackle that same path as in 2006. We’ll see – it’s on THE LIST. In the meantime, here are some tips:

- Gear: You’ll thank me if you start off with the padded seat shorts. I wear loose shorts over them so you can’t even tell they're on. Don’t worry about fancy bike shoes – most people just wear tennis shoes anyway. Just be sure they’re laced well. Ladies, wear something comfy and a “low impact” top. This isn’t aerobics class so there’s no need for a “high impact” top that’s going to cause tension in your back.

- Comfort: Yes, special places will be a little sore the first and second time you spin. However, just like magic, by the third class, you will be very comfortable on the bike. Your muscles just get used to the positioning and for some reason, it doesn’t hurt. I finished my third class 3/30/2010 and feel fabulous.

- Position: Pick an off-peak class time for your first class so you can come early and meet the instructor. Ask the instructor to please help you find the best settings for your bike. Write those settings down so you’ll know how to set your bike for the next class!

- Hydrate: Be sure to bring, and drink, your water!

- Seating: If you’re ears are sensitive to loud music, pick a bike away from the speakers! I, personally, would rather sacrifice my eardrums than sit in the back, though. Apparently the smell of sweat travels from front to back.

- Have fun! Some tips from my awesome instructors (my favorites are DEFINITELY at the St. Louis Park location!): Show the amount of effort that you’d want your friends and family to see. Don’t just take it – earn it. Get juicy!