Monthly Archives: November 2010

Taking the plunge: public pools, sharing lanes.

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This week I’ve finally decided to start swimming at the gym. I bought a bathing suit a few weekends back, and I already had goggles. Swim cap ready, I headed to the gym Monday morning after waking up too late to make 6 am yoga. I swam from 6:15 to 6:45, for a total of 31 minutes, and swam 16 laps. That’s a little less than a half mile. After consulting with my sorella, I learned that she was just as slow when she started, so I didn’t feel so badly.

But I did have questions. How do you breathe? Do you breathe every stroke? Do you exhale under water? Am I kicking my legs correctly? Does it make you feel like you’re going to drown? Do you ever swallow water when trying to breathe? Why doesn’t my swim cap cover all the hair in the back, and how can I take it off without pulling out all of my hair.

Needless to say, I need a few days (and a yoga session) before I could dive back in. Last night, though, I had about 45 minutes of free time before I was supposed to meet a friend at the movies (more on that later.) I grabbed my swim stuff and headed to the (overcrowded after work) gym. One lane was open, so I grabbed it, though not for long. Soon I was sharing my lane with a speedo-wearing man, but at least he was just as slow as me, so I didn’t feel as bad. The swimmers in the middle lane were intimidating, as they didn’t stop between laps and seemed to have thrashing down to a minimum. And they didn’t stop mid-pool to make sure they were swimming straight.

Shortly after, about 20 minutes in, I was sharing the lane with two speedo-clad men. Luckily, this made me swim faster (who doesn’t love a little competition?) I ended up swimming 18 laps in 26 minutes, which was about .55 of a mile, and was faster than Monday! Improvement! Already! Splendid!

Today my back hurts a little, so I’ll be going to yoga to see how I do, but I think it’s because I am not kicking correctly….Nikita says I should use a kickboard, which I will try next time I swim.

After swimming last night I headed to the movies (located a mere 2 flights downstairs, oh LA how I love you) with my gym bag, wet hair, in sweat pants, and holding my bike helmet (I biked to the gym.) I talked to my dad on the phone, telling him about how ridiculous I looked and how hot it was outside and how I always looked like a hot mess when going to the ArcLight and someone famous always walks by. Immediately after I hung up with him (CW had arrived) Gene Simmons walked by. Serves me right.

Weekend is almost here. Can’t wait. What are you lovelies up to? Anyone have kicking technique advice?

Upon this morning's election disasters.

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This is from a friend, upon the 2010 midterm elections:

Can I tell you what I find really confusing? Obama was elected with a mandate in 2008 and he was very clear about what he was going to do, he was very clear about his plan, and, yes, there have been some hiccups along the way, but for the most part he has STUCK TO THE PLAN. It’s not like health care was a surprise. It’s not like he wasn’t clear about Iraq and Afghanistan and don’t ask don’t tell and the stimulus. He SAID he was going to do all that stuff, and we elected him by a pretty significant margin, and then he DID them and everyone loses their fucking minds and is like, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!?! and runs screaming with their hair on fire over to the far right. I. Don’t. Understand. Did you think he was JOKING? Why did you vote for him in the first place then? Quite seriously, what is wrong with people?

Also, I think the democrats did a terrible job of making the midterms sexy and being clear about their accomplishments and making people feel as though they had a part to play. The 2008 election was sexy as hell, and if they had motivated young voters the way they did in 2008 then I think the map would look very different than it does this morning. Where are the big billboards that say: HEY POOR PEOPLE, IF YOU VOTE REPUBLICAN YOU’RE FUCKING YOURSELF IN THE ASS WITH A BEER BOTTLE, BECAUSE REPUBLICANS HATE POOR PEOPLE? Where are the billboards that say REPUBLICANS WANT TO TAKE YOUR CIVIL RIGHTS? Why did I only see that “I have a memory” video yesterday, and why was it not all over the internet like the “yes we can” video was two years ago? We can blame the republicans and we can blame the tea partiers and we can blame people for being idiots, but I also don’t think we’re doing a very good job of getting our own message out.

I hear you, friend. Obama, 2012. Let’s get it together, folks.

Civic duty: done by 7:30 am.

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Hey, guys. Do you like my sticker? I sure do. Have you all gone out to vote, yet? If not, I am sure you will be soon, right?

If not, then I hope that it’s because you already mailed in your ballot. Because I know you wouldn’t NOT vote. Or, if you don’t vote, I know you never complain about the way things are, right? Because this is your chance to do something about it. But you know that.