Bombing my Presentation

Just when I thought it was okay to plant my tongue firmly in my cheek, I realize in front of an entire class while giving a presentation that perhaps it is NOT okay.
Brief overview:
My professor laughs at me several times and then out and out tells me that part of what I'm talking about DIDN'T EXIST during the era I am reporting on. Oh, nuts. Well, I can take comfort in the fact that he flat out told my other classmates they were wrong during their presentations, too. It must be simply exhausting being right ALL the time.

Out of Shape

The sun was shining, the wind was blowing, the birds were chirping. Why not get pumped up for an over the lunch run OUTSIDE?! First one of the season! Life is good.
I start out strong. Well, ... I was running past the 3M windows - no time for a walk/jog here. I take out in a nice heafty run. I hit mile marker .1 and am huffing pretty good, but there are still windows that I am running past, I must keep up pace. I head up a slight hill and thank GOODNESS - I come to an intersection. Just my luck a car is approx .5 miles away. I figured I best be on the safe side and stand there, waiting for 15 seconds. Oh **whew**, I have caught a slight 2nd wind. I take off again - this time in a slow jog as I head onto other 3M ground. Mile marker .5, thank GOODNESS for another intersection.
This is a rough start to the running season...

Guess Who's Back?

Guess who's back?? Back again?? Tooth is back... Tell a friend!
Guess who's back, guess who's back, guess who's back, guess who's back...

My trailer park tooth chipped on the left side, on the left side, on the left side...
(Eminem lyrics - is anyone with me?)

My tooth is now back in good working order. Can I get a shout out to Dr. Kell??

The story of the Porcelain...

It all happened a mere 16 years ago...I sprinted on my two scrawny chicken legs...leotard on...to sit and listen to my gymnastics coach give us our next practice direction. As I ran to the mat - I couldn't think of a more entertaining way to take my seat, than to sprint straight into the balance beam, drape my arms beneith the beam and FLIP over it....in result landing exactly where I had planned...right on the mat. Little did I realize that in order to preform such a stellar move - positioning myself at the center of the beam would have been beneficial. As we all know - the sides of the beam must be held up. There they were. The metal bars which as I flipped over - CRASH!! Went my left front tooth. Bye, Bye 4th of tooth - I will miss you.
No fear, however - I had that puppy fixed up in a day or two. At one point, I recall sitting on the bus (tooth all busted and chipped) smiling at my peers thinking I looked tough. I had a busted tooth. I was a hard ball.
That feeling faded quite rapidly as I ran into Lonnie at school. Crush of my CHILDHOOD. I perhaps would have been better off just smiling a big toothy smile that corking my lips oddly as I tried the danger beneath...
16 years later...here I sit....minding my own. Was it the cheese, the cookies, the broccoli I had eaten at lunch? One will EVER know. All we will know - is the fact that Mr. Porcelain pulled right off my TOOTH!!! Fear overcame my body and I sat in disbelief. Tears formed, tears of laughter and disbelief appeared as I pictured how Amanda would react to such a horrific story!

8am tomorrow a.m. canNOT come fast enough....

Recital

Well, tomorrow I'm in the Thursday Noon Recital. I'm singing two arias and I'm really looking forward to it. Hopefully, I'll be feeling well and it will go great!

Bringin' back the good old days...

Yep, I've done it. I joined gymnastics! I showed up at Gleason Gymnastics (yes, ironic) last Thursday eve at approx 7:41pm, ready to rock. (The gym is only about a 30 second drive from our house. In the summer, I will run there). Actually, I was as nervous as all get out. I watched the little tumblers out on the floor as they completed their class. I thought to myself - ok, I can still do that, as they ran around and threw a few somersaults and cartwheels.
There were about 10-12 of us in the "adult tumbling" class. Most of the clan knew each other and were chatting it up as I sat there, stretching, sizing up their skillz. "Yep, she looks good. She definitely looks like a gymnast. Ooh, her hair is in a tight bun, I bet she is solid. Oh wow, that girl has the whole get-up on...leotard, spandex, pony tail AND clips. I bet she knows what's up. Ah - she has never stepped FOOT on a gym floor - she is uncertain of what stretches to do."
Sasha began explaining the class - which is pretty low key. You basically work on whatever it is you feel like. The 2.5 (we'll get to that later) Instructors are there to spot and teach. We started running up and down the springy floor to get ourselves warm. Then we begin somersaults, then cartwheels, then a handstand which rolls out into a somersault - BAAM! (someone didn't tuck their head). Now it's time for free pass. You pick your pass and take off. The .5 instructor who acts like she's the bomb (I think her name is Amy - but can't be too certain) took of into a round-off triple backspring pass and one of the girls turned to me and said "She's good." The next girl asked for a spot and she attempted a backhandspring...as well and the 3rd, 4th and 5th girls. Surprisingley, I am feeling as though this is no longer out of my league. I ask for a spot, myself (which, surprisingly didn't need!) I've still slightly got it, folks. I proceed to throw a triple backhandspring pass like it's my JOB! My confidence fades slightly as I head to the floor to attempt an ariel (no handed cartwheel). I throw the first 2 just fine and...POP! 3rd time 'round - there went my butt muscle. Which is still a touch sore today.
At approx 9:45pm I limped out. I was sore from neck to ankle.

Night 2 tonight...more to come...

Saturday

took bus through rough neighborhood
bought couch at questionable store
rode back on jam packed bus with at least one person who was high
got off bus before a major traffic jam
walked to movie theater
witnessed a small hit and run (no one was hurt)
witnessed a man with his daughter in the car scream obscenities at another driver who was blocking the intersection
went to movie
went to Chipotle
walked home
helped neighbors fix their door which wouldn't close...
just another ordinary day in the great city of Baltimore