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

You know you've had a solid workout when...

I hoped off the stationary bike (after 25 minutes of sluffed spinning). Drug my feet over and grabbed a floor mat and began my ab portion. I started a few mild crunches and thought it would be a solid idea to "rest my eyes" for a few...as I began to doze off into my favorite world of rest and relaxation...I realize I am riding in a car (passenger seat) with Eric...out of NO WHERE a car pulls out in front of us. "NO STOP" I yell, and jerk out of my peaceful moment...only to realize I am lying on my ab mat while gym members gaze over to see WHAT THE HECK I AM DOING. I cough, (because that always hides any embarrassment), refold my mat, and head to the locker room. That, I say, will complete the work out for today.

Bill Germanakos - The Biggest Loser Champion Season 4

Bill Germanakos just spoke here at 3M and I had the opportunity to go listen. Man, what a great speaker he is. He went into the show weighing 334 lbs and lost 49.1% of his body weight! He now weighs 170 and has kept it off. He spoke about the show, his motivation, where his is now and what he now eats. 1 pound equals 3500 calories - his goal was to lose 1 pound a day. They said to him "whatever" what is your real goal? He said, "that is my goal and no one is going to tell me differently. I will work harder than everyone else, listen to every word the trainers say and never question them. They are professionals who get paid a lot of money to do this, why would I think I am right?" He spoke quite often of his motivation being and wanting to be around to walk his daughter down the isle. He showed us his blood pressure, his cholesterol, BMI, etc. They were practically off the charts. At the end of his speech - he said...now you guys all look up here at these numbers and read them much differently than I do. Here is how I read them...(he used his red pointer pen and dragged it back and forth along his new and healthy numbers as he read "Bill, as you look at these numbers, they mean that you are healthy and will some day be able to walk your daughter down the isle." I almost dropped a TEAR! But thought, Jordan - hold it BACK, you are at a work function. Good to hear my co-worker almost lost it too (she is, however, pregant...me? Not so much! A couple of key points I brought along...the darker and more grainy the bread/pasta - the better. The whiter it becomes, means they take all of the "good" out of it. Boy, I love the white bread too... Pumpernickel here I come...
Also - your body can get "used to" workouts. You bike to work every day for a few months, lose 30 lbs, then you are at a standstill - you are not losing another pound - WHY? Instead, hop in your car at the same time you would and head straight to the treadmill instead. The pounds will continue to come. He was quite humerous and told us his commitment. 14 egg WHITES, vs. 2 eggs? Yep, same cals.

Finals Week

HI! I'm doing well and I am almost done with everything. Tonight I'm even going to make lefse! I turn in a paper tonight and take a listening exam, then I take two tests tomorrow and hand in a project on Thursday. Then, off to Minnesota on Friday! Yay!

Well, opening night was last night and tonight went well. Only two shows left and then I'm going to be able to have so much free time I won't know what to do with myself.

Bye! Maisi

HI! This is the Anderson sibling's new blog. We are going to keep our family updated on our lives at least once a week.

So, this is what's happening on the Maisi front:

The Cunning Little Vixen is opening tomorrow night. I'm understudying one of the main parts, but unless someone gets sick, I'm in the chorus. :)

Class has been going well. The work load has been pretty tough, so I'm glad the semester is almost over.

I have an audition for an opera company here in Baltimore tomorrow for their season next year. Hopefully, that will go well. It's another experience under my belt, anyway.

Well, that's what happening right now! More updates later!