That amazes me - that some hetero people are still freaked out by any sexual orientation and/or family grouping not like ther own. My dad still believes that "those homosexuals" (there are no gay women) are an abberation of nature, just like anyone else who's not a white northern European male.

Dagmar (living "in sin" )

Monday, March 5:

90 minute "endurance spin" class, which simulates a long road ride. The actual class was nothing. Getting to it was harder, as the plows hadn't been out on our road or on the secondary roads, and one of the county routes wasn't all that great, either. Just me trying to drive in the tracks of someone who'd gone before me, the only indication of where the roadway was in the snow.

And they say that, on Wednesday, temperatures will hit the 60s. Right now, though, flurries are falling from the lake effect snow and it's still winter.

Michele, do parents often object about books their kids have gone home with? Do you have to deal with those confrontations? There is probably a process or at least a ritual for coping with it. Now that's a unique job hazard that you face.

I haven't read this book, but a few years ago, there was a slew of adoptions among my friends, gay and straight, and so I've subsequently had to work out the gift-giving thing. I've never been able to give any child this book, though, as most already seem to have it, so it must already have been out for a few years now.

Not often, but occassionally. It can be unpleasant to say the least. I had a parent a couple of years that was horrified that their second grade boy had checked out a scary book. They were very religious (I didn't know that at the time), and tried to create quite a stink about it. I appeased them by blocking their son from checking out anything remotely scary. This year (at the last book fair), I had an irate parent upset that their son had bought a monster book. The parent had looked at the book fair flyer, filled out the form and sent the money FOR THAT BOOK, and was then upset when he brought it home. WHAT?!?! According to the teacher, this boy (1st grade) is obsessed with violence and watches scary movies and plays violent video games at home. Looks like the problem is at home if you ask me..... So, I try not to censor what students check out, but I will sometimes offer alternate suggestions, like if a first grader wants to check out a book that I know is appropriate for a fifth grader (subject matter).

March 5: 30 minutes Body Pump; 30 minutes Core/Strength Training

Totals:
5 days
355 minutes

Again I am amazed at how much freedom I had as a child. I spent every reading session from grade 3 onward at the school library (I was reading at a high school "level" by that time) and I checked out anything I liked. Ditto with the books at home - my mom didn't stop me from reading anything she had on the shelves and she did answer questions about things I didn't understand. "Animal Farm" was my first memory of knowing that I was reading something more than an animal story but not quite getting the "adult" content of it. I think I was 9 when I read that but not sure now.

Dagmar

Tuesday, March 6

15 minutes Stairmaster stepper, resistance at eight, aerobic intervals, an older machine and not the one that I like, as a random guy in gray sweatpants had taken over that one. He didn't know it's supposed to be **mine** at this time on Tuesdays. ;-)
60 minutes shoulders, biceps and triceps routine
45 minutes recumbent bike, resistance at eight, manual setting, steady peddling


Another morning of pretty feathery Hollywood snow to brush off the windshield, hood and roof of my car, which is now bearing two tires and two new rims. I am spending less time in the dark at the gym

Wednesday, March 7:

45 minute spin class, with me feeling like a zombie after just five hours of good sleep after my late-night meeting.

While I was stretching after class, I realized that I was doing it in bright sunlight. The light was pouring in through the tall gym windows. It's nearly spring. I know the time change on Sunday will change things, but it left me feeling elated, as if good things were coming.

Time change this Sunday ? I rejoin the human race and wake up @ 5 a.m., after the time change.

Dagmar

March 6: none

March 7: 30 minutes Turbo Kick; 30 minutes core/strength training

Totals:
6 days
415 minutes

Thursday, March 8:

15 minutes Stairmaster stepper, aerobic intervals, resistance at eight
60 minutes chest, shoulders and triceps routine, with bench presses and pushups
45 minutes on old Nautilus elliptical, intervals, first at four, then at eight, about 30 minutes of this going backward


What a difference a good night's sleep makes. And also warm weather, with temperatures in the 50s when I set out for the gym this morning at 5:30 AM: No fears about snow suddenly developing and assaulting the roads. On the job, I've entered an interval of relief from intense pressure: yes, I've got plenty of work to do, but I don't feel overwhelmed or as if I'm being asked to do more than is humanly possible. I want to relax into this current state, but I feel wary and I don't trust this "almost normal" feeling will continue. I still feel watchful, waiting for another emergency, some kind of disaster that will require an immediate response.

March 8: 60 minutes Zumba; 15 walk from gym

Totals:
7 days
490 minutes

Friday, March 9th:

45 minute spin class, with the young instructor who's got us up and down on the bike through short intervals of current pop songs.

Spoke too soon. I drove to this morning's spin class through swirling snow heading straight for the windshield, nearly blinding me, and unplowed local roads till I got to the county route. This was just a few inches of accumulation, but it's hard to be a pioneer out driving ahead of the plows. I think this squall caught many of us by surprise. I mean, it was in the low 60s two days ago.

Then by the time spin class let out, and I got to my drive-through ATM, and the grocery store, the roads were clean and wet black, without a sign of the earlier mayhem hours before in the early dark.

Such is March in Upstate NY.

March 9: 90 minutes Bikram Yoga

Totals:
8 days
580 minutes

Saturday, March 10th:

60 minutes Cybex arc trainer, hill intervals, resistance at nine, no hands on this machine


Again, there was snow in the night, and I had to pour a cup of water over my car door to thaw it, so that I could yank it open. That also meant using the ice scraper on the windshield after brushing the snow off. The local road wasn't plowed yet, but the county route was. Plenty of people at the gym, laboring on machines while it snowed gently outside.

I am sick of snow.

March 10: 90 minutes Bikram Yoga

Totals:
9 days
670 minutes