icfreeman

Eric's father came in town yesterday.  He scared me.  Apparently, he ate some gas station hot dogs for lunch, as he traveled from Panama City to Birmingham, and became ill.  He couldn't keep anything down.  That wouldn't be too scary, but he's a diabetic.  He needs to keep up his blood sugar, and if nothing is being digested, then he's definitely not getting any sugar.  Eric and I thought we were going to have to go to the ER, so they could give him some drugs that would allow him to keep down some food.  He ended up drinking a coke, and laying down.  After a little nap he started feeling better.  Can you imagine being sick on the road?  I know that's a horrible feeling!  Anyways, he was awake bright and early this morning, so I assume that he's feeling better. -- But then you know what happens when you assume...

I ended up going to tap class.  I missed last week, and I was eager to get back.  I really enjoy going to tap because I am constantly learning new steps.  It is challenging, and I like it.  I can keep up most of the time, but when I learn a new step, I have to concentrate.  It's much different than jazz.  I like jazz because of the stretching and cardiovascular workout, but it isn't challenging.  I am not trying to bad-mouth either.  It is just that my old studio was strong in jazz, but weak in ballet.  If I were to take ballet at my new dance studio, I would probably be behind. 

I went to the doctor today.  Although I am not 100 percent healed from the surgery, I was okay-ed to resume all regular activities.  Finally, some good news from Dr. Kennedy!  It has almost become a joke. She always gives me bad news, or does something unpleasant to me.   I hope that my body returns back to normal.  I like Dr. Kennedy, but it is never the greatest day if I have to see her-- no offense Dr. K!

This week Eric has been great!!  Yesterday, he worked late and didn't get home until around 8 pm.  I decided to take a shower before going to bed, and just as I got into the shower, he came in to ask what we needed from the store.  Now, Eric hates going to the store.  If I know we need groceries, then I had better get them because he will moan and groan about going to the store.  So, for him to actively volunteer to go to the store is weird.  He claims that since he had a relaxing weekend, now he has some energy to do stuff like clean the kitchen (on Monday) and go to the grocery store (on Tuesday).  I appreciate his efforts, but have been picking on him a little.  I like this new Eric, and I don't want him to go away after only a week or two. 

Today was exciting because I went to the Stephenie Meyer website (www.stepheniemeyer.com/) and there were FAQs about her latest book Breaking Dawn -- the fourth book in the Twilight saga.  She also posted a blog entry about someone illegally taking a copy of Midnight Sun, which is Twilight told from Edwards point of view, and posting it on the internet.  Now as much of a Twilight fan I am, that's just wrong.  I am eager to read the book, but taking it a distributing it on your own without the authors knowledge or permission is just not ethical.  That make me mad. 

I didn't go to dance class last night, but rather stayed and did pilates in my apartment.  I have a DVD with pilates exercises on it.  There are five 10-minute workouts.  I did upper body, abs, then total body.  I'm a little sore today, but not bad.  I tried not to work myself too hard yesterday.

Ever have one of those days where everything you eat just seems like the wrong thing afterward?  I had pizza for lunch yesterday, and my stomach ached all afternoon.  That night I decided to cook dinner for Eric.  I thought that maybe eating something good will help my stomach.  Well, I saw a box to make red beans and rice, and that sounded very appetizing.  Only, an hour after eating it, I had another tummy ache.  I took a couple of Maalox, and it eased it, but did quite make the nausea go away.  Oh, and no I'm not pregnant.  In fact, the hospital ran a pregnancy test on me Friday before the procedure, and it came back negative-- which you have to do "something" to get pregnant, and I haven't done that "something" since my last period. 

I do have to say that Eric was amazing yesterday.  Mondays aren't good days for him because he goes in early to do inventory, but yesterday he came home in a decent mood.  He even cleaned up after me from when I cooked dinner.  That is something he hates to do, and he will complain about it if he gets the chance-- but not yesterday.  I think I'll keep him!  (-:

I'm not going to dance this week.  I missed tap yesterday, and I'm skipping jazz tonight.  I think it's best to follow doctor's orders for the time being.  I'll be back next week.  I bet the girls are glad that they don't have to get out of their "comfort zone," although it was fun for me!  I like this studio, even though it is very different from Melinda's.  I think it is the different focus I have  going into the class.  I'm not in it to get so good that I receive a dance scholarship in college-- been there, done that!  Now, it's just for fun.  It is helping me get back into shape, and that makes me happy!

It has been so busy, I haven't had time to sit and write a new post.  Geesh!  At work, i have been spinning my wheels trying to write an article that's supposed to go out today.  I'm still working on the piece.  Then I need to get approval for it.  Man, that's frustrating!

Yesterday mom and I went to the BJCC to see a "preview" of Wicked.  It is coming to town in April, and they are trying to sell tickets to business leaders and corporations.  It was very neat.  There was all kinds of food and drinks.  Then, when they let us in the theater, the ushered us on stage.  There were speakers and mini clips of the musical.  Plus, actresses who play Elphaba and Glinda sang a couple of songs for us.  It was fascinating from a PR stance-- because that's exactly what it was... a PR event.  Mom and I had a blast.  plus at the end, we received free Wicked T-shirts and a Wicked magnet.

Last week I was frustrated at dance because we weren't doing enough "difficult" stuff in jazz class.  Well, there are people who whine, and then there are people that do.  Last night Jenine was out, so Melinda was filling in and teaching class for her.  We did a sequence across the floor that was unique (Go Melinda!).  After we did the combination across the floor, Melinda was saying how she liked to learn different steps.  The girls said they liked the same old stuff, and Melinda responded that being out of your comfort zone is sometimes a very good thing.  --I saw my chance and pounced on it!-- I then asked Melinda if we could do reverse grand jetes.  After demonstrating the step, and giving the class secrets to executing it correctly, everyone went across the floor doing the new step.  Everyone did surprisingly well.  I was impressed!  Melinda said that the class had just learned the step over the summer.  I guess it will be a little while before I can root for switch leaps and switch-split leaps.

Today has seemed to fly by.  I have been working on a project involving an office development.  I am writing the brochure, so I went to the site to take some pictures.  It was very hot.  Since Eric was off today, I took him along with me.  It was nice to spend part of the afternoon with him. 

Yesterday was fun at dance.  We did turn leaps.  That's advance for this group it seems.  I enjoyed it, and I seemed to get to know one of the girls, Lauren, better.  She's married and works for a printing company.  (That's good because sometimes in a PR firm, we need printers.)  She may be able to help us with the brochure I'm working on.  We'll see.

After dance, I went to see Eric at work.  It was a slow night, so he was able to sit down and eat with me.  I met one of his servers, Julia.  She moved here from Florida.  She doesn't know her way around, and hasn't made a lot of friends (says Eric).  She's a sweet girl, and I know the feeling of moving and not knowing the area or having a friend to call on.  After all, I did move for college.  We may invite her over tonight.  Maybe she and Chris, one of my neighbors, can be friends.  I guess we will have to wait and see!

In a crazy way, I like Mondays.  After I get off work, I go to a tap class.  At the new studio I'm at, they are teaching a different style of tap.  That makes classes interesting.  What I know some steps as (for example a drawback) is called something completely different (i.e. the train step).  Plus, I know a different version of time steps, so when my teacher, Miss Gina, decides to run through them, I always play "catch-up."  Like I said, makes for an interesting class.  Yesterday, we learned some soft-shoe tap.  I enjoyed that.  Did you know that when that style of tap was beginning, dancers would carry sand in their pocket and sprinkle it on the floor to get the scraping sound.  Interesting huh?  I thought so, at least.

Well, today I am going to jazz class.  Jazz class is fun, but I wish it was more advanced.  I would like to do more turns (pirouettes, fouettes) and more advance leaps (switch leaps, reverse grande jete, switch-split leaps etc.) but the girls just don't seem to care about that stuff.  Instead of choosing turns and leaps, they'd rather "model walk."  --Yeah, like walking is soooo difficult (insert eye-roll here!)  But, regardless of difficulty, the class is still a great workout, and it gets my heart rate up.  Since the beginning of July, I've lost about 5 lbs.  I'm excited about that, and determined to lose more.