Posted in April, authors, blogging, books, dancing, Family, Fiction, food, friends, humor, Jansen Schmidt, reading, resolutions, roses, success, Vicksburg, writing, tagged aches, ashes, bad taste, cancer, cancer free, cancer sucks, eating, exhaustion, food, healing, IV, medicine, medicine taste, nausea, pains, tired, treatment, Wonder Woman on April 9, 2018| 8 Comments »
There’s a line from a song from the movie Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang, that I love: “Up from the ashes, grow the roses of success.” That line can be applied to a lot of things. For me, right now, it applies to my rise from “sickness” to improved health. Not that I was unhealthy before, because I really wasn’t, I was just infected with a nastiness known as cancer. (more…)
Posted in awards, blogging, dancing, Family, Fiction, friends, goals, humor, Jansen Schmidt, resolutions, sports, success, watching tv, writing, tagged 2018 olympics, Alpine skiing, downhill skiing, DVR, ice skating, long shots, medalists, medals, NBC, olympic events, olympics, skiing, sporting upsets, television, timed events, under dogs, upsets, watching olympics, watching tv, winners on February 19, 2018| 10 Comments »
I enjoy watching the olympics. I can’t always watch during prime time, (my husband doesn’t like the olympics so watching during primetime is not an option for me), but that’s why I have a DVR. However, my viewing experience of the winter olympics in Korea has been disappointing thus far for a number of reasons. (more…)
Posted in acting, costumes, dancing, directing, Family, Fiction, friends, goals, humor, Jansen Schmidt, musical theater, theater, theatre, writing, tagged bad day, cheer up, choreography, dance party, dance teacher, dancers, joy, old movie video, old time dancing, tap dancing, Up Town Funk, wedding dancing on November 13, 2017| 8 Comments »
We all have bad days. It happens. Today is a bad day for me. I knew it was going to be. But, instead of dwelling on it, I’m making an effort to fill my day with as much joy as possible. Dancing brings me joy. Not MY dancing so much, although I do enjoy hoofing it occasionally. But watching really good dancers do their thing. That brings me joy. (more…)
Posted in authors, dancing, dieting, Family, Fiction, goals, grammar, humor, Jansen Schmidt, resolutions, success, words, writers, writing, tagged abs, aqua zumba, editing, editing manuscript, exercise, manuscript, riding bikes, slim down, tap dancing, tighten, tone, trimmed down, water zumba, wordiness, working out on July 17, 2017| 8 Comments »
Exercise is not my favorite activity. I know it’s a necessary evil and I know there are great benefits to be had from daily partaking in this event. But, I don’t like it. Over the years I’ve tried to find a form of exercise that I enjoy. (more…)
Posted in authors, blogging, bull riding, dancing, Family, Fiction, friends, grammar, Holidays, humor, Jansen Schmidt, resolutions, romance, sports, success, words, writing, tagged balance, ballet, ballet dancer, bike, bike riding, bikes, bull riders, bull riding, cha cha, cowboys, dance shoes, Dancing, finding balance, Guilhermi Marchi, jitterbug, pedals, pianists, piano, piano playing, sports, western romance on January 16, 2017| 8 Comments »
How often have you heard the expression: It’s just like riding a bike? Something you used to do – and overall, do well – then you stop doing it, then you do it again. The concept is that you can just pick up right where you left off and still know how to do it. Like riding a bike. Right? Wrong. (more…)
Posted in acting, Birthdays, blogging, dancing, Disney, Family, Fiction, friends, humor, Jansen Schmidt, love, romance, roses, singing, Walt Disney World, watching tv, writing, tagged Be Our Guest, Beast, Beast castle, Beauty and the Beast, Belle, Cinderella, Disney, Disney movies, Emma Watson, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, movie trailer, new movie, Walt Disney on November 21, 2016| 10 Comments »
By now it’s no secret that I’m a Disney freak. Yes, that’s right, I love all things Disney. I never get tired of visiting the parks, reading the blog sites, flipping through the glossy magazines, watching the movies, wearing the t-shirts, all of it. (more…)
Posted in beauty products, blogging, chocolate, dancing, dessert, desserts, dieting, drinks, Family, Fiction, food, friends, goals, humor, Jansen Schmidt, night time rituals, sports, words, writers, writing, tagged diets, exercise, Fitbit, fitness, free weights, gadgets, gym, Jawbone, jogging, new year weight loss, Rambo, refrigerator, sleeping habits, treadmill, trigonometry, walking, water, weight loss, zumba on January 19, 2015| 14 Comments »
So, the all-the-rage Christmas gift this past year was apparently the Fitbit or it’s cousin the Jawbone. If you’re unfamiliar with these little devices, they are designed to help you keep track of your healthy habits. Or so they tout. Personally, I don’t get it, but I’ve noticed a lot more people in my zumba class with these little babies strapped to their wrists.
Photo courtesy Google images.
Now, if you are a lover of these technological devices, and they are “working” for you, please don’t be offended by this post. I love that you’re working on getting or staying healthy. For me, they seem like a gimmick.
First of all, the only people I see wearing these things look like this:
Photo courtesy Google Images
If you look like this, you are already are a fit bit of feminie loveliness. You are already doing all of the right things and you don’t need a fancy schmancy device to let you know it. Just carry on you well-toned beautiful women. I love and hate you all.
The number one problem I see right off the bat with a device like this is – you have to remember to put the thing on. That’s going to mess up quite a few people.
Photo courtesy Google Images
Assuming you remember to strap it on, it’s my understanding that these thingeys tell you the amount of steps you’ve taken. I’m not sure why that’s important. I mean, let’s face it, if I’ve had my ass in a chair all day writing, or in the sofa watching TV or reading, I can pretty much guarantee you that I haven’t taken more than about 16 steps, and those were undoubtedly to the refrigerator for a snack. I really don’t need a device to keep track of that or to remind me of my lethargy. Likewise, if I’ve been working out or jogging I can say, with some certainty based on how much my muscles are screaming and the amount of sweat pouring off my weary body, that I have experienced a good work-out. I don’t really care how many steps I’ve taken; I feel good that I’ve worked out.
The next problem is that these devices don’t hold you accountable. I mean if you set a goal to take 5,000 steps every day, nothing happens if you fall short. If I wear the thing all day and then check my stats when I get home and I’ve only taken 1,100 steps and my goal was 5,000, am I going to go run 16 miles to make up the deficit? Hell no! I’m just going to say, “screw it, I’ll walk more tomorrow,” and go to bed.
Photo courtesy Google images
Now, what would be really helpful is if those little wristbands thingeys had pre-recorded messages. What would be exceptionally motivating is for a really annoying voice, like Gilbert Godfry or someone equally nasally and whiny, to say something like, “get moving lard ass,” every time I sat in one place for more than about 10 minutes. Or, “you’re slowing down fatso,” when I switch the treadmill from jog to walk. That would be motivating. However, I do see a potential problem with this, especially if you’re working out at a gym or other public place. You would not want that thing going off and have somebody other than yourself thinking it was directed at them. No sirree, I would not want some Rambo over in free weights to come over and konk me on the head with a 200 pound barbell because my Fitbit offended him.
Photo courtesy Google Images.
Although . . . if he looked like that guy . . . maybe a visit wouldn’t be so bad. Hmmmm.
But I digress. Maybe instead of a pre-recorded message, a squirt of pepper spray to the face every hour could be used. I mean nothing would get me moving faster than pepper spray in my face. Think of the amount of steps you’d take with that crap on your skin. You couldn’t run to the shower fast enough and you’d be dancing a jig the whole time you were in there. Or, every so often a shock treatment like a taser blast could go off to remind you to get up and drink some water. That would get me hopping out of my chair for sure.
That’s right, these puppies supposedly will keep track of how much water I’ve drank during the day. Hmmm. Is that necessary? If I fill my glass 4 times then I can pretty much rely on the fact that I’ve had 4 glasses of water that day. And, taking this one step farther, if I know that my glass is 20 ounces, and I fill it 4 times, then I’ve had – say it with me – 80 ounces of water that day. No device required. And how does that thing distinguish between water and gatorade, or soda, or . . . oh I don’t know . . . wine? ‘Cuz, if it measured wine in-take I’d pretty much meet my quota every single day.
And, supposedly, they keep track of your sleeping habits (again – if you remember to wear them). At the risk of sounding redundant, what is the point of this? If I wake up at 3:00 in the morning and lay there awake for 2 hours, my clock will give me the same information as that little plastic strap on my wrist. I don’t need a device to let me know that I was awake for 2 hours in the middle of the night. Contrarily, if I wake up refreshed, having slept straight through the night, I don’t need to check my wrist to see how I’ve slept. This “feature,” makes no sense to me.
Photo courtesy Google Images.
I’m thinking a much better electronic device to invest in to ensure good health is one that requires you to solve a trigonometry problem before you can open the cookie jar. Or do 20 jumping jacks before the refrigerator door will open. I’m thinking that would successfully solve this problem:
Photo courtesy Google images.
How about your dear readers, do you have a Fitbit, Jawbone or similar device? Do you like it? What gadgets would be helpful in your life to keep you fit and healthy?
Fun fact about me: I am not really into fancy techy gadgets.
Word of the Day: Vugh (alternate spelling)
Original post by Jansen Schmidt, January 2015. Photos courtesy Google Images.
