August 12, 2009 - In Search of a Goal

Hello All,
I am back to my regularly scheduled programming. I hope you enjoyed last week's submission about the reunion. I am also back to being my normal funny self. Hope you enjoy...

It all started with the fact that l I am floundering without a good goal. Those that have read my blog from the beginning know that I have always had a sub-goal in mind (the major goal is work to be physically, spiritually, and emotionally healthy). The first goal was to finish the Indianapolis Mini Marathon. After that, I decided to cut back a little and focus on maintaining the good healthy habits and work toward burning 1750 calories a week until August 1st.

Well, my new goals were okay, but not sufficient. I have been a bit unfocused and not stretching myself as much. You know what I mean? I did it, but there was something missing.

So Tuesday of last week I decided I needed to really start to figure out what my goal should be, but then life happened.

Here is the story...

Monday night it rained and rained and rained. When I left for work it was still raining hard. The State Road that takes me to work was still closed; I had to take the country roads to the interstate. I was listening to the radio hearing a coach discuss that kids in school only do well when asked to go outside their limits. They have to not think they can do the task at hand, but the coach or teacher knows that it is possible. I thought to myself; "That's it!!! I need to come up with something I am not sure I can do, but "Kristi's Army" is sure I can!" I was very excited about figuring out what I needed to do.

Until...

I spun around 240 degrees into the ditch. "Daggone it!"; I said. Well, while I was waiting for AAA, a farmer came along helped me out of the ditch even though it was raining heavily. It helped that he knows my family and my cousins (he also apparently likes us as well).

After cleaning up a bit I was off to work. I was a bit shaken, but I HAD MY ANSWER. I WAS GOING TO GET THROUGH THE LULL OF THE FIRST HALF OF WINTER!

I was at work and my sister called me; "I am getting your dog. The water is going to be up too much. You will not be able to get in."

I don't think I wrote much last year about the floods we got in June 2008. For brevity sake, we have a lot of erosion problems now and the floods last year really caused some nasty damage to a lot of folks. How it primarily affects me is that it is now difficult to get home if we have a-lot-higher-than-normal rainfall.

At that point, I was D.O.N.E. I decided I needed to head home, check on the water level to make sure it was not going to get into the garage, and continue work from home.

As I went to close my truck door I heard a "ka-tink-tink". The door to the truck would not close because a screw has fallen out of the hinge(?). I finally got the door to swing closed and then the door would not latch!!! "@#@#R@#$@#$" I still do not know TO THIS DAY what one has to do with the other, but the door WOULD NOT LATCH.

My first inclination was to hurl myself at the seat, curl up in the fetal position, and lay there until I died. The feeling passed after a few seconds and then I laughed. By laugh I mean maniacally.

Well, because I was raised right (and barely a step above white trash), I have bungee cords in the truck. I took 2 bungee cords and looped one around the passenger-side door and the other around the driver-side door. I was all set. There was a gap in the door, so I was getting wet on my left side, but at least I could head home.

There was also another problem with my "fix." Everytime I turned left the door opened due to the slack in the bungees. Picture a crazy woman going down the road muttering to herself, soaking wet on one side, when she turned left she used her left arm to try to hold the door closed.

It took me over TWO HOURS to get home. Yes, TWO HOURS! It normally takes 45
minutes. Primarily every road I drove down was flooded. I did not completely "lose
it", but insanity did seem like the preferred choice at one point.

I made it home and everything was okay, except the truck door of course. I just left it. I could/would not try to fix it in the pouring rain. I also could not get the latch to go back to it's proper place. I knew I would need to take it somewhere and get it fixed.

It did cross my mind to eat something baaaaaad Tuesday night (classic case of Emotional Eating), but I chose not to at the time. I was getting weighed the next day. I ate a pound of strawberries instead .

I did a little bit of "research" the internet to try to find a good goal, but came up with nothing. I was not daunted, the coach said on the radio I just needed to stretch my limits.

The next day I borrowed my sister's van (I really need to get my car fixed so I have a backup) so I could get to the clinic, work, and attend a Dinner Party later that evening.

Now, I probably should have warned Dr. Pita before he opened his mouth and said anything stupid on Wednesday, but I did not, because what fodder would I have for the blog?

When I got weighed, I found out that I was .5 from 75 pounds. While little disappointed, I was still happy that I was almost at 75 pounds finally.

I informed Dr. Pita that I was looking for a new goal. I was trying to stretch myself much like training for the Mini.

Dr. Pita; "How about finding some really nice outfit that you would like to wear that is a size or two too small?"

My thought; "Seriously?!?!? Mr. ICanWeartheSamePantsIWoreinHighSchool? How does that REALLY help? I thought the idea is to implement healthy habits. How does going for that goal REALLY work toward that? Hmmmm? Besides, that is not how I am motivated. Seriously, pay attention!"

My response; "I really do not like that idea because you can do unhealthy things to get into any outfit. This is about making life long habits."

Dr. Pita; "You are right. Well, I am sure you will come up with something. Tell PT Bruiser she needs to come up with something"

My thought; "Way to be helpful Pita. Grrr. Not in the mood for you today."

As I was set to visit the clinic Social Worker I found out that she could not see me due to a scheduling mishap.

My thought; "Good! I am too irritated with Dr. Pita's lack of help today anyway."

Later in the day, I see PT Bruiser. She was sufficiently disgusted with Dr. Pita as well, but we discuss what the goal could be. Nothing seemed to be pleasing me so I decided that it was my mood.

I had a lovely evening with friends.

When I got home, I noticed something odd about my truck. The door was closed all the way. With great fear, I opened and closed the door...five times. It worked every single time. Cue the "Hallelujah Chorus", and contact the Pope, it is a miracle!!!

Found out later that my father noticed it sitting in the driveway with the door wide opened and fixed it.

Now I could focus on my new goal...

Since this is getting to be a really long post, I will finally "cut to the quick." I found a site that the Government has called "Adult Fitness Test" where you enter values from a prescribed fitness test and you can see how you compare to other folks in the database. I informed PT Bruiser and she is definitely on board with this idea.

Based on what is in the fitness test I plan to improve on the following (after I take the test I will have specific metrics):

-Minutes per Mile (walking)

-Number of Situps Per Minute

-Number of Modified Pushups Per Minute

For fun, I mentioned to PT Bruiser that I also wanted to be able to do 3 pullups. She didn't laugh (she's too polite), but those of you that know about physical fitness may do so. I was not aware that doing just one (and being a girl) might be all I will ever be able to do....

I will let you all know how my "test" goes.

The spring from the truck door? It is in the cupholder. I STILL do not know what to do with it.

Til Next Week,

Kristi
Originally published to http://kristiasher.blogspot.com