Life

This one time….

| cheriarmour

This post will be a random collection of random things and memories I’ve had and jotted down over the last couple of weeks, so bear with me.  Then tell me random stuff about yourself so I don’t feel so weird.

So this one time….

//I got a ticket (this was like a month ago) for improperly wearing my seatbelt.  I always, always wear a seatbelt, but I had a kinda bad car accident a few years back, and I hated the way the seatbelt felt when it locked against my collarbone.  I started slipping the belt behind my left arm, and finally got caught for it a few weeks ago.  That’s bad.  But the cop told me about this clippy thing that I could put on the belt that will lift it away from my chest.  Wish I had known that before I got into the really bad habit of slipping the belt behind my armpit. That was an expensive lesson to learn.

//I’m really sore constantly this week.  I officially am signed up to do my Body Pump cert next month, so in the next month or so, I am going to as many classes as possible to get some cueing hints and to pick up good stuff from other teachers…

//This has been good because I’m getting exposure to one really good teacher in particular, and even though I teach Zumba now, I’ve taken some of her helpful hints and reminders to my class.  I got a compliment yesterday about how this was “one of the best classes”.  Some of the things I remembered to do included providing the class with lower impact options, and walking to the back of the class so I could interact with some of the folks on the back row.  All things you can forget, but can be easily picked back up.

//I’ve stopped wearing makeup to work.  It started a few weeks ago, when I was just too tired.  It’s a combo of being too tired and wanting to treat my skin well.  I’ve started using Proactiv, and my acne has, for the most part, cleared up, so I feel pretty confident going “naked” to work.

photo 2I think people are kind of getting used to it, and will probably be startled when I actually wear makeup one of these days.  For right now, I’m just focused on taking good care of my skin.

//My sister had a birthday last week, which got me thinking about the drama surrounding the day she was born.  Or rather, the days leading up to that day.  Do you have time for a short story?  Our car broke down, my mother proceeds to go into early(ish) labor, my father had to jog to a payphone to call the ambulance (it was like 1990) and they carted my mom away.  The cop drove us home in his backseat.

//Fun fact: by the time my mom was my age (26) she had three kids.  I have three pets.  So there’s that.

Your turn!  Tell me something random!

All the questions…

| cheriarmour

I had a few posts scheduled today.  But a combo of being really really tired, and really sore meant that I’m going off the schedule, and instead, I bring you the most curious finding I’ve ever made in Kroger.  Like…ever.

So I was at Kroger yesterday with some clients, when I spotted John Cena, in the literal weirdest position I’ve ever seen him in in my life.

photo 1 (11)Now, I actually know who John Cena is because of my deep and undying love for reality television, and I’ve taken to watching Total Divas when it comes on.  In my defense, I really am truly interested in how those girl work out, because their bodies are incredible, and I spend most of the episodes thinking about what my next workout needs to be.

But moving right along – I spotted this box of fruity pebbles with John Cena on the front of the box, looking huge, but also repping “Team Fruity”.  The box demanded that the consumer “Choose your Side!” so naturally, I had to go looking for what choosing the other side would entail.

photo 2 (7)Team Cocoa. With Kyrie Irving.

I have so many questions, so let’s start from the top.

These are all the questions that rain through my mind when I saw these:

  • Firstly, John Cena does a good bit of working out.  I know good and well his ass does not eat fruity pebbles.  Why did he endorse Fruity Pebbles?
  • Why is he team fruity?
  • Why is Kyrie Irving Team Cocoa?  Really?  So many questions here.
  • The only person you guys could get to endorse your lame cereal was Kyrie Irving?  On second thought, that makes sense, because the day we see Lebron on a box of anything but Wheaties is the day the world ends.
  • This is lame.
  • In the marketing meeting, did no one speak up and say, this seems like a very stupid, lame idea to put professional athletes on shitty kids cereal that turns your milk colors?  No one?  Not even an intern?

Just….what?

Summer Concert Schedule.

| cheriarmour

As I’m writing this, I’m sitting here with a clearing face mask on.  I was totally gonna take a picture of it for you, but it literally is so scary, I couldn’t do that to you.  So, just use your imagination.

Okay, so not sure if you know, but the summertime is my absolute favorite time for a number of reasons.  Summer nights in North Carolina are ridiculously beautiful, and the best best part about North Carolina summer (not the heat for sure) are the live shows that I’m so looking to go forward to.

So here are the shows I’m looking forward to.

tumblr_mzorblChMz1r85uiyo1_500Paramore @ Walnut Creek – July 22 – I saw these guys once, with the old line-up.  I really liked the new album, and I have always loved the concept of Hayley being the only chick in a really bad-ass band.  SO into it.

john-legend-o

John Legend @ Red Hat Amphitheater – July 30th – I saw him live once time at Duke.  Dude sounds way, way better live than he does in studio.  He’s going to be with Earth, Wind, and Fire, so I’m thinking this is going to be a pretty epic, do-not miss sort of show.
tumblr_mtwi2i344I1rtt08so1_500Gavin DeGraw @ Red Hat Amphitheater – August 5th.  I have seen him live like 3 or 4 times.  He was amazing all of those times, and once told me that I was pretty.  So if you ever try to tell me that I’m not pretty, consider yourself ignored, because what you say doesn’t matter.

tumblr_mtvj5rOBnT1rvcjd7o2_250Demi Lovato @ PNC Raleigh – September 12th.  I saw this amazing chick in February and me and Deb vowed to go again.

I’m really pumped to see all of these shows, but because of our upcoming wedding and me recently tightening my belt when it comes to money-related issues, I may have to forgo a few lattes to makes sure I get to see these shows.

What truly excites me, however, is live music.  I love the way a live band sounds.  I love to hear and feel how excited the crowd gets.  I love to dance like a complete idiot with virtual strangers.  And my favorite thing is to hear the crowd singing a song word for word, fully along with ad libs and all.

Now all of that endless blathering aside, what bands or solo performers are you excited to see this concert season?

The C-Word

| cheriarmour

Last week, I logged into Facebook (let’s be real, my shiz is never ever not logged in), and was really really unpleasantly surprised to see that a few folks that I knew were posting the following to their Facebook timelines.

Screen Shot 2014-06-01 at 8.14.00 PM.jpgI kind of already knew that something sketchy was going on, because the description was in all caps, and the web address ended in a .wordpress.com, meaning that someone, possibly even someone like me, had published a big article, containing their opinions on cancer, but stating them as truth, a truth that they claimed had come directly from Johns Hopkins University.

I investigated further.

Screen Shot 2014-06-01 at 8.12.46 PMThe article contained unsubstantiated claims, ranging from the fact that cancer was fed by sugar, to the super wild, that cancer was caused by nutritional deficiencies. 

Firstly, a friend just lost her mother, and my parents, their friend, to cancer, and it was almost insulting to read claims from some random blog that stated that the cancer that she had suffered from was her fault, and due to a nutritional deficiency?  Do you think that someone that has lost a parent, a sibling, or a friend to this disease really wants to hear it was their fault for eating too much sugar?  Nope.  And secondly, I was baffled at the fact that folks who seemed of normal to above-average intelligence, were circulating something that contained statements made in all-caps, not to mention, it was not in any way affiliated with Johns Hopkins.

So, just to be on the safe side folks, before posting, reposting, or circulating really incendiary info, check for a few things.

  • From where, or from whom is the information claiming to circulate from?  If it’s from a radio station, or from a Facebook group that has a sketchy or offensive name, chances are, it’s no good to circulate.
  • Still not sure?  Check to see if the info is coming from a .gov, a .org, or a .edu.  If it’s coming from a personal blog, (even like the gorgeous and amazing one you’re reading right now,) chances are, Johns Hopkins didn’t circulate the info.  If they did, they research institute in question should be cited clearly in the article.
  • Are there racial slurs embedded within the article?  How about typos?  Grammatical errors?  Don’t repost it, because it makes it look like you’re down with all or one of the above.
  • And finally, if the information affects a large portion of the population and makes some outrageous claim (STUDY FINDS THAT ALL WOMEN ARE INCAPABLE OF READING) use the skills of critical thinking and discernment, and resist the urge to post it.

What’s the most weird/outrageous/ridiculous article you’ve seen circulated recently?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weekend Buzz

| cheriarmour

So, I totally hope you guys had an awesome weekend – I sure did!  It went by way way too fast, and I don’t feel like I got to spend enough time with Austin, but I’m hoping to make up for some of it this week.

So, after I did wine with Matthew on Friday night, and taught Zumba, I headed to the Raleigh Half Ironman expo to grab some cowbells, because come Sunday morning, I had plans to wake up early, cheer on some Half Ironman and Half Iromwomen, and grab brunch with one of my best friends in the entire world.

Let’s review really quickly.  So for those of you who are unfamiliar (cause prior to last year, I was!) with what a Half Ironman is, a Half Ironman (often denoted as 70.3), is a triathlon that involves a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile (whew!) bike ride, and a half marathon at the end (13.1 miles), to top it off.  I spectated last year, and had such a great time, that I went for it again this year.

DSC_0708

We started off by spectating some of the guys that would be considered elite.

DSC_0709

DSC_0710DSC_0711We changed locations to meet up with the Lemons (the cool chickaroos from Lululemon)

DSC_0713

DSC_0717

Caitlin, on the left, was giving out free hugs, and it was really really cute to see folks stop, look really relived, and then go in for a big, sweaty hug.  At one point, she said she had to spit someone else’s sweat out of her mouth (GROSS!!?) but she was an awesome sport about it.

After I cheered and cowbelled for the Ironmen and ladies, I headed down to a carwash closer to the north side that had been revamped, and that was doling out free carwashes.  Since I’m on a budgeting kick, I could not justify paying to wash my car, so I went and got a wash, and vacuumed it out as well.

DSC_0720DSC_0719I’ve got to admit, the part where I put my car in neutral, and just sort of rode along was a little scary, and I’m not sure I’d like to do that again.

And finally, I was inspired by the folks from this morning that I topped this busy day off with a run.

How was your weekend?  

OMG PS ONE LAST THING!!!!!!!!!!  I finally registered for my Body Pump Training – so as of mid-July, I am going to Wilmington to get trained to teach Body Pump.  I am SO excited!!!!  Can you tell by all the exclamation points?

Where is the time going?

| cheriarmour

I’m sitting in my apartment after a full day, and I’m seriously wondering (as I gear up to spectate the Raleigh Half-Ironman tomorrow) where the hell the time is going.

After work yesterday, me and Matthew made a much, much-needed to Coquette, a local french spot where I killed two glasses of wine, and truffle fries.  An amazing way to end the week.

photoAfter that, we headed to Total Wine (cause the two glasses just wasn’t enough), sampled some full-bodied Spanish wines, and I took  a nice bottle home to enjoy by my lonesome while I waited on the man-friend to get done doing boy stuff.

This morning, I headed to teach a Zumba class, met up at Starbucks with some folks for a meeting, and finally, drove down to Durham with my man to pick up some more goodies for the wedding off Craigslist!

By the time all was said and done, it was 8pm, and I’m really wondering how I can squeeze a few more hours of the day.

Today, as you read, I join some friends with a few cowbells to spectate the Half Ironman in Raleigh, and I couldn’t be more pumped!

What did you do this weekend?

 

The year 2009

| cheriarmour

The Timehop app has been treating me to all of these seriously traumatizing photos, and I decided to take a little walk down memory lane to walk you guys through what I was up to nearly 5 years ago, in 2009.  I also feel it right to mention that I totally got this idea from Becca Dorr, who recounted her 2005.  Unfortunately, I’m pretty sure I can’t think that far back, so 2009 it is!

1234881_10100329684601393_8666914097420434132_nIn 2009:

  • I one time skipped an 8 am class by accident because I spent the entire night before imbibing.  Cheap wine.  I emailed the professor and told her I was sick.  Later that day, I saw said professor on campus.  Super awkward.  Had to pretend my headache was due to a condition, and not due to the fact that me and a few friends got a little rowdy the night before.
  • Barack Obama was well into his first term, and it was really really cool to be a youngster at the time that history was being made.
  • I was dating someone who I literally broke up with 65 times over the course of that year.  When it was done, I thought my life was over.  It’s funny how much time changes, right?
  • I moved to Raleigh.  Was not a huge fan at first, but it really grew on me.
  • Michael Jackson died.  My sister called me sobbing, and the next few days were insane, as the world tried to figure out what went wrong with him.
  • The recession was raging strong.  That was not a fun year to be a grad.  Come to think of it, 2011 (when I graduated my Masters) wasn’t the best time either.
  • Remember when that guy landed the plane in the Hudson?
  • Also, the swine flu. Yick.
  • I got hired at CPT, a Pennsylvania weight loss camp, and, my life started to change (for the total better)!

What to you remember about 2009?

Sunday Coffee Date

| cheriarmour

I didn’t blog much yesterday, and I missed you guys.  Let’s not do that again, okay?  Also, if you could follow me on Bloglovin?  That would be absolutely swell 🙂

Follow on Bloglovin
Anyhoo, I’m here at Starbucks, sipping on some tea, and Oprah is smiling at me from her perch on the bookshelves over there.  You think I’m kidding, right?

Oprah.jpg

Now I’m gonna say this.  I’m really not sure why Oprah ever decided to partner with Starbucks, like it literally makes no sense.  But I really enjoy the random inspirational quote that comes on my sleeve of tea every now and again.  And once again Oprah is touching lives.  How does she do it?

As a side note, I totally had to ask for the special Oprah sleeve because they only had the boring brown ones out, and I couldn’t foresee getting any working done without Mama Oprah’s insight.

Oprah sleeve.jpg

She be deep.

So we’re on this virtual coffee date, right?

If we were on a virtual coffee date, I would tell you the following in the course of our conversation.

//I just dropped Coco off to the groomer’s (she desperately needed it), and it was kinda sad to let a stranger, albeit a very nice stranger, take her out of my arms.  She gave me this look, like I was betraying her to leave her with strangers!  I gave her a kiss and told her that her mama loves her.

10176038_10100314959390833_1017502743551108450_n

She realllly really needed it though, things were getting ridiculous.

//IAustin’s been gone since Thursday at his younger sister’s graduation from pharmacy school, and for some reason, when that happens, since I know I won’t be seeing Austin for a few days, I take it as free license to not shower and let my house get really gross.  I’m not sure why I do that.

//I’m gonna go for  a run today for the first time in like a week.  I’ve of course been keeping up with my workouts, and they’ve varied from Zumba to Yoga to Body Pump, but for some reason, my body was really asking me for a break from running.  I’m not sure why, but I listened, and I think I’m ready to do a short distance this evening.

//I’m getting really excited about our wedding.  If you couldn’t tell that.  I think what excites me (besides the fact that I obviously get to marry Austin and hang out with him forever), is that I get to get all of my closest friends and family in the same place, and it’s for a happy occasion.

//I feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day.  I go to work, I work out, I blog, and teach classes, and finding time to do things I used to do, like paint my nails, or take an occasional bath, is not a luxury I really have any more.  But it is teaching me to be a little more efficient with my time, so every single thing doesn’t go to pot while I’m focused on certain things.  No, my house isn’t the cleanest, and I’m not the most organized, but I’m definitely making it work,

//I feel like something really big is going to happen to me this week, and I’m not sure why I feel like that, but I will let you know.

What you would tell me if we were on a coffee date with one another? 

Throwback…Friday? PROM!

| cheriarmour

I’m not doing a here’s what this week, because I’m not obsessed with anything that interesting this week.  Plus if I say that I’m obsessed with how good my own body looks in the mirror, you guys will judge me, and I’m not really down for that.

Moving right along!

I’m friends with a lot of my campers from CPT, and I’e seen a prom pic here and there, and those prom pics are getting me thinking about one of my favorite memories form high school, my high school PROMMMM!

Okay, so let’s start by keeping it 100.  I could not get a date for my prom.  The guy who I wanted to ask me could not take an effing hint, and didn’t ask me.  I tried to get one of his friends to take my hints….no go.  My parents asked me if they could help, but I wasn’t having that.  And eventually, I ended up going with this really nice kid from a neighboring high school.

[As a side note, I was not a complete loser, it’s just that I truly think that the boys were scared of me.]

So, there was no crazy promposal or anything, people didn’t really do that back then.  I think the inception of the “promposal” came about when Laguna Beach dedicated an entire episode to the promposal.

tumblr_m5l9ilLRe21ql5yr7o4_r1_250

 

Thank God for Laguna.

Okay, so my prom.  I coordinated a date, and started setting up the whole thing.  Pre-prom, there was some friend-drama involving the limos.  For the life of me, I can’t even remember what the drama was, but I think someone stopped speaking to me and then wrote me an “I’m sorry,” card in the days leading up to prom.

So we get my dress, and the day of, my date picks me up from my house, and totally impressed my parents by holding the car door open for me so I could get me and my big dress in.

171_506368817369_1486_n

 

We made an extremely handsome pair, and we took some photos out by a friend’s pool.

171_506368807389_369_n

So, just like a wedding day, things go wrong.  The limo rolls up, and it’s one of those 80s limos with a hot tub in the back, and not enough room for everyone, so I sat on the floor of the limo while we went to Maggiano’s for dinner, where we had the best time, and then we rolled out to prom.

171_506368787429_7664_n
Fun fact – the girl in the red is a bridesmaid in my wedding!

So after dinner, we rolled out to Founder’s Hall, which was the lobby of this banking building where my dad worked. And we proceeded to dance ALL. NIGHT. LONG.

Literally, my prom was one of the best, and most fun nights of my entire life, and to this day, it’s one of my top like, 10, nights of dancing.  I’m really hoping my wedding is #1.

So now that you heard my experience, tell me….

What was your prom like?