ymca

Full Circle.

| cheriarmour

A little over two years ago, I was desperately job searching.

I was not yet full time at Fleet Feet, and I had this complex where I felt like the loser in mine and Austin’s relationship.  I know that is imaginary, but once you’re told “no” so many times, your brain starts to play bizarre tricks on you.  You trick yourself into thinking that there’s something seriously the matter with you and your resume, and that the work that you are doing is unimportant.  That l-word starts creeping into your mind too, especially when you see how well friends seem to be doing through the lens of social media.  [Pro tip: No one ever puts the fact that they’re 3 months behind in their house payment on social media, so don’t sweat how amazing people’s lives may seem.]

So 2, nearly three years ago, I interviewed for a position at at my new job, that I felt like would be perfect for me.  So perfect.  I had one interview, then two interviews, and was in the process of setting up my third interview when they broke it off with me and told me that the job would not be mine.

I was heartbroken.  The news came through in an email, and as I received it, I began to dissolve into tears that didn’t stop for two days.  Poor Austin bought me smoothies, and did his best to calm the sobbing, which came in spurts.  I think he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for that.

So about a month or so ago, I interviewed, a very low-key interview for that same job, which had opened up.

One interview turned into two.

The second turned into a third.  And finally, I was offered the job.

I’m in shock.  It’s surreal.  I’m happy.  I’m visualizing all of the incredible things I want to do on the job.  And finally, I am grateful grateful that everything comes full circle, and will happen when it is supposed to.

photo (10)Grateful grateful grateful grateful.

What are you grateful for? 

 

 

Happy Saturday Folks!

| cheriarmour

I’m sitting in the office, writing, and looking out the window at how gorgeous it is outside.

My plans for today?

Teaching a Zumba class at the Y, a photo-shoot that I think is gonna turn out really cool, a run, and then I’ll hop in my car so I can head to my parents’ house, where I’ll be staying with the dog so I can see my lady-friend, Demi Lovato tomorrow night!

So a busy Saturday on deck.

What are your plans for this beautiful weekend?  

Gym Etiquette

Image | | cheriarmour

Gym Etiquette

I was at the gym yesterday when I saw the nastiest thing. A little nugget get up off of the rowing machine who walked away without wiping his sweaty butt stain off of the seat. That used to not bother me, until I contracted the wart from HELL on my hand. This wart was professionally blowtorched off my hand once. I’ve treated it twice with those over-the-counter freezy things. And now, I’ve been sleeping with apple cider vinegar soaked cotton balls taped to my hands in hopes that it will kill this thing once and for all. Moral of the story? CLEAN YOUR NASTY SWEAT MACHINES AFTER YOU USE THEM AT THE GYM! Okay?!

The Coolest Piece of Equipment you’ve Never Seen.

| cheriarmour

So I’ve been working out.  A lot since I’ve been home.  I spend the day cleaning up, cooking, straightening, and then I get a decent chunk of workout time that I may not get when I’m at home.  When I’m at home, it’s just squeeeeeze in my workout where I can, and there’s not a concerted focus on making each workout dynamic.  All that to say, I’ve gotten a lot of time to dynamically werk it owt.

So the YMCA I grew up in was the Siskey Y, this sprawling behemoth of a Y.  It’s gorgeous.  Pools, a waterpark, clean, large facilities, lots of light, and a lot of programming for the community.  The Siskey was kind enough to recognize my employment at the YMCA of the Triangle while my mom’s been sick, and they’ve allowed me to work out – especially helpful on the humid, hot-as-hell days that North Carolina has.

I did my usual.  I ran on the treadmills, which were pretty sick – each treadmill was equipped with its own television, which makes running for an hour or more a little more bearable, minus the commercials.  And then I saw it.

Ladder

This was the stuff of ‘Biggest Loser’ legend, something I’d only seen Jillian Michaels screaming at, while a poor sweaty workout-newbie cried as s/he climbed to nowhere. I kind of circled the machine for a while, and finally, I dashed in after a sweaty guy stumbled off. I fastened the seatbelt around my waist (the belt controls how fast the ladder moves), and I got going.

So the way it works.  It’s kind of like a treadmill ladder.  The lower you climb, the slower it goes, but the higher you climb, the faster the belt moves.  So I designed a little interval workout for myself.  2 minute warmup, then one minute at a moderate climb, and 45 seconds of a killer climb for 5 passes.  It was awesome.  I was drenched.  My stomach looks like Patrick Schwarzenegger’s.  Wow.  No, but really.  I live for machines like this one, that deliver a pretty hefty punch in a short amount of time.  (The rowing machine is my favorite one in a whole gym usually).  So if you’re looking for a cool workout that’s good for your core, good for hand-eye coordination, good to confuse your metabolism with the old switcheroo, and something that will make you sweat, see if you can’t find one of these.

My only disclaimer? Germs run rampant and unchecked on this bad boy.  You’re sweating, like directly on the machine, and your hands are going where your feet were, it’s all very nasty.  Wipe it down before, wipe it down after, and then walk over to the Purex machine, and go nuts.