Monday, June 20, 2011

# 12: Learn how to really dance

Or- "I may be bad, but I'm perfectly good at it"

Ok, this is a hard one to explain.  I can easily move to the beat of any song.  I look and feel comfortable dancing.  I can even Dougie.  But for my entire life, I've been obssesed with dance movies, from Jailhouse Rock to West Side Story to Step Up 1,2, and 3 (Don't judge me!!).  As a kid, and admittedly an adult, I'd put on MTV and BET and dance along with the videos.  Hell, my younger sisters still do it too.  And I think my love affair with all things dance and dance related needs to see the light of day.  I already dance like nobody's watching.  Now I need to learn how to dance like I have a clue about what I'm doing.

Now you may think my love of dance only extends to modern gyrations.  And although I do love gettin' down, I think it's important that I learn the classics too.  I want to salsa, merengue, waltz, swing, and cha cha with the best of them.  Or at least the best at the beginner 101 classes that I intend to take.  And yes, I intend to throw some hip hop, jazz, and maybe even some roller dance classes into the mix too. 

First up, I'm going to test out a class based soley on moves inspired by the King of Pop.  I mean, c'mon.  If I can moonwalk, I can do ANYTHING, right?



So, (in my Jerry Maguire voice) Who's coming with me?!?!
Love,
Ruth





Michael Jackson still via Photobucket

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Anything you can do, I can do...ok?

 Or why I want to learn how to play the guitar, piano, and harmonica.  And ride a motorcycle



# 7 and #18 have been on my list of things to do for a REALLY long time.  Maybe since high school.  I just didn't know it.  I was too busy being completely enamored with boys who could do all of these things.  It wasn't until I was older (and more self aware) that I realized although the guys were hot, I was actually swooning over their talents and their motorcycles.  I mean how cool is it when someone actually knows what they are doing with a harmonica??  And a great motorcycle?  One of the most beautiful things to behold.  Plus, I think it is pretty cool when chicks have these talents.  Cooler still if I can master them!

 And for inspiration....






Love,
Ruth

Harmonica photo via musicwithease.com and Photo of Angelina Jolie via motorbiker.org

I ran in the rain on Tuesday because it is one of my favorite things.  When I am running in a downpour I completely forget about negative spits, tempo runs, hell I don't even check the distance. I jump in puddles.  I catch raindrops in my mouth.  And I smile the entire time.

Love,
Ruth










Thursday, June 2, 2011

#17- Do one thing a day that scares me

#17 is going to be a tough one.  It means pushing myself everyday to do something (big or small) outside of my comfort zone.  So today I tried tofu, or to be more specific, Kim Kim Tofu and Asparagus from Lithe Method.  I know to some people, this may seem a little silly.  C'mon, TOFU??  THAT'S what scares you, Ruth?  And the answer to this is, prior to today, tofu gave me the willies.  But I have seen the light!!  The Tofu was delicious, perfectly seasoned with a bit of kick at the end.

But the tofu was just a convenient segue to get me thinking about my number 17 and the creator of Lithe Method, and all it's delightful offspring, Lauren Boggi.  The Lithe Method Brand, (which started as a mad scientist-esque way of combining all of Lauren's favorite ways to push herself both mentally and physically), has morphed into this phenomenon that encompasses fitness, food, clothing, and so much more.  Did I mention she rolled out Lithe Foods while in her third trimester??

All of this was running through my head as I nibbled on my scrumptious snack.  I began to wonder to what extent am I truly pushing myself?  While I have no immediate plans to become an exercise guru or fitness mogul a la Lauren, I do have quite a few dreams that I have ignored.  While I don't want to believe it is fear keeping me from the things I want to do, I have to admit it is doubt that occasionally tosses me on the sidelines.  While I am a naturally outgoing person, I have stopped asking for the things I want and activities that I want to do.  Part of this is my way of "playing nice"- putting a group ahead of my own wants.  What can I say, I've played team sports my whole life!  But the downside is that my creative juices have been slowing down.  We're talkin' about molasses here folks.  Congealed cheez whiz.

So I'm going to spend the next week trying to get my scare on.  And NO, this does NOT include scary movies.  Some things just aren't meant to be overcome in this decade.

So what have you done to scare yourself lately?  How have you gotten out of your comfort zone?

Talk to you soon
Love,
Ruth

Monday, May 30, 2011

Ruthie's Running Rules

Here's a set of my own personal rules that I've scrounge together from my own short experience running and getting ready for races

1. Use the bathroom before you leave your house.  Trust me.  Even if you don't have to "go", "go" anyway!!

2. On race day, when using a port-a-potty, DO NOT LOOK DOWN!!  I'm serious.  Unless you want to vomit/cry/pass out/be scarred for life, you'd be wise to stare at the walls.

3. There is a fine line between tying your shoes too tight and leaving them too loose.  I've yet to find my happy medium but I practice everyday like a good little runner

4. Set at least two alarms for race day.  And then don't freak out when you oversleep. 

5. Remember that running is fun.  You don't always need musical accompaniment.  I prefer to scare those around me by singing every now and again.

6. Everything will ache after a long race.  Even really weird muscles that you never use



I'm sure these will get longer as continue running, but for now these are my Golden Standard (ha!)

Am I missing anything crucial?  Let me know

Love,
Ruth

# 6- Run a Marathon....

This at one point seemed like the scariest of all the the activities on The List.  I mean seriously, 26.2 miles??  I don't even drive that far to work every day!  And how on earth am I supposed to train?  What if I hurt my knee again?  What if I don't finish?  This and about about a hundred other questions went churning through my mind.  So I decided to do something sane for once: I would ease into running.  Anyone who knows me can tell you the ridiculous amount of restraint this took.  Ordinarily I would jump right in and start running 8 miles-a-day.  Everyday.  For a month.  That is until I grew so disgusted or injured due to over-training that I would decide to flip running the bird and move onto something else.  But for this, I decided to actually use the brain and common sense God gave me and I joined Team Philly.  I signed up for the Broad St. Run to give myself a goal and proceeded to contemplate my sanity.  10 MILES. 

And then I started the training.  And I remembered I love to run.  Check that: I love to SPRINT.  My favorite part of the first few weeks was running hard for the last half mile.  That feeling of kicking into overdrive and not giving a crap if I looked like a lunatic (I have a creepy tendency to smile maniacally when engaged in athletic activities).  And I was having fun.  Even when I didn't know the person next to me, I still fed off the energy of running in a pack.

When we did the 8.4 mile Loop up around Kelly and West River Dr, I spent the entire run looking at the crew teams on the river, the trees, the families hanging out on the Drive super early.  And even though I destroyed the sleeve of one of my favorite shirts (too a turn SUPER tight onto the Falls Bridge), it was still on of the best runs of my life.

Now that I have Broad St and the Oddyssey Half-Marathon under my belt, I'm pretty sure I can do this.  Scratch that.  I know I'm going to kick the Philly Marathons silly little butt. 

So...anyone have any words of wisdom for me?  Any little insider tidbits I need to know about Marathons in general, The Philly Marathon in particular?  Let me know

Love,
Ruth

Monday, May 23, 2011

How this business all began.....

Hi, my name is Ruth, and I'm starting a blog.  (This would be when all you fun folks out there in the interweb would all yell "HIIII, RUUUTH!")  I guess I should start with why I'm creating a blog and also why I named it as I did.  Here we go...

How it all began...

A couple of years ago, I compiled a "Life List"; a list of things I have always wanted to do, try, or incorporate into my life that I've just never gotten around to doing.  Through some inappropriate time management (I like to sleep, what can I say), and a general "I'll eventually get around to it..." attitude on my part, time has passed and I have not checked off ONE thing on my list.

But no more
This blog is basically going to be used to keep me accountable for my list.  I once said to my running partner "Guilt an accountability are the cornerstones of my run training!"  Although I was attempting to be funny, it is still really true.  I can set all the goals in the world, but  if there isn't some way for me to be held accountable, then I will never accomplish anything on my list.  I don't want to be one of those little old ladies who at 65 realizes she hasn't gone on any of the adventures she once dreamed of and must then try to cram a "Bucket List" into her last few lame ass years on this earth.  My life shouldn't get in the way of truly living.  And this isn't a one-and-done kind of list.  These are all the crazy and offbeat things I want to do for, well, the rest of my life.  Things that I once thought I would be a veteran at by now. 

So I'm starting a blog.  Anything but Average, Nothing But Normal.  The title is always what I thought of myself and my life.  Because being "average" always seemed like the kiss of death to me.  I mean seriously, who in their right mind aspires to be just "ok"?  Not I.  And I think there are alot of people out there who feel the same way.  And I think that is "normal", or whatever the hell that means in this day in age.

So without further ado, The List.

My Life List

(in no particular order)

1. Learn how to surf
2.Give back to the different communities I belong to
3. Connect with my extended family
4. Reconnect with old friends
5.Rediscover my volleyball mojo
6.Run a marathon
7.Learn how to play something cool on the guitar, piano, drums, and harmonica
8.Truly learn a foreign language
9. Finish my "Adult List" so I have more time for my "Life List"
10. Travel to the places I've longed to see and some that I would never have thought off
11.Learn to make one full meal (app, entree, and dessert) from scratch.  And make it WELL
12. Learn how to really dance
13. Write a book
14. Now write a book I'd actually read
15.Read at least 2 new books a month
16. Start and maintain a blog
17. Do one thing a day that scares me-taken from the Lulu mantra (this does NOT include scary movies.  BLECH!!)
18. Learn how to ride a motorcycle
19. Sky dive
20. Learn how to ice skat/roller skate backwards
21. Appear in a movie or tv show
22. Be open to new experiences and be ready for the list to grow!


#22 May be the most important part of The List.  I want to continue evolving and growing as a person.  I want to get back to/become the person who once was willing to take on the world.  Who knew that if she didn't put herself first, no one else would.  The girl who refused to let her day-to-day life get in the way of living. 

So I hope you enjoy my blog.  And sorry for the uber-long first post.  And I promise I'll be funnier next time. :-)

Love,
Ruth