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Laziness, Holiday Parties and Photos of Myself

Last weekend, I did not leave the couch except to briefly go see The Muppets movie that my brother, sister in law and everyone on Facebook raved about. I hated it.

It was just trying way too hard to be clever or funny or cute or for-the-adults-too or something. I felt bad for making Andy go see it because I promised him it would be as awesome as everyone said, and as soon as we got home I rented Muppets Take Manhattan on iTunes and made him watch it with me on the iPad just to show him what an actual clever Muppets movie with jokes for adults can be like. After, he said, “The new one was pretty much the same story as that, but not nearly as good.” Exactly.

Anyway, the point of my long winded story is that I basically did not leave the couch all weekend. I didn’t do any work and I didn’t blog. Sundays, in my new Dori life, are for football. I’m still not quite sure how I not only got roped into that, but accepted it and eventually welcomed and looked forward to it. I guess cute boys will do that to you.

Then my Monday and Tuesday work days were so busy and the week went by without a blog post. And by busy I mean I actually did work at work and then after work on Monday I went to Refine and Tuesday morning before work I went to Refine and then randomly ran into my aunt and uncle from new Jersey on the street on my walk back. Because things like that somehow happen and I can never understand how. It felt like a relief in a way. I’m still trying to figure out how to balance my blog with everything else and I want to do shorter posts on non-preset days, but I haven’t had any success at all yet. But here I am today.

Other things in my life recently? Well, remember when I started that new job in August? I had my first company holiday party with them. I’ve been to quite a few company holiday parties in my day. My first one in 2006 was awesome.

   
[Me with Ranman – read his daddy blog! Seeing these makes me miss having normal eyebrows that weren’t made stupidly thin by overly ambitious threaders. Also, I look so young. And I wore the same winter coat to that party and this year’s.]

The Merrill Lynch years were nice, the Bank of America year was non-existent and the real estate company year was miserable. I hated that party and felt uncomfortable and lonely. Another sign that the job wasn’t right for me, really. I remember being so glad I left that job before the summer company picnic day somewhere in Westchester or something. I was dreading it so much. But here at this job, I actually look forward to the events and spending time with the people. The party was a really great time. We were allowed to bring guests, so it was really nice meeting everyone’s husbands and wives and boyfriends and girlfriends, and introducing Andy to the people I talk to him about. They brought in a caricature artist and a photo booth and I was totally in my element: having photos taken of me. Really, that is all I ever want. A sign that this job is right for me.


[Looks more like me than any I’ve had before, including my Bat Mitzvah signing board]

   

And also. . .

   
[That is always how Andy reacts when I try to kiss him. I wish I was joking.]

Also this month, I went to the wedding of a friend I met through this blog. I know I’ve told this story a hundred times, but one day in winter 2010 I got a nice comment from a girl who was also training for the NYC Half Marathon and enjoys Core Fusion. I sent her a pretty long email back, and after a few back and forths she came to my apartment (as all people I meet on the internet do) and we went out for a cold weather training run together. We ended up becoming running friends and real-life friends, and trained for and ran half of the ING NYC Marathon together.

And since this is a very narcissistic post, I might as well include my new favorite foto. Awwwwwwwwww.

Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas and happy anything else you celebrate. Also, happy birthday to anyone who has birthdays this week because I know you get forgotten in the holiday excitement. I hope you don’t get one combined present “for both.”

What Exercise Taught Me About Myself

On January 2, 2010 my life changed. Sounds dramatic, I know, but it’s true. That is the day I began the Core Fusion Challenge. That is  the day I became a person who actually enjoys exercising. That is the day

Over these last two years, I’ve learned a few things about myself that I’m not sure I would have known otherwise.

I am stubborn
I think I sorta knew this before, but the extent did not show until I got into exercise. When I started doing half marathons, I slacked on my training because I didn’t want to give up any classes. I loved the workouts and I loved the results and I loved being so comfortable there and knowing exactly what I was doing. And then when I injured my hip last year (read about it here and here), I kept taking Core Fusion even though a few exercises in that class made my hip hurt more. I had worked so hard to get where I was that I just couldn’t imagine stopping and losing all that. It was incredibly stupid.

I am lazy
OK I already knew this. But what I didn’t know is that I could simultaneously be both an exercise addict — and by this I mean I spend an inordinate amount of time on the Refine, Core Fusion and now FlyWheel schedulers planning and figuring out which classes I can take and at what time, I take class almost every day, I push myself hard in these classes, I train for a marathon — yet I am also so lazy that when I am in bed and want to read, I don’t. Because my Kindle is in my bag. On the floor.

That is the same reason I never wear my glasses.

I am an underachiever
Contradictory to what I said above, but it’s true. I mean, look at my marathon. I had it in me to run a 4:33 marathon but I didn’t ever train very fast. I didn’t think I could. I thought I was a relatively slow runner, and I nurtured that. I do the same thing in my classes too. I think something will be too hard for me so I half-ass it or take some easy way out. Then after, I realize I could have done it or I should have tried.

Dori finishing Richmond Marathon
[Finish line at Richmond Marathon]

I like pushing myself
Despite being an underachiever, it turns out I do also like pushing myself. Contradictory but true. I never thought I was someone who wanted to test her limits. Until I started Core Fusion (and eventually Refine) I truly believed I was happiest in comfort. The comfort of the couch, the comfort of the bed, the comfort of coming home after work and doing nothing. Turns out I was wrong. There is absolutely nothing like the adrenaline rush of pushing myself in a class, and the rewarding feeling that comes when I see progress and improvement. The day I could hold a plank for the entire time in Core Fusion was nothing short of amazing. Same goes for the day I officially switched from modified knee pushups to real, straight-leg pushups.  Or the day I stopped using two-pound weights for good in Core Fusion. (And now I no longer pick up threes). And I wasn’t even happy to call it a day there –these achievements made me want to push harder. The more I improved, the more I wanted to improve even more.

Dori in Core Fusion
[At Core Fusion]

I am tough on myself
Ridiculously so. Let’s say I am in a class doing a set of exercises. If when we finish I realize I could have pushed myself harder, I  get mad at myself. I mentally beat myself up. I go home and continue to lament on dailymile. Then I forget about it and the next day the cycle resumes.

Dori at Refine Method
[Photo – At Refine Method]

I like routine
I actually never realized this until working out became part of it. Part of the reason I thrived so much (seriously, I became like a different person) once these classes became part of my life is because of the routine and structure they gave me. Exercise was a constant, something I automatically included in my day. I loved it.

Have you learned anything about yourself through exercise?

 

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