Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Why I Don't Bake

I don't bake. Or cook actually. I occassionally grill, but not with like... stuff. Just the meat and the flame. I make cereal, toast, and pb&j. J does all of our cooking. The #1 reason for this is that I am accident prone.

cathtatecards.com
Don't believe me? When I was 9ish, I was taking a chicken pot pie out of the oven to feed my brother and I dinner, and there was a hole in the pot holder. I burned my finger on the pan, and it made me flinch/jump so hard that my knee whacked the oven door, which then closed onto my arm - still in the oven. Then I went into shock. Luckily my 6 yr old brother came into the kitchen to see why I yelled, grabbed the oven door and ripped my arm out - skin still melted to the door. Ick. So I've been semi-afraid of the oven door ever since.

Then there was the time in 8th grade where I somehow stuck my hand into liquid sugar just as it was hardening, and in the time it took to flinch, had already hardened around my fingers. The principle's office was unfortunately right across the hall, and he had concerned parents wondering why a child was screaming primally in pain during cooking class. I was actually asked to not go back to Home Ec, and had to take a study hall.

http://i-cdn.apartmenttherapy.com/uimages/kitchen/2011-02-02-GreaseFire.jpg
The oven also once turned into a complete inferno when I attempted to CLEAN it. Then there was the time I was making myself eggs, when I accidentally sprayed the non stick stuff into the flame and my shirt caught fire. At one point, I was banned from everything but the microwave, and if J knew about the time the popcorn bag caught fire, I wouldn't have been able to use that either. The few attempts at dinner that I have tried have become epic failures only noteworthy for the story you could tell about them. In short, I don't cook.

Source

This morning Melbs mentioned that she had attempted to make a chocolate chip cookie pie, which didn't go well. My absolute favorite pie (actually the only one I like - reason #2 for not cooking is that I'm a very picky eater) is Derby pie, a Louisville classic that is presented for the Kenttucky Derby each year. I like it so much that my mom makes it for Thanksgiving and Christmas every year too.


Delish! Also, source

When I found the recipe online, I looked over at the nutritional facts, and was shocked (in a good way) to find out that 1/8th of this pie is only 506 calories (I was guessing 2k+) and actually had 5g of protein. So I jokingly texted my brother with this information and told him I was going to bake one right now! (Bt dubs, he is actually an excellent baker - he had a cupcake bake off against 8yr old. Syd last summer and even SHE voted for his cupcake)

His response was:

Rob: Wait, hold on a second.... Go through the checklist before you bake:
Rob: 1) Is the bottom of the oven full of highly flammable turkey grease?
Rob: 2) Is J there to tackle you out of danger should something go horribly wrong?
Rob: 3) Do you have the proper makeup tools to draw your eyebrows back on in the event of a fireball?

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Bro! Based on his feedback I'm going to go make myself some... chocolate milk. And probably papercut my tongue with the spoon while I'm at it.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

The spokesperson... but not the posterchild

The Spokesperson:

I promised I would follow back up on my experiences with Crossfit, and I’m shocked that 3 months have already gone by. To say that I love crossfit is possibly the understatement of the year. I don’t know what I did before it. The aspect that I like the most – and that I was least expecting – is the community. I’ve met a bunch of great people, and I’m enjoying the camaraderie. This weekend Crossfit Infernal participated in the “Crossfire Throwdown”, with Firebird Crossfit. So many people went just to cheer on the participants, and have a good time together (some of these pictures are of the event). There’s something special about watching people push themselves to their max, and being able to share the glory and the struggles with them. It makes you feel connected.

Competitors from Regionals cheering on the last competitor - I LOVE this!
I am still afraid almost every day, but I’m starting to relish the chances to challenge myself, and to get better. There is still an endless amount of work to be done, but I’m starting to see progress, and that makes me hungry for more.

3 Month Accomplishments:

- I have successfully met my goal of crossfitting 6 days a week, even though it meant giving up running for awhile. I’m starting to bake running back in, because I still want to run the Summer Series over the next few months.

- After not running at all for 6 weeks, I broke my 5K PR time again this year – 34:XX, and crushed my 4.2 mile time in 47:06. It also felt easy. @Autamday and I have decided that after the hurt of crossfit, everything else is cake!

- I Rx’d a workout – and it was a Hero WOD – thanks ‘Randy’!

- I completed the 100 Lunge Challenge – 100 Lunges a day for one month – next up: pushups and planks!

- I’ve increased my Olympic lifting weights to *almost* Rx capacity. I’m up at least 20lbs in deadlifts, overhead lifts, cleans, and even +10lbs in shoulder press (my upper body’s nemesis)


From the Crossfire Throwdown. In front, Vanessa. In red behind her, JRo. Both are Legit!
But Not the Posterchild:

J has a new joke that every day I come home with a new bruise/gash/injury. It’s unfortunately fairly accurate. As the least graceful person on earth in the gym, I assigned myself bandaid duty. I have been able to avoid injuring anyone else, but not so lucky with myself. Ejemplos:

- In one week I had all of the crossfit stigmata – torn hands from pullups, bruises on my wrists from KB snatches, collar bone bruises from cleans, bruised knees from burpees/lunges, and gashes on my shins from box jumps fails

- I have permanent blue bruises on my collar bones from cleans and front squats.

- I recently dropped a 45lb barbell from over my head onto the middle of my back. Luckily just a scrape and a bruise, but there was a moment when I thought I broke my back – scary!

- I am the box monster’s bitch right now. After two painful falls, I’ve spent the last 8 weeks doing step ups until the scabs heal. One of the doctors who works out with me took pity on me and gave me a miracle patch that regrows skin, which was amazing, but I do have a 3+ inch cicatrix (you can’t call this baby a scar, as it’s one of those big wrinkly ones) on my left shin. The right shin is healing better – I’ll probably be able to call that one a scar, and it’s only 2 inches long. I will be wearing shin guards until further notice.

Coach Derek, with a cool 205 lbs over his head during the competition.
 Random Benefits of Crossfit:

- My 50lb luggage feels pretty light now

- I can now open the RV gate on the side of the house without assistance

- Carrying the groceries in no longer seems like a daunting task

- I received a (now revoked) free pass to buy summer training gear at Lululemon

The man who revoked my Lulu pass is in black. His partner George is in red. Yes ladies, those arms come home to me. ;)
Updates to 2012 Physical Goals:

- Complete a marathon

- Sub 29:24 5K – currently down to 34:XX. My plan is to do crossfit in the summer in the late afternoons, get acclimated to working out in extreme heat, and hope that the last 5 minutes just melts off. Much easier than doing sprint work and drills!

- Beat the Box Monster – I am going to slay this monster this year.

- RX a weighted workout

- Switch to guy pushups yo – I’m *almost* there. I think the next 30 days challenge will make the difference.

- Do an unassisted pullup – A long way to go on this one. If I get it done by the end of the year, it’ll be a miracle.
Julie Foucher at Regionals - that's a 70lb dumbell. She's also like 5'4.

Every day is a chance to improve, a chance to get better. I'm relishing the opportunities to grow!