I've written more than 20 pages for two classes in the last three days. Brain = fried. Need some recoup time.

Christmas shopping still to be done. Need to buy for my mother, my best friend, and my brother. Still clueless as to what to get my brother. What the heck do 19 year old guys want for Christmas anyway?

I should be back soon with something more entertaining than this. I'm sure no one is holding their breath though.

Cheers.

It's 1:45 am. You wake up on the couch, with the TV blaring in the background and think, "Man, I really need to get to bed. I've got work in the morning." Just as you click the power button on the remote, something on the coffee table starts buzzing obnoxiously, rattling the glass panel in the table top. You look down through half open eyes. It's your cell phone. You squint at the brightness of the screen and see who it is--a kid you haven't talked to in years, a friend of someone you used to date. It says, "WHASSUPPPPPPPP! Evry1 in the apartmnt misses u!" You think, "Ugh. Great. I don't need to deal with this crap right now. I just need sleep." You ignore the text message and faceplant into your pillow after groping your way through the dark to find your bedroom. You're just about to fall asleep when you hear it again. BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ! "Hey! I said whats up!!!!!!!" You can't turn your phone off because it's the only alarm in your room that doesn't need the batteries you're too lazy to get. You can't sleep because the phone keeps vibrating with nonsense texts until 2:30 in the morning. How do you feel?

Like an Asian guy? ...No...FREAKING ANGRY! (Image Source)

Seriously though, late night drunk texting is one of the most annoying things a person can do. Typically, it's someone that--under normal, sober circumstances--you wouldn't want to hear from. And, under those same sober circumstances, this person would never feel the need to contact you.  And you can't stop them either. I tried to very explicitly tell this kid, "LEAVE ME THE %&#* ALONE!" after receiving about ten. You'd think after no response, a drunk person would get bored and move on to the next person in his contact list who might actually respond. Nope, apparently not. Apparently, having a conversation with yourself is just as entertaining, unfortunately for the person on the receiving end of it.

Now, I have this kid to blame for me waking up a ridiculously grumpy person this morning after two hours, during prime sleeping time, of interrupted sleep.

I don't really drunk text. I usually try to stash my phone somewhere if I am going to be consuming enough alcohol to make me a bumbling idiot so that I avoid becoming this irritating person in the middle of the night. It's called "taking preventive measures." Maybe I should send this kid the link to this post so that he can stop being such a drunk pain in the butt to people who have grown up and have stopped celebrating "Thirsty Thursday" because they have something adults call "work" on Friday morning. 

When I woke up this morning and read through the rest of the messages I must have finally been able to sleep through, I honestly wondered why this kid still has my number. We were never close. I never really had a single conversation with him. In fact, I never even really liked him. He was just always around, so I had to tolerate him. Normally, anyone I stop talking to, especially connected with people I used to date, I delete from my digital contact list. I try to sever all ties. I feel like it gives me a new beginning, keeps me from getting drug around by baggage. Apparently, this is abnormal for most people. I wonder why. It sure would have saved me a lot of irritation!

A few months ago, I subscribed to Fitness Magazine. I have grown to love it. Not only is it reasonably priced (You can get a year for less than $10, and they usually send you a freebie.  I got a resistance band and a total body workout that uses it), but it is jam-packed with terrific information about exercise, healthy eating, and fitness gear. If you check out their website, there are tons of videos that explain workout moves. I've also subscribed to their Facebook page, which provides daily blips of inspiration that keep me focused. One day, they posted a "Post-Thanksgiving" tune-up workout video from Youtube. I clicked on it to check it out. I was immediately greeted by this smiling face.

That's Cassey Ho, Pilates Instructor extraordinaire from San Francisco, California (Image Source)

I watched her short, ten-minute express Pilates workout. Pilates is fitness system that uses conditioning routines to build strength, flexibility, and endurance. Cassey is pleasant, upbeat, and she explains each move, though something I'd never done before, in a way that makes it easy to do. I tried it, and I could immediately feel the burn. Did I turn it off because it hurt? No! I did quite the opposite, I searched around Youtube for more of her videos. She has two channels, Blogilates, a channel with POP Pilates workouts to popular music, and BlogilatesTV, a channel with workouts, diet tips, and fitness challenges. Both are fantastic resources for your fitness arsenal. After the Post-Thanksgiving Tune-Up, I tried her workout to Lady Gaga's "Judas" and her Britney Spears "Til The World Ends" themed routine. Within hours, by the time I was ready to go to bed, my butt was sore! I couldn't believe it. Usually, I have to wait until the next morning when I roll out of bed to feel any sort of muscle soreness. I figured this must really work.

This morning, I woke up and decided to try her Pilates for Beginners -- Total Body Workout and her Beginner's Ab Time routines. Were they easy? Eh, some things. Other moves were a challenge, but they were challenges that I enjoyed. I was definitely feeling the burn. The whole time, though, Cassey stays so motivational and upbeat, that even when you want to stop, you don't. She smiles through the whole video and every once in a while, she'll share a personal story or tip that makes you forget about the burn. 

I really enjoyed these workouts. I used to dance through high school, and the pointed toes and tight core made me feel like I was in a dance studio again. I really connected with these workouts. The best part is that they are completely free! There are more than 50 videos that target all different muscle groups, and there are High Intensity Interval Training videos to use as supplemental cardio. This is so helpful because with finals and work, I'm struggling to find time to get to the gym. All I have to do to make these workouts is role out of bed.

Looking for more? She also has a fantastic blog, Blogilates.com, with healthy recipes and fitness fashion. There's even a 90-Day POP Pilates challenge, for which she provides a meal plan and workout calendar. She leaves no room for excuses.

Is this be something you'd be willing to try or add to your fitness routine? Have you tried it? Did you see results?