not equal

Its not a big secret I'm a proponent of rights for homosexuals. (Note my choice of word. When was the last time you heard that used in a positive sentence?)

Anyway, I'm pretty annoyed by the new NYT editorial. Does this strike anyone else as separate-but-equal? (and we all know how that turned out). Feministe has a nice write up on this here.

All I want is to pay the same taxes as everyone else and get the same benefits. I pay the same taxes. In fact, I pay more taxes. And I'd pay EVEN more if we were on the same insurance plan - when Princess Charming was covered under my plan, we payed $1177/yr in imputed Federal income tax (tax on the PC's portion of the plan my employer paid for as if it was my income) and some more to the state. This, after I submitted 3 documents proving our partnership to my employer (and let's not forget it is somewhat more difficult to get a mortgage than a marriage license, which is all I'd have needed if this wasn't an anti-gay-marriage state).

But I digress. I think the best and most democratic solution is civil unions for all (decent editorial) linked. All marriages should be considered civil unions under state and federal law. The separation of church and state (the theoretical one anyway) supports this civil union stance nicely. This would allow for all couples, gay and straight, to get the same benefits under the law. Those who wish for religious recognition of their union can get married in a church/temple/whathave you as well. (I'm sure it can be worked out for both to happen at once).

If we remember the big civil rights movement, we'll recall that Brown v the Board of Ed did not magically change the majority opinion. It was nearly 2 decades after that, in fact, that interracial marriage became legal - as mandated by the Supreme Court - nationwide. Clearly, it was some while before the "majority" vote agreed on full equal rights across the nation for non-white persons, and I would be hard pressed to believe anyone would disagree with this perspective today.

Also, I really don't understand why gay marriage is such a hot button issue in light of all the other issues in the world/country today. I don't grasp why the battle of the religious right isn't against divorce and the rising single mother/teen pregnancy rate, which have a much bigger impact on the supposed "traditional" family values (which, incidentally, devalue women and girls and enforce a very patriarchal structure) than 2-10% of the population being interested in marrying someone of the same gender.



and off my soapbox for today.

Hello Deltoids??

We had indoor practice yesterday. Lets keep a few things in mind here:
a) I haven't been working out much. I've had such a lazy winter. 3 days of running and 2 days/week of moderate lifting would be reasonable for maintenance but I haven't even managed that. Elliptical and light weights (squatting the bar? was I really doing this in seriousness?) hasn't really cut it for maintaining or improving my fitness (see below posts about pants fitting problems).
b) I haven't handled a ball since...October?
c) Indoor practice is non-contact. And typically fun.

This morning I woke up with tied shoulders and back muscles. This concerns me a lot. I should not be sore from PASSING. I really HOPE this is just a "Hello, Emily. This is your muscles and little connective fibers saying Hi, and thanks for ignoring us for the past few months." and not real muscle fatigue. If so, I'm going to be having some much more significant soreness (particularly in my core) when practice starts next week and we revisit tackling and scrumming.

This doesn't excite me that much.

I think I'm retiring sometime this year. I think anyway. Maybe if I keep saying it I will?
(or, more likely, maybe if I cry on my way home from practice again I will)

the gym

I'm thinking about ditching my membership, but that's another post.

For the moment...things that are not appropriate:

Wearing pants so low I can see your underwear on the treadmill. As in the waist band AND the top 2 inches of them. Continuing to wear them so low that every time we cross paths lifting, I again see them. Sigh (side note, this could also have been solved by wearing an appropriately long shirt).

Grunting. Ever.

Talking on your cell. If the call is that important, get off the machine. You're not working hard enough anyway.

Not wearing a shirt. It is NOT that hot in the gym. If its 90 outside and you're running outside and feel ok about it, sure, whatever. Not in the gym.

Sitting on a weight machine chatting. For like 10 min. reps, Rest appropriately, repeat as desired, off.


Thanks!

House!

My new blog obsession showcased Sproost.com's quiz today!
My first style result was Nantucket with Classic accents. Close, yes, but I don't like the dainty chairs table, and it seems a little stuffy.














I took the quiz again, noticing the option to say if I liked or hated particular items (sofa, rug, etc).
This time I got Classic with Nantucket accents, which I think fits me better.
What's old is new again! The beauty of Classic style is how well it takes all of the beautiful forms, colors and textures of the past and reinvents them in a way that feels both fresh and inspired.

The style itself is a mix of European influences and French, English and Italian antiques and replicas are often used together. Furniture is well proportioned and comfortable and the rooms give off an air of sophistication and grace. Oil paintings depicting still-life or nature scenes and emphasizing symmetry of pairs helps maintain the traditional nature of the room. Windows are often covered with opulent fabric shades and/or drapery.

Traditional rooms give off an air of history that seems to say "I was here long before you, and will remain long after you've gone." And yet, even with this level of sophistication, the rooms are soft and inviting.

Of this model, I LOVE the window treatments and the neutrals, and the subtle accessories. I don't really like the flimsy coffee table or detail on the couch, but details can vary. Overall, thumbs up for an accurate assessment!

In my future, theoretical life with a little less school debt and a little more income, and our "forever" (or at least longer-term) home, I'd love make our style more defined. Over and over, PB calls our name...In my vision, we'll have a home full of classic comfort with lots of storage (and little clutter) and a little flair.
My current loves:
Living Room












Dining Room













(not sure I could commit to such chairs, but maybe if they were slipcovered instead of upholstered?)

Office














Bedroom

















Mudroom/Entry













Of course, this is all theoretical for a forever house we won't buy for a while (not to mention all way out of our price range, and we have a house full of furniture as it is!) But every time the catalog comes we pour over it. Its a very unhealthy obsession (ok, maybe not that unhealthy! at least we're not making purchases!). Last but not least... I have an endless love for lux window treatments. While I am relatively confident we won't ever own a house that can handle full length velvet or silk drapes, a girl can dream, right?

10 weeks

Till my half marathon. I ran two miles last night. My foot is still sore. I'm supposed to do a 6 and a 7 still this week, but I don't think I can. I think I need to work up a new lower milage program and look to peak at 20 miles/week instead of 30. boo.

I'm just about 10 lbs over my weight goal for then (I think some of Monday's weight was water weight from eating friend (uck) food Sunday), so I think it is doable. 10 weeks ago was roughly Thanksgiving - I need to remember how fast that will fly, and how fast I'll fit into my pants again (seeing as that's about my weight, give or take a lb or two, from the beginning of 2008) if I stick with the program.

Today is a new week on WW, and I'm going to stick to it and not go over my points. My goal is to not touch my Activity Points either, which should help too!

Also in motivation:
I bought new jeans last night, the same size as my older pair (which were my "loose and comfy" pair for a while). They're a bit snug, but unlike my two smaller "nice" pairs, I can sit in them without exposing my undies! ha.

Challenge

I'm going to do it.

http://hundredpushups.com/

Today is day two of week 1. 6, 8, 6, 6, 7+. No problem.

(I'm not too nervous till week 3!)


ANDDDDD

I ran two miles last night. My foot is still sore from the sprain, but it was doable! woohoo!

going online

I added a weight loss ticker to my sidebar. This is a huge step in my life. I feel like I'm coming out of the closet. This sounds a little silly, even to me, seeing as I'm active a Weight Watchers message board and with a WW email group. But somehow the blog is more public (even though I doubt anyone I know in real life actually reads this)...

But I need to, for a few reasons:

1. I think about my weight a lot. I'm not THAT heavy, but I am more than a little concerns about the 13 lbs I gained in 2008...mostly because 90% of my maternal relatives are morbidly obese, and literally dying off because of it. And that scares me. A lot (as does the rampant cancer on that side). And my dad's family, which generally of healthy weight, is stacked with heart disease and strokes, so my odds aren't fabulous.
2. I want to talk about it. All the time. But I'm embarrassed - in part because I have such a hang-up, and in part because I don't feel like I'm "entitled" to it at my still-not-in-"women's"-stores size.
3. I've yo-yoed since I was 11 or 12 (up 20, down 10, up 30, down 45, up 70, down 25, up 15, down 10, up 13...). This needs to stop, for my health and that of my future children. I know a lot of my hang-ups and "issues" are remnants of my childhood, watching my mom stress about her weight and little comments about my chubby 11 yr old thighs...
4. I'm pretty sure I'm making Princess Charming crazy. C is the only person I talk about this to openly or often (if at all) and I talk about it a lot. Especially lately, since I've outgrown about half of my pants. And it is annoying. And self defeatist. And depressing. And while she's been a great sport, I know it is very aggravating. Bringing (at least some) of my blabber about this online should be good for my home life :)

So...after months/years of being a WW online member and following on and off, I am "publicly" committing to following. And getting back into my pants.

My mini-goal is to be at my pre-2008 weight by the MORE half marathon, April 25. 13 lbs in 11 weeks. Aggressive, but I'm going to try...
My goal is to by at goal by my 28th birthday in July. 22 lbs.

doing it again

I never really had wedding withdrawl - perhaps because I was never SUPER engrossed in wedding planning - but I do have "if things were different" thoughts when I see other's wedding photos, etc. Since I haven't finished my faux-married-bio (since I mostly blog from work, where my photos are not!), I will do a different recap today :)

We had a wedding I loved on a reasonable budget. We're legally married (some places) and had our nearest and dearest (who could afford the trip) there.
However.
If things (DOMA, among others) were different, we'd probably have gotten married in PA where we live, seeing as it'd be weird to pick between our hometowns 900 miles apart. And we would have done just one reception (no casual-backyard-at-home reception), and the wedding would have been bigger in general. Still relatively economy without being tacky, but bigger.

Needless to say, I never really planned out those details since it wasn't going to happen.
I did, however, pick out some lovely fancy items for the wedding I would have if someone gave me, say, $50,000 I was only allowed to spend on the wedding (not the honeymoon, not a house, etc etc).
So some lovelies from that theoretical, totally impractical, waste-of-money-in-my-opinion wedding I might have a fleeting dream of but would never have. (And, now, little fleeting wants, be gone from my head!)

I'd have done a more lux invitation








and a custom stamp to match.
We'd have used a (duh) bigger place, and but kept our requirement of character and non-wedding-factory feeling, ala...














with understated ivory candle centerpieces and gold chivalri chairs.

real flowers for the bouquet with cymbidium orchids and calla lillies ala








and a spectacular dress ala















and somehow have hair that could pull off this











and a photographer that could do this












and now, back to your regularly scheduled, practical programming.

shopaholic

I am. Sort of. Not really. Maybe. It depends who you compare me to.
But I apparently have an Ann Taylor Loft problem. About 70% of my work clothes are from there. This is directly related to the fact there is a small ATL store 3 blocks from my office where I can pop in and check the sales.

I popped in today.
The woman on the floor asked if I got a haircut (yes).
I am a little embarrassed.

Nothing good on sale, but I did find a cute water-resistant trench I want to get if it ever goes on sale for $50 or less (sale + 40% off perhaps?). I actually want a raincoat, but I'd settle for water-resistant.

my dream

I may not be a football fanatic, but this guy is now my hero. I'm not a speedy person. I'm not evasive. I'm not small. Neither is he (well, given his career). His job on the field is not really to score in spectacular fashion. In my little rugby life, mine is not either (though forwards in modern rugby ARE expected to score way more than I do, with 2 tries to my 8 year career). But I can dream of having a great moment like this, dream of cherrypicking a pass between the scrumhalf and flyhalf while defending a penalty on our try line, dream of running it all the way down the field (including up the little hill of our city park), DREAM of evading tacklers from the other team and cornerflagging for a try. In this dream, I am also, obviously, much faster than my real life 40 time (::cough::over 7 seconds::cough::) indicates.