Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Hematoma

So I've been hula hooping lately...hulasquirrel
I don't really find squirrels attractive normally, but since this one is hoop dancing I couldn't help myself.

I decided a couple of weeks ago that the extra 6 inches or so of love on my hips and waist had to go. Since I don't want to change anything about my diet, aka I want to drink and eat whatever I want, and I don't have the luxury of breastfeeding any children and melting pounds that way, I knew I would have to start doing some sort of exercise that was more calorie shedding than knitting cables in sweaters. So, of course, I wanted this "exercise" to be disguised as something "interesting" or "fun." Basically, I want an Anti-Christ to any traditional form of exercise, e.g. running on a tread-mill. Call me crazy, but I think I'm allergic to most forms of exercise. I can dance all night if there's a d.j. spinning and beer flowing. I will run down my driveway if I'm running late to meet Sage at the school bus. I've even been known to bike hundreds of miles, okay I was living on an island where it was my only mode of transport. However, I am most interested in exercise incognito. Hence, my collection of Belly Dancing for Fitness, Pilate's Ball Workout, New York Ballet Company Workout DVDs that collect dust on the shelf. Insert Adam rolling his eyes and sighing, "Can't you exercise like normal people?"

Me? Normal? Never.

And thus, my new found love for the hoop brought to me directly from the Betty Hoops, what a gal!

Meanwhile, my hoop and instructional DVD came in the mail about a month ago, and from the video I doubted I would really shed any pounds. However, it was interesting to know that all my life I had been hooping incorrectly! I was aghast! Okay, I wasn't.

Equipped with the correct form, and the new "weighted and padded for adult use" hoop I tried my best to keep up with Betty. Consequently, she kicked my ass. I was sweating profusely as I tried to keep the hoop moving and run in place at the same time. Yikes! It was damn fun and the next day my mid section was pleasantly sore, it was working!

Fast forward to day five of forty minutes of continual hooping. I am awesome! I can move around, I can run in place, holy shit I can't breathe. Huge bruise, under bruise HEMATOMA! A big blood clot had developed on my left hooping side.

Well, it's day four of no hooping for Amy until the blood/bruise/lump/extremely sore spot heals. Boo hoo.

I guess I'll have to sign up to Curves.

P.S.
I found the pattern for my sweater that I've been making up as I go along. So guess what? No peeking! I'm going to try and finish it by January 1st, and submit the pattern to Knitty by the fifth. I know it's wishful thinking that it should be posted, but you can't damn a gal for trying.

Peace out.

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Blogger Santa Might Give Me Coal...

Once again, I've been bad at getting to this blog. I can't believe it's been since October! Well, life is life and I just haven't had the time...

I've got three projects in the oven currently. First, a sweater/wrap/tunic/kimono that I'm designing as I knit. I had intended to submit the pattern to Knitty, but I lost the pattern along the way...so it will just be one of those one of a kind knitting mysteries. I will take some pics and post them soon. I know I always say that, but I will.

Second project is a sweater for my friend Pamela's son, Emmett. The yarn is more Malabrigo yarn from Uruaguay. The color is sunset, a varigated orange/rust and I just can't get enough of this stuff. It's pretty darn inexpensive for such a nice merino. The pattern is the same I used for Violet's cable knit duffle coat.

Lastly, I'm knitting a cute apple green alpaca scarf for Vee, incorporating some fluffy pink angora I picked up in New Mexico.
Yes, I made it to Mecca, aka LaLana Wools in Taos, New Mexico. My brother was married in Taos on a mountain top at sunrise last month. It was way cool. We stayed in an earthshipand it was amazing!

Here is a little treat that Adam found on YouTube. It's super cool, so take the time to download it, if your connection is like mine.