Hotter Than Texas

The last several days have been extremely hot, and although temps dip as the sun retreats, it's still roasting hot at peak hours. Last I checked, we were hotter in NY than my hubs was in Houston, Texas. That's not right. Especially for June. My son has final exams this week but at least some classrooms have air conditioning. But the school bus does not. He's regretting his decision to wear his plaid flannel cargo pants. Of course, it was a comfortable 63F this morning. Now it's 90. It's only 88 in Houston. Go figure.

I'm having trouble getting my body to do what I want. It might be because I warmed up on the elliptical instead of the cross-trainer. Or it might be because I've been eating poorly all weekend. The nice sunny day on Saturday meant that very people wanted to be indoors, so we had only a few visitors to my photo reception. I didn't put out a lot of food, but like the painter whose work graces the hallway leading to the room my show inhabits, I'm taking home a lot. She comes in with a friend and asks me questions about my work, so it wasn't a total loss. Two other sets of friends come by to visit as well.

I skip core but do push ups and shoulder warm ups. The face-level band work feels as if it's hurting and not really helping my shoulder. I might skip it next time, but keep everything else. Because there's discomfort radiating from my arm pit down the inside of my bicep as I bench, I opt to drop the last two reps from my heavy set. I don't even attempt 130 lbs. But I tack on an extra set of high reps. Those don't hurt my shoulder.

My shoulder occasionally twinges when I do the rest of my workout, but nothing that tells me to stop what I'm doing. The gym is really empty, except for a handful of teenage boys. Later, more young women come in. I see the tattoo girl. She's definitely not the Animé Hair Girl. Today she's wearing what looks like a bikini, with a string-side tank. It reminds me of a pillowcase costume. She has scrolling long black and blue tats that run down her arm, and down her leg as well. And a nose ring. I can't find an exact picture of the tank, but imagine the item with a straight edge neck, but the sides are open all the way to the bottom, where there is a string hem. She's doing deads in the squat rack, which is just as well, because no one else is using it. Later, when I get on the elliptical, she gets on the Step Mill.


It's so hot out that I wear shorts to the gym. I snap a few photos and muse at the fact that I indeed look taller sitting down than when I'm standing up. Blame those short calves! I have long thighs, just like I have big upper arms. I used to joke to myself that when I was being created, the Almighty shaped a starfish, with tapered arms and legs and tiny hands and feet. At least the Internet has provided me with ways to be thankful for my annoying skin condition. I see images and stories of people who have versions of icthyosis so much worse than mine. Still, I wonder if having normal skin would've made me a much more confident person. I also wonder if my anxiety is a learned or inherited disorder. Not that its cause will affect how I deal with it. But right after my reception, I had the most awful time relaxing. Perhaps it was all the sugar-free ice tea I drank, but my anxiety and subsequent dour mood was making me crazy. Having lots of chips around didn't help.

Artistic temperament is defined as a personality profile ascribed to writers, artists and composers and borders on mental illness. I feel as if I'm in the middle of some sort of episode. There's the emotional high of creating something truly nice, and then subsequent disappointment. There's a lot of questioning and self-doubt. Luckily, I have the ridiculous good fortune to have another show to distract me. But I'm having trouble generating enough enthusiasm to focus properly on what needs to be done. I tell myself that this is probably the last time I do any shows, because I'm uncertain about my vision, and there's so many other things I want to do, and things I need to do. Plus, it's a hard emotional investment. We artists are sensitive sorts...

Tomorrow my son will be at school for less than three hours. Because it's finals week. I plan to go to the gym and then head home to take my son to finally see Wonder Woman. Because I'd like something to cheer me up.

Monday

15 min elliptical
Manual
Calories 151
Miles 1.32
Average Heart Rate 125?

HGPU 30
Mid Band Pulls 15
High Band Pulls 15
Push Ups 50

T, Y & I Raises
3lbs x 15
5lbs x 15

Smith Flat Bench
Bar (30lbs) x 15
80 x 12
100 x 12
120 x 10
90 x 25
80 x 25

Smith Inclined Bench
Bar x 15
50 x 15
70 x 13
80 x 12

DB Laterals s/s Rev Flyers
20/25lbs x 12/15reps x 3sets

Rip Skulls
40lbs x 12reps x 3sets

20 min elliptical
Program 1
Miles 1.78
Calories 204
Average Heart Rate 140

WHGPU 20