This N That

So, we had a federal election here yesterday. Predictions came true and we now have a Conservative government, albeit a minority. It’s a small consolation, but at least they won’t be allowed to run amok with their right-wing agenda and will be kept in check. I voted for the incumbent in my riding and she won, so I’m glad about that. I hate voting for losers. Ha ha. The sad thing is, we’re likely to be headed back to the polls within the next 12-18 months as minority governments rarely last that long.

I still have not overcome my pool agoraphobia. Well, that’s what I’m calling it, anyway. Apologies to those of you who do suffer from real agoraphobia. I’m not sure what the word is for “fear of inconveniencing other people and being inconvenienced.” Because whatever it is, that’s what I have.

An extension of that has to do with personal space. I try very hard not to take up more than my fair share of personal space, I don’t like to infringe on other people’s space and I resent it when people infringe on mine (or take up more than their fair share). It could be in the lineup at the coffee shop, on the streetcar or in cars on the road. I just think it’s very inconsiderate, bordering on aggressive. Just give me a reasonable amount of personal space. Please!

Last Friday at the pool, CL and I were commenting to each other about a woman we observed in the shower and change room. Honestly, she was naked (and that’s not the worst part) and felt the need to scrub every single part and orifice of her body! In front of everyone else! I mean, honestly… I don’t appreciate you hoisting your leg up in the air so that you can dig into your crotch with a loofah! Sheesh! Then, while changing (and drying herself with the same diligence with which she had washed) she used two locker spaces, PLUS she hung her wet bathing suit to drip dry on the door of the locker right next to mine – when the TWO she was already using were on the opposite side of the change room! Argh.

Anyway, all of this as my pitiful excuse as to why I didn’t go swimming last night. I just couldn’t bear the whole “production”. While I am swimming, I am very content (although usually bored) while doing my workout. But if anything disrupts my pace/rhythm – watch out! I had packed all my gear yesterday morning. I had a 7AM appointment with the Marquis (my athletic therapist who enjoys inflicting pain on me) and had planned to swim after work. In fact, I even took the time to redesign and print a swim workout before I left the office. Even put it in a plastic sheet holder to protect it from the water! But something happened on my walk towards the pool…

I was debating the logistics of whether to get my car and drive to the pool, or whether to leave it where it was, walk to the pool, pay the extra few dollars to park after 6PM and just leave it there. Well, I wasn’t half way to the car when I just made up my mind that I was going to bail on swimming altogether. My rationalization included the fact that I still had to vote (the polls were open until 9:30PM) and that I could do a bike workout on my trainer instead. The bike trainer won.

So, I got in the car, drove to the polling station, cast my vote (the whole process from the time I parked my car until I was back on the road couldn’t have been more than 90 seconds), drove home (just around the corner), changed into my cycling gear, set up my bike and rode for 40 minutes while I watched Ellen on TV.

I ate some of my leftover pumpkin soup and a tiny little (200-calorie) frozen dinner, then TWO little chocolate soy puddings (103 calories each) and I was STILL almost 500 calories under for the day (that’s 500 more than the 500-calorie deficit I was already working with). I just wasn’t hungry.

Today, I went to the gym at lunch. The Marquis gave me some hamstring-strengthening exercises to do, as well as some stretches for my hip flexors. It seems that the combination of weak hamstrings and tight hip flexors is tipping my pelvis out of alignment, which is putting a strain on the hamstrings. At the gym, I warmed up on the elliptical for 15 minutes then did 30 minutes of core, hamstrings and stretching. I only held the plank for 60 seconds, but I did manage 2x15 girlie pushups.

Tonight, I have my running clinic and I think we’re doing hills again. Probably four hills this time. I don’t have my speed clinic tomorrow night, so I can go hard tonight and then just have an easier (but longer) run tomorrow. Normally, Thursdays are my recovery days, but I’m going out after work on Friday so I won’t get a chance to work out. I think I’ll go to the gym again on Thursday.

Things are quiet at work this week because I met the deadline I had and got the stuff to the printer by noon. I have a few exams and assignments to mark, but I should be done that fairly quickly tomorrow morning. I’m back in the classroom for two more weeks starting next week, then I’ll get a bit of a break again.

Oh, I had another epiphany while in the shower today. I was thinking about how when I move I will likely want to install a new showerhead. I like the hand-held kind with different settings (as opposed to the “rainfall” type that are so popular right now). Just like in that Seinfeld episode, I like a shower with good pressure. The rainfall showerheads don’t have enough pressure to get all the shampoo out of my hair. Anyway, the epiphany was about whether to install it myself or ask someone to come and do it for me. I installed the one I have now, but it does leak because I didn’t have the right tools and I didn’t have enough thread tape. But I know that I CAN install one properly. I was thinking about the perception that we “independent women of the new millennium” give off that we don’t “need” anything (i.e., from men), which is why they are intimidated by us. Well, part of the thing with me is that I don’t want to be a burden or inconvenience on anyone, which is why I just learn to do things myself.

There is this woman I know who is a little socially awkward and nobody really likes her much. It’s kind of sad, really. But in a way, I identify with her. In my mind, I AM her, and I’m worried that people look at me with the same pity and disdain as they look at her. A while back she needed with something in her apartment. When she asked a couple of guys in the group to help her out, nobody wanted to help her and they all made excuses that they were busy or something. My heart sank for her. And, granted, it was a pretty shitty thing of those guys to make excuses just because they didn’t like her (although, she does have a reputation for sucking you into her vortex if you allow her to get too close). So, cut to me: part of me doesn’t want to ask anyone (man or woman) for help because I’m afraid that they will feel the same way about me as they do about her.

I now know this not to be true and that there are a bunch of guys I know (both single and married) who would happily help me out with stuff like that, should I only ask. I still feel weird asking, though.