Friday, February 27, 2009

Love to hate you, baby

by Susan Sey

We recently joined the YMCA, & the whole family is IN LOVE. Oh, yes. We love our Y.

For my kids, the love has a whole lot to do with an indoor swimming pool & water slide. For my husband, it's a structured time & place to work out that comes complete with a video screen six inches from his face.

For me, it's BOSU Boot Camp. Ever seen a BOSU? It looks like this:

It's a combination strength/aerobics class that works sort of like step aerobics, only instead of stepping up on a flat, steady bench, you step up on this squishy half-ball. The evil genius of this is that now, in addition to heaving yourself up there, you also have to balance.

The first time I took this class, I thought I was going to die. The next day I was so sore, I whimpered like a little girl every time I had to pick something up off the floor. But I didn't hesitate to go back. In fact, I actually looked forward to it. A workout that kicked my @ss under the supervision of an instructor whose only mission in life seemed to be making grown women cry? Ah, bliss.

But this is wrong, isn't it? Why would I love something that routinely hurts me? Why would I so enjoy not only finding my limits, but flagrantly violating them (hence the copious moaning upon arising in the a.m.)? Why would I do this to myself??

Well. I don't know. And as I don't invite pain into my life on a daily basis, I'm not overly worried about it. It's an aberration, but one that has ultimately improved my health so I'm okay living with the mystery.

But it did get me thinking about other things I love to hate. So here are, in no particular order, things that cause me significant discomfort and/or pain which I secretly (or not so secretly) enjoy:

1) Writing. Can I get an Amen? Maybe this is wrong, but I look forward to churning out the pages the way most people look forward to oral surgery. It's a rare day for me when the words just flow. Most days I have to psyche myself up for the hard work of battling back the blank page. I think it was Dorothy Parker who said she hated writing, but loved having written. That's how I feel exactly. I hate struggling through that first awful draft, but am utterly addicted to the high of having committed words to the page. Even bad ones.

2) Jogging. Half an hour of huffing & puffing & feeling all my wiggly bits wiggle? Not so fun. But putting on my jeans & zipping them without discomfort, even as I stare 40 right in the eye? Worth it. Every mile. And unless I'm planning to break my ice cream addiction some time in the near future (not going to happen, folks) it's an absolutely necessary evil.

3) Letters to the Editor of low-brow gossip rags. People Magazine is my favorite. ("I wish everybody would leave poor Tom Cruise alone!! He's a class act, & I wish him & his beautiful bride every happiness!!!! Tom, you can jump on my couch any old time!!!!!") I think it has something to do with the flagrant abuse of exclamation points, along with the unshakeable conviction that Tom Cruise gives one tiny little flip about what Sandi Neblowski of Wahoo, NE thinks about his marriage. It just kills me, but can I stop reading them? Can I skip them? I cannot. No, I not only read them, but I pick the most offensive of the lot & read them out loud to my husband, who I'm sure appreciates it.

So what about you? What do you love to hate? What do you feel compelled to do, regardless of logic, reason, or your better angels? Tell me everything!

84 comments:

Natalie Hatch said...

???

Natalie Hatch said...

Ah ha! snatched him away from the cold climate, it's deck chairs and ice cold watermelon all round.
Our YMCAs over here aren't as snazzy as yours, darn. Wish ours had waterslides.

Tawny said...

Oooooh, Susan. What a mean post. I'm trying to reunite with my exercise habit and now I want a BOSU ball. I'm a step aerobic fiend (when my habit and I are friendly. When we're not talking, the only step I see is the one leading into the family room) and this looks like it'd be a great exercise.

Love to hate: Everything you listed *g* Writing -check. Exercise - Check. Gossip / News (sadly the same on some days) - check.

Natalie, congrats on the GR and yum on cold watermelon.

jo robertson said...

Hilarious post, Susan, and so right on.

My love-to-hate hidden secret is those awful, campy, cheesy horror flicks they run on TV late at night, or even the current ones in the theatre patently designed to make you jump and/or throw up!

I can't seem to stop watching scary movies. Honestly, I think it's the camp -- too wicked in an unintentional way.

limecello said...

Congrats on the GR, Natalie! O_O my newly installed security settings wouldn't let me come to the blog! Haha - now I'm suspicious of your "vendor reliability," Banditas!
I love to hate food, and exercise. Interesting how the two go hand in hand right? Speaking of, I'm SO behind on my exercise challenge I might keel over when I try to catch up. I think I need to do like... 150 sit ups/push ups/air squats/steps at once. Eek.

Helen said...

Congrats Natalie I am sure he will enjoy the warmer weather

Susan great blog I am not into exercise at all the only exercise I enjoy is turning the page on the book I am reading LOL, but I gotta admit a few years ago when I was on a weight watchers diet I would make myself walk for at least 30 min a day and I gotta say I felt really good as the weight was coming off but I really had to force myself to do it and my ankles were really sore afterwards.

Have Fun
Helen

Anna Campbell said...

Hey, Nat!!!! One for the Aussies. A patriotic huzzah!

Susan, I'm absolutely with you on the hating writing but hating NOT writing more. Don't really understand it. I like THINKING about writing. If only that actually got words on the page!

Love to hate it? Lots and lots of stuff. I must say what sprang to mind is the guilty pleasure I first admitted to here a few weeks ago. Judge Judy! How can I love that show? And yet I'm utterly addicted to it!

Carol said...

Congrats Natalie...birdie is downunder for a day!

I love to HateHateHate those awful adds on TV that make the man look like an absolute Dill...
and the woman a smart arse who knows Everything...
I think they harm male/female attitudes.

On a lighter note, I hate pencils which everytime you sharpen one , the lead breaks!
Cheers Carol

Carol said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Christine Wells said...

Hey, Susan! Great post! You've inspired this lazy cow to get off her couch...tomorrow. Well, it is 8pm here!

I'll do an amen and a hanky wave for the old writing thing. Hate doing that. I also get sucked into Judge Judy far too many times for my comfort. I know that show only exists so people can feel superior to the dumb as a rock unfortunates who get dressed down by her worship each session, but if it's on, I can't look away. Luckily now that my dh has gone back to work, I can avoid having the TV on.

And yeah, giggling about hawt men would have to be one of those love to hate things. I mean, I hate that I'm being so sexist and all, objectifying the male in that way...yet still I love a well-toned torso, what can I say?

Congrats, Natalie!

Christine Wells said...

Wow. I swear I didn't read Anna's response before I did mine. Judge Judy? Really, Anna? I'm surprised at you!*g*

Anna Sugden said...

Great post Susan - I'm totally with you on the whoe exercise thing (and yes, we do have a Bosu ball!) I really miss my ace boxing trainer - it's just not the same if he's not torturing my muscles!

Carol - OMG - that is one of my pet peeves! Hate that with pencils. Along with ballpoint pens that blob at unexpected moments.

Yes on the writing - especially now as I churn my way thrugh revisions. Anna, you said it so well - hate NOT writing more.

I love to hate the fashionistas and the clothes horses - Victoria Beckham anyone? The woman is a ditz and has zero sense of style - but is so much fun to diss.

Sports referees. Bless them, they do a horrible job that I'd hate to have to do. But, sometimes I wonder what planet these guys are on. I don't mind bad decisions as long as the guy is consistent. LOL OK I do mind bad decisions, but at least I can cheer when he gives a bad call the other way.

Rival teams - oh, it's such fun to b*tch about them. Especially, when you beat them.

And I'm a bad person - I love to see mean and nasty people get their come-uppance. Stuff this 'turn the other cheek' business - make 'em pay!

Caren Crane said...

Ah, Natalie, what a great steal! The GR will enjoy basking in the sun, I'm sure. (Though he's not very "grateful" by nature. *g*)

Susan, I have a love/hate relationship with personal training. The personal trainers are all sweet, wonderful and incredibly sadistic people. They use those jiggly ball things and a hundred other instruments of torture to abuse me every time I've gone...and yet, I'm so glad I endured it when it's over.

Now, I see no change on the scales or in how my clothes fit, so doing this sort of thing is merely a matter of faith. I know I should do it and I know it's good for me, so I do it. But I HATE it with a passion. Fortunately for them (but unluckily for me), I am out of sessions and have no money for more right now.

I dream of joining the YMCA (so I can feel guilty for not going?), but they are insanely expensive around here. I guess I'll stick to walking and jiggling for now. *g*

I feel exactly the same about writing. Terror, fear and anxiety accompany most every page. Yet it lures me back time after time!

American Idol. It's horrible, painful and completely engrossing. The drama! The awful outfits! The marginal performances! It's terribly addictive and my husband is disgusted every year when I get pulled in yet again. This year, I gave it up for Lent!!

Christie Kelley said...

Oh Susan, that BOSU thing looks so dangerous :) But then again I broke my wrist on doing step aerobics.

The short story version: bad ankle gave out as I landed on the step (after doing step for 2 years) and I went down hard. Ended up in a cast from by bicep to my knuckles for 5 weeks, then a short cast for 4 weeks and 1 month of PT. Needless to say that was the last time I did step aerobics.

I'll give you an Amen for writing. I can't think of anything else right now. Must get on the eliptical.

Joan said...

Fun post, Susan though that BOSU ball looks dangerous!

We have a nice YMCA not far from my house but due to budgetary constraints they are not open every day so that spoils it for me with my varied schedule. It has huge floor to ceiling windows and would really be nice. But I'm stuck with the commercial gym in a dark/dank former Home Depot store.

Hey! I've been recently! I have! Um...just last...um....

Well, I KNOW I'm going Sunday!

I do feel better but boy do I hate to go. I also hated going back to an actual WW meeting but the online was giving me too many opportunities to slack and I need to get serious cause believe me, my wiggly bits can beat up your wiggly bits.

Writing is up there too as I've spent WAY too much time revising ONE scene the past few days! Arghh! But I've got to get it done so I can do MORE.

I hate to love PEEPS. Yup, the Easter candy is out and calliing my name. Which increases the challenge of my new goals with WW. Oh, I could eat one pkg. but then....then I start hearing chirping...from the Walgreens. Sounds suspiciously like "Joanie...we're here! Come get us"...

Could be the strain from driving to the gym, I don't know.

:-)

Joan said...

my wiggly bits can beat up your wiggly bits.

I take this back. After BOSU Bootcamp MY wiggly bits would be toast!!!


Ummm..toast.....2 points...

Susan Sey said...

Congrats on the rooster, Natalie! You're quick off the mark! The GR had best be on his game!

And as for the Y, well, we're lucky to live in a major metro area. The one nearest our house has an adequate pool but we're within 15 minutes of three or four others with big kiddie pools. It's the carrot we dangle in front of the kids all week--if you're good, we'll go to the Y with the big pool....

Susan Sey said...

Oh, Tawny, if you like step aerobics (and I use the term LIKE guardedly, as we're in love-to-hate mode), you'll LOVE the BOSU. It's like step, only with more & harder squats. Which, as we all know, are torture, plain & simple.

Good luck getting friendly with your exercise habit again. That first awesome workout will suck you back in, & then the real work begins... Bwahahahah!

Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to cue up the maniac laughter so early.

Susan Sey said...

Jo wrote: My love-to-hate hidden secret is those awful, campy, cheesy horror flicks they run on TV late at night, or even the current ones in the theatre patently designed to make you jump and/or throw up!

Jo, my youngest sister adored (adores?) slasher flicks when we were younger. There wasn't a Friday the 13th she hadn't seen or quote extensively. Did you know the first one had Kevin Bacon in it??

Do you have a favorite? Are you more the slasher fan, or the suspense fan? It's the psychlogical suspense ones that kill me. I still have nightmares about the Sixth Sense--people showing up in my bathroom with half their heads blown off, & the like. Ack.

Susan Sey said...

Limecello wrote: I love to hate food, and exercise. Interesting how the two go hand in hand right?

I only do one because I love the other, baby. Ice cream habit = jogging. *big heavy sigh* On the bright side, I did NOT give up sweets for Lent this year. If I'm going to BOSU, I'll need my sugar fix.

Kirsten said...

Okay I totally agree with Carol -- those commercials crack me up but I feel guilty about it. ;-)

Christine, I also feel a little odd objectifying nekked men for the reason that I don't appreciate it done to women. And then there's the whole -- that nekked guy is probably not interested in the female gender thing, But it's still good fun, isn't it? :-)

Joanie, I'm soooo with you on the Peeps.

Suz, hon, that Bosu thing seems particularly evil. I'm sticking with my yoga. I'm actually thrilled to find an exercise I don't have to loathe but does seem to do great things for my body. I actually look forward to my morning yoga -- how crazy is that. I don't just look forward to it being done, I actually enjoy doing it. Weird, huh?

Susan Sey said...

Helen wrote: the only exercise I enjoy is turning the page on the book I am reading LOL

Helen, this made me laugh out loud. In a perfect world, I'd do nothing but sit, read, eat pretzels (the really salty kind) & drink pop. My children have other ideas, however.

REading anything really good right now, though? Just so I can live vicariously? I'm treating myself to Kate Carlisle's Homocide in Hardcover at the moment, & it's killing me to be able to read only a paragraph here & there, thanks to said children.

Susan Sey said...

Anna Campbell wrote: I must say what sprang to mind is the guilty pleasure I first admitted to here a few weeks ago. Judge Judy!

Oh, Anna, I love this! You're a Judge Judy addict? How did I miss that one?? I think that's awesome. There's something so satisfying about watching a sharp-tongued woman dispense impatient justice to the idiotic, isn't there? And her bailiff--I like him, too. I haven't seen the show very much, but don't they sort of share these disbelieving glances from time to time, like, "Who are these idiots, & are they really allowed to reproduce??"

Good stuff.

Susan Sey said...

Carol wrote: I love to HateHateHate those awful adds on TV that make the man look like an absolute Dill...
and the woman a smart arse who knows Everything...


Oh, Carol, I'm with you on this one. One of my sisters is forever forwarding me those man-bashing emails that paint men like not-so-bright children & women like long-suffering saints & I just delete them. A steady diet of that crap is bound to poison any relationship & I like my husband just fine as is, thank you.

I have a friend who won't read his children Bearenstain Bear books because of this very reason. Mama Bear is so wise & Papa Bear is such a childish screw up. I haven't gone quite that far (my kids love to laugh at Papa Bear's antics), but then again, I see his point.

Susan Sey said...

Christine Wells wrote: I mean, I hate that I'm being so sexist and all, objectifying the male in that way...yet still I love a well-toned torso, what can I say?

What's not to love about a well-toned torso? :-) Nothing wrong with enjoying a lovely view...

And as for Judge Judy, it sounds like you're in extremely good company there. Right, Ms. Campbell?

Susan Sey said...

Anna S. wrote: Rival teams - oh, it's such fun to b*tch about them. Especially, when you beat them.

I'm totally with you on this one, Anna. I have this theory that humans have aggression & territorial behavior programmed into the DNA, & that organized sports are one of the only sanctioned outlets for these primal urges. It's the only way I can explain grown people painting their faces/chests & rioting in the streets when their favorite teams win/lose.

But then I'm not a huge sports fan. This is just my observation from being a high school athlete. Anybody have any opinions on this one?

Susan Sey said...

Caren Crane wrote: American Idol. It's horrible, painful and completely engrossing. The drama! The awful outfits! The marginal performances! It's terribly addictive and my husband is disgusted every year when I get pulled in yet again. This year, I gave it up for Lent!!

Oh, Caren, the siren song of reality TV. People humiliating themselves of their own free will in front of hundreds of millions of people, to be replayed on You Tube in perpetuity.

It's riveting, isn't it?

I'll admit, I've gotten away from reality programming, but I'm about to be lured back by Celebrity Apprentice. How can I not watch Joan Rivers & Dennis Rodman melt down in front of Donald Trump & his horrific weave?

Tell me your lenten vow extends only to AI!

Susan Sey said...

Christie Kelly wrote: But then again I broke my wrist on doing step aerobics.

Geez, I almost did the same thing yesterday! I was cruising along & (can't even blame a bad ankle) just didn't hit the step dead on. Flailed around in midair for a while as the entire class looked on in wonderment, performed some complicated aerial acrobatics, regained my balance & caught up with the routine.

I think everybody was a little disappointed I didn't bite it. It would have been spectactular.

Then again, hearing your story, I'm so glad I didn't! Big props to you for not just giving up on exercise! I might've taken the whole thing as God's desire for me to lazy.

Susan Sey said...

Joanie wrote: I need to get serious cause believe me, my wiggly bits can beat up your wiggly bits....I hate to love PEEPS. Yup, the Easter candy is out and calliing my name.

Oh, Joanie, you crack me up. A wiggly bits smack down? Ha! As for the Peeps, wow. That's a new one on me. I always thought you either loved them OR you hated them. The people I know who love them do so with an unabashed abandon. You don't get between a girl & her peeps. I didn't realize you could love TO hate them. That you could have ambivilant feelings toward the object of your marshmellowy desire.

So, do they sneak up on you? Hide themselves awkward places & force themselves on you? Pose as broccoli? Inquiring minds want to know!

Deb Marlowe said...

Eating right. Sigh. I know I need to. I feel so much better when I do. But man, I like carbs, okay? And chocolate, and ... Okay, you get the idea. :-) I miss my junk.

Oh, Susan, I think I'm going to join you on Celebrity Apprentice. It looks horrifyingly fascinating! Joan Rivers crying? And her face won't crumple! It won't move an inch. I cannot look away...

Susan Sey said...

Kirsten wrote: I actually look forward to my morning yoga -- how crazy is that. I don't just look forward to it being done, I actually enjoy doing it. Weird, huh?

I think it's awesome that you found something to do that's healthy, makes you feel good & that you love.

But I do have a question for the yoga-skilled among you. If I do yoga first thing in the morning I get nauseated. Really nauseated. I can do it in the afternoon no problem, but first thing? Like before breakfast? Ugh.

I think it's all the deep breathing & turning upside down business. Does this happen to anybody else, or am I a weirdo with a yoga-challenged physique?

Susan Sey said...

Deb Marlowe wrote: I think I'm going to join you on Celebrity Apprentice. It looks horrifyingly fascinating! Joan Rivers crying? And her face won't crumple! It won't move an inch. I cannot look away...

I *know*, right? That's the draw! Joan Rivers, trying to cry! And she's so surgically enhanced, her features just sort of suggest rage while she's smashing a glass of water.

And Andrew Dice Clay, claiming to be the best comedian in the history of the world? Good stuff there. I'm imagining George Carlin bellied up to the bar in the afterworld, watching the promos & using all the words you can't say on TV.

Kirsten said...

I don't claim to be yoga skilled. Just want to make that clear from the start. And I do it in the morning because it's my only chance. I'd love to do it in the afternoon, but I can't. Not an option. That annoying job thingy.

So I don't know about the nausea thing. I have lost a few pounds lately, not had the appetite I once did, so maybe it's doing that to me and I just didn't realize it! :-) I only to 25 minutes at a shot, which is about the perfect length. More than that and I just get too bored.

It's my adult ADD you know.

Joan said...

So, do they sneak up on you? Hide themselves awkward places & force themselves on you? Pose as broccoli? Inquiring minds want to know!

Only the green ones :-)

Oh, I love them but they take up 3 points on WW so I have to limit the intake...they don't hide. I have to leave them out for several days to "cure" aka get stale :-)

Becke Davis said...

I was doing so well on the treadmill. Then I got hit with an avalanche of work and it threw me out of my routine. Why is it always so hard to get started again, even when I've only missed a few days? I blame February.

jo robertson said...

Susan, I like to see the slasher ones with my youngest daughter because her reaction is so hilarious. But the psychological ones are the best. I love to figure out the "story" or "secret." Sixth Sense was the best, and I didn't figure it out until almost the very end. Very cool movie.

I enjoy(ed) those Freddy Krueger and Jason movies too, although they've definitely gone into the campy camp LOL. Sort of like Rocky Horror with a cult following.

Minna said...

Erasure - Love to hate you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS_ZT-9pADo&feature=related

Minna said...

Well, there's Code Name: Eternity. It's soo bad, but I still had to watch the series when it was on tv.

http://fp.culttv.plus.com/ukculttv/exclusive/codenameeternity/codenameeternity.htm

http://fp.culttv.plus.com/ukculttv/exclusive/codenameeternity/codeguide.htm

Anna Campbell said...

Hey, Christine, I thought you were just trying to make me feel better for my embarrassing addiction to JJ. And it turns out you have the embarrassing addiction too! Huzzah! Actually I've decided JJ is research - it displays ALL human emotion and usually in its rawest form! ;-)

Anna Campbell said...

What I love about JJ, Smoov, is that she says what we're all thinking - e.g., you picked him, don't expect to be compensated for stupidity! - but none of us are brave enough to say. I love that saying pretty doesn't last, dumb is forever! Hahahahahahahah!

Vicki said...

Great post, although me on a BOSU ball would be just plain bad. Or funny depending on how someone looked at it/me.

I hate exercise, which is apparently as I need to lose 35 pounds. Funny thing is once I start and get into the habit, then I hate missing it. Go figure.

Writing, yeah. I hate the first page of chapter one. After that I'm pretty good to go until it's time for edits. I really don't like the edit process, but I love how it reads once I'm done. :)

Congrats Natalie on snatching the GR, have fun with him, and watermelon...yummy.

Kirsten said...

Treethyme, I'm with you. I blame February for EVERYTHING. I've been suggesting lately that we actually remove the month completely from the calendar. Is that an option?

Susan Sey said...

Joanie said, re: Peeps: I have to leave them out for several days to "cure" aka get stale :-)

I've heard of this! Does this make them chewier? (I assume that's a good thing?) What about in ice cream (my key question regarding all food--is it improved by ice cream?) Do they get crunchy if you put them in ice cream, or do they turn into impenetrable chickie-chunks?

Susan Sey said...

Treethyme wrote: Why is it always so hard to get started again, even when I've only missed a few days? I blame February.

Absolutely. February should be banned. Who needs it? I'm looking at a fresh six inches of snow outside my window, & woke up to another 3 degree morning. Okay, it's almost MARCH. Does this not count for ANYTHING?

As for the treadmill, I read somewhere that it takes only two weeks to lose all the cardiovascular fitness you have, regardless of how many years you've been consistently working out. Isn't that a crime? It takes months to get into shape & mere weeks to lose it all?? They say that if you're going to indulge, eat more but don't skip working out. At least then when you come home from vacation & have to burn off your extra, at least you'll still be in shape & able to do it without dying.

Pleasant thought, eh?

Susan Sey said...

Kirsten wrote: It's my adult ADD you know.

Ah, yes. Short Attention Span Syndrome. An incredible marvel to those of us who do One Thing At A Time, or who have Beloved Rituals. I'm such a creature of habit. My sisters had to stage an intervention to get me out of my old lady jeans a few years back. They still check on me periodically to make sure I'm carrying the Kate Spade diaper bag they gave me instead of some hideous ducky-emblazoned monstrosity. :-)

Susan Sey said...

Jo Robertson wrote: I enjoy(ed) those Freddy Krueger and Jason movies too, although they've definitely gone into the campy camp LOL.

I've heard they're remaking Nightmare on Elm Street. Does this make you happy or sad? Are they messing with a classic, or is it time for an update?

Susan Sey said...

Minna! Erasure? Oh my lord, I haven't thought about Erasure since high school! Thanks for that little trip down Geez-Am-I-Really-That-Old Lane! :-)

And I'll have to check out Code Name: Eternity. I'm so behind the times...

Nancy said...

Natalie, congratulations! I'm sure he'll feel very pampered, what with a deck chair and watermelon!

Susan, can I just say--the Bosu is an instrument of torture. Effective, though. I want one, but I'm afraid the dog, who attacks anything resembling a ball, would try to kill it. And they're not cheap.

Now you've made me guilty about being absent from the gym (after my boffo start to the new year). The instructors would be so pleased.

Anyway, guilty pleasures--the TV show Silk Stalkings--pure fluff, sometimes not very good fluff, and afflicted with '80s hair and clothes but with great chemistry between the leads.

Not exactly a "love to hate" thing, more like a "hate to love" thing. :-)

Reality shows. With all due respect to other serious fans of Project Runway and Top Chef, which we watch religiously, they really are shallow and snarky and sometimes unnecessarily brutal. But we don't miss a showing of either of them!

Susan Sey said...

Anna C wrote: What I love about JJ, Smoov, is that she says what we're all thinking - e.g., you picked him, don't expect to be compensated for stupidity! - but none of us are brave enough to say.

Absolutely! It's so liberating, isn't it, to hear somebody just blurt out the truth. Do you guys get Divorce Court in Australia? It's sort of like JJ, only for people who've agreed to take their divorce (!) on TV. Good lord. Talk about people wanting to be compensated for choosing badly. Ack.

Susan Sey said...

Vicki wrote: Writing, yeah. I hate the first page of chapter one. After that I'm pretty good to go until it's time for edits. I really don't like the edit process, but I love how it reads once I'm done. :)

Oh, Vicki, page one, chapter one? Pure hell. Pure, unadulterated hell. But for me, the rest is opposite. I struggle through that first draft--the words go onto the page about as easily as a cat goes into a kennel. But edits? Oh, I love edits. I love taking it apart, putting it back together, making it better, stronger, faster. The edits are my reward for getting through the first draft.

Anybody else? Preferences for edits vs. producing fresh pages?

Susan Sey said...

Kirsten wrote: I blame February for EVERYTHING. I've been suggesting lately that we actually remove the month completely from the calendar. Is that an option?

If so, count me on the YES side of the aisle please. :-)

Susan Sey said...

Nancy wrote: Reality shows. With all due respect to other serious fans of Project Runway and Top Chef, which we watch religiously, they really are shallow and snarky and sometimes unnecessarily brutal. But we don't miss a showing of either of them!

I just caught an episode of Top Chef & I think I'm in love! I already adore Project Runway, & I agree that these two shows are a cut above the usual reality dreck. I love to see really talent, creative people doing their thing under time & material constraints. Can you imagine a reality show for writers? How dull--a montage of a bunch of people mumbling to themselves, cutting pictures out of magazines, pecking away at a keyboard...

Not a sharp knife, a pair of scissors, or a tall flame to be seen!

P.S. I'm enchanted with the mental image of your dog attacking a BOSU. I'm going to hold that picture lovingly in my heart the next time I'm doing endless, brutal squats from my perch atop one.

Joan said...

What about in ice cream (my key question regarding all food--is it improved by ice cream?)

LOL, I don't know. Never considered it though with the marshmallow insides and the sugar crystals I'm suspecting your assessment would be right.

They have WHOLE websites devoted to the nuances of PEEPS and there are many. They are almost as resourceful and multi talented as our own GR....maybe they are little GR's in training? Or at least the yellow ones are. (The purple are too laid back, the pink too girly girly and the blue??? Don't even ask! :-)

Cassondra said...

Hmmmm.

Writing. I hate to write. I do. Why am I a writer, you ask? Well....I've tried everything else and got bored.

Writing challenges me. I guess that's why I can't leave it alone.

I do remember, with some fondness, my college days when I had dance classes of one kind of another eveyr single day of the week. I was CONSTANTLY sore. My muscles had a constant ache from pushing them harder and stretching them further than they wanted to go. And I leaned to love that ache. I actually still do. When I overdo something and my muscles get sore, it triggers some kind of rush for me--I think maybe it's the connection with that part of my body that I tend to forget--all of a sudden I remember that muscle is there and I can feel it again because it's sore. I dunno. None of this makes sense, but I can really relate to the sore muscles love-hate thing. But mine comes from dance and outdoor work.

The gym? I hate the gym. I hate everything about it. So much so that I just won't go. If I can't find something outside to do, or a sport I like to play or something, I don't exercise. *sigh* Sad truth.

Helen said...

Susan

I have just read a couple of great books thanks to the Romance Bandits by Pamela Clare Surrender and Untamed and now I am reading some catergory romances for Romance Writers of Australia for their Ruby awards and loving them.
Reading keeps the brain exercising

Have Fun
Helen

Cassondra said...

Deb Marlow said:

Eating right. Sigh. I know I need to. I feel so much better when I do. But man, I like carbs, okay? And chocolate, and ... Okay, you get the idea. :-) I miss my junk.

Oh, Deb. Me too.

And this is interesting, because i do have a love-hate relationship with the diet from hell. That's the diet that actually makes me lose weight, btw. This diet is HORRIBLE, but when my clothes fit and I feel good, it's so wonderful!

No refined sugar. (I can have honey and raw sugar) I LOVES me some SUGAR BABY!!!!

No preservatives. This is really hard. EVERYTHING has preservatives. Especially bacon. We refrigerate bacon for gosh sakes, WHY does it need preservatives? I have to drive 60 miles to a whole foods grocery to get bacon without nitrates/nitrites.

No bread.

This is the biggie. I LOVE bread. I could eat raw dough. But bread, or bread in disguise, is what makes me fat. I can have SOME pasta, and I can have any veggie, no matter what scientists say. But bread? The key to losing weight for me, and feeling better and having a more positive outlook, is to not eat bread. *heavy sigh*

Hell hath no fury like a loaf of bread scorned. Especially a loaf of homemade sourdough. That stuff has the magnetic pull of a black hole!

Beth Andrews said...

Susan, you are so lucky! That BOSU class sounds fantastic *g*

I used to attend a killer step aerobic class but my kids' involvement with sports means less time for me to have any out-of-the-house activities. Except, of course, watching THEM play sports :-)

I actually don't hate writing but I do hate starting a new project. The excitement of a new idea just doesn't hold a candle to the fear of not being able to make it work.

But once I get going, I'm happy as can be!

I'm with you on the jogging though
;-)

Donna MacMeans said...

I HATE doing these tax returns.
I LOVE getting paid for them (grins)

But I'm with you on the exercise. I do an aerobics class three times a week. When it's crappy outside, it's a struggle to get in the car to go to the class - but I always feel better afterwards when I'm stinky & sweaty & done.

Karin said...

The first thing that sprang to mind in the love to hate category was snowboarding. I love the feeling of going down the mountain just zooming along, but I'm not such a big fan of getting off the chair lift at the top. It's getting better, but I need more practice before I'm totally good with it. Another one is jogging. I feel so great afterward, but it's hard to find the time to do it during the winter because it's usually too late to go by myself by the time I get home and nobody wants to jog with me. *sigh*

Nancy said...

Susan, we do pushups on an inverted bosu and then lift the bosu. Or pick it up, lower it with the ball part down, and do a squat-thrust (aka burpee). This generallly results in having gelatin arms for the next 2 days. But if I'd go regularly, it would produce great results.

The dog once attacked a concrete ball a former owner of the house had left in the yard. Luckily, she used her paw and not her teeth!

Nancy said...

Anna S.--I HATE that pen blob thing! I've given up on gel pens because they seem to be the worst offenders, which is a shame because I love the way they write. But I can't leave blobs on my students' papers and don't want that gunk all over my fingers!

Nancy said...

Cassondra, cutting out processed sugar and most processed foods was the most effective way for me to lose weight. Also bread. It goes straight to areas I'd rather it didn't.

After a while, I didn't miss it so much.

PinkPeony said...

Joan, have you ever heard of road kill smores? Take a peep, a bit of choc on a graham cracker and 15 seconds in the microwave. Works on stale peeps too.

I find those Billy Mays (I can't believe I know the guy's name, but I do) commercials stumping the orange cleaner and microfiber cleaning cloths really annoying. The TV takes on a mind of its own and the volume jacks up ten decibels whenever his infomercials pop up. Yet, I find myself watching!

I love the NY Post, Page Six,their somewhat misleading headlines and the pics they publish of people doing the perp walk! Also the London Times articles that ignite a flurry of comments from people all over the world. It's the US, the Evil Empire, vs. readers from other parts of the world. It's fascinating to read about what people think of our policies and of us!

I was hooked on Footballer's Wives. (Shh!) Who in their right mind would change their name to Chardonnay? But I still watched it. I'm a Project Runway and Top Chef addict. I think they're the best reality shows out there...and I felt really bad for Carla and her sous vide beef dish in the finals. She gave up on her inner voice and went with Casey's suggestion. I think she could have won the title had she trusted her own instincts.

Exercise? I chant "I hate this!" over and over again to whatever song is streaming through my iPod as I grunt along. :)

Joan said...

Joan, have you ever heard of road kill smores? Take a peep, a bit of choc on a graham cracker and 15 seconds in the microwave. Works on stale peeps too.

Oh, that's just wrong!

Probably delicious, but wrong!

Susan Sey said...

Joanie wrote: (The purple are too laid back, the pink too girly girly and the blue??? Don't even ask! :-)

They have *purple* peeps? I am going to have to check out these websites ASAP. I will report back.

Susan Sey said...

Cassondra wrote: When I overdo something and my muscles get sore, it triggers some kind of rush for me--I think maybe it's the connection with that part of my body that I tend to forget--all of a sudden I remember that muscle is there and I can feel it again because it's sore.

I think this is so insightful, Cassondra! So many of us lead sedentary or at least cerebral lives anymore. We don't labor at our jobs--not physically--so much anymore. It's kind of a joy to be reminded of what an incredible machine we're in, isn't it? Even if that reminder comes in the form of oh-my-lord-what-have-I-PULLED??

Susan Sey said...

Helen wrote: I have just read a couple of great books thanks to the Romance Bandits by Pamela Clare Surrender and Untamed

Ah, yes. We're like crack dealers around here, aren't we? Psssstt--hey, lady! If you like Anna Campbell, you're going to love (fill in the blank.) We'll keep your TBR pile towering, yes we will. :-)

Susan Sey said...

Cassondra wrote: Hell hath no fury like a loaf of bread scorned. Especially a loaf of homemade sourdough. That stuff has the magnetic pull of a black hole!

Amen, sister. I don't know why God put carbs on this earth if He did not mean for me to stuff them into my pie hole. Seriously. I love bread. Pizza--bread slathered with cheese & tomatoes--is my vision of heaven, provided I can follow it up with a nice hot fudge sundae. Mmmmmm....

Hence my standing date with that damn BOSU thing.

*sigh*

Susan Sey said...

Beth wrote: I actually don't hate writing but I do hate starting a new project. The excitement of a new idea just doesn't hold a candle to the fear of not being able to make it work.


I hear you on that one, Beth! I'm always convinced that I've written my last book as I sit down to write a new one. I've used up my last decent idea, have tapped out whatever talent pool I may have been drawing from. I don't know when exactly the momentum kicks in--I think it's about the time a character sits up & starts talking to me for real instead of my putting words in his/her mouth. That's always an electric moment, isn't it? It's like the jolt that brings Frankenstein to life.

And if that's not a gross image--me sewing together a book from cadaver parts & waiting for a thunderstorm--I don't know what is. :-)

Susan Sey said...

Donna wrote: I HATE doing these tax returns.
I LOVE getting paid for them (grins)


Yep, there's always the up side to the torture. At least there is if you do it right. Getting paid is a nice one.

Susan Sey said...

Karin wrote: I love the feeling of going down the mountain just zooming along, but I'm not such a big fan of getting off the chair lift at the top.

Yeah, I seem to recall the chairlift being tricky. Especially if one's feet are strapped to a plank of some sort. It's a dangerous endeavor, & yet people who do it well make it look so...easy. So doable. So graceful. But you're right--zooming down a gorgeous mountain makes it worthwhile to try, doesn't it?

Susan Sey said...

Nancy wrote: Susan, we do pushups on an inverted bosu and then lift the bosu. Or pick it up, lower it with the ball part down, and do a squat-thrust (aka burpee). This generallly results in having gelatin arms for the next 2 days.

Oh, yes. We do this one, too. And yes, I whimper every time I raise my arms far enough to type for the next two days at least. I make my children reach for things for me. I don't cook anything that involves stirring...

Susan Sey said...

PinkPeony wrote: I was hooked on Footballer's Wives. (Shh!) Who in their right mind would change their name to Chardonnay?

Oh my lord, she did not. Did she? Chardonnay? Really?

I'm going to have to get that through my cherished Blockbuster.com account. This I have to see. :-)

Unknown said...

Congrats Natalie on nabbing that bird! Have fun with him!

I love to get outside and work in the yard and take walks in the spring or when the weather is nice. We had tempts about 60 yesterday and I got to take a walk, but today we had rain and the tempt are going back down in the 30's it sucks, I am ready for spring.

Cassondra said...

Virginia said:

, I am ready for spring.


Oh, LORD, Virgina, me too. Me too.

I'm so sick and tired of winter.

Susan Sey said...

Hey, Joanie, I think I have my answer about peeps & ice cream. It might be tasty but hard on the old chompers:

http://www.peepresearch.org/nitrogen.html

Susan Sey said...

Virginia wrote: We had tempts about 60 yesterday and I got to take a walk, but today we had rain and the tempt are going back down in the 30's it sucks, I am ready for spring.

Did I mention the SIX FRESH INCHES OF SNOW outside? Or the fact that today's high was in the single digits?

But I'm not bitter or anything. :-)

Oh, please, spring, come quickly. After a subzero January, we need you.

Nancy said...

Six more inches of snow, Susan? I'm so sorry. You must be really sick of winter.

I went to dinner with friends tonight and wore a sweatshirt but no jacket. However, I'm not getting smug about it. We've been known to get snow in March.

Joan said...

LOL,

I've been to this PEEP website before (that sounds....naughty some how).

I LOVE the Medical Miracle of the separation of the PEEP Quintuplets, LOL

Caren Crane said...

Susan, I gave up more than AI this Lent. I gave up beef, pork and soda. It's been a bit of a challenge so far.

Hey, did you know that during Lent you're supposed to NOT observe your Lenten fastings on Sunday? Every Sunday is supposed to be like a mini-Easter. I think this Sunday I may allow myself to watch 'Idolatry' on EW.com. *eg*

Caren Crane said...

Um...Susan, remind me about that treadmill thing when we're at conference. Because I NEVER make it to the gym at the conference hotel no matter how firm my resolve!

I blame Banditas for making me stay up late and drink. *g*

Caren Crane said...

Susan, if you can't do a.m. yoga, you just can't! I'm fine with a.m. yoga, but find it hard to do after I've eaten anything - even if it's been hours!

Yoga is tough. I mean, it's fabulous and relaxing and all, but it's HARD. You wake up the next day feeling like you've been used...in a good way. *g*

Carol said...

Apologies Every one ... for the oodles of times my post got on here...I only thought 1 posted once to my knowlwdge ...but I have another google login place and somehow it has interfered with this site as well ....I will have to make sure I logout after posting ...

Cheers Carol
(have to work this glitch out!!)

Carol said...

That was interesting! I deleted the first double post and the others went too....definately a google glitch!Linked in some way!
Cheers again!