Thursday, September 9, 2010

Knitting and/or Diving

Gee, there hasn't really been much content about either of these subjects on the blog lately.  In fact, it seems like several of my posts have been about why there haven't been many posts on here lately!  Well, I never said I was good at focusing...

So, knitting, I actually have been doing a little bit of that lately.  For some reason, during the summer, I tend to take a knitting hiatus, of sorts.  Not sure why, but it happens every year.  Then, sometime around my birthday usually, I pick it up again.  Maybe it's the change of season to cooler temperatures, but I get absolutely nothing accomplished knitting-wise in the summer. 

Like I said though, I've actually been working on a project; the Cinnamon Grace shawl by Katie Harris.  I'd link to my Ravelry project page, but there aren't any pictures there anyway, so you're not missing anything!  I did (finally!) finish my 1st Lace Shawl (Dane Shawl by Jane Tanner), but still haven't blocked it, so, no pictures there either, sorry about that...

And, as for diving, we've been doing a little bit.  My first student just received her PADI Open Water Certification card in the mail today!  She said she was so proud, she took it to work with her to show it off!  I am very proud of her as well.  It was a tough first couple of dives, but I knew she could do it! 

First, she had some difficulties with equalizing her ears in the pool.  Then, in the open water dives, she was nervous, had troubles equalizing again, kept getting frustrated and we ended up having to call the dive.  The second time out didn't go so well either, she didn't have any problems equalizing, but was extremely stressed about the mask clears.  Admittedly, the mask skills are the most mentally stressful for most people, but she was really having problems, and panicking.  I was really concerned that she wasn't going to get calmed down enough to do the mask skills, and if she couldn't, I couldn't certify her.  Finally, she worked it out in her head, calmed herself down, and nailed the first partial clear in shallow water.  Then a full mask clear.  Then the mask removal.  Then she did another full mask clear.  She had it!  We moved to the deeper platform at 20 feet, she did all of her mask skills flawlessly, and it was smooth sailing from then on!   She's a tough cookie, and stubborn too, she was going to get it!
On a related note, we leave for Honduras in a week and two days.  Not that I'm counting or anything...  Have a great Friday!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Getting Serious On You

I know I don't usually touch on "serious issues", but I recently read a post by Sarah {The Student Knitter} about women and our weight issues, and it really hit home for me.  If you've been reading here for any length of time, I talk about working out and diets and my struggles occasionally, most recently, here.  Growing up, I was always the girl who could eat what I wanted and not worry about my weight.  I naturally had a fast metabolism, and just by luck, I had good genetics.  In the last year, it seems my metabolism slowed considerably, and I've put on 20 pounds. Yeah, I know, 20 pounds doesn't seem like much to a lot of people, but when you're only 5 foot tall, and take into account my prior weight, it's a 20% gain.  And it feels like a lot to me.  It probably shouldn't, but it does.  At first, when the weight started to creep on, it didn't bother me much, I joked about it.  But as it crept up to 20 pounds and stuck, and my clothes weren't fitting, it started to bother me more and more.  I would look in the mirror and really not like what I was seeing.  I would talk about dieting and working out, but, I'm not exactly known for my willpower, and the exercising would last maybe a couple of weeks, and the dieting, well, maybe a couple of days. 

It goes back to judging our worth or attractiveness by our pants size, or the number on the scale, and that sucks.  Why has it become more acceptable to complain about our weight and appearance than to be happy about it.  How many women do you know would say that they're fine with their appearance?  I don't think I know any.  What would you think if they did?  Would you be surprised?  Proud? Jealous? Think that they're lying? Or conceited?

Anyway, sorry to get all serious on you, but it just got me thinking.  Now I'm actually starting to enjoy working out, and I've stuck with it for almost 2 months now.  Even though I've only lost about a pound and a half, I feel better, stronger and healthier.  Maybe that number on the scale isn't so important.