Monday, December 3, 2012

i think I am missing something here....

recently I have been career job hunting - hey at my age, sometimes it is just time to get a career job - dont get me wrong - i love being a nanny - but one day a week and sometimes not even that cant always pay the bills, a babysitter on the side is good extra money, and the spot - hey when the service is low, so is my paycheck... I went to school for one thing, working in fields nothing related to my dreams....
ok so....
on my walk with Domino I received a phone call....
i did state to her I was walking/working out - she asked if it was ok to continue with getting to know me a little and if she could ask me some ??s
sure
we chatted, she asked my experiences on building and creating activities
also asked my experience with retired seniors, two answers are complete opposites....
though I have a lifetime of experiences with creating activities i have very minimal volunteer experience with seniors....
ok - so the talk was going well, as she stated I was one of the very few resumes they picked to call she asks what would bring me to take an offer with them....
here is where I feel at times where people do not believe me, or I am one of a kind or so many "phony's" have walked into their life that I might just be another laugh to them - but I am truthful and sinsear, i do look for teamwork, great communication and constructed criticism which can build a team,
she proceeded to then tell me she doesn't feel I am fit for manager material
ok i said to her with a smile
she proceeds with she feels I am one they could build and develop into what they want but they are not looking for that right now, they are looking for a "already made" manager and I am not that....
ok - which at this point my thoughts of the conversation went from good to ok
i was confused - seeing the job as described was for one to create and develop activities for seniors and the company/home, where my confusion lies is - does she want to build me from the bottom into their "ideal" activities coordinator?
i mean i get it, I dont have managerial experience in this field....
as the convo. was ending - with a "i really want to call you again and meet you in person"
ok
and as we said goodbye....
here is my "other" i dont think people believe me or get me....
i hate - did i mention HATE the salary question....
especially in this economy, living in the bay area, with a $2000 rent bill - i HATE the salary question....
she asked what my expected pay would be
i stated it is open for discussion
she responded - lets discuss it now
i said, honestly I am open, throw me numbers and I can work with what you would like me to start with and if a raise is an option, great
she responded, that is not answering the question or helping me....
I stated, $11 minimal
*i figured with minimum wage currently being $8/hr and going up to $10/hr in jan, this would be a good start*
with a chuckle from the other end she said, that and this is not helping me, give me a range and tell me what you really want
i said, I am sorry I really am open to discuss back and forth hourly numbers
and I was cut off with "what was your highest paying job and was it worth it?"
I said $15/hr and no I could have received more
she states, "whats your ideal??" "give me your price, your dream number?"
*i so tried not to snap back, feeling bombarded by a conversation I hate having and I said "18, $18/hr would be great!!start me with minimal $11/hr and build me to $18 or more"
with a hahahaha she ends the phone call and says "thats what I wanted to hear" *chuckle *chuckle, goodbye Eva

SO CONFUSED how that all ended!!

Sunday, September 9, 2012

play catch up :)

this has been an interesting week.... but a good week,
i have been running a lot more, which is awesome, i have walked a distance (with some running) about 4 miles.... (too and from, so about 2 mi one way), i am looking to find and walk one direction 3 mi....
this past week, wed - i walked/jogged about 40 min ( i did 1 mi in about 15.38 min)
, i pushed a double stroller with 2 little ones in (2yr old and 1 yr old) the mall for about 40 min, 4 wii songs for about 15 min, 15 min walk with domino and a 10 min stretch/floor exercise before bed = 2 hours

thurs - 10 min morning stretch/floor exercise, 20 min walk (10 min to work and 10 min home from work), << this is the day i downloaded the app Couch to 5K and I did my first week day 1>>
20 min zumba, 22 min walk with domino, 9 min floor stretch/workout.... total today work out 2hrs 4min

fri - i headed to the gym and spent about 40 min there (working on the electric bike and arm weights)10 min walk to work (i was SO tired this day, tony picked me up and drove me home), 20 min in the pool doing about 3/6 laps (3 laps if you count a lap as from here to there and back to here, 6 laps if you consider one way/one direction a lap), about 67 min walking around the mall. = about 2 hours 17 min.....

i am falling asleep here, head off now and catch up some more later
XOX

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

tues 9/4

here I am making up for yest.,
so i have been researching and looking up a lot of runs/marathons and such, disneyland ones ask runners to keep up with a 16 min or less per mi, so thats my goal - less than 16 min per mile....
tues i went out and wan (wan = walk + run), with Domino who stops and pee's everywhere, a couple red lights and a couple cross walks, i did a mi in 17.05 min, totaling the walk about 52 min + 20 min walk to and from work (about 10 min each way) + about 1hr and 15min at the community center which hurricane and i did a couple rounds of bleachers - bleachers have 11 steps going up - we hop each one, run down, side run up, run down (once for each side = done twice) - then
we run up then down, we start off with 2 walks around the track as a warm up (tony came with us), bleachers, a couple 100m then 200m race, wan the track with a round of extending our run....
had 2 people (one was a trainer) compliment me and tell me i am doing a good job, to keep up the work ect.,
we were at the track about
we did another round of bleachers and we cooled down on the track....
yest total work out = if i remember correctly, about 3 hours and 15 min 

Monday, September 3, 2012

what did we just agree too....

today is Labor Day....
ahhhhh about hr in half at the gym - i did the elliptical thingy with arms (i can never figure out what its called) for 30 min on variety with an resistance between 4 and 18....
then weights and arm strengths, and 25 min on the bike machine - SWEAT!!
we then did about 10 1/2 laps in the pool (back and forth, 1 way 21 laps) we were in the pool doing laps and other exercises for around an hr....
total work out time today, about 2 1/2 hours

also today, catch this - Hurricane and I have challenged ourselves to 12 runs/marathons next year....
our goal for 2013 is 2 1/2 marathons, 2 10K marathons and 8 5K marathons resulting in one a month and then the kicker we have a goal to do the NY City full marathon (26 mi) in 2014 :) how cool right?
pray we do not stear away from our goals....

first goal to work towards ^^ that, to get 1 mi in 16 min or less

also we want to lose 10 lbs by the end of this month, another 10 by the end of Oct (total 20 lbs loss) and by our first 5K, at Disneyland a loss of 40 lbs :)

live large lol

i saw a deer....

today was a interesting day....
work out wise, i got in a 40min walk with domino this morning, then we did a late/night hike for an hr and 10 min, and ended the night before dinner with 12min and 27 sec of dance danceing on the wii.... total day work out = 2 hours 2 min and 27 sec, JUST making it lol
it was another successful and awesome girls night....
we went hiking, and due to leaving and arriving at the trail late, on our way back down we had to use flash lights, because it was dark, and scary and with balla jumping to every sound through the bushes, it made me jump - and i was the furthest back....
we made it up in about 30 min, at the top we spent some time exercising and celebrating we made it lol, and took us about 25 min to get down, in the dark, but at least couple of us had flashlights,
another note, hiking with a busted ankle, though wrapped, is not fun when the coming down from the hike is 90% down hill....
i need this ankle to heal, please
us girls came home, hung out and tried some brazillian snacks - mmmmm
alright im off to bed - looking forward to a nice walk with domino tomorrow, gym time with hurricane and some swim time - hope its hot enough, i want to get some laps in....

Saturday, September 1, 2012

my body wants to kill me....

ok, so confession time, the reason i did not make my minus 10 lbs in my 2nd month is because around the last week of the month (which was pretty much the week of 26th, like around couple weeks ago).... i slacked off, well i didnt eat bad, i just didnt work out.... in the end though, i didnt lose any weight, but i did not gain any, and on the plus side, i feel it helped relax my body, not saying it was ok I did not work out, but i feel it was helpful for my sore muscles and such.... my body relaxed....
the past week i have been trying to get my "groove" back and back in the gym and/or working out....
i even started, every tues meatless tuesday, we have been coming up with some awesome dishes.... tony is even enjoying them... ill have to post them on here :)
so i made a deal with Carlos (from work) that we work out a minimum of 2 hours a day, i need to assure i am sweating, i want to continue this minus 10 lbs a month, PLUS i need to catch my body up from the 5 pounds i did not lose....
PLUS - hurricane and i have agreed and said we would lose 20 lbs by disneyland, thats in 2 months (the end of oct.)
SO - this morning i did the gym for about 62 min (hr 2 min), i did this elliptical thingy with the arms for 30 min (a awesome challenge, i hadnt been on this for a while and i dont think i ever have done a complete 30 min, normally shorter time) the program set was variety and i went from a low incline at 4 to as high as 18, woooo it was killer, i did about 20 min of various arm weights/strengths, and 12 min on electric bike = 62min/1hr 2min
Tony, hurricane and I we went to Gilroy Gardens and walked, and walked and went up stairs, hills and more walking for about 2 1/2 hours (2 hours 26 min), will only waited in lines and other "non walking" things for an estimated 26-30 min, so now my legs are killing me - 1/2 the time i had the bag on my back with water and everything - sure sweated with this warm weather out, good times good times....
total work out time thus far = 3 hours
plus when home, we rested and before dinner the three of us did a couple dance moves on the wii, with just dance, we did 4 songs and that was (they have times for each song, how cool huh) 13min and 45 sec....
dinner and a eh alright, some parts were funny kind of a movie, the recently re-creation of The Three Stoogies
total work out today = 3 hours 13min :)
close to my goal, looking for my 4 hour day.... ahhhh that would be awesome....
alright time for bed, nighty night
so june 26 2012, 2 girl friends of mine and i made a pac/agreement to support each other and get together and work out together and be each other stabilities for a year - filled with challenges, gifts, and fun :)
In my first month i lost 10 lbs, in my 2nd month i lost 5 lbs, though my goal is to lose 10 lbs each month, i fell short my 2nd month, but thats all on me, trust me i know why....
we made goals, and i thought 10 lbs a month for a yr is about 120 - how cool would that be??
well we started doing stairs here in my apt complex where i live, the incline here at the apt's are crazy, up to the 3rd floor is crazy feel on the thighs.... we have a route and it consisted of about 6 sets of the stairs, about 18 floors, and i did it in over 13 min once, and my best time was 11.03 min, with hurricane (katrina) doing it in around 10 min.... brat lol
the past couple months, i have ran a track, ran around the neighborhood, ran the bleachers, spent time in the gym, hiked for the first time since a child (twice), rode a bike for the first time since a child (7 mi), i swam laps, dance dance dance, did pilates for the first time - and though it kicks my butt i LOVE it, im probably missing something here, butt yeah i have become more active, and i love it!!
a new daily challenge with a coworker, we have to work out a minimum of 2 hours a day, if one doesnt the one who did not work out a minimum of 2 hours buys the one who did a coffee (from starbucks) or something....
yest was the first day - i was at the gym for over an hr, then about 10 min walk to work, to end my day i did some free weights and worked out at home, zumba for about 10-15 min, then did this cardio kick workout for about 10-15, and ended with pilates for about 15min, throw in some jumping jacks and such and i squeezed in 2 hours.....
i need to do better, i was sweating and side cramping - ouch!!
ok im off to the gym right now, and the morning/day is planned with A LOT OF WALKING!!

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

pick yourself back up....

losing weight is like trying to quit smoking, i swear myself along with so many other people (i can imagine) create this new years resolution, and i bet there is a tie with 'this year i want to quit smoking' OR 'this year i want to lose weight', raise your hand if you have made a new years resolution having "both on your list".... *raises hand* *raises both hands*
well here is me >>>> I have been an on and off smoker for over 20 years, i quit for over a yr once, and pick back up, i would go days without a cig., while up to two packs a day - crazy right? About 3 years ago, 2009, after reaching a high weight of 29? (lets just say really close to 300 lbs), i could barely go up a few steps, a mix of smokers lungs and overweight - no bueno, i said to myself (again) i will quit, my husband refuse to pay the $$ for the high prices of a smoke, plus we were on the verge of being homeless, hmmmm a pack of smokes or food in our belly's with a roof over our head? so with all that said, i started setting goals, i knew i could not lose weight unless i stop smoking, i mean i do not get anyone who is a heavy smoker and a work out guru, i don't get it!! I struggle, for sure, but now - Aug 2012 i can easily say i have not bought a pack of smokes in a couple years, i don't even think i have had a full cig., (no i know) in like more than 2 years. The kicker, i have not even had a hit of a cig, in over a yr....
within that time since 2009, too June 26 2012 when i weighed in with my friends at 279 lbs i had lost (and yo yo'd in weight) about 20 lbs - with the excitement knowing i was progressing with my little challenges through out the couple years i decided to take it up a notch >> here's the thing, yes it took a couple years, BUT i knew i had to take it at my pace and not worry about "the clock", because if i set a time frame i don't think i would be where i am now....
the past couple years I have worked on cutting out soda, exercising more, trying out old childhood fav. activities, cutting out cheese, cutting out gluten <<<< now cutting out dairy and cutting out gluten is a health choice for myself, and with medical concerns of my past....
So June 26th 2012, 2 girlfriends and i started a get healthy plan for one year, i have set many goals in these past two months, i have accomplished many goals and many challenges, i have also done "not so well" with the other challenges.... i will continue with my year plan with friends in my next post.... thank you for reading....