Thursday Musings - 6 Weeks into Stay at Home Orders

I seriously can not believe we have been "sheltering in place" for 6 freaking weeks now, and I say this as an "I'd rather be at home" introvert. I have no clue how the "I am never home" extroverts are dealing with this. I say this with 3 MORE WEEKS to go, as our state has extended the order until the end of May. At that time the state government is "hoping" to roll out opening the state in phases.

I will admit when this started my first thoughts were cool I will start working out in the mornings before working, get the house spring cleaned, organised yada yada.. Ok so what happened was.......  I did get my home office setup but not organized. The basement got cleaned up and the carpet steam cleaned to set up a family room (read no more video games on the main TV for hours and hours). We are going tonight to pull the loveseat recliner duo out of the storage unit and the end tables to finish out the family room.  I also weeded the flower beds and planted a few flowers to make the yard pretty.

We found an amazing sale at Sam's Club on a new tv and sound system for the livingroom. All I am going to say about this is #1 measure your TV stand before buying the new TV. We had to make a temporary extension. And #2 the TV looked way smaller up on the display in the store...

I finished up the winter/spring term at school. Not having a life for 10 weeks paid off. My GPA for that term is 4.0 and I am waiting to hear if I made the Dean's list for the semester. Purdue's dean's list is hard AF to get on.

The laptop I bought on Amazon "new" last August had a full on hard drive failure. I say new in quotes because it was listed as new. However, when I went to Dell to see what I could do about the hard drive, as it was less than a year old, I discovered it was already a year old and out of warranty when I purchased it.  In December 2019 it started having some issues, and I had contacted the seller about them and received no answer. So when it flat out failed, I contacted Amazon. They have a 30 day return policy.

All I will say about that is. Keep asking. It took me most of April, but I got a full refund. I replaced the laptop, but went to Dell directly this time. I will also no longer purchase any major items from Amazon again. Yes 2 day shipping is amazing, but for some things direct from the manufacturer is the best. 

I am on school break for a week so I do plan to have some organizing done just not sure how much. I also plan to do that whole "get more active" bit. I bought myself a new Fitbit smart watch. I am tired of being less active and not feeling as great as I did a few years ago, so it is time to get moving again..

The One Where I remember I have a Blog...

Summer is generally when bloggers slow their roll - I however slow mine anymore and I'll be in a coma.. Oops.

Frankly I have been trying to regain my footing with everything that has been going on. A few weeks ago my company reorganized and switched some things around - my job description and my role changed so I am in the process of getting settled back in. Things are going well - I just have some new skills to learn and master.  Basically I took a lateral promotional. I did celebrate the change with some new bling.  I got a journey ankle bracelet - yes they are making a comeback- didn't care though I LOVE anklets..

I had to have some repairs done to my car.. I got those done then 3 days after that driving home I drove through a micro-burst storm and a tree broke as I turned the corner, sending a limb into my car - cracking my windshield and taking out the passenger side mirror. So now I am looking at getting that fixed. 

I have finished parts 2 and 3 of the 6 part Alice's Adventures races. The Cheshire cat is my favorite medal thus far. I can't wait to see part 4, which starts in July. Thew awesome part of these virtual races is that they are a "at your own pace race". Even though those are a 20.4 mile and a 24 mile race I was able to do them in a few miles per day and track it with my fitbit steps. So even though I have not gotten to the gym and done a traditional workout I have been walking daily. Generally broken up into a few laps of the parking lot at work on breaks and at lunch.

My Summer goals are to blog more, read more get my routine re-established at the office and just have a good time this summer. I am trying to learn to balance work and fun again. The past few years my scale is been really tilted toward work.

The fun part of the Summer started last week with the Mackelmoore and Ryan Lewis concert.  I had a freaking blast. I danced for 2 hours. Next weekend I am taking a painting class with a good friend.  I am really looking forward to it. Its a one of those paint and wine places that is really popular right now.  I saw the painting for the class and totally fell in love with it.

I also plan to get my workout routine back on track. Right now I am in a cycle where my chronic fatigue is flaring up so I am to tired to workout, yet working out helps with the CFS. Its really a catch 22. I need to start back at 3 times a week at the gym then build back up to my 5 or 6 days again.

What are you goals for this summer? Plans?

Caught up with an old friend last night.... and the last few days of Summer

I finally got my ass back to the gym last night. Its been a crazy Summer and I really had no motivation to get off the couch after working all day. So last night I pretty much forced myself to go. Thing is I think I slept better and work up with more energy - its a hell of a cycle being to tired to go to the gym but the gym will give you more energy.

So this is what my stats on fitbit showed at the end of the day, yes (I went to bed at 10:16) - been a long time since I have seen anything close to this..

Yeah I'm still no doing stairs those are just the ones I am forced to go up in order to get in my front door. I go down them all day a work, but my left knee still hurts way to much going up so I rarely hit that step goal of 10 flights - which in fitbit world is 1 flight for every 10 feet in elevation you walk up.

So according to the calendar we have 3 days left of the Summer season - according to the weather man this morning I have 1 - just 1. Then a cold front comes in. I'm kinda sad about that. I love freaking love Summer. Shorts, tank tops, warm nights hanging out with friends sitting out talking until way to late. Sigh - that just doesn't happen much in Winter where I live, its too cold. 

However in the spirit of being positive and being in the moment I am going to try to not complain (too much) about the weather and the short days, lack of sunshine, being cold all the time etc... Besides this was in my email and its a good reminder..

If summer resisted fall, KayLynn, it wouldn't really be summer or fall. Better to celebrate the season you're in... especially those of your wonderful life. Everything keeps getting better,     The Universe

So in the spirit of that - I am looking forward to pumpkin stuff - ie pumpkin pie, pumpkin rolls. Oh and boots and leggings! As well as my favorite shows being back on TV.

What are you looking forward to?? 

Fitbit and Earnedit

At Christmas The Hubs gave me a fitbit One - LOVE LOVE that thing.. Shortly after I received the fitbit heard about Earnedit and signed up linking my Fitbit to my Earnedit account.

Earnedit gives you points for working out which can be redeemed for fitness type stuff OR you can redeem the points for Charities.  Which is what I used mine for - since Christmas I have sent care packages to the Troops who are deployed and given 2 girls in Kenya 3 months of vocational training.. All from just working out with my fitbit on.

If you have a fitbit I urge you to check out Earnedit  http://earnd.it/WoC7wE

In 128 more points I'll be sending more care packages to the troops - such an easy way to pay it forward...

Questions I have been asked a lot lately

Q: What workouts do you do?
A: In no particular order: treadmill, yoga, pilates,  the following Jillian Michaels DVD's; - yoga meltdown, Ripped in 30, 30 day shred,  extreme shed and shred. Playing with my grandson and nephew's.

Q: Whats on your workout playlist?
A: HA this question made me realize how trashy/angry my play list is. However those are the songs that get my feet moving so it is what it is, in random order a small sample:

1.  Play - David Banner
2. 2 Fingers David Banner
3. Funhouse P!nk
4. Crazy Bitch - Buck Cherry 
5. Breaking Dishes - Rihanna
6. Blow Me (one last kiss) P!nk
7. You Outta Know -  Alanis Morissette 
8. Crutch - Theory of a Deadman
9. Jar of Hearts - Christina Perri
10. Slut Like you P!nk
11. For your Entertainment - Adam Lambert 

Q: Whats your secret in losing weigh?

A: SHHH don't tell anyone .... there is no secret - I have had the same person ask me the same question more often than I can count - Honestly you have to watch whats going in your mouth and move your feet! That's IT that's THE secret. 

Q: What do you do with your clothes that are now to big?
A: They are sitting in bags to go to Goodwill.

Q: Whens your next 5k?
A: In March, I am participating in the Diva Dash which is the ONLY all women 5k. Its a charity race that benefits girls self esteem programs in the area.

Q: How often do you work out?
A: I aim for 3 or 4 nights a week

Q: Whats your favorite gadget?
A: My Fitbit One


Anything you would like to ask?? Sound off in the comments or shoot me an email.

Pump it up Tues - Link up with

Its a fitness link up with Nicole at  GrubnMarriage - This Tues is fitness tools..

I use My Fitness Pal (MFP) where I log everything that I eat... (ok almost everything). Based on the goals I choose it tells me how much I am supposed to eat everyday.  I have the APP both on my phone and my computer.. Handy dandy lil tool..

I also use the Fitbit One - I love this lil gadget more than anyone should love a fitness gadget - it tracks my steps, how many stairs I have climbed, how active I have been, how I sleep (if I wear it at night) and how many calories I burn.  It also syncs with MFP and I only have to log things 1 time.  The only things I have to manually enter exercise wise are weights and circuit training type activities as the fitbit doesn't pick those up so well.

                         












Circuit training - all of this belongs in the Jillian Michaels category - I have most of her DVD's and practice cussing her regular.

It's Ok Thursday

To cuss winter while you are scraping off your windows every single morning

To be totally in love with your new Fitbit

To Dream about your next tropical vacation a full 2 years before your planning to take it

To be digging through last years emails and sorting them

To turn the heater up so you can run around in shorts

To be thrilled to workout with no knee pain for the first time in ages

To say NO and mean it when asked to do something you'd rather not

To not feel guilty for the above

Its Ok Thursday

Its ok

To be glad the holiday's are almost over because then you can start the spring countdown

To be a geek and love your talking R2D2 hub and the Darth Vader dressed as Santa ordainment you got for Christmas and display them on your desk in your office

To be contemplating another Fitness Challenge (operation red bikini post coming soon)

To be in love with your FitBit

To already be registering for the March 5K

To love that the above 5k is the only women only 5k

To schedule blog posts

To play the same cd over and over because its new and you love it

To end this post early because your not sure what else is ok today. :-)