Exercises for the Snowed In

It snowed last night, and I've found that when it comes to sticking to an exercise routine and going to the gym, snow is one of the first things that stop me, especially at 6 a.m.  Some people don't mind driving in snow and ice, but I'll avoid it if I can.  So I workout at home on days I can't make it to the gym.  Here are some great, free online resources I've found:

For the Family:

Sparks People, at sparkspeople.com, is overall an amazing website for all things health and motivation.  There's a great, friendly community, but also recipes and articles on a variety of subjects.  And of course there is a video section with cardio, pilates, yoga, and ab workouts.  The site itself is a little overwhelming at first, but once you figure out where everything is, the website really is amazing.  It's worth checking out.   

For Guys (though there's good stuff for everyone)

Nerd Fitness: Level up your Life is a blog, but Steve shares some great health information, and he has a Free Resource section where he's put together workouts that have links to YouTube.  A really fun blog, and I love the Lego pics.  Here's a link to the videos.

For the Gals

A lot of Women Health magazines have workouts with videos and articles avaliable for free on their websites. 

Fitness Magazine has a nice variety of videos, and this is one of my favorite places to go.  They even have a short workout video called Cold Play: Your Winter Workout Plan.

Self is probably one of the more well known health magazines.  Here's a link to their workout section.  BTW, they have a lot of prizes and drawings, and it's never a bad idea to enter.  A couple months ago I randomly got a package through FedEx, and inside was a free workout DVD for a contest I forgot I entered.  That was pretty awesome.      

Shape Magazine has some great workouts.  I need to try the Fat-Blasting Rebounding Routine.  I love my mini trampoline, and Rebounding workouts are really good for you.  I know it looks silly, but it really is a great workout.

Youtube

I discovered the Mahalo channel when I was searching for Tap dance videos, where they have a great series.  Honestly, they have series for just about anything you want to learn.  They have a couple Fitness playlists, and here is one of their videos: 

And if you want to dance here's a Tap video (link to all):

There's Hip-Hop as well, if you want to check that out.

Have fun!

Sarah

Movin' Right Along

Movin' Right Along from The Muppets.

Sometimes I feel just like this!  The first Muppet Movie is still the best.

Sailor Neptune's Mirror in Real Life

I regard the above mirror as a family heirloom.  It's not that old, yet it is very special.  My Mom found it in 1987 at a French flea market in Paris.  I was five when she brought this back, so it's part of my childhood.  Often I would go into my Mom's room just to look at it, and because I loved it so much she gave it to me.

Fast forward to the year 2000.  My last semester of High School was when I was first introduced to anime through Miyazaki's Kiki's Delivery Service.  Escaflowne and Card Captors were running on Fox, though I don't think the English versions ever finished their run.  Then there was Cartoon Network with their Toonami lineup.  Thanks to Toonami I was introduced to my favorite--and still overall favorite anime--Gundam Wing.  But Toonami was also responsible for introducing American audiences to Sailor Moon.

Of course I got obsessed, which included getting the manga (Japanese comics) as well.  While reading I discovered something quite extraordinary: Sailor Neptune had my Mom's mirror!  The details are so close that Sailor Moon creator Naoko Takeuchi had to have had one of her own, which she modeled Neptune's mirror on.

It's fun to think that a 1987 treasure from France was imitated in a famous anime/manga.  While searching for pictures I found the below image, which is the first time since 2000 I found someone else with the mirror, so I'm not the only person who thinks this!      

 (Source Info)

 (Source Info)

 (Source Info)

Overly silly, I know, but I've always found this quite fun.  BTW, Sailor Moon is behind one of the worst mistakes I made in college.  There is a live-action version of the show called Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon.  I found it during the first week of one of my college semesters, and I managed to watch all 49 episodes in 4 days.  -_-;; I went to class, but got behind in my class work.  It was sadly addicting.  

On another note my niece LE learned a very sad truth on New Years Eve: Manga are not coloring books.

Sarah

Must See Series: The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles

(The Young Indiana Jones is on Netflix)

Watching that trailer makes me want to watch the show all over again!

The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, 1992-1996, has got to be one of the best series to ever grace the small screen.  It always amazes me how few people have actually seen it, and those who haven't are missing out.  The storytelling is fun and adventurous, and the production quality is incredibly high, so high that the show's expensive budget got the series canceled.  Young Indiana Jones traveled the World, and the show was filmed on location in many countries. 

     (All the Countries the "Young Indiana Jones" visits.  Source Info)

The show lasted for two seasons from 1992-1993.  Then in 1994-1996, four made for television movies were produced.  In 1999 all the material was then re-edited into 22 episodes, which is found in the box-sets.  The show starts out with Corey Carrier playing Indiana Jones (ages 8-10), but by the end of the first volume Sean Patrick Flanery plays Indiana Jones (ages 16-21) for the rest of the series, and he makes a fantastic Indiana Jones!  He really does . . . I'm tempted to say I like him more then Harrison Ford.  No, I can't say that!  Sean Flanery does the role justice.  By the way, Harrison Ford did guest star in the Jazz themed episode "Young Indiana Jones and the Mystery of the Blues".

If you can afford the box-sets they're worth the investment.  Each episode is pared with quite a few mini documentaries which talk about the culture Indiana Jones visits and the famous people he meets, and Jones meets many famous people.  I'm pretty sure Norman Rockwell and Picasso never met in Paris, but it's still fun.

Oh, and that 4th Indiana Jones movie about the Crystal Skulls, turns out the crystal skulls were supposed to be a plot point in a season 3 episode.  It makes me wonder: If season 3 got produced, would there have been an Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull?  Some series should never be canceled . . .  

What's in a Size?

(An example of a size chart I found online)

"Ladies, throw out your scales! Weighing yourself every day is as stupid as a man measuring his 'manhood' every morning. I'm not going to do it anymore. Instead of beating myself up for the 10 things I didn't do, I'm going to appreciate the two things I did do. I'm going to start celebrating myself." 

~ Wyonna Judd

She's got a point!  

 

I will be weighing myself for the 8-week challenge I'm doing, it's a good way to stay focused, but there is a problem with us women and how obsessed we are with numbers. 

 

Numbers are everywhere!  On the scale, measuring tape, calories we eat, how many steps we're supposed to walk each day, ounces of water, number of vegetables, number of fruit, etc, etc, etc, etc . . . 

 

Am I the only one who's spent a week working out and got on the scale, only to see the number not reflect what I feel I earned?  The number goes up, I eat a treat for feeling depressed.  The number goes down and I eat a treat as a reward . . . I've done that.  Shows why I've had a hard time losing weight.  Problem is I've let the scale determine my mood and my value.  It's stupid, but it's happened more times then I can count.  Regardless, it's hard to walk that fine balance line, because weighing oneself is a good measurement for progress. 

 

You know what's not a good progress measurement?  Clothing sizes . . . and thus enters what I really want to write about.  Clothing sizes!  They infuriate me.  Men are smart; their sizes are based on inches and length.  Us women?  We go by 0,2,4,6,8,10,12,14, and there is nothing definite about it.  No size 8's are created equal.  

 

Nothing annoys me more then fashion/popular magazines declaring the sizes of celebrities.  So and so is a size 2.  This person here, a size 6.  We look at that and quickly relate to what we view as a size 2 or 6, and that's determined by what brands we wear and where we shop.  I have some pants that fit nicely that are a size 8, and some of my size 12s don't fit quite right.  So what am I?  A size 8 or a size 12?  Neither and both, at the same time.  

 

And then there's the Marilyn Monroe paradigm.  We've heard for years that she was between a size 12-16, and that immediately makes us normal women feel better about ourselves.  Then the hard, cold reality hits when a different set of numbers pop up: 35"-22"-35".  (Bust, Waist, Thighs) Those are Marilyn Monroe's measurements according to her dress maker.  I'm the same height as Marilyn Monroe, standing at 5 foot 5 1/2 inches, and I can tell you I have no 22" waist!  Nor do I ever hope to have one . . . unless I plan on removing a couple ribs, which, trust me, will never happen.  I'm a slave to my genetics and body type, and there is nothing wrong with that.

 

Yet why is it said that Marylin was between a size 12-16?  Vanity sizes, and we women are ruled by vanity.  It's the value in numbers, and our need to find value in them.  Walk into store A and try on a size 10 jean, get depressed and thus wonder into store B where their size 8's fit perfectly, only to then buy those second pants just to declare a size 8.  It's impossible to lose that much weight on a short walk.  So what happened?  Vanity.  

 

Vanity and numbers.

 

There's no trusting sizes, and it's silly for us to find value in them.  Size doesn't matter as long as the clothes fit right.  Wearing the correct size is quite slimming.

 

So is there any value we can find in numbers?  

 

Yes, and one simple way is by grabbing that tape measure and measuring yourself, checking every few weeks.  The scale works, but only when you take muscle into account.  Muscle weighs more then fat, and so if you're strength training and losing inches, but not weight, the increased muscle is an easy explanation.  Strength training is a must.  Increased muscle tone doesn't just look great, but it revs up metabolism as well: Win win.  

 

And there are measurements in time and distance.  Being able to finish a full 50 minutes spinning class when 20 minutes were unbearable a few months before, or being able to finish a 5k when a couple laps were once deemed tough.  

 

Though I will be weighing myself now and then, I vow never to allow the size of a dress, shirt, or pant to determine how I feel about myself.  I will not be ruled by those numbers!  I'm worth more then that.

 

Sarah          

Wide-eyed Wonder, An Original Poem

(Public Domain)

Wide-eyed Wonder

Andrew sits near the window frame to see the night wind blow

The golden leaves, the light spun silk dance merrily to and fro

Above the skies a wizard flies

A banshee laughs with glee

A sprite finds mischief down the moor

A spirit cease to be

Time for bed, Mother said, and tuckered out he came

A white knight hides

A Princess sleeps

A dragon quickly flees

All is gone, safe away, so you can never see

The World outside is calm

Nothing makes a sound

A World of secrets veiled

Nothing to be found

~ Sarah Stufflebeam

Glow Stick Party

 My Mom came up with the most ingenious idea for our Christmas Eve Party: Glow sticks.  She ventured into the dollar store, which has an amazing variety, and bought up a whole lot of wands, sticks, necklaces, rings, balls, etc.

 Even the Grandma's got into the fun.

 We turned on the soundtrack to Tron and danced around, which is the best music for any glow-in-the-dark party.

 It was such a huge hit that we threw another glow stick party for New Years.  The second time I went with my Mom to the dollar store, and it was amazing how much product we were able to buy for only $20.

 My Dad took all these photos.  The love of photography runs in the family.

These pictures are a compilation from both parties, each party had a different side of the family in attendance.  Everyone had a blast.  My brothers, sister-in-law, and I have decided we need to do this again soon, spontaneously going to the dollar store and buying more glow sticks, which our local store said they keep in stock.  I hope a nice assortment will always be available.  It was a lot of fun. 

Cerulean Jade Update 01-03-2013

Robbie, Steven, and I are hard at work!  Our real good friend Josh, who is working on a film/television degree from UVU, which is the same degree Robbie is working on, came over and taught us some really important tips for creating our music video.  Namely he showed us proper lighting techniques (it's just as important to light the green-screen as it is to light the person standing in front of said screen.)  And he showed us the importance of using the right lens: Wide angle vs. Telephoto. 

Last week I posted the above photo on twitter and facebook as a hint towards the latest song were working on and creating the music video for.  If you've been keeping up with the Cerulean Jade posts you'll realize there's a space theme to the music video.  This apple, surrounded by snow, provides the clue.  (The snow has nothing to do with the clue; I was being artistic, and taking advantage of the snow storm.)  Newton!  Newton's apple, which has to do with gravity.  (As a note I used to watch Newton's Apple on PBS.)  So apple = Newton = gravity = Done with Gravity!  "Done with Gravity" is the title of the song, and that's all I'm going to say about that for now.  I no longer have to refer to the song and "that song," which will make writing about it so much easier.

A couple weeks ago I was lamenting over the fact that I may not get a jet-pack for the music video, because we didn't know how to create the effect.  Well, one morning when I was going through my taped NHK World shows, I saw this!  Kentaro Kobayashi, known for his solo stage show Potsunen P, was coming up with ways on how to look like he was swimming underwater.  Then I thought, "Hey!  That could work in space too!  And the cloth can be the green-screen!"  I showed the segment to my brothers and they liked the idea, so we're playing around with it.

Above is a sampling of space ship sketches Steven presented to me.  He asked, "Which Spaceship do you want?"  So I got to pick my spaceship!  You'll have to wait till later to see what I choose :0)

More to come next week!  It's all coming together.

Sarah

2012 Movies in Review

2012 was a fantastic year for movies, and the first year I've ever attempted to write a review, which has been an interesting, but good experience.  I've grown a lot in this process. 

Below I organized all my movie reviews from highest reviewed to worst, and in the case of multiple ties I then arranged in order what I enjoyed most to least.

5 Stars:
The Avengers
First Position

The Avengers was not totally perfect, but I had such a fun time that the film earned a five out of five for sure awesomeness.  First Position is a documentary on up and coming ballet dancers.  Brilliant as well, and much recommended if you love the craft of dance. 

4.5 Stars:
Life of Pi
The Secret World of Arrietty 
Skyfall, James Bond

Life of Pi was a beautiful film.  The middle slugged a little, but feeling the lull adds to the tension.  Then, at the end, when you realize the symbolism of what "Pi" went through and endured, the film becomes even more amazing, and suddenly a whole layer is added unexpectedly, and, at least for me, I'm glad I got the retelling I did.  The Secret World of Arrietty is my favorite Miyazaki film, and he has many great movies.  It's one of those rare instances where the movie improves upon the book.  And Skyfall is the best James Bond to date, at least in my humble opinion.  Gritty and interesting.

4.25 Stars:
Lincoln
Tinkerbell and the Secret of the Wings
Brave
Les Miserables

On reflection I'm wishing I lowered the scoring on Les Mis. to 4 Stars, mainly because it is one of my most favorite Broadway shows, and it wasn't as great as it could have been, but I did take the score and music into account.  The music is beautiful, though emotion was chosen over clear vocals, and I love the religious themes throughout.     

4 Stars:
Men in Black III  
The Hunger Games
The Amazing Spider-Man
Wreck-It Ralph
The Dark Knight Rises
Rise of the Guardians

This was a hard list to organize!  Men in Black III got first because it was just fun! (See a theme here?) I like fun movies, and I love to laugh.  

3.5 Stars:   
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

I'm going through a "The Hobbit just makes me mad" spill right now.  Honestly I should have given it a 3 or 3.25, because it ruined what could have been an amazing movie!  Oh man, I could really say a few things right now.

3 Stars:
The Words
Twilight, Breaking Dawn Part 2
Snow White and the Huntsmen
Sparkle 

I'm wishing I lowered Sparkle a little, but the music was good . . . it wasn't the send off Whitney Houston deserved.  

2.5 Stars:
The Odd Life of Timothy Green

I was probably a little harsh with this review, but I was just annoyed with certain elements of the movie.  Still, it is a good family film, and those are hard to come by.

2 Stars:
Saints and Soldiers: Airborne Creed  

What's interesting about Saints and Soldiers: Airborne Creed is that out of all the films I've reviewed, this movie has the highest view count, probably because not too many people have reviewed it, and it's an independent movie filmed here in Utah.  I want to support local films!  But I had to be honest.  This movie had so much potential, the first was brilliant, but this one was messy, and the mess could have been cleared up with a better script.  There were some touching moments, like when Rossi, an American, spends the night trapped with a German soldier.  They weren't able to verbally communicate, yet so much was said, realizing the tragedies of war.  It was the most well written scene in the movie, and the acting was quite good as well. 

2012 was a great year for movies, but I've got high hopes for 2013!  I can't wait :0) 

Hopping on the Resolution Train

(Picture taken last week as a hint to the title of the next Cerulean Jade song)

Last month I declared that I didn't need New Year Resolutions . . . well, that didn't last.  It's all that Holiday Guilt.  I'm not exempt.  Surviving that span between Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years somewhat unscathed is hard.  What's even more tragic is that yesterday I went to Walmart to get New Years Eve stuff, and Valentines was already lining the shelves!  There's no break in the commercialization of Holidays!  At least Groundhog Day hasn't been commercialized.

So, yes, I'm hopping on the whole "Let's Get Healthy" train.  But, unlike past years, I'm changing my attitude towards it.  One of my facebook friends found the 8 Week Weight Loss Challenge on the Six Sisters' Stuff blog.  It's quite brilliant, really.  There's a downloadable chart that's really well put together.  And though there's a weight loss aspect to it, the whole program is all about common sense healthy living, and for each common sense thing you do, you earn points.  I love earning points.  It's even more fun if you do the plan with someone, and you can compare how many points you're earning.

In a couple weeks all those "how to succeed on your resolution" articles will turn into "why resolutions always fail."  I see it every year, and it's not so encouraging for those of us still trying.  Sure, I'm going to mess up here and there.  I may not get all my vegetables in, or drink all 64 oz of water, and then there's chocolate, but if I mess up, do I quit?  I think the problem with resolutions is that sometimes they're too strict.  No carbohydrates!  Exercise six days a week!  Mess up once and it's all over.  That's why I like this 8-week plan; it allows for messups, knowing that you're going to keep at it regardless.  Not all categories are going to be kept perfect, but that's okay.  It's a life style change; losing weight is a happy consequence.

This year I'm making an attitude change, and below is going to be my daily motto, which I will read each night before going to bed.  I've shared this quote before, but it's so fantastic, and worth reading a million times over, that I'm sharing it again:   

“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” 

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

  

Happy New Years!  And may you be successful in all your plans:0)