excitement

Tuesday Topics | When the world goes to hell in a handbasket, or why I caved and finally got a Peloton

August 31, 2021 filed under: excitement, fitness, sports, Tuesday Topics

Remember when I said last month that riding my friend’s Peloton was really nice but that I’ve been trying to convince myself that I am absolutely 100% fine with the no-frill bike that I have? Yeah, turns out I wasn’t very good at convincing. Not even a month later, we pulled the trigger.

If you’ve been reading here for a while, you know that I am a runner and sports enthusiast.

I’ve played sports all my life, grew up skiing, playing tennis and softball (and probably tried every other sport out there), went on to get a degree in physical education, and then picked up running a few years ago. I was a gym member for many years and took advantage of their equipment and classes. Two years ago, I also fell in love with spinning after joining my friend Tanja for a spin class in SoCal. Sports are in my blood (my Dad’s a retired P.E. teacher and tennis coach) and if I can’t move, I am not happy. This has never been more apparent than during this pandemic. If one thing has kept me sane these last 18 months, it’s been the option to run and exercise.

Here we are in August (almost September), and I honestly expected a bit more from 2021. A new president and administration and the arrival and distribution of vaccines in the spring yielded a lot of hope. Jon and I, both still so very cautious, felt strongly that things were going to look up this summer. Then the delta variant emerged and (too many) people turned out to be conspiracy theorists that didn’t believe in the science of vaccines. Covid cases are surging again, California’s wildfire season started off with a bang and early, and the news from around the world (esp. Afghanistan and the Middle East) are worsening by the day.

Truth is, the news – locally and globally – has been devastating and horrific lately, I haven’t seen my family in almost two years, the Central Valley is blanketed with smoke again, and I don’t know how to deal.

So, what do you do when the world goes to hell in a handbasket?

You say f***k it, and you finally get a Peloton – and for at least a brief moment – that puts the brightest smile on your face (ok, actually for a little longer as I haven’t stopped smiling since that thing arrived).

You must know, I am a numbers nerd, I thrive on data. If you can measure something, I want it measured. I had ‘piecemealed’ together feedback about my workout stats by using a cadence and speed sensor, a heart monitor, and a second app that could calculate “virtual output” from these sensors (as my Sunny bike didn’t provide resistance or output numbers), and I was convinced that following the classes on my iPhone screen (no, not the Plus) was totally fine! Who needs a big screen?

Turns out, I do — apparently. Or, at least I enjoy it a hell of a lot more than I ever thought I would.

And having all the stats accurately and boldly displayed on the huge screen right in front of my face, and being able to compete with others on the leaderboard (something I also thought wouldn’t interest me that much) is THE ultimate geek-stuff.

You can bet that I’ll be taking advantage of ALL metrics and stats and training programs that Peloton has to offer and that I couldn’t take full advantage of as an app rider.

If I am completely honest with myself, I didn’t have to get a Peloton to motivate myself to work out. I did just fine with my outdoor runs and getting on my Sunny Bike and using the heck out of the Peloton app. But I would be lying if I said that my enthusiasm hasn’t increased a hundredfold since the bike arrived. I feel like not only have I done something to continue to improve my physical health, but my mental health going forward as well.

The decision to buy wasn’t easy for me (I probably thought about this much longer than you’d care to know because I have a hard time spending a lot of money on myself – although I am hoping that Jon will use the bike, too – and the Peloton is not cheap, and admittedly, probably also hyped up), but you can’t argue that it isn’t a beautiful, slick, high-end piece of exercise equipment.

I probably also somehow felt, subconsciously, that I had to prove myself on the Sunny bike first, but I finally got to a point where this investment felt absolutely worth it to me. If I was able to say one thing with certainty, a thing that many people fear when they make a big investment like that, it was that this wasn’t going to become an expensive clothes rack in my house. I knew and know that I am going to use it. And with a little bit (ok, a lot) of nudging from Jon (he’s much better at making decisions than I am), we finally decided to order. Little did we know that the bike would arrive within 72 hours.

When I submitted my annual leave request three weeks ago, I had no clue that I’d be spending a large chunk of my week-long staycation (first leave I’ve taken in 2021) on an actual Peloton bike. I mean, I am not complaining! It’s like it was meant to work out that way.

I truly feel beyond fortunate that we are able to afford it and I don’t take this for granted in the slightest, but I also admit that after everything we’ve all been through, after staying put for 18 months, I felt like I deserved something – anything! (like, the bike that goes nowhere, ha!) – that makes this life a tiny bit more exciting right now.

Moving your body, being able to ride with friends, and feeling connected to a community — isn’t that worth so very much in times like these?

I am linking up with Kookyrunner and Zenaida for Tuesday Topics.

Val Gardena

March 21, 2016 filed under: about me, excitement

Gorgeous mountain tops. Beautiful skies and lots of snow.

Val Gardena is where my parents took us skiing every single year since my sister and I were 3 years old and I have soft spot for this place in my heart.

I realize that it seems like I have some self-tormenting tendencies by subscribing to the Val Gardena Instagram account, but it also makes my heart skip a beat every time a familiar mountain top or ski slope shows up in my feed. And I’ve been waiting to post this blog post for about 8 weeks now, because when you read this, I will be THERE!

The Dolomites are part of the southern Alps in South Tyrol/Northern Italy. The coolest thing about the area is the enormous skiing area (including the Saslong, a World cup downhill race course and annual venue for the Men’s Super G (super giant slalom), which I’ve been on many, many times). Then there is the Sella group, a plateau-shaped massif, that you can ski around in the winter. The ski circuit around the Sella group is called the Sella Ronda. It’s an all-day trip and amounts to a sort of merry-go-round for skiers, the only one of its kind, a series of ski-lifts and downhill runs, all linked to one another around the whole plateau (possible both clockwise and counterclockwise). It’s awesome and I can’t wait to do that again.

I am beyond thrilled that I was able to go home and celebrate my birthday with my sister (and the rest of my family) and almost even more thrilled to be spending 9 days with my whole family at this place that is near and dear to all our hearts.

For obvious reasons, I haven’t been back to our old stomping grounds in quite a few years and that’s why I am even more excited to spend a family vacation in a place where my sister and I shared so many precious childhood memories (and where we can make new ones with the munchkins). Plus, I am finally getting to ski again. It’s been a while and I can’t wait to get out there.

So, I am a little busy right now enjoying every second of this. In the meantime, please enjoy my (most likely) frequent Instagram updates.

Even though I hadn’t been to the Dolomites in years and don’t know when I will be able to come back, a little piece of my heart will always belong to Val Gardena.

A new ride

April 10, 2015 filed under: excitement

So, we did something crazy last week. We got a new (to us) car. Ok, it’s not really that crazy, but it felt crazy to me (and I hope some of you might understand the feeling). Let me just say upfront: I am not a car person. I don’t know much about cars, I don’t care much about cars, and as long as they safely get me to where I need to go, I’m pretty happy. And I promise, I am the last person who would go on and on about their car, but I am – surprisingly and kind of unexpectedly – more excited about it than I thought I would be.

The last (and only) time I bought a car was in College and back then I shared the car with my sister (both financially and physically). It was a small car, too, so while it felt like a big purchase at the time, it didn’t really feel like a big, grown-up purchase. This time, it felt different.

I know it’s ridiculous. People get cars all the time, I mean especially in this country, what’s the big deal? I tell you what the big deal is: having driven a (now) 17 year-old car for the last decade that was graciously handed down from my in-laws, but which has long-since started falling apart at the seams and trading it in for an (almost) brand-new car is a huge deal (at least to me).

I mean, it was necessary. No, really. The exterior and interior were deteriorating (although J and I both really didn’t care that much about the looks, as we did about the fact that it got us from A to B) and we’ve started to see more problems pop up over time. You know, if you drive on the freeway and keep hoping that you’re not going to break down right then and there, that is some scary shit. We couldn’t really take the car on long trips anymore anyway. Oh, and did I mention that the A/C stopped functioning about two summers ago? Yeah, you don’t really want to be without A/C during the Central Valley summers. Just sayin’.

So we decided last week that it was time. Time to say our goodbyes to our good old (mostly reliable) Saturn and time to look for a new (well, new to us anyway, pre-owned) car. We had been talking about it for a while, but had kept our hopes up that we could wait just a little bit longer. We probably could have still waited a few more weeks or even months. Who knows? We honestly did try hard to squeeze the last little bit of life out of this car, but we also really didn’t want to tease our luck and wait until the car fails on us while we’re in it.

We once broke down with a flat tire on the freeway and let’s just say that I don’t recommend it and that it doesn’t remotely come close to anything I would consider ‘fun’.

So, long story short, we decided to get … *drumroll* … a black Volkswagen Jetta. You know, Das Auto – with me being German and all.

I am so excited. I’ve never owned a fancy car like that. I actually feel like I am driving around in a rental right now. Hasn’t sunk in yet that we get to keep this one.

You know what’s funny though? My biggest worry now is that something might happen to the car while it’s parked in the back alley or at work. I never worried about this stuff with our beat-up 17 year-old Saturn. Go figure!

On a little announcement

October 20, 2014 filed under: crafts, Etsy, excitement, news

Well, if you follow me on Instagram and/or Facebook, you might have noticed that I posted a little announcement this weekend.

Some of you have asked in the past why I’m not selling my handcrafted notecards on Etsy. I always dismissed the thought thinking that nobody would really want to buy my cards anyway. However, the thought stuck like a nagging little bugger in the back of my head and my old-neighbor-turned-dear-friend and fellow crafter D finally gave me the last little kick in the butt that I needed.

We spent many afternoons sipping coffee/tea and crafting and half-jokingly dreaming up a little Etsy shop of our own. Shortly before D moved away this summer, she decided that we should just ‘do it’ and opened an account for us. She thought it would help us keep connected and motivated.

So, let me introduce you to our collaborative craft adventure Four Hands Creations.

We only have a small stock of items right now. I’ve mainly worked on different notecards (you know, that my go-to style is simple, but lovely) and my friend D is making delightful hand-painted burlap banners. I am hoping to add some other crafted items to the shop in the future, but for now, you can expect some Christmas-themed cards to hit the shelf soon. As you know, I am a big fan of sending personal messages via snail mail (is there anything better than to find a beautiful card between all the bills and junk mail in your mailbox?) and this is the time of year when it is especially lovely to brighten someone’s day with a handwritten note.

I’d love it if you checked out the shop and gave us some feedback. I am open to any suggestions and custom orders for personalized cards are totally possible.

Don’t worry, I won’t completely spam this blog (or my private Instagram and Twitter account) with shop related updates, but I will most likely mention it every once in a while if there is some news to share. You’re very welcome to follow us on Facebook, on Instragram (fourhandscreations) and Twitter (@4handscreations) if you’d like to stay up to date.

Phew. Secret’s out. And I am a tiny bit excited.

Oh, look what came in the mail!

September 12, 2013 filed under: beauty, excitement, gadgets, help

I never thought I’d see that day, but finally – oh, only after coveting that thing for the better part of the last 2 years and hemming and hawing if this was really something I wanted – I took the plunge and treated myself to this – quite pricey, but hopefully absolutely worthwhile – little skincare gadget, the Clarisonic Mia 2. I’ve heard some raving reviews from other bloggers and friends and when Labor Day came around with a pretty good deal, I couldn’t really pass it up. Besides, I had basically stashed away some cash for this for a while (do you have little saving piles for different things? No? Just me?) and so I didn’t feel to guilty investing in this. I mean, we spend dollars here and there on (often) unnecessary things, so I consciously put away some dollars (that I would otherwise would have spent on nonsensical stuff) and waited to treat myself to something bigger. Tata! This is my “something bigger”.

In case you live underneath a rock and haven’t heard of the Clarisonic skincare system, here’s what Sephora says and which, I think, sums it up pretty nicely:

It’s time to think beyond the washcloth and elevate cleansing to a sonic level. Clarisonic’s patented sonic technology gently removes the impurities traditional cleaning methods leave behind, cleansing six times better than your hands alone. In just 60 seconds, its sonic action removes impurities from pores so that creams, serums, and moisturizers are more effective. And with regular daily use you’ll notice a reduction in dry patches, oily areas, and blemishes.

I really don’t have huge skin problems by any means, but I have to deal with combination skin (which can be tricky sometimes) and the occasional not-so-pleasant adult cystic acne breakout. You know, those big, red, inflamed bumps underneath the skin that never really become real pimples, but which are very painful and heal very slowly? Exactly. Those ones. I’ve heard that the Clarisonic will help with that kind of stuff and that gets me very excited. Because honestly? I’m in my 30’s and I am pretty much done with covering up breakouts on my face every so often. I thought we were done with that after puberty? I am also not opposed to the promised “smoother skin” and “fewer blemishes”. I’ll take that in return for a little sonic action every night!

Bring it!

Ok, ok, I might get a little bit too excited and ahead of myself. I have not used the Clarisonic yet (it’s currently still charging), but you can look forward to some updates on my experience in the next few months. I am excited to try it out!

Do you have a Clarisonic brush? What’s your personal experience been like? Would you recommend it to a friend? (Obviously, it’s too late to give advice to me as I already bought it, but I can hopefully contribute to the gazillion of reviews that have flooded the Internet already. I am sure you can’t wait!)

5: The election

November 5, 2012 filed under: excitement, NaBloPoMo, yes!

Tomorrow is an important day.

Tomorrow is the election for the President of the United States.

As a new US citizen, I urge you, PLEASE VOTE.

I don’t understand people who don’t vote. I think too many people take their right and civic duty to vote too lightly, too much for granted. Let me tell you, you gain a completely new appreciation for your right to vote, when you move to a foreign country, where you live and work and pay taxes, and yet, you have no right to participate in the democratic process even though the decisions that are made on local and federal level affect you, too. It makes you feel neglected, ignored, unheard.

I am not saying that legal residents should have the right to vote (I think this is an issue that is more complicated), but I do want to emphasize how lucky you are if you can participate in the electoral process and that everybody should be aware of how important it is to do so.

This time for the first time I am allowed to vote in this country (despite having already lived here for the last 6 years) and I am absolutely thrilled to be able to vote for my president tomorrow.

I know, politics can be frustrating at best and upsetting and downright futile at worst, but if you’re not making use of your right to vote (which still a very high percentage of people in this country do not), you’re just aggravating the problem. You really do not have an excuse not to vote. You don’t have the excuse to say that your vote doesn’t matter anyway or that you don’t know who to vote for (which at this point in the campaign is mind-boggling to me as the choices are so extremely opposite), because honestly, that’s part of your responsibility as an adult living in a democratic country: to listen to the news or get online occasionally.
It’s really so damn easy these days to stay informed.

Here’s a hint: every political party has a website and they usually provide sweet and short bite-sized information, which should be easy to digest even for the disinterested voter, in order for everyone to make a somewhat informed decision tomorrow. They even provide little voting guide print-outs, or you can scribble down their endorsements, to make it really easy in the voting booth. You didn’t know that? Well, at the very least, take those five minutes tonight if you haven’t already done so.

I personally have very strong beliefs about this election, but I don’t care if you are a Democrat, a Republican, or an Independent. All I care about is that you get out there tomorrow and cast your ballot. Hopefully you’ve paid at least a little bit attention in the last few weeks, educated yourself about the political platforms and decided which candidate is right for you. Because this is what democracy is all about. The president should be the person who gets the majority of support from people like you and me.

If you need more convincing that you need to vote tomorrow, I suggest you go and read Terra’s “5 signs: Why we should vote“. I couldn’t have said it any better and I agree wholeheartedly.

Make your voice heard. Make your vote count tomorrow.

Time off

June 28, 2012 filed under: excitement, travel

Today, J and I will be heading to the East Coast (CT, Cape Cod, Boston) on our first real vacation in like, forever. To say that I am stoked is the understatement of the century. We’re going to see some dear friends, hang out in my favorite city in the whole world, relax on the beach (I am hoping for a whale watching trip, too) and just spend some quality time together.
We have been together for 10 years and in all those years haven’t had a real vacation together, can you believe that?

I mean, have I mentioned before that J and I never even had a honeymoon?

When we got married, there was just no money and no time for a honeymoon. We had to deal with (costly) visa-related issues, I had been working an intern position and J was fresh out of college. And after having our beautiful wedding in Germany, we just didn’t have the funds to tag on a honeymoon in a romantic far-away place. So, we postponed our honeymoon and I am not saying that this vacation is going to be our (belated)honeymoon, because I have something else in mind for that, but it definitely will come closest to a honeymoon-like vacation for just J and me.

Of course, we’ve been to places together. If nothing else, we’ve been to Germany a few times and have taken short trips (as in a couple of days) here and there, but none of those trips I would call ‘real vacations’.

I mean, you tell me what you think of when you think of a real vacation?

I bet, you’re thinking sunshine, beach, exploring far away places, sleeping in and just doing nothing. Correct?

It’s not surprising that this is one of the first images that comes to mind, when you think about the word “vacation” (unless you grew up on the ocean, of course and then it might still be an image you associate with vacation).

Well, that leaves a lot to be desired from this official definition.

va·ca·tion [vəˈkeɪʃən]

–noun

a period of suspension of work, study, or other activity, usually used for rest, recreation, or travel; recess or holiday
a part of the year, regularly set aside, when normal activities of law courts, legislatures, etc., are suspended.
freedom or release from duty, business, or activity.
an act or instance of vacating.

Aside from these definitions, there is another definition missing which uses the specific words of relaxation and restoration of our bodies and minds to full working capacity. Because that is what vacations are supposed to be doing, provide recovery from strenuous weeks at work. Vacations are supposed to refresh our bodies and minds by experiencing, doing, seeing things that we usually don’t experience, do, see on a daily basis. Vacations are supposed to let our minds wonder, to let our eyes travel and to open our hearts to the beauty that the world has to offer. It also means to fully detach from our daily grind.

So, when I talk about a “real” vacation, I don’t mean a “weekend getaway” (although those are nice and I love taking weekend trips!) and I don’t mean trips to Europe to visit my family. As much as we LOVE spending time in Germany with family and friends, it can be hardly called “vacation” in the sense that it is a time to relax and recuperate because, I never really feel fully relaxed when I return from vacation. That is partly due to the fact that my vacations at home are always packed to the brim with activities and get-togethers.

When you want me to call something a real vacation, a couple of requirements come to mind:

a) I need it to be at least a week long (sorry, but in my mind, everything under a week cannot be called vacation),

b) it needs to takes us somewhere, where we’re not staying with family or friends for ~~the whole~~ most of the time, and

c) most of all, I want to spend quality time with J and see and experience new things together.

I need time to sleep in (if I want to), to relax, to explore, to eat well and to just be.

It’s probably going to be a little quiet here for the next 10 days (but I am hoping to update a couple of times from the road).

So long, my friends! Have a great start into the summer and a fun 4th of July holiday!

A Christmas wish (come true)

December 5, 2011 filed under: excitement, family, Germany, holidays, yes!

{source: my flickr}

How it is already December absolutely escapes me, but since December is one of my favorite months, I just try to embrace that it is here and focus on enjoying the crap out of it.

Christmas is my favorite holiday and I just love the season. What can I say? I always look forward to this time of year with anticipation and fondness. Every year, though, we struggle with the how and where we spent the holidays.

I thought this stuff was tricky, when I had a boyfriend, who lived literally not even a mile away from my house and we had to decide if we see his family on Christmas Eve and mine on Christmas Day or vice versa. Now imagine a 400 mile-distance separating us from J’s parents and 6000 miles (including an ocean) separating us from mine. It’s a whole different ball game.

If I am quite honest, my only true wish for Christmas every year is to go back to Germany and spend the holidays with my family. I realize that this seems kind of selfish and I know most couples probably work it out so that they take turns every year (depending on where their respective parents and in-laws live), but I have a hard time compromising this way. It’s not that I haven’t spend Christmases in California with J’s family before or that I didn’t have a good time. I did! It was just different.

I think Christmas is just not as important to J (and his family) as it is to me and my family. I think, J only gets excited about Christmas, because I get excited about Christmas. I don’t want this to sound mean or judgmental in any way, because I really have respect for everyone’s feelings around Christmas. It’s just that for me personally, there is no holiday more wonderful and nostalgic. It’s a holiday that needs to be spend with family and family traditions. I think (and hope!) J gets why it’s so important for me to see my family around this time of year.

Our holiday traditions obviously have changed a bit over the last few years, but a lot of things are still the same.
I am still expected to decorate our Christmas tree when I am home for the holidays (we don’t decorate the tree until the morning of December, 24) and my sister sets up the nativity scene. We go to church in the afternoon. Surprisingly, we don’t have one traditional Christmas dinner, but my Mom and Dad put together an original four-course meal every year. It’s always outstandingly delicious! While we prepare the food, we light candles, put on some Christmas music or a Christmas movie on TV and snack on Christmas cookies. My Mom and I put a lot of effort into setting and decorating the dinner table in a very festive way.

Now, with two kids as part of our family, Christmas Eve has even become a tad more magical again. Witnessing my niece and nephew experience the holidays is the sweetest thing and it makes my heart soar with happiness.

All this to say, I booked a flight home.

J and I will be splitting up for the holidays this year. We’ll be spending some time with J’s family before Christmas and then I’ll hop on a plane and see my family for the holidays, while J will spend more time with his family this year (as his brother will be home for Christmas for the first time in years).

I am hoping to go to the Christmas Market in Cologne, since I missed out on it last year due to my involuntary stay in London. (Just FYI, I will not have a stopover in London on my way to Germany this time!) I am hoping to spend some quality time with my great-aunt and other relatives. I am hoping to see a few of my friends, who I didn’t get to see last time when my visit was cut short. I am mostly looking forward to spending 8 days with my parents, my sister, my BIL and the kids in Austria in the snow and finally get on my skis/snowboard again! Hooray! It’s been much too long!

What are your plans for the holidays?