Pretty/Fancy

November 7, 2008

Happy Birthday to me!

Filed under: Education, swimming — by prettyfancy @ 7:13 pm

Yesterday I turned thirty-twooooo… Though it was quiet, I had the best birthday ever! And on the car front… I got a Ford Escape Hybrid, and I LOVE it. Love love love it. Could not recommend it more highly. (Nate, Lexus is just a lit-tle bit out of my price range)

America also got me a present… a new president! Thanks, United States!

I am sorry the updates have been short and/or few and far between. Between full-time graduate school, volunteering at an elementary school, and swim practice, I have just been all over the place.

Both schools are going well, and I am so glad I have the opportunity to volunteer. I am shadowing a special ed teacher who is a RSP (Resource Specialist), so I get to see a lot of different classrooms K-2. Oddly enough, I am thinking more and more I want to do regular ed vs. special ed. More and more in California, special needs kids are being mainstreamed into regular classrooms due to the least restrictive environment movement. It seems to be working well, but what I am noticing with the pull-out it is just helping with tests and homework assignments/projects not finished in class. I really want my own classroom, and while there are still Special Day classes, I am not sure that is what I want to do anymore. Fortunately my University is very small and able to support me in all areas… from volunteer opportunities to fine tuning my curriculum to meet what I want to do.

So the plan is now to get my regular Multiple Subject credential… I am also going to take the single subject course which (after I take and pass the subject matter CSET) will qualify me for a Single Subject credential as well. In layman’s terms, that means I can teach then teach K-12. (7-12 in a single subject… not sure if I am going to do English or History)

I will write more this weekend… I have to head to swim practice. I will say, even though this is LA, it is getting COLD to swim outside. The pool is heated, so the water is actually warmer than the air. So I run-walk from the locker room to the pool. That’s the good thing, you want to keep moving, keep swimming, stay underwater, because if you don’t… you freeze. I am even going to attempt some morning (6 am, yeowsers) workouts. I made the mistake of saying casually to my coach “I would come, but I really just need a wake up call”… turns out that’s not a problem for them.

September 21, 2008

Sink or swim

Filed under: swimming — by prettyfancy @ 8:08 pm
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It’s one thing to flail when everyone is flailing around you… it is a whole ‘nother thing to be flailing with a view of everyone else the very picture of success.

I am not a quitter. Or a whiner. Or a crier. But all three managed to happen today.

It was like any other Sunday morning heading into the pool. I adore my Sunday coach, I get in a lane with a woman I know, and am confidently swimming along. I am towards the left/middle of the pool… it ain’t the fast lanes, but I am by no means the slowest.

Or so I think.

Turns out we were to do IMs today… meaning Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, then Freestyle.

Ahem. I’ve been swimming (in my adult life) around 4 months, and I’ve never done butterfly or breaststroke as an adult. I’ve actually never swum butterfly AT ALL. My coach knows this, and goes… “Butterfly is the same as freestyle, only use both arms and both legs”.

Most everyone else at least swam in high school, if not college… so they at least have SOME idea of what direction their limbs should try to be pushing water. Also, because breaststroke is in the IM, you have to take off your fins.

After the first round of 300 free, 100 IM I stopped before doing the next 300 free… because I was so far behind. I have water up my nose that is forcing tears to my eyes. I am huffing and sore and embarrassed.

Coach: What’s the matter Sheridan? You’re doing great! Keep going!

Me: I. Can’t. Do. It!!!!! (in a whine I am NOT proud of)

Coach: Can’t do what? You’re doing it! You just need a little stroke correction, but you are doing it!

Me: I’ve never done butterfly!!!!! I have NO idea what I am doing! I am making it up from what I’ve seen on tv!

To be honest… had I been in a pool with other complete beginners at these strokes, I would have probably had a totally different attitude. He was right… I WAS doing it. I made it across the pool. It wasn’t pretty, or right, but the general idea was there, and I did it. I was just upset because I was the WORST. By FAR. Like, no competition… so far behind everyone else. I could just look up, choking on water as I thrust-ed my head up in the butterfly (which you aren’t supposed to do, it is supposed to be much more graceful)… only to see everyone else already at the wall.

I came really close to getting out of the pool. The girl in my lane actually did get so tired she did.

Thing is… it was actually fun.  Except for breaststroke, which I HATE. I think I’m kind of a natural at the backstroke, and even though I really struggle with the butterfly… it is actually BETTER than my breaststroke. I just really didn’t like being the last to be towed in… the rest of the whole team WAITING for me to finish. Even though I am normally pretty middle of the pack in the freestyle sets… I was bringing up the rear because my muscles were crying out in pain, and my spirit was pretty defeated. My arms felt like they were pulling lead.

Coach reminded me I couldn’t be the best every day and that my flip turns were looking fantastic… this didn’t stop me from crying a bit when Mark picked me up.

In the end, I am proud of myself for finishing the workout… and for sucking up my pride and just plugging away the best I could. I learned I could do something I thought I couldn’t… and when it is sink or swim… I definitely swim.

September 7, 2008

Grow Up

Filed under: misc, swimming — by prettyfancy @ 10:50 pm

Dear Weekend Dad, Thank you for boring all of us waiting for a table at Studio Cafe with your pontificating diatribe ranging from getting a job at a Fro Yo place to Murphy’s Law to your daughter. It was an emotional time machine for me and I had a strong desire to sigh a long “shut UP, dad, geesh!” Fucking snore city. “There is a difference between a back up plan and a plan b… blah dee blah dee bore”

Speaking of Plan B, how much do I hate the republican party and their little pawn Sarah Palin? As a friend stated eloquently in his facebook status… perhaps Mrs. Palin should remember Jesus Christ was a community organizer, and Pontius Pilot was a Govorner. I am also in the camp that thinks Trig is Bristol’s kid and not hers… that is neither here nor there, other than to question her abstinence only programs. Also to say perhaps if she wasn’t so focused on her raison d’etre – HOCKEY MOM (excuse my assumption this is for her oldest son Track, and not her 3 daughters)… that maybe her daughter might not be out boozin’ and fuckin’. Maybe not. But MAYBE.

Sarah Palin, as a candidate, is insulting to women. As an owner of a vagina, I am insulted that the Republican party can basically insinuate that Palin picks up where Hillary left off. Right. Women aren’t bright enough to notice a little switch-a-roo replacing a Wellesley and Yale Law graduate, one of the strongest advocates for health care and advocating for children her entire adult career, beginning in college, economically and socially liberal… with… a self-proclaimed hockey mom, MOOSE hunter, University of Idaho graduate (attended 3 other colleges before graduating)… she worked for one year, it looks like as a sports reporter…  and if I did the math correctly from the People Magazine article… she, too, was preggers when she got married.

Which is neither here nor there… EXCEPT the Republicans are so high and mighty on their “Small town” values. I’d like to say that my entire family is from a small town too, and the republicans do not own the rights to small towns nor their collective values.

In other news, I did have an awesome visit with Alie the last week… and have shaved another 10 seconds off my 100s in swimming… down to around a 1:32, though that is me going all out… not a consistant 12 100s pace. I also RULE at flip turns. I knew my gymnastics experience had to come in handy SOME day.

As for Nate’s attack on my new righteous haircut… which everyone is loving. In fact… when Alie went in to Frenchy’s to get her haircut, I had a stare down with the receptionist because she was newly rockin’ MY haircut. I will say, I have long thought Samantha Ronson was hot, and emailed with her a few times a couple years ago. I certainly don’t identify as a ‘former lesbian’… I identify as I have since I was around 17 or 18… as QUEER. And one of the reasons I DO love my haircut is that it IS a little queer. It isn’t the below-the-shoulders-layered-girl-next-door look. I kinda like having a haircut that says “I’m not a part of this”. Which doesn’t mean I do or don’t love pussy or cock. It is more of a state of mind. So you’re right, Nate… I don’t buy into the whole assumption that short hair means you are a dyke. Nor do I buy into that being something I need to argue for nor against. I grew up in that small town, I grew up with those names thrown my way. The miniature 25 year old reference is to my freshman year of high school when I cut all my hair off… inspired by the Linda Evangelista cover of Elle magazine… forgetting that I lived in rural Illinois.

See… here’s the thing haters: No matter what you say to me, how you criticize me for how I look or the way I dress… what I write or think or anything else… You can’t make me feel any worse about myself than I already have in the past. I am not sure why this is a worthwhile activity for someone like Nate. Nothing you can say to me could surpass things that my father has said to me. The way it feels to feel like an outcast growing up. To EARN the nickname of Little Keith Richards in your early 20s. To land in the hospital via ambulence 4 times before getting sober. To uncover and shake hands with it all, to walk through all of the dangerous neighborhoods of your mind…

So to hear, essentially, “Your new haircut makes you look like a lesbo”… feels a little… below my radar.

But I had to address it since you kept saying it. To respond… pssshh… sistah, please.

August 7, 2008

Threshold

Filed under: swimming — by prettyfancy @ 1:39 pm

Last night’s workout in the pool was what is known as a ‘threshold’ workout. Thresholds in sprints. My least favorite, and most common M-W workout. Basically, you do repetitions of intervals getting progressively faster. And more tired. With intervals that are designed to push you to the point of pain and exhaustion, and then push you through them (them meaning pain and exhaustion). 

Here’s what I like to do with “pain” and “exhaustion”: avoid them. I want to avoid them like a loan shark coming to collect his due or the chatty grandma who wants to talk about her hip surgery. I love/hate these sessions… I know they make me a faster, smarter, stronger swimmer. I know I prove a lot to myself in them, because usually by the second set “I can’t do this” has run through my head at least 10 times. I also am just wiped out afterwards, and sore the next day. 

Don’t. Fucking. Give. Up. Has been my mantra during these sets, and really just in my life lately. Sheridan vs. Bias Tape was another example. I am making a pair of pajamas (shut your face, Nate), and I was having a bitch of a time with stupid bias tape. I was biased against bias tape (sorry, had to). I also was refusing to follow the directions to iron it open. I’m just that lazy sometimes. It is still not enjoyable to work with even when it is pressed open, but it is MUCH easier. Still, I came thisclose to giving up on the tape and just hemming it. Whatever, it doesn’t look great… but at least I got the bias tape on there. 

Tidbits from the week:

  • I got suckered in to spending over 150 at a NAIL salon. It IS where Miley Cyrus goes though… and if it is good enough for Miley, it must be good enough for me.
  • Dinner with Mark’s work friends at Beso… VERY yummy, and enlightening to see that everyone is at least a little bit gay when given permission.
  • Second neighborhood Ryan Gosling sighting. He must be stalking me.
  • Moving forward in the dog adoption process!
  • Took Wilbur and Tallulah to the vet. Tallulah whizzed on the floor, right next to the vet. Which is so her to let everyone know they are not the boss of her.
  • I loved Stepbrothers
  • SOOOO excited for the Olympics, but still hate China. I think I have a PhD in Michael Phelps.
  • Thought “what the shit were they thinking?!” for most contestants on PR this week. Also wonder why Jarell was dressed like Peter Pan.
  • Glad Nekisa is gone from SG, think Daniel is the most adorable gay ever. 

July 10, 2008

There Are No Shortcuts

Filed under: swimming — by prettyfancy @ 8:57 am
Tags:

This has been my lesson for the year thus far. It started with a book I read by that title by Rafe Esquith and is a wonderful book about teaching at-risk kids. Though he seems a lit-tle full of himself (though, not without reason, he’s pretty amazing) and that was hard to stomach in some places, I recommend the book for anyone interested in teaching or the public education system in general. The gist of the “no shortcuts” to me was that some of us are at a disadvantage in certain areas, and that there is no way around it… we just have to work harder and longer to get to our goals.

This message carried over into my new swimming lifestyle. Let’s be honest, any 31 year old jumping in the pool with her last swim class back in the 1980s, is at a disadvantage. Add to that, I smoked for most of my life, didn’t work out, am short, and have zero upper body strength. 

My first class, I seriously was saying “I’m dying! I want to die at this! I need lessons!” And my coaches, Clay and Blair, both gave me the same advice. No, you just need to shut up and come back again. They’d say… “Let’s do 8 laps to warm up” and I’d think… “um, you need to fuck off because 8 laps is my entire workout”. Or they’d say “Do an easy 50″, and I’d think “there’s nothing easy about swimming a 50″. I had one speed, which was slow and wrong. 

Clay was like “What, did you think you would hop in and be the fastest one?”

And. Well. Noooo. But I didn’t think Father Time down there would be faster than I am. Also, I thought there’d be some secrets. Like, how DO you become a swimmer? How do those people do lap after lap after oh-my-god-where’s-the-wall-lap? 

I remember Clay cheering me on, and also saying… “Sheridan, TURN AROUND AND CHECK YOUR TIME” I always figured I didn’t need to check my time if I came in DEAD LAST. “Sheridan, you don’t have a question in the middle of your set!” “Sheridan, keep your goggles on and GO!”

There were times I thought I was going to barf. 

There were times I thought about just getting out of the pool.

There were times, and I’ll be honest here… I would look at some people in the next lanes over… and think… they are way heavier, older, and from all appearances, in far worse shape than I am… HOW ARE THEY DOING THIS!?

Well, I just KEPT GOING BACK. I kept trying. I kept listening. Even when I was the slowest one, another coach called me the iron horse because I was the first one in the pool, and the last one to get out, and some faster people gave up and got out before the class was over.

I remember the first time I completed the entire workout, no stopping, no whining, no protesting. I was light headed, completely red faced and a little ill… and COMPLETELY ecstatic. I called a bunch of my friends and exclaimed… I DID IT! I DID IT! I did the whole workout, and I wasn’t the worst one!

And last night… just 2 months after starting this whole thing… I was the fastest one in the pool! Granted, it is a beginners workout… but beginners in masters swimming doesn’t mean BEGINNERS, and there were big, in shape, weho joes there that have been in SCAQ longer than I have. Trust me, on Sunday, I’ll be back in the middle of the pool… the worst one by 30 seconds in the advanced end of the pool workout, and the best one for the beginners. 

I still have improvements to make on my stroke… but I broke 6 minutes doing a 300, and kept a 1:45 pace for 3 sets of 100s. Clay kept going… “pretty darn fast, Sheridan!!!” I got out of the pool… and he said he was proud of me, and that I should do the Saturday ocean swim this weekend. It was the best feeling! 

People ask, both in class, and out of class, how I’ve come so far so fast… and it really is just showing up, suiting up, and doing my best. I don’t stop when I swallow water, or there’s water up my nose. 

I am trying to carry these ideas into my life as well. This whole job hunt sucks. There is no way around it, it sucks. Interviewing for jobs that I am over qualified for, trying not to get my hopes up, disappointment after disappointment…

I am STILL in the proverbial race for teaching at the California Charter schools, after a horrible morning yesterday thinking I wouldn’t be able to continue in their process. I take the CSET on the 19th, and I better get to studying. 

Then I am going to try to face my fears and go to a new swim workout tonight.

July 7, 2008

I think I Broke My Body

Filed under: swimming — by prettyfancy @ 7:59 pm
Tags: , ,

Well, don’t worry… I feel that every morning after swim practice. I also have a swim cap tan line. Um. Wow.

Sometimes I wonder… who decides to join a competitive Masters swimming league at 31? I’m surely not BUILT like a swimmer, at 5′2″, with (when I started) zero upper body strength. 

I spent the bulk of this afternoon/evening putting together the backyard ghetto pool. It’s a bit of an eye sore, but if you lived in a place that gets up to 115 degrees, you’d want to splash around too. There was a mild catastrophe where part of the pool sort of collapsed over on itself because the bottom was not fully stretched out. (Un)fortunately this happened once Mark got home. Mark, who I am beginning to believe is even MORE dramatic than I am. Basically, water was spilling over one side and we needed to lift and pull that side of the pool.

Granted, lots of water was spilling over… but… Mark was getting more and more frustrated/angry… stripping down to his boxers… declaring a FLOOD. Then saying “You are going to have to call Jen. This is clearly not a one person job”

Let’s just say that the pool is finished and looks great, and is ready for splashing, without having to use emergency Superhero Jen’s services.

Can I just say how nice it is to live in a house? Just the little things of pulling into the garage. No neighbors. Lots of space. Hardwood floors. Gorgeous kitchen and bathrooms. The buns are very happy. I am very happy. When Mark isn’t freaking out about something, I think he is very happy too. I think he likes that there are 3 tvs (two flatscreen, LCDs, on the wall)… which at one point… ALL of them were on, to some sports show. He’s obsessed. It’s pretty cute though.

A more interesting update will be posted tomorrow. I apologize. I am crazy from the heat. 

Stay cool. Stay cool forever.

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