An enriching day

Ick, that's kindof a lame title. But really. Seriously. A nice day for Amber. Not fantastic by any means, but I'll take it.

I thought what I had written for my book report the night before was crap. I woke up and read it and realized it was actually pretty decent, and managed to get the paper done at 9:30AM with class at 9:55AM. I had lab meeting and went to a seminar, and then scurried away to the SERF for a cardio class.

Because see, I needed it. I'm not sleeping well lately (probably in part because we have a coffee maker in the lab now . . .) and while I think that I carry myself most confidently and happily now as compared to my highschool days, I am out of shape, and my clothes continue to fit less and less well.

FITNESS CLASS RANT
Anyway, I thought I was attending the regular cardio class, but in hindsight I began to realize--as we continued the cardio portion of the class 15 minutes longer than I'm used to, and with only one break--that I had walked in to the "Cardio Plus" class. Initially, it was great fun and I realized as inane as repeated hoppy motions to ramped-up pop music are. . . I really enjoy it and don't get too awfully lost.

However, the "Plus" aspect of the class sucked. The instructor gave only one water break nearly at the end of class, and continually gave the indication we were on the last repition and then would call out for another--there was no good way to pace yourself. Also, the stretch and toning portion was ill-concieved for multiple levels of fitness. There were no actual crunches but instead all hardcore crunchlike activities that I always have to do with my knees because I'm still a wuss. I guess that's what I get, but damnit I wanted my old accessible cardio back!

But after I cooled off and got off the bus, I was able to purchase dinner at Whole Foods and walk home on a nice, typically crisp fall evening. It took me a while, but I was finally able to work out most of the lyrics to one of the two halloween songs I remember from 5th Grade, and sang about haunted houses and cats and bats and witches keeping skeletons in stitches on the way home.

It was a fabulous evening, even if my shower didn't really have hot water. I ate my delicious garlicky, tomatoe-y seafood soup and watched labor party riots on Babylon 5, and then drove over to one of the 1st year MDTP student's apartment for TEAN (Thursday Evening at Nine)--it's a movie night that I think Rose and Heather cooked up. So I finally got to see Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn, which was actually thoroughly delightful. I also got the chance to hang out with new people in a non-stressful manner, and that's a rare thing.

So here I am, very awake and typing instead of cleaning up my room. And it's Friday!