Man Power

A few weeks ago my poor roommate was seen in her car---absolutely positively stuck in the snow--- at FHE. Luckily, four very eager young fellows kindly "unstuck" her car in a very manly way. It was a very tough job to do, but witnesses (all females) believe the following study found in a blog is the explanation for the brute strength phenomenon. Aaron the blogger (http://aaronfairchild.blogspot.com) writes:

See the entry two posts down from this one regarding working out with hot girls around. Now this little blucrb from my January/February 2009 issue of Men's Health Magazine:

"It starts with boys showing off on the playground, and the performance never ends: When a woman is around, men work harder. In a new German study, men pushed themselves 12 percent harder and complained less about pain during a bicycle stress test when a female doctor supervised than when a man did. Study author Christian Jung, M.D., says the results could translate to your gym: "Working out with a woman may help you push harder, probably because men are evolutionarily programmed to impress woman," he says. Choose your treadmill wisely."

Now, I only thought I'd throw in Aaron the Blogger's previous post just for kicks, and then I'll get to my point.

You know what makes an otherwise grueling and painful workout much more bearable? A hot chick.

Let me explain. I don't know of anyone who enjoys the pain associated with lifting weights or working your body hard. That pain is just something you pit up with for later benefits, whether it's increased health, a good post-workout sensation, bigger muscles, flatter tummy, whatever. If you don't experience some measure of pain and discomfort while at the gym, then you're doing something wrong. So what better way to distract your mind from such pain than an attractive member of the opposite sex? This has several benefits. First, there's the mere eye candy aspect (but don't stare, you creep). Second, she serves as a distraction. Third, you might complete your sets with better form because you don't want to look like a dork. Forth, you complete all reps in your set because you don't want to look like a wimp. Fifth,it passes the time faster. I'm going to stop making a numbered list now because it's getting on my nerves. You might also decide to exercise a little longer than you normally would have, because of that person's presence.

Back in social psychology, they taught us that your performance will improve if you are being observed by others, provided that you are comfortable with the task at hand, or already proficient. (Conversely, if you are inexperienced with the particular task, or not confident in your abilities, your performance will worsen in the presence of observers.) I think this is kind of the principle at work here. Generally unpleasant experiences are made much more bearable with the presence of some positive association, whether it be a person, music, feeling, etc. This is also why sometimes I study more effectively when I'm with friends.

So in the end I don't think it's such a bad thing that gyms are "meat markets." That guy who has been following you from station to station for the past half-hour? He's not a creepy stalker. He's just using you to make his workout easer. There, don't you feel better now?

Wasn't that hilarious?! haha. Now my point...So, over the weekend I had to move some really heavy cement cinder blocks that I put under my bed to hoist it up so that I can shove copious amounts of junk underneath. I'm no weakling. In fact I'd say I have the strength of any girl my age if not ever so slightly more. However, I could definitely only lift one cinder block at a time. Two would have been darn near crazy impossible. Three would have been utterly unthinkable. However, some of my friends helped me moved these cinder blocks (thank goodness! :) ) including a guy in my ward. However, this gentlemen was able to carry THREE at a time (with what looked like relative ease)!!!!!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT? Sure, he's bigger than me, but not by THAT much!!! So, my question is "Was this extra strength due to the presence of several females at the time or are girls really that weak?!" Holy cow...I now think I'm going to have to take up martial arts or something to even the playing field :S

CHEAP!

It's 4:30, in the AM. No, I did not stay up all night 'til now. No, I did not wake up from my blissful, peaceful sleep just to blog. No, I did not wake up from my gloriously, happy slumber because of some emergency. I AM AWAKE BECAUSE MY BEDROOM CEILING IS LEAKING AGAIN.... ON MEEEE!!!

The first time it leaked it was somewhat amusing if you will. I even took pictures :) Of course we were afraid that our whole ceiling was going to cave in due to the almost constant trickle of water down the heavy ceiling fan in the very center of the room....but it was still okay. Plus, it really wasn't a big deal (even if management took several LONG days to fix this issue) because we just plopped a bowl in the middle of the floor (a very BIG bowl...any smaller would have overflowed) and walked around it. The second leak...NOT SO AMUSING. How did I find it??? By waking up to the bottom third of my bed being SOAKED. Now, I promised myself when starting this blog not to get personal....BUT THIS IS PERSONAL (or at least more like a PERSONAL ASSAULT!!!)

Last year I lived in "ritzy housing." I had moved there on accident, only to discover that my whole stake consisted on a congregation full of orange-skinned, blond people. Don't get me wrong, I had fun while it lasted, but I was happy to move somewhere else after that experience. So, we went to the extreme this year for housing...and moved somewhere were rent is CHEAP. I don't recommend that at all. I'm finding out cheap=we need to repair half your apartment on a regular basis. Just FYI. Plus, the only water problems we ever had in the "ritzy" apartment was when some kid decided to pose as maintenance the evening before April Fool's Day and turn off our water heater. We had cold showers for a day, but hey,...it's not like THAT woke me up at 4:30.

Anyway, I am now about to lay my head on the couch because the very big bowl is now on top of my bed doing its thing. This is so WRONG...help :(

Just Don't Wave a Twinkie in Front of My Face, K?

Tonight I did a horrible thing. I went to the grocery store and BOUGHT OUT Maceys. I knew to eat before I went so that I wasn't hungry BUT.... I don't think that helped AT ALL. When I arrived, I started in the produce section. That put me in a "healthy" mood. I now own fresh fruit, frozen fruit, liquid fruit (juice), and low calorie snacks. Then, I got in a "what if I'm not in a 'healthy' mood tomorrow and am starving for something fattening?" mood. I added Cracker Jacks, frozen pizzas, and Good & Plenty candy to the cart. That lead to other food ideas which placed the following justifications in my head:

"Hey, this is cheap!..."
"Wow, this will last me forever!..."
"Goodness me, I will really enjoy this!..."
"Interesting, I've never had this before!..."
"Hallelujah, this looks tasty!..."

Anyway, my roommates now hate me....they don't know they hate me yet...but they hate me. This hate will fill their bosoms once they open our fridge...umm....and our cabinets....umm....and probably our closet too....and they realize the lack of space (and when I mean lack...I don't mean "less" but I do mean "none")

But that's okay....I have one last justification.

"Gosh golly gee, this will make wonderful food storage!..." :)

(And, I'm helping others practice love, patience, and forgiveness....definitely worth it, right?)

Initiative.

Boy met girl in his ward at church. Boy asked girl out on date on the spot. Girl was busy that night. Boy asked girl out on the next night...a school night! Girl wasn't busy. Girl said "yes." Boy and girl went out on date.

Initiative.

It's a wonderful thing.

No, this did not happen to me (just for clarification's sake).

Yes, this is just an example that miracles have not ceased.

If all boys were as manly as previously noted boy, the Happy Valley single's population would be cut down in half.

Amen.