182 - Rammalamma Bang Bang

I just about busted a gut watching this (warning, not suitable for viewing at work). Rolling on the floor with tears streaming from my eyes aside... it doesn't look like the most comfortable or efficient tool for the job. I don't know a single guy who would take an abrasive to that part of their body... and it looks like a hair collector to me.

It's over... and I feel that same sad sense of loss I always do when leaving something good behind. In short, I finished the book. I wrung every drop out of South of Broad, even going so far as to read the acknowledgement pages and the little blurb about the font it was printed in. What can I say? It was all at once the most endearing, disturbing, hilarious, witty, mysterious, unsettling, heart-breaking, heart-warming and intricate story I've ever read. I can't even explain what it's about because within this one amazing book there are at least ten different plot lines going on, but it's all so well done that it doesn't feel complicated. Pat Conroy is magic.

Today I was talking to a friend whose adult children still live at home. This woman is a wonderful person, but she has health problems, and her family just keeps taking advantage of her. Three kids who live at home, and one who has decided to dump her kids there so they can attend a better school. This is another reason I'm always so on the fence about kids... there's no guarantee they're going to grow up to be worth a damn. I don't know what I would do in this situation... it sounds so simple to just say 'throw their asses out', but putting that into practice is far more complicated. What pisses me off is that the constant stress is not good for her health, and they could literally be killing her.

I finally got a picture of the Extreme Makeover house. It's really pretty, and very welcoming, except for the 'no trespassing' sign on the lawn.... Those poor people, I imagine people drive by all day long... No good deed goes unpunished.

As you can see, someone took this from a car window...

Day 11 - I realized I'm a third of the way through my 30 days! I did all of the plank jacks today. I'm doing almost everything except the last set of abs... I still do abs during that time, just not that particular exercise, because my arms are so exhausted that I don't have the strength to hold myself in plank position as I twist my leg under and pull it back. And I'm using light weights for the V-flies because that particular muscle is pretty weak and it's an awkward move. I love that I can feel the progress every day! I don't think I have ever pushed myself this hard, but it is well worth it.