Friday, September 16, 2011

Pulled-Up - September 15, 2011

I didn't know it was possible. I really didn't. I vividly remember hanging from that metal pole, dangling while my arms slowly detach from the socket, gripping onto the slippery metal, a nearly impossible task as the sweat starts to bead on my hands, while a sadistic gym teacher rivaling Sue Sylvester (glee) shouts "encouragement" until my 5th grade little pipsqueak arms start shaking and I finally fall.

I don't remember trying to do a pull-up being so traumatic as much as confusing. The gym teacher really would say encouraging things, but she had such unrealistic expectations. She thought my arms had some sort of muscle between the skin and bone that could not only support the rest of my body up but raise it feet in the air, simply by bending at the elbow. She didn't realize that my arms only consisted of skin and bone, used to holding a pen or the 1st 2nd or 3rd positions used in ballet. They were only expected to perform such amazing feats once at year during the dreaded Presidential Fitness Test.

That was the day that I learned conspiracy theory exists. The idea that middle school children should be graded on their ability to do 4,000 sit-ups in 2 minutes, run a mile in a fraction of a second, or use only their hands to pull them off the floor and up higher than some arbitrary bar 60 feet high, was not only enforced by my gym teacher, but went all the way up to President Clinton himself.  My recollection of the requirements may be exaggerated over the years, but only to enforce how much of an impossibility the task of a pull up was to my wiry 5th grade self.

The only task that I remember fondly was the "sit and reach". I think they made this category for the kids like me, to make us feel like at least we could pass one thing. While sitting on the floor, they put a yard stick out, and measured how far you could reach. 7 years in ballet had given me enough flexibility to reach further than any kid in my class, but not to perform a single other task to the President's satisfaction.

Though Clinton is out of office, I am unable to allay your fears, as the reign of Presidential Fitness terror is not over. Contrary to its name, it is independant of the president's and has been around for 60+ years. So, why do I bring up conspiracy from the past? Well it is because I had a breakthrough. While playing with my 6 year old cousin and her two of their friends on a jungle gym the other day, as ya do, I was hanging upside down on the monkey bars with them, and started to pull myself up. Huh - 1/2 a pull up was surprising easy, so when the kids ran off and no one was looking, I felt my bravery start to brew. I reached up and grabbed the bar (a much shorter distance than 16 years ago), and simply pulled.....up.

Miracle of all miracles, my body followed. Then it even went so high as for me to see over the bar I was holding onto! What! Is something I considered an impossibility truly achievable after all these years? I held there for a second stunned, sure I must be dreaming and waiting to look down to see the ground disappear and a giant marshmallow emerge in its place. Nope, I was still holding myself there. I slowly lowered to the ground and tried it again, sure I couldn't do two. That must have been a fluke. But I did. Even though I was much taller and had much more weight than my 10 year-old self, my arm muscles have finally arrived at a ratio to compensate! At 28, I can finally achieve President Clinton's goal for a physically fit 10 year old!

Take that all the gym teachers of my past, or as I fondly remember them, my early archenemeses (yes I have later archenemies). I encourage all of you to go try that thing that just seemed too impossible, but remember not to push it. I did a few more pull ups and by the third one, felt that familiar feeling of really needing to pee while your arms start to fatigue and your chin reaches higher and higher. I should have stopped at 2.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

My Own Surprise Party! That I Planned - Sept 3, 2011

Yup it's true. I planned my own surprise party, and the worst part is, I didn't even know I was doing it! We have this fantastic cottage here on PEI, that I've mentioned in past blogs. During the summer, we divide the team so each family gets to use it for two weeks. Starting in September, it's a free for all for whichever family wants to use it. Growing up, going the cottage typically meant work. Fixing the roof, reshingling, painting, always something. Once the cottage was fixed up (read details on this feat in a previous post), there was a weekend every year that was deemed 'no work weekend' to lull out as much family as possible to relax and have fun! This year the numbers were down a bit, so we had to have a second half to the first no work weekend. I set out to plan this, since I had a lot of time, and made sure everyone knew about it.

Sammy Cake!
We changed the date a few times, and finally landed on labor day weekend, and even days before the event, it was changed from Sunday to Saturday. I sent out emails, and was overwhelmed with the number of people that were going to come. Definitely higher numbers than normal! The weekend came and a few of us stayed the night before. I realized it was my dog Sammy's 15th birthday. (yes he's that old) and decided that since someone needed to bring a cake, I'd volunteer, be a bit goofy, and make it in the shape of Sammy. Well it turned out great! I made a red velvet cake at the request of one of my young cousins, and because I thought that was a bit dark and funny, since the cake was shaped a dog.

Cartwheels!
The day of the event we made a trip to the local town for supplies (alcohol and junk food), and I was quite unhappy that this was taking so long as I wanted to be back having fun with all the arriving family. We finally pulled back to the cottage and as I helped unload the items, I was the last one in and I could hear everyone saying 'where's Libby'. I still didn't get it. Then I walked onto the porch which had canada flags, red, and white streamers, balloons and everything! I was speechless, which doesn't happen often, mostly because I was so confused. My mind was racing for an event that my whole family might be staring at me and singing 'for she's a jolly good fellow' and I came up blank. Then every moment of cajoling came into my mind, of trying to ensure everyone came....to my party! Oh my. I think then I was so embarrassed I matched my new flag. Not only did I plan my own surprise party, but I insisted all the guests come, brought the cake, and was so gullible, I was actually surprised!
 
My uncles

 It was a great party and there were even gifts and a big goofy hat I was forced to wear. 43 family members came, and only 9 people who live on the island weren't there (all for very good reasons and sent their regrets). That's our best turn out yet! After finding out how long my family had been planning this (a few months), and realizing that many only came because it was a party for me, I was quite flattered. Plus I really needed that new electric blanket they all gave me. I'm not sure how I will survive the cold upcoming winter without it! Oh if you're wondering what the party was for, as I certainly was, it was a 'new job/new apartment/officially moving in to pei'. Phew. And people wondered why I moved here!
The whole crew minus 3 young fishermen

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Below the Rink - Sept 13th 2011


Official Univ Portrait
 Have you ever wondered what's below the ice rink? Well I found out today while sitting in my office, reading the paper over lunch. Yes...I have an office now. I'm teaching at the university! This is the job I've always wanted - to mold young minds, steering them along their engineering path to going and doing something, while I continue to steer. (There was no sarcasm in that sentence whatsoever). The photo to the right is the official one they took. I included it only because for some reason, every time I look at it, I laugh.

Sorry for that side note...The second part of that sentence that may shock you is that yes...I read the paper now. I even subscribe. I'm trying my best to be a full grown adult and read the paper everyday. Since I am rarely full grown, I lapse and try to catch up on previous news articles during lunch.

This paper is a bit different than the one you may receive in your fancy big towns. There were 5 articles over the last two weeks about a missing life-sized paper mache Elvis. Yup. That's right, a home made elvis. The first article was that it was stolen, the next was a plea from the owner to return it, next was a continued plea to the community to return it, followed by an announcement of a fire where blue suede shoes and a wig were found next to the rubble, and finally a nice piece on an Elvis impersonator donating a number of items to the family who no long have a paper mache Elvis. Now to be fair, the Elvis belonged to a man who made it for his adult handicapped son who is a big fan of the King, so I have to believe that is why so much attention was brought to the saga.

Nonetheless, I was riveted over the last few days to try to keep up to date on the events. In each of those editions, there was also a paragraph or two on the fires in Texas and a whole article on Libya, so they do cover world events, but special attention is given to those sweet pieces and local charm that often get overlooked by those big city papers. They used to list all of the crimes that were committed within the city, including every burglary offence, but that recently stopped. I read an article the other day about a 'battered woman' who's man was given a suspended sentence because although he never hit her, he did pull her hair in one heated argument. I love this town where that mild offence (though still really really bad) is news!

Okay back to my original story - today, while eating lunch and reading the paper, one of the other prof's came in and said he was going to get a tour of the hockey rink and pool heat exchange system. He was planning on taking his students there later in the week and wanted a pre-tour. If you take out the engineering lingo, this means, tour the ice rink....down below! I quite literally skipped along to see what goes on down there. It was really neat. There were a lot of pipes and I was surprised to learn that they use ammonia, brine water, and heated city water to make the ice. At the same underground location, they heat the swimming pool. They use this neat exchange system to simultaneously heat one and cool the other. Okay, this is the reason I started to write the blog and clearly I had more to say about the newspaper, but nonetheless, I got an unexpected tour today, and some some dorky fun!