She likes it!

My exercise program is going SO WELL! I love the progress I'm seeing so far, and it's just the beginning! The very first day, Wednesday (when I puked), my body was stiff and sore until Friday night. I stretched as many times a day as I could, hoping I could find my normal body again. Even sitting on a wooden chair hurt my glutes! Sheesh. Over Saturday and Sunday, I did some lunges, squats, crunches and jumping jacks so that Monday's class wouldn't result in the same trash-sprint.

Monday came and with 25 other people, I was right on track. Everything was fine, but I took the "mountain climbing" a little slower. Soreness on Tuesday was totally manageable compared to the previous week, so I was all ready for Wednesday's class. I went, and once again, I was the only student! Turns out that Monday's class is free for members, but Wednesday's isn't. Oh well. I worked out with the other instructor, and she had a different routine all together, which included some not so easy push-ups. Because she had so many pauses and breaks between sets, I felt like I didn't get enough of a workout, but I'm still glad I went. If it's just me for the rest of the semester, maybe I can have more say in what I'd like to do...

Tomorrow is Friday, and since I don't start teaching until the afternoon, Matt and I are going to pop into the gym for my first "machines" lesson. :) I'm really happy about everything, even though today my abs hurt when I cough and laugh, but I already feel stronger in my legs and hips/butt. Yay!

The only part of my body that hurts is the back of my neck... from grading. I have so so SO much school work to do before this trimester is over, and I can't seem to complete it in a more comfortable position for my neck.

Besides teaching every day and trying to finish up chapters, I've been grading regular homework, essays, quizzes and big tests! Then, I have final exams to finish writing. Next week Tuesday, my students take the exams, I grade them, write paragraph-long comments on each kid for their report card, get them approved by my department chair, and pack for the Dominican Republic--all before Friday 8pm!!!

Speaking of which, I'm very excited to go, but two things worry me: sleep and bugs.

First, sleep. On Friday night (in one week--AH!), all 42 students come together at 8pm and we sort all of the donations and weigh everyone's bags. We're staying the night all together in one room to avoid alarm clock problems, tardiness, etc. It will be an evening of pure excitement (exams over, spring break arrives, DR trip), and NO SLEEP. The bus comes at 3:30am to drive us to JFK and our flight leaves at 7am. It's too bad we are going to start the trip already tired. Boo.

Second, bugs. There is no need for anything else but a few un-photoshopped DR bug pictures to tell this story.


This bad boy needs red-eye reduction.

If I can survive this, AND regular exercise, I am superwoman.