Tag Archives: class

Another Try At The Fit Expo (or Finding My Place)

Posted on January 26, 2016 | 1 comment

I’ve written about the Fit Expo that I went to over the summer. I think it was pretty well understood that I felt so out-of-place while I was there and I didn’t really have a great time. I know that there were a lot of things working against me at that event. It was a bit of a drive to get there. Parking was not cheap. I had the torn calf and was in a lot of pain. And I’m sure that all of those things combined put me in a pretty bad mood.

So when I was given the opportunity to go to the Fit Expo and Evolution Fitness Conference in Los Angeles, I knew I had to give it another chance. I actually knew a lot of people who were going to be going. The women behind Tone It Up were going to be leading a class and a lot of the friends I’ve met through that workout program were going to see them. But since I had worked out with Tone It Up before, I decided to see what else I could try.

I went through all the class offerings and while there were a lot of things that sounded awesome, only a couple of things worked around my work schedule. So I decided to pick the 2 classes that sounded the best to me. One of those two classes was a POUND workout class. And my Disneyland buddy June happens to be working toward becoming a POUND instructor! So I sent her a message to see if she wanted to come with me, and she bought a ticket so she could join me for the classes!

Since the event was downtown, June and I took the light rail there. It was so much better than the drive I had to do to Anaheim before (and it was much cheaper than the parking near the convention center). June and I were at the check in table less than 30 minutes after we left!

The first thing we did was walk around the expo. It was just as crowded and overwhelming as it was last time. I think that I’m just not an expo type person. We did walk around and check out a bunch of different booths (I found some of my favorite water bottles there!) and we got a couple of food samples. We even ran into the Tone It Up trainers as we were walking in (they were hurrying over to take photos at their booth so we didn’t say hello). I really wanted to learn lots of stuff at the expo, but the noise and crowds didn’t make that easy for us.

So after doing a lap or so around the expo, it was time for us to take our POUND class. We actually saw 2 of the POUND instructors heading over to the class area, so we followed them so we wouldn’t get lost. It was nice walking over to the class area with them because they got to know us a bit (and find out that it would be my first POUND class and that June is in training for becoming an instructor), so by the time we were at the room for the class I was feeling better and less nervous.

They handed us our Ripstix and we had to wait for the class to start. Of course, we took a pre-class non-sweaty photo.

Pound Class

The class was really great! It had some elements that reminded me of SoulCycle (like how all the movements were to the beats in the music). June was next to me in class, so she was there in case I needed her. But fortunately, we got spots toward the front of the room so I was able to see the instructors really easily (there aren’t verbal cues in class, just visual).

It was a great workout, but it was a bit tough on my hips for me. There were a lot of sustained squats and lunges, and those aren’t the easiest for me. But I was sweating, having fun, and time flew by! I’m so glad that we went to that class because to be honest, I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. But now I know that I want to take some classes from time to time. There is a class near my house, but I am thinking about maybe getting the at-home kit so that I can do the workout when it’s a good time for me.

After the POUND class, June and I got some lunch (nothing too healthy because we stayed inside the convention center) and then headed to our next class: The Roll Model. I had signed up for this class because I used to do foam rolling, but I’ve definitely fallen off the foam rolling wagon. This class wasn’t necessarily foam rolling, but it had a lot of the same benefits and I was curious what would be said.

We all got a set of the rubber balls that we were going to use in the class when we walked in.

The Roll Model

Of course in my head, I said that I wouldn’t be buying them but that was before we took the class. The class was definitely designed for trainers and coaches, so some of the technical things were a bit confusing. But I don’t need to know the muscular system and the technical benefits to rolling to be able to do it.

The instructor guided us through the different ways we can use the balls and the reasons why some of them are better than others. And within the first few minutes of the class, I turned to June and said that I knew that I had to buy these because my body was feeling so great after using them! We did some work on our gluten as an example and then were told to walk around. I was shocked to find out that my hips felt more aligned than they had in a long time and my stride was much more normal! I couldn’t believe that doing this made that much of a difference, but there was no denying it!

After the class was done (it was about 90 minutes so we got a lot of rolling work done), I got in line to buy the set of balls we used so that I could do this work at home. I’ve already been doing it at home and I wish I had known about this sooner! My pain is not gone, but it’s different in a good way. Hopefully over time things will just keep improving!

After The Roll Model class, we were ready to head home. We had been at the event for several hours and we were both tired and relaxed after the classes we took. So we walked back to the light rail station and headed back to our side of town.

I’m so glad that I was offered the chance to go to the Fit Expo and Evolution Fitness Conference again! Clearly, my second experience was significantly better than my first! I’ve learned that while I might not be an expo type person, the classes were so wonderful and I wish that my schedule would have allowed me to do more of them. Maybe next year, I’ll be able to go both days and do 4 or 5 classes over the weekend!

Thanks again to the Evolution Fitness Conference for inviting me to the Los Angeles event. You have changed my mind on what these events are all about and how so many people can benefit from attending!

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Graduation Show (or Completing Improv 101)

Posted on December 16, 2015 | 1 comment

This past Sunday was the graduation show for my improv class. The way that UCB runs their classes is that the class has 8 classes that are 3 hours each (typically 1 class a week unless it’s the intensive class which means 4 times a week for 2 weeks) and at the end you have a graduation show.

I had been a bit nervous about the graduation show because it felt like we hadn’t been told too much about how it would work. But I’m used to short-form improv where it is game based and not scene based. So the nerves were unnecessary because we pretty much did the same thing that we had been doing in the past few classes.

Our class was split into 2 groups (there were 12 of us doing the graduation show) and each group thought of a team name. My group was going second so we sat in the audience for the first half and got to watch our classmates perform. The audience was made up of us from the other group and friends and family that we invited to the show (I didn’t have any friends or family in the audience, but I only told people about it a few days in advance). Before I knew it, it was our turn to go backstage and get ready.

When my group started, we got a suggestion of one word to start things off. Then one person said a personal monologue and we created 3 scenes from that monologue. After the 3 scenes were done, another monologue was done followed by 3 scenes. In total, my group had 3 monologues and 8 or 9 scenes. And I initiated a few, joined in on a few, and did walk ons in a few. We had about 25 minutes on stage, and it rushed by so fast. And since the lights on the stage were so bright, I never felt like I was performing for an audience. I felt like we were performing to our classmates the way we did in the classroom.

Overall, I feel pretty good about how I did and how the entire class did as a whole. And I think that we were all pretty excited about completing the graduation show.

UCB 101

The only thing that I was a bit sad about was that we didn’t really seem to bond as a group until the last week or so. There was the awkwardness at the beginning and then just feeling the personalities of the group out. And we really felt like a team at our last class and then again in the show. I’m not sure if making the class longer than 8 weeks would have helped, but it was a bit sad to say goodbye to everyone when I felt like I was just getting to know them.

UCB Graduation

We don’t find out if we failed the first level of improv until we register for the next class (if we failed, they will let us know that there was a problem). I’m still thinking that I’d like to go on to the next level and possibly do all 4 levels eventually. I’ve got a year to sign up for level 201 before I have to repeat 101 and I have a feeling that I’ll be signing up sooner than next fall. I just need to get the money together for it (I might have extra money left over after I pay my 2015 taxes) and figure out a time that works with my schedule.

I’m so glad that I finally jumped in and took another improv class. While I still miss Kip all the time and wished I had heard his laugh in the audience (he had the best and most distinctive laugh), I think he would have been happy that I moved on and continued my education. I don’t know if I want to join a troupe after I complete all the levels (if I do that), but I’m taking things one step at a time and just focusing on taking level 201 now.

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Making Strides In Class (or Relaxing And Having Fun)

Posted on November 20, 2015 | 2 comments

My improv class this week went really well. In fact, I think this might have been the best class I’ve had so far. I’m still on the fence about moving on to the next level of improv, but like I said before I’m focusing on how much I can get out of the class I’m in.

I had a few moments in class where I either didn’t hear things correctly or said something off that threw the scene or game that we were doing, but none of those moments were big screw-ups like I’ve had before. It’s not that I wasn’t listening before, but my focus in the past was to unlearn “bad” habits from my other improv training. And when I’ve been doing that it’s hard to focus on the game at hand. So I stopped trying to ignore and unlearn what I’ve learned in the past and I used it in class.

And that actually paid off! I’m not sure why I was so scared of doing that before. I know that I didn’t want to feel like a show-off or do something so weird that the teacher wondered why I did it. But that fear had really set me back and I think prevented me from performing to the best of my ability in the previous weeks. This past week, I had some really great scenes and I felt like I got more positive notes from the teacher than critiques.

I do feel a bit like a show-off at times or that I’m commanding the scene and I’m really working on that. I’m trying not to overshadow my fellow actors if it feels like the scene is going that way. It can be tough because sometimes I can feel that the other person might be struggling and I just want to help them. But helping them can also prevent them from having their fair time. And when only a few people out of the group get to do something special (we used a few personal monologues this past week to help inspire scenes), I’m not always trying to take a turn.

It’s a fine balance I’m trying to find between performing to the best of my abilities and hogging a scene. I know I’m not the best person in class, but I also know that I’m a bit of an aggressive performer. I’ve had to learn in the past to be fearless and to just go with it. But sometimes that can seem like I’m trying to show-off or steal the spotlight from someone else.

I think it was easier for me in the past because with the first improv troupe I performed with, we all kind of came into the class at the same level. We had dabbed in improv, but none of us have really taken a class. In my class now, there are some people who have never taken a class before and there are people who have done years of improv training (I’m kind of in the middle). It also might have been easier in the past because I was either working with a group doing short form improv (which are the quick fun game) or working alone doing an improv interview when I was in Kip’s class.

Now, we are doing longer scenes and there isn’t a gimmick to the game. It’s just trying to be as truthful to the scene as possible. I think that this is better for my acting career than learning the games that I’ve done before, but it’s not easy. It’s hard to stay based in reality when you have no idea what is coming up next (or if you get a super weird suggestion). But I’m really enjoying the challenge and I think having fun in the class is the most important thing.

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Halfway Through Class (or Not Thinking About The Next Step)

Posted on November 13, 2015 | Comments Off on Halfway Through Class (or Not Thinking About The Next Step)

I’m halfway through my UCB class. In about 4 weeks I’ll be doing my 101 graduation show. That show still terrifies me a bit because I feel like we (or at least I) won’t be ready in time, but I’m trying to put that fear in the back of my head and focus on what we are doing now in class.

Each week in class, we do focus on a particular aspect of improv. This past week was all about characters. While I’ve done character work before, I really enjoyed this class because new ideas on character types were mentioned that I’ve never used before. I’m surprised that I never thought of some of these types (like being high class vs. low class) never came up in my past studies. But I’m glad I know them now for the future.

I did have a bit of difficulty in class with some of the character work. There was one mimic game that we played and I went first. I was a bit unclear on the instructions (if I was supposed to mimic an accent or just the general attitude of the other person) so I had to start over several times. I also hate having to do accents because they are extremely tough for me to do. I’m partially tone deaf (it’s why I’m not a music person) so accents sound funny to me. I can hear someone and thing that I’m mimicking it perfectly but in reality I’m not doing any accent.

After starting over several times, I decided to just focus on the attitude of the other person and made it through the game. But that set back really was tough on me. I don’t think I’m the best actor or best improviser out there, but since I was so confused I wish that I had more instructions or that I asked more questions so I knew what was expected. All the other students seemed to mimic the attitude and not the accent so I guess I made the right choice.

This week I also went to another improv show. This one was a show that was performed by teachers from UCB (my teacher wasn’t in it). It was a really great show and even though I’ve fulfilled my 2 show viewing requirement I’m thinking of going to that show again next week (it’s a rotating cast).

Some of my fellow students are already starting to think about taking improv 201 as soon as we are done. I’m still torn on if I’m going to continue or not. I’d like to complete all 4 levels just to say that I’ve done it. The cost is a bit of a set back. I think I have a year from the time I graduate improv 101 to decide if I’m going to take 201, so I’m going to allow myself some time to think about it all. I like not having to commit to the next level right away and I want to make sure that I’m making the best choice financially as well as for my acting career.

For now, I’m just going to focus on enjoying the last few weeks of my class, having a great graduation show, and doing the most growth I can in the class.

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More Comfortable In Improv Class (or Making Friends With My Classmates)

Posted on November 4, 2015 | Comments Off on More Comfortable In Improv Class (or Making Friends With My Classmates)

I’ve gone through 3 weeks of my improv class so far. So I’m almost halfway done with this first level! I still miss Kip quite a bit in class, especially when the things we do are very similar to what I did in his class. But I’m also feeling much better about moving on.

I’m getting comfortable in the class too. It’s always awkward at first when you are thrown into a class with 15 strangers. And we’ve had a couple of people who either haven’t been able to make it to another class after the first one or who have dropped out. But the 14 of us still in the class have started to bond a bit.

When I went to the improv show after my first week of class, I went by myself because I didn’t have anyone to go with. I had a good time there, but I wished that there was someone there to laugh with and chat about the show afterward. But I’m starting to friend my classmates on Facebook so we can try to meet up for a show in the future (I’m still required to see 1 more show, but I’m hoping to go to more than that).

I went out to lunch after class this week with one of my classmates and really got to know her better. She and I are some of the older people in class (many of them seem to be in their early twenties) so it was nice to get to chat about more grown up things. And it turns out that she had a very similar hip surgery to what I had!

Getting to know my classmates has made my performances in class better. I’m not trying to look good or impress anyone. Even though I’ve had several years of improv training (and doing shows), things at UCB are different and I’m working on breaking old habits as well as rebuilding new ones. But the freedom that I’m starting to feel is really great.

Just this past week, we had a game where we had to sing different songs. That was going to be an issue for me for a couple of reasons. First, I can’t sing and I’m pretty much tone-deaf. And second, I don’t know many songs. Fortunately, I do know show tunes and was able to use them for the game (I actually think every song I sang was a show tune). Nobody made fun of me for my horrible singing. And when I didn’t know more than one line of the song, they sang with me so I could try to remember.

All of these things are making me feel better about having our class performance in a little over a month. It’s coming up so quickly and hopefully we will be pretty bonded as a group and will be able to do a fun show. I’m thinking about going to another level 1 graduation show to see how it works. That might make me feel a bit better about what I am expected to do. Right now, I have it in my head that it will be like a full-out show. I don’t think that will be the case, but unless I see it for myself I will have that same idea.

I know I’ve said this before, but I’m so glad that I was able to get the money together to do this first level of classes at UCB. I’m still debating about doing the next level, but I don’t have to decide that anytime soon (nor do I have the money to do that anytime soon). But the feeling that I’ve gotten from being in this class now has made me so happy and my only regret is that I wasn’t able to do it sooner.

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Homework and Other Work (or Taking My Class Seriously)

Posted on October 27, 2015 | 1 comment

I’ve now completed two weeks of my 8 week UCB Improv 101 class. The class is going well so far. It’s still a lot of review of basics for me, but that’s never a bad thing. And some of the basics at UCB are different from the basics in other improv classes I’ve been in since this is long form improv and not short form improv (short form is about games like on “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”). It’s a little crazy to think that we are a quarter of the way through the class and at the end we are doing a show, but I’m sure things will be moving faster the closer we get to our show and it won’t seem as odd that we are performing in front of guests.

I’m debating if I will be doing Improv 201. I have a feeling I will be doing it because that’s more of the scene work and less of the basics, and that’s what I want to do. I’m not sure how soon I’ll have the $400 for class ready, but I’m hoping it won’t be too long (I think there are also some work-study opportunities at UCB to help bring down the price of class).

Even though my 101 class is the basics, I’m taking things seriously. I do take notes during class and I’m listening to all the critiques that the teacher gives me and the other students. There is a book that all students are required to read and I’m working on it.

UCB Book

I’ve actually had the book for a while because I knew it was a requirement for the class and I was hoping to do the class earlier in the year. So I got it on Amazon a while ago and have had it in my room waiting for when I got into the class (I’m not sure why I didn’t start reading it sooner, but what matters is that I’m reading it now).

The other thing that all students (or at least students in Improv 101) have to do is to see 2 shows during the 8 week class. We really don’t have to see the 2 shows until the end of the class, but it’s recommend that we see them as soon as possible because it will help us in class.

So I took that advice seriously and went to a show last Thursday. It was a musical improv show (not something that I’d do myself, but I was happy to see it) and it was so awesome! The performers were super talented and it’s so impressive that they can sing a song that is being made up on the spot together and they really tend to be singing the same thing (I don’t get how they do that?!?).

I’m not sure if I’ll be able to see a show every week, but I’m really going to try to. It might be tough with some of my schedules for the next few weeks, but maybe there are a few weeks that I can see more than one show. Just because we only have to see 2 shows doesn’t mean I’m only going to see 2 shows.

I’m starting to make friends in my class, so that will help make my scenes better in class (not as awkward) and we are trying to go see shows together as a group since when I went alone it was a little lonely and not as fun as it could be.

Just because the class is all about the basics doesn’t mean that I’m not trying to get the most out of it that I can and hopefully doing that will help me make the decision if I want to keep doing more levels. I’m really enjoying being back in class and I didn’t realize how much I missed it until I started at UCB. I’m glad to have this back in my life and I know that it’s only doing positive things for me.

I’m seriously so glad that I finally got the money together and over my fear of going back into improv class.

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Back To School (or Another Round Of Improv)

Posted on October 20, 2015 | 2 comments

I’ve been saying that this would be a goal of mine for a while, but yesterday I officially started improv classes at UCB! I was able to save up the money for the class in August, but I had to wait until there was a class time that worked with my schedule (I wasn’t going to quit my job to attend a class that lasts 8 weeks).

Finally, there was a Monday mid-day class on the registration list and I paid right away to guarantee my spot. I signed up a little while ago, so I’ve had a lot of time to think about going back into an improv class.

This is my first improv class since my beloved acting coach, Kip, passed away 5 years ago. Maybe if money and the schedule wasn’t an issue that I would have taken a class earlier this year. But before this year, I wasn’t ready to do an improv class. Kip was very influential in my life and I was scared that doing improv was going to make me sad.

Fortunately, the class didn’t do that to me yesterday. There were times that made me think of him because the lessons we were doing were identical to things I used to do in Kip’s class (which I found ironic because Kip was a founding member of a different improv company), but I think that overall the class was great and I’m looking forward to the next 7 weeks.

Besides my classes with Kip, I’ve done a couple of years of improv training with a different troupe. But because it wasn’t very well-known (even though it’s based in LA), many casting directors are asking for actors to study improv with one of the big schools. So taking this class at UCB is helping me accomplish that.

In the first class, it was a lot of introduction to improv. There are some people in the class who have never taken improv, and I needed to learn the style and rules of the improv games that UCB does. And it was a good refresher course for me to make sure that I’m the most supportive team member that I can be.

I have to say, I was very impressed with the UCB setup. I’m used to taking improv classes in a casting room (after hours) or at the theater where the shows would take place. But at UCB, they have a big building with dozens of classrooms, a theater, and a cafe. It was more like a school than a theater, and I really liked that.

UCB Classroom

I have a bit of homework to do before my next class on Monday next week, and I’m really going to try my best to get it all done plus do a little extra. Just because this is an introduction to improv class doesn’t mean I’m going to slack off. I’m taking this seriously and maybe after completing this class I will feel at home here and will continue to take the next set of classes.

I’m glad that I was able to get together the funds and a class worked out with my schedule. After taking my first class, I don’t feel the same pull holding me back from taking classes that might “replace” Kip. I’m aware that that was a weird issue to have, but because Kip was such a huge part of my life, I had trouble moving on. But I feel like I’m finally at that point and I’m excited to see how I can use what he taught me over the years in a new space with new people.

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MasterClass (or Another Online Community)

Posted on May 22, 2015 | Comments Off on MasterClass (or Another Online Community)

I mentioned yesterday how my mentoring circle is really pushing me to better myself in my acting career. Now that I finally have a second day job with regular hours, I’m finally able to save up for acting classes.

I’ve been wanting to take improv classes for a while and each level of classes at the school I want to go to is $400. I’ve been saving up and had about $100 saved, but then another great opportunity came my way.

A friend of mine told me about a new online class called MasterClass. And one of the classes taught online is a course on acting taught by Dustin Hoffman.

The idea of MasterClass is that it is a video class taught by professionals in that particular industry. Besides the videos there are homework assignments, workbooks, and online communities to help you in the class.

I checked it out a bit and read some reviews from people who already started (nobody has completed the class yet since it only went live last week) and decided that this would be something worthwhile to spend my money on. The classes cost $90 for the entire thing and you will have lifetime access to it. So I can go through each video as many times as I would like to. There are 24 videos and it’s designed to be a 6 week course.

As soon as I purchased it, I downloaded and printed my workbook and watched the first video.

MasterClass

I’ll admit that I’ve only gotten through the first video, but I’m already loving it! The first video was more of an introduction type of video and the next few are watching Dustin Hoffman instructing 2 actors in a class setting. And after that are classes on script work.

But I have gone through the workbook and have looked at the homework and other assignments. Some of the assignments are watching movies and taking notes and some are working on scripts with friends or other MasterClass participants over Skype.

You can comment below any of the video classes and interact with other students and there is also a Facebook community for those taking the class. While I haven’t gotten to the part of the class where I need to work with other students, I love that the community is there and that the work can be done either in person or Skype.

Right now, I have a few friends who are also doing the MasterClass program, but we aren’t doing things at the same pace. I’d love to do the 4 classes a week like it’s laid out to be, but I’m not sure if that’s possible. But I’m going to go through them at my own pace and when I complete it I complete it.

While this did deplete my savings for the improv class that I want to take, it went to something that I feel is worthwhile and can almost hold me over until I have the money saved for the improv class. With having 2 regular jobs now (and hopefully getting some occasional babysitting work), I’m hoping to have the $400 saved before my birthday. And if not, I will be using birthday money to pay for the class.

I like that I have a plan and a new class in my life. It really makes me feel like I’m taking steps to better my acting career and not just waiting around for things to happen. Even though I wasn’t waiting around, now it feels like there is action and progress being made. And that alone is motivating me to do more and more.

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Default ThumbnailBack To School (or Another Round Of Improv) Default ThumbnailFiguring Out The Next Step (or I Need To Keep Acting) Default ThumbnailProductive One Way And Slacking In Another (or Working On Finding Time) Default ThumbnailFinding A Community (or Online Motivation) Default ThumbnailHomework and Other Work (or Taking My Class Seriously) Default ThumbnailMore Comfortable In Improv Class (or Making Friends With My Classmates)

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Posted in Acting, Fun Stuff

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Back To School (or Getting Prepared For Another Of My Day Jobs)

Posted on August 20, 2014 | Comments Off on Back To School (or Getting Prepared For Another Of My Day Jobs)

Somehow, even though it feels like I have 1,000 different day jobs, I really have it down to 4. I have working at the box office during shows at the theater company where I used to do telesales, I have the survey coding job (which is the graveyard shift one right now), I have a new box office job from home that will be starting next week, and I have substitute teaching. I also have babysitting and dog sitting, but since those are few and far between, I’m not quite counting them.

I’ve been a substitute teacher with a small public school district by my house since 2007. I used to work more often, but when I did telesales I really didn’t have any days that I could work.

Now that a new school year is starting up, I’m getting prepared to possibly have some sub days in the future (although right now it looks like I can only work on Mondays).

Since I’ve been with my district, they’ve never really trained the subs. We were hired and then starting working as soon as possible. But they are trying to change that and make communication better between regular employees of the schools and the subs.

So this past Monday, I attended my first substitute training class. It was a half day in the morning (and we got paid to attend!), and I’m really glad that I got to go.

I really don’t know any of the subs so it was nice to meet some new people. And they did have some really helpful hints and tips for being more effective in the classroom that I know I will use if I get a chance to sub this year.

The three hour training went by pretty quickly, and when it was done, I had a chance to speak with the woman who pretty much organizes all the subs for the district. Part of the requirements for subbing include keeping your certification up to date (I pay every year to keep things current) and having a current TB test on file (which needs to be done every 4 years).

For me, the TB test can get a little annoying. I can’t do the standard skin test. In 2001, I tested positive for exposure to TB. I never had it (or any signs of having it) and they put me on medication for a year just to be sure. But as far as I know, my skin test will always come up positive. And I don’t want to have to deal with taking the medication again as a precaution.

So I get chest x-rays to prove that I don’t have TB. Sadly, my private health insurance won’t cover those. Even though a skin test is free, the chest x-rays would be about $500 to do.

Fortunately, my district is willing to pay for me to get tested at a clinic near the schools. So as soon as my meeting was done, I got my paperwork to get my chest x-ray and headed over to the clinic.

I lucked out getting there when I did because there was only one person ahead of me. Before I knew it, I was in the x-ray room getting ready (you keep your shirt on but have to remove any metal which for me was my necklace and bra).

The x-ray was really quick and the doctor at the clinic was able to review it right away. As expected, my chest x-ray was negative so I am cleared to work for the next 4 years in my district (I do still have to turn in my paperwork from the clinic, but I have 2 months before it’s due).

School in the district I work for starts next week. I don’t expect to have any sub days for the first few weeks, but you never know. At least I feel more prepared than I ever have for the coming school year!

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Posted in Fun Stuff, Health, Work

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Going Orange Again (or Having A Successful Second Workout)

Posted on June 12, 2014 | 1 comment

My first experience at OrangeTheory Fitness was good, but the few days after it were pretty painful. But I didn’t want to be scared of any workouts, especially because this one was so different from anything else I’ve ever done.

So as crazy as it sounds, I went back to OrangeTheory this week! I tried an after work class, which in itself is challenging for me. When I workout in the morning, I know exactly what I should eat before working out. I almost always have a glass of chocolate milk (I like the 100 calorie pre-packaged kind). But working out in the afternoon means trying to figure out what to put into my body for breakfast, lunch, and most likely a snack before working out and hoping that it won’t make me nauseous (either from feeling full or feeling light-headed).

I managed to do ok with my food this week, so I was only nervous about the class. Check in was much easier this time since they know me there now (I was even greeted by name when I walked in the door!). I got a heart rate monitor from the front desk and got ready to workout.

This time, I tried doing the treadmill workout first and the rowing and strength second. The treadmill was still tough on my hips, but I think that that is something that won’t go away (it’s similar to the pain I get sometimes doing my 5Ks). I did push myself a bit with the incline on the treadmill, but I kept my pace a bit slower than I’d like to be.

For rowing and weights, I did as much as I could. There was one round of squats that I didn’t do so well because I’m scared to hurt my quads again. And we had to do burpees, which is something I’ve never done before. The instructor showed me how to do modified ones (basically making them low-impact instead of high-impact). I did a couple, but I have to say that burpees make me feel dizzy! The instructor said that some people experience that because you are going from upright to parallel to the floor so quickly and often. But I took some breaks and managed to do my sets.

Overall, my workout didn’t burn quite as many calories as my first one did, but I still did pretty awesome.

jenlevin@mac.com_20140610T1615

Again, the green zone is the fat burning zone and I managed to stay in that for almost the entire class!

And I’m happy to report that I don’t feel any crazy pain after this workout! So clearly I just pushed myself way too hard the first time.

I really enjoyed the class again and I’m planning on going back hopefully next week. If anyone wants to join me, let me know! I believe that you get your first class for free!

 

 

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Default ThumbnailBack To Back Workouts (or It’s Hell Week) Default ThumbnailWeird Workout Times (or My Final Workouts Before My 5K) Default ThumbnailCan 4 Workout A Week Be My New Normal? (or Pushing Myself Beyond) Default Thumbnail4 Workout Week (or Getting Some Friends To Come Try Orangetheory) Default ThumbnailSpending The Next 2 Months Going Orange! (or A Bombshell Partnership!) Default ThumbnailGetting Through It Because Of My Workout Friends (or 3 Days In A Row)

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