Cooperatively Competitive

Amanda mentioned yesterday that she picked up a racket, goggles, and other squash gear from Sport Chek. Luckily for me, this isn't another attempt to burn my flesh in some exotic way. No, tomorrow Amanda is gearing up for her first squash match.

I've been pressuring her into taking this step ever since we've met. From the beginning of this year, I've been playing at least 1-2 games of squash a week with friends of mine from work. I love the sport, and wanted to bring Amanda along for the exercise.

What is squash?

Squash is a cousin sport to tennis. Instead of a huge outdoor court, you're put in a cubicle room. The rackets are lighter to carry, and the balls are made out of a lighter foam material. There are analogous rules about out of bounds, and proper serving, but I'm not going to focus on that part.

Why is it a good couple sport?

All the time at the gym, I see different pairs of couples playing squash together. To an outsider of the sport, it isn't immediately obvious why this would be over any other sport. Sure, there's the shared exercise aspect, but you can get that in other things too.

• There are no inherit gender advantages to this sport. Most of your swinging is going to be done with your wrist, leaving men and women on equal playing grounds. Speed and agility are more important.
• Even when you're losing, you're still winning. If your skill is lower than the other player, then there is no doubt you're in for a great workout. I find that even when I'm badly losing, I don't notice that I'm getting a workout.
• You want the other person to succeed and become better. You become addicted to long rallies. Dominating the other player means that you don't work as hard and its not going to be satisfying. You will want to help each other to get better.

Squash is a great workout, a fun game, and a great couple sport.

Welcome to the world of squash. You're in for a hell of a ride.

Kalon

Productive day after a lonely night

Hey everyone,

So it seems I'm going to be the main attraction on this thing lol...I tend to talk a lot and I like to share so i hope that's cool with everyone. There is a lot going on and nothing going on all at the same time - if that makes any sense.

I had an AWESOME Wal-mart run today. Found an alternative to vinegar to keep the ants out of my apartment (hopefully it works because I hate thinking about fish and chips everytime I enter my place). The smell triggers that thought in my head, just like when Kal hums the theme song to Sanford and Son (Bum bum buuuuun um, bum bum buuuuuun um bun um bun um) GOD I HATE THAT! It just gets stuck in there every time!.

I also bought a squash racket (racquet?) because Kal is supposed to teach me how to play this weekend. I am hoping those plans pan out, same with Toy Story 3 tomorrow night. We keep hitting bumps which sucks so early in the relationship but that's not that point of the blog so I'll just have to keep on trucking to the next subject. I can only be myself, even when that person isn't so pretty or motivated or happy all the time. The sun can't shine everyday (Good song by the way: "We're here for a good time" by Trooper)

I got a lead for a job at Old Navy, not exactly the type of job I was looking for BUT I love to fold stuff (make things look pretty) AND I'd save thousands with my employee discount based on how much I spend there annually. Minimum wage here we come!!! :) This also means that I would be able to have consistent exercise walking to the #31 bus for my shifts, another plus for my goals/objectives.

Ok I'm going to go watch one of the two channels my tv gets (well technically there are three...but the third is French so it doesn't count, come on...seriously...french? And what peeves me is that sometimes there are actually pretty good movies from the 90's on there but they dub over the english. lol Jerks.

oh and I updated my "Her Progress" page on the side to include a calendar of my exercise progress and stuff, check it out!

Laters!
Fudge

Today's Tid Bit about Kal  - I'll keep these blog related so I don't end up crossing any lines BUT did you know that he DOESN'T like parmesan cheese on his spaghetti (or pasta in general). WTF right? The fattening stuff on top is one of the best parts! Well he's saving himself some calories so GOOD JOB BUBS! *high five*

My turn!!!

Good Morning!

You can tell who writes what because Kal and I have very different writing personalities. He writes like a science project and I write how I speak. SO you know just from the first lines that this post is ALLLLL MIIIINNE! 

There is so much to tell you since my last post ...but where to start hrrmrmmm

Well it's come to my attention that I am allergic to the outside world. For some reason London makes me sneeze and my eyes itch and my throat/tongue to be itchy. It's weird because I've never had much of a problem with allergies before...except for, you know, the sun, some water, pineapple, banana (though I still eat them :oP) umm.....fabric softner, scented soaps...yes ...I was "one of those kids" lol.

The next big thing is Kal encountered his first "AMANDA HISSY FIT" ever and it was a good one too lol. I was making supper at his place and my potatoes overcooked in his oven (his tempermental oven that decides when it feels like working or not). Anyway, my baked sweet potato fries overcooked and I was trying to remake them but Kal kept cleaning up around me, behind me, in front of me and then decided to load the dishwasher in front of the counter I had the cutting board and potatoes and OMG I just wanted him out of the way but NO HINT could be grasped. I even accidently splattered him in the face with hot oil when I was checking to see if it was hot enough. Kitchen was NOT big enough for the two of us. I ended up getting really frustrated and venting it alllll out.......then instantly regretted it as soon as I saw his face. I felt sooo bad...especially when he gave me a back rub to "calm me down" (What did I do to deserve him?!?!?!). Dinner turned out pretty good though, we had marinated teriyaki beef kabobs with red/yellow peppers and onions with a side of sweet potato fries.

After kissing and making up, we baked cookies!! Three dozen chewy reverse chocolate chip cookies with reece chips. Not the healthiest snack but they were SOOOO good! In order to control ourselves, I told Kal to pack up the rest and take them to work to share but he said NO...seriously. If you work with Kalon...now you know that HE HAS COOKIES AND IS TOTALLY HOLDING OUT ON YOU!!!! Now, when it comes to drinking, I am a light weight (no joke and those of you who know me - know this very well lol) so when Kal and I shared a couple beer while waiting for the cookies to bake, I suddenly become super inebriated. I overlooked the fact that (beer + allergy meds) = Amanda dancing to the Beatles in the living room and Kal having to put her down on the couch for a nap. When he woke me up for bedtime - the kitchen was clean and the sheets on the bed were changed and made and it was just ....perfect <3


It is "girly week" on this end and I have had the worst chocolate/sweets consumption over the past 5 days than I think anyone ever has before in history....but I'll save that for our weekly confessions post...it's going to be a doozey (*Maury Povich guest yelling at audience* " You don't knooooow me, don't be judging me"). I'm sure the scale has moved no where but up...but I have a goal dress to take pictures of and have been keeping track of all my walking!!! Stay tuned!

Talk soon!
Amanda

Today's Tid Bit about Kal:  He wears socks only for show. He doesn't care if they are full of holes (KAL if there is a hole in your sock it defeats the purpose of being a sock, just throw it out already! lol)