6 posts tagged “stripper pole”

Were there any unusual earthquakes around 5am PDT? I read that Reno has been shaking, nearly nonstop, for 2 months now and no one knows why - maybe they had another big one? I ask only because my back went into intense "earthquake ache" around 1:30a. I finally got to sleep around 2:30am, by sprawling sideways across my bed, along my pillows with my feet hanging off the side of the bed. Woke back up around 5, back still bothering me and HAD to get out of bed - severy antsies (ansies? ants in my pantsies?). Anyhoo... maybe just paranoia on my part but combo frequently indicates earthquakes in bizarre locations.

I finally took 1/2 a xanax (to chill my brain) and 1/2 a darvocet (to chill my knee) and headed back to bed. The darvo is still working great - but I need to remember to take another 1/2 before workout tonight. And let's not forget the 1/2 a (prescription) amphetamine I took to get me through the day/workout. Who needs food & rest when you have coffee & pills? (don't bitch at me - I'm not serious!)

Speaking of workouts: I scheduled a 2hr private class with Yannori for May 11. That's gonna be a killer - but she's a good instructor so it's money & time well spent. I was actually craving freestyling today (to Morcheeba "One Love Karma") but know I would have hated it if I'd actually had the opp. But, still, I'm considering going back to S Factor next session - maybe even 2 classes a week (1 in OC and 1 in LA - with Coco). But that's all just big talk/dreams right now - sign ups are still 4 weeks away and the next session doesn't start for 7 more weeks. Plus, I still need to check out Kristin's new studio/classes.

There was another episode of MIA kitties last night. Boo was missing for so long that I was freaked out to the point of nearly being in tears - I really convinced myself that loud cars had scared to off to the point of being lost. I've confirmed that they're popping the broken crawl space screen, which leads to the side street, open (after I wedge it shut). I need to block it but don't have anything to put there (such as a potted plant) that won't be stolen before I get home. So I guess Boo is going to be stuck inside till the weekend, when I can buy slab of wood to close the exit. I'll made a new screen later (there are about a 15 others so airflow is not a problem).

Haven't gotten around to putting away my clean laundry. It's in piles on my (dirty) bedroom floor. Most of it will have to be re-dried to remove wrinkles. I've reached amazing new levels of "I can't be bothered" at home. Pathetic.

Still hoping for a miracle diagnosis/cure from the metabolic tests. Follow up is May 8.

Oh... I heard from the FGNs!! Can you believe that? It's been over 6 months since we've had any contact - probably more than a year since we've actually talked. They invited me to a Master's Degree party for Riley (Drew got his a couple years ago). I have 10 days to think of a present (I got Drew a $125 bottle of champagne).

What else? Miss Kitty's party this Sat night. I won't be in theme (Sunken City) - other than maybe the totally cute teal glitter eyeliner I bought last week (cause that's what every 45yr old needs).

Okay... I'm gonna go buy some shoes.

Note: DVD shown at right is not the same as what's included with the Xpole. I'm guessing that the pictured DVD includes more moves - but it may not. While this link is to Amazon UK, the DVD can also be purchased directly through Vertical Leisure (I didn't pay attention to pricing so I don't know if there's a difference).

The first portion of the DVD, or at least the free one included with the X-Pole, is on assembly and installation of the pole - including how to make it spinning/stationary. It's a VERY handy demo! If you bought their pole, watch it.

The workout portion of the DVD included a simple but effective stretching warmup, 6 basic pole moves - including some minor variations on those moves, a couple standing pole transitions, and a floor-to-standing transition.

The DVD isn't the most professional as far as lighting and location - but I think that works in their favor because this is intended as a home workout instruction... and they demo in a home, instead of a studio. The moves are demonstrated VERY well - first by professional Katie Coates, then by her ultra-beginner friend, Jill.

It's nice to see Jill screw up - I'm glad they included that, as it provides excellent examples of what other beginners are likely to do incorrectly (without even realizing it) and how to correct common mistakes. Plus, it gives a real life example of how some tricks are just harder to learn. The result is that you don't feel like a complete doofus if you can't master the moves on the first try - or the next 20.

Katie does an awesome job explaining hand & body positions (both of which are essential to successful pole tricks),  breaking down moves into individual pieces, and repeating the moves a few times so viewers can get a good set of examples without getting completely bored.

The pace of the DVD is extremely slow, but that makes the X-Pole instructional DVD an awesome tool for its intended audience: extreme beginners - and those of us who've been doing pole dance classes for awhile but still need more practice.

A nice bonus at the end of the DVD: They ENCOURAGE copy and distribution to others.

It seemed like a good idea... put the stripper (aka: Festivus) pole together. Not all tightened down & installed (it's going in a different room)... just assemble it. Well... not so fast!

It turns out that the top anchor weighs... i dunno... a gabillion pounds? The "correct" method of installation requires two people: One to hold the base steady, the another to climb a ladder, lower the top half onto the bottom half and adjust the top screw so that the top anchor is against the ceiling.

I thought I'd be able to guesstimate it and do it myself but no way!! The top portion is far too heavy!! And if it's not the right size (which, due to the need to screw the top down onto the bottom half of the pole, it can't be), the whole thing will fall over, and take out anything in it's path (such as my new windows).

So, for now, this is my Festivus setup:

However... since I touched it, and it's my Festivus pole, I'm starting early on...

The Airing of Grievances:

• I planned today for running errands, seeing chiro, making appts, etc. But I don't feel like doing any of it!
• My house is a disaster area! Alternate plan for today was for housecleaning and/or gardening. Not gonna happen.
• One of the X-pole rods had black gunk on the oil gunk that looked rather like mold. I now wonder if, by touching it, I've given myself a fatal illness.
  
• I thought I'd been imagining odd electronic noises for the last 24 hrs but found out that the watches bought for charity have alarms and hourly chimes set. I further found out that one of the watches doesn't have a manual enclosed. Now I have to go to Target and exchange it for one with a manual. This has to be done today - because the gifts are due Wednesday and still need to be wrapped.
  
• I realized that I didn't ask for gift receipts for the CD Players bought for charity. So I also have to go to CircuitCity, today, and see if they can print gift receipts from an old purchase. If not, I have to return the players and repurchase them individually.
  
• It's COLD again. I DON'T LIKE COLD WEATHER!!
  
• Daytime TV sucks.
• My knees and my stomach are both still upset.
• I forgot to by paper towel last night and now I'm out - so add a stop at Walgreen's today's stupid errands.
• My house smells "stupid" because Walgreen's only had "amber & rose" or food-scented (vanilla, berries, peach) AirWick refills (I use them and had a coupon). I won't buy the food scents because I realized they make me crave sweets.
  

As for the Feats of Strength: I have S Factor class tonight, and it's Pole night (no dancing, all pole practice) so that will have to count.

Happy Festivus!!

I finally opened the box for my X-Pole. Did some measuring and sample pics for someone who's shopping for a pole. Might get a wild hair and assemble the thing - though I haven't yet made room to actually install & USE it.

Pic1: X-Pole ceiling mount (14" diameter), 2 randomly assembled pole pieces (you can barely see the joint), and one of the unexpected free travel bags.

FedEx: When it absolutely, positively, has to be delivered while no one is home to sign.
They did "final attempt" on my stripper pole today - at 2pm, despite my note, yesterday, of "PLEASE ATTEMPT DELIVERY BEFORE NOON". The office said that I do NOT need to sign in person. Apparently the driver keeps checking the wrong signature box. But his computer notes said that despite 3rd attempt today, he's going to try again tomorrow. I'll leave the signed slip on my door and, with any luck, he'll attempt delivery before I leave or will toss the pole into the backyard - and I'll be the proud owner of a spinning, removable, X-pole by the time I get home. Won't have it installed for another... week? month? year?... but at least I'll own it.

Yesterday started with lunch with my boss from several jobs ago. That was fun. We get along really well but haven't been in touch for awhile. Some personal drama has him making a bigger effort to contact friends so it was nice to see him and reconnect again (and the free restaurant lunch - really good baked tortellini - was nice too!).

By 2p yesterday, my thighs were completely locking up from Monday night's workout. That was a REALLY good class... both warm-up and routines were done in a style that was completely new to us - and lots of fun. Plus it was a really small class (4 students) so we got lots of 1:1 attention with our instructor, Megan. My quadriceps continued to freeze up throughout the day and, when it came time to leave work, I literally couldn't walk down the stairs like a normal person. It hurt so bad that I got the giggles - and finally figured out that I had to bend over, grab the rails about 3 steps below me, then zombie-drag my legs down the stairs... repeat. Still hurts today... but that "good hurt" that means they're building strength.

I enrolled in an S Factor makeup class for this Sun afternoon in San Fran. Me, the person who hates exercise... choosing to skip free time, and not party on Sat night, in order to work out - while on vacation. Yes, S is that addicting!! But I totally forgot that I have my regular workout on Monday night... so I'm gonna be a freakin MESS come Tuesday! in other news: I learned that my vid of the Instructor Demo at the Enchantment party is a huge hit with students & instructors.

This morning I had a pre-work dentist appt. I was NOT in the mood and, wisely, popped a Xanax ahead of time... which has left me relatively brain dead. When they weren't drilling my teeth (ranks right along vacuums as the most annoying sound in my world), I was falling asleep. And, 4 hrs later, still am.

First they put on my perm crown - which went relatively smoothly. Then they did a preventive maintenance filling on the tooth below. But that didn't go quite as planned - the dentist found fractures that indicate a crown might be needed there too. Since I've had zero pain, he decided to go ahead with the filling - saying we'll have to watch the tooth but the filling should be enough to save it. Unfortunately, that brought my expected $88 copay to around $250.

I'm now up to approx $8,000 US expeditures in less than 30 days... most of it on bullshit... and I still have the $2k medical bill to deal with. That's it - I give up - Debt wins!!

You know what bothers me most about this? I spent all year planning to give about $3k to Justin Rudd's charities... and now I don't have it, or even $500, to give. The same thing happened last year (I think). I guess I'll just have to hope to make it up at '08 tax time (I always give him 1/10th of my refund).

Sooo... with all that mental & financial stress, I did the only appropriate thing... blew a wad of cash on fancy chocolates, fancy cheese ("No Woman", from Beecher's in Seattle... gawd, that stuff is GOOD), misc fancy snackies, and a fairytale pumpkin (which I'll probably give to a coworker) at Bristol Farms. Stress relief through shopping... works every time. Ahhhhhhhh!!

Last night I packed for my 48-hr getaway to SF. I sent the FGNs my flight info (in case my plane crashes - so they'll take care of the cats) and one wrote back that VirginAmerican has seat-to-seat txt messaging.... what fun (though I'm mainly still looking forward to the blue/pink interior "nightclub" lighting during flight)!! I wonder if I can moblog from a plane?!?

My planned SF activites are: Arrive around 3:30p Sat. Possibly hit Chinatown for some inexpensive silk table runners to turn into curtains ($99 at one store but $12.50 at a store directly across the street!!) and misc tacky souvenirs. Stroll a bit while Sean is at his work thing. Cafe Deluxe for the 10pm Wet Spots (and Lil Minsky's Burlesque) show. Maybe a bar. Sean's sofa. Sun, noon, S Factor workout. Maybe a run to Grumblebunny's fav cheesesteak place. Head home around 10a Mon. Chill in between - probably shopping in Castro or Union Sq. I told work that, despite landing at LAX at 1pm Mon, I probably won't bother to go in. With traffic, I wouldn't to the office till at least 3pm and then have to leave at 7:30p for workout. I could do a 1/2 day but "Fuck it" seemed like a MUCH better plan!!

Tomorrow, Thurs, is erotic-painting posing night but I think I'm going to skip it this week. Work's going to get hectic starting tomorrow afternoon and I'd rather not stress about having to get done by a certain hour to get on the freeway in time to meet Eban. If I cancel, I can work late or, if that's not required, enjoy a night to myself.

I just called the hospital about the $2k collections. My contact there said the good news is that the $2k is not what's in collections - and she's going to send me a new statement this week. I'm really eager to know what the hell came to $25,000... just how much were those juice boxes and never-changed gown/bed-linens costing me?!?

Turns out that the collections issue goes back to Pacific Hospital (the one that grossly misdiagnosed me as having the flu - despite lab results that cleary indicated diverticulitus or appendicitis - thereby causing me to delay treatment and end up in ER instead of simply getting some antibiotics & bedrest) - and a $254 bill that I paid in full in May. Apparently the hospital never bothered to notify the collection agency... so they're still pursing me and have poxed my credit for something that was resolved 5 months ago. I just tried to call the hospital's AR dept but had to call a 2nd remote office, fight a voicejail system, get hung up on a few times, dial extensions at random, finally get a human, and be told the woman I need to speak with (apparently only 1 person in the entire office can help me) "works early" and I should call "much earlier in the day"... even though I work late and that's not convenient. She suggested vmail. I said I want a live person. She repeated the "works early..." BS so I hung up on her mid-sentence. Fuck them. I'll deal with it later. I cancelled home voicemail service so at least I don't have to worry about any more annoying messages.

On a much brighter note, I just checked my back account and Sony Parts FINALLY refunded my money for the bogus parts they shipped to me (and I returned a month ago). That's about $80 in my favor. HURRAY!!

Have I mentioned that I decided to lay off booze for awhile? I really only did it because I realized I was drinking more and more, and every night of the week, out of boredom... which seemed like a bad path to be on. Well, in less than 2 weeks I lost nearly 10lbs and my stomach/digestive health has massively improved. I think the health benefits are temporary (they've existed much longer than I've been drinking) but the weight loss was a great suprise. I suspect it's a combo of reduced empty-calorie intake, reduced bloating, and the fact that I'm eating less because food is staying inside my body MUCH longer - keeping me full/satisfied for an entire day instead of 10-15 seconds. It's win:win:win... for now. I've even managed to stick to water while at 2 different bars. But we'll see how I do in SF. Though I feel tons better health-wise, I've confirmed something I already knew - life is really boring when you're sober. Or, more accurately, a lot more stuff seems a LOT more interesting when you're buzzed.

And there's my boring week in a run-on post.

I just ordered the X-pole for my house.

Should be here in about a week. Will take me awhile to setup because:

1. I'll buttlag (in my mind, just buying means I should gain all the health benefits)
2. It takes 2 people to setup and I don't have anyone to help me (LUH-OOOSER!!)
3. I still haven't decided which room to put it in
4. I'd kind like to get some safety mats first.

Let the prayers for my safety begin!