do you not understand EXTREME?

I took my first Extreme Body Makeover class today. Somehow when I signed up for the class the word EXTREME in the title did not register. About the ninth flight of stairs I started to question exactly what I was doing a) getting out of my nice cozy bed this morning and b) paying someone to yell at me to climb more and more stairs. The worst part of the experience was the jump roping. Panic swept over me the minute I saw the instructor bring out the ropes. I haven’t jumped rope since I was in second grade and there is reason. For hours after school I was tutored on the fine art of being able to jump into a moving rope in order that I would be able to play with the other kids. I never mastered this skill. Usually the rope would hit me in the head or cause me to topple to the ground. The jump rope songs still sing mockingly in my nightmares. By third grade the trend had moved to Chinese Jump Rope which was more to my liking – no ropes swinging for my head.

I like to think I have matured (some) since those awful days on the playground. So, this morning I picked up the rope and did my best to imitate Rocky Balboa. Unfortunately, I think the rope hit my head more times then it actually swung around and while I did not fall, I certianly did not perform with grace.

Needless to say, this is not the class that is going to get me excited about working out in the morning. But, if it makes it so that I can hike and ski this winter without feeling like an old lady, well then, I guess I am in for an Extreme body makeover experience!

btw – I get my body fat measured on Tuesday - now that sounds like fun.

hello norma jean

The era of the blonde has apparently come to an end according to researchers in the UK. While we can still claim to have "more fun" apparently the years of battering by blonde jokes, and the likes of Paris Hilton, have taken their toll on our perceived intelligence and attractiveness.

According to a new study 51 per cent of men thought brunettes were more attractive 81 per cent described them as intelligent and 67 per cent of men described them as independent and self sufficient.

Blondes were described as needy and lacking in independence by 40 per cent of those questioned.

In homage to our lost ranking I give you my favorite blonde song/joke – good bye Marilyn and hello Norma Jean.

‘Cause I’m a Blonde’ by Julie Brown (spoken lines in italics).

Because I'm blonde, I don't have to think
I talk like a baby and I never pay for drinks
Don't have to worry about gettin' a man
If I keep this blonde and I keep these tan

'Cause I'm a blonde
Yeah, yeah, yeah
'Cause I'm a blonde
Yeah, yeah, yeah

I see people workin', it just makes me giggle
'Cause I don't have to work, I just have to jiggle

'Cause I'm blonde
B-L-O-N-D
'Cause I'm a blonde
Don't you wish you were me?

I never learned to read and I never learned to cook
Why should I bother when I look like I look?
I know lots of people are smarter than me
But I have this philosophy:
"So what?"

'Cause I'm a blonde
Yeah, yeah, yeah

I see girls without dates and I feel so sorry for 'em
'Cause whenever I'm around, all the men ignore 'em

'Cause I'm blonde
Nyah, nyah, nyah
'Cause I'm a blonde
Nyah, nyah, nyah

They say to make it you need talent and ambition
Well, I got a TV show, and this was my audition:

Um, okay. what was it, okay, um,
don't tell me, oh yeah, okay...
"Duck, Magnum, duck!"

'Cause I'm a blonde
Yeah, yeah, yeah
'Cause I'm a blonde
Yeah, yeah, yeah

I took an IQ test, and I flunked it, of course
I can't spell VW, but I got a Porsche

'Cause I'm a blonde
B-L-A-N-D
'Cause I'm a blonde
Don't you wish you were me?

I just want to say that being chosen as
this month's Miss August is like a compliment
I'll remember for as long as I can. Right now I'm
a freshman in my fourth year at UCLA, but my goal
is to become a veterinarian, 'cause I love children.

'Cause I'm a blonde
Yeah, yeah, yeah
'Cause we're a blonde
Yeah, yeah, yeah

Girls think I'm snotty, and maybe it's true
With my hair and body, you would be too

'Cause I'm a blonde
B-L-... I don't know!
'Cause I'm a blonde
Yeah, yeah, yeah
'Cause I'm a blonde
Yeah, yeah, yeah
'Cause I'm a blonde
Yeah, yeah, yeah!

1000 places to see before you die #5

Siena, Italy ... having just returned all I can say is wow! Perhaps it is the jet lag, or just a lack of vocabluary, but I cannot at this moment find the words to describe this amazing town. So, albeit cliché, "a picture is worth a thousand words" here is my new online Photo Gallery

- thanks Anandi for the Smugmug recomendation.