Day 83 - Report for Saturday and the pink protest

Last full weekend on the PCP! Unbelievable.

Here's the reason for the pink sticker that I wrote for the 'Happy Tray'. It's a good two weeks after 'Golden Week' and the food souvenirs now and the 'souvenir' at the bottom speaks only of a journey to the Seven Eleven convenience store.

A pack of peanuts, not even half eaten. Why are they there? My guess is that the lady who bought them, who regularly treats herself to a desert each lunch time, felt that she shouldn't eat all these herself. Good for her on moderating there.

Most people feel that putting out food to share is a cosy and community spirited thing to do.  The desire to give food is instinctive to our species.

My gripe is again, this food that appears to be for sharing will not, in fact, be communally eaten. It will be snatched up, eaten on the hoof, probably individually, and almost certainly by the same individuals. I say this because I used to eat anything I saw here, just because IT WAS THERE. 

I was feeling a bit fed up with this the other day and was wondering if I could somehow change people's perception of the tray, but without being preachy. This is what I came up with.

I got this idea from Patrick's post about the 200-cal a day advice that appeared on a packet of instant matcha tea. It's a way to draw people's attention to the fact that this is FOOD, not something to put into your mouth for fun. (I am typing this with a straight face FYI). Wondered if people in the office would object, but I asked my eminent colleagues, Jonathan and Harri (a tough critic if ever there was one)...

They mulled it over.

And then Steve had a look at it. He's on the conservative side.

And they all said that it wasn't too preachy and to let it stay. So it will sit there as a helpful reminder that if you must snack, do it in moderation. Okay, it'll remind ME to snack in moderation once I'm through with all these eggs. 

Onto Saturday's report. 

Work out - Gave My All!

Up at 5.30 unbelievably. Got jumps done nicely with only one check of my watch when the alarm on the wrist watch went off. I say nicely, but I cannot jump up and down on both legs with weight evenly distributed. It's a killer. I tend to bounce my weight between the two feet. I can get to about 50 on both feet evenly. I did give my all to jumping, muscles (Planks went to one leg on the third set for about 30 sec). I also got to a 90-min beginner capoeira class in the evening. 

Keep feeling like I'm never on top of the workouts - I'm always stretched, always chasing it. The beginner's class was a good choice tonight. Not easy at all, but to use Shirley's term, 'do-able'. Cacapa commented on my need to relax my shoulders in jinga and tendency to hunch my back 'Obaaa-chan'! This may have something to do with my non-existent pullups. Something to work on. 

Nutrition - Solid

Fruit may be off as I took some of the evening fruit as a pre-second-workout snack and had the rest at home. Hit all grams elsewhere. 

Sleep - Like a Bubba

Caught up with some of the debt accumulated this week. Just as I fell into a cosy afternoon nap, neighbour starts to play eighties oldies. Stumbled round and told her I was trying to rest 'Sleepy in the middle of the day?!' Growl.  She turned it down, then off, thank god. 

More and more, I feel like an 'obaaaachan' on this project. Ten capoeira friends are going to the big gay party tonight, and I found out my fireman friend is going to wear a pink catsuit or something outrageous. And I'm at home, saving my energy for Day 84. Tokyo, stand by for two weekends! I'll be back! And I'll bring my muscles to the party!

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PCP-ers at Day 83, what are you looking forward to DOING (not eating or drinking!) when you've got your time back?

Day 61 - Feeling contradictory

It's about 4 hours from the Sassy Girl shoot and I'm feeling less than sass. I get like this before events like public speaking which I did a lot of two years ago. Not amped or high, just empty and slightly low.

I feel like I've only got enough sociability to put everything into the video shoot, and then get myself home again. There's an invite to a party afterwards, and people will go dressed up. When I heard about it I was so excited, but now my throat is feeling sore, I'm tired, achy, and I know I'll just feeling like resting afterwards.

This I guess is what you get for doing this PCPing - you can't do as much as you want to while doing the workouts too. Or maybe some people can, but I'm not one of them. I did my workout, but not jumps first thing even though I felt shattered. Psychologically, I need a break from the time sink that is the round of prepping, eating, clearing away as well as the workouts that exert their own stress. I want the energy to have my social life, to go OUT to a party like the one tonight, to roll into The Dubliners in Shinjuku. Or just to spend a few hours with a good book.

All my energy is directed towards PCPing and if I give the impression its a joyful sacrifice, then well, it isn't. I feel like I'm starting again and feeling frustrated.

It's odd  - If I project forward to me looking at tonight's video shoot, there'll be no evidence that I'm this tired. Ditto the shots of me in the park. I was fighting through it. Today is the second time this project I've felt frustrated to tears. The first was during the week after the earthquake.

Two happy thoughts

1. I'll see Patrick and Paul in the studio tomorrow for a workout and catch up. I want to talk face to face with people who 'get it'. Guys, stand by.

2. The party scene isn't going anywhere for the next four weeks.

Day 52 - Feeding time, fun in the park, and bowing out of capoeira

Again, I'm astounded at how long preparing food takes when you are
weighing everything. Last night I decided to jump rope, 'do a bit of
prep' and then think about biking down to the onsen. Did this happen?
Did it heck!

Two and a half hours, a bag of veggies, eggs, milk, yogurt, a pot of
said eggs, boiled, veggies chopped for the nori roll this evening, a
cinammon salmon veggie omlette cooked for this am, plus actually
eating my evening rations (love AMAYL veggies).... Made it to local
(sento) bathouse just to get away from the sight of food!

Enjoyed a moving Radio 4 play while puttering in the kitchen. I adore radio drama!

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Today's been hard. I did everything early today, by 9. All except the Kung Fu situps before leaving for the studio - including packing food for tonight. Now it's close to capoeira time, my energy is very low and I just want to be transported home with no need for walks or subways or bike rides. Sorry to whine, but I'm sure I'm not the only one.

This is the kind of thing that gets me - I expect tiredness midworkout, but knackered during the day is a drag. Must be in the shredding stage of muscle growth, huh?

My friend, Joy, took some photos this afternoon in a local park. They probably give a completely false account of how much energy I have!

Start of a pull-up?

No, it's a Kung Fu sit up!

Kids behind scared I'll clock them! Wisely, they beat a hasty retreat...

Note pointed toes and scary face! Now let's see if this elephant will take my weight...

Pass on that one I think.

Elephant breathes a sigh of relief!

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Only one day till the weekend and then Indulgence, Sass, and Japanese Grandmother!

I think the capoeira tonight might just be sacrificed for sleep because the class finishes at 10.15 which won't bring me home until 11.30. This is a bit annoying, but in the grand scheme, it's no biggie. And Roald Dahl's short stories for adults are on Radio 4 too.

Day 32 - Natural disaster in my kitchen

Yesterday I had a moment of supreme unmindfullness, turning away from a wok of fish/egg/veggies to set the table. I can do this with my small heavy egg pan, but not with my wok. Actually, I shouldn't be turning my back on any food on fire at all...! Smoke alarm kicked in KAJIDESU KAJIDESU! and I flicked everything off, opened windows. I'm glad to know it works, embarrassed that I tried to do too much.

The breakfast was okay in case you are wondering! A kind of PCP kedgeree.

Work out was really good. Heard Patrick's voice in my head and kept it  moving.

Today I'm going to swap out a jump rope session as I've got two fitness classes. One is capoeira and the other is called Sassy Girl, which is aimed at beginners and involving a workout with modelling - ties/chairs/other props. I'm dead excited! I'm anticipating the Sassy Girl class won't be that aerobic, so I may have to do a bit of jumping too. We'll see how it goes.

Last night I saw The Fighter - totally inspiring - then biked home and was asleep by 10.30 on a Friday. Is this a good sign? I'm glad I get to go to Roppongi tonight. Feeling a bit hermit-y recently.