Come on in... sit down, and have a cup of dare!

Come on in... sit down, and have a cup of dare!
The Dare Chair... scroll down the page to find out what this chair is all about!

Quote of the Week

"Happiness is like a kiss. You must share it to enjoy it." ~Bernard Meltzer

Get Your Groove On! Choose any song you wish, and start dancing in the kitchen!


Friday, November 28, 2008

Pack Your Suitcase


I decided to get a jump start and achieve my New Year's resolution before the New Year begins; well, hopefully be close, anyway. Twenty pounds... those twenty pounds that I keep losing. Funny thing, they always seem to miss me, and hence, find me. I don't like them, and surely do not miss them when they are gone, but evidently they have become quite attached to me. (Particularly to my thighs, butt and hips.)


So, I decided to try a new exercise routine. I bought Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred DVD. Perfect! It's about 30 days until the holidays. I will conquer that yearly resolution BEFORE New Year's Day! Ha!


I read the DVD cover. Three levels of 20 minute workouts. Just 20 minutes a day! Yeah, right. What can 20 minutes possibly accomplish? Heck, I should just start at level 2; I've been on the Nordic Track now and again; I'm sure level 1 is for wimps.


Okay, so I wasn't feeling overly ambitious, and therefore would start with level 1. Jumping jacks, running in place, abdominal work, push-ups... not bad. Seriously, what good will 20 minutes do?


Well, here's the deal... I felt like Jello when I was done with the "measly" 20 minute workout, and was quite certain that I would not be able to raise my arms above my head, or pick up anything that would fall onto the floor the next day. What in the world? How could this be?


The next day, I got out of bed, and awoke quickly as pain shot through my calves! Youch! I could not believe how much pain I was in! All from jumping jacks, push-ups, and abdominal work... just 20 minutes of it? Hmm.... maybe the 30 day promise has some merit to it. I am hopeful!


I have pushed through the pain each day to accomplish the 20 minutes towards my goal. I must admit that I walk funny these days, and bending down to get something out of a cupboard, or getting in and out of chairs, is now accompanied with slight shrieks of pain. I am hopeful that the pain will subside... SOON! My 16 year-old daughter did the workout with me, and couldn't keep up with her old mom. Her misery was cause for celebration! I thought I was way out of shape, and wimpy since it was just 20 minutes of simple exercises! Since that skinny, little thing was in agony, it meant that I was in better shape than I thought. WooHoo!


Be afraid, 20 pounds, be very afraid. Pack your suitcase; I WILL lose you, and you will not be able to find me again!


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Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Truth?







Maybe it is the media



that has us divided.






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Let Your Voice Be Heard


Please take time to vote today. It breaks my heart when people take voting for granted. The right to vote is a privilege that many people fought for. Use your power... VOTE!
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The Dare Chair

Come on in, and pull up a chair! I'm here to inspire you, encourage you, or just plaine Double Dog Dare you to get out and do something you never thought you could do! Periodically, I'll add a quote, comment, or story which will hopefully give you just enough of a nudge to follow your dreams... to take that class, go rock climbing, run a marathon, start that exercise routine, eat healthy, write a book, or whatever your heart desires. You are the author of your life... live it!

Monday: Sit down, have a cup of dare, and write down your goals. Post them all over the house, if it helps! No matter how crazy the goals seem, don't talk yourself out of them! You are strong, you are invincible, you are WOMAN!

Tuesday:
Find a friend to hold you accountable. Accountability is huge! If you have a network of support, your chances of failing are less. Make sure you choose someone that is not afraid of pushing you! Usually moms, grandmas and husbands are not the best choices; they're either afraid of hurting your feelings, think you are fine just the way you are, or do not want to end up in the dog's house! So, choose that friend that is honest, no matter what the cost... trust me, you'll need her!

Wednesday:
Okay, so now you have someone to hold you accountable; great start. Now, be a blabber-mouth. Tell as many people as you can what your goal is. Knowing that so many people are waiting for you to succeed will be a huge motivator. I know when I skiied the Birkie, there were many times along the trail that I truly wanted to quit. I knew I had a cheering section on Main Street waiting for me to cross that finish line. That was enough to motivate me to keep going, one stride at a time.

Thursday:
If you fully realize nothing else, take a big dose of reality on this one... this is going to be hard, uncomfortable, and many times not enjoyable (depending on what the goal is). So, now that you know that, get over it! Achieving your goal will be worth the sweat and tears. Really... it will. Push yourself beyond your former limits. Get rid of self doubt! Even if it is the hardest thing you've ever done, do it with all you've got! Swallow your insecurities, hide your inhibitions, and show yourself just how strong you really are. YOU CAN DO THIS!

Friday:
Try not to look too far into the future. Break your goal into steps, and focus on one at a time. Now, if your goal is to join a class, by all means bite the bullet and do it now; no need to take baby steps on that one! But, if your goal is for example, a marathon, don't quit after the first week because you can't run ten miles! Give yourself time to reach the larger goals. In the meantime, give it ALL YOU'VE GOT, and be pleased with the little steps towards your goal.

Saturday:
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, GIVE UP!!! (Take it from Winston Churchill... he knew what he was talking about!)

Sunday:
Take one day to rest, or have a special treat. You've worked hard all week, but make sure you don't reward yourself too much... i.e. a whole bag of Hershey's Kisses!!!

SHARE YOUR SUCCESSES WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. SHOW THEM YOUR PROGRESS, WHETHER IT IS ART WORK YOU'VE DONE, CLASS WORK, A NEW DANCE YOU'VE LEARNED, OR THE NEW PAIR OF PANTS YOU NOW FIT INTO. CELEBRATE!!

Check out the Blog Archive for writings pertaining to the Dare Chair: April--Uncomfortable, Checking In

INSPIRING QUOTES: If children have the ability to ignore all odds and percentages, then maybe we can all learn from them. When you think about it, what other choice is there but to hope? We have two options, medically and emotionally: give up, or Fight Like Hell. ~Lance Armstrong
If human beings are perceived as potentials rather than problems, as possessing strengths instead of weaknesses, as unlimited rather that dull and unresponsive, then they thrive and grow to their capabilities. Barbara Bush
Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly. John F. Kennedy
He who believes is strong; he who doubts is weak. Strong convictions precede great actions. Louisa May Alcott
There's a need for accepting responsibility - for a person's life and making choices that are not just ones for immediate short-term comfort. You need to make an investment, and the investment is in health and education. Buzz Aldrin

This Chick's Groovy Music... start dancin'!

  • Aretha Franklin
  • Chicago Motion Picture Soundtrack... This one is great to sing along to... especially when cleaning the house!
  • Chris Botti... great trumpet player, his music is just beautiful!
  • Christmas Music, of course! Bing, Frank, Rosemary... all the classics!
  • Diana Krall
  • Ella Fitzgerald
  • Eric Clapton... I can' t seem to hear enough of his music lately!
  • Eva Cassidy... worth finding!
  • Johnny Cash - great for two-stepping around the kitchen island... if a babe is in your arms, all the better! (A tiny babe, or a Hunky Babe... either one will do!)
  • Loggins & Messina.... ahh... "feel good" music
  • Neil Diamond... I've loved his music my whole life.
  • Norah Jones
  • Phantom of the Opera (motion picture soundtrack)
  • Ray Charles... I can't help but to smile when I hear him sing.
  • Renee Olstead
  • The Notebook Motion Picture Soundtrack