Oh My Aching Back!

Here's me in twenty years with my lovely hunched back and old-lady cane. Nice yellow outfit, eh? And since there are cobblestones in the picture, maybe that means I get to go back to visit Europe.

My mom of course always told me to stand up straight. Now Michael has been doing the same thing. But good posture is just such an unnatural thing for me. It's like me saying to myself, "Ok, now I'm only going to think good thoughts." Really, how long does that last? Not very. I'm not saying I don't want good posture. Of course I do. But why does it have to be so uncomfortable?

Still I must work on good posture because I really do not want to be a hunchback. And my back is so achy lately. It just feels like it needs a good stretch. So last night as I was lying in my bed around midnight wishing I could be asleep and/or could eat barbeque, I started thinking about some back exercises that might help.

I tried this one today and um, I think I need a bit of practice yet. It's not as easy as it looks. This girl is just showing off to tell you the truth.

But surely I could do this one, right? How old is that girl anyway? If she can do it, so can I?! Hmmm. This one felt a little like it was part of a torture sequence. This girl is showing off too. No fair since kids are so much more limber.

Well, maybe I just need to start with some equipment like this:

Or if I really want to get serious, how about this?

Or how about let's just forget about good posture and go eat Salt Lick this Saturday. Anyone?

Book Recommendation

I just finished reading Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. What an unbelievable life this woman has had! I'm amazed by what she's done with her life. And it's mind boggling to read her take on Islam because it is so completely not PC. There's a reason this woman has bodyguards! Ayaan became world famous after her friend Theo van Gogh, a Dutch filmmaker with whom she'd made a controversial movie about Islamic culture, was murdered by an Islamic extremist in 2004.

Perhaps I'm doubly impressed by her because I came to the book after having read some chick-lit books with wishy-washy, wimpy heroines...one of them being a certain vampire series. I'll probably alienate all of my friends and receive hate mail from teenage girls by saying this, but man, I just cannot take anymore Bella right now. I need a breather before book 3. I know, I know it's so awful and rude of me to say such things about her. It was a fun read but seriously, Bella, can you stop going on and on with, "Edward I love you I love you why would you ever love me when you're so beautiful and will you please make me a vampire, please please please, I love you so much because you're so beautiful and I don't care about anything like my soul or my life or having chilren or college or your feelings so make me a vampire please please please or else so I can worship you forever even though you may not love me once I'm a vampire because I'm so whiny and I won't smelly yummy to you anymore--oops, I guess I didn't think about that part!"

Ugh. Long live strong women!

And to save you the trouble of lecturing me, I'll write comments for you:

Kasey, how you can you say such things? Are you an enemy of true love? Have you no romantic heart?

Kasey, you are so intolerant and insensitive. We just can't be friends any longer.

Well, this sure has been random tonight. Sorry. Sometimes I just get a bit carried away.

Why I Wish I Was a Football Coach Today

I don't know about you but I'm sure having problems dealing with the heat lately. So this is my new plan for staying cool in Texas: I'm going to fill up a water cooler with ice every time I have to run errands and then dump it on myself. I think this is really the most practical way to go. It's like carrying around your own Barton Springs. Thank you football coaches of America.

Not for the Easily Offended Today

I'll probably get busted for this, but it's too good to pass up. So Michael's driving around Austin the other day and passes a "ladies' club." You know, the equivalent of the "gentleman's club." This is the first time he's seen one and is surprised that they really exist. He tells me about it later and says something to this effect, "You know, normally I'm appalled by gentleman's clubs and always feel bad for the women who have to work there (yeah, yeah, this part was probably thrown in there for my feminist sensibilities)." He continues: "But when I passed this club, the first thing I thought was, 'Huh, I wonder if they'd hire me.'"

I swear to you I'm not making this up. A discussion then ensued about what the hiring requirements could possibly be....you know physique, looks, skills, etc. Michael's like, "Skills? What kind of skills?" And I say, "Well, you can't just stand there. You'll probably need to come up with some sort of a dance routine." I could tell he was really thinking this over.

So here's the question for y'all: Is this really a normal guy thing to want to be a male dancer? Michael was convinced that all guys would love to prance around with women hooting and hollering and sticking money in their pants. I think it's more of a sales personality thing, together with the fact that he's got good abs and has never had to feel the pain and embarrassment of belly jiggles like the rest of humanity.

This whole subject made me think of the SNL Chippendales dancer skit with Chris Farley and Patrick Swayze. Michael is much more Patrick than Chris, but Chris sure tries hard and there might be an appreciative audience for him out there. I mean, listen to the judges on this one. It is just a tough decision. Ok, so remember you were warned! I take no responsibility for all the pelvic thrusts.

In the end, it's good to know that if commercial development doesn't work out for us, there's a backup plan.