벚꽃 (Cherry Blossoms)

More soon, but just got back from Busan and am exhausted. It was a packed weekend with good girlfriends and a metric ton of food!

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Death by DOMS

Did you know that there's an actual name for muscle pain and aches brought on by exercise or over-exertion? It's called DOMS, or delayed onset muscle soreness. I don't know why it's called delayed, because my DOMS isn't delayed at all- it's always right on schedule, usually starting just as I begin working out.

My (sadistic) trainer tells me that this is normal, because he hasn't really let me ease into exercising- he's pretty much always testing my limits and making sure I'm dying by the end of every session. I suppose that's what I pay him for, but I haven't had a pain-free day since I started working out. Granted, the pain hasn't been in an isolated area, but it's still pain!

Last week, the DOMS didn't get to me until Tuesday, the day after my first session. I was exhausted by about 11 p.m. on Monday, but my body didn't tell me it was hurting until I tried to get up on Tuesday and I couldn't. My legs were like overcooked spaghetti.

Wednesday's session was spent focusing on my core, and my abs started to hurt about ten minutes into all the core-strengthening nonsense. Thursday was a disaster (though I didn't have a session), because my legs still hurt, but added to that was my entire core area. I couldn't walk, laugh, yawn, stretch, or sit without pain. I hobbled around the office, with people repeatedly asking me if I'd been injured.

Friday was torture, focusing on chest, back, and arms. I'm still in pain and can't hyper extend my arms. Then, to make matters worse, I went bowling on Friday night. By the time we went bowling, we'd been drinking steadily for a few hours, so I was all giddy and unable to feel pain. I definitely felt the pain from the workout and from bowling when I woke up on Saturday and couldn't roll out of bed.

It's Friday here in Korea, so I've survived two weeks. I don't know how I'm going to get through this ... insanity that I've paid for through the end of June, but ... I'm stubborn.

Burpees, by the way, are easier in Korea than in the U.S. I've only ever seen the super hard burpees in the U.S, which I found out today are not the "normal" kind. Thank goodness for the small things, like less-hellish burpees.

I know my trainer's doing his job, but as I'm not a morning person, I'm already tired and cranky by the time I get to my sessions between 7:00 and 7:30. Poor kid's at the gym by 6:00 to open, so I guess I shouldn't complain. He tried to convince me to start my sessions at 6:00 and I laughed at him. As if that's ever going to happen.

This week, at least, the DOMS is not quite as bad as last week. I can walk this week without anyone asking if I'm injured, so hooray! Though, cussedly, I feel like perhaps the personal training isn't working anymore because I'm not in as much pain. What is up with that?

Random:

Going to Busan (부산) tomorrow for the weekend with the girls.

Phone is dying. Both my phones! My American one and my Korean one. What a pain in the butt.

Been watching "Absolutely Fabulous" this week and it's hilarious. Jennifer Saunders is an awesome writer. Joanna Lumley's Patsy Stone is like Karen Walker, only BETTER.

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National Geographic Tumblr

First of all, I completely forgot about St. Patrick's Day this year! What the heck ... I used to remember it without even trying up until this year.

This year, no green. No Guinness. No Irish car bombs. No shamrocks.

When I realized today (the 19th) that I completely forgot about (a marketing ploy of a holiday that is) St. Patty's, I was a little sad, just because it made me realize that I'm losing my American-ness a little bit at a time.

Second of all, I stumbled upon this awesome Tumblr:

http://natgeofound.tumblr.com

There are some amazing photographs!

This is absolutely my favorite. The expression on the trainer's face, the expression on the lion's face, the fact that a man is carrying that lion like he's a spoiled pet, the tigers in the back ... I just love it. I've never been to a real circus (Cirque du Soleil doesn't count, after all), and never really had the desire to, but this photo makes me want to jump in a DeLorean and go to one of these old time-y circuses.

I know that "ye olden days" are not as amazing that I think they are; the past is always tinged with romance simply because it's gone. Still, look at those parasols! I don't want a time machine to go back and win the lottery, I want a time machine so I can go lounge, sunblock-less, in scenes like this. (Which, honestly, I wouldn't be able to do, as it was a (more) racist time back then and I wouldn't be welcomed into a place like this.)

Aww. Alexander Graham Bell with his wife Mabel. They are so cute, even if Mabel seems to be trapped inside someone's geometry homework. It's just a sweet picture, and I love how affectionate they obviously are towards one another.

This is just cute, and I love kitties. That one on the left with his scared ears has the best stripes! Poor grouper has no idea what's going on, and I doubt the cats know that this grouper turns into a delicious dinner. Plain ol' cute, this one.

There are tons more on the website, these were just a few that grabbed me.

On a completely unrelated topic, I'm so sore that I can barely walk today. I have another session tomorrow morning, which I'm already dreading, because if I can't walk, how can I do lunges and squats and suspension training?

Oy vey....

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