In Search Of. . . Observations

In Search Of. . .Observations: Verbal Clutter and Syntax

Most of us talk more like Sylvester Cat, Tweety Bird, and Foghorn Leghorn, than we care to admit.

Think about it. We fill our speech with verbal clutter, self-interruptions, and half thoughts. We forget what we're saying, or our brains are trying to put the next word in place so it supplies an automated answer. We can't avoid it. Of course some are more prone to it than others. Those others being voice coaches and people like Bill Clinton, who was trained to take a breath instead of saying "um."

If you slow down and listen to yourself, you'll find that you've crowded your speech with an amazing amount of verbal clutter. You'll find like little phrases like "you know," interjected at the end of every other thought. Or "yeah" on all the others. Personally, "you know" gets on my nerves more than all the other ones. No real reason why, but it does. I even told someone once I didn't know what he meant. Despite that though, I am even guilty of using it too, you know.

It's a cultural thing too. Certain phrases belong to certain cultures or regions. Like I've found, French people really do say Oh la la la la, when they're upset, like Leslie Caron does in Gigi. Like if someone says "fixin'" as in "I'm fixin' to go to the store," you can assume that they live or lived in the south. Or if "wicked" is a good thing, they might be from the Boston area. This leads into catch phrases. You know that saying that is unique to one person you know.

I've known several people with catch phrases. I knew a girl who said "good gravy." She is the only person who says that phrase. It didn't catch on for me. Or a roommate of mine said "huzzah." For a while, I said it too, even after she dropped the phrase. Until her boyfriend reminded me that she said it first. I dropped it completely as a matter of originality. It happens like that a lot though. The more time you spend with someone, the more you'll use their words.

Oddly enough, there's nothing we can do about verbal clutter And "you know" aside, there is nothing I would want to do about it. Verbal clutter, catch phrases, and overall syntax is what makes unique. It has the singular ability to separate from each other and group us together. It's what allows you tell one person from another, but also tell where a person is from and who they spend time with.

As Always,

In Search Of. . . Fitness Week 1

In Search Of. . . Fitness
Week 1

Weight 139 lbs.
Program: Brazilian Butt Lift

Week 1 Measurements
Bust: 40 inches
Waist: 32 inches
Stomach: 38.5 inches
Hips: 39 inches
Rear: 40.5 inches
Thighs: 22.5 inches
Calves: 12 inches
Arms: 10 inches


I'm going to let you in on a life-changing secret about working out. I mean this is the secret that will rock your world.







*Pause for dramatic affect*







If you apply yourself to a workout routine, mostly like it will work.

*Le gasp*

Who would have guessed?

But seriously, almost any program or machine will work if you use it.

For example, I got my workout routine off an infomercial. Believe it or not, Leandro Carvalho's Brazilian Butt Lift does the job.

When I first saw it on the TV, I thought it was a crock, but I still wanted to try it. That's the point of the infomercial. According to the advertising story, Carvalho originally designed it for supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio, a Brazilian babe and a Victoria's Secret model.

Who doesn't want to try a work out designed for a Victoria's Secret model? Not me that's for sure.

The only problem was I don't like to try things sight-unseen, to the point I don't even like to buy clothes online because I can't try them on, and this cost $60, which is a lot of money for something I may, or may not like. Luckily for me, a friend had bought the system already, but because of back problems had returned it. She kept the "free gift" disc, which I borrowed.

For a while, I worked out every day alternating between the two work outs on the disc. And guess what. I got results, some pretty amazing ones too. Unfortunately, life got in the way of my work out, and so I went to square -1 and am starting from scratch, again.

Well, I've got a wedding I'm a bridesmaid in, an international trip, and in general want to look like a hottie, so I decided to buy my own a few months ago on the three month payment plan.

The set I got comes with six routines on three different discs. It includes "booty bands" to help you work out your butt, and a chart that helps you organize the work outs to get the butt shape you want.

Even though it's called the "Brazilian Butt Lift," Carvalho works everything out with his six different routines. There's a body sculpt, a tummy tuck, cardio, and of course two work outs for your bum-bum.

Another plus is that you can do this work out at home. I don't like the gym because I'm a a self-conscious ninny. Also, I'm not quite sure of how to work out there. So many machine which ones do I do and how many reps? This eliminates all of that. I don't have to let anyone watch me, I can fail around like a dying animal to my heart's content. Also, I have organization to my work out.

So, all in all, this is a pretty good system.

(Just so we're clear, Brazilian Butt Lift isn't giving me any money to advertise. I'm simply sharing my experience, but you can go here if you want to get the work out.)

So, that's proof that if you stick to any routine you will lose weight. It's just a matter of finding what you like, and what works for you.

At this point, I've lost an inch over all on my entire body. I've only lost a pound, but an inch of body fat is something. So, I'll just keep going.

As always

In Search Of. . . Fitness

In Search Of. . . Fitness

85 % of women have body-image issues. On a smaller scale, of the 20 women you know 17 of them hate at least one thing about their body. That’s pretty standard. Despite what polls show, I think women have always been dissatisfied with themselves. That’s the nature of the beast.

We all don’t like something about ourselves, but the question is what do we do about it?

Not a whole devil of a lot.

Most of us are content to hate the reflection in the mirror and say, “I’ll start working out tomorrow.” (Personally, tomorrow is one of my favorite excuses.) But a million tomorrows come and go, and none of us ever really make a change. I’m guilty of that.

Lately, I look more like an apple with toothpicks stuck in me. Stupid genetics making me gain weight in the middle. Once upon a time I was fit. I had cut muscles and felt amazing, emotionally. Elle Woods’s bit about endorphins and not killing had some truth to it.

 Now, I’m fed up with waiting for tomorrow and missing the days when my muscles had those attractive cut lines. It was time to get off my duff and get fit. I figured I’d share my adventure with you. If I can inspire one person to at least consider getting fit, I won’t feel like such a failure.

To put everything in proportion, I’m 5’4” and 140lbs.

Starting Measurements:

Bust: 40.5 inches
Waist: 33 inches
Stomach: 39 inches
Hips: 40 inches
Rear: 41 inches
Thighs: 22 inches
Calves: 13 inches
Arms: 10 inches

Now before you all role your eyes and say I’m one of those girls. I’m not. I don’t have a dysmorphic view of my body; I just want to be the best I can.  

Welcome To In Search Of. . .

Hello and welcome to In Search Of. . .

You might wonder what I'm in search of. If you do, the answer would be a lot of things. I'm searching for God, health, travel--life in general.

This blog won't be about one specific thing. Actually, I am pretty sure there will be a variety of topics to satisfy my distracted brain. I can tell you though, there will be some old faithfuls, like fitness, writing, and the occasional spiritually-minded thought.

I intended to collect my research and findings here for your entertainment, so enjoy my little blog.