CrossFit - Part Trois

As I am sure many of you have read my numerous posts on FB, I have officially returned to CrossFit for the, count it, 3rd time.  I'm currently a member of CrossFity City Line located in Newton, MA.  Before joining, I was a part of the CrossFit Southie and Vagabond CrossFit families.  Due to work responsibilities I couldn't continue at these two facilities.  My inability to make it to these facilities does not, by any means, mean that they were sub par facilities - in fact they were quite the opposite!  These facilities showed me how great CF can really be and were a big reason I chose to again find another CF facility.

Now you're probably thinking, she's nuts - CrossFit is crazy! I can't image myself doing that!  I was in your shoes once, but doing one on-ramp WOD changed my entire outlook on CF.  I joined CF when I was at the DOR.  Serena had just left, I was looking to transition to a new job - but not having much luck, and just finding I needed an all-around change.  My initial thought was to get back into rowing.  After looking into boat houses on the Charles, their rates, and my non-existent salary - I determined it wasn't feasible.  It was also a HUGE time commitment - a very early morning time commitment.  I just couldn't see getting out on the river at 5, which meant waking up at 4 (at the latest), and then trying to hustle to work for 8 - barely showered and starving.  I started looking on the internet at this point for some cross training "thing", something that was more than just running, something that would reawaken that competitive drive I had when   I rowed.  Somehow I stumbled across the CF site and started reading.  and what I was reading was starting to sound freaking great. Group training.  Rowing. Olympic lifting.  Kettle bell training.  Running. Lifting.  So, I found the one nearest me and signed up.

The first workout was a challenge for me.  I wasn't in the great of shape - hadn't run for a bit.  I was fully ensconced into the 18 holes and a few beers routine.  But I did it.  then i did another and another.  Soon, I was in the full scale class WOD and working at L1/L2 and sometimes RX level.  It was a great family to work with.  But my body was soon protesting. 5x a week was a lot of a girl who also needed to work full time.  I cut back to 3x a week but then I got a new job - at PwC.  I'm not going into details, but I didn't have much time to see my husband while I worked here - let alone get in a WOD.  in Brockton.  So, like any normal person, I quit.

Fast forward 2 years and I've made the decision to race a Rugged Maniac 5k thanks to my fellow CF pal, Kat.  We run it - I get my ass handed to me.  We generally talk about running or being able to train for a Tough Mudder.  At this point in my life, I needed to shake things up again.  I really wasn't doing anything other than working.  and eating. oh right, and drinking - cause that's what you do when you leave work at midnight 4 days a week.  So I said screw it, I'm singing up - and I did.  Tough Mudder New England was my first OCR and it was freaking amazing.  But after I had signed up, bruises still fresh on my legs from the Rugged Maniac, I started to panic.  How in the hell was I supposed to get ready for a 13 mile OCR at Mt. Snow.  The only thought I had was  - CrossFit.  If I can just get to WODs a couple of times a week, I can feasibly cross the finish line in an upright position.  So I went back.

I found Chris, Amy, Chuck, and Joe at CrossFit Southie to be amazing coaches.  They were completely 100% supportive of my race objective and even thought I'd enjoy some of it!  So I started training and it was working.  I set a new PR for my clean and jerk at 90lbs.  I could dead lift 10lbs shy of my body weight.  I even got a few over head squats in.  That's when the bottom dropped out....again.  Busy season hit with a vengeance at work.  I was working 70+ hours a week - barely had time to eat - barely saw my husband - barely slept - barely did anything.  I missed my nieces 1st birthday, missed Easter, almost missed my sister in laws graduation from the Coastie Academy.  What. the. eff.  With the TM just 2 weeks away I was a wreck.  I knew I had to try to do something or this was going to being a complete disaster.

I backed out of CF Southie and just started running stairs in my office building.  2x 5-4-3-2-1 of 4 flights intervals.  Cause that's all I could fit in between ordering dinner and it coming and me eating at my desk. Somehow, the TM came around and I made it.  It was freaking difficult at points and I wanted to quit - but I didn't and it was awesomely, incredibly, freaking fabulously great to cross that finish line and get my orange headband.

I started making changes at this point.  I stopped working on the weekends.  I worked every other Friday from home during the summer.  Most importantly, I started looking for a new job.  The gods were on my side because I was able to get out.

I'm at a firm now where they believe in family time, personal time, and work life balance- it's incredibly refreshing.  It's tax season and I don't work passed 6 - or at least I haven't yet.  I work on Saturdays, but they firm buys breakfast and lunch.  Oh and there's weekly free chair massages! Yea, life is good again.  So I thought hmmmm what does my race schedule look like for this year?  Right -

TM Boston in June
Zombie Run in July
TM New England in August
Rugged Maniac in Sept
and possibly a 1/2 marathon and a birthday weekend Warrior Dash.

So yea, need to do more than just run.  I knew CF was it.  Low and behold CF City Line is just a short 1.2 miles from my new office....and they offer a 2x a week membership.  Done. Deal.

So that's where I'm at.  Jenna, Mat, Tiffany and Chris are freaking amazing and they've really taken the time to talk to me and get to know what I want to do with my time there.  I'm working on my squat technique.  Working on getting my snatch technique in order.  Working up to kipping and finally, somehow getting/improving my upper body strength.  So here's to 2013 - may you be freaking fabulous!

Do they know?

It occurred to me today that most people don't know I went on a geek/nerd cruise. I mean, they know I went on a cruise-I told them of the ports of call, the food, the weather-but not what KIND of cruise I went on. It begs the question then, why don't I just tell them I went on JCCC3?

I can tell you that it's not that I'm ashamed that I was a badge carrying sea monkey on JCCC3 but mainly because I'm over explaining certain things about my life. There are inevitable questions that are asked and I think I'm done answering them. Does that mean I'm going to hide who I am? Certainly not. I will continue to wear my TARDIS socks, wax poetically re:West Wing, and  obsess over Zoe  Keating's tights.  I'll also continue to decorate my office in subtle geek fashion - TARDIS wall clock and Gallifreyan art included.

If you'd like the full list or review of JCCC3, however, keep reading.

JCCC3 was held this year on Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas.  The ship was frackin' ginormous and so very cool.

Our ports of call were Coco Key in the Bahamas, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten.  The best part, however, was the schedule of performers for the week.  We had concerts scheduled for Jonathan Coulton, Paul and Storm, The Doubleclicks, John Roderick, Zoe Keating, Joseph Scrimshaw, Mike Phirman, John Hodgman, Wil Wheaton, and the Riff Tracks.  With all this entertainment, I'm lucky I got the amount of sleep I did - which was very little.

The highlights of the trip for me had to be St. Maarten and Zoe Keating's concert.  St. Maarten was beautiful and my friends and I got to witness the awesomeness that is Maho Beach.  For those of you that don't know about this beach, it's the place where the planes fly ridiculously low in order to be able to land on the two foot runway that is Princess Juliana Airport.  As you can see from the picture below, we got to witness some great landings.  Also, the beach itself was pretty damn amazing.

Now, let's talk Zoe Keating's amazeballs concert.  Zoe is a new addition to the JCCC3 performance crew and I have to be honest, I was a bit skeptical about a cello only act.  From the first note, however, I knew I was watching and listening to something I've never experienced or heard before.  Zoe uses her computer and a foot pad to create a layered cello effect, which basically makes it sound like there are 5 other cellos on stage, when in reality there is only Zoe.  It is amazing to watch her play as she is so focused on the music and the precise movements of her bow.  Then somehow, she manages to not only play, but control the recording with her right foot - as if she didn't have enough going on.  I've never sprinted up the stairs at the end of a show in order to buy an artists CDs before - but I did so after this concert.  My ultimate goal was to thank her for such an amazing experience, in person, then beg her to autograph my CDs.  I unfortunately couldn't bring myself to interrupt her, especially when she was spending time with her husband and her adorable little son.  Maybe I'll just have to travel to the West Coast and catch another of her shows.  You should check out her website here: Zoe Keating

Let it not be thought that because I failed to mention performances by the other artists on the cruise that their sets and shows were somehow not up to JCCC standards.  They very much were and I thoroughly enjoyed every single one of them, save for the Ayn Rand bit that Hodgman did.  It is amazing how many talented artists there are out there and yet, because they're not signed by some major recording label, go virtually unnoticed.  I implore you therefore, seek out the music and the comedy I've listed above.  I can assure you, you will not be disappointed.

JCCC3 was also a time to catch up with friends we had made on JCCC2.  We had a fabulous first day sitting on deck enjoying some cold fruity beverages and catching up.  Spending time with friends was a great way to enjoy this cruise. Sommer's great picture below, shows how awesome it was!

 Hmmm...what else to include? Not quite sure. So, with that, I will leave it here and pick up another topic another day.

What a Crazy Random Happenstance

"Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha… Ah-ha-ha-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahhhhh… So that’s, you know, coming along. I'm working with a vocal coach. Strengthening the... AH! A lot of guys ignore the laugh and that's about standards."

So, Dr. Horrible was on the CW tuesday night....first time I've seen it on TV, though I've stalked it many a time on Youtube.com.  Seriously, this is a ridiculously fabulous creation by, none other than Joss Whedon.  You know, the creator of Buffy, Angel, and Firefly.  Not to mention, Dollhouse and Serenity. And let's not forget a little film he wrote and directed called, The Avengers.  Little known fact: Joss Whedon also co-wrote Toy Story.  (thank you, Wikipedia,  for this nugget, which I then source checked to IMDB.)

If you're asking what the heck is Dr. Horrible....we may no longer be able to be friends....but, since I'm in a good mood, I'm going to look on the bright side and note that you are expanding your horizons.  So, read on.

Dr. Horrible, also known as Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, is a musical tragicomedy that was released as a web series in three parts.  It was written and produced during the writer's strike in 2008.  The web series was written by writer/director Joss Whedon, his brothers Zack Whedon (a television writer) and Jed Whedon (a composer), and writer/actress Maurissa Tancharoen.  The idea behind this project was to create a small and inexpensive, though professionally done, series that could circumvent the issues being protested during the writer's strike.  The series stars NPH, Felicia Day, and Nathan Fillion.  

The web series tells the story of Dr. Horrible (NHP) and his nemesis Captain Hammer (Fillion) and their shared loved interest, Penny (Day).  There are some twists and turns, enter Bad Horse, the Thoroughbred of Sin and the leader of the Evil League of Evil.  Personally, I didn't think I'd like the story cause I originally thought it was ridiculous and stupid.  But it really wasn't, it just wasn't what I was used to watching on TV.  So, I gave it a shot.  If you can get the typical TV stereotypes out of your mind, then you should be able to enjoy it.  

Dr. Horrible, well he's not so horrible.  He's kinda this socially inept guy who can't talk to his lady love, Penny, even while doing laundry.  Captain Hammer is a bit pompous.  Really though, he is kinda lovable. He's even got this fabulous fan club.  All in all, the story has value: there is always a price to pay for the thing you want the most.    There are also some great take away phrases: "the status is not quo" and "what a crazy random happenstance" being just two of them.

Oh and did I mention there was music involved?! Seriously, the music makes the series.  I've put my favorite videos/music below for your listening pleasure.

Enter Bad Horse:

So they say:

I Cannot Believe My Eyes:

Slipping:

The Coffee Dilemma

I quit drinking coffee around February of this year.  I stopped drinking coffee mainly because I was trying to save the money I spent on it every day.  I also hated the jittery feelings I got if I didn't eat enough when I drank it.  Add jittery to anxious and stressed and you don't have a pleasant Rita.

A lot of people thought I was nuts to do this smack in the middle of busy season and even my boss had to nerve to say "You aren't pregnant are you?" Umm no, I wasn't pregnant, I just wanted to do something good for my body.  I can tell you, I felt like a different person after I stopped drinking coffee.

I was able to get out a bed faster and get started on work with a clear head earlier in the day.  I wasn't grouchy, didn't get withdrawal headaches, or have the jitters.  I even started running during the week again.  It was the boost my body needed.

 All in all, it worked out really well.  That is, until the rainy weather started to hang over MA in late September and early October.  I started to drag.  I missed the sun.  I started having a hard time getting out of bed again.  I was dragging in the pre-dawn and when the sun wasn't shining.  I couldn't get started at work.  It was then that I realized I am really affected by sunlight and I use coffee to compensate for the natural boost I'm missing.  

So what to do.....

Well, thankfully the National Sleep Foundation partnered with Phillips and created the Wake-Up Light.

Starting half an hour before your set wake up time, the Wake-up Light gradually fills your room with bright light like a rising sun emitting natural light. The light gently prepares your body for waking up while you are still asleep. So, if the wake up time is set at 7 am, the light will gradually get stronger starting at 6:30. At 7 am the light will have reached its highest level, which you can then adjust to your personal preference.

I'm getting one.....I think it might help... ALOT.  I'm sure I'll be drinking coffee from now until February,  but at least I can get out of bed without being a zombie.....Then I can go and kick the coffee habit again!

Magic.

As most of you saw on my FB wall, Paul talked me into playing Magic.  Now, most times I don't give in to certain things Paul says I'll like.  I don't play Warhammer or D&D, though in concept, I think I will like them.  I don't play these games as, usually, I have a short attention span.  I can only focus on things I find fun, but don't have too much invested in, for about an hour...two at the max.  So these games are just a bit too much for me.  I'll play Arkham Horror and I've even given World of Warcraft a try.  These, I can handle.   The main reason I decided to try to play Magic is not only because Paul likes the game, but because my niece and nephew do too.  If I can spend time with them, I'm all for it.  So, I gave it a shot.

Paul got me the Avacyn Restored deck, which is pictured below.  It's a green and white deck and has some pretty awesome angels in it.  

Now, not knowing what the heck was going on, I sorted and read through the deck.  Symbols and words and all these +1s did NOT make any sense to me.  I started to have this feeling that I wouldn't like the game cause I couldn't understand it.  Boy, was I wrong!  

Paul sat down with my last night and we played an open hand game.  I wasn't used to resetting characters each hand so in my head I kept trying to total up the damage done and then tried to convince Paul I had beaten three of his creatures.  Thankfully, he's patient with me and explained again and again that I had to do it in one shot, not over a few different hands.  I also kept forgetting the whole summoning sickness thing and obviously I didn't have haste (see i'm learning the lingo), so I kept attacking with a creature that just entered the battlefield and then have to pull them back and deal with being embarrassed that I couldn't remember the rules. 

I didn't believe Paul before, but there is definitely some strategy involved.  In the end, I think I caught on rather quickly as I beat Paul. Yeay for Rita! It's something I'd play again as I actually enjoyed myself.  

WWJBD...What Would Jed Bartlet Do

I must admit that I did not watch the debate last week.  Instead, I read about it all across both my Facebook and Twitter feed.  I also might have read a little something on CNN.com.  It appears that Mitt Romney walked all over President Obama.  

As many of you might know, I'm not really into politics.  The only time I engage in any sort of political debate/talk is when my Dad goads me into defending President Obama.  I find that when I do start to read about politics, I have this overwhelming hope or wish that Jed Bartlet was President.  Clearly, I know the West Wing was a television show and that our own government does NOT run that smoothly or funnily.  Regardless, however, I think we can all learn a bit from our friend Jed Bartlett and his Wondercrat staff.

Let's start with this: with regard to all untruthiness being thrown about, Mrs. Landingham would demand President Obama give her the numbers, the same as she demanded of President Bartlett in "Two Cathedrals."  

Let's get down to the bottom of the unemployment rate, job creation graph, and how much a "tax cut" is going to cost the average working person.  Let's talk about it in real numbers.  Let's talk about it in a simpler way: am I going to be able to afford my rent and groceries?  If my husband gets laid off, do I have to get another job just to cover our health care costs?

On education:
Regardless of whether you are a Democrat or Republican, we should be able to agree that our children need good, quality education.  The only way our country succeeds is if we have an educated electorate.  Thomas Jefferson was of the idea that  "whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government."  Sam Seaborn realized the need for stellar education a long time ago:

 Sam Seaborn: Mallory, education is the silver bullet. Education is everything. We don't need little                 changes, we need gigantic, monumental changes. Schools should be palaces. The competition for the best teachers should be fierce. They should be making six-figure salaries. Schools should be incredibly expensive for government and absolutely free of charge to its citizens, just like national defense. That's my position. I just haven't figured out how to do it yet. 

Well, folks, our public education system is pretty terrible and families are having a harder and harder time affording private higher education which outdoes public education almost everywhere. Kids can't borrow the funds from their parents anymore.  Those funds were eaten up in the market crash, or used to keep a family afloat when a parent lost a job.  The government should be making it a bit easier to go to college as without a college degree you can't do much in our county. Do you agree?

And what about the spirit of bipartisanship? 
I see political parties being a check on one another, just as there is a check on each branch of government.  Political parties were NOT intended obstruct nearly every bill or act the other party bring to the table.  It seems to me that what is happening today with our current election is damn close to what happened when the Speaker of the House, Jeff Haffley, went up against President Bartlet.  Haffley drew a line in the sand that ended in the near-total shut down of the government.  President Bartlett didn't back down and he got the government back on track.  

It's also damn close to what happened when Glen Allen Walken, became acting President during Zoe's kidnapping.  Walken attempted to undo most of what President Bartlett had done during his term.  Is this really good for the country?  Didn't seem that way in the TV show, doesn't seem that way in real life. 

My thinking is this: be a check on the opposite party, but DO NOT put the cost of your actions on the American people.  Don't make life harder for us just because a bill, a bill that could do some actual good, was sponsored/written by the other side.  Let's not play chicken with the livelihood of the American people.

I'll end this piece with a quote from the Avengers:

Steve Rogers: The uniform? Aren't the stars and stripes a little...old fashioned?
Agent Phil Coulson: Everything that's happening, the things that are about to come to light, people might just need a little old fashioned.

Let's remember that our country was founded on the idea that all men are created equal and that no one should be subject to a tyrannical government.  It should be a government by the people and for the people, not those who have the deepest pockets.  Maybe each and every one of us should reread the document that assured our development as a free country and remember what the stars and stripes mean to us.

Declaration of Independence

What I Do at Work

Since I haven't had any ideas for a good post (promise rainbow cake post will come soon), I thought I would share what a typical day at the office is for me.  Below is what I get to research and write about, though it may not be on a daily basis.  Have fun and don't fall asleep!

Recharacterizing an IRA Conversion

The IRS does not offer many “mulligans”, however, one is available with regard to Roth IRA conversions.  For individuals eligible to invest in a Roth IRA, you can transfer assets from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA by utilizing a conversion.  A conversion is a taxable event during which funds are distributed from a traditional IRA and rolled into a Roth IRA either directly or within 60 days of distribution.  Taxes are due on the value of pretax contributions and any earnings. The IRS allows individuals to “undo” the conversion by recharacterizing the converted funds back to a traditional IRA, thereby pulling the funds out of taxable status and according the individual a lower tax liability.

A Roth IRA is an individual retirement vehicle that allows individuals to set aside after-tax dollars.  Earnings on contributions are not subject to income tax as long as you hold the account for at least 5 years and you are at least 59 ½.  There is an early withdrawal fee of approximately 10% if you withdraw the money before 59 ½ and without a qualified reason.  Be aware that if the distribution is not considered “qualified,” it is also subject to tax.  Unlike a traditional IRA or 401(k), there are no required distributions.   The principal restriction of a Roth IRA is the AGI income limitation that excludes high-earning individuals.

A Roth IRA is traditionally limited to individuals who make less than the AGI limit prescribed by the IRS in a certain year.  For single filers, the AGI limit was $107,000 in 2011 and $110,000 in 2012; and for married filers, $169,000 in 2011 and $173,000 in 2012. In general, individuals are taxed (at current rates) on the entire amount converted, as these monies are moving from a pre-tax vehicle to a post-tax vehicle.   However, the IRS allowed anyone who made a conversion in 2010 to defer income from 2010 and split the tax burden between 2011 and 2012.  This exception was because, for one year only, the IRS made Roth conversions available to everyone, regardless of their AGI. (Note that the rule was changed for 2010 only and the traditional rules are back in place for any subsequent year, barring an act of Congress.)

An individual’s tax liability is determined based on the value as of the date of the conversion.  If possible you should project the value in order to make sure there are available funds to pay the tax liability.  Individuals should also consider if the value of the conversion will put them into another tax bracket, which would result in a much higher than desired tax liability.  A conversion can also increase taxes on Social Security and affect the premium you pay for Medicare Part B, or it can trigger alternative minimum tax (AMT) rules.  If you did not consider the above or did, but intervening events land you in a less than ideal spot after making the conversion, or if you just want to, the IRS allows you to “take back” or recharacterize part of the conversion.   Recharacterizations of IRA conversions are available to anyone.  

To recharacterize either all or part of the Roth conversion, you will need to transfer the recharacterized amounts to a new or existing traditional IRA via a trustee-to-trustee transfer.  The IRS does not allow you to transfer the amount back into the plan from which they were originally distributed and the funds must pass from one financial institution to another or change accounts via an intra-institution transfer; the funds cannot enter your hands.  You also cannot reconvert the amount recharacterized to the same or another Roth IRA until the later of 30 days after the recharacterization, or the year following the year of the rollover or conversion.  However, this waiting period does not apply to amounts other than the ones you recharacterized.  The deadline for recharacterizing a Roth conversion is your tax-filing deadline plus extensions.  If you file the tax return on time (generally by April 15), you receive an automatic six-month extension, which means your deadline to recharacterize a 2011 contribution is October 15, 2012.  You must report the recharacterization on your tax return as directed by Form 8606 and its instructions. Practice note:  the recharacterization of a contribution is not treated as a rollover for purposes of the one-year waiting period.

For more information, you should speak to your financial advisor or tax preparer and review IRS Publication 590 and the Form 8606.