I have a lot of workout gear here in my apartment. They include:

• A treadmill
  I got this for $35 at Out of the Closet. It’s old and doesn’t have any fancy programs or graphs, but it goes up to 5.5 MPH and is good for a brisk jog. I have gone about 90 minutes on it but won’t push it further because I’m afraid of overheating it.
• The Perfect Push-Ups
  I suck at these. Tim uses them and says they do make a big difference with push ups. I, however, struggle to do 2 push-ups with or without these. Grrrr.
• The Iron Gym
  This is the device you hang over a door frame so you can do pull-ups and chin-ups. It works great. Tim uses it often. I can do a good number of chin-ups but am working on increasing my strength with pull-ups.
• A Swiss Ball
  This is one of those giant inflatable exercise balls. I use it as my computer chair. I really should use it for ab exercises. I have the dusty DVD it came with somewhere…
• A jump rope
  I don’t know why I thought I could successfully jump rope inside my apartment without breaking something or whacking a dog.
• A twist board
  I got this before I had the treadmill to try to do cardio at home. It’s basically a round plastic board you stand on and then twist side to side along its based with or without holding the resistance bands. It really does work your core and get your heart rate up. I should use it more often.
• 10-lb dumbbells
  I have a pair of coated 10-lb dumbbells. They are great for arm exercises and the perfect weight for toning my arms. I just do high reps and feel the burn around 12-14.
• Boxing gloves
  For back when I use to hit the bag at the gym. Don’t need them for anything now.
• A curl bar and various weights for it
  This is like a barbell for lifting weights, but it has a bit of an S-shape in the middle. It’s designed for arm curls mainly. Someone in our apartment building moved and gave away a lot of weights and the bar.  We have about 150lbs of weight we can put on it.
• A standard straight bar - COMING SOON
  Tim just ordered this so he can use the weights on a straight bar for bench presses and lifts.
• A weight bench - COMING SOON
  To go with the above, we’re getting a weight bench.
• Dumbbell bars - COMING SOON
  Another thing to use with the weights.
• And the pièce de résistance:
  

  Total Gym Elite - $45 from Out of The Closet

So I have a ton of exercise equipment. The Total Gym in itself covers so many exercises and body groups. So why am I not totally ripped? Well, I’m getting there hehehe.. more soon!

I’ll be 27 this year. Wow. I think I’m finally starting to feel old.

Actually, scratch that. I’ve always felt old, but I think it’s settling in what being an adult really means.

It’s responsibility, planning, dedication and follow-through. That all sounds pretty “old,” doesn’t it? But I need to stop living like a teenage boy in a messy dorm room.

I know I’ve made many of these goals before (many, many times before), but this year, I truly feel different. I have my first gray hair, an under eye wrinkle, and age spots. I’m always going to grow older; living like a kid won’t change that.  It will only make what is to come harder if I am not prepared, and as of right now, I’m a woefully unprepared.

So in no particular order, here are my goals for 2009.

Go to the gym frequently.

“Frequently” is the key word. It’s very important. I do go to the gym. I go regularly, in fact. But over the course of 2008, regularly changed from every weekday to every other Saturday.

I need to go frequently. I don’t have to workout vigorously every time I go. The walk there and back is really good for me.

I just need to go.

Category: HEALTH

Eat healthier/eat out less/cook/buy groceries.

I eat out way too often, and when I do, it’s usually junk. Not as bad as fast food, but still not very healthy and expensive. Also, I need to stop eating the lunches provided by work. Today was KFC. The only time I ever really eat fast food is at work, otherwise, I would go an entire year without ever eating at Carl’s Jr., KFC, Popeye’s, McDonalds, etc.

Category: HEALTH, FINANCES

Put aside money each paycheck into a savings account.

This is so important, and so neglected.

Category: FINANCES

Go to bed earlier/get up earlier.

Definitely a must so I can get to the gym.

Category: HEALTH

Take care of my skin/hair/nails.

I need to moisturize, wear sunscreen, exfoliate, and look into night and eye creams. It’s stuff I never really cared about (and don’t really care about now), but I know it will keep me from cursing my laziness at 35.

With my hair, I need to stop coloring and bleaching it and invest in quality conditioners and treatments.

Category: HEALTH

Drink more water.

This goes hand in hand with eating healthier, going to the gym, and taking care of my skin and hair.

Category: HEALTH

Take my vitamins and supplements/drink more wine.

Same reason as above.

Category: HEALTH

Clean more often.

I have a bad habit of letting things pile up (dishes, clothes, papers, makeup) before I finally give in and start cleaning and organizing. I want to develop the habit of taking a few seconds to automatically clean up and putting things away instead of spending hours tackling a huge mess.

Category: PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Be more social.

I now and then will get into a mood where I’m rather antisocial. Sometimes they last an evening; sometimes they last months. The sure fire fix for it is for me to go out and hang with some of my friends, but that’s hard to get going when I don’t want to go out in the first place.

I need to be better at returning emails and messages, be a bit more open and social. I’m content where I am right now, but in the long run, it’s no way to live.

Category: PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Spend at least one hour each week on my web projects.

I have numerous projects, including this blog, that have gone neglected. I get bursts of creative energy and excitement, and I’ll work on something for nights straight, and then get bored and won’t touch it for months. If they were worth starting, then they’re worth finishing.

Category: PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Explore Los Angeles.

I’ve been here 8 years now and haven’t strayed far from Hollywood. Although I love my neighborhood, it’s about time I ventured out a bit more and see what else this large city has to offer. Time to put my new digital camera to good use!

Category: PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

8 minutes left in the workday. Really wanna rush home and just play with my netbook tonight, but alas, much to do:

• Pick up my package(s) from the UP Stores
• Get a longer strand or two of Christmas lights
• Get a tree topper (I have no idea where the one from last year is)
• Walk the dogs
• Pick up dinner

I also got an idea today for a potentially huge (as in ka-ching ching) new website project, but when am I ever gonna find the time to work on that?

The big debate tonight is… decorate the tree or play with the netbook? Egads Batman!

In no particular order…

1. Pomegranates - they’re in season, yay!
2. Yankee Candle - my apartment smells like “MacIntosh” and “Sweet Honkeysuckle™”
3. Christmas Decorations - been dying to get a tree and put ours up!
4. Holiday Store Displays - oh so purdy…
5. Rhapsody - been great for my musical impulses
6. Winter Hats - ear flaps and (fake) fur trim FTW
7. Penny’s Hoodie
8. Days Off - Thanksgiving and Friday woohoo!
9. Holiday Sales - I want to buy, but I don’t want to spend
10. New Bed Sheets - Mmm… smooth….