We should have seen this coming.

I read on Time.com that the state Department of Education for Indiana has said teaching cursive is no longer required. So schools in Indiana can decide if they would like to teach cursive. I haven't written in cursive since I passed notes in 7th grade. After that it was print or nothing. Even my signature is mostly print.

The article states that while leaving cursive instruction at the door students 'will be expected to become proficient in keyboard use.' By that I assume they mean typing. Although it does conjure up an interesting image of a fourth-grader using a keyboard as a paddle while canoeing up the Mississippi.

Yeah, probably they mean typing.

What do you picture a keyboard being used as?




Cursive image borrowed from here.

Something I want.

Glass drinking straws. I love it. I'd never considered how much plastic waste straws generate. I'm trying to be more environmentally conscious. My little sister did a lot to inspire me while I visited her last month. She uses cloth napkins. I'm totally going to invest in some of those.

Back to the straws. They're not economically smart. I think it would take me eight hundred plastic straws to pay for one glass straw. But the environment would appreciate it after the first time.

Picture from Glass Dharma

If you get one or know someone who has one let me know how they are. Oh, the site where I got the picture from offers a life time repair or replace if the straws get broken. That's impressive.

Too True

I know -- two posts in one day! Can you handle it?

Well, when I saw this comic in the newspaper today, I just had to share. It's so familiar, I laughed out loud! I suppose if I think about it too much, though, I may realize it's not that funny!

BizarroComics.com



Finally, a Funny

I'm sorry for the boring "fluffy to fit" blogs lately! I re-read them and yeah, they're boring.

But today will be different; I finally have a "funny" for you!!

My brother and sister-in-law work at Walmart. (They're not as WT as that makes them sound. They want to get new jobs, but right now, it is what it is.) Anyway, every once in a while, they'll send me funny products found at Walmart. Here is the latest:




Guaranteed to remove even the toughest aircraft!

 

Nothing Lost, Nothing to Lose

Ok, so the first week has gone by and guess what! Nothing's changed. I've lost nothing. In fact, during a weekend trip, I lost all control and gained. /sigh/

This story is so old and tired, it should be dead. Let's try and kill it.

I'm still playing Winnie-the-Pooh with my up/down, and Tigger with my jumping jacks in the restroom. When did I move to the Hundred Acre Wood??

Anyway, this week I've added a couple other little random moves to my workday:

• While refilling my water mug (which is up to about 4 times a day at least), I stand feet shoulder-width apart and bend side to side while sucking in my tummy. I'm hoping it'll help whittle down my love handles.
• Whenever the phone rings, I stand up to answer it, then do my down-up-down thing when I sit.

Lucky for me, no one else works near me - they'd think I was so weird if they did! I know it's weird, but I have to 1. add variety to my day, and 2. use quirky little ways to sneak in some movement.

Am I as ridiculous as I feel? What do you do to sneak in exercise?

P.S. I am not expecting this alone to change my figure. I am also doing a walk/jog 3 days a week and strength training every other day. Just so you know I'm not as crazy as I sound.

Winnie the Pooh is My Personal Trainer

Wow, traffic on our blog has really gone down since we stopped weighing in! Must be because there's just no car wreck to gawk at anymore, I guess. Well, "Get used to disappointment."*

*Name that film?

However, I have since reassessed my goals (again), and will mention little tips and tricks I'm trying, and little successes and failures I'm having every once in a while. I hope you don't mind.

Today I read an online article about "How to Stay Fit While You Sit". I thought, 'Great! This is perfect for me, since I'm confined to a bulletproof box for 8 hours everyday, mostly sitting at a computer...' Wrong. Let me sum up this article:

Do you sit most of the time, instead of being a personal trainer like me?? I get paid to work out all day, unlike you poor pathetic desk-bound accountants and computer hackers! Well, here's some ways to burn calories. Have sex! It will make you live longer! Also, use a treadclimber, Body by Jake resistance bands (?), and [something else that doesn't help you exercise while sitting... I can't remember what it was. To be honest, I saw that that was the end of the article and stopped paying attention]. By the way, I'm not getting paid for pushing these products. Really, I'm not.


"Um... thanks for that. I'll log that away." I'm pretty sure you can do none of those things while sitting at a desk at work. And if you do, you'll probably be fired.

A few things I am trying:

• Every time I get up from my chair, when I go to sit again, I almost sit, and then stand up again before actually sitting. It's kind of silly and Winnie-the-Pooh-ish with the up/down, up/down, but I was amazed how sore my glutes were the next day after doing this!
• Whenever I go to the restroom, I'll stay in there after washing my hands and do twenty jumping jacks. Or jumping jack coordinators if I'm feeling nostalgic.

So there you go. Those are my fluffy to fit tips for you fellow 'sitters' this week. Ones you can actually use.

Wow, That Bathroom Smells Good!

Disgusting, right?

I know, it sounds bad, but really, my office bathroom (which really is just mine because the reception area is secluded from everyone else) smells positively YUMMY!!

Let me `splain: On the other side of the reception area is our cafeteria - Lety's Cocina. Home of all kinds of delectable goods -- breads, carne asada, and the best Tortas you've ever had. From there through the walls/vents wafts the lovely smell of lunch over to my side. All morning. Every day. Mmm...

I think it's snack time!