Fear of a Female Planet

Baby, it's been cold in Wisconsin this week, which is a great excuse to stay inside and be productive and write.



I also started teaching this week and boy did I miss it! So far, my Spring schedule has been working out really well, with huge chunks for writing. I told my second job I couldn't work for them this semester and, while I will miss the extra money, I am already loving having that time and energy back for myself. They are nice people to work with, but I was starting to feel under-appreciated and resentful. I left on good terms and will offer to sub and plan on going back in the summer, but this break will be nice.

I started taking a strength training class at my gym that I think is a good fit for me - just challenging enough, a good time of day, and hopefully will prove to be good cross-training for climbing, running, and frisbee. It's called BodyPump and according to folks on forums it burns around 300 calories in a one hour session, while still being focused on weights rather than cardio. It's at 7:30 in the morning and I'm not so tired after it that I can't go for a run too. It's also on my "Stay At Home" day, so it gets me up and energized early.

Oh, and speaking of climbing - I've been working on incorporating 5.9s into my weekly routine. I can't do every 5.9, but the easier ones or the ones that clearly weren't set by someone 6 feet tall (I miss the days when the gym marked who set what, so you could avoid the routes set by unimaginative tall setters). A good route setter should make it so there is more than one way to do a route (for example, short people tend to have smaller hands and can often use foot holds as hand holds, where as taller people with bigger hands can not - so there is no reason to not set foot holds strategically so you can do a route in more than one way). Anyway, I rarely even do 5.7s anymore (usually just when it's so busy there aren't many options) and can do every 5.8 in the gym... eventually :)

Newport State Park, Door County, Wisconsin - October 2011.

Fall is in full swing, as we hike the almost 2 miles in to our campsite:



Our campsite was right on the beach and we arrived at sunset:





The next morning:





More foliage:



We hiked out along Lake Michigan:



and picked up some Door County souvenirs on the way home the next day:



10 hours of driving for 20 hours of camping, but totally worth it.

My boyfriend sends me sexy pictures:

Madison, Wis., Named 'Most Walkable'
By SCOTT BAUER

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - With the thermometer hovering at 22, and the wind ripping off a frozen Lake Mendota, Rink DaVee and his brother Jim decided to take a stroll. And why not? After all, according to a recent top 10 list, there's no better place in the country for walking than the capital city of a state known more for cheese and beer than exercising.
( Read More )

It's true. I've never seen a city like this - where you see just as many people outside in the winter as in the summer.

I've lived in three states in my life - two of which granted civil rights to gay citizens - I really hope these bans are not just voted down, but start a trend in the other direction.








Gay Marriage Losing Punch as Ballot Issue
By KIRK JOHNSON, The New York Times, October 14, 2006

DENVER, Oct. 13 — The debate over same-sex marriage was a black-or-white proposition two years ago when voters in 11 states barred gay couples from marrying.

But this year shades of gray are everywhere, as eight more states consider similar ballot measures. Some of the proposed bans are struggling in the polls, and the issue of same-sex marriage itself has largely failed to rouse conservative voters.
( Read more )