I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN ME

It appears that today, I will be getting in touch with my feminine side.  Just so you know, it takes a REAL MAN to admit that he has a feminine side. Yes, I know that that it counterintuitive.

I am going to share with you part of the lyrics to a song sung by Maria (Julie Andrews) in the extraordinary 1965 film, THE SOUND OF MUSIC.   The lyrics come from the song, I Have Confidence. (Rogers and Hammerstein)

I've always longed for adventure
To do the things I've never dared
And here I'm facing adventure
Then why am I so scared?

I really do have a feminine side. I have a few favorite movies.  They are Star Trek (2010), Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Field of Dreams, The Fiddler on the Roof, most James Bond films (especially with Sean Connery or Daniel Craig), The Ten Commandments, and THE SOUND OF MUSIC. 

THE HILLS ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF MUSIC
HALF-DOME (YOSEMITE PARK) IS A BIT MORE THAN A 'HILL'

Do you remember how Darth Vader in Star Wars says about Luke Skywalker, "The force is strong with this one."  Given the opportunity, one could correctly say of me, "The femininity is strong with this one."  How else to explain tearing up watching parts of The Sound of Music, particularly emotional parts of Field of Dreams, or the self-termination of the 'good' Terminator in Terminator II?

One more time, I just want to remind you that it takes a REAL MAN to admit this.

Moving on...

The reason that these lyrics were speaking to me is that although I am signed up for the expedition (now 7 of us - The Magnificent Seven?) for the hike up HALF DOME in YOSEMITE PARK in October.  I have been very concerned that I would not be able to do it.   As the song lyrics go..."to do the things I've never dared. And here I'm facing adventure. Then why am I so scared?" Me hike (climb) HALF DOME? Yes, I have been thinking about it just about every day since my brother invited me to join his expedition, and especially since the 5 minutes it took me to make the decision and say, "yes, count me in."  THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THIS DECISION HAVE SCARED ME.  It's not even the final ascent using the chains that has scared me so much (although it certainly did) - I have been more concerned that I would never get to that approach in the first place...

My confidence started to uptick when I did nothing more exotic than bounding up five flights of stairs on the way to my workout on Saturday.   On Sunday, my confidence SOARED when I discovered that I could walk up 13 (thirteen) flights of stairs from my 12th floor apartment to the 25th floor where the fitness room is located.  If I can do this, and I can, because I did, then maybe I really can train to ascend 4800 feet from the base in the valley of HALF DOME to its Summit.  I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN ME.  It feels great. No longer scared, I am more excited than ever.  I am going to continue stair climbing. My building is 25 floors from ground floor to the top where the fitness room is located.  I will work on navigating all 25 floors prior to working out... Once I accomplish that, I may start to time myself to get better at this.  Now I also know that I don't have to be fearful of stepping onto a STAIRMASTER machine if/when I see one at a YMCA.  I should, and I will embrace the opportunity.  

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SUNDAY MENU

breakfast   cup Steel Cut Oat Meal w/prune, 3 slices turkey bacon, two eggs   355 calories
lunch         7 ounce Salmon, asparagus
                  2 ounces Glenlivet's (L'Chaims at Chabad House - It's Shavuous)    585 calories
dinner       Huge Supermarket Salad, Red Delicious Apple
                 Honey Nut & Banana Granola                                                         1272 calories

total calories consumed  2242 calories

CALORIES BURNED
I was a bit 'wired' late Saturday night, which technically was EARLY Sunday morning.  My Sunday workout took place at the ridiculous hour of 2:00AM.  This was the time that I chose to climb the 13 flights of stairs to the fitness room.   After my workout, I walked down the same 13 flights to return to my apartment on the 12th floor.  (My thinking is, at HALF DOME, we will be climbing up and ultimately climbing down)  I believe the leader of this expedition, my brother, Andy, has indicated that climbing down is no picnic either.  So I better be prepared for both.

2:00AM  climbed up 13 flights of stairs to fitness room                 
               32 minutes elliptical machine 507 calories
               walked down 13 flights of stairs back to apartment

SUNDAY NET CALORIES  1735 calories


This information was lifted from livestrong.com

How Many Calories are Burned Going Up & Down Stairs for Ten Minutes?
For a person who weighs 200 lbs., walking up and down stairs burns 127 calories in 10 minutes.

I don't think it took too long for me to traverse the 13 flights of stairs, perhaps only a minute or so (I did not time myself)... I definitely see  STAIRMASTER MACHINE WORKOUTS in my future... 

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SOUND OF MUSIC TRIVIA (from imdb.com)

When Maria is running through the courtyard to the Von Trapp house in "I Have Confidence", she trips.  This was an accident, however, director Robert Wise liked this so much that he kept it in the movie.  He felt that it added to the nervousness of the song and of the character.

The Sound of Music Box Office

Budget:

 $8,200,000 (estimated)

Gross:

 $163,214,286 (USA)

Seems to me, like this is a pretty good ROI (RETURN ON INVESTMENT)