Exercise Exasperation

Greetings from upstate NY!!!

I know I haven't posted a new blog since I moved up to the Capital City of Albany, NY (bad Jenn, bad!! *slap on wrist*). I started my new job last Tuesday (Monday was stupid general hospital orientation crap), and I haven't really gotten much into my job as I have only seen one patient so far at the HIV Medicine clinic here at Albany Medical Center. Hopefully I will see some more tomorrow though.

Now, to the main topic of this post. Before I moved to NYC, a year and a half ago, I had a car. When I moved to the city I sold it, thinking I would have no further use for it. Now, I'm up here in Albany really wishing that I hadn't sold that old clunker!! So my current mode of transportation is Dana's old bike. Things were going pretty well for the first couple of days but then I realized how much I miss having a car!

Let me state for the record that I probably haven't seriously ridden a bike in a good 15 years, and even at that time I was not very good. Most of the scars I have are from that bike. Whether it be falling off the bike, getting caught in the gears or whatever, it is obvious that I am not an expert bike rider. I was placing bets with friends and family as to how long it would take until I seriously injure myself this go around on the bike. So far I have been pretty lucky (knock on wood) and haven't fallen into traffic or anything.

The first side effect I noticed from biking to and from work every day is the big pain in the ass that it causes (quite literally). Even though I got a seat cover to go over the current one, it's still not fun sitting on that seat for close to an hour every day. I guess that's because bike seats aren't really made to be sat on continuouslly, you're supposed to peddle off the seat most of the time I guess. Well, perhaps when I was a kid I had the strength and courage to do this. But whenever I try it nowadays I get all wobbly and sit back down!!

The next side effect comes from the fact that I haven't done any serious exercise in a very long time (unless you count climbing the unlimited number of stairs in the subway stations!) so this biking to and from work everyday has kind of put my body into a state of shock. I know it's only a matter of time until my body gets used to it and I start getting better in shape, but for now it really sucks!! Hills are a complete impossibility right now as my legs turn to burning piles of jello by the time I get up 2 feet of the hill!

Although it's kinda sucking right now, I don't miss having a car when I see the price of gas when I cruise by the stations on my green (literally and environmentally) bike! :)

I think I'll like it up here. The Albany Tulip Festival is coming up and JOAN JETT (!!!!!!!!) is performing so I'm very happy about that. So I think Albany will have enough stuff going on to keep this city girl occupied. And being closer to Miss D doesn't hurt either. :)

P.S. I got myself a kitty cat to keep my company here. Will post pics of the little terror soon! :)