Tag archives: blisters

A Buffet of Blisters :: Vegas Part 1

I don’t write about dieting. So this blog isn’t about dieting. Nothing grates on my nerves worse than listening to size six women complain about being fat. I am a happy size six and I’m far from complaining. Now that we’ve cleared that up… I gained four pounds in three days of being in Vegas. LOL

The food in Vegas is great and it is in abundance.

On Friday we planned our day around dinner. We started the day walking the four-mile Las Vegas Strip. I am lying to myself that the four pounds is accredited to the muscle mass gained in my calves from all the walking. I wore boots, jeans and a tank top. My boots are comfy, but maybe not meant for walking such a distance. After a few medicinal cocktails, I cared less about the tenderness that was growing in my feet and we practically danced back to our hotel to change for dinner.

I don’t do heels by nature, but being that we were in Vegas, I stepped into a pair of four inchers and we headed for the cab. The Rio has a buffet that spans around 20,000 yummy square feet and it was our dining destination for the evening. By the time we were dropped at the door and crossing through the big golden doors of the casino, the medicinal therapy was officially worn off and my feet were burning. It felt like my heels were lined with battery acid.

We crossed the huge hotel twice before deciding on the first buffet that we’d originally stumbled upon back near the entrance we came in. I was leaning heavily on my man’s arm by the time we got back to the line. The host showed us to our table at the furthest end of the room possible. I seriously considered toting my cute black heels in hand and crossing the room barefoot. When we reached our table, the buffet section meant for kids was closest to our table. My first thought was, “Pizza is fine by me!”

After sucking up the pain, I did choose the hibachi grill over chicken nuggets and cheese pizza. My jeans are suffering for it back in Nashville. Maybe it was the hibachi chicken… or the free scoops of ice cream… or the chocolate éclairs… or all the medicinal drinks, I don’t really know. I’m still telling myself that it’s all muscle mass simply displaced to my midsection.

Either way, four pounds or not, I’d gain ten to be back in Sin City. Now only if dieting would work the way it really should. For instance, I should be rewarded with a lost pound for passing up the chocolate ganache cake that I decided not to eat for breakfast this morning. We’ll see how that works out…

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Don't Let the Boat Pull You Over

boatIf you’ve been reading my blogs for any amount of time you’re probably ready for yet another meaningless life event blown up into some grand over thought analogy right? Well, you are in luck! This one begins with a tale from The Adventures of Dale Hollow Lake, a book that I will someday win the Pulitzer for… or maybe not.I love being on the lake, but I’m not an avid water sports woman by any stretch of the imagination. My adventures usually involve a chick-lit novel, a floatation device (worn like a diaper) and a cold Corona with lime. I might get a little crazy from time to time depending upon the heat of the sun and wind up mildly tipsy and radically sunburned, but that’s usually where the excitement ends.

This past weekend I was invited on a houseboat trip with some friends. In typical Elicia style, I stretched out on the top deck to get my tan (burn) on with a good book and good tunes. Unlike my usual accomplices on such trips the friends that were with me were much more into activity than relaxation and someone threw out the idea of wakeboarding. After some friendly persuasion, I put down the book and decided to give it a try.

My mind normally convinces my body that it is better, stronger, faster and more agile than it really is. Wakeboarding was no different. I looked easy enough. Relax in the water and wait for the boat to help you to a standing position and then glide across the water. I strapped on my board and floated out into the water waiting for the ski rope to be tossed to me. As I tried to get the board to cooperate with the direction of my feet while I merely floated, I realized quickly that I was sorely mistaken in my perception of the ease of the sport.

As much as I would love to say that I got up on my first attempt, the boat actually ripped the rope from my hands before I even realized we were moving.

The second attempt was strangely similar.

On the third attempt I did actually hang on but as soon I was partially up out of the water I was pulled over and landed flat on my face.

The boat circled around and the captain shouted over at me, “Girl, don’t let this boat pull you over! You’ve almost got it!”

Five blisters, a pulled muscle and twelve attempts later I decided that I wasn’t cut out for the world of wakeboarding. My friends pulled my exhausted body back to the boat and I barely made it out of the water before collapsing on the swim deck. I could have easily felt defeated, especially when everyone that followed me was not only able to stand up but could glide, spin around and even jump. However as I recovered and examined my bruised and blistered hands I couldn’t help but feel a little proud. I had given those waves everything I had.

Every day for the past few months has had the boat-like potential to pull me over onto my face and leave me wallowing in the wake of my old life. A life that sometimes feels almost like it never even existed. I’m moving on through the sadness and tears, confusion and grief and I refuse to let the boat pull me over.

Sure, I might fail. I might fall flat on my face a few times, but I won’t go down without a fight, a few blisters and humming the Rocky theme song.

“Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing. Use the pain as fuel, as a reminder of your strength.” – August Wilson

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