So far so good with Avon

My first kit came with a product called Anew Clinical Absolute Even on sale for $7.99, which is a spot correction hand cream with broad spectrum SPF 15. Since I don't have spots on my hands, but do have them on the sides of my face, and I happened to be out of face cream at the time, I broke the rules and smoothed it on my face and neck. The cream is very rich out of the tube, and stays in the sense that when you are taking a shower you can feel that you are washing a lotion off. But, the remakkable part of it is, it is working. I have been using it consistently for about a week, and my age spot freckles on the side of my face are fading. Cool, right? Now I just need some customers besides myself.

Workouts are going well, I don't recall if I posted Fridays so here it is. 5/23, am workout. I started with my usual warmup, 6 inutes on the Arc Trainer. Bench press, 1 x 10 x 45, (all of these are paused bench presses) 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 3 x 95, 2 x 2 x 100, then I got a spotter. I think it was Mike, I forgot to write that in the notebook. With him I did 1 x 2 x 100, then with a lift-off 1 x 3 x 100, 1 x 2 x 100, reps only count when he does not help at all.

On to deadlift, 2 x 3 x 135, 1 x 3 x 155, 1 x 2 x 175, 1 x 2 x 185, 2 x 1 x 195, 1 x 2 x 185. My next deadlift session, which is tomorrow, will be a heavier volume, lighter weight day. 1 x 3 x 135, 1 x 3 x 155, 1 x 3 x 175, 1 x 5 x 175 is the plan.

Monday, 5/26 around 11am. Warm-up 6 minutes on the Arc Trainer, then squats. 1x10xair, 1x8x45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 95, 1 x 5 x 115, 1 x 3 x 125, 3 x 3 x 135, 3 x 4 x 135. None of these were hard, back was good, ready to go heavier with squats.

Today, 5/27, morning. Warmup, 6 min Arc Trainer. Bench Press 1 x 8 x 45, (all paused)1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 3 x 95, 1 x 3 x 100 touch and go, went and got Eddie to spot me, 2 x 3 x 100. Nice! Better than last time. Eddie had to go train someone, so dropped weight down to 95 lbs. 3 x 5 x 95 touch and go, 1 x 8 x 85 touch and go. Standing press, it has been forever since I did these, 1 x 5 x 45, 1 x 3 x 65, 2 x 5 x 65, 1 x 4 x 65, 1 x 3 x 65. I did my usual yoga at the end, shoulder stand to plow, back-bend, forward fold and out.

Yay, I got my avon kit!

It came with a hilariously flirty UPS man. The dog was frothing at the mouth, growling and jumping for a piece of him, as he does when a stranger or the mailman comes to the door, so I ran out to apologize for the Killer Yorkie. The UPS guy leered at me, handed me the surprisingly heavy box and said, "No problem baby."

The kit has two full-size products, an age-spot eraser with SPF in it and a Skin-so-soft lotion. I'm not sure where I stand on the scent of the Skin-so-soft. There isn't anything wrong with it perse, its just so, traditional. I've used the age-spot eraser on the sides of my face where I have some big freckles twice, last night and today. No change yet, which would be great but weird if it worked that fast anyway. The feel, scent and packaging of the product, from the Anew line, are all good and comparable to department store skin care.

Since I also worked yesterday, wanted to work out and go to my mom's house to drop off the brochures, I had a time-crunch to deal with and decided to just squat. I warmed up with the usual six minutes on the Arc-trainer, then squats: 1 x 10 x air, 1 x 8 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 95, 1 x 5 x 115, 3 x 5 x 125, 3 x 3 x 130. I'm happy with that. Knowing there would be nothing going on with work today, I slept in and went to the gym for the rest of the training. Warm-up, five hard minutes on the arc-trainer, one minute cool-down. Bench press, all paused: 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 95, 3 x 2 x 100, 1 x 3 x 100. PR for paused bench presses! Mike spotted me and helped with a lift-off for the last 3 sets. I lifted to failure, didn't count the assisted lifts.

Deads next, 2 x 3 x 135, 1 x 3 x 155, 1 x 2 x 175, 1 x 2 x 185, 2 x 1 x 195- these were freakin hard to keep form on, 1 x 2 x 185. Came home, showered and walked the dog, drank a glass of buttermilk and had a tin of sardines, later had a salmon mayo sandwich. Now I am ready for a nap- but no worries about short gym hours for the holiday weekend. On Monday they will be open 7am to 6pm, so I should be able to get a squat session in then.

Thinking about Avon

I'm considering becoming an Avon representative. I need to do more research, ideally I would be an affiliate with a site so people could simply order from 'my' site, pay with their credit cards and the items are shipped to them without my hands on anything. Years ago I tried selling Avon and it was a disaster. Dealing with inventory and collecting checks and cash from people, so if that is involved I am not interested. So, that is on my mind. On a completely unrelated note, I am also toying with the idea of starting to take power yoga/ flow classes. these are different (as in, harder) than the yoga I love, but the challenge is interesting. The class hours are a little funky though, to make it today I'd have to be done working at 3, the class is at 4, and as it is a sweatier yoga than usual I also have to shower afterward and possibly redo hair, makeup, everything if I want to go or do anything afterward. Undecided about that.

Sleep was intermittant last night, everyone was in the bed with me. It's sweet that they want to cuddle, and I treasure the time, but damn I could use a nap right now- 9am.

Tomorrow gym session: squat 3x5x125, back dependant, keeping in mind the dead lift goal is coming up, bench, paused again, 90 pounds, more reps than last time (see notebook). Deadlifts, work up to heavy singles, 185 top out unless they feel really light, then 3 x 3 x 155. It would be most convenient if this is a morning workout as I have plans Friday night, have to work Friday and Saturday too.

I almost forgot the most important thing that happened lately. Like a lot of women I know, I spend a lot of money on different make up and skin care products, trying to improve my appearance. I even went to Sally's Beauty Supply and bought a bunch of false eyelashes, glue, glue remover, the whole bit, to make my eyes look prettier. After watching several Youtube how-to videos, I tried, and tried to put them on. Finally, I got to the point where one would look good, and the other would droop at the outer corner. This made me look like a glamorour s stroke victim. That isn't where I wanted to go with that, so I realized that my poor vision might be affecting the outcome of the false eyelashes and about three weeks after the realization, I actually remembered to buy a magnifying mirror while at the store.

Holy cannoli what a difference! I can see my eyelashes, the line where eyeliner should go, eyebrows up close, everything. My lashes are so thick and long, I don't even need the fake eyelashes, just a couple of coats of mascara. I can't stop looking at myself in mirrors in astonishment- who is that woman? All along it was because I can't see well that my makeup looked, just not good. So, yeah, my next purchase will be one that lights up! In other news, it turns out I am accepted as a Mom Ambassador. That is cool.