Day 26: Ow my back

Did I mention that I moved around a lot of furniture last week? As part of Phase 2 for my home improvement, I put rugs in my living room. I didn't have to buy any since I took some from my parents home years ago when I moved into my first apartment in college. I put them in the basement for storage and decided it was high time they came back into my living space. Rugs are heavy and these rugs needed to go under my couch. My couch is a sectional so moving it is like moving two couches and each one is a fucking heavy couch. Newly empowered by my weight-lifting sessions with Damian, I thought that I could do all this moving on my own.

Horrible idea. I got the job done but my back was really sore afterwards. This was on a Thursday so by the time I got back from Vail and lifted with Damian on Tuesday I thought I would be fine. We started doing squats and by the ninth one I felt a strain in my lower legs and back. I had to stop and couldn't actually bend over afterwards. Later on, after talking with some friends who work out on a more regular basis, I found out that this was probably the worst thing I could have done to my back. I could barely move and we had to stop lifting.

We went to Valois for breakfast so that made things a little bit better. I found out that they now have validated parking with a $5 purchase at the Hyde Park Bank parking lot at 54th and Lake Park. Score! The also have President Obama's favorites posted at the entrance. He likes the steak and eggs.

I couldn't do anything active when I got home so I watched The Dilemma, starring Vince Vaughn, while icing my back with frozen peas. The movie wasn't a great one but I do like how they featured Chicago so prominently. They mention real streets, neighborhoods and restaurants and show how great life in Chicago can be. It's worth watching if you're already in love with this city.

My freezer has played a huge role in my sabbatical, nourishing and now healing me. Since I couldn't move, I ate some more freezer food at home.

Curried chicken with brown rice.

Have you ever hurt your back? Should I even try lifting next week?