HoundsGood: Chronicles of a Virtual Volunteer

Blogging about volunteer opportunities and spreading the word about dogs and cats in need, among other good causes, might seem pretty easy. Sometimes, however, I get very attached to trying to do all I can to make sure there is a positive outcome to a situation, and that sometimes involves sleepless nights. I stay up way too late sometimes, thinking that one more email will do the trick. Some days it leaves me in a fog. I have found that natural alternatives, like B12 supplements have really helped me get through the day.

However, it really doesn’t do anything to get rid of the jitters. I know, I need more sleep. I think that is what it is caused by. Sometimes, no matter how much sleep you get sometimes it is hard to not have your palms sweat. There is something natural out now called AbsoluteCalm . Upon further reading, it has beta carotene and magnolia extract in it. Beta carotene boosts the immune system, and magnolia extract seems to have antioxidant qualities that lower the stress response.

Nothing in my adult life, despite all this pressure I put on myself, has compared to the anxiety of the Presidential Physical Fitness Tests! Remember those? I was good at the running and jump roping part, but I always flunked out during the parts that called for chin ups/pull ups. If I recall, only a couple kids could ever do one at the grade level I remember most.

Back then (and I am not old!) we took plenty of vitamin C, but all the other supplements were not pushed as heavily on is. If we had something like around, I could imagine taking that I would have been using it. I don’t know why, looking back, we were so nervous or anxious about it. Part of it might have had to do with the fact that if you passed, you got some sort of a medal or plaque. Kids like that stuff. We could hardly wait to get up in the morning and apparently not measure up to what the head honcho of the Presidential Physical Fitness Test, The Arnold could do at that age.

Then again, if we were all a little too serene and relaxed, would we have been suspected of being “up to something?” Maybe so.

I still have some reading up to do on it, but it looks interesting.

(Photo: Apparently the Governator set the standards for the Presidential Physical Fitness Test on his own abilities, and not ours)

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