Asset Qualifications

Some of you know that I have long held that I should have been a cheerleader in high school. No really. I stand by it. It turns out that I'm pretty good at dance routines - and, twenty years ago, I'm betting I could have learned to do the splits....

In any event, I've just learned of something that may affect my future job prospects. Apparently, years of yoga and swallowing emotion (please note: I am very happily married. This is not a reflection of that!) have lead to another talent, discovered while in labour with MasterP. AT 5:30 AM, when they finally let me into a delivery room after walking around for 2 hours in active labour, they put a monitor on me and my tummy.

As the next contraction came on, I closed my eyes, took a breath, and pushed down into my tummy and held there. (Unfortunately for me, I had to do this without the help of brownies, which are my favorite way for holding things down.)

And the nurse said "Huh. That's neat - I've never seen someone's pulse go down during a contraction." (!!!!)

Today, I tried it again. While I was on the treadmill. I'd just finished as much as I could from the inaugural run, and closed my eyes, and pushed me down, and there. The beeps went down. Now - not crazily, but each time, they went down. Here's the thing.

I've got six months before I have to return to work. As it turns out, I can willfully slow my heartbeat. I'm thinking I have a future in magic shows!!

Either that, or a definite out for interminable meetings. "I'm sorry, Katie seems to have coded again. We'll have to reschedule!!"

Dude. It's gonna be awesome!