Thursday, September 6, 2007

I've Moved!

Please visit my new blog over at

eramblings.wordpress.com


Thanks!

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

In The Zone

I think I have entered The Zone. For the first time in a long time, I had a day at home and didn't feel like eating all day. I didn't feel hungry. I didn't feel the need to munch while doing whatever it was I was (or wasn't) doing. I was actually quite content to just enjoy my day.

Now don't think I went and starved myself. I ate. I just ate breakfast and dinner. And I was happy and not hungry.

Reading (well skimming) The Zone books and The Zone website, I have found myself to be trying, but not trying too hard because I have never known a person who has been on a diet and stayed on the diet. I honestly didn't have high hopes for this. But after gaining 10 lbs out of nowhere I had to try.

I got the jist of the program - an equal portion of protein, carbs and fat; portion control; exercise, but didn't really delve into detail. Why? I don't know. Motivation was low? Didn't really want to change the way I was eating? Didn't really want to be on a "diet" persay? Who really knows? I just know I thought I would dabble a bit and see if it was something that interests me.

Eat 3xs a day (about every 4 hours) and a snack in between. Sounds pretty straight forward. I can do that.

I stopped eating all major fatty things - cookies, donuts, mms, Frostys, twinkies, - you name it. I was wasn't too happy about this because I really like the four course meal idea - appetizer, salad/soup, meal, coffee and dessert. But I am an out of sight, out of mind girl when it comes to food. So putting everything in the back of the cupboards usually works really well. No problem.

I stopped eating all the foods on the bad carbs list or as I call it - do not eat list. Which funny enough had been the majority of foods I had swtiched to in order to eat healthier. Odd. Things like carrots and dried fruits (which had become my snack).

I started managing my portion control as well. When my brain signaled I was full - I stopped. Imagine that. Stopping when you are full. Seems so basic, but I am surprised now that I am aware of eating, not just eating because I feel like it, how easy it is to just keep eating - for no reason. I like to talk at dinner and so I have also learned to move my plate so I am not tempted to keep grazing.

I also started cooking. OMG! Yes, I started cooking again. And normally I would appologize to my husband and son but suprisingly I woke up and was gifted with the ability to cook. Oh Yeah! I can cook. I have made flounder, bacon, eggs (without calling my mother to ask how), chicken, ground beef. So excited!

Back to my story, I ate breakfast and dinner yesterday. I made a balanced (code for healthy I guess) breakfast of eggs, bacon, 1 piece of toast with jam, a spoonful of peanut butter (uhg) and a little bit of fruit. Then I didn't realize I hadn't eaten until early evening. I then made myself a chicken salad. I threw chicken on the stove, then put in leftover lettuce, avocado and tomato (from taco night), cut up a little green pepper, added grapes, and leftover egg and bacon (from breakfast). And yes I did add a little dressing because I just can't do salad without dressing. Wow it was so good! I wasn't even able to eat all of what I made.

Now please don't think I am bragging. By no means is that the case. I haven't been very good about going to the gym and I am pretty sure no pounds have been lost. I am just happy about the zen I felt yesterday and would love to attribute it to feeling that I read about in The Zone book. I actually turned down a donut and a cupcake this weekend and don't feel the least problematic about it. Normally my mouth would be watering at the mention of a donut, but I didn't think twice about it.

What I find incredibly funny is my husband and I both joined a gym. I worked out three times a week for the last couple of weeks. I changed what I ate and how much I ate. And he lost 10 pounds.

The irony.

Sunday, September 2, 2007

Bowling

I can not believe I forgot my camera. It was absolutely an event to remember. Now it wasn't our first time bowling, but it was our first time bowling together as a family - just us and no one else. Kind of cool. We got to spend some really great quality time together and cheer each other on. I loved every minute!

I can't belive how good our 9-yr old son did. The 8lb ball was (I think) way too heavy for him. He would do this run up to the alley, but since he was carrying this heavy ball it looked more like a wiggle run. Out of control. Then he would just drop the ball and somehow it would roll down the alley and into the pins. It looked like an optical illusion. It was so incredibly hard not to laugh. It was cute and funny at the same time. And he was so excited everytime he bowled. You would have thought he got a strike everytime. Course he did beat my score on last game.

After the first couple of really good strikes from my husband. I asked, "did you used to bowl a lot?" Apparently my husband was on a bowling league in the past. I am sure he has mentioned this before, but for some reason I didn't remember. Then I started looking at his form and really watching him bowl. Wow, he does look like he was on a league.

I always bowl about the same way everytime. I bowl under 100 the first game, then over 100, then under 100. The first game is warm up - I am usually pretty excited to be there. The second game I am under control and sort of in my game zen. The third game I am tired.

So much fun. We used to bowl often when I was growing up. It was always a real treat. Lots of high fives and we were always the loudest ones there. Some things have changed - no smoking in the alley and the tv screens are not green anymore.

Some things haven't changed. I still love to bowl.

My Drive



Changed the challenge (see previous post for link) from my drive to my ride. Pretty good rendition, don't cha think?

Love my VW.

Music



touches my soul.

A journal challenge.
Motivation at last.

Burning the Midnight Oil

Up late tonight. Been a long time since I have been up past ten o'clock. I am definitely not a night owl. But one huge bonus to being up late - I get to sleep late too!!

Sleeping late is seriously one of my favorite things to do. I love waking up late and then laying in bed for hours. I can watch tv; read a book; bring my coffee to bed; stretch and just roll around doing basically nothing. When I sleep late, my cats generally join me in bed. Love the cuddle factor.

When I stay in bed at some point late in the morning my hubby comes in and stands in the doorway. He asks something like "what are your plans today?" My usual answer is, "I'm doing it." I am not sure what to think of this whole thing we play out many Sundays. Too bad he doesn't come snuggle with me. Course then I would have to share the remote and the bed. When he came to bed tonight I wasn't ready to share the bed. Not usual for me. I love to cuddle. For some reason I just didn't want to move my ass over. And I like to lay across the middle of the bed when I watch tv. I tend to roll and move around too. So not much room for others. I think I need a t-shirt that says, "hogs the bed" or "doesn't share when watching tv."

Problem with being up late - you get the munchies. And when you are on some sort of diet (I truly hate that word) you really can't just sit and munch. Odd thing about munchin' - I am not really hungry. Just feel like snacks would go good with my late night mood.

I am currently doing the "Zone Diet." As I read these two books I have on it - here and here - I am reminded that this isn't a diet. Uhm, okay I can totally get into the mental aspect of saying "not on a diet," but if I can't eat what I want, when I want then isn't it really a diet? It isn't too bad so far, course I have been working on this at my own pace. I don't deprive myself of the things I want. If I want a bite of cake, I have a bite of cake. Then again I haven't felt the need to go on any binges, so really I have been pretty good. I am just having a little trouble with the what is best to eat. I haven't sat down and physically read the book - no motivation - so skimming hasn't really been all that effective in helping me really understand what I am doing either. I guess my heart isn't really into this diet right now. The only reason I started it was to work on losing a few pounds because of some medication I am taking right now - adds pounds. Sucks. I would love to go join Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig, but I think my husband wouldn't like the cost and I really hate to go to all that trouble for a few pounds. I haven't been to motivated to go to the gym either. And I really like it when I get to the gym, it just seems hard to get there. My hubby likes to work out at night, but if I go late it keeps me up at night. And I am crap if I don't get a full nights sleep.

I am ready for new MP3 music. I love my songs, but I seem to really listen to them at the gym. Could use some better fast music. Need something to pump me up. No pun intended.

Today is the first day of my birthday month. Well, I guess it is the second day officially. I am a virgo. What's your sign? Apparently I am also an Earth sign. It is truly amazing how much I think this defines me. Pretty darn close. Scary even. I am definitely a perfectionist, but in my own right. I do everything my own way, but I do that way every time.

Haven't been motivate to do much of anything lately. I keep having these great ideas for scrapbook pages. Have yet to scrap anything in over a week. No pressure. I know that when I finally sit down to scrap, I will do it for hours and make up for the lost time.

I picked up my book again by Barbara Delinsky. Reading it really slowly. Just not in any great rush to finish.

I love my mags that I get. Wish I subscribed to more. I currently get Tango (4xs a yr), Simple Scrapbooks (6xs a yr) and Woman's Day (a gift from mom - 12xs a yr). Ordered Creating Keepsakes just last month, still waiting for my first edition. Would love to have Oprah's, Real Simple, Cottage Living - wow the list really goes on. I picked up The New Yorker and Newsweek while on traveling last weekend. Loved that! Haven't read the good stuff in a long time. Makes me want to up my newspaper subscription again - only taking the Sunday right now.

Really just enjoying the fact that I have no plans. I pretty much lounge around on my days off. During the week I am trying to be really good and make dinner at home. I have kept up on laundry and dishes surprisingly well. Normally these are my first complaints. Would love to work at home. Course I say work, but I would love to be a stay at home mom.

I am ready for kids. I think. Course are you ever really ready? I know everything would change. I love my free time and I am definitely not a good sharer. But I can feel myself becoming ready to have kids.

My poor stepson is my test child. I love him dearly, but quite often I feel I am just adding to the hours of therapy he will probably need later in life. LOL.

Wow I can't believe how hard it is to type this late. My fingers just won't move as fast as I will them to.

That is enough for now. Way too long.

Happy Birthday Virgos. I love birthdays.

Saturday, September 1, 2007

Toilets & Flugal Binders

Okay so get ready for this post because the title really says it all. On my last trip through the airport I noticed a brand new invention in the rest room. I wish I could find a picture for you, actually I wish I had taken a picture, but since it was really, really early in the morning my brain wasn't quite awake yet. Anyway, it was an automatic toilet seat cover. You know the paper covers you pull out from above the toilet and place on the seat before you sit? Well this one was already wrapped around the seat like saran wrap and when you pushed a button it rotated around to supply a fresh cover. This is not something I have seen before. Very cool. Made me wonder how many seat covers that little device provided before it ran out. I actually sent my husband in to look at it.

As a child, I was extremely fascinated by bathrooms. It was a long running joke that anywhere we had been I would be able to describe the bathroom to you. I honestly think I did (uhm, do) this is because there are so many really interesting things to look at and play with in the bathrooms. And I love inventions. Going out to the bars with my girlfriends, I loved the bathroom with the window that was connected to the men's bathroom. It was about 2'x2' and was above the sink. At first you didn't notice it and then you realized those were real men looking back at you. Kind of weird and kind of cool. Saw a bathroom on CSI where when you close the door the walls went from clear glass windows to fogged windows. So you could only see shadows when the door was closed.

Other bathroom inventions: the automatic hand dryers. This invention is really kind of boring, but does serve a purpose. That is, IF you wash you hands. As a total side note: Only 1 in 6 people actually wash their hands after going to the bathroom. Think of this the next time you are out with five other friends. Incredibly gross thought!! I love the idea of the automatic hand dryer, but isn't the purpose of automatic hand dryers to eliminate the touch factor reducing germs? If so, then why do most of them require you touch a button to turn them on?

There is the automatic sink that turns on when you put your hands underneath it. Well, it is supposed to do that. I think sometimes I don't have whatever it is that you need to turn the sink on because it doesn't seem to recognize my hands. I am the weirdo moving my hands under the sink for an hour in frustration because it just won't turn on. I just recently saw a tv special about getting these put in your home to reduce the waste of water. I would love these because I am trying to become a little more green and save water, but I think I would die of frustration because they just don't work for me. Can you imagine a shower that only turns on when you stand under it?

There is my all time favorite - the automatic toilet flusher. You knew this was coming right?? I love this invention because it not only turns on when I stand up; it turns on when I enter the stall; as I am sitting down on the toilet and while I am sitting on the toilet. This thing is a complete over acheiver. Absolutely does it's job at every possible moment. Don't you think they ought to invent some sort of magnet to signal the toilet to flush when the door is opened?

What about the automatic towel dispenser? Now I swear I am not wasteful, but couldn't they have allowed the towels to be a little bigger. It is like dispensing a tissue to wipe off your hands. And again, being the complete germ freak that I am, I like use the paper towel to open the door, but they don't put the trash can by the door. Small dilema.

Not to mention, you would think that they would invent some sort of automatic trash can too. One that would open so that after using all these wonderful inventions to protect you from germs, you wouldn't have to touch the really nasty trash can that needed to be taken out a week ago.

Remember the movie, "Cocktail" with Tom Cruise? When they were in Jaimaca and he was showing Elizabeth Shue the drink umbrella and telling her about all the flugal binders out there. I completely relate to this. I too am fascinated by all the inventions out there that we take for granted everyday.

What is your favorite flugal binder?

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

I don't have a Lemon face







You're right sweetheart. You don't have a lemon face.

My Washer Died . . .

or at least that is what it smells like when you lift the lid. It smells like moldy old clothes that have been left in there for too long. Which does occasionally happen in my house. So if anyone has any tips on what to do to get rid of the stench let me know. It is killing me. I forget and then I open the lid and for some god awful reason breath in as I lean in to pull out clothes. Uhg. QUEEN OF CLEAN HELP!!

And with regards to the Miss South Carolina comments - Do we really need another reason to make someone feel like a complete idiot? She knows she messed up the answer. Why make it worse? I was listening to the radio yesterday and they just massacred her. He kept saying what a complete dumb ass she was and how she was given the question before hand. Why do we feel the need to do this? Has this radio DJ ever screwed up on air? Said the wrong thing?

Most of Americans are more afraid of public speaking than dying. And yes I understand that she has probably been given some training in public speaking, but people do occasionally have problems on stage. Even if she was given the question before and had prep time, it is possible to forget your lines or have a small anxiety attack. I just can't believe that we feel the need to completely obliterate this person because they messed up. I do not agree with her being a dumb blonde just because of one answer.

I really have to give her credit for getting up there and participating. I can't tell you how many times I have watched this happen, especially in pageant contests. Not to mention I would have a serious problem with just finding South Carolina on a map. I am definitely not the best when it comes to geography.

I actually can see where she was going with her answer as far as most people really suck at geography and we need to educate our children more in this area. And yes, she definitely goes off on a tangent with the South Africa and SUCH stuff. But seriously, there is no need to be an ass about it.

My Simpsons Character


So I mosied on over to Simpson's website to get myself a Simpson's character. I liked it so much I added the pic to my blog menu bar. I am actually pretty impressed at how close it looks like me. It was quite fun going through all the different eyes and noses. Whoever designed the site did a great job on making it very easy to work with and I love that you can see the changes to the characters as you are designing. Wish I could upload my voice and do some sort of skit now. I gave my character the name Isadora, not sure where that came from, but maybe in another life that was my name. Who knows? I don't wear glasses all the time, but as of late I seem to be wearing them more. I also don't wear lipstick, but I just couldn't pass up those lips. What a non-surgical, painless and fun way to have the lips you've always wanted. I love the hair and some days it looks just like that and some . . . well, y'know. If they had sneakers that would have just topped made my day.

I challenge you to take a moment and visit the Simpsons website. Come back and let me know. Feel free to upload your character.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

New Song

Huge thanks to Lissete blog. While reading her blog I realized she had a song playing on her blog. I used the link to put one on my blog! YEah!! Enjoy or mute the damn thing. Whatever makes you happy.

Dinner


I am very proud of myself. I cooked a dinner. I didn't have a cookbook and it didn't end up burned or undercooked or worse. Which sadly is how many of my meals turn out. I think I tend to have this great idea that I can cook, but really I suck at it. My husband and son are so nice to me too. They actually eat the stuff and tell me they like it. I follow that up by, "Should I make this again?" This is a nice way of telling me how the meal really was.

More shocking, I cooked something we haven't ever eaten before. It was flounder. Holy Crap, I ate flounder and I really liked it! We also had asparagus and some vegetable pasta thing.

What cracks me up is I got a thumbs up from my son for the flounder and his review, "At first you think the asparagus has too much salt, then you taste it and it doesn't." Uhm, okay. Thanks! My husband, on the other hand, "liked the fish" and barely touched the other stuff. I think he later disappeared into the other room to vomit.