laura705

Yesterday I came home from work and had some cheese and crackers and then hit the basement for some exercise.  I did 3 Body Electric shows I on dvd back to back to back and worked most body parts – abs, obliques, biceps, triceps quads, inner and outer thighs, glutes and hamstrings.  I was glad when the 3^rd show finally had an ab segment so I didn’t have to do them by my lonesome.  I mentioned to bf this morning that between our Total Gym, a weight bench, a leg stretching machine (a martial artist thing bf bought) and the treadmill, it’s pretty cramped in our little fitness section of the basement, especially when doggy wants to keep me company!  It leaves little room for floor exercises.  BF told me that one of our friends might want to buy our treadmill, which is fine by me.  I’m not as keen on the treadmill as I used to be, and ours pales in comparison to the fancy and sturdy ones at the gym.  Hard to imagine that our treadmill would be better than the one that our friends want to replace, since ours is sort of old, but it works just fine, so if they want it – great.  I’d like the extra floor space.

Back upstairs, I watched some tv and had a frozen entrée for dinner.  Later was some popcorn and a couple cookies.  Too much food last night. 

Food in general has not been good lately and I haven’t posted about it and I probably should.  I have some bad habits to work through.  Yes, I’ve started some good habits – bringing relatively healthy snacks from home:  yogurt w/ Grape Nuts, a cheese stick, edemame, an ounce of almonds, baby carrots – not all of them for one day, of course.  In the afternoon, I’m fine with the snacks I bring from home and I rarely visit the vending machine or lobby shop for something junky. 

In the mornings though, I frequently buy a sugary snack before I get to the office.  Even though I ate something for breakfast at home already, I usually need something else to eat in the morning to get me through to lunch, but my brown bag snacks don’t appeal to me.  I think it’s just a bad habit that I’ll have to break.  Sugary stuff is just no good, and I really should try to satisfy that craving with fruit.  And I shouldn’t use food just to make the prospect of another work day more palatable (so to speak).

Not much else to report.  Everyone seems sort of depressed around here this morning.  It’s been gloomy and rainy for several days now, and this swine flu thing isn’t helping matters.  This week has dragged along for me and there’s still 1.5 days to go.  I have a webinar this afternoon for an hour, but that’s all for the meeting-type stuff.  Tonight we need to buy our sodastream machine before they take it off hold at Kohl’s, and we also need to buy that communion gift for bf’s niece.  Otherwise, that’s about it.  Maybe next week I’ll take Friday off work.  I’m not thinking of an entire spa day or weekend, but I’d certainly enjoy a massage and a pedicure.  I’ve only had a couple facials in my life and both have included painful pore unclogging sessions, so those have no appeal for me whatsoever. 

Okay, I’ll get this cut and pasted and published.  Have a good Thursday everyone. 

Yesterday I got involved in a project and kept myself busy for a good chunk of the afternoon.  I finished it this morning and I’m glad I’m finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel on this one, as it’s been dragging around for a good long while.

After work I puttered for a bit and went through some mail, then went out to buy some thank you cards for some flowers sent by my company and by my boss for my brother’s funeral.  Also stopped at the market and bought a bunch of frozen meals.  No meal planning or shopping has happened this week, so lunches and dinners have not been homecooked.   Watched some tv (finally caught up on The Office!), ate dinner, and that was about it.

Today the boss had a very short meeting to tell the department that my workload was being refocused and that everyone now reported to her.  Glad that’s finally done.  When I returned from lunch (slice of pizza), the boss and the new admin were heading off together, to lunch I suppose.  Being my nosy self, I checked the boss’s calendar and saw she’d set up lunch w/ the lead admin for Friday.  I know she’s still very concerned about the lead admin and the influence she’s having on the new admin, and rightly so.  I think she wants to reinforce to both of them (again) that we all need to work together and not being able to work together with others is a big problem and that someone like that is not indispensible.  Funny how the lead goes from walking on water to something of a liability in a matter of a couple months.  I hope she snaps out of it and stops being a PITA. 

Tonight bf is going to be out, so I will exercise at home.  I’m looking forward to some “me time”, even if I spend it working out.  I might try some of the exercises in the Shape magazine I got from the library the other night. 

Tomorrow at work is nothing special, except it’s payday - WOOHOO!  Tomorrow night bf and I will pick up our Sodastream (soda making machine) at Kohl’s.  We stopped at Kohl’s last week and bought some workout clothes for ourselves (bf - pants and shorts, some tops for me).  When we paid, we got $20 back in Kohl’s Cash.  We wanted to use it for the Sodastream, which we saw an advert for and decided would be cool to own.  It was on sale at Kohl’s that week, but the Kohl’s Cash was dated to be used this week.  So we put it on hold so we could buy it this week at the sale price, using our Kohl’s Cash.  

The Sodastream (sodastreamusa.com) makes sodas with your own water and some sort of CO2 cartridge, then you add flavor.  We don’t drink a lot of regular soda at home (I still buy the occasional 12-pack of Diet Dr. Pepper).  Instead, we buy a lot of seltzer water and drink it with fresh lemon squeezed into it (extremely refreshing), or sometimes other juices like grape or cranberry.  With this machine, we won’t have to lug home cases of seltzer, which will be nice.  The machine we’re buying comes with some flavoring samples, so those will be fun to try.

Nothing going on Friday, but we need to buy a gift for bf’s niece’s 1st communion, which is on Saturday.  On Saturday, we’ll be at the church part, but bf gave an excuse to get us out of going to the party afterwards.  The church part is at 10 am and the party isn’t until 1, and so what are we supposed to do for the two hours after the church part??  It’s not anywhere near our house, so we wouldn’t go home.  Besides, neither of us want to spend time w/ his dufus brother and his b1tchy wife.  Life is too short to spend time with people who treat you badly.

Okay, before I get grouchy, I’ll just publish this and get back to work.  Why can’t it be Thursday or Friday already??

It’s chilly and drizzily so far this  morning.  Yesterday it was very windy in the morning so I didn’t ride my bike to the train station, but it was nice when I left work, so I wish I’d just ridden my bike.  But I had a pleasant walk home anyway, and I said hello to a few of our dog friends in the neighborhood.  : ) Today I took my bike in spite of the icky weather.  Later on today the rain should clear out, so I don’t really need to worry that I forgot to cover my bike seat with a plastic grocery bag.

The waterproofing guy is already at the house re-sealing a crack they repaired before we owned the house.  You know what that means – now we won’t get any more heavy rains, LOL.  Actually whatever distant relative of Murphy’s Law my reasoning might be, it’s probably not valid in the positive sense, but I can still hope that this repair will take care of our seepage issues.  We finally bought a water alarm for that spot in the basement a couple weeks ago, but now I suppose we can move it over to where our sump pump is located.  In the event the sump pump gives out, this alarm will let us know…if we’re around to hear it. 

Last night bf and I spent an hour at the gym and I worked all major muscle groups.  Neither of us were excited to go, but we did and that was good.  This warmer weather makes me wish I could spend more time outdoors, not inside a gym.  Maybe when I start cycling to the gym that’ll change.

On the way home from the gym we stopped at the library.  I already have some books to read, but I wanted to pick up some more magazines.  I like checking out different magazines and flipping through them.  I like trying them out for free and not being stuck in a subscription (and feeling guilty if I don’t read it).  Last night I checked out 4 magazines:  Shape, Camping Life, Do It Yourself, and Taste of Home’s Simple & Delicious.  Yes, camping, LOL.  For many years I’ve resisted bf’s suggestion that we go camping.  This is partially on the basis of the bug and hygiene factors, but also there’s the part about all the stuff you need to have when you camp – tent, sleeping bags, etc.  And for guys, (well, my guy at least), he’s going to want to buy all sorts of gear.  I’m sure a pricey GPS would end up on the shopping list.  I still have many reservations, but I like non-bug nature and the outdoors, so I’m willing to at least entertain the idea.  Hence, the camping magazine.

Tonight I’m skipping the movies, and will exercise at home.  If the smell from the waterproofing work isn’t too bad in the basement.  Or I could exercise upstairs.  Or go to the gym again. 

Okay, I have a meeting in a few minutes so I’ll get this published. 

Back to work after an extremely difficult weekend with the funeral of my brother.  Thanks to EVERYONE  for your very kind comments last week.  This has been much more painful than I could have imagined, and there were a couple more awful things that happened that made this so much more difficult for my mother - as if the death of her son wasn’t already bad enough.  How much can people take?

Just so you know…my nephews are in their mid-20’s, so they’re very fortunate to have had that time with their dad, but it still seems awful to lose a parent that young.  And knowing what a great dad my brother was and them being so close to each other is what makes it so heartbreaking. 

I have to stop writing about that - too upsetting. 

Tonight will be the gym w/ bf.  I’ve already e-mailed our movie group “leader” that I’m not going to the movies tomorrow night - I just want to catch up on stuff at home.  I need to do a few thank you notes and want to get mt. mail under control.  I’ve come to hate the paper that comes into the house and accumulates!  I think I’m building up to a major, totally ruthless paper purging frenzy sometime soon. 

I saw today that I carried over 4 days of vacation into this year and have only used 1.5 days so far.  It’s preferred that carryover days get used during the 1st quarter of the year… Oops.  But I’d like to take some time, so I’ll start using it.  Maybe take a few Fridays off work in the coming weeks.  I’m almost 100% sure that I will NOT attend the “mostly guys getaway” next weekend, but now that I think about this some more, I need to make sure bf rides with someone else because I don’t want to be without the car that weekend!  We’ve been sharing a single car for 8-9 months and it’s definitely a challenge!  BF hates being a passenger and subject to someone else’s schedule and driving habits, but he’ll have to do that next weekend. 

Okay, less than an hour to go for today and I’m very tempted to duck out early.  Maybe. 

I got a call from bf this morning that my SIL phoned us at home and told him my brother had passed away last night.  It happened much more quickly than anyone thought, but at least his wife & kids were with him, and I think that was most important.  I’m very sad for my SIL and nephews - such a loss! I phoned my SIL late this morning and it was just heartbreaking.  I also phoned my mother, who had gotten the news last night, and she was very composed.  How awful to think of your own child dying before you.  I’m happy to have seen my brother at Christmas, and also in November. 

Focusing on work has been difficult today, but I’m trying.  Before I got bf’s call, there was an admin issue that included a conf call with the boss.  Didn’t need that, and I don’t really care if the admins think my behavior is due to that or not.  I’m not interested in saying anything to them about either.  I will leave my boss a message later today that I will be out of the office at some point to travel to the funeral, but I already had informed her of that on Monday. 

Not sure what I’ll do with myself after work. 

One more day of crummy weather (chilly, blustery, rainy) and I think we’re through with this yucky stuff and move on to more pleasant, more spring-like weather.  I filled my commuter bike tires over the weekend and hope that bf gives it the once over today so I can ride it tomorrow to the train.  I bought some reflective tape on clearance last weekend, and I’ll stick some of that on the frame.  Bf suggested and I agree that I should get a bike with gears so I can peddle easier.  I did a quick search on craigslist the other day but didn’t see much.  For now I’m stuck with my heavy old single speed Schwinn Breeze. 

Thanks for your comments yesterday - I appreciate the support.  I’ve discussed going to visit my brother (he’s out of state) with my sister and mother, but personally I’m still up in the air about it.  I was glad to hear that my SIL’s sister was going to go out there this past Sunday to be with the family.  I will get an update on my brother’s condition and think some more about visiting. 

Yesterday went fairly quickly at work.  I was dressed too warmly and the office was stuffy in the afternoon, so I felt uncomfortable most of the day.  I didn’t go to the gym last night.  Just didn’t want to.  Mondays can be difficult for me and often I just want to go home and be a couch potato!  I finally decided to replace the battery in one of my watches and I dropped the teeny battery.  I had trouble finding it, and was disgusted by all the dustbunnies under the dresser where the battery had disappeared.  When I finally found it and inserted it, the watched started running.  Too bad the pin would not pull out so I could set it to the right time!  Grrr.  I’ll have to take it in for repair. 

We had ham, green beans and some Trader Joe’s mac n cheese for dinner.  Yum. I did some floor exercises while watching tv – pushups, planks, leg raises, ab work.  That was about it for yesterday. 

The boss and the other manager are out of the office for the next 3 days, so it’s just me and the two admins.  I don’t mind – at least it’ll be quieter around here.  I have to meet w/ the new admin today to discuss her workload.  The boss saw her watching a tv show via internet on her computer yesterday.  She didn’t say what time it was, but I wouldn’t have a problem if it was during the time the admin takes her lunch.  But I’ll mention it today when we meet.  I need to address (again) the issue about when I say “Let’s discuss this when you get a chance” that she never comes to me to discuss it.  Even if an assignment takes a lower priority when something more important comes along, it doesn’t mean it becomes optional.  I guess she just needs more structure. 

Getting back to this entry…the meeting w/ the admin went fine, and she was watching the tv show during her lunch time.  I’m not overly upset about this, but the concern is “what if one of the big shots walked past and saw that?”  She’s going to explain to the boss about this.  In the meantime, I’ll fill the boss in.  As usual, she phoned from the airport before her flight to check in with me.  She’s so funny – this time she forgot her charger for her cell phone.  It’s always something.  I will phone her on her cell phone, though, so I hope she still has battery power to listen to it!  (No, I can’t leave her a phonemail on her work phone because she doesn’t know how to dial in for messages, LOL.)

I’m eating my lunch right now:  pb&j sandwich and an apple.  I also have a cheese stick, edemame and a boiled egg for snacks. 

Tonight is movie night, and we’re seeing Paul Blart Mall Cop at the dollar theater.  Like last week, the movie starts late (for me), but it’s also a short movie.  I might bring some almonds for my movie snack.  I should have time for a proper dinner before leaving, so hopefully I won’t even be tempted by the popcorn smell!!

Tomorrow will be lunch with a work buddy.  That’s about it, so I’ll get this published. 

I did not have a good weekend.  I believe I’ve posted previously that a sibling has been battling lung cancer since his diagnosis in early 2007.  The battle is now coming to an end.  I had been getting updates 2nd hand from my mother and I had a feeling things were worse than she was telling me, so I left a couple phone messages to my SIL last week.  She left a message on Friday and the news was bad, and then phoned on Saturday and it was even worse - not much time left.  And yesterday, there was an emergency and I thought that was the end.  But my brother has been stabilized for now.  I’m very sad.  I have regrets that we were never close, but I’m mostly sad not for myself but for my brother and his wife and kids.  He’ll never get to retire, see his kids marry and have kids of their own or achieve whatever they choose to do with their lives.  I feel horrible for my SIL - she just lost her mother just before Thanksgiving and now this.  Life can be very cruel. 

Not much else to say and I have a webinar to prepare for, so I’ll just post.   

Yay for Friday.  I haven’t been feeling particularly productive this week, so I’m glad it’s almost over.  Yesterday the new admin set up a meeting w/ the boss and I for this afternoon and I was anxious over what that was all about.  This morning the boss moved it up to 9 am because she was worried about it too!  Turns out it wasn’t anything negative, just the admin seeking flexibility with her hours when she goes back to school in the fall.  Not a problem.  Whew! 

By the way, the announcement of the shift in supervisory duties from me to my boss hasn’t happened yet.  My boss ran this past her boss and he wanted her to hold off until he looked at my new job description.  I doubt he will be very concerned about this and he generally lets his people do their jobs.  At his level in the organization, he doesn’t have time to focus on “little” things like this.  At least that’s what I’m telling myself, and not that he’s wondering why this shift is happening and why can’t I continue supervising…Anyway, I get the feeling that this has fallen to the bottom of his pile because there are many other pressing matters right now, including the company’s quarterly earnings release, the annual shareholders’ meeting, and probably a board meeting, all happening next week. 

I didn’t do anything special after work last night.  I tried on my shoes from zappos and was disappointed to find I need a half size smaller.  I printed off a return label and got the box set for a return.  I don’t know why I decided to go up a half size based on another pair of the same brand shoes in a different (but almost identical) style which I’d bought a half size larger than the other style.  Whatever.  It was easy enough to do the return.  Of course now that I returned the shoes, I’m waffling about if I should re-order them.  I noticed that the shoes I ordered are now made in China and not Brazil and the leather didn’t seem quite as nice…Maybe I need to do some looking around for other shoes.  I also will look for a podiatrist.

Dinner was tacos, and that was about it for last night.  Nothing special going on today at work.  Next week is earth week and our building is doing some events for it.  One is cell phone recycling, and we have at least a couple phones we can donate for re-use as 911 phones. 

No plans tonight.  It might be good for me to get to the gym tonight.  It’s fairly quiet on Friday nights.  Saturday I’m meeting a friend for breakfast.  Other than that, nothing else scheduled.  I need to get my commuter bike out of the basement and ready for the road.  I really need to force myself to do some clothes and shoe shopping.  I always say it, but rarely do it.  Mel, your suggestion about picking stuff out of catalogs and trying to find similar pieces in stores is a good one.  Right now I only get catalogs from Lands End and LL Bean, and they don’t have much that I would consider wearing for work.  I guess I need to request some other catalogs.  I like the idea of shopping from a catalog - but only if I can return items locally.

Okay, everyone have a great weekend!

Not much to report today. 

I had a good workout yesterday at the gym.  It’s PMS week for me, so my belly is already bloated, and I felt self-conscious.  And so it felt like people were staring.  Next time I’m wearing a baggy t-shirt.

My feet have been hurting lately and I need some new “knocking around” shoes – a pair of sneakers and maybe some other kind of supportive, comfortable shoe.  I might end up at one of those shops that sells those sometimes unattractive European brand shoes.  Maybe I should see a foot doctor.  Maybe TMI here, but my right foot must be different than my left, or I walk different on it.  I get a callus on the right foot that I don’t get on the left, and I’m developing a bunion on the right foot and not the left.  Ugh.  Here I try to wear nice low, comfortable shoes all the time and I’m still developing problems.  May as well totter around on fashionable high heels if I’m ultimately getting the same result.  Okay, forget that last sentence – I hate the pain!

I received my zappos order yesterday, but I didn’t try them on or anything.  Maybe tonight.

Nothing planned tonight.  Maybe bf and I will go shopping for some new exercise clothes.  It’s nice out today – yay!.  I didn’t bring lunch from home, so I’ll post this and go off to lunch. 

Yesterday my soreness progressed all day and in the afternoon I was fatigued and cranky and just wanted to take a nap.  I pushed through and got some work done, not nearly enough, but some.  I came home and we again didn’t have the egg casserole for dinner.  I guilted bf into at least making eggs and sausage for dinner before I left for the movie.  I brought some soy crisps and a can of diet soda to the theater. 

Five of us saw “Sunshine Cleaning” with Amy Adams, Emily Blunt and Alan Arkin.  The cast was good and I liked  the movie. 

I got home at around 10:30 and got ready for bed and read my light fluffy Robert B. Parker book for a bit. 

This morning I was going to wear a sweater with a sort of low v-neck.  I tried it alone - not comfortable w/ the cleavage showing (and now it’s starting to look wrinkly - ewww), tried it with a cami, tried it with a t-shirt, and finally tried it with a sports bra and didn’t like any of them so I changed tops!  I need to shop.  Sigh.

Today is a conf call this afternoon.  I have another call after that to be introduced to our new support person for our software, which by the way is having a problem going back about 4 days now.  I have the vendor’s annual invoice and it’s not getting paid until I’m happy.  At least our new support person has some good experience, thanks to me being a squeaky wheel.   The new admin is back at work today. 

Probably between the two meetings this afternoon, the boss will announce the shift in supervisory duties.  I’m relieved about that, but I’m still feeling very unmotivated about work lately.  I think I just need to take some time off.  I don’t just want to take a vacation day and squander it by puttering around in my pj’s half the day.  I want to plan something nice and then do it.  The only thing coming up that’s remotely special is a weekend in May when a bunch of friends rent a house in a lake area and just hang out and drink and listen to music.  It’s mostly bf’s guy friends and I’ve known them all a long time, including a set of siblings (a sister too, who I’m friendly with).  So it’s not entirely guys, but I still don’t really care to go - not my type of thing.  Guess I’m just an old stick in the mud.  Anyway, maybe that weekend I’ll stay home with the dog and plan something nice for myself.   Maybe I’ll take that Friday off work. 

Tonight I need to get to the gym.  At a minimum, I will do a lower body workout. 

Okay, I’m going to post and then track my zappos shipment on the ups site.