Maintainers Weekly Chat September 15 - September 21
It's getting chilly around here. I turned off the heat for the summer to keep it from cycling on in response to the occasional passing cool breeze. Now it seems that it needs to go on to keep DW happy at night. And it's only September.
I've been sticking to my maintenance plan well for the last two weeks. The challenge for me is the urge for snacks during the afternoon. My head justifies a snack of healthy foods - as if they had no calories, LOL. Marching on.
Based on some very unscientific polling - talking to neighbours, my DH and I, and now you and your DW Bill, it seems that women tend to like the temperature a bit warmer than men. Strange since we have an extra layer of insulating fat but there it is. I and DH are always arguing about the thermostat, when to put the heat on, opening windows, A/C in the car, etc.
I have now officially stopped sulking and am no longer drinking beer or cider to drown my sorrows. DH and I were turned down by a certain dog rescue outfit after we spent close to 6 hours filling in forms and doing phone interviews. Why? Because I refused to denounce Cesar Milan as the devil and politely pointed out that he was in the same "business" as them - helping stray and abused dogs find "forever homes". And I also mentioned that he was highly successful in publicising their plight and also in getting street animals spayed and neutered to prevent even more of them being born.
I initially took the rescue outfit's refusal highly personally. Then DH pointed out that IHHO (in his humble opinion) there particular people were "crazy animal hoarders".
I'm sure we will find a rescue that can see what a good home we will provide for a dog.
Dagmar
I've been denied by a rescue organization simply because I live in the desert and none of their volunteers want to do a home visit here. I found a great one that was just as close/far as that one and have rescued two dogs from them.
DH has been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. He told me this, I think Tuesday. Since then he has formulated a plan to conquer it. He is restricting himself to one drink per day (two on the weekend so he can have a beer with lunch) and no seconds on dinners as we already eat a healthy diet. He needs to lose weight (as do I). So far he has been true to his word and it's actually helping me as well. I was always resentful that I was cutting down on my drinking to lose weight and he didn't seem to care. Well, wake-up call! So now I'm also stopping at one, and perhaps I'll go down to zero a couple times a week. It'll certainly help rather than hurt.
Alinnell: best of luck to your DH (and you as well) in responding to the "wake up call" - it sounds like he's taking it with the right spirit of immediately making changes to counter it. My ex's mother used her diagnosis as a reason to give up entirely on being healthy...
Dagmar: I was turned down by a rescue society some years ago after an extensive application. I was shocked - a veterinarian who owns her own home with large yard, turned down?? It turned out it was because I already had a female dog and "in their experience, two female dogs usually don't get along". I immediately called BS on that and sent them a letter detailing exactly how full of s**t their "experience" was, with a picture of my previous group of 3 female dogs sleeping in a big pile. Your husband is probably right. Sadly, I've met more complete whackadoodles running animal rescues than in any other segment of the population.
You're a veterinarian, JZJ? I never knew that! That was my plan all growing up. I started working at vets at age 15, went to Texas A&M planning to become a vet, and life happened. I ended up becoming a vet tech and working at that job for another almost 15 years before leaving the field. Did you go to Davis by chance?
I am always cold in the AC at work and restaurants but somehow at night I get hot. I suppose it is night sweats... IDK.
Yes, I am a crazy dog person but I pretty much keep my opinions to myself!
My DH was diagnosed with borderline Diabetes about a year ago. He decided to start exercising like crazy and cutting out most sweets. When he got checked 6 months later his blood sugar was fine. But then after the car wreck he couldn't exercise as much and it went up slightly but still okay.
We are getting a sleep number bed tomorrow. It was ordered a few weeks ago and gets delivered tomorrow. We really needed a new mattress and decided to go for it. Hope it is worth the $ we paid.
The weekend was really sad with the funeral of my friend. It was just so heartbreaking -- feel so bad for her young kids. Over the years of teaching I have lost 2 co-workers but none were friends like this one. I always thought there would be nothing worse than the deaths of our students but this was right up there with those 3 funerals. But there are many more good times than bad, so we have to focus on that. And, sigh, life goes on.
Last edited by CalCounter1003; 09-15-2014 at 09:29 PM.
You're a veterinarian, JZJ? I never knew that! That was my plan all growing up. I started working at vets at age 15, went to Texas A&M planning to become a vet, and life happened. I ended up becoming a vet tech and working at that job for another almost 15 years before leaving the field. Did you go to Davis by chance?
Hi, yes - went to Davis for vet degree, then after some years in practice went back for a residency and PhD, so now I'm in research and diagnostics.
Question also... We are going to Monterey for a couple nights. Any restaurants you'd highly recommend?
We liked Hulas Island Grill. Went there a couple times. (amazing chocolate pie dessert). My DD became a vegetarian at the beginning of the summer so we also went to a little Vegan Mexican restaurant that I don't remember the name of but I'm sure there's only one. Other than that, nothing really great sticks out in my memory. I cooked a lot since we had an apartment.
Lots of great restaurants in Monterey. If you are only going to be there a couple of days, I nreccomend the wharf, lots of great restaurants on the wharf. I used to work in Monterey.
Hello Maintainers! It's really nice to have been away from 3FC for so long and still see so many familiar names here! And hello to those I haven't bet before
Also, good to see I'm in the company of so many dog lovers I've worked with a few different rescue organizations as I've been in school and moving around the past few years, and there are some crazies out there - but also some incredibly nice, dedicated people doing wonderful things for dogs & cats that need TLC and a good home.
Add me to the unscientific poll - I'm always cold (which is new to me since I lost the weight a few years ago).
Allison, good luck to your DH - it definitely sounds like he's making the right moves. My dad had some borderline fasting blood sugars a few years ago and has pretty much entirely cut out sweets and cut back on his drinking for a little while. He's back to drinking pretty regularly, but no sweets and he's very active - and (knock on wood) has kept things under control that way.
As for me, I moved to New York almost 3 months ago for clinical rotations. It's a different world of trials and tribulations, and I still have to take almost monthly exams, so my stress level is kind of through the roof (poor boyfriend gets to deal with the brunt of it). I don't think my weight has really changed significantly, but I honestly haven't had time (or haven't MADE time is probably more accurate) to work out. In my head I keep thinking I'll have more time AFTER x, y , or z, but what really happens is that there's always another upcoming exam or application. And then I get stressed and bake cookies instead of studying or working out anyway... SO - really need to figure out how/when is best for me as far as getting some exercise in and just find a way to make it happen.
Hey Iris! Good to hear from you here (although I do see some of your posts on FB). My DD is in grad school and she feels like she doesn't have time for working out either. I can only imagine what you're going through in med school!
I'm incredibly proud of my DH and his stance on his diagnosis. It's been a week since he decided on this change and he has not once veered from his plan. It actually makes it a lot easier for me to not cheat as well. It'll be good for both of us!
We're cooling down here a little and should be experiencing the second of two hurricanes today and tomorrow. Although this one shouldn't hit us as severely as the last one. Some areas are still cleaning up from that one. I'd hate to be in Arizona right now.