August started out sucky for me too. I went to tour the college I am going to this fall and all was well until my mom started freaking out because she thought college cost several thousand dollars for the semester and proceeded to yell at me and my dad for it. In public, I might add. Then I totally lost it with dbf over our trip plans (we're going to Schaumburg, IL in a week then going to a Cubs/Reds game in Chicago and doing other things in Chicago too) after we tried to plan it all and I had a massive misunderstanding about where we were staying. Plus, my sister is staying at a respite house this weekend since my lovely mum and dad decided to plan their vacation at the same time as mine (one can only hope it was an accident, but you never know) and has no one to pick her up now. Now she's kind of worried she'll have no way to get herself home (she has autism and epilepsy and therefore I would be frightened of her driving, lol) so I'm hoping everything will work out.
Thankfully, today was better. I went to workout (and going for my second soon, it's just easier on my knees and arms to do two separate workouts rather than do one long one) and visited with my best friend. My crazy best friend managed to get sucked into the backflow of an airplane (she's a freight handler) but thankfully she's doing okay save some nasty scrapes to her elbows, knees, and nose. We went to the mall and went to lunch.
I have received my syllabuses for classes and since I've got a full class-load this semester, I'm starting my reading ahead of time. I'm hoping to complete a lot of them on the trip to Schaumburg and on down time since dbf and I have dramatically different sleeping schedules.
I will do personals later on, I have sore eyeballs from typing up class notes and I need a break, lol. Talk to you soon!
Thanks for your support! I think that when a person is in pursuit of some goal it's easy to forget the achievements that they had made along the way, and after hearing your feedback I did think to myself that, yeah, actually 18lbs is not bad at all. So thanks!
beahawkins: I think not getting serious until the end of your schooling is a good idea. You may have so many changes in circumstances between now and then, that you probably don't want to tie yourself down quite yet. The fact that he is so serious about his job/work is a great sign! It's a great characteristic for a "young man". I do think though, that the one mistake that girls make often is that they compromise on what they want in effort to not be "needy" or a "drag" or whatever. Even if you are keeping it casual, if you feel like you want something tell him. Make him put some effort into it without feeling "bad". Your needs count too. Sure he can go out with the guys, but you have a new pair of shoes and a dress that require an outing too So if you do feel like things are going well and you like him, but are not 100% satisfied with something -- tell him. Don't ever put someone else's needs before your own. People tend to get used to that and you run the risk of always being last on everyone's list.
Riestrella: I moved for my bf to a different city and haven't looked back since! (That was nine years ago, and we recently celebrated our 4 year wedding anniversary.) It's going to be so exciting for you guys to move-in together, even for a little while... Do you know what field you want to work in? I know there are likely to be jobs teaching english, but is that what you are looking for?
Hotaruchan: I know the feeling that comes with a lack of friendships!!!!! For the past nine years or so, my husband and I have been moving around the country for his training. This year (thank GOD!) is the final year. We just moved accross the country for 2012/2013, and I have zero opportunities to meet people. I will not be working this year, I have a treadmill at home (will not be going to the gym -- especially considering the brutal winter that this city will get), I also don't have a car so I can't easily reach various clubs, and yesterday... (this is a top secret confession) yesterday I actually had a conversation with myself. Yes, I had officially started talking to myself. It's really hard to not be able to form friendships and maintain them. I keep looking to next year, since we'll be moving fairly closer to home and I am hoping to rekindle some of my friendships from the past. Are you planning to stay there long? Are you there perminantly?
Hotaruchan: I admire your strong character. I think I would have been terrified to leave alone in Japan even though teaching English there for a year or 2 is a dream of mine. Also from what I read you and your guy seem to be a very special couple. You make me smile every time you write about him.
katiekish: Hope you and your fiancé work things out. It's rough being apart from someone you love and sometimes when you don't know what is causing the other person's words it make you crazy.
1yr: Plateaus are terrible. But the scale will budge if you stick to your plan.
Ok I had a heart-to-heart chat with my best friend. It was so weird of her since she had been my supporter through everything in the last 3 years. Apparently she had been feeling insecure because she feels I have becoming popular lately and she thinks that when I lose all my weight I will no longer need her or want to be her friend. I asked her what gave her that idea and she said that I have changed (I used to be super shy and yes I have become confident in the last few years. She apologised and told me she doesn't want to lose me. Go figure.
Serenity - Sounds like you need to rethink whether that person is someone you want to have around in your life right now. I had a friend like that, and needless to say, things like that just kept piling up and eventually I just stopped talking to her. She apologized, but I still don't feel like she's a person I want to have in my life anymore. This is the person that was my best friend, who I shared pretty much everything in my life with. Don't let her thinking and negativity get you down. If she's unhappy with herself, she needs to fix it or stop complaining.
Hotaru - Good for you figuring out how to install the tires yourself! And it's awesome that your neighbor stopped to help. None of mine would do that... :/
Riestrella - OMG Japan! I really hope you enjoy it there. From what other members have been saying it sounds absolutely wonderful. Let us know how it is once you get settled in!
Katbot - I know what you mean about storage issues, I share a decent sized 1 bedroom with my mom right now (Ugh, don't ever try and live on your own... your parents will downsize and when you have to run back home with your tail between your legs you will be SOL) and I know all about storage issues. I have things tucked away in crazy places, it's pretty interesting. Also, if you're heavy lifting STEP AWAY FROM THE SCALE. Do it now! Your muscles will retain water as they heal, which is why it *looks* like you're not improving weight-wise, but in fact you are! As long as your clothes are fitting better, becoming looser, and you're noticing those changes in your body then you're doing it right. Take weekly progress photos instead of weighing in, perhaps.
Ladybug - Welcome!
Daily - Step away from the eggplant! Maybe there's an alternative food? I don't know much about eggplant, I've only had it once.
katiekish - That's awesome that you and your bf are going to be working out together! I have a guy friend that I work out with, and it's really awesome for getting me motivated. (Plus, all the hot guys at the gym tend to notice when you're the only girl that plays with the "big boy weights")
1yr - That's a crazy amount of weight for your first month. I would expect probably between 5 and 10lbs per month depending on how hard you work. Remember, not all of that is fat loss, some of it will be water weight and if you're not careful some of it can also be muscle loss. If you're not doing any strength/weight training already you should look into it. Not necessarily to gain muscle, but to keep what you have while you're losing body fat. It will help you out in the long run, definitely. Don't get too discouraged by the number on the scale. Progress photos are the way to go, and the way your clothes feel on you. Keep it up!
beahawkins - It's good that you're focusing on school, I know how distracting boys can be when it comes to my studies. Take this time to focus on yourself, and when the time comes it will definitely be worth it. Also, as far as "bedroom" stuff goes, don't worry too much about it, as long as he's into it, it doesn't matter.
Anyone else I missed I'll get you next time.
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Someone tell me to stop touching my nose ring! Seriously. This thing is never going to heal right if I keep putting my hands on it.
In other news, I have this mysterious knee injury that I'm not quite sure how I got, and it's making going to the gym immensely frustrating. I can barely get through my warmups, and I can't do any cardio or running, and I have to skip out on my leg days. So pretty much my week has been Chest/Tri then Back/Bi, rinse, repeat. The good part is I'm making progress on those areas, but I feel like I should be doing more. I've been told to rest, stay off the knee, to keep it iced and elevated... but I just can't do it. You can't get me to sit still, it just won't happen. So yeah. It's frustrating.
My scale, my scale...why have you abandoned me? Also, why the H do you run on a watch battery?! I've been checking in the local stores, but it's looking more and more like I'm going to have to go to the big electronics store in Takasaki and I don't especially want to go out there if that's the only reason...it's a 40 minute/ $6 train ride in each direction, so it's not really worth it for 10 minutes of shopping. I'll probably cave anyway because I feel so guilty about not updating the August daily post after making a commitment to it, but I'm going to try to find another reason to head out that way to make it worth my while.
On the plus side, it was a matsuri weekend! 2 festivals back to back. I went to one of them with my JTE and her family, and they invited me over for dinner on my birthday! I almost cried because I was so happy to not have to spend it alone. My boyfriend graduated from the next leg of training, and while they decided to advance him onto the next part faster than anticipated so that he won't get leave, he has 2 weeks of being on-base without any real responsibilities, so I at least get extra Skype time I have 3 weeks of vacation now, so I picked up a ton of pamphlets at the train station to try to find local things to do...I'm also going to try to head down to Kansai for a few days to visit people in Osaka and see Nara (I want to pet the psychotic deer!)
namaste: Wow...busy week so far! Sorry that your parents are adding extra stress with school starting so soon, but kudos to you for being proactive and getting a jump on your coursework. I hope everything works out all right with your sister.
1yr: I'd be talking to myself too if not for Skype. My original plan was to stay with this company for 2 years then reassess, but they've been treating me terribly, so I'm going to start job hunting near the end of my contract and hopefully find another job in a more ideal location. There seems to be a lot more opportunities to find jobs now that I'm actually living in Japan, so I have my fingers crossed. I'd like to stay a few more years to improve my Japanese and work towards getting my JLPT certifications so that I can hopefully find some translation work when I head back to the states.
serenity: It's ridiculous trying to find a job in America right now, so even though I graduated with honors and was one of only 2 from a starting class of about 200 to graduate on time (there were a total of 15 that made it through the program, but only 2 of us did it in 4 years...just me with honors), no one wants to hire without experience...even "entry level positions" where you're treated like dirt and paid next to nothing where you're SUPPOSED to be gathering the experience are asking for 2-3 years in my area now. Japan seemed by far to be the best option for me, however scary it was to take a plunge like that. As for my guy, he's amazing. I don't think that I could deal with what I'm going through with him for any other guy <3
Laneyy: I hope your knee heals fast...I know how infuriating it can be when you can't work to your full potential because of an injury that you can't even remember getting. If you can't sit completely still, please try to remember to at least not go all out and risk injuring it further.
My August started out sucky too! Had what looks like a bad allergic reaction last week which made one (just one) of my eyes swell up until it couldnt open. Weird thing is when this happens it isnt itchy or hot or anything, not rashy, but my wrists also swell up. Anyways, I've been referred to a specialist and had some more blood tests on because "maybe its some kind of rheumatoid disease". Great, because I really want to have a connective tissue destroying disease at 25 years old. Anyway, fighting it out with my insurance to see what they will cover or if I have to wait in the public system. Eyes make me really anxious and claustraphobic-y too which is making work hard, and on top of that I had two days away because of it last week which means more work and i dont even have any sick leave yet so I have to use annual! Well, thats my whine over. Food is going well though and my weight is down, so as long as i dont get the anxiety munchies (haha well I can dream right??) should be sweet.
Hotaru- couldnt you buy a battery online? surely in Japan you could do that!
Laney- stop touching your nose! :P Have you tried straping up the knee? Hope it gets better soon, nothing worse than having your progress hindered by injury
serenity- people are odd! But that makes sense about your friend. At least she was honest and open with you now, so you know what's going on and can call her up on it next time.
Iconised Ghost I'm sorry to hear about your problem. Are the doctors positive this is not an allergic reaction to something?
Hotaruchan: The economy in my country is very bad as well. I am not unemployed but my current job's wage is extremely low. To the point I am very worried I won't be able to pay my bills and months expenses.
Ok next week I am leaving for a 10-day vacation to Poland. I am so excited!!! I hope I won't gain weight but I doubt it as I want to try the local cuisine so much!
I also added some new exercise movements in my exercise routine and my muscles are sore but the feeling is quite pleasant. I feel like I have achieved something new.
Serenity- they arent sure. At first it seemed like an allergic reaction, but it is not itchy, hot, bumpy, the eyeball itself isnt irritated, and its very very localised/specific which is weird. So on the day I was having the reaction I was smart enough to get the blood test done to see if there are histamines (?) or rheumatoid things floating around or what. I am hoping its an allergy, at least then we have some chance of figuring out what it is and avoiding it. Also, Poland! That sounds so exciting! It must be late summer there now right? I think you will have an awesome time
Hotaru and serenity- job economy here is poor too, especially if you dont have a professional degree. Finally I am glad I did so much study. Part of my job is supporting people to get work, its really tough out there.
Iconised Ghost: Aww...sorry to hear that you're having health issues. Hopefully the tests will clear things up and/or it'll turn out that you just had a bad bug bite or something causing the swelling.
For ordering online, unfortunately I don't have an active credit card and haven't quite figured out how to set up Paypal with my Japanese bank account...so ordering online is out.
Serenity: Jealous! I want to go to Poland...Polish food is delicious though, so I should probably stay away. Huzzah for new exercises!
I think that a bunch of people are doing it this month though...I almost popped in to give a reminder, but there were so many recent posts that I figured I'd only be interrupting a nice conversation
Hey everyone.. thanks! for the stuff! I really needed to hear most of it. I do tend to let my needs go to the bottom of the list. Especially around guys because I don't want to look needy.
I really want to read the rest of the thread that I have missed out on in the last few days, but I am late for something. erg.
Serenity: I am so glad that you guys talked! Best friend relationships can be even trickier than dating relationships. I "broke up" with my best friend and the stress of it made me break up with a guy. blah.
ladyserenity That's so sad about your crush. Does he know you like him? And on top of that you had a rough fight with your friend? I would be livid if one of my friends said something so hurtful!
hotaruchan That was so nice of your neighbor! And that's really impressive that you managed to get the wheel on. I'm not sure I could do that.
katieish How much longer until you get to see your fiance again?
dailystruggle eek! that doesn't sound good about the eggplant. are you cooking it a different way? could that be the cause of the problem?
Ghost Could the eye swelling be from a bug bite or a swollen tear duct? Sometimes a warm compress (like a washcloth wet with warm water) can help with the swelling. Though I'm not sure why your wrists would be swelling at the same time. Good luck!
Ok. *phew* sorry that I skimmed over some people. There were a lot of posts! I can't believe that yet again I forgot it was a new month. silly.
My weekend went by way too quickly. Last night I felt kind of ill...I think it's because of the crystal light I drank. Maybe the artificial sweeteners in it make me nauseous. Oh well, I feel better today.
In a couple of weeks, one of the families I work for is having a birthday party for their little girl (she's nearly 2). I've been working on her present and I'm pretty excited about it. I got a colored magnetic dry erase board at Target, and I'm making little magnets for it of things/characters she likes!
I bought magnetic business cards, and on the non-magnetic side there's adhesive that you peel off so you can attach your business cards. But instead of putting business cards on there, I've been cutting pictures out of books I found at the dollar bin of target. So she'll have a bunch of magnets with big bird, elmo, balloons, etc. I'm also going to get self-stick laminating paper to put over the magnets so a) they won't get dirty and b) I can make the corners rounded so they won't hurt her.
Plus, since the board is magnetic, we can get other magnets down the road to use on it. ABC's, numbers, shapes, etc.
It's been so much fun making it that I'm thinking about doing more and selling them on etsy!
Last edited by Quiet Ballerina; 08-06-2012 at 12:30 PM.
Serenity: i was born in Poland! You'll love it there, so much to do and very friendly locals. Do you speak polish? It doesn't matter if you don't, most of the younger generation all speak English anyway.
QB: fiance's niece is turning 2 soon too! We're going to grab something cute for her in Vegas, her mom likes to dress her up.
So, I'm still trying to move everything in, we downsized from a 2 bedroom to a 1 bedroom, so there's been a lot of decluttering going on, previously the second bedroom was a catch-all for all the random crap we picked up, now we're going through and getting rid of most of it. The same goes for my clothes, I have culled everything that was too big and about 75% of things that were too small, I only kept things that I KNEW I would wear again when I shrunk into them, but anything I hadn't worn or been dying to wear at least once in the last year all got tossed. It's kind of liberating. We're still short on space and probably will need to invest in an armoire.
I'm going to the fair on Wednesday which means junk food (spud nuts, elephant ears, mini donuts, ice cream, pizza) we're spending the whole day there so I'm going to do a staggered calorie week and eat ultra low cal the rest of the week to make up for that one day where I'm going to indulge. Hopefully spending the whole day walking about and standing in lines will help too.
Katbot24: I love decluttering! It almost feels like you are shedding weight off your body, doesn't it? good for you for getting rid of a lot of things and ALSO good for you for keeping some of those items... My husband and I moved accross the country for a year this past July and I only took the essentails with me... When I was packing though, I went through my closet only to find clothing that ranged from size 18 to 8! I did the same thing as you, and I kept all the items that I am in LOVE with but could not fit into. I put them all in a box labeled "Box 160" and gave it to my mom for safe keeping. When I reach that weight of 160 lbs, I will call my mom and she will ship that box to me!!! And I will have all my favourite outfits, and they will all fit me!!! I can't wait to get my hands on that box!!!!
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The "YAY" of the week; Because I excercise everyday and somedays/most days twice a day, I live in my lululemon pants and t-shirts. BUT yesterday I went out with my husband and I decided to put on a pair of jeans! (something I heven't worn since early July.) Well, let me tell you, I had some extra room in my waist, I wasn't spilling over anywhere, AND I had A LOT of extra room in the pant leg!! They were actually loose on me!!! That was very exciting!!!
Now for the ARRRRRRGGGGHH! So, I'm not giving up and I'm not feeling discouraged, BUT I worked out a lot this week (as can be seen on my 90 Day Excercise log), and I ate very healthy! No added sugars, only one fruit per day, lots of veggies and protein... I was good. Well, this morning I got on the scale and TA DA! ONLY 1LBS DOWN!!! wth??? I am angry!!! It's is so frustrating! I totally believe that even if I lose one pound per week for a year I will be much happier next year, and it'll be worth it (so I'm not planning to slow down) BUT still it is so frustrating too! -- Anyway, next week will be better
So if you do feel like things are going well and you like him, but are not 100% satisfied with something -- tell him. Don't ever put someone else's needs before your own. People tend to get used to that and you run the risk of always being last on everyone's list. 
That's so sad about your crush. Does he know you like him? And on top of that you had a rough fight with your friend? I would be livid if one of my friends said something so hurtful! 
silly. 
