Hi Ladies

I hope everyone had a great weekend - mine was really good.

OH picked up his kiddies on Friday night and we had dinner at home - chicken enchiladas and vege rice. Saturday morning OH was off to the doctor as he has been unable to walk on his foot properly (let alone get any sleep, he was in so much pain) and it turns out he has a stress fracture. Must have happened while he was out cycling on Wednesday. Poor thing - his foot was soooo swollen. Anyway, we went down to OH's parents house in the afternoon (about 1hr drive) and I was bombarded with plants that they had propogated. Our house is only 1 year old and the back garden is pretty desolate at the moment - just lawn and my magnolia tree for now. Anyway, we stayed there for dinner and then headed back home.

Sunday I planted all the plants they had given me and then went to the markets to get some fruit (yummy!) and then off to my mum and dad's where the kids had some fun in the pool and we all had a great time. Back home for a chicken roast and baking muffins for their school snacks and finally to bed. Busy weekend - but was good.

I think we shall take the dogs for a walk tonight and I can get in some exercise (again, it has taken a back seat to everything).

How is everyone else?

Hi guys! Long time no see. I have started the dreaded job hunt and I'm so Type A and a second-guesser that this is quite a stressful experience. Also I need like 50 papers to send in every application (not really, more like 15-20) and I think I left one out of the job I really want (I didn't think I needed it, but now I do). So now I have to call tomorrow, blah, blah, blah.

In other news, I'm officially moving in with my boyfriend and we set up the house this weekend!! He moved in Friday and I'll be going there on most weekends until May 15th when I move in for good!!! MUCH to my parent's dismay though Oh well, I AM 24.

This leads me to the horrid topic of money. I'm pretty much running out. I TECHNICALLY have enough to get me through to August (when any education job I can get will start) but it will be tighter than I am comfortable with. BF's job is exactly the opposite where he is SUPER busy in the summer and much less in the winter. Thus he has expressed indirectly that I might think about a summer job. What do you girls think??? I am stressed as it is finding my career, let alone my 9th summer job

Weight is eh. I had a horrible eating weekend but it was enough to really get into that 'losing weight' mindset rather than apathy.

I hope everyone is going to have terrific weeks!! Yea for St. Patty's day for all you Irish gals (like me!!)

Hi ladies.

*sigh* Today was a major pity party for me. I have a whole thread in the support forum, but I figure I'll tell you ladies as well.

I've been feeling pretty crappy lately with no school/job/friends/family etc. Right now my husband is in Tennessee for a work conference so I'm completely alone. It really got to me because I was laying in bed thinking "If I don't get out of bed the entire time he's gone noone would even know." No boss mad at me, no friends getting cancelled on, no family missing me. So all I wanted to do was eat. I tried occupying myself with cleaning, sleeping, yoga. Nothing worked. I ended up going to the gym and as I was going in this guy said a smartass comment about my weight to his friend which was just about all I could take. I made it through about 30 minutes on the elliptical before breaking into tears and leaving. On the way home I got Mcdonald's, ice cream, and cookies. I came home and ate while wrapped up in bed. Of course I'm still sad and now I feel sick and fatter as well. I'm also a little scared because that was my first real binge and it's NOT something I want to repeat. Lately I haven't been doing great on my calories, averaging about 1800-2000 calories, about 200-400 more than I want. Maybe this will be the turning point? I'm getting so far behind on my goals and it's getting really discouraging. Geez, could I be any more miserable right now?

So anyway, that was my day. Hopefully tomorrow ends up better. I can't see it being much worse! *knock on wood*

hi all! i pretty much took all of last week off, but i'm hoping to get back on track this week. i can't believe how hard this is. ack.

daisy, you're planting flowers outside already??? we're still hip deep in snow over here in canada. can we trade places?

i believe the new plan is to actually sign up for a weight watchers group instead of trying to keep doing it on my own.

hubby starts his new job tomorrow, so i hope he doesn't get lost driving to the job tomorrow. he's new to the city and this is across town. i've got my fingers crossed that he ends up in the right place.

I need to rant too... I met with a couple of great friends from my old job on the weekend. I had a great time. We had a small picnic in the park, went for a short walk, took lots of silly photos and talked lots.

Later on, one of my friends said she wanted to check out this top she had seen in a store and sort of liked, but didn't know whether to buy or not. So we went shopping, which was fun too, and it's something we've done before. Only this time we went to this somewhat poshy store, where I'd never go by myself because I'd be too anxious and too embarassed about my looks, weight and everything...
The girls got some things to try on, and I decided to just wait by the changerooms. I had my own backpack and a grocery bag, three bunches of cut flowers, another bag... After a few minutes, I started feeling ridiculous standing there, but thank heaven it was somewhat in the corner, so at least I didn't feel too exposed. Only there was a big full-lenght mirror ahead of me and I got to see myself... which did not make me feel good at all - body shape, rolls of fat, clothes I was wearing, everything... just awful awful awful, hideous. When either of the girls I came out to take look at whatever garment they were trying on, I got to see both - or all three - of us in that mirro and, of course, to compare... There were dresses I'd never dare to wear (not only because I'd feel even fatter, but also because I'd just feel too awkward), pretty tops and so on.
After that we went to the sports store next door, where I did my own shopping: a waterproof hiking jacket from Gondwana. I need it for my upcoming camping trip, and I love it, but it makes me look even bigger and bulkier, as all jackets do...

And later in the evening one of the family members took a surprise photo of me - from the side, so pretty much all you can see is two big bulges: one in the back, and another one in the front. Uuuuuugh.

3 days... tsk tsk.

Daisy - Sorry to hear about your OH's foot, hope he feels tons better soon. The gardening sounds good though!! How are things going with the kids?

Andrea - Congrats on moving in with the BF, I've been living with mine for 2 years, love it, best decision I ever made! Good luck with the job hunt, I know that just is no fun at all!!!

Stacy - I can't believe that some one had the nerve to make a comment at the gym, what a total miserable jerk! I am sorry to hear that you are down I hope you are feeling very UP soon!

Canadian girl - Sometimes I wish we got snow here, it finally rained after over 140 days without any! I think though if I lived somewhere cold I'd miss the heat!

Sushi - BOOOO to surprise photos!!! I am sorry you had one of those catch yourself in the mirror experiences. I think though that being overweight and then becoming thin (or whatever you wanna call it) will make us aware of the way our presence make others who are overweight feel. Also I think it will make us very appriciative of our svelt bodies!

Trns - How are you feeling?

I don't even know where to start. On spring break. Went out Thursday, worst hangover of my damn life on Friday (didn't eat all day, lost 4 pounds in one day), ate like a pig thereafter. Got sooooo much done for the wedding. Pretty much down to flowers and the dress now. Need to whip my butt into shape. I think I am truly terrified of getting to my goal. I know I am capable physically, I think mentally I am just absolutely terrified I won't know myself anymore (not that that would be a horrible thing). I don't know what my problem is. Glad I got to catch up (not many people aroung huh?).

Daisy, how's hubby doing? What is it with men getting hurt?

Lockitup, thanks for the concern

Sushi, I hate pictures too. I take progress pictures but then don't even look at them! Just think of that one from the side as that. You'll love that you have it once you reach your goal!

Quiet week huh?

Not much going on here. Just cleaning to suprise hubby when he gets home from his trip.

Sorry I've been out of the loop recently. I've been resting from my twisted ankle *RANT AHEAD*

So yesterday I was already to go to the gym. I had my gym clothes on, water bottle filled, keys in hand and then go to unhook my MP3 player from the computer and then the stupid hold button won’t go off hold. It say’s it’s locked even though it’s not so I can’t press any buttons. So then I go to the ipod support website and try to get help. So after finding a discussion forum (just to let you know the Ipod support website sucks) where many people have had the same problem all it tells you to do is hook it up to your computer and open itunes. Okay I did that before I went on the stupid website. Then it say’s toggle the button. Hellloooooo I did that as well like fifty times. Then it say’s you might have to restore your ipod. WTF I can’t restore the ipod if the DAMN BUTTONS DON”T WORK!!!! So it looks like I’m going to have to send it in for service because it is still locked. So after an hour of trying to fix the damn thing that’s only 3 months old I had absolutely no drive to go to the gym! So I guess I will try today. The good thing is that since I have taken a about 2 ½ weeks from the gym due to my twisted ankle I haven’t gained any weight!!!!!! Yayyy!!! Hopefully I can drop a pound or two before my Vegas trip next week.

LockItUp - I'm doing a LOT better, but its funny because the past few days i haven't done anything fitness wise! Tonight will be the gym. Need to get back on track.

Mocha - try going to the apple store and go to the genius bar with it.

Hey chicklets! Haven't been able to be on the site lately, because I'm usually on here while I'm working and I kind of got in trouble the other day for using the internet too much. THAT was embarassing! Oh well, I only have a week left here anyway, so they can kiss my flat fat butt. But then again, my supervisor is supposed to be writing one of my recommendations for grad school... So I guess I won't flip them all off after all.

stacy-- I know where you're coming from. Since I graduated I feel like I've lost touch with most of my friends, and the ones I still keep in contact with I never see in person. A lot of that is my own laziness, though, so sooner or later I'm going to have to get off my butt and make an effort to go out with these people more. The worst thing now is that my bf has been on a weird work schedule the last few weeks, and I hardly get to see him at all. It's killing me. I sweat, I used to see him more when I lived at the dorms, and now we live together! Just hang in there, chica, and you'll feel better. The sun'll come up tomorrow!


Well, I have to be heading off to get things ready for tomorrow. I have to resolve to stick to my diet because the last 5 days or so have been AWFUL. Today I had french toast for dinner... and I didn't even use the sf sugar I have, I used the regular calorie-laden kind. And powdered sugar! Oy vey, I've GOT to get over this and get back on track!

Hey, my iPod did that to me too. I ended up having to send it in. They sent me a brand new one (not a refurbished one!)! Mine stopped working the DAY before I flew out of Italy to come back home..... So 8 hour plane trip with no music and an annoying little Italian kid sitting beside me And I agree, the support website is USELESS. Which is not what I expected. Good luck!

I'm losing drive for everything lately... I got another rejection letter from grad schools yesterday (2 out of 5). I don't really understand why, though, because I exceed their average grad entrance stats (for GRE, GPA, etc). There must be something they don't like about me. I'm starting to worry that because I'm applying from a Canadian school, they're mishandling my grades... We have a different grading scale here, and I have to wonder if they are looking at everything correctly. Since I'm not an international applicant, I'm American, I don't send stuff to the international student offices, so... who knows what happens. Anyway, my 2nd and 3rd choice schools are out....

Hello ladies. I have been a little of track the past few days. Life has been kinda crazy and I've been running around like crazy so no formal exercise. But yesterday I had an appointment and instead of taking the bus or a cab, I decided to walk. When I checked mapquest I saw that it was a little over 2 miles altogether. So I was able to sneak in some exercise. As the weather gets warmer I'm really going to make an effort to start walking in addition to my regular exercise routine.

Today I am back to Turbo Jam and back to my regular routine. I went and did some food shopping so I have some more healthy snacks in the house to help me stay away from the bad stuff.

I'm so sorry about the grad school letters! My boyfriend's sister has spent the past year applying to med schools and even though she's one of the smartest people I know, she has been unsuccessful. One reason we suspect is because she comes from "regular" people (no $$$) and went to a very small midwestern school. I think the factors they use when accepting students are ridiculous sometimes and random at best. How are you supposed to know when you go off to undergrad at 18 what factors are going to get you into grad school? Most 18 year olds can't even pick a major!

You may want to follow up with the adm. office about your grades transferring. I had that problem when I transferred back to Colorado to a private school. If I hadn't followed up, my application wouldn't have even been processed.

Anyway, you still have 3 to go so keep hope!

Thanks, junebug.... I'm trying not to let it get me down. I took on a thesis project this year with the idea that it would be good practice for grad school, and now I have to keep myself from looking at it with disgust, thinking 'why should I bother? I'm not ever going to need these skills...' But that's just me being glum. I talked to my thesis advisor about it today and she says there's still reason to hope, since, as you said, it's impossible to know what they're looking for.

Now I'm trying to figure out how to get out of Canada and go back home... I move in a month and a half. My dad wants me to just rent a UHaul truck (the smaller one, like a minivan with a box stuck to the back) instead of him coming up and helping. I don't think I'm comfortable with that -- I can drive, sure, but I haven't in a year, and when I did, it was a little ford escort. Big vehicles freak me out. Then I have NO idea what will happen at the border, since I don't really have any reason for them not to tax me up the wazoo on all my stuff, since I've lived here 8 years and it was basically all aquired here. Yeah, I came up here as the child of a diplomat, so that was fine, but now I'm going back down as a college grad. Completely different story. I'm getting pretty anxious about this.

THEN there's the fact that once I get down to DC with all my stuff, I have to drive my fiance down to the airport and watch him fly home to Brazil for the summer. I'll get to see him for a week in August, and then it's entirely possible that we'll be apart for another 8-12 months.

And I don't even know if I have a job to keep me busy for the summer yet.

Sigh. 2006 is pretty rough. Is is New Year's yet?