Just wanted to wish everybody a Very Merry and a Happy Healthy WHATEVER it is that you may be celebrating over the next couple of weeks.
Cats are all home and all seem pretty good right now. It feels good to be back to the normal level of chaos. Amazingly enough, with all the crappy stuff I've been eating, I still have NOT touched a spoonful of Cool Whip this month. I will probably have some over Christmas week, however.
I probably won't have a chance to check in here while I'm away . . . but you never know, I might get lucky. See you later . . .
Hey chickies and roosters! We haven't seen BillBlueEyes in awhile, though... Are you out there, Bill?
You may remember Bob, the older guy that I see at my community exercise center. Well, come to find out that Bob walks 3 miles a day. Good for Bob!
Hi JayEll,
Thanks for remembering me. I had just wandered into this thread to catch up when I saw your post. I'm around, mostly wrapped up in the Beck Diet Solution threads, like this post yesterday, which, coincidently, mentions that my walking has picked up again after slacking off to average only about 9000 steps per day for about a month.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BillBlueEyes
Put in 20541 steps yesterday, about 10 miles, the most in three months.
It's my hope that, should I get older, I'll still be able to walk 3 miles per day.
I'll click the subscribe button so that I'll be sure to follow this thread. I admire all the activity people are up to and I do need the inspiration to be sure that I remain active and don't fall back onto my couch.
Bill - that is awesome - you are an inspiration! I really need to get my pedometer out and strap it on. I know how much I walk when I exercise, but I don't have a clue how many steps I take throughout the day.
Linda - glad the cats are doing well! I laughed when I read your cool whip NSV. I was wondering how you were doing with it, but I didn't want to even type the words in case you were struggling with it.
Jay - I know what you mean. Just today alone, cookies, Russel Stover chocolates, home-made caramel bear-claws, brownies and chocolate chip cookie mix ended up on my desk as gifts. That doesn't even begin to address all of the food in the break room that vendors and community members have given us for the holidays. And then there is the homemade candy, peanut brittle, cookie bars that my MIL made for us. I actually had a twinge of guilt when I tossed the sugar cookie that the special education students brought to my office this morning. They spent all morning baking cookies for all of the staff.
I re-gifted what I could, gave away what I could, "round-filed" some of it, and kept the chocolates to take to the kids in CA. Whew - it was a close call! All of that temptation, and I only had one bite of dark chocolate. I'm feelin' mighty pleased with myself right now (though honestly - all of the praying for strength is the real reason I'm succeeding in spite of the onslaught of sugar)
Hi everyone -
I am not sure yet but I might just have to be scarce or absent for the next week and a half. This is my least favorite time of the year. And I am always amazed that although I believe that I am immune to peer pressure I still get that feeling of loserhood (loserdom? loserosity?) every year around this time of year because I don't do anything different. Jay - you are a Buddhist, do you do anything different at this time of year, and if not, does it bother you that you don't?? I am a Christian (but very liberally speaking so) and I don't celebrate Christmas. I always wish I could disappear around this time of year. The lights alone make me feel like I'm in Las Vegas (and I hate Las Vegas.) *deep breath.* And my pardon-the-expression "family" was not big into spawning, hence I don't have "relatives" to speak of, well, maybe one or two but we don't visit. So anyway, I don't mean to cast gloom. I hope everyone has a copacetic time. I'm going to think of something completely non holiday related to do. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.....
Hi Ladies. Thanks for sharing all your weight loss plans. I too use Fitday and believe it is about calories. I just have to make up my mind to stop eating too many. I just have to make up my mind to put me first. I find that a tough job and I do not know why as there is no reward in doing for others all the time.
Counting I hope you have a great trip. Sounds like you have a lovely family. I see everyone has cats! Ahhchoo! I had two lovely Lhasa Apso's for years but they have passed. Sweet dogs. But they sure tie you down.
So my plan is to try and get to the gym one day this weekend and then as soon as Christmas is passed I intend to get real serious. I know I shouldn't say that. No time like the present. I am trying to stay away from all the Christmas treats.
So Merry Christmas to everyone and enjoy all the time off. Be back soon.
Well I have spent Christmas alone or with friends. I have 2 kids but they only think of themselves and it is wearing a little thin. It would be a good day to go to the gym and then come home and have a movie marathon. The hardest thing is finding a buddy to do it with. I am single. Not that I mind that but sometimes it would be nice to have a companion.
So I hear you Spiny on that one. The boy child just called to ask what was up with me??? Of course it would have to be ME. lol
So maybe we should say here's to Boxing Day! And I hate to admit I am going shopping but to an art store. Something I do not have to try on.
I spent many years hating the season and trying to hide from it, but I realized that that still wasn't being free from it--it was just the "anti-Christmas"! Well, it's impossible to ignore--so I try to just get through it with equanimity, knowing that it will happen every year whether I enjoy it or hate it.
We have a couple of those small ceramic trees with lights--and I like colored lights--so we have them out and turn them on. But no other decorating.
I don't mind the seasonal lights--they seem fun to me. I like to see different people's yards and decide which I think are most tastefully done.
My sect of Buddhism doesn't have any commemorative days at this time--but it's the solstice, and so a group I belong to is having a special practice gathering tomorrow. This particular practice is good to do at solstices and New Years. The practice reiterates that we all have Buddha nature and can help alleviate the suffering in the world.
Other than that--well, I'm going to cook steaks on Christmas Day for my friend and me. I can't eat a whole ribeye these days, so there will be leftovers! (As you can tell, not all Buddhists are vegetarian...)
Enjoy!
Jay
P.S. The days do go by... the sun rises, the sun sets...
I appreciate your response. The old saying goes for me that is have no expectations and you won't be disappointed. Looks like I will be on my own on Christmas day. The kids who HATE Christmas seem to want to do anything but spend it with me. Makes me very sad. I have been into the chocolates as a result and now I just feel worse.
I have been trying to lose weight for so long now I am beginning to wonder if I ever will. I have had a really lousy menopause that started up a thyroid problem and a year after that Type 2 diabetes. My emotions took a big hit and so has my body. Not 2 good things to have at the same time. So I am just going to take it easy over the weekend. I work Christmas eve so will sleep half of Christmas day.
Agghhh. I hate hearing myself whine about all this. As you say it comes every year. I have always hesitated going away but that is becoming an idea for next year. Always thought I should be here for the family. Maybe that needs to change.
Just cause no one is interested in me I tend to not be either. So for now that is my first thing to change.
So one step at a time.
I would like to go to a solstice celebration. I just don't know of any around here. Do they usually take place in the daytime or at night?
Well I am glad to hear that there are others who don't do the stereotype Christmas thing. Seems like it has become the time of year to celebrate retailers with dollar signs in their eyes more than anything else. Yet it also seems like a time of year where people feel special permission to be extra nice to each other so I am going to try to be observant of that. And I keep telling myself to resist the temptation to think that my own situation should be different from the way it is. In my own way, through my own choices, I have asked for this and it has been given to me. So I will say Thanks.
And the one Christmas tradition I have is to sing and play O Little Town Of Bethlehem to the tune of House Of The Rising Sun. Even if no one else is around to listen.
My mother had big problems with Christmas, and I have inherited some of them, but I am trying to overcome . The kids in MI are staying home this year, but the ones in Ventura are coming up sometime between Christmas and New Years. I enjoy seeing them and the gks, and the season seems to be a good excuse to get together.
For Christmas day, I think we will go to Porterville (in the CA central valley) to visit DH's mother. She is 88 and in an assisted living place. I like her and she really likes it when people come to visit. For $5 each, we can eat there, and I think that's what we will do.
I like the idea of celebrating the solstice. Sort of makes the connection between us and people of long ago.....
I got one of those Cure 81 hams for when my son comes. We will probably have mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans - what else is traditional with ham - blackeyed peas. Whatever. None of those items are things that I eat too much of, so that will be fine.
I got up this morning, weighed myself and I was a pound less!!!! What a surprise, but I'm good with it.
Spiny! That's good! I had to try it! Do you just use the same tune for the "B" part?
Gail, down a pound! Yippeee! Now there's a happy thing!
hijude, absolutely it is time to take care of yourself! I used to go away a lot over the Christmas holiday--and had a good time! If you can find a friend or two, or even a tour to join--all the better. Keep it in mind for next year, or even after the New Year? My mom, in her later years, used to travel a lot on her own and with tour groups, and she really enjoyed it.
Sleeping in on Christmas morning sounds good to me! Ahhhhh... Probably I'll just get up and go to work as usual, until it's time to cook those steaks.
The grocery store this afternoon was nuts... I was there stocking up on Lean Cuisines...
I am now going to watch football. My apologies to those who do not care for it... but I find it so interesting... in a kind of nerdy way.
What is especially fun is when you sing it, pretend to sound like Eric Burdon, real raspy, and on the first line, when you get to the word Bethlehem, you put real stong emphasis on the BETH syllable, and make it so rough sounding that you are almost spitting. Then try not to start laughing while singing the rest of the song. I can almost amuse myself for hours with this.
BillBlueEyes Reporting In
Well, it's impossible to ignore--so I try to just get through it with equanimity, knowing that it will happen every year whether I enjoy it or hate it. 
I can't eat a whole ribeye these days, so there will be leftovers! (As you can tell, not all Buddhists are vegetarian...)
Christmas seem to want to do anything but spend it with me. Makes me very sad. I have been into the chocolates as a result and now I just feel worse. 
That's good! I had to try it! 
Do you just use the same tune for the "B" part?
down a pound! Yippeee! Now there's a happy thing!
