Fay, the personal trainer at my gym is always wandering around in a sports bar and bicycle shorts. It kind of drives me crazy since the average age fo the people who frequent my "gym" (actually the city fitness center) is old enough that we don't "do" sports bras. I'm used to it- having teenage girls, (I have a clear memory of the first time older DD whipped off her T-shirt in the school parking lot to change- "It's O.K. I'm wearing a sports bra") but it still seems like showing off to me. You would think that working with all these large, old people would give her a clue. She's told me several times that if I can read on the eliptical trainer, I'm not working hard enuf in spite of an elevated heart rate and lots of sweat. I really want to tell her that if I don't read on the eliptical, I may very well be reading on my couch with a glass of wine and a cookie, but I'm usually too out of breath to argue. Whatever gets you to the gym, you know! But I really don't like personal trainers very much either.

Calmie, I need a little of your good attitude. I need to think more about having an actual job, a healthy family that includes a recent college graduate, food, gas and even a payable mortgage (at least this month!). Thanks for the reminder.

Ruby, I start again almost every morning! And I don't even have any bad news to report! The wallet thing is awful and so is the ex-boyfriend. Sorry you have to go through all that.

Nasus, hurray for the ticker change! And why not count bowling as exercise if makes you sweat? I plan to count walking to DD's track meet today, since I won't make it to the gym and I'm guessing I'll be parking a looong way from the track (it's state conference).

Sometimes its hard...
 

Hi Chickies: Woe of woes. I'm still grateful BUT...just got home, knowing I have 28 dollars until Tuesday and that I used the coin stash to buy gas and a strange car was parked in the driveway. I came in and DH announced that his truck is in for repairs. I haven't even asked him how we plan to pay for it. He is acting beyond stressed. I would say he is putting it on American Express but I know for a fact that the most recent payment (due on the 10th) has not been paid yet and so he can't put anything on there right now.

Still grateful, still grateful, still grateful. I suppose I could suspend my 401K contributions for a bit until cash flow around here improves. Hate to do that though. On the other hand it is about 1,200 a month and I am lucky that I have something I actually could suspend. Mind you if I do suspend I will only see about 700.00 of that after taxes. Why am I boring you all with this you ask? Good question. I'm being too much of a downer.

On the plus side...food is good but the food thing has never been hard for me to stick to. The exercise part is my challenge.:p

Fay speaking of personal trainers....Does anyone watch the show "Workout". I just love it. The people going to the Skylab for training are better adjusted than anyone working there. It totally cracks me up.

All right. That is all I have to say for now. Sorry for dumping my current financial woes on y'all. We've never made as much money as we do right now and I just can't figure out why we are struggling. Don't have an expensive house, don't take vacations, only have one car payment, no extravagant habits. Tis a mystery. sigh.:dizzy:

SC

Early morning check in since I have plans to go out to lunch. I'll order a salad, honest!

Aud, DD23 used to have Tazmanian Devil bedroom slippers that she would occasionally wear to school, but usually when they were doing some kind of pajama day. I see the dance girls wearing slippers all the time, but both my DD's have had an endless supply of flip flops that they wore (wear) instead.

The strangest thing with the dance girls is the lack of modesty with the older girls. They do have to change really fast at time, but it's disconerting to see them doing it. Meanwhile, the little girls, the ones with absolutely nothing to hide, are the ones in the bathroom with the door locked. The other day I sent DH to pick up DD16 at the photography studio where dance pictures were taking place and he mentioned that he was sitting outside - across the street. That kind of surprised me but then he said the dance teacher had warned him that there would soon be 20 high school girls changing and the studio if very small. I realized then that I probably shouldn't have sent him to do the picking up.

Still not getting into the induction swing here. Last night DH wanted me to go a Chamber of Commerce thing-an opening for a new seafood restaurant with free food and drink. The food wasn't bad, but the drink, hmmm. Probably not a good idea. But after spending the afternoon at the track meet, it's hard to say no, you know? I really have to get better though.

Calmie, I know exactly how you feel with the money thing. DH and I seem to live beyond our means. I know we have to find some place to cut expenses, but it's hard to figure out. It doesn't seem like we're spending on anything that's not needed. I suspect it'll keep getting worse with the price of gas going up, not to mention food, etc.

On a postive note, we're supposed to have a nice weekend here for a change. It's finally getting warm too! And we have absolutely nothing to do!! Hurrah!!!

Glad to see so many posts.
My niece lived with me for a short while when she was a teenager and she tried to wear her pajamas to school one day. Of course I didn't let her out of the house dressed like that. When I was a teenager I wouldn't have been caught dead in public in my pajamas. What has happened to teenagers?

Staying on plan has continued to be very challenging while I'm away from home. I'm looking forward to getting home and having more control over my food again in a couple days.

I ended up going to the Botanical Gardens the other day with my free time. They do a good job with the space they have. In other place when I've visited public botanical gardens they have large outdoor space to landscape so this was very different. I then went to Alexandria to have dinner with a friend from residency which was very enjoyable. Also had an on plan meal that night (thai steak salad).

I've gone to a couple lectures on obesity. One was a lecture on childhood obesity. I've heard another version of this lecture previously and they still haven't done much to discuss the psychological/behavioral aspects and I was still disappointed to see that. The other one was very good. It was about a stepwise approach to obesity from talking to your patients about to their weight all the way to referring to surgery. He had to decide what to talk about and what to leave out but it was overall a good lecture and some very good questions got asked as well. I've also been to some geriatrics lectures (no surprise there) and this afternoon I went to one on just inpatient hospital medicine. There wasn't much in that lecture that applies to me directly but it was interesting and entertaining. The lecturer was hysterical. Probably more than you all want to know.

Scalmie-like you, I am extremely blessed. Good health, good job, can afford my house, my car, the gas in the car, the food, the dogfood,etc. Thanks for reminding me not to take it for granted.

Hello All: Happy Saturday!!!! DD spent the night with a friend last night and DH just went to pick her up. It is 9:00 a.m. here. DH and I were up at 7 missing our dolly! So far 1/2 the house has been cleaned. The dogs can sense that something is up and are trying to be extra cute a loving. They are correct with regards to something being up. We have already started to reach our 100 degree heat days here so they are both getting shaved a little later on. DH is picking up a new blade for the dog clippers right after he picks up DD9!

Thanks for the words of encouragement from you all. I feel like such a loser being short of cash and you made me feel better. We had another full day of training yesterday at work and I actually went off plan but by design rather than default. Since we had training lunch was being served and being broke I knew I didn't have a salad purchase option. Had 1/2 a sandwich. Didn't kick off any enromous cravings though.

Auddie: I may just have to try your toothpaste idea! Glad the strike may be ending! Maybe I need to sit down the DD and DH and try to come up with some challenging money saving ideas. I bet I spend too much on convenience related items blaming time constraints.

Petra: It sounds like your trip is turning out to be kind of a kick. It is nice when something work related can be enjoyable too.

All: I have noticed the pj thing in public as well. I find myself doing double takes quite often when I see people in what appear to be flannel pj bottoms and slippers in the grocery store. Once, I even saw someone dressed like that at church. I love my holier than thou tone don't you? I guess I am forgetting the times I have taken DD9 to drop her off at school wearing the same sweatpants I slept in. Even if they are sweatpants I DO use them as pjs. The also have old paint stains on them and are frayed beyond measure. Oh...and they have an elastic waistband that also HAD a drawstring but the rough edge of the dryer drum pulled tht drawstring out a long time ago so if I'm walking around the pants start to slide down on one side (the side where the elastic is not shot). Am I painting an attractive picture for you?

Have a great day!!!!

ox
SC

I am here! Friday I bowl and do not have much time in between work and bowling. i was awaome last night but I know it was just a fluke of nature! I had the highest I ever got in one game and started the second strong too then i returned. :lol: 247, 175 and a 140 something. just about 40 points shy of 600 My average is 122. last night it was 190 something I do not know who was bowling for me but they can come back any time. :lol: where did that come from I do not know.

TOM is on the way so I could not move the ticker way down like I wanted to as i had lost more but water gained some back so I will be paitient for the next whoosh

sc do not give up your 401k if you can help it. do all the other things first. I am going wow when i see how much you are putting away each month I am very impressed you will need it in later life but now you can scrap. it will save from scrapping later when you have no way to fall back. I also need ot start scrapping you are not the only one with financial issues. I live them daily and I too spend things on convienience when just a little prep can help.

Aut I like the toothpaste I dea I always take the tube to the very end, rubbing it on the corner of the counter squishing from the krimp to the tip almost every time I use it to keep the stuff to the end. and then squish the end into the tip for the last drop. (nursing habit from when the last few nurses did not order a new tube and the stuff is needed for a treatement) I can bet there is very little in my tubes when done. most of the waste is from the kids squshing the overage all ver the top of the toothpast tube when trying but not succeeding it closing the top. or just leaving it to dry out and plug the end. :lol: I have to weekly peel the crust off so the top will close,

I went to a couple lectures this morning, then got on the Metro and went shopping. I know that probably sounds pretty decadent when some of you are talking about your financial struggles. I didn't spend that much-probably less than $200 total. I went to this HUGE 4 story mall that was about a 25 minute subway ride away. I was looking for some new sandals because Tammy has managed to chew up 2 pairs so far this year. Apparently she likes leather. You won't believe this (or maybe you will)-they are selling shoes that are basically flipflops for $70-80! I thought, you have got to be kidding me! I ended up with something a little more substantial than that for a lot less. I otherwise bought some cosmetics, and hearing aide batteries. Not very exciting but I didn't want to overstuff my luggage for the flight home. As it is I will probably get charged for my oversize, overweight bag.

One of the lectures I went to this morning was on cardiovascular disease and diabetes. A few of you would find that interesting. The lecturer was clearly very knowledgeable but his delivery was extremely dry. Not the most exciting lecture I've been to. There are some interesting big trials on this topic about to be reported on in the next year and a half. One piece of information that has already come out is that we seem to have gotten over foused on tight glucose control in type 2's and maybe should have been paying more attention to some other things like blood pressure.

How are all the Lolitas doing?

I relate to the financial woes!!! That being said, it's all a matter of perspective. I earn less than some of you SAVE every month! :eek:

I have been on plan.

Today, I saw my chiropractor for the first time in a few months and he said:" Wow, you look like you have lost weight!" and that really felt good.

I was wearing shorts LITERALLY for the first time in many, many years which is a BIG step for me. I should disclose though, that the chiropractor lives DIRECTLY across the street from me, so the trek is not so very far! :lol: Still, to even go outside in shorts is a HUGE deal for me.

Hi all. I am sitting here just finished my 2 morning cases, another foot person who needs good foot care, ahh it seems to be my speciality,

scale was dwon again this am so I am going ot change my ticker to reflect the weight.

eating was good this weekend so far though i still have one more day. I am going to get cought up with my work so i will not get so far behind of my computer crashes again. and then have to clean the house and get ready for a party.

my father was admitted to the hospital overnight and is scheduled for release this am. my mother was all panicky, it is his first real illness so to speak ever he is 78 he had a case of atrial fib which they could not control with a heart rate up to 160 and above and experiencing slight angina. they admitted him overnight and later in the evening he tried to go to the bathroom and the heart rate shot up again so it was bed rest for him then about 2 hours later he self cardioverted so they are putting him on medications and sending him home today.

Hi Ladies: It is about 1:15 here. Just finished really cleaning the backyard. That includes raking up about a 4x10 foot load of pine needles, trimming and then using the blower. We have about 15 of these very large, "tree of heaven" (ironically also known as stink trees). They drop a ton of seed pods and pollen from late May through the beginning of June. The pollen is so pungent you can smell it. I loathe them. We are on week six of not having my master bathroom. I told DH today that he needs to try to finish his repairs today and tomorrow. The last thing he will be doing is grouting and sealing after repairs (this is a roman tub that is about 6 feet long, 4 feet wide and has tile running all the way to the ceiling). We have company coming on Thursday and staying for about 10 days and we need that bathroom. He needs to get the grout in and sealer done or it won't be cured in time for the shower to be used.

I'm taking a break but moving on next for window cleaning. It does go fast with squeegee. My...I must say I'm more productive when we are totally and completely broke. DD was excited last night. She found a 20 dollar target gift card from her birthday that she forgot about. She is used to having me just buy her things when she wants them and never hearing about money. She has been an angel lately. She knows we are broke. I took her to target and she shopped with her little gift card and calculator. Then she took mommy to Starbucks for an iced coffee. Autodeposit for my paycheck goes into our account tomorrow night. Thank God. I scrounged up 10 bucks to put some gas in my car for tomorrow. I swear I will never let this happen again if I can help it.

Poor doggies. Well, poor Oreo anyway. I shaved the rotund cocker Ellie yesterday but when I got to Oreo the clippers started to bog down. They had a brand new blade in them so I don't know what the cause is. Consequently, she is half shaved. She looks very strange. I will buy some new clippers this week and take another run at it.

Off plan still from necessity as we are stuck using what we have in the freezer until payday. Not too bad though. I had spag. sauce I made on top of some frozen veggies last night (I usually stay away from tomato saucy things). I pulled out some frozen steak for tonight.

Hope all is well with everyone and I'm still itching to hear from our Lolitas that may be in tornado country.

hugs

SC