Food went off the rails yesterday. I think it could have been linked to not being sure about what to make for tea ... More evidence that planning ahead really helps me. I am looking at an almost blank chalkboard with no meals planned for the week. I'll prioritise filling in the gaps.

I'm at 156.1, in spite of wanting to eat & eat yesterday. Temperatures were only in the mid-50s yesterday in my apartment, and I sat at my desk wearing the tech industry uniform of fleece with a zip-front -- but a heat wave of 90 degrees and above is on the way in a few days.

Yesterday was a turnaround day: Unexpectedly, I had to lead a portion of a meeting for managers yesterday (which I did awkwardly, not being prepared). I finished a draft of a presentation I'm giving tomorrow, though I expect it back with lots of comments & suggested revisions, because the manager I sent it to is like that. And my depressed direct report emerged from the depths and was a vigorous worker. I hope he feels better, rather than just being frenetically productive.

Very very late for the gym today and on my way. I was up too late last night following all of the breaking news.

Jessica-- I understand about the skin cancer. While mine wasn't melanoma, I had a skin cancer removed from my leg, and I'm definitely more diligent with the sunscreen than I once was. When I tell him to wear sunscreen, he always reminds me that I'm the one that's had skin cancer, and I remind him that my having it doesn't make him immune to it.

Saef-- I would freeze in your apartment!! My house was 68 this morning and I thought that was cold!! I'm ready for some heat but not looking forward to helping dd move in late June/ early July in Arizona. It's already 107 plus most days there!

Weight is stubbornly refusing to budge despite my new fitness regimen. How come our bodies don't know when we're trying something new and just release a bunch of weight to appease us?!

Two more days at work in a very quiet work environment.... the place is pretty deserted. I've been listening to podcasts but think I'll put music on today....

Jessica, I looked at that site you recommended, Bravissimo. It looks great for swimsuits etc. for bustier broads like me. Thanks for the tip!

Andrea, that's exactly what we're doing now - trying to re-culture every single sample that we've banked in hopes that SOMETHING has survived and will grow. It doesn't solve the immediate problem of my student needing a project, but I've drafted a few possible alternatives (none great). Re the sample sharing: I don't know of anyone else who has this unique pairing of tumor cells and stem cells from the same limb of each tumor patient. The uniqueness was the main value of the project

Still struggling with this nasty cold. I haven't slept more than a few hours a night in five nights, and it's starting to tell on me. We just got a counter offer on this house/property we're trying to buy, and it's extremely high still. Plus there is confusion whether the property is the size listed in the tax rolls, or is 1.5 acres smaller. Argh. Now I'm off to give a lecture (or more likely, cough nonstop for an hour into a microphone).

Jessica and JayZeeJay, so glad to hear you like Bravissimo. It's one of our British small business success stories.

Our election is tomorrow and I'm strangely jumpy. Wish I was one of those people who go off their food at times like this. I think I might have been, once upon a time.

saef, I know that uniform and have been wearing it today, even though I'm not in the tech industry. I tell myself that if I'm warm I won't eat so much. There's possibly some sense in that, somewhere.

Minestrone for tea. Home-made with home-made chicken stock. A healthy and reassuring comfort food. I'd better get on with it.

I'm at 155.6 this morning, which pleases me.

I will be a different person later this evening. I am suffering from some nerves today. I have two presentations to give: One in a staff meeting of my direct reports, one to a skeptical and questioning audience of research analysts, whose manager hasn't yet commented on the draft that I sent to him. And that doesn't seem right, as he is generally full of comments & critiques in the margins of his team's work.

Also I have to pack up my desk for a "restack" which means everyone's moving desks because of the company's hypergrowth. Many are now desk-sharing which requires working from home on certain days to fit them all in. Yet the company wants us in because this helps us "collaborate." This despite my having to "collaborate" routinely with people in Europe and Asia and in different time zones in the U.S., which proves that their sitting next to me in a cubicle isn't necessary. Why pretend? Desk assignments or office assignments and the requirement to come into an office or not are all about hierarchical display and dominance.

Thinking of Birchie's election, but even more so of our former FBI director's testimony. There's a huge screen with CNN always playing in the reception lobby of our building. How many people are going to find a reason to go out there near the receptionist's desk and stand for a few minutes?

Politics overload here with all of it. Drinking herbal tea in an attempt not to nibble too much.

Today is my self-appointed last day at work until August. I say self-appointed because I thought it was my last day but I realized yesterday that I'm supposed to work tomorrow as well. I had already made plans tomorrow, including a doctor appointment that was very tricky to obtain, so I am using vacation and sick leave to take tomorrow off. So, today is my last day! Hooray!

Good luck with your presentations, Saef. Do they ever get easier for you? You always seem anxious about them. I'd be a nervous wreck myself.

I hope there is some truth to weight gain from sore muscles. I've been on my new fitness/ weight loss plan since Monday and every day the scale is creeping upwards-- up a pound total since Monday. I'm VERY sore....dh leaves today so my challenge will be to still cook for myself and not resort to frozen meals and the like. I'm trying to eat healthy real food (for a change!).

Friday, back up to 156.1, and a little less pleased with myself.

Spending way too much time on news websites yesterday, when I could have been working, but I feel I'm not alone in this. And this morning, the news from the U.K. is also keeping me reading when I ought to be making my bed and washing up before heading to the gym.

Yes, my "stage nerves" before presenting persist, Michele, and it's because I'm self-critical, but also maybe the adrenaline wakes me up and helps me perform. The presentation went fairly well. The audience was welcoming, but I did praise them as I began the presentation and at other moments when I talked, which surely helped.

I didn't stay up all night but I did switch the light out later than usual. The consequence is that I feel a bit rough today. There's lots to process about our general election but I've been eating OK so far. The afternoons are the tricky time for me. Leftover minestrone for tea. (Keeping an eye on US politics too.)

I'm beginning to think these metabolic meals are helping as I'm down about 1.6 pounds of vacation weight. My only gripe is that they're not 100% "nutritional." I mean, last night's dinner was a chicken breast and jasmine rice. Where is the vegetable? When we were doing Freshly, they were more balanced. I ended up adding vegetables to the rice to even it out. Granted that isn't difficult, but at the price they should be more balanced.

I had a weird thing happen last night (well, really, this morning). I woke at 3 AM (not unusual) and thought to myself that I only had half an hour before I needed to get up, so instead of going back to sleep, I started visualizing my day. At 3:30, I almost got up but realized I still had an hour left. I thought I'd never get back to sleep as my mind was fully awake. I decided to give it a try and at 4 AM I was still awake but managed to fall back to sleep just after that. And, oh my, the dream I had before my alarm woke me! I'm still trying to sort that one out as it was a doozy!

Getting to crunch time before our vacation starts next week. I'm going back and forth between being ready to be on vacation already and being overwhelmed by the amount of stuff we'd like to do on vacation versus the time we have. DD came down with a stomach virus a couple days ago so we've cancelled the camping trip we had planned this weekend. She's pretty much better today so I guess we could have gone, but I think I've picked up what she had in a milder form (mostly general indigestion and upset stomach, as opposed to her sleeping for two days straight and puking in the middle of the night). Also, I'd like to give her a chance to recover before we go on our vacation, and I'm a bit concerned that my other DD will come down with it in short order and I'd rather have that happen at home than at a camp site two hours away.

I've been eating okay this week, under 1400 cals every day starting from Monday until now. Not sure if I'll keep under 1400 today though as my upset stomach only seems to be settled by putting more food in it, even if I'm not hungry. I did make it to the gym for two weight lifting sessions and one interval run this week. Weight at 149.6.

Since we're not going camping, the weekend has opened up. If the girls and I are up to it I think we'll go to yoga Sunday afternoon -- my local studio runs an adult class and a kids class simultaneously. Then Monday I have a doctor appointment and work, Tuesday I'm off work to pack, and Wednesday our flight leaves at 6:50am (thus the need to pack the previous day! ). Two weeks in CA, then our flight home arrives at 1:30am so I'm also taking the day after that off to recover, and will be back at work on Friday the 30th.

Jessica I find that I list all of the things I want to do and see on a vacation and then cut it in half. That way it IS a vacation, rather than a mad sprint from event to sightseeing to event etc.

Dagmar

Wait, you mean a vacation isn't SUPPOSED to be a mad sprint from place to place? He who dies having seen the most, wins :>)

I had Lasik surgery on my left eye yesterday. What a weird and unnerving experience, having someone slice into your cornea while you're awake. Last night and today, my eye has been very uncomfortable (like there's sand in it) and I have a desperate desire to rub it that I'm resisting for all I'm worth. OTOH, I can already tell I'm seeing better out of it, even though the ophthalmologist said it would be 3 days before I could really tell how much improvement there is. Oh, to be able to stop wearing glasses after 48 years (I was 2 1/2 when I got my first pair)!

Have a happy weekend everyone.

Andrea I hope your eye surgery (ies?) produces the maximum results for you. I know 3 people who have had the surgery on both eyes and they are all extremely happy with the results.

My DH considers me a total weirdo for wanting to be awake during surgery. We had a discussion about heart surgery the other day and he was appalled that I'd be delighted to be able to see inside my own heart, should the opportunity ever come available.

Someone slicing into my eye might be different.

Dagmar