Random thoughts from a madwoman...

I finally quit smoking because... it got too expensive, I felt like some sort of mutant outcast and I started to REALLY take notice of all the things I didn't like about it Will it take the same things to get me off the food festival? Yes, I did notice the new report that they are discovering even more harmful effects of smoking. However, also this week there was a report that obesity is about to overtake smoking as the most preventable problem Is this a cruel joke or am I meant to never get ahead of the game

By the way, Hippy I meant to thank you - it's actually because of you that I quit smoking. When I heard you were making the attempt, I finally decided after a year of being wishy washy, it was time to get off the pot (figure of speech you know, not that illegal stuff) The time will come for you too, when you decide it's right for you. I think I had a break through moment tonight. Normally when someone has smoked around me, I didn't care. It didn't trigger an urge and I didn't mind it. Tonight hubby and I went out to dinner. It was an Italian restaurant and the focal point was a huge bar. All the dining tables surrounded the perimeter of the bar. I am still getting used to the idea of asking for non smoking seating. We sat down and I was immediately assaulted by the smell of 50 people smoking all at once at the bar. With that sort of set up, the whole restaurant was effectively a smoking section. Extremely odd by today's standards. And... while one cigarette didn't bother me, the flood of smoke coming from the bar area really did. It bothered me enough that I actually wanted to leave but we had already ordered drinks and an appetizer. I was actually glad. Up to this point, honestly I have stayed strong but missed smoking. Since I work from home and don't go out much, I'm not exposed to smoking or some of the negative things about it. I did find myself "romanticizing" cigarettes and I knew that was very dangerous. I need to be digusted by it, I need to be digusted by it. I don't trust myself to stay off them for the rest of my days until I truly feel that way. So today was a break through moment for me. Now, if only I could feel the same way about rich Italian pasta I did eat only 1/3 of my salad and 1/2 my pasta and boxed the rest up.

Red, I worked for a publishing house for a year and a half. I have never seen so many people so totally stressed out - it has to be one of the hardest industries I've ever seen. I hear you on the frustration part. Excessive stress, insufficient time, too many demands and the occasional meltdown are a deadly combination. And the job always takes priority. The problem with food is that it's too portable. You might not have enough time to get to the gym while you're rewriting copy but you can easily multitask eating and writing at the same time! And sometimes a quick blow off steam beer after work turns into a much needed "attitude adjustment" time out as we would fondly say, but with perhaps a few too many being tipped. No easy answers here, is there? Good luck with your interview and assignments. It's a very tough field that you are in.

Chachee, you mean I Can't wear no makeup and a pony tail and sweats? Or I just can't be seen in public like that? The hotter it gets, the more the hair gets cranked up on the back of the head - unlike Raven, I'm not a fan of short hair but when it's really hot I hate it on my neck too. Hopefully once the hubster gets home he'll be back for a while, hopefully???? And you can enjoy your little bit of summer together.

Well it's movies tonight, doing something outside tomorrow and cleaning on Sunday when they are predicting horrid thunderstorms. I would love to do a picnic on Monday because after all, it's Memorial Day weekend and the start of summer.

Have a good weekend all and Jolly, if it's all the same with you, you can keep the rain up your way, I've had enough here although it may dampen my nephew's plans for a cookout but he can use his golf umbrella over the grill

One last thing, I was looking for some things to do around here on the weekends and they have the Temple Lippizan horses here. I started reading about dressage on the website. How impressive. I can see where that requires extreme discipline for both you and the horse. I can see where that would be both extremely difficult and very rewarding at the same time. If only we were all rich and free to do as we please, huh?

Well, happy, you don't sound too mad to me. I'm glad to hear you were bothered by the smoke. That shows your body is probably free of the addiction. They say it takes a full four weeks for the body to get over the physical addiction. Looks like you're right on schedule.

Just don't take the mentally addictive aspects lightly. It's easy to go back after a couple months, for one reason that people get too confident and think they can have just one and wham, you're snagged physically again. Just think of how gross it is, the smell in your hair, on your clothes, the way it stains your teeth, the sallow look, and, this was a final straw for me, it'll give you wrinkles, lots of little ones around your mouth. I was starting to see them when I quit. Vanity, thank you!

I don't know, the food festival is a whole 'nother ball game. Food is, after all, good for us. We need it, it's life. It's about choosing the right foods I think, more than the quantities. I just finished up a salad, hurrah!! Eat tons of raw vegetables and fruit and your body will feel good.

I was good so far today but I did feel my resolve waning at the usual points of the day, passing the convenience store, hungry, tired, all moments where I've been starting to stuff my face again with junk and I'd been so good there for quite a while. But, I'm taking my own advice here and just trying to stuff myself with good things. The ancient Chinese had a way of looking at virtue and how it was best acquired. They likened the person to a fishbowl of dirty water. The way to clean it was not by dumping out the water and pouring in new, which is traumatic to the fish (you) but by adding and adding new water until eventually the dirty stuff was gone. I think we all too often try to purge ourselves of all the "bad" and in doing so make life unbearable. Better to add the good to the bad and with time we can change, relatively painlessly.

That said, it always requires vigilance. You got to keep adding the fresh water!

Well, I've got to run again. Heh, glad to hear you're looking at dressage. It doesn't look like much from the outside perhaps, but it's amazing when you're doing it. What are the Temple Lippizaners, by the way? I know Lippizaners, but Temple? Is this a North American troupe?

Oh, and thanks for the encouragement with the work, happy. I'm writing this in between rewriting and translation. I'm in newspapers and yes, deadline stress is tough and thankless as well. Here one day, gone the next. Not news any longer unless you're on top of it, NOW!

I'm going to stop thinking of food as rewards, which I still do, God, do I. I'm going to start trying to think of, for example, looking sharp in some nice clothes, being able to say flip back my jacket and reveal, no, not a roll of fat trying to stay concealed under a loose blouse, but, oh my!, a flat, hard stomach, under not a blouse, but a knit top. . . . that would be so nice.

You know, I try to do this image training but somehow I just can't conjure up the images on my body. I've never been there before. . . oh well, keep trying!

Really must go!

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!!!! A dark and stormy day here - so typical of the first holiday to kick off the summer season. Hope it's not an indication of the weather to come. At least we can take one day to do the housework without feeling like we've wasted the weekend.

Did some yardwork yesterday, more to do, not enough time. Today will be housework and laundry, I need to do some flylady dejunking here to. Tomorrow might be fairly decent so maybe we can salvage one day out of the weekend here.

I think I'm going to try low carb again. I've noticed that my whole body aches and I think it's more than just weather related. Not that I've over exerted myself either with the back being as it was - getting better tho. Anyway I seem to remember that when I was doing South Beach I didn't feel so achy. That takes more careful planning with the meals tho so I guess I will add that to my agenda of things to do.

Just doing a quick check-in here. Hope you all are finding a way to enjoy your Sunday!

Oh and Temple Lippizan horses probably get their name because they come from the Temple Farm up this way. They are the largest herd of Lippizans in the United States and the only ones here who perform in the same manner as the Austrian lines. I've always heard them referred to as the Temple Lippizans, not plain old Lippizans, hence the phrasing like that. Guess I should take advantage of them being so close to home here and make an effort to see one of their shows this summer.

Just wanted to check in quickly. Have a busy day planned, but wanted to wish you all a happy holiday.

Weighed this morning for my mini-challenge and was down another pound. .5 more to meet my goal I set for myself and I have two weeks to do it. I think I can....

Chach

noooooooooooooooooo!! they changed the rules...... i cant insert wedding pic links till after i get 50 posts!!! so be it, they obviously have a good reason for it, even if it elludes me right now ~laughing~

sassy is at 45, this post makes 46....... forgive me girls for what i am about to do ~winka winka~

hello hunnies......... everyone count with me............47 ~sniggering~ ooooooo i am a shameless wenchlette arent i.......

48........... can almost feel the antissssssssssss-ay-pay-shun rising huh.......

FORTY-NINEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!


~turns and cues the music~

small glitch in our counting ....... the words were ....."at least 50" ~takes a deep breath~ thats fine with me , sassy can take a licking and keep on clicking...... ~laughing~

YES!! 51....... i hope you enjoy the pics!!


here you go ladies 4 of the bride and groom...... its official i am now Frau Sassy Schuster!! ~beaming~ i wanted to get these in before the new thread started. promise from me to thee to put up pics of the castle and rectory along with pics from the second wedding........ oh and hey!! sassy and her friends climbed a mountain ~laughing~ i have pics of that too. we have so many pics now. i have some gorgeous ones of my city Steyr if your interested. tell ya what........ i will keep posting them till i hear a resounding.....ALRIGHT SASSY we've seen enough! ~laughing~

The Groom, was there any other answer but yes??!! ~low sultry purr~ doesnt he look handsome.......

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Sassy and her Mann.....full shot of the state ceremony dress, check out the shoes! i had the prettiest feet that day ~grinz n winks~

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close up of the happy couple........

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sealin the deal with a kiss ...........oooochie booochie booooooo

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i adores you ladies so keep in mind between this set and the next set, will be my before pic......... this time next year i will be wearing my Grand Prix Hotsey Totsey dress.........laughing~

sincerely,

sassy

Ooo la la Sassy you clever girl - you and the new hubby look absolutely FABULOUS! I love your bouquet and your dress looks a bit like gold brocade? It's always fun to see the real faces behind the posts.

Keep the pictures coming, you both look very, very happy. When will you be taking a honeymoon?

Hellooooo all. Sorry I was awol. I was the chief step-and-fetch-it girl at a horse show this weekend. Between workouts and running my rear off at the show, I lost 1 pound this week despite poor eating. Of course, it is good to go to the show. Seeing all those riders in tight hunt pants really upped my motivation. It was also kind of fun because a friend of mine got engaged. Her boyfriend proposed from center ring, right before the championship classes. Everybody including the show steward and ring announcer helped pull it off.

Happy - feeling any better? I hope so. Welcome to the addiction of horses. I have always wanted to go see a performance at Temple, and have never made it down, even though it is only an hour away. Hmmmm. Oh, yeah. Thanks for making me keep the rain. I had the ride from, well, you know where yesterday. I rode in the storm. Between the sound of rain pouring on the roof, the rain coming in from where the roof leaked, the thunder, and then . . . . the phone rang My poor little boy had just too much stimulation. He thought for sure he was going to be eaten. Can you take some of the rain? Please?

Chachee - spin is a type of cycling class. You have to change your speed, tension, raise up, sit down. All sorts of sadistic things. I am going to look into upgrading my gym membership so I can do that more regularly.

Raven - More Vin??? Damn! So, you had better been off doing something really fun this weekend, as you ain't been here!

Sassy - Your posts were a hoot. And I love your wedding pix. congratulations!

Red - thanks! I really like the fish bowl analogy. I need more fresh water!

Well, this month didn't end too badly. I did my finances, and had a pretty darned good month. Not quite where I need to be, but getting there. And the weight is coming off. 1 more pound to the 20 pound mark, and I want to celebrate with something nice. I am making the 2 pound a week average. I am increasing my cardio. And planning to get a new weight workout that focuses on abs and gluts. Also, (getting ahead of myself just a bit) starting to research dressage instructors in my area. I really ought to start researching lazer surgery, as that is a big goal for next year.

So, heres to a great June!

Very quickly...

Jolly - Actually.. well .. fun is relative. I spent the weekend schlepping around the house for the most part. Watched a lot of movies with the kids, worked at the stables Sunday, and actually got more of my house almost clean. Scary. What I did NOT do? Eat right and exercise. Blah. Last fling? Who knows.

Sassy - What great pics!! Congratulations!!

Happy - It was a dark and stormy night... We're getting pounded here, too. I know we need the rain, but unlike SOME people who shall remain unnamed *I* don't have access to a covered arena to ride in. *hmph* Fantastic going on the no smoking. The determination to succeed is a powerful thing!

Chachee - Hope you had a great, if busy, weekend!

Red - Yeah, I like the fishbowl thing too. Good way to put into words the gradual changes neccessary to make this a life thing, not a short term fix.

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend (if it applies)! Are we all ready to start another month, new and/or revised, revamped, revisited goals? C'mon ladies... the year is almost half over. HALF!!!

Off to the new thread!