[LittleKiwi]

YAY ANI!! That's awesome news, congratulations

[pacman12]

Congrats Ani! That's a great new start! What a relief to have a nice reliable pay cheque! Or should I say "check"...? LOL.

I don't mind the cold, although standing out in the snow for 30 mins waiting for a bus today sucked! Also my car is under snow now and I don't have a scraper, so I'll have to walk down to the servo and try to buy one tomorrow.

Housemate seems great so far! She is staying at her boyfriend's tonight, so I've got peace and quiet. Unpacked all my stuff tonight in preparation of my boxes that I shipped and the bed I bought today arriving tomorrow. Room looks great!

[PerthChick]

I just need to vent for a minute…

About an hour ago I got the most disgusting SMS from my ex-landlord (the house I have moved into is owned by her sister - my new landlord). She was ranting about how I let her down because I haven't paid her sister any rent, and that she'd "heard" that I was a wheeler and dealer, and that we needed to "talk".

When I tried to call her back she let the phone go to messagebank. So I left her a very terse message saying that IF my arrangements were any of her business - which they weren't - my rent is presently paid up to 14th March. I then suggested that her character assessment of me was running awfully close to slander, and she should be very careful.

The ex-landlord has got just about everyone off-side in my old street. But if she's doing the dirty work for her baby sister (who seems just as bad) then I'm out of here the minute my six-month lease is finished. I don't have to put up with that.

And just to make sure I couldn't get any more hysterical phone calls from idiots I got straight on the phone to Telstra, changed all my numbers and made my landline a silent number. So now, if people want to send me gutless, untrue accusations they can knock on my door and do it to my face.

After ten years of putting up with the manufactured dramas that seem to be a daily event of the gay community, I definitely will not put up with any of it now that I don't have to. Need to remember what I said about chopping the deadwood out of my life, hey!

So my first bunch of regular CHEQUES ( Gen) will go towards saving up for a new place to live. And at this rate I'll be applying for a transfer to Bunnings Hobart - if they have one. At least that way it won't be 41ºC like it is here right now!

Sorry for the rant. I just wonder how anyone is supposed to settle into a "home", get into a routine and get on with losing weight, when it seems that people are determined to do nothing but stick the knife in, and make me feel as unwelcome here as possible.

I just need to get my head back into a place where I'm thinking positive. My new job starts in three weeks, and I'll be able to really start to focus on the next part of my life. Right now I wish I owned a punching bag…

[7senuf]

Oh dear Ani. seems some people have nothing better to do. But I'll let you in on my little saying.... "if they're talking about me, they're leaving somebody else alone" Not much help but it brings some humour into what otherwise just peeves you off.

Amy I STILL make my 7 1/2 yr old have a "rest" on weekends and school holidays. Also the 10yr old stepchild has a rest when here. It helps them collect their thoughts and calm down a bit. We don't care iof tehy don't sleep, just some quiet time away from everyone else where they can just 'be'. They don't like it and whinge ans say they are getting to old, but the little ones go down and thats OUR time also to coleect our bearings for the next session. The older ones that crack are usually the first ones to actually go to sleep. lol.

[PerthChick]

Thanks Vonni - you make me laugh , and I feel a bit better. I sent an SMS to my landlord, asking her to confirm that she received my rent this week. No reply as yet.

Anyway, I just got two new housemates - a French-Canadian couple who are here for four months. Even though I have asked my current housemate to leave, he's showing no sign of moving out - so I thought "stuff him", I'll crowd him out, and if he doesn't go after that I'll put his stuff on the verge.

The new couple will be interesting. He's studying film at Uni and she is a botanist. Plus they're going to be paying 2/3 of the rent - so I'll be able to save some money once I start work. YAY!

I've been pretty good with food this week, even though I haven't exactly been counting calories. I'm just having a couple of days off, and I'll get right back into it for my personal Autumn challenge.

[pacman12]

I'm going to give myself a week or two "off" of calorie counting, then I will get organised with shopping and cooking etc. Do NOT want to get into the habit of buying lunch with the (skinny!) guys I work with - they eat "bad" food every day for lunch and I will get enormous while they appear to have hollow legs...!

Also must hunt out some gyms.. it's not really conducive to walking outside when it's 21 deg F as a high like yesterday (-6 C)!

[LittleKiwi]

Oh Ani what a #@*&% that woman sounds like! I hope you can get it sorted and get her out of your life.

I had a perfect day yesterday ate really well and had a good session at the gym ...... and then my friend came over I had 4 glasses of bubbly which is fine and carrot sticks with hummus which is fine but she had brought a block of camembert cheese which I ate about half of. Not good.

Onwards and upwards though and I'm confident that I've done enough gym work this week to make sure that one night on the wine and cheese won't do any real damage.

Goal for today: 1) stick to my points.

[PerthChick]

Something is definitely out of balance with me - and I don't know what it is. I'm not sleeping very well - since I moved here I have averaged about four hours' sleep a night. And I've completely lost my appetite for breakfast.

I haven't been weighing myself either, but I know I've put on weight, because my clothes feel tighter, and I feel bloated.

I'm constantly tired, and my whole life/routine feels out of balance.

It doesn't help that I feel worried about this new place now that my ex-landlord is being a cow. It worries me that she might convince her sister (my new landlord) that I'm an unreliable tenant. It actually p!sses me off a lot - I did so much to improve her place, and she acknowledged that while I was living there, I always paid my rent on time. And I even spring-cleaned the house TWICE when she had those home-opens. And she never said thankyou!

But I'm a bit disappointed that I've let myself down with my weight loss in the last two weeks. It's not a good sign when I find it so easy to derail/distract myself, hey!

Excuse me for ranting about this - I thought if I come here and talk about it I may be able to give myself some perspective - or figure out what's going on.

Maybe I need to just look at things differently, and concentrate on the things I can control/change. And one thing I can control is the way I go about my daily business, and my attitude to those people who are determined to annoy me.

I have a sense that someone is deliberately targetting me. Paranoid? Maybe. But a couple of incidents have occurred in the past few weeks which make me think someone is trying to make my life difficult.

Example? For the last TWO weeks I've been getting Centrelink payments, as a bridge to help me get through until I start my new job (and those payments include rent assistance). Already someone has "dobbed me in" as living with a partner, and Centrelink are investigating it. Does it matter to them that I am gay and I live with a man? I laughed when it happened, but it's an annoying distraction none the less.

There have been a couple of similar incidents which I won't bore you with, but it makes me think someone wants to annoy me.

OK, so before I do too much damage with my body, and on the scale, it's time for me to toughen up and make a plan.

• I'm going to go back to eating a light, easily digested dinner - and then not snack afterwards, and see if that helps me sleep.

• I'm going to stop reacting to other people and the things they say and do. I have a lease until August here, and as long as I continue to pay the bills there isn't anything they can do about that.

• Starting tomorrow I'm going to weigh myself and get back to counting my calories.

Stuff this - I'm not having a couple of overblown-Barbies with inflated opinions of themselves derail me from losing more weight and becoming the best person I can be. And I'm NOT going to allow them to spoil my enjoyment of living in my new home and experiencing positive things here.

Thanks for letting me have the space to rant and rave. I think I can see a way forward now .

Gen I am so envious of your cold weather. You sound ready for a BIG adventure , and I'm very pleased you're talking about joining a gym!

Julia I don't think one night is going to hurt too much. You're doing really, really well!

How's everyone else travelling? Vonni are you still on your way to 69?

[7senuf]

70.3 this morning, but I just had a major blowout today with KFC at lunch and a packet of M&Ms just now and not much else cept for a couple cups coffee. not good for the metabolism to starve it and then feed it with crap. But I will say, I got a popcorn chicken snack box and a bread roll. I ate the breadroll with chips and 4 chicken bits and that was it. So I guess it wasnt THAT much.

Dinner was late, as I have been sitting at the hospital with my neighbour. My son came home while I was in shower this evening and just as I was about to blast him for getting home late (6.15pm) He informs me she was taken by ambo from the shopping centre. She has no family and isnt a well lady (we keep an eye on her pretty close) so I flew up to hospital (no broomstick required). After picking up her car from centre and getting things for her and trying to get her cats in and feed them I went back, and got home 9pm. I am stuffed. Big few days.

Ani centrelink works in wonderful ways (not). They tried telling me I was with a partner when my nephew was staying years ago. Hmmmm he was 14. lmao. I won't even go where my sisters troubles have gone lol.

Gen hope yr gym u find is a good one. And I bet if you eat healthy your workmates will follow. Then you wont need to worry about eating with them. An besides that, tell them that as medical professionals they should know that being skinny doesnt always mean you are healthy.

Gotta fly, bed is beckoning.

Vonni

PS Julia good work. (cept for the cheese and wine lol)

Quiet without kel huh?

[LittleKiwi]

Ani it sounds like you're having a real s**t of a time at the moment and I'm really sorry to hear it. You're have a lot of success when you set goals for yourself so I'm glad to see that you're going to start doing that again. As you say, don't let anyone send you off track, you're better than that. You've achieved a lot and from what you've said, have a pretty high profile in the gay community over there. It may well be that there is someone out there who is jealous of you and is targeting you. Please, take care of yourself and don't let this derail you.

Naughty Naughty Vonni for the KFC!! Hope you enjoyed every mouthful

Although I've been to the gym 4 times this week, I feel like I haven't been for ages having had yesterday off! I went over my points allowance again last night sitting in front of the telly snacking

The weekend is where I usually struggle to stay on track so my goals for today and tomorrow are:

1) Write down everything that goes into my mouth!
2) Stick to the same meal/snack times as I would during the week.
3) Stick to my points.
4) Exercise at least once more this week.

Have a great weekend everyone

[LittleKiwi]

Oh yeah, and drink lots of water!!!

[PerthChick]

KFC and M&Ms? Vonni!!! There's a nice healthy balance of nutrition for ya .

Julia you'll be joining Vonni and me in the 70's very soon at the rate you're going. Mind you, if Vonni keeps on with yesterday's "nutrition program" she'll be coming up to join up - and not the other way around .

There's a better than even chance that I have glandular fever. Just waiting on a blood test - but I had it in 1991 (in fact I was hospitalised for 10 days that time), and I KNOW what it feels like. Hmmm…

Hmph! I thought only kids and people with compromised immunity were meant to have this, but at least it explains my being tired, not sleeping, having very frequent sweats - and "Freddy Kruger moments".

Delightful!

[7senuf]

Ani??? LMAO just kiddin. I felt like 5h1T all night and today so serves me right. I need a

And yuk for glandular fever. I had it AND the mumps when I was 8 and ended up at hospital in isolation for 3 weeks.

Its pretty painful huh? Hope you get better real soon. Dont push yrself to hard or you will take longer to get better.

And your immune system IS compromised with all the stress you have been under lately so take care of yrself or we will come online all at once and virtual hehehe....

Ok gotta fly. His lordship is sulking so I am getting comfy on couch with a cuppa and showing how much I can ignore him lmao.

CYA

[7senuf]

Oh and Julia? I didnt really enjoy it lol

[PerthChick]

How in the bloody **** is anyone supposed to be able to eat healthy when they're on a low income? At the moment, until I get my first pay (which is about four weeks away) I am able to spend a total of $7/day on food.

I can do a healthy breakfast for around $2.20, and lunch is about $2.60, then dinner is about $3.30. Try budgeting $1 for fruit when APPLES & ORANGES are $7.99/kg at my local shop - and a 200g bag of chips is $1.99.

It's no wonder that obesity is a much bigger problem for low socio-economic people… they can't afford to eat healthy!