Hello all!

Another night spent mostly awake but I have to bite the bullet and go in and face my desk... I do feel much better ...just who wants to go in on Friday but I must... just won't worry about what's waiting for me till I get there!

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Thought of the day :

"When you can't flee and you can't fight, try to just flow"
from Life's Little Instruction Calendar

Question of the day :
"Do you follow the Olympics? Which is your favorite sport?"
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I saw the following on a WW's board... hope you enjoy....

The Lift, Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
(Story adapted by Louis Lapides from Still More Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks, Wayne Rice, Zondervan Publishing House. Pg. 79.)

A scientific researcher assembled ten unsuspecting volunteers for a psychological study called the Scar Experiment. The participants were separated into ten different cubicles equipped without mirrors. The purpose of the study was to observe how people would respond to a stranger with a marred physical appearance, such as a facial scar. Using Hollywood makeup tricks, the scientist put bloody and gruesome scars on each volunteer's left cheek, and displayed the new "scar" to each participant using a small handheld mirror. After glancing at their marred image, the mirror was taken away. The researcher's final step was to inform each volunteer that some finishing powder needed to be placed on his/her scar to prevent it from smearing. In reality, the researcher used a tissue to wipe off the scar. But the volunteers still believed they had the awful scars on their faces.
Each individual was sent out into the waiting rooms of different medical offices with instructions to notice how strangers responded to their appearance. After the appointed time, the ten volunteers returned to the scientific researcher and all shared the same report. In their encounters they noticed that strangers were ruder to them, less kind and stared at their scar. Regardless of the removal of the false scars, their unhealthy perspective on themselves affected how they thought others saw them. Cont.... Below

In contrast, the scars and pain we carry inside us are hardly ever obvious to everyone on the outside. We make them visible by our actions towards others. If we see ourselves as unlovable, worthless and defective, we will often respond towards individuals in an unloving, insecure and discouraging manner. Meaningful and trusting relationships become very difficult to form.
It is surprising to learn a positive self image does not come from how we look on the outside, but on how we feel on the inside.....

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KETTLE IS ON !

Good morning,

Got a bit of a sore throat this morning... it'll be a quick postie then maybe a little nap on my desk.

Bought valances for my front room and dining room yesterday (same pattern since it's like a great room) and WOW, what a difference! The cheapy ones that came with the house were UUUG-LY - silver, grey, brown... blah. Mind you, my house is all earth tones/jewel tones. So the new valances really pop...

Kaylets and Eydie, ok, I really feel like I've got OCD or something... EVERY housekeeping idea you listed, I do! I don't know whether to be proud, or scared!

Cerise, very cool that actually saw the beauty of belly dancing in *yourself*! I really love that about the dance, that it celebrates women of all shapes and sizes - and it's FUN!

Anagram, don't you feel weird about your gift of constructive lying. As long as you use your powers for the good, no worries! I know DSis will love that it was so well planned!

Amarantha, yes, idle fingers are baaaaaad! I actually started crocheting again just to keep my fingers from stuffing my mouth! As soon as I get this ISP thingy settled I will participate.... until then I'm a little touch n' go internet connection-wise.

I've included below a nickname given to me yeeeeears ago by some friends after I spent weeks making homemade bath salts, powders, lotions, etc... I found it last week and thought it's funny that apparently I've been royalty for some time now!

Well all, Happy Friday to you and enjoy your weekend. I'm going to go nap under my desk now...

Terri
(aka HRH Princess Terri, The Grand Dutchess of the Imperial Duchy of Lavendar, Countess of Fizzington, Viscountess Bopp and Imperial Potions Mistress) :bubble:

Yo! Greetings HRH Princess Terri, The Grand Dutchess of the Imperial Duchy of Lavendar, Countess of Fizzington, Viscountess Bopp and Imperial Potions Mistress! Hope thou gotteth thy desk nap in!!! Tatting (with shuttles, not needles) is also quite good for keeping Food at bay ... one really can't tat and eat at the same time, whereas one can always put other forms of needlework down and reach for food. Even woodcarving, which I like to do, lends itself to eating ... one just puts the chisels down and munches whilst admiring one's talented creation. But shuttle tatting has to be kind of set up on the hands, so one doesn't like to put it down once one's clicking away.

I'm worn out from all morning in gym ... will post details on exercise thread!!!!!

Kaylets, thanks for posting the piece from the WW board ... that's so true about the internal scars!

QOD: My favorite Olympic event is skiing, but I like them all, summer and winter. Never tire of watching!

To all, I mistakenly started this on a quick reply screen and can't see anymore posts, so please consider that I'm responding to everyone ... I'm just zonked ... only have one story to do this weekend so will be having some fun and/or resting ... later ...

How delightful to know we are not the first to recognize the royal qualities of Queen Terri. I'm feeling about to fall asleep at my desk about now too. Weird day of paperwork where almost everythign I touched was wrong, needed a phone call, caused a search for something else. Took my walk to put me back in good frame of mind, sort of.

Did search out, scan, send five pics of sis as a youngster to friend who's doing something electronically artistic with them. Had given Sis most of the shots I had of her as a youngster (which of course DBIL can't find without asking her where they are). Managed to scrounge up some today. I think she'll like that and will recognize my hand in it all. Our ruse gets more elaborate every day - fun!

Empress, thy gym work overwhelms me! Glad you only have one article this weekend so you can get out and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

Well, off I go for another cuppa before I do clunk down on the keyboard.

Ooops - almost forgot. Had another pretty good food day. Also reweighed this morning in case yesterday was an aberration. Nope. Still at 207.8, not sure if it was at that exact number when I last weighed, right after Christmas and before trip but it was 207 something so not quibbling for point anything. Fresh Start, Fresh Start, Fresh Start!

Anagramatic, congratulations on thy great weigh-in!!! Thou be stalwart. There's a blue ribbon for thee at the Faire!!!!

Folkettes, I have posted all my thoughts for now on the poetry thread, the food thread and the exercise thread and it only remaineth to thank K for posting that index card idea (and to whoever she saith originally posted it) ... I've set up a new spreadsheet to tally my daily calories (I do lots better when I actually log stuff in the computer ... makes me more aware ... and I'm going to get some colorful index cards to just carry one at a time to jot down my food until I can get to a comupter!

Ok, dokey. No work today but gym, banking and shopping.

Hello all!

Slept till nearly 6:30 this am -- its overcast and lots of steady rain... dogs keep coming back in soaked...
Dh made a huge fruit salad and we were amazed at how much is going out to the compost bin... the little bits that get tossed in the regular garbage don't seem to amount to much until you make a big a salad and see how much it really is...
I had almost 2 cups of salad w/ 1/4 cup of lofat cottage cheese-- its partly an experiment to see how long b/4 my stomach yells for more.

Q Punkin-- I think rather than OCD, the Flylady's term for folks like yourself if Born Organized....which is a great trait... One DH says I already have but I disagree... but then again, compared to him!

I am very interested in your bathsalts recipes! Do you have any left? How about bath teas??? Please share... I didnt do nearly as much bathing as last winter but you are motivating me to get in there right now!

so... I have an NSV !!

Yesterday am, coworker told me that my jeans were too big and that it was time to stop wearing the size I was wearing. So, at lunch, I ran to Goodwill and lo and behold..... DRUMROLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLllllllllll

I found a pair that zip up !! Took them back to work and even put them on..
Wasnt until I compared what I had been wearing to the Goodwill jeans, I was suprised at how worn and shabby the bigger pair had gotten.....
And... the Goodwill jeans were only $5 so I felt extra clever!!
Used to do lots of shopping at Goodwill ... you don't always come up w/ deals, its very much like yardsaling but its so funny to me how I "forgot" about looking there....

Motivation... got to grab it wherever you can...

But... here's an interesting thought-- I also brought tried on a smaller sized
dress. And it was too tight. So tight, it was impossible to tell if it would be flattering later when it fit.
And I actually started to feel those old familiar "hate to try on clothes" blues.... and had to stop myself by forcing myself to look again at the jeans I had just found that DID fit..... old habits...just like the big jeans...shabby and worn out... time to toss those old mental habits too!!!
--
I declare a 5 minute rescue on my body image!!

I am healthier than I've been in years!
My body size is no reflection of my worth as a person!
Not being able to control myself with certain foods does not make me a bad person; but understanding I have no control is my responsibility!
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Eydie-- Firm does look very interesting... did yours come w/ that "new" box I see on tv? Now that I'm in smaller size jean, its a little disconcerting to see the shape of my legs so clearly....Again... inclination...motivation...determination!!

Anyway...

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Thought of the day :
An Autobiography in Five Short Paragraph's by Portia Nelson

1. I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost. I am helpless. It isn't my fault. It takes forever to find a way out.

2. I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don't see it. I fall in. I can't believe I'm in the same place, but it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

3. I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there.
I still fall in. It's a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am.
It is my fault. I get out immeadiately.

4. I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

5. I walk down a different street.

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Off to the hairdresser. Time for highlights. (Is that the correct term? Last time I was told that "streaking" is not longer !)

KETTLE IS ON!

LOVE this new guy!

Punkin, Potions Mistress---but of course!

Amarantha, what did you think of your tai chi class?

Anagram, most supermarkets do those photo cakes now. They're pretty cool--just did one for Garry. Since you'd been gone, I'd forgotten about the 'fresh start' cards!

Kaylets, I loved the scar experiment! And yes, my Firm set came with the box. I really like it. I needed something new and challenging! Garry found some tae bo videos for a buck and I think I'm goi gt o try one this morning. Should be interesting---"advanced" tae bo. GULP! We'll see.....

Hello all!

Storm has passed, might even be a good day to dry clothes outside...
Guess I'd have to wash them first!
Maybe a quilt or two....

Scale finally moving back downwards... interesting time of life when your body feels most of the TOM symptons ( bloat, cravings) but no real TOM...
This sure isnt what I expected.... I thought when it was over, that included all the side effects too!!

One more day to WI-- naked one in the am in my own bathroom, the dressed one in the pm at the WW's meeting... Am thinking I'll wear the thinnest workout pants I own to help nudge those numbers...( wore dockers last week and you know how heavy those are! )

Did I mention that there were men as well as children at our meeting?? In fact, children so young, a DR's note was required.... very telling... Think the meetings will open my eyes in more ways than one....

So... here's an interesting thought... are we really as tall as we think we are?
If we had a skewed impression of our weight why not our height too?? I'm not talking about being 6 ft tall and thinking I'm only 5 ft... I'm thinking maybe an inch or two difference... I also called myself 5'3" yet have found that some other ladies feel they are that hgt as well.... and they are sure I am taller than them... so, perhaps goal is closer than I realize?? Perhaps I've been trying for a truly unrealistic goal my entire life???

hmmmmm....

*****
Thought of the day :

"Remember that an army of sheep led by a lion will defeat an army of lions led by a sheep."
--Life's Little Instruction Book

Question of the day :

"Which makes you feel better, preparing food or having it prepared for you?"

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I'll check back shortly... need to set the timer a few times... Its amazing how many things are out of place...

Kaylets, Interesting question for me. I adore preparing food for people, and since I know what a labor of love it is [or should be!], I love to be served too. But I think that I like preparing and serving it more!

Just a quick check in. After breakfast we're going second-hand car shopping. Since DH's car was totalled and I'm starting the new job, we are going to need another car. I hate big purchases like this. There's always the "what if it's a lemon?" stress.

I gave notice on Tuesday afternoon, after I signed the offer of employment at lunchtime. I didn't see any point in waiting! Actually, it was taken very well. My boss said he knew I would only stay in that position until something came along in Accounting, so it wasn't a huge surprise for him. I am getting the guilt trip, though, about how they have vacation time to use up from last year and have to use it before March 31 or they lose it, and now if I leave there's no way they can. Yeah, cry me a river. They should have taken it long ago instead of waiting until the last minute.

Weigh in on Wednesday night had me down 3.2lbs. I know it's the exercise that is helping!

I have a shiny new bathroom floor after the toilet explosion, and they brought me a new stove, too! My old stove had to be at least 30 years old. This new one is lovely...bright white, digital...it was used for about six months in another unit which is now unoccupied. Poor thing was horribly abused....I don't think that woman ever wiped it off! I spent most of yesterday afternoon cleaning it, even had to scrub the burners with a nylon pad to get the greasy dusty crap off them...but it looks like new again. I told the maintenance guys to just hook it up and leave the cleaning to me. It just amazes me how people don't appreciate things. To be given a brand new stove out of the box and not take care of it....shame on her!

Eydie, you do Pilates, don't you? I want to buy a DVD, but not sure which one to get. Dummies? Windsor? Any suggestions?

Kaylets, congrats on the smaller jeans!!

Punkin, hope you are feeling better now. Isn't it great what a little change like valances can do for a room? Not to mention they inspire you to do even more!

Cerise, you're bellydancing? Way to go, girl! It's something I've thought about trying...maybe I will soon.

wsw, how did the dinner go? I hope it won't be too long until you're settled in and have the computer hooked up to tell us all about the move.

Hello to all...DH has just arrived with coffee , and then we're off for the day...

Yowza!!! Kaylets, I pmd thee once again!!!! I love the coffee guy too but I'm on quick reply and dunno what his code is!!!!! But I need some ... coffee, that is!!!

Wildfire, congrats on the new job and severing ties with the old!!!! Glad you're not letting them lay any guilt trips on you about their vacation problems!!!!

Demon Scale was neutral for me today! I did hope that I'd break through into the 140s but it was not to be!!!! Gonna try harder next week!!!!

Will be back!

QOD: Not sure this is what the question meant, but I always prefer to prepare my own food because of the health aspect. I think the question meant did I like to prepare food for others and no, I don't like that!

Hi again!

DH made a delicious tomato based soup w/ turnips, daikon, cauliflower, carrots, onions ( notice a theme of all white vegs?) and then at the last second, threw a handful of shrimp in for each one of us. He threw crushed hot pepper on his, I did not.

Wildfire- glad your management folks took care of you ... sometimes I miss not being able to call management everytime something needs fixing....
And good for you regarding the job notice...Can't believe they are actually tried to talk you into doing more than your job b/4 you left by covering for them while they took vacation... and don't you love it... "Yeah, we knew you were unhappy... in fact, we were wondering how long it would be before you left.... but we had didnt try to do anything to at least keep you here in our employ... we'd rather let the good employees leave completely "

Empress-- thanks for all the info...Scale can be a real test of mental attitude... don't forget to eat enough to compensate for your workouts...

Been meaning to address someone who said something about wishing I was a next door neighbor as I seemed to know how to solve all problems... Thanks for the compliment but isnt it interesting how we appear to others yet have our own laundry list with which we struggle ?

Punkin- There you go... new valances! Now you're in project mode! Wonder what you're up to right as we speak! New paint? Rearrange the furniture?

Hot bread coming out of the oven in 3 minutes. Going to get in line so I can be first ahead the dogs.

Empress:

Try these:

:hungry
:tread
:rofl
:thanks
:cofdate

:workout
:mcd
:kickcan
:lol3
:goodluck
:eating2
:coffee2

Hmmm....
.... each code listed below needs the colon added at the end of the word...

Wildfire, I think that 'Pilates For Dummies' is an excellent intro to pilates. I'd try that one first. I have Winsor Pilates too and I like it alot. Congrats on the pounds down !!!

Tried one of my my new Advanced Tae Bo vids this morning. It was gloriously strenuous. One of those you have to grunt and grimace thru, and I thought it was great fun---my how things can change! I remember when I simply wouldn't allow myself to sweat-ever!

Hey, anybody hear from Ceara? Come back, Ceara!

Beautiful day here. We did some work outside and I [wonder of wonders] even washed a few windows. Things are 'greening up' nicely here!