Hi everyone!
I was reading through some other threads and found 2 things I want to share: You may have seen them if you read other threads but here there are:

"Picture a 92-year-old woman who is petite, well-poised and proud. She is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied. Even though she is legally blind and has to move into a nursing home today, she is smiling and patient as she waits. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making today's move necessary.

After many hours of waiting in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiles sweetly when told her room is finally ready. As she maneuveres her walker to the elevator, the attendant provides a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet curtains that had been hanging on her window at her home.

"I love it," she states with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.

"But, Mrs. Jones, you haven't seen the room yet." answered the attendant.

"That doesn't have anything to do with it," she replies. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account: you withdraw from what you've put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories."

"Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. ...... it's how I arrange my mind."

and the other :

Just for today, I will live through this day only. I will not brood about yesterday or obsess about tomorrow. I will not set far-reaching goals or try to overcome all my problems at once. I know that I can do something for 24 hours that would overwhelm me if I had to keep it up for a lifetime.

Just for today, I will accept what is. I will face reality. I will correct those things I can correct and accept those I cannot.

Just for today, I will improve my mind. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration. I will not be a mental loafer.

Just for today, I will make a conscious effort to be agreeable. I will be kind and courteous to those who cross my path, and I'll not speak ill of others. I'll improve my appearance, speak softly, and not interrupt when someone else is talking. Just for today, I'll refrain from improving anybody but myself.

Just for today, I will do something positive to improve my health. If I'm a smoker, I'll quit. If I'm overweight, I'll eat healthily -- if only just for today. And not only that, I'll get off the couch and take a brisk walk, even if it's only around the block.

Just for today, I will gather the courage to do what is right and take responsibility for my own actions.

Hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Hi everyone!

Well, I had a great day plan wise, but a crappy day overall. I ate right on plan, and since I have "flex" points that I haven't used at all, I'm going to eat a TINY bit of sherbet (fat free!) tonight after I'm done on the net. I want to reward myself a bit with something sweet, and use it as motivation to get through the rest of the week! So, CG and Stormy the Ref, that's 3 points for me today!

As for outside of plan, work today was rough. Not to be a whiner, but I feel the need to vent for a bit....I am the office manager at our Y, and work closely with the executive director and all of our directorial staff (6 in all). We have one lady who doesn't seem to think she actually has to work, and she constantly screws up. So my boss, whom I love dearly, asked me to take over one aspect of something that all of the directors were formerly in charge of. Believe me, I don't mind taking over, knowing that I was asked because my boss has faith in me. But I'm just irritated that people like this lady get away with not working hard enough...different standards than my boss and I, I suppose.

SORRY!!! One of those days, and I had to get that off my chest. Thanks! I feel better now, and I'll go to work tomorrow trying not to be irritated any more!

Ok, gonna go get comfy, grab that sherbet, and watch TV. Be back later!

Kelly

Hi everyone,

Little GH, you were so sweet and encouraging to Red. Thanks for being you.

CG, Great job walking today. Thanks for posting those encouraging words. You are so lucky that you do not have to start until Tues. I am so jealous.

KJK, sorry you had a bad day. We all have them, so do not feel bad about letting your frustrations out, we understand!!! Atleast you made it through and met your 3 points for the day!

OOPS, I forgot. Red, if you are out there ...get your butt to the gym! Don't forget about our little challenge. Love ya!!!

Kelly - sounds like a good day to use those points. I'm sorry you had such a stressful day. To help you feel better I'll tell you my drama from the day...my dog, Maggie (the scared too death lab) busted the screen out of my window and jumped about 7 feet. When BF came home she was running around like crazy and my other dog was hanging his head out of our house looking all around - like he was on a car ride or something!!! Our neighbors must think we're crazy!!!!

We did check her for injuries and such - she's fine. I think she saw a squirrel and went nuts! Anyway, hope that helps Enjoy your sherbet!!

Crime girl - I'm glad you're feeling better!! Hopefully you can stay well now. Eating better will help and getting more sleep will help also. You're stress level is probably maxed right now with work and school - so that will add to the decrease in your immune fuction. But if you eat well, take stress breaks and take your vitamins, it will help! Promise.

stuck - glad your program is going well!! Have you found any exercise tapes you like? I keep hearing about a Dance tape that plays in the xbox. Have you guys heard about it? Doesn't really matter since we don't have one...but still - great use of an x-box Anyway, so glad you're here!!! Post any time and all the time We like to read too

Stormy - enjoy your flight tomorrow. We'll be thinking about you... one weekend closer to graduation! I can't wait until we're congratulating you on THAT goal! Be good on your trip - Red's coming after you

Well guys - I made salmon, oven fried zucchini and spinach salad with avocado for dinner. YU - UM!! I feel so satisfied right now See you soon..

Grasshopper- are you sure your pup is OK? That would scare the crap out of me. I guess he really wanted to go out, huh? Poor thing- your dogs sound like a riot!

stormy- don't be too jealous- my first class is Tuesday of next week and the last day to drop a class if you don't want it is Monday of next week SO- if I get my syllabus and it is a really hard class I am stuck. I don't who came up with that brain storm but there it is. Good luck at school!

kjk- sorry you had such a rotten day but Kudos to you for meeting all your goals today. I hate when one person thinks they are exempt from the rules of work. Well- you should be proud your boss can count on you- you are a better person for having such a great work ethic. It still doesn't keep me from fantasizing about a similar woman I work with suddenly falling off the end of the earth but what are you gonna do?


What ever happened to our other members?? orkai, donna,cinisha, phoenix??
and suanne and michimesh- you guys out there?? We miss you!

Well I am going to bed- have to be up at 6 am to go to work tomorrow and I need all the sleep I can get. Cross your fingers I can sleep all night without waking up.
I will post the question of the day tomorrow- I am drawing a blank right now. Good night everyone and I will try to hop on at work tomorrow. If I can't I will be on after 6. Have a great night !

CG - pooch seems fine. She's happy as ever. It did scare me too death and I checked her all over and checked her muscles too..she seems good. Scared of her own shadow but will jump 7-8 feet out a window!! go figure.

Sleep well ! - everyone -except Red - you should probably stay awake for a bit

I'm getting up early tomorrow so I can hit hte gym before I have to be at the office for a LONG day of massage. I want to have that work out done with ! Then Pilates again tomorrow night maybe I won't poke myself so much this time

Hi everyone. I'm taking a breather here in between the publishing meeting and trying to get in a ride, making the trip to the stables. The meeting was over very quickly because the boss couldn't show up but she called and had someone else speak to me which was basically a job offer or them asking me if I was interested in doing some in-house part-time work. The conditions were very up in the air still and didn't sound good but I said I was interested anyhow because I think this place is an up and coming place, it's actually an English division of a huge Japanese publisher and, so far, from what I've seen, they seem to be professional and/or appreciate professional work, and I don't mean "appreciate" in the way the paper does, "We appreciate you" my big A! Anyhow, got some more take-home work and was able to come home instead of going straight to the stable.

You're all so sweet! I'm feeling just as lousy. Think I'm tired. Think I'm just a little frazzled from all the up, up stuff I've been doing lately. But, I've learned over the years to try to just walk hand in hand with those down times and not try to push them away, just sit quietly with them nodding my head and allowing them their say. There's nothing wrong with feeling blue . . . it makes for wonderful music. . . it's just what you do in those blue times that is important.

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grasshopper -- yes, you are the sweetest. I was reading your reply on my cell phone and would have gotten teary eyed had I not just gotten out of the subway station and was walking past one of the palaces where police with walkie-talkies are stationed all around, I suppose because kooks try to lob bombs into the bushes or penetrate the premises for an attack. So, I couldn't start crying in front of those handsome young guys!

glad to hear your dog is OK. What a silly-nilly! But a squirrel is irresistible!

You said some interesting things in your message. Hmm. Changes getting one down. That could be. It is the kind of feeling perhaps. I was thinking it was more the feeling of not seeing any results despite the efforts, knowing they will be there if I continue but they are not there yet. Not an impatient feeling but one more of having already made the changes inside and outside enough to have gotten to the gym, worked out, felt athletic, eaten well and then to have to look around, at my lifestyle, myself and not SEE any of those changes yet. No one knows I'm changing yet and the change is yet so fragile, so vulnerable. I think that's what the blueness comes from. . .but then your suggestion could also be part of it. Saying goodbye to old ways, to ways we've been, for years even. Very possible. I suppose the way to get over that is to realize that we are shedding old ways like a snake its skin, sloughing off that which would keep us from new growth. The old ways are not what they once were. They have outlived their freshness, their use and now only serve to hold us captive, weights on our smiles.

It's a necessary goodbye and I'll just do it. There is SO much more waiting for me. THAT'S what I have to focus on! Eyes front, heart front, always forward. Don't look back till there's no where else to go.

I hope you're feeling better too now grass, or will be tomorrow. In any case, just keep going and don't beat yourself up either. You didn't fail today. You took a breather. I titled my post "breather in the backstretch." That comes from racing. In a lot of races, the horses will go all out from the gate to get position but there is usually a point in the backstretch, usually before going into the final turn, where they will relax and slow their pace in order to save something for the all-important final stretch. Think of your downtimes like that. This is not a sprint. It's a marathon and you have to alter your pace many times during it to come out ahead, which to us are those points of evaluation such as weigh-in, lovely Sundays!

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OK, sorry people. I have to go now but I will get back to you all when I get back, I mean get back home that is. Wish me luck riding. This will be my first ride of the new year!

Little GH, I have not felt poking before. Is it your obliques that are sore? You know it should be your powerhouse I am glad your baby is okay.

Red, you are so eloquent in your writing. I enjoy reading it. Have a great day today.

CG, sleep well tonight!

I'll check in before my flight.

Thanks for letting me vent, and "listening"! I really appreciate it!

GH - thanks for sharing your story, however terrifying I'm sure it was for you at the time!! Yikes! Glad to hear the pup is ok!

CG - thanks to you as well for sharing your experience and opinions on the work matter. Good to know I'm not the only one who thinks that way! Good job on the walking today!!

Stormy - thanks to you also for the encouragement and kind words.

And by the way, I enjoyed my 1/2 cup of sherbet! Who knew that 1/2 cup would satisfy the urge? Not me...in the past I would have scarfed down an entire bowl full!

I just want to say again how thrilled I am to have all of you to count on - you are making this week so much easier for me! Knowing I have people checking up on me and supporting me no matter what has gotten me this far. Now if I can just stick on plan tomorrow and Friday, and work out tomorrow, Friday and Saturday, I'll be satisfied. I'm going to a party on Sat, so I'm sure I'll go over points, but I'm going to try to drink lots of water and stick as close to plan as possible.

All right - off to read and bed (CG - just finished Evanovich's #5, going to Patterson's Big Bad Wolf right now ). Have a wonderful night, love to you all!!

Kelly

Good morning!

Everyone must have turned in early last night - I was surprised to see that no one posted after I did last night! Oh well....

As you can see, I am up early and just finished my fourth consecutive day of 2 mile walking. I must tell you that I have never before been able to make my lazy butt get up early when the alarm went off. I've always just said "I'll do it tomorrow" and then never done it. I will say that this group has helped with the motivation factor, so thanks!

Ok, gonna go get ready for work. I'll check back later. Keep it up, ladies...you're all doing great!

Kelly

Hi gusy - KJK, you're incredible! While you were up moving your butt and walking, I was in bed hitting snooze. I need a loud alarm telling me when someone is up and exercising I have to squeek mine in before the day starts....but listen to me, that's what you do every day.

this is hard for me - exercising before work. I had 4 years of saying, "I think I'll get up and run tomorrow." I think I ran maybe 10 times total. I have to work on it more now. There will be plenty of times when early morning is all I've got.

Red, Sounds like you have a handle on things. And you're right - you are completely entitled to be down...it's what you do while there that matters. I remember I use to tell my friend that was going through a divorce that she could cry 10 times a day. She thought I was silly but I hope it helped her realize that you are SUPPOSE to be down sometimes - that's life and it's part of what makes us appreciate the good times. Helps us learn to understand each other and makes us a balanced person. But you're right, when we become self destructive, in an effort to feel better, that's no good. I do that. Eat a food that I'm SOOO allergic to, just because I think it will make me feel better now....I doesn't anymore though -makes me feel worse. I need to take up exercising with that mentality I'd be CUT in no time

To answer your question - I'd love to have the type of strength and control that I had in my martial arts day but I don't want to go back into physical contact martial arts. I had a lot of injuries then! A LOT! Something was always mending. broken bones, tears, bruises. I took a lot of "just in case" trips to the ER. I have a hard time doing something that is competetive at a healthy level. I go all out. I did that with martial arts and it made me really good at it and I love that part of it but I can't live my life with that kind of imbalance in an art that is suppose to be about balance. I am leaning more towards strength and control in yoga and the rib poking art of pilates

I'd love to be in that kind of shape though And even THEN I had no butt. Really got to work on it

okay guys, I know I haven't said hi to several of you - I have GOT to get to the gym or I'll be late for work and I won't go to the gym...then I'll have gotten up early for nothing. Can't let that happen. Talk to you soon!!

Hi everyone. I need to go and see a couple of patients and then catch my flight out. I plan on exercising tonight at the hotel b/c I do not have time this morning. I had another night of not sleeping well. I guess I am just anxious about school.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful day.

KJK, wow you are doing so great. What an accomplishment!

GH, hope you don't poke too much today. My hubby keeps going around the house saying squeeze your tooshie. He is driving almost as crazy as she does! Anyway, hopefully that poking will go away soon. Maybe you are just waking up your powerhouse. You probably are just learning to breathe better and your intercostals are getting a workout.

Red, where are you? Are you okay?

Okay, I doubt I'll be able to check in again until Friday afternoon. So everyone hang in there. KJK/CG keep the competition going!

Have a great flight!! Enjoy the trip as much as you can! After all, you are learning something you love

I think you're right about the intercostals - I had a massage yesterday and had her work them a lot and the pain is much less today. It has to be muscle related. I'm practicing keeping my shoulders down, out of my ears, and not using my traps if I don't need them, and keep my torso long and lean. I feel taller and thinner already Have a good trip - learn lots to bring back to us

Hey everyone-
This is going to be short- I am still sick and I feel like crap!
I also had the day from hades and it is taking all my effort not to pig out on something really bad for me.
Anyway- wanted to sat hi and let you know I am alive
I will try to get on later-