Howie and I were 24 when we got married. I can't imagine if I'd married my then-boyfriend Jeff at 19 or 20. There was a big change in me those 5 years. At 19, an older friend of mine said I would be a different person in 5 years and not to rush life -- boy, was he ever right.

Howie works 4pm-12:30am, so we have a rather odd schedule. We had dinner about 1:00am and he headed to bed about 2:30am. Trying to apply rules like "don't eat anything after 6 o'clock is pretty hard when your life's upside-down. ;)

I have GOT to get back to the YMCA. I'm finally using a 3-day prescription ointment for the female thang, so swimming is definitely out. I've been spotting for 2 weeks solid, too, just insane. That part I did to myself, inadvertantly. three weeks back, my birth control pills didn't come in the mail Friday like I'd planned, so Sunday I grabbed a first white one from an old pack I kept for spares. It was a different brand (Ortho-Novum generic vs. my normal Ortho Tri-Cyclen generic) so when the pills came the next day, I thought I'd take Sunday's plus Monday's pills just to be safe. D'oh! :o Thus the 2-week long spot-fest.

Wowsers! I missed a lot by sleeping in today... it's interesting to see all of our different views. When I was a young girl, I always dreamed of being single and having a Fabulous life living in the Big City. I never wanted children, never wanted to be married, didn't mind the idea of having a boyfriend, but never in a million years did I think I'd be living with a guy at 23! (I'm 25 now). I think we first lived together when I was 22, man... it's been a while.

Jill - I think it's fine, to have a plan, as long as you can accept things don't always go as planned, but you seem like a sensible girl.. so I'm not worried. Everything happens for a reason. I think I'm the type of person who wants to get married (eek, scary!), and I just wouldn't take it well if my boyfriend just wanted things to stay as they are now. I think entertaining the idea of marriage and children really keeps a guy on his feet, thinking... changing.. and if he can handle all of that, you've got yourself a great man! :)

And I also agree with the rest of you gals... life happens, things don't turn out like we thought. If you've got a good sense of humour, and a positive outlook... things will always turn out. I don't know if that makes sense... you've just got to have faith in yourself.

So I actually live outside of Vancouver, in a suberb, Coquitlam. It's about 30-45 minutes to get to Vancouver, depending on how you go. I think I'll drag the bf out today and take a picture of my view, it's SO pretty, I can see all over the Valley, I can even see Mt Baker, which is in Washington State.

I am totally procrastinating. Ugh. I woke up so late that my whole plan of applying for jobs in the morning is gone, but there is tomorrow! I'll go get tons of photocopies, and apply for the one job I think I REALLY want (clothing store close to home). Wish me luck! I'll be back later! :)

-Aimee

Kimberley - we posted at nearly the same time :wave:

-Aimee

I am home! And I got an interview :) It's on Thursday at 3pm, I wonder if they are really ready to hire.. cuz I could quit my job on Friday! :) Well, give my notice.. cuz I'm not mean! I am so excited I could do a dance! The girl was really cool, and they were all wearing pink... my fav colour. So I'm gonna wear pink when I go in, dunno how that makes sense.. but it does in my crazy little head. I have to go run some errands.. bbl!

-Aimee

Oh, cool - congrats on your interview! That's be great, close to home, too.

My mom and dad had to put one of their cats to sleep today, just a little while ago, actually. :cry: DeeDee sneaked out of the house July 3 and was missing for 2 months before someone captured her and took her to the pound. A neighbor "just happened" to be there and recognized DeeDee. Well, to make a long story short, DeeDee's nutrition was surely lacking during the time she was stray and cats are prone to diseases if they don't get the right food. She developed pancreatitis.

She just kept losing weight despite eating, and then went off her food. She'd nibble here and there, but never enough. Even raw meat only tempted her a little, and then she'd turn even from it. But yet she'd meow like she was starving! She'd gotten to the point where she was skin and bones and just not doing well. The tests needed to pinpoint the problem would have been hundreds, and the vet suspected she had a tumor causing the problems.

They're just devastated. :( Their other cat, Tigger, was beside himself the whole two months DeeDee was gone, and now he'll have to get used to it again. The lady who bred them both will have some adults availble for adoption after a bit, so mom and dad might get another.

Well, I need to log my calories for the big salad I had for lunch, and then I'm out in the yard to sweat and grunt with the weeds until dark.

hi all
 

Oh Boy...been busy all day... I must have been the one to cause the Ruckus... :o :o I just wanted to tell you , Jill, that we care about ya, and don't want to see ya get hurt ...Sure it is great to have an Idea of where you want your life to go...Sometimes things just happen to change things, Par for the course I guess...I wanted to be a fashion Illustrater in the worst way in HS, but could not afford school, and was not good enough gradewise to get a scholarship and back then the best schools were in NYC and LA neither of which I could remotely afford..Sigh...I did not mean to upset you and if I did, I am sorry :halffull: ...Maybe I misread your post, and felt like your big sis or something, please take no offense..I just hate to see people make the same mistakes I did...No matter who they are...Sorry my dear.. :sorry:

Kimberley am so sorry about the kitty...I love kitties so much. .Dh is allergic to them, but whenever I see one outside, they always come to me so I can pet them..Poor thing.. :(

I know what you are saying Marge, about kids...I used to have so much innocent fun, ( Movies, Ice Cream etc) nowadays, wow...Scares me to think of the things they know about. My neices knew abot Sex when they were 8 and 10, even telling me their friends already did it, like it was no big deal..

Kimberley, I thought my schedule was wacky :lol: ...LOL...DH just finished 11-2 shift, is off til Friday then goes in 7-3, so we will have a relatively normal life for 6 days, then he does afternoons ( 3-11)...I usually eat on a regular schedule, and fix him his when he is home or he takes it with him. Or else I would be all screwy like I was when I first got here, I used to stay up all night and sleep all day with him when he worked 11-7 shift :tired: ...Also, my TOM is whacky...I have dealt with PCOS most of my life, in HS when I ran 4 miles a night, I had no TOM at all, only 3 a year...then after I broke my back, I went on BC pills to get regular , then stopped taking them, and was regular for a long time til I moved here..Then startd gainin weight again, and was lucky to have 4 a year again...Last July, while on vacation in Maine, I started, and was greatful, when you are so irregular you want TOM believe me...well every month, like clockwork, I had one, until I had a miscarriage in December...Seemed like I was bleeding constantly for weeks after it, because all of the stuff had to leave my body...well, had a TOM in Jan, but had spotted a LOT...then last month, had a lot of spotting and another Miscarriage...Now, if all goes like normal, I will be having another TOM next week...I think this exercise will help me out with all of it, and eating better.. ;)


Aimee! WTG!! And GL to you, hope you get it... :cheer: :bravo:

TreeFrog~ love that name, so cute, love treefrogs, they are cute :D welcome to our crazy group, please join in whenever...

and, my dear friend Heathr has Strep throat all, she says hello, but is now being put on Anibiotics to get well, poor thing!!! :p

okay enough babbling frome me today, off to bed, hag1... :cool:

Good morning, all!

I definitely got of to a late start today--I didn't wake up until 5:30 (which is the time I usually leave the house for work) :fr: I got myself together and was out of the house in 15 minutes, so I was only about 15 minutes late f or work. How good am I :cb:

I just found out I have a meeting today at 1pm, so it better not be too long! Anything that goes past 2pm cuts into my gym time :tread:

I had trouble sleeping again last night. I got home around 11:15pm, packed my clothes for the gym and restaurant for today, and packed my food for today, and was in bed by midnight. However, I was awake again at 3:30am, and then my alarm went off at 4:50, so it's no wonder I overslept after I hit the alarm. I just wish that on these nights where I only have the opportunity to sleep 5 (or less) hours that I could actually sleep for the entire time! :tired:

Aimee--Congrats on your interview! Do they carry plus-size clothing (and more importantly, would you get a good discount :p )? My closet filled up with shoes very quickly when I worked at Payless.

Diana--When I first started getting my TOM (when I was 13), it was irregular and never became normal until I went on BC pills when I was 16. The beauty of the pill is the regularity, and I'm actually starting a new routine so I only get my TOM every 6 weeks. I'm so sorry about your miscarriages, though. I can't even imagine how frustrating that must be.

Kimberley--2 weeks of spotting, yuck (especially when you like/want to swim)! I hate spotting cuz ya never know when the spotting might stop all together or if it'll grow into full-on TOM. I have taken 2 pills on the same day before and never had a problem (I actually was supposed to start a new pack on Sunday but forgot to fill my prescription, so I had to fill it Monday and take 2 that afternoon even though I usually take them in the morning). I've never mixed different kinds, though. You are lucky you're just spotting--if my sister takes 2 pills in the same day, she actually ends up getting sick :barf: You're smart to have a back-up pack on hand--I've never done that and have come across times when it would have been helpful.

Well, time to find me somethin' to keep me awake. I don't like tea, but maybe I need to start drinkning it for the caffeine (I'm sure it would be better for me than diet pepsi, and I can't stand cofee). Have a Wonderful Wednesday!

My mom and dad had to put one of their cats to sleep today, just a little while ago, actually.

oh, I'm so sorry! I know what it's like to lose a pet you love. That's so sad.

Aimee, glad to hear it about your job interview, good luck! That will be a major relief for ya. Now that you described the area where you live more, I really can't wait to see your pics.

don't put time constraints on things you have no control over.

what an experience. sorry you had to go through that. my sister wanted to have kids so badly by the time she was 30 that I think she really rushed into her marriage. She has 3 great kids, a great job, but doesn't seem happy to me and I think that has to do at least partly to do with that relationship. With 3 kids, a big house, and all the debts and obligations that go with it, divorce becomes a much bigger issue.

Now, if all goes like normal, I will be having another TOM next week...I think this exercise will help me out with all of it, and eating better..

it's definitely helped me. I tend to be pretty irregular, but in the last month it's like clockwork.

Well, it's going to be 70 degrees today, YAHOO! I can actually go out without a coat! I think we might head over to Coney Island and hang out one of the days this weekend. I have to get some new sunscreen. I'm so freakin' white that if I start going out without it I'll end up like a tomato. Lots of Russians have moved into the area (actually into our neighborhood too), so most of the kids who are selling those famous Nathan's hotdogs (if you all have heard of Nathan's :lol: ) are all Russians now. A few years ago they built a big baseball stadium there where the Brooklyn Cyclones play (go Cyclones!). It's a blast to see their games. On Fridays there are fireworks on the boardwalk that you can see from your stadium seat.

Have a good one everybody. (Don't forget to watch Lost tonight!)

It's supposed to possibly hit 80 here today! I would be more excited if I didn't spend my ENTIRE day indoors, but at least the weather's getting nicer, so hopefully that will also mean nicer weekends. I, too, am "so freakin' white that if I start going out without it I'll end up like a tomato." :lol: I actually use SPF 50, I think, and it has to be waterproof, sweat proof, blah blah blah. Otherwise, it is bright red skin, dehydration, and peeling for me all summer long. Jeff and I are going to an Orioles game up in Baltimore in a few weeks. Some people say baseball is boring, but I really like it (I think beacause I played softball for like 12 years, so I'm biased). And yes, I know of Nathan's hotdogs. There's actually a Nathan's counter in a movie theater near me, but since it's in a theater, they charge movie theater prices--like 6 bucks for a hotdog or something ridiculous like that. :mad:

Oh jeez, meeting time--here's hoping it doesn't go past 2:00! Hope everyone else is having a great day (been quiet here on our board so far today)!

hey all, just a short note, day number 7 is done, whew,,I am heading into three weeks of Curves on Monday, I am so glad..I feel better already, don't know if I have lost anything, but feel like I may have, who cares, all I know is I feel great, my knees are sore a little today, but other than that, Woo-hoo...I have a cold-sore on the top of my lip, have gotten them every since I was a child, my dad gets them too..I HATE them...I only get one a year, usually after I sweat a lot or something, must be I sweat too much, lol..I hope it goes away soon, even as small as it is it hurts...:( I need to get cracking on the house work, no matter how much I don't want to..lol...has to be done. Making-Home made Pizza for dinner tonight, I make my sauce now, after years of experimenting I came up with one i really like...I really think it is in the sauce...just my opinion, and the pan. My pan is seasoned just right, gets the crust nice and golden...other than that, not much else going on...Our new neighbors have a yellow tabby cat, just saw him out in their yard today, hope my dog doesn't see him, that would not be pleasant...Maybe he will come see me some morning while I am out planting my flowers...I love kitties, sorry to hear that , Marge...One thing about pets, there always comes that time, and it always hurts too much...and we have a lot of Russians and Chinese here...never saw so many til I moved here. How is Coney Island? I hear the beach is a mess...that's a shame. my parents went there when they were first married...

well, hagd all, and see ya later...:)

I'm scarfing down my afternoon apple, it's been BUSY here, scrambling around to find a Spanish interpreter for some documents.

Once I went to a baseball game I found out how much fun it is, completely different than watching it on tv. I got to go to a Yankees game one time, we took a ferry up the East River to the stadium -- it was a BLAST. At the last place I worked we got tickets for a basketball game in Madison Square Garden. That was great too, but I like baseball better. Mmmm, a Brooklyn Lager, a Nathan's dog with saurkraut, the smell of the sea, and the Brooklyn Cyclones, doesn't get better than that! Well, a date with Mel Gibson.... ;)

I usually stick to SPF 15, but it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to try a better one. That stuff is expensive, isn't it? I have a big forhead and when it gets sunburned I look like an apple head. :lol: an apple head with glasses.

Diana, I can't imagine that you haven't lost weight after all that work at Curves. I admire your resistance to the scale. I've had weeks where I've weighed myself EVERY day, sigh. For me, that is like torture.

It's true Coney Island has gotten run down, and the beach I'm sure isn't as nice as it once was. There can be glass and garbage in the sand.
:( In the last few years the city has been trying to improve the area, after a couple of decades of neglect and really the neighborhood being marginalized by huge projects for the poor. Still, the place has a lot of character. The boardwalk has been redone and it's a fun day out. There's an aquarium. The subway takes you right there too.

Enjoy that pizza, it sounds delicious. Tonight it's chicken, asparagus and mashed sweet potatoes. I think I'll make a pork roast this weekend. I have this recipe for a dry rub that's really tasty.

Hi, y'all. Well, spotting has become TOM - I am wrapped in a little ball of cramps, worst in ages, but I don't care! I'm just happy it came! Men all over 3FC are going blind just thinking about the contents of these threads of ours, LOL! The headache's back again, probably allergy-related since the trees are budding out. Time to get a refill on Zyrtec.

I've never heard of Nathan's hotdogs, but I'll tell ya, I've been jonesin' for a good kraut dog ever since I made that Chicken Reuben the other night. I opened two cans of sauerkraut, but only ended up needing one since I made less meat than usual. So, I think we need to get some low-fat turkey sausages, like a spicy Italian, maybe. Mmmmm!

In the meantime, how long does an opened can of kraut keep? Nothing like food-poisoning-induced weight loss! ;)

Goodmorning! I still have 15 minutes left to my morning... and I gotta tell yah, I wish I was still in bed! The bf was having problems sleeping last night, he's pretty stressed about his supervisor at work, who isn't doing his job, or anything for that matter. So we were up until 2:30am talking about it, and then he had to get up at 5:15 for work. I'll go meet him at work today with a burger and a HUGE pop, he's probably dying right now. I did just get semi good news though! He's getting all 4 wisdom teeth pulled on Monday and was worried about how much we were going to have to pay, so I made a few calls this morning and found out the most he'll have to pay is 234. Which is great news because we thought it might be up at 1,000. We are both pretty stressed about money right now, the transition from one job to another for me should hopefully go smoothly, but you never know right? Either way, I can get cash from my brother, so it'll go fine.

Jill - I hear yah on that sleep thing, I went thu a thing where I was sleeping an hour a night, my body basically started to shut down.. MAKE SURE YOU SLEEP! Take liquid calcium, drink tea.. do anything! Sleep is so important when we are trying to lose weight. Alright.. enough nagging from me.. ;)

Kimberley - 2 weeks spotting is CRAZY! I don't know how you can handle that. It would drive me insane. I've been very "lucky", I know the exact day, time, minute that my period is going to start. Usually I can prepare by taking ibuprofen in advance for the cramps I get, I need to see a proper doctor about that. I'm ruining my stomach from taking SO much ibuprofen. I'm averaging about 28-32 extra strength ibuprofen in 2-4 days. It takes me about 2 weeks to get my stomach under control afterwards. ick. On a side note, I always found my period stopped when I was swimming.. I don't know why.

Marge - I am banned from using the Digi cam ( I broke it 3 times, heh), but I'll see if I can make it work without breaking it. I'm going to walk down to the mall to meet Josh (the bf), so it'll be the perfect time to take pictures. Its also NOT raining at this moment, woohoo! It's always so darn rainy in April, I find it usually clears up around mid-April.. so I'm waiting for that :)

Diana - holy cow, I didn't realize it has been so long that you've been doing Curves! I'm so proud of you, it's not an easy thing to get into a good workout routine. Keep up the good work gal :) Can I come for dinner? I want homemade pizza!

I just got a package in the mail from my mom, with about 10 different careers I might enjoy. Each has 2-3 pages of details about the job, where you get hired, the money involved, the schooling involved. I'm excited to read over these later :) My mom is the best.. and it really helps that she's a career counsellor. She's going to send me that Winsor Pilates diet this week, I'm excited. lol. I'm going to give it my all for 10 days, and we'll really see if I lose a dress size! I'm SO weird with dieting, I absolutely HATE it, so I go on these "spurts" where I go really hardcore for 2-3 weeks, and then maintain for a few weeks (almost a month this time), and get back into it. I don't know if thats a good thing, but it works for now. I might have to rethink that in the future.. But until then.. I'm pretty excited for the Winsor Pilates thing. Until then I'm going to do my best to cut that sugar/wheat stuff out again.. it really makes me feel ill. And if that isn't a good reason to quit.. I don't know what is! Well I should get going, I have to eat and make some more calls, and then it's off to meet Josh! Have a great day (but I'll be back!).

-Aimee

Aimee, be careful with that ibuprofen -- it can cause liver damage. My doctor tells me when my knee or back is bad to do 800mg every 4-6 hours. Anyone on a high dose like that long-term, though, she wants to monitor with blood tests to watch liver enzyme levels. So far, I've not stayed on it more than a few days at that kind of dose.

Up until this weirdness, I was very regular on the pill. Green pills time, Wednesday morning, hello there. It was right on schedule today, just not as obvious a transition, save the cramps.

Your mom sounds awesome - what a thoughtful thing to send you. Times of transition can either be terrifying or exciting. I get the feeling you're the type of person for whom life is an adventure and you'll do great!

gnight all
 

hey ther e1, busy getting things ready for an online craft show we are having next month..
Marge, I think Coney sounds cool...Maybe some day we will make it there. I like nathams Hdogs, they just do NOT like, me, they give me wicked stomach cramps...I wish I could find some footlongs YUMMMMM..With some home-made sauce, YUMMMM..
Jill...oh pooh me forgot what I was going to say...hmmm maybe it will come back to me...lol
Kimberley, you are so funny!!! Sorry you are having cramps though, that stinks...I love saurkraut, I use the vlasic in th jar though, never had the canned before..
And Aimee....Looking forward to the pics when you can take them. How do we post pics on this forum anyhow, I have NO CLUE...I will show some of my house, and my baby, etc...oh duh, manage attatchments at the bottom maybe? I will attatch a pic of my baby here and one of my dollies ( am giving her to my neice) to see if it works! LOL never saw that b4...lucky you to have a mom like that too...You sound like you have a great life!
well time to hit the hay another work-out in the am..Sure do hope I have lost something, yes, I will be there going on 3 weeks already on Monday, I am shocked...I will be incorporating walks too, so that will help, and bike rides now that the weather is warming up...
HAGN and see ya tomorrow gals! :D

hmmm can't load pics here, says they can only be 50 KB and if I make them that small they will be really distorted...so now to figure this out tomorrow, lol gnight!

Diana, you sure this is read-only?

I don't know how to attach pictures either.. I still haven't taken any.. but I'm gonna! Today I walked to the mall... about 2-2.5 km's. I'm now getting worried about this 10km walk I am commiting to, I want to have a good time.. I don't think I can/will. Then again, who cares about the time right? As long as I finish it! I'm hoping Josh will do it with us as well, cuz he walks at a fast pace than me, which really helps and pushes me. Alrighty, enough with unfounded concerns!

There is a little fair down at the mall, we might go check it out this weekend. I used to love going on rides, but I'm getting less adventurous with my old age ;)

Kimberley - I had origionally asked my mom during a fit of tears to help me find a career, and that I really need her help. She knows me pretyt well and I feel she can help me the most. I once saw a career counsellor who told me that she couldn't help me until I took a month long-40 hour a week course. Unfortunately, I have to work, I have a car loan, rent, student loans, a credit card.. no room for not working. Plus, since the closest person in my life is a 51 year old, I've absorbed a lot of information from her.. so I tend to be more mature than people my age. It was funny, I was having a problem at work, and was trying to explain to my older manager that I was feeling excluded, but not actually BEING excluded. She couldn't understand the difference.

I am going to go and see if I can find some pics.. and I'll try to post them either later or tomorrow! I gotta get some beauty sleep.. my big interview is tomorrow! :)

-Aimee

hmmm, guess not
 

that worked well I see, lol ty for letting me know...that stinks...that was supposed to direct you to the 2 pics only...GRRRR...there has got to be some way to do this...I'm on a quest now...BBL ya'll, gotta get ready to leave... ;)

Good morning, all!

Guess what--I'M AWAKE! I don'tknow how or why, but I actually do not seem to be struggling to stay awake at this particular moment (by now, my head is usually bobbing as I'm trying not to fall asleep at my desk--or I just lose it and completely DO fall asleep at my desk :p ). I got out of job #2 a little early last night--left around 10:30, so I was home before 11 (gotta love it when the manager doesn't want to be there, so he lets everyone else out early, too). I decided not to do much last night, so I just crashed on the couch and was asleep by 11:30. Of course, as per usual lately, I could not just fall asleep and STAY asleep--no, I woke up about 1:40am. It's so frustrating to WANT to slep and just not be able to! So then my alarm went off at 4:40am, which means I got hardly any REM sleep at all last night (just like every other night for over a week now), so I thought I'd be tired like usual, but for some reason, I'm not. I was actually surprisingly awake and mildly wired throughout my shift at the restaurant last night :hyper: I should have plenty of opportunity to catch up on some sleep this weekend--my friend from college is coming to stay with me for the weekend, and we're going to a concert in Annapolis on Saturday night (O.A.R., if any of you know of them), so should definitely be a good relaxing weekend.

Aimee--I try to sleep--honest! I just can't seem to stay asleep once I'm out. You're so lucky you can TAKE ibuprofen! I am allergic to all NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories), so I can't take ibuprofen or naproxin (over-the-counter Aleve) or even aspirin. All I am allowed is Tylenol (acetominophin), which doesn't even budge a headache or cramps. I developed this allergy after my first year of college. I took Aleve one day for cramps (worked REALLY great to get rid of my cramps, so I took it every TOM), and I ended up in full-blown anaphylactic shock. The doctor said if I had gotten to the Emergency Room 5 minutes later, I would have died. As it was, I had no blood pressure when I got there because my body was so swollen, it actually constricted my blood vessels so no blood could pump through my body. Fun times. Just another of my close encounters with death--makes me think there MUST be a reason for me to be here. Someone up there's lookin' out for me :)

Kimberley--Yay, TOM! :p Doesn't it feel weird to be HAPPY about it? I feel ya, though--I'd much rather know it's full-on for a few days instead of just spotting forever. How frustrating!

Alright, a quick whine about my diet--yesterday I broke down and went down to the cafeteria pretty early. I knew I needed to get up and walk around or else someone would surely find me passed out sleeping in my cubicle. So, I decided to go down and get a diet pepsi (I MUCH prefer fountain soda over the bottles from the vending machines). However, when I got down there, I decided to get something to nibble on. Did I get a little thing of healthy cereal or a bowl of the chilled fruit that was out on the salad bar? Oh no, that would have been too easy. No, instead, I opted for the BIG FROSTED DONUT with colored sprinkles. I LOVE colored sprinkles. Did I stop there? Oh no. Right next to the donut was a CHEESE DANISH (I am so addicted to anything with cream cheese--cheesecake is my biggest downfall). So, since I couldn't decide between the donut and the danish, I had both. Yeah, that's right, BOTH. It was really good. I felt really bad. So, to make up for it, I didn't eat my 2 hotdogs and the orange I had packed for lunch. I know there were more calories in the junk food than in my lunch, but at least it helped to compensate for some of it. I got on the scale this morning (Thursday's my weigh-in day), and I'm at 305.5, so up 1 pound from 2 weeks ago. I was actually surprised it wasn't a lot more considering what I had yesterday AND what I had all last week in CT (I probably can't even count the number of brownies I ate on all of my fingers and toes combined). So, 1 pound to lose this week to be back on track. I know I can do it :)

Okay, that's certainly a long enough post, so I'll be going now. I actually have work to do since this new proposal came bombarding our office yesterday, so I'm flooded with stuff to do today, which means no more poting timm tomorrow morning. Happy Almost-Friday!! :D

http://www.picturetrail.com/dianals

maybe this link will work...if it sends you to a password area, it is ~chicks then go to my album...HAG! if not, I will figure it when I get back...

he's adorable, Diana! I wish I were good at crafts. I did a little drawing and stuff in highschool (loved art class), I like it for the fun of it (the results are a little lacking!) I had a raggedy ann, store bought, when I was a kid. Your niece is going to LOVE that!

Kimberley, I'd think sauerkraut would keep pretty well, as long as it's refrigerated. It's pickled cabbage. But I'm no expert on that! One of the best hot dogs I've ever had hands down was when I was on a layover in Cincinnati. Can't remember the name of the hot dog place. So, I'm thinking the midwest has the all time best dogs.

I just got a package in the mail from my mom, with about 10 different careers I might enjoy. Each has 2-3 pages of details about the job, where you get hired, the money involved, the schooling involved. Aimee

your mom is awesome. Good luck on the interview today. I agree with Kimberley that you have a great spirit, that will bring good things your way. Glad the teeth price turned out better than expected. Almost nobody offers dental anymore in this country. I was still in college when I had my wisdom teeth pulled and my dad's insurance still covered me. If I told you how much my boss just spent on his teeth -- I'll just say it's in the 5 digits, and that's not counting after the decimal point.

Jill, I've gained more than 1 lb from *looking* at a doughnut :lol: Sometimes when I'm overtired, I tend to want to eat goodies. Especially stuff like chocolate cake, cakes, doughnuts and cookies. (Those Lu cookie commercials they show here in the evening are killer btw.) Sometimes when I'm stressed I do that too.

Bf is sulking this morning after a discussion we had last night. Right as Boone died on Lost too! Nothing like a little drama to get my blood pumping. :dizzy:

Here's a pic of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, where we hang out in the spring and summer, sometimes fall. (If anyone wants me to resize any pics so you can post them, send them to [email protected].)

That picture reminds me a lot of the Japanese Garden at Dawe's Arboretum here in Newark. Here's one I took a few years back at sunset in the fall.

Not much on words today yet...Killer headache again. I'm really sick of 'em.

Hey all...
 

Well, finally hee...whew...had a busy day.Did my work-out this morning after a kind-of argument with MIL online :o ...she tries to get me to listen to all the hate she spews forth about her ex hubby which is my FIL and my DH's father, so I told her I have heard enough, that she should deal with it through her lawyer, and all that jazz, and she will not make us hate him, it is between them...then I went and took out my frustartions at the gym, lol :lol:
it gets to be a but much sometimes...
We then went out for Fish fry for lunch, which is bad but sooooo good...so for dinner am making some tuna pasta salad...
Jil~ maybe you unconsciously have a lot on your mind and this is why you are missing sleep, I know this happens to me from time to time..It will be good to have your friend visit and chill for a couple of days! And, I LOOOOOOVE Cheesecake, that is my ultimate fave dessert, and I make it every year at Christmas...YUMMMMMM...making my MIL's fave carrot cake for her bDay next Tues...I make it 3 layers with lots of cream cheese frosting, it is my mom's recipe tht I have tweeked a bit and everyone wants me to make it for them...It is very VERY fattening, so we will take to her and leave it there, she can eat it all ( after we have a piece, ) or take it to work and share it... :^:

Marge~I miss this hot dog place in Ohio that has amazing hot dogs, it is only open during the Summer, it is this tiny rinky-dink place, I think the name is Sudsy's or something like that, there is also a place open all year that has really good ones Called Rudy's...They have these hot dogs here that are tiny, you get 6 of them, and they even come with tiny buns...They are okay, but too greasy. Ahhh, a footlong,, loaded up, YUMMMMM! And Ty about my baby and my dolly, the dolly actually looks like her too which is funny, am making my other niece a bear for her grduation with a cap and gown she can take to school with her when she goes. The Botanical gardens look really nice, and I will take you up on the picture offer, Hopefully you can get mine down to the right size, on my PC if I try, they come out all distorted...will be sending you a couple when I take them of my house ...

Kimberley~ That place looks beautiful too...Wish we had a place like that close by, sigh! Hope you start to feel better soon... :)


BBL all, HAGD! :D

I'm awake, I think. I had a rough night, was up sick until about 2:45am, and then Josh got up at 4:15 for work (he's filling in for someone this week). I slept until 9:30am, and was SO tired I went back to sleep around 11am, until 11:45 when the stupid phone rang.. grrr.. and then I was still SO tired, I went back to sleep until 12:45pm. I just feel... ugh. But I have to get all excited about this interview.. this is MY job, and I need to get it. Alright? ALRIGHT!

In the middle of the night I got fed up and started writing.. I wrote about 5 pages of that Fabulous stuff I've been talking about. My mom and I talked about the idea of putting together stuff, and possibly writing a book. I don't HAVE to write one, but we both agreed I should write everything down at least.

Jill - I'd come and spank you, but I ate far worse.. heh. My view on "cheating" like that is you should have room in your diet for the occational slip up, or whats the point. You will recover, and 1 pound? ONE POUND? I wish! I'd put on like 5, I'm like Marge, I just look at certain junk food and gain weight.

If it's confession time.. I should fess up. I'm barely eating, maybe 1 meal a day. SO unhealthy, I'm barely drinking water, I'm taking rolaids because the food I am eating is making me SO sick. I'm thinking I'm going to go steam some broccoli for lunch. This morning I got up and ate some yogurt, and no sugar has passed these lips so far.

Marge - I sent you a picture to resize.. And I will try and take pictures today, if it stops raining, stupid rain. I keep missing Lost, I've been watching America's Next Top Model.. and never think that Lost is on at the same time until afterwards. Who is Boone again? and how/why did he die? Or was that one of those times where you think they die.. but they don't?

Kimberley - I hope your headache goes away... I just can't stand headaches.. my whole world feels so confined. Feel better soon :)

I'm going to go finish making some steamed broccoli and then hop in the shower. And then I should be off to my interview. Keep your fingers crossed for me that I'll come home with a job offer! :)

-Aimee

hey there...aww, Aimee, ss you are sick, but we all are pulling for u to get the job!!! I forgot too, I m addicted to Lost...Boone is the one who was in love with his Step-sister ( she is the spoiled blonde) and she is now with the Iraque guy, who is MIGHTY sexy if I say so myself....I love that show, and the baby was born last night too, she had a boy...hmmm think that is it...BBL:)

How and why did Boone die? I liked him too..

My tummy is doing backflips.. partly due to eating terribly lately.. and then this interview. I finally decided on wearing black dress pants, my black and pink Steve Madden shoes (soooo cute), a baby pink satin trimmed top, with a wool cardigan type sweater. I think I look pretty cute, I just couldn't find the traditional blouse and dress pant combo, but I'm going for cute, classic and better dressed than how people dress in the store. I read somewhere to dress 1 level above the place you are applying, because if you dress TOO good it's not a good thing, but if you dress like they do, also not a good thing. Who knew this job stuff was so complicated.

Do you guys notice I always seem to not be feeling good? That means I'm not eating right, it sucks.. my body is SO sensitive, I really have to be careful what I put in it. But it's hard sometimes, yah know? Alrighty! I am off. Be good!

-Aimee

P.S. Diana - spelling is el stinko? :lol: you are too funny!

It went SOOOO good. They are looking for a 3rd key holder, which is the type of position I am looking for :) She was so nice, and we chatted, and have things in common, and it went well. She is going to check my personal references, all the companies I've worked for don't give references. I'm excited! :)

-Aimee

WTG Aimeee, Hope you got it, will keep my fingers crossed 4 ya...I know, with me, I could always tell when the interview worked in my favor...You sound like yours was very promising, hope you get it!!!! Boone was out in the woods with that John guy ( bald older guy who was crippled b4 the crash) and they found this other plane wreck, well, Boone climbed up inside of the plane and it crashed to the ground, and he had a broken leg and multiple internal injuries from it, and to make a long story short, he died
and, on that note, hitting th hay...get some soup in ya, or something substantial to get yourself healthy...and get some rest..
Okay, bb tomorrow, HAGN all! I feel my TOM coming on, my ankles are swelling, always a sign, UGH!!!

Hey, ladies - here I am bringing in the late night posts, as usual. Wish there was a smiley for a nightowl. Guess the closest would be this little :o since she's going "oooo". I mean, that's close to "hooo". Right? But not really, no.

That was my Ellen Degeneres immitation above, there. ;)

I'm telling you, that carrot cake sounds wonderful. And cheesecake! Oh, man. I need to come up with some really good low-fat/low-cal desserts.

Aimee, glad to hear your interview went well today! Got everything crossable crossed for ya. Now you listen to all us mother hens and start eating right. Get some nutrition in that body as soon as you feel better. Don't make us come out there!

Two Ultracet worked wonders on the headache and I felt decent by early evening. Happy thing, too, because my MIL asked if I wanted to go to the YMCA and swim with her. For a split second, I hesitated, "Oh! Uhhhhhhh" and then said, "Sure!". We were there for a little over an hour, and I spent 45 minutes of that either treading water or swimming. It felt so good!

Tomorrow's weigh-in day and I feel positive about it. My MIL's scale said 230, which would be a 4.5 pound loss this week. Wouldn't that be awesome? All that water weight finally gone, along with a real pound or two. And it's also :mcd: Egg McMuffin day...Our weekly treat. Melty cheese...Mmmmmm.

I'm awake Kimberley!! Weigh in day for you, I'm excited, I have to live vicariously through you guys.. I am not feeling the whole diet thing. Today started out GREAT, yogurt, steamed broccoli, and then Burger King, and WAY later followed by a DQ blizzard. Ugh. Tomorrow is a new day! My brother is on his way over, from Seattle. He's just staying the night, he's heading to the island, Victoria to be specific tomorrow. I am frantically trying to clean my house.. sorta.. lol. He is coming next weekend to stay here, so I'll do a good clean this coming up week, his girlfriend is coming on the weekend.. and she made a comment on my house last time she was here. Poop, eh?

It feels really good to be back in the pool eh Kimberley? I can't imagine how good it would feel for me.. better than sex ;)

Alrighty, so whats it going to take to get me back on plan? Josh and I will do a grocery shop in the next couple of days, which will make a huge difference. I really have to start fueling my body for this upcoming 10km. I'm just babbling.. I am off to go do some more cleaning.. have a great night :)

-Aimee

I SO have to clean my place, too. It's quite the disaster. I thought it would stay clean since all I do is sleep there--I'm never really around to make a mess. But no, in the 10 minutes between coming home at night and going to sleep, I can tear the place to shreds :p I think it's cuz I'm in such a rush to get to sleep--I get home and kick my shoes off and just start taking off my clothes and tossing them wherever they land (TMI, I know, but it's part of why my apartment's so messy :dizzy: ), take the dirty clothes out of my gym bag, fill it with new gym clothes and a clean uniform for the restaurant job, then I clean out my lunch bag (containers in the dishwasher, ice packs in the freezer, etc.), then throw my lunch for the next day together...so in that 10 minutes, all **** breaks loose :devil:

Guess what--I SLEPT ALL NIGHT LAST NIGHT! I was asleep by 11:30pm and did not wake up until my alarm went off at 4:50am. Still not a lot of sleep, but SO much more than I have been getting lately.

So I found out I have a meeting at my restaurant at 9am on Saturday. A Saturday morning meeting--AAAARGH! That is my time to catch up on me week's sleep! My friend from college is supposed to be arriving around 10am on Saturday, so now I won't even be home when she gets here. Jeff is coming over tonight, though, so he will be around to at least let her in.

I think the reason I only ended up gaining a pound is that whan I am here at home and working the hectic schedule and stuff, I stick to the diet and exercise routine REALLY well. This is only during the week, when I have the routine to stick to. I think the steady routine is what keeps me in check. Aside from the donut/danish incident earlier this week, I pretty much religiously stick to 1400-1500 calories a day plus do 20 minutes on the elliptical and 20 minutes on the recumbent bike in between jobs, and then I am running around the restaurant all night (I still have not eaten anything at the restaurant!). I also drink nothing but water (occasionally a diet pepsi) at my first job, then Minute Maid Light lemonade (5 calories per serving) while I'm at the restaurant (their water is kinda gross, so I figured the low-cal lemonade would be better for me than the diet coke--though I'd much rather have Sprite! :T ). Hopefully I can keep this all up--without the donut splurges--and I will actually see some success for a change. I just have to be careful about my weekends...I always go out to eat at least once with Jeff (usually Friday night), and this weekend with my friend, I'll have to make sure I don't go overboard. I can do this...

GM all a quickie b4 I start my day...Got a sore throat this morning, am hoping it is just my sinuses due to the weather change, still it bites...Speaking of Better than sex...My mom makes this cake called Better than Sex...It is to die for...Good thing she lives in Fla...I would be in trouble, lol...Kimberley you are so very funny...and poor Jill, how dare they cut into your sleep time, but, at least you slept last night, that's great...well, gotta get dressed, tie my hair back and go..BBL and hag1 all!

Gmorning again!!!
 

Just got done working out...whew :dancer: ! Okay... Time to ask your opinions...and since I have no friends here, you are it, lol...at least no one who comes out of their houses...okay...My MIL...She still picks me up to go with her. which is fine, until today..today I got very annoyed, so I need to know, is it me, or did I have a right to be? yesterday she went at a different time than me, and actually, I liked it, but that's just me :yes: ...I guess when she went, the woman there told her she should work at each station longer since she was alreeady in shape..Where as I go around like everyone else, 30 seconds each machine and walking station...she told her to stay for close to a minute per station, and still go around 2 times, and she showed her how to use the hula hoop...well, I went around twice and even added 2 extra machines in there so basically went around over 2 times...So I was done, and sat and waited and waited and waited for her, in the meantime, all these women were coming in and asking me why I was waiting etc, kind of embarrassing since they probably thought I should be working out or leaving :o ...then she did the Hula hoop( it is weighted with 5#s and cushioned) for a few mins...so basically I had to wait for her for almost 10 mins( if I would not have thrown in the extra time at 2 machines would have been longer)...If I was in my own vehicle I would have left...no biggie...so, I got annoyed, does this mean I am wrong to get annoyed, or should I have waitied patiently :?: ? I am going to just meet her there if she wants to go in the mornings, if she asks why I will tell her she is there longer than me...I mean, she is thin, she has been walking over 5 miles a day for 2 years, etc...so for her, this is really no big deal...to me, who needs to get back in shape and lose another whole person, it is a big deal and I am proud of myself for sticking with it, but I also know, that, if this continues, I will continue to be annoyed, and will start to make up excuses to not go...I don't know...but, this is yet another reason why I like doing things like this by myself.. I like doing them in my own pace, when I want...I will save the hula hoop for my home, when they get some more in, anyhow, just don't feel like doing that there...GRRRRRRR!!!! :rollpin: okay, B session is done...sorry had to vent, but, really what do you all think? Please be honest... :^:

Diana- I went to curves a couple years ago... I Was 324 when I started there, anyway, I asked if I could go around more than 2 times or work longer at the machines and I was told it was not beneficial for your body. The guy that designed the program intended for you to get a full workout in 30 minutes and doing more than that isn't good for your muscles. If you want to do an extra walk or sit-ups or something at home that's cool but the resistance machines at curves are supposed to be used as fast as you can push yourself for the 30 seconds!

Amiee- When should you know about the job?!

Ty
 

Ty, ya know that is what I thought too, I thought that you were supposed to go at it the hardest and fastest you can for the 2 circuits, which is just what I am doing. But, what do I know anyhow? I mean, I wonder sometimes. Not that i would be mean, but, there are women there that just go to be around people I think, some of them do more talking than anything, and I go there for the work-out and I do sweat so much it drips off of me...That's a good thing right? Although, you cannot tell her anything, then she gets Bchy...I just plan to go alone. then I can leave when I want...Not going to wait around any more...TY an hag1 ;)

:goodscale: Yes!! I weighed in at 232 today, down 2.5 pounds! That water weight finally went away. No more Mrs. Marshmallow! Not for another 3 weeks, anyway. ;)

Diana, I don't see a thing wrong with telling your MIL that you'd like to drive separately. I know you'll approach the subject kindly and your reason isn't anything hurtful, just realistic. She might feel weird about making you wait while she continues on her course, so maybe it will be a relief to her, too. Maybe you could try to go at the same time, but just in separate cars; that way it's a compromise and it won't seem you're trying to avoid her, just to make better use of time.

Jill, Saturday meeting? Blah! Can you power nap? Howie can, and it makes me sick. He can lie down and sleep for 15-30 minutes and awake recharged and ready to take on the day. Me? My naps are 2-3 hours long. I try not to nap because of that...I need to see some daylight, after all. ;)

Aimee, when do you hear? Hoping good things for you! By the way, do you pronounce Aimee "Ah-may" or "A-mee"? I've known one other Aimee and she pronounced it "Ah-may", French, I think.

You posted when I did - Just saw yours. Definitely you're doing the right thing by working up a sweat. Challenging yourself is good! Life ain't no social club, ya know?

Whoa, is Curves telling people to use resistance machines (weights) as quickly as possible in the 30 seconds at each station? I have been told plenty of times in multiple gyms that working out quickly is NOT good for your muscles--jerking them back and forth does not work them at all compared to the slow, controlled movements that feel more resistance. You're also not supposed to let the weights rest completely in between each rep--keep the resistance on your muscles the ENTIRE time, which is hard to do if you're moving too quickly. Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you guys are saying, but it sounds pretty insane to work out fast like that--dangerous, too, for it's a lot easier to pull a muscle when you workout too fast. :workout: Also, when you do the circuit, do you just do each machine once for 30 seconds? I'm not sure how that's an effective workout either, for my trainers have always had me doing 3 sets on each machine (2 to start off with until I could handle all 3). When I worked out, I would do upper body one day and lower body the next, and doing just one upper or lower body workout would take me about 20-30 minutes, so it would be almost a good hour for me to get a good full-body workout in one session, then follow it with 20 or so minutes of cardio. Like I said, maybe I am misreading/misunderstanding, or maybe I even have a warped concept of what exactly is involved in the Curves circuit (since I have never been to one), but something doesn't quite sound right in my head. :shrug:

Yeah, Aimee, when do you find out?!

Kimberley--I nap like you...a few hours at a time. If I sleep for 20-30 minutes or whatever, then I still feel tired when I wake up, like I got cheated out of more sleep :p Congrats on that pesky water weight finally letting go of you!

Diana--Regardless of how much you're supposed to be doing at Curves or whether you can do the circuit more than once or whatever, at least you're out exercising instead of sitting around! You're doing awesome, and I would think that even if you don't get the muscle workout on the 2nd time around, I'm sure you're still sweating, which means you're still burning!

According to the new national dietary guidelines that came out in January, we are supposed to work out for 60 minutes most days of the week (I'm not sure if by "most" they mean 4, 5, or 6...) just to maintain our weight, and 90 minutes most days to lose. Like I have 90 minutes most days to workout (and you know it really takes longer because you have to account for changing clothes and showering and such). How insane! Besides, if you're trying to lose weight, I would think ANY exercise would be enough, since you most likely haven't been getting enough if you seriously need to lose weight, ya know? :dunno: