Round Robin Novella -- The Beginning
 

A cell phone was ringing, making four or five people jump to attention to see if it was their own. A woman with black framed sunglasses held her phone aloft, saying "It's mine". She looked at the display for the incoming number, pressed a button and then spoke into the phone, "Hello.... hello???" and quickly pushed another button, turning the phone off. She smiled as she put the phone away and said, "Its a shame, couldnt hear a thing".
A woman towards the back of the elevator said , "Was it Bill?" and three other voices said in unison, "What do you think?"....

Laughter poured from the elevator as the doors opened and............

Good Morning!
 

Hello, hello, Fairest of the Fair Ones!

As predicted, a good night's sleep had me reenergized yesterday, and VERY excited about the new job :hyper: So different from my normal state! I think that the economic uncertainty, worry over bills, etc. drags me down more than I realize. Suddenly, life seems to have a lot more possibility. And I had no desire to binge, pick, or otherwise self-sabotage, yesterday! :)

Re: round robin - I think that someone suggested starting it in separate posts to the thread. Sounds like a good idea to me. I think we may actually do this ;)

Kaylets, I'm feeling for you! I wish I knew what the answer was :( I can't bear kid-related upsets! And also wish that DS would start taking responsibility for his own life. Remember to take good care of you! I'm practicing pushing out fretful thoughts when they enter my head, and find it helps a bit.

Zadie, I hope you're feeling better! It's so frustrating when things go awry through no fault of your own, but will appear otherwise :rolleyes: You've had some awful stress lately! Let us know what happens Wednesday! :crossed:

Amarantha, we actually have a city fairly close to us that has outlawed scents in public. I have flouted the law repeatedly when we visit there, although I don't wear a whole lot of perfume.

Punkinseed, those meetings sound like a hoot! I pinch-hit for a reporter covering town council meetings a couple of times, and they were a lot of fun too. Gossip, slander, bubba-watching. Oh, the stories I COULD have written :D Hope you got a good night's sleep last night. Dang spiders!

Dollar, so nice to see you back! I concur with my learned colleagues, here. 90 pounds is a huge whack of weight and it's not coming back! Little blips are normal, but you would have to really work at it to get all that poundage on again!

Cerise, I liked your "mission for today." I get in such a rut that I forget to play music, etc. Your candles reminded me of the way I used to live when I was on my own. My DH is a much more conservative, less romantic/bohemian type, and I'm afraid I've let some of that part of myself go. Got to work at getting it back :yes:

Anagram, how are you doing? Remember we're all with you :grouphug: I hope you have some special times with your mom.

Eydie, re: getting cocky and tripping up -- I literally "forget" some times that I have a lot of weight to lose. Until, for example, I see a photo of myself. I think on some level I think I can just eat what I want, and feel in a pretty good frame of mind about it. Very weird. I am working to get conscious of the shape I'm in.

Not suggesting a parallel here, at all, tho. From my perspective, you're perfect!

Ms. Wildfire, how intriguing! Temper is a very interesting thing. I'm generally very rarely angry, but am fierce when it happens. Just beginning to realize, though, how much anger I suppress.

Frogger, how goes it? Any word on DH's blackouts?

Okeydokey. Must work. I'm having lunch with one of my sisters today, and want to get some work sent first. To all, mentioned or unmentioned, let's make it a great one! Love!

OOOOH! Just saw your starter, Kaylets! I'll have to try to sneak in later and add on! Terrific beginning!

Hi Arablella,
We posted together! Did you notice I started the Round Robin?
Am eager to see what we make of it....

You do sound energized! Enjoy- I will borrow some of that from you and ride in your draft!

Take care!

It was a dark and stormy night ...
 

A cell phone was ringing, making four or five people jump to attention to see if it was their own. A woman with black framed sunglasses held her phone aloft, saying "It's mine". She looked at the display for the incoming number, pressed a button and then spoke into the phone, "Hello.... hello???" and quickly pushed another button, turning the phone off. She smiled as she put the phone away and said, "Its a shame, couldnt hear a thing".
A woman towards the back of the elevator said , "Was it Bill?" and three other voices said in unison, "What do you think?"....

Laughter poured from the elevator as the doors opened and............

A very tall police officer appeared in the doorway. "DON'T MOVE, folks," he said, fixing the group in the elevator with a stare from his piercing electric-blue eyes, stretching out his two long arms, flexed biceps visible in the short sleeves of his summer uniform. "There's an emergency in the building ..."

Hello,
Well, I feel recovered from my craptastic day yesterday. Today will be much more low key becuase more people are gone and there are no meetings.

I got very little sleep last night. I am going to fall asleep and bonk my head on the computer. O well.

QOD: No, my favorite outfit would look pretty bad on anyone, and on me... It is a pair of striped bibs that were died brown and then cut off in to shorts. They belonged to my boyfried who is much larger than I am. The little clippy things for the bibs broke so they are heald together with wire. It is a very flexible outfit becuase it looks equally bad with any shirt. None the less, I wear it whenever I get a chance ;)

Well, I suppose I have to dash. The round robin looks good. Maybe I will hop on later.

Mornin' everyone.... :wave:

Still tired. For some stupid reason I didn't go to bed early, I sat up watching tv all the while my eyes literally burning because of exhaustion. Why do I do things like this???? :shrug:
Tonight, bed, EARLY! I miss the days of being TOLD to go to sleep - being an adult sucks sometimes... :lol:

Amarantha, no joke, they said the scents violated the rights of people who were forced to smell things they didn't want to. IMO this is taking things to the extreme. It never did pass btw.
Da' mom's got her favorite water-toys, problem is that water tastes foul. She said her mouth feels like it's coated in foam and even water, and she has always been a *huge* water drinker, tastes really really bad. So she's drinking diet Snapple and Gatoraid... better than nuthin' I guess. Oh, and no steroids, I don't think they'd do much with chemo - they told her this was just part of it. They're keeping a close eye on her and thank goodness only one more treatment to go! :cb:

Kaylets, you are absolutely right - you're not going to get everyone to agree with your parenting choices, and until they've been in your shoes, or in your house, they really can't tell you what you're doing is wrong. You and DH need to do what you feel is right. WE agree with you! :yes:
About being able to do the treatments while the person is "out" - I mentioned to my mom in the beginning, when the fatigue first hit her, that she should just sleep until it was time for radiation. Thankfully that time is coming in just a month...

Arabella, I can't imagine how relieved you must feel! Very cool that it's affecting your healthy habits too!

Anyone else a little worried about Anagram's disappearance? I hope she's just spending extra time with her mom...

Zadie, may I borrow "craptastic"? Great word! Glad you survived yesterday and hope the rest of the week is uneventful - here's to Friday :cheers:

Q o' the day ~
I'm torn, with all the new clothes I have, I now have favorite outfits that I DO look best in, but I also have favorite clothes that I look like a total slob in, but they're comfy and worn only in the house.

Time to scoot and get some work done!

Terri

Hi all!

Me Post.... :(

I'm having a bit of a hunger struggle for the past half week or so. I'm eating the same kinds of foods that I have been eating on my low carb modified, but I'm excruciatingly hungry for the past couple of days. I'm almost about to give up and I REALLY don't want to! I have only a few more lbs (8) to be in onederland. And then ultimate goal is about 40 lbs from that. I haven't cheated so that's a good thing. I'm really struggling though.. I'd kill for a scoop of ben and jerry's fish food. (Frozen yogurt. The icecream is too rich for me) or a piece of chocolate (which I haven't had in almost 2 months:^:

Sorry I haven't been on much, but between work and trying to stay ontrack with eating, I've been busy.

and I certainly know how to kill a thread.........

Yo! Just got back from a sojourn seeking gas ... finally found a station open with two tankers sitting outside and two lines running three to four blocks. It only took an hour ... :sigh: so now I'm not going anywhere because I refuse to fill up and carry the stuff around in cans ... which is what took so long in the line ... people filling up two cans each and then their tank, which irritates me, as it smacks of hoarding! :yikes:

Punkin, there are a lot of flavored waters out there that might appeal to mom ... Propel Fitness Water comes to mind, but Walmart carries a Sam's Club variety that is good, except it's carbonated, which Propel isn't. Maybe she'd like to try those.

Re steroids, they are giving them to people on chemo these days to alleviate loss of strength, weight loss, etc., at least in cases I've known in the past few years. But not being a doc, I dunno if it'd apply in your mom's case, and since she's almost done, it's moot. Still it's something to ask the docs about. Dunno much about it.

Frogger, see you haven't ended the thread!!! :)

Keep going, this excessive hunger is IMKIAO, a prelude to weight loss! :wave:

I'm really hungry today as well. If it weren't for the 21-day challenge, I'd be bingeing! I'm sticking to that challenge like glue!

Ah, loyal Punkin & Arabella, thank you for your good thoughts - no need to worry. I'm here and there and everywhere but not feeling cheerful enough to post much.

Have been spending much time with DM or working on her behalf. Unfortunately, things continue to worsen, as yesterday they discovered a malignancy that has been causing her severe pain. She had already been unable to speak so it was a case of seeing her distress and when dr. probed, found source. No particular diagnostics will be done to find out where it originated, etc. as nothing could be done for her except to keep her comfortable. Blood work confirms it has spread to her liver; blood work on same three weeks ago showed no such signs.

She has been started on morphine today in addition to other painkillers as her discomfort has become severe. Last report was that she was "resting comfortably" this evening. Sister and her dh are at the hospital for overnight.

Have not been adhering to anything strict, just hoping not to cause too much damage to weight loss during this time. Not being too demanding on me as stress level has been high. Tonight though I seem to be achieving peace.

We'll see what the morning brings......hang in, all royal personages and conquer.

Bloody smileys!!!!!
 

Aaaaaagh! I just spent an hour of my life posting to EVERYONE and used too many smileys and lost EVERYTHING!!!

I was being so CLEVER, too. @#$%^&^^%$#@!!!!!!!!!:mad:

I'm too exhausted to do it again. Oops, there's Anagram. Hey, darlin'. I'm thinking about you, my dear. I wish you peace and rest tonight. I'll think about you lots this evening.

Much love to the rest of you - I'll say what I had to say again tomorrow, Cyber Gods permitting. :(

I just popped on for a minute and saw your post, Anagram. I am so sorry you have to go through this. I know this must be very painful. You know you can come her and destress when you need too. Remember to take time for yourself. Try to maintain if you can and if you can't don't beat yourself up over a few pounds, we all know we can kick 'em to the curb again.

Sending you :grouphug: :grouphug:

You take care of yourself :wave:

BoBeena

Hi Anagram,
Thank you for letting us know what's going on. You're in my thoughts--sending you strength and peace....

Hello all!!

I have a Toastmasters Speech to give at noon today, " Thinking Outside The Box"-- Wish me luck!


Anagram: From all of us ((((((((HUG))))))))-- I am so sorry for you and your family. I will keep you and your mom in my thoughts. I'm glad they are keeping her comfortable.
(((((((((((HUG)))))))))))))))



*******
Today's thought is :

"I cannot touch without being touched,"
-- Bob Perks

Today's question is :
"Is summer the best season?"

Good luck, Kaylets! I'm sure you'll be great -- wish I could hear you!

For whatever reason -- haven't managed to figure it out yet -- I was in a weird, edgy, anxious mood yesterday and then couldn't sleep last night. Don't know exactly what the problem is, but I think that the answer is to try to do those things that make me feel better: yoga, tidy the house, get outside.

I've been a little in a rut, I think. I remember before MIL arrived I was feeling like "I just can't do this," and like I really needed a break. So maybe this is just a continuation of that.

I feel silly even posting this when so many of you have such difficult things going on in your lives right now, but mood is such a strange and unpredictable thing. However, I have to remember that I can control my mood (esp. by taking control of my life) and I vow to do it.

Re: QOD -- I LOVE summer, but I feel like it's passing me by. Haven't been getting to the beach or spending enough time outside. Maybe I can still salvage some of it...
Take good care of yourselves, Lovelies! I'll be thinking of you!

Hello,
Fly by. Conference call in 23 minutes where theoreticallly I find out if I have a job. AARRGG

Anagram - I am so sorry to hear about your mom. I wish both her and your wholee family comfort.

QOD: No. I am not a summer person. I love autumn. Spring is nice as well. Summer is just too darn hot. If the temp stayed below 70 I would like it a lot more. Winter I like in small doses (like two months) but once I hit February I am ready for spring.

Well, must dash. My destiny awaits.

Anagram, sorry your mom is going through this. It sounds as though you are coping and hanging on very well. Thinking of you!

Arabella, you should not feel silly posting about anything that troubles you. We all have a need for support and we all have our own sadnesses and troubles. Hang in there and I do think yoga will help! :)

Zadie: Hope the conference call turns out well.

This is a fly-by, I'm off to the 21-day challenge thread and have early appointment with trainer. Working tonight. Gas situation is still a mess here and may need an extra hour to fill up again later.

Oh, re question of the day, in Arizona, summer is only the best season if you have a cabin in the mountains and a job where you can take three months off.

In my case, though ... :)

Arabella, We love it when you're here and always want to know what's happening with you. Wouldn't be the same without you!
Do you think maybe that you're "decompressing" from the visit with MIL? I love mine, but still there's a stressful element there.

Week's half over.... :faint:

I've been SO tired this week - I haven't even exercised at all. I'm going to fix that this afternoon and hop on the elliptical for 20 minutes when I get home *before* I fall asleep in my chair!

Another exciting evening... no, no scorpions this time, but forest fires (plural, we have 2 burning by me). Close enough to drop ash on the house, make breathing interesting and create an apocalyptic sunset... President Bush is coming to town tomorrow to see the fire damage from last year's fires - which is almost exactly where the new fires are burning. Good luck Mr. B, bring some marshmallows! :rolleyes:

Anagram, thank you for checking in - I'm sure you've got much, much more important things on your mind right now. I am so sorry about your mom and the diagnosis, weird that it just popped up suddenly. Good that they're keeping her comfortable - too bad they can't make it easier for you and your family... you're in my thoughts.

Good luck Zadie!!!! Report back asap! :crossed:

Frogger, I don't know how the lo-carb is supposed to work! Are you supposed to get that hungry? IMO (which is unscientific and unproven) I always thought if you allow yourself to get too hungry your body's going to think it's being starved and saves up calories instead of burning them. I do know from experience that when *I* get too hungry I'm setting myself up for a binge... any way you can have more, smaller meals throughout the day?? I don't believe you have to be excruciatingly hungry to lose weight - that doesn't sound right...

Kaylets, good luck with your speech! :cheers:

Arabella, I've been hearing a lot of complaints about odd feelings, behaviors, etc. Last weekend I was in a cleaning/straightening mood like I was nesting or something! Personally, I think we should all blame it on Mars... people go batty when it goes retrograde - what should we expect when it's close enough to Earth to almost reach out n' touch it?? :lol: :spin:

Q o' the day ~
No, for me summer's not the best season. I'm a fall kinda girl. I like it cooler, love the rain and colors of the trees.

Time to get some work done... :dance:

Terri

Hi,
So, I have this teleconference and I am supposed to find out something about if I have a job come October. And it does not come up till the end when i actually have to bring it up. And then they schedule another teleconference (but not with me there of course) to decide. Next Monday.

Should I feel guilty for feeling like I am being jerked arround?

No, Zadie, you should not feel guilty for feeling like you were jerked around ... you were jerked around. That s***s! But you don't have a real option other than to go with the flow ... and give some consideration as to whether you really want them! You have a right to be mad, but there's no percentage in letting 'em know that! Good luck. Keep hanging in!

If no one minds, I'd like to vent yet again about the gas problem we're having here, which the national news has totally ignored but which is a big mess for us!! THE PIPELINE TEST FAILED! This means that no one knows how long this will last and when you travel for work, this is a BIG PAIN and I do not WANT to drive around looking for tankers and then sitting for an hour in a line just to get gas! :sigh: And then, there are the idiots who are filling up plastic cans with gas and driving around all day in the Arizona heat with those cans in their trunks. THIS PRACTICE IS DANGEROUS! If there's a fender bender or even it just gets too hot in the trunk (did I mention this is ARIZONA?) or if static electricity sparks in there, there's gonna be a disaster taking not only the life of the idiot who put the cans in there, but of innocent people who have the bad luck to be nearby.

Ok, thanks for listening!

And, Zadie, I don't feel at ALL guilty for feeling like Arizona is being jerked around! :s:

Yo! Overposting again ... anyway, wanted to note for the WW's people that I got the newest issue of the mag today and the Flexipoints looks really interesting. They have an at-home kit, too, and a neat calculator for the Flexipoints, regular points and activity points, with keys that also mention "water," "milk," and "veg!"

Novella continues (Kaylets adds)
 

A cell phone was ringing, making four or five people jump to attention to see if it was their own. A woman with black framed sunglasses held her phone aloft, saying "It's mine". She looked at the display for the incoming number, pressed a button and then spoke into the phone, "Hello.... hello???" and quickly pushed another button, turning the phone off. She smiled as she put the phone away and said, "Its a shame, couldnt hear a thing". Laughter poured from the elevator as the doors opened and............

A very tall police officer appeared in the doorway. "DON'T MOVE, folks," he said, fixing the group in the elevator with a stare from his piercing electric-blue eyes, stretching out his two long arms, flexed biceps visible in the short sleeves of his summer uniform. "There's an emergency in the building ..."

From the back of the elevator, a Mel Gibson look- a- like wearing a blue blazer answered first, " But officer, surely you can let us just use the rest room, we had a long ride to get here if you know what I mean."

The woman w/ the black sunglasses nodded furiously as they all waited for the officers response......

Trying again to successfully post
 

Ah, a few minutes before Ramon gets home to talk to my friends...

Keeping the smileys to a bare minimum this time, and I SWEAR that I'm gonna copy this whole message to the clipboard before I push any buttons! :dz:

Zadie, GEEZ!!! I officially declare that you are INDEED being jerked around. Are these really people you want to share 8 (or more) hours a day of your life with? Feeling much frustration on your behalf. Pooey on teleconferences. :crossed: that the job gods get you what you need, be it full-time employment where you are or something faboo elsewhere. Uh, and I haven't been able to get those stripey, dyed-brown bibs out of my head. Send picture? :yes:

Punkin, I let out a yelp of laughter (at work!) when I read your BARF story. After that I indulged in a quieter but deeply felt snicker at your rant about gas. You're really good at that...:lol: I'm so very, VERY sorry that your mother's mouth is feeling foamy and tasting icky. And nothing tastes? Reading about it gives me that same horrible feeling as when I read about "anhedonia", a condition experienced by the severely depressed where you're actually unable to experience pleasure of any kind. Thank the gods that she only has one more treatment and then this stuff will stop! :cb: And you STUD!!! You've now lost 50 lbs and I think you're the Goddess of Corporal Improvement. I think you should have your own TV show.

Frogger, how's your DH? Any more blackouts, or have you found out what caused them? Uh, and your program sounds beyond miserable. If I couldn't have a piece of chocolate once in a while, I'd just opt to stay fat, and I mean that. I don't mean to rain on your parade, but are you going to be this hungry until you reach your goal weight?

Kaylets, let me get this straight. Do you really have friends and family who think you're being too harsh with widdle DS? Have they volunteered to keep him? Hmmmm. I'm glad you shared this with us so we could all agree wholeheartedly with your methods. :yes: QOD two days ago (lights on or off?): God, story of our marriage. I accidentally leave all the lights on and Ramon goes around and ostentatiously turns them off. :D QOD yesterday (favorite outfit looks good?): You betcha. I have these fatigue-green mid-calf pants from Lane Bryant that tie at the bottom. I wear them with no socks, tennis shoes, a beige shirt and a hemp necklace and I look KEWL. Or at least I think so. QOD today: I like summer because I NEED the sunlight, but the heat (especially walking to/from work in professional clothes) is oppresive to me. BTW, how did your speech go?

Aha, Arabella, so you still have a little of La Boheme in you? If only we could meet, you'd see that I'm no Stevie Nicks. Well, I don't know. I burn candles and incense, we move from time to time and I have some scarves, so...I'm sorry to hear about your fretful mood. Thanks for sharing about it, though. Man, I know what you mean - "what's WRONG with me?!?" is one of my favorite questions.

Anagram, much love and prayer is coming your way. Remember that we're sharing your sorrow and weariness and are thinking about you often. I wish for a strong support group to hold you up during these days.

Wildfire, waiting for the first postcard from ****. :devil: Uh, they tried to NOT pay you for overtime?!? :rollpin: Girl, I hope you got out the finger (not THAT one!) and said, "I don't THINK so!" Yeah, just wave it around...:nono:

Love to the rest of you...maybe I should talk about weight loss for a minute ;) - I'm trying really hard to just eat when I'm hungry and make good food choices. And to eat only until I'm satisfied. Hopefully this will result in increased sensitivity to my body's needs. The walk home (up the hill) is getting easier - I was SO mad to find out that it's only a 1.6 mile walk both ways! It seemed so much longer than .8 mile! I'm going to have to get a gym membership soon and supplement my cardio.

OK, this is the longest post in the history of the world. It's NOT MY FAULT!! Blame the cyber-gods who shut me down last night! :mad:

Hitting Ctrl C....Lovies!

Punkin, can't you just declare Friday NOW?

Ok, I knew I had a bad few weeks but I wasn't sure it was that bad, I put on 7.6lbs in 3 weeks. That is scary to see how fast it comes back on. I did however get the new Fleipoints program at my meeting last night so I'm looking at it as a brand new start. After 18 months this is the only major slip I have had and I feel stronge and back in control this week. So onward and downward, i will stay strong and I will make my goal.

Have a great week everyone, I have to run I have to plan my meals for tomorrow.

Another day!
 

Hello My Honeys!
Feeling better today, as a result of working HARD to feel better yesterday. Sometimes it takes more work than others. I do find that if I don't feel well physically I usually don't feel well mentally or spiritually either. Working on health! I think that stress is a major factor for me, and I really have to try to get rid of it! It really does a number on my immune system.

I PM'd wsw a while back and she responded yesterday. She said that her MS had been bad, but that she was feeling better now and would try to drop by the thread.

Zadie, keeping fingers crossed for you! :crossed:

Cerise, I really empathize with you over your lost message! I've done that a number of times. My usual MO is to get a really good message going and then absent-mindedly hit the back button to look for something I wanted to respond to and :wizard: POOF! Message gone :(

I hear ya, with that "what's WRONG with me?" thing. I guess my feeling is that there is something that we need to think about - if we're feeling low, there's some reason, even if hormones, or Mars, or whatever is at play too. I remember a bit in "Anagrams" by Lorrie Moore (loved that, too). The woman, who seemingly had nothing seriously wrong in her life, was musing that her life was hard, anyway, because it was hard for her. Know what I mean? I know that you've had terribly difficult things in your past, and might think since things are so good for you now that you should be on top of the world every day, but I guess that's not how it works...

Dollar, don't worry about those few pounds. In my unparalleled losing/gaining experience :smug: I've found that the really fast-on pounds usually come off reasonably quickly, too, because much of it is water, really.

Amarantha, I hope that gas thing works out. I hate to be harsh, but people can be such idiots! Imagine driving around in that heat with a container of gas in the trunk! :eek:

Punkinseed, I'm leaning the same way regarding Mars & odd behaviors. Seems like a lot of people feel a little bit off. I'm with you on the hunger thing, too. I think that we got in this state because we eat for reasons other than hunger, and that part of recovery is learning to respond to our needs appropriately. Which includes eating when we're hungry. I also think that our body systems are ready to receive food when we're hungry and that we can make the best use of it then.

Kaylets, I swear I'm going to steal a moment to add to the round-robin novel. Very intriguing start!

Eydie, I think there is some decompression going on, but to be honest, for a couple of weeks before she came I felt pretty end-of-my-ropish, and kept thinking "I can't do this." I know I need a holiday - the curse of the self-employed is that you don't get them. My new job, since it's on contract, will be more or less the same deal, but I SWEAR I'm going to be so efficient that I'll have time for vacations! Douglas (DH) and I are going on a 3 day hiking trip to Fundy Nat. Park http://www.bayoffundy.com/ over the Labor Day weekend, which will be nice. And then he's going on a 2-weeker business trip the weekend after :D I intend to make my time alone spa-ish and retreat-like, along with some hard-core socializing, of course. In short - like a vacation :)


Well, my dovies, I must be productive. Let's make this a good one! Love to all!

Hello all! In better spirits today. Down another lb. My method is not faulty after all! It was just the TOM coming to say hello!!! I haven't been quite that hungry in a while. Scary. But all better now back to a better portion size on my plate and not so much nibbling (even though my nibbles here lately have been veggies and no carb pork skins. Which are MARVELOUS by the way, in the BBQ flavor with some sour cream/ranch combo dip going on.)

I'll weigh in officially today since today in 'my' friday. I will be out enjoying Ozzfest tommorow so no work for me(yeah!) Weight: 207. Not much farther now! I can't believe I have lost so much weight. I weighed 240 when I first logged onto 3fc. I've had ups and downs since then and many eating plans. But I just wanted to take the time to thanks all of you lovely ladies who have supported me unconditionally through the trials and errors. If I can come this far, I KNOW all of you can too!

Have a wonderful day!

Zadie, count me in with everyone who thinks that you are indeed being jerked around. Clearly, they don't know who they're dealing with!:mad:

Punkin, 50 Pounds!!! Gone forever!:D

Dear Anagram, I'm thinking of you.:)

Arabella, I'm so glad you're feeling better. I agree, when I get in those moods I just have to find a way out of it--because it can be weirdly satisfying [for me] to wallow in it. May I suggest bellydancing?;) Thanks for the news on wsw!

Kaylets, how was Toastmasters? Can you post a copy of your speech for us?
About the questions of the day: I like Fall best and October is my favorite month. Everything seems to have a lovely 'golden' tint, and the weather's perfect. Also, Fall means that it's almost time when I can wear my favorite outfit which involves wearing my big chunky 'dominatrix' boots. I love those boots!!! They make me feel like a great stalking avenging goddess----which in real life is so far from the truth!

My big news today is it looks like I've lost 5 pounds--dare I say? So at least I'm down to my pre-annual exam weight. Now is the traditionally the time where it all falls apart for me--after I've had a little success. I have to stay really focused now.

Dollar, I'd say that if you've only had one slip in 18 months you're still ahead of the game! Let us know more about the Flexpoints plan.

Frogger, Wow, from 240 to 207! That's big news! By the way, what's Ozzfest? [I'm probably showing myself to be tragically unhip.]






:D

Eydie-Ozzfest is a music concert. (ala Ozzy Osbourne) He headlines this music 'festival'. It used to be 3 stages. But this year it's only 2. First stage used to be a couple of local acts, unsigned bands. Second stage is the up and comings (bands just making it big, but not big enough for the main stage) Main stage are the big acts. This year it's Korn, Marilyn Manson, Chevelle, Disturbed and of course Ozzy. It's an all day thing. This year starts at 9:30am with Ozzy taking the stage at 9:00pm and playing for I think probebly a couple of hours.

Hello,
Just a fly by. Tired and grouchy today. There is also pretty much nobody here today which makes me very much want to go home and sleep. Aarrgg.

Ok must work.

Haaappy Friday-eve! :cb:

Today I swear I'm going to do nothing. I am SO tired, and on top of that, having a massive allergy attack because of the stinkin' fires! :mad:
Let me just take a second to ask a question - how much sense does it make to burn down a forest to protest thinning it?? How stoopid can the protesters be....? That's what they think started our B&B Complex fires - at a total of 6,000 acres now. :rolleyes:

Zadie, oh indeedie you are being treated poorly in this. Jerked around to an impressive extent. I hope it turns out well for you and they just didn't want to discuss said business in your presence, but that YOU had to bring it up is a bit fishy.

Amarantha, you go right ahead and $@#% about the gas problem down there. I'm amazed at the lack of attention it's getting - if it weren't for you and my dad, I wouldn't have even heard about it - and I get a newspaper and watch TV news!

Cerise, Ooooooh how I wish I could declare it Friday!!!!! Soon, though, SOON! :cb: :bubbles: (oh and I would *love* my own tv show... :chin: )
Ya know, 1.6 miles isn't too shabby, especially since 1/2 of it is uphill! But yea, soon, when you're sprinting up the hills, you'll need more!

Arabella, thank you for checking up on WSW, I hope to see her soon. I couldn't agree more with you about how you feel physically affecting your emotional and spiritual sides also, hope you're feeling better all around today!

Frogger, TOM!?!? Weeeeellll, THAT explains a LOT! No wonder you were starving! It's a proven fact that you not only *feel* hungrier around that time, but you physically ARE hungrier! Whew! Problem solved... :lol:
Have fun at Ozzfest! I saw Ozzy in '85 (when Jake E. Lee was in the band... drooooool...) and one of my guilty pleasures is watching The Ozbournes. I have to admit to being something of a Marilyn Manson fan too, there's just something fascinating about him. Kinda in the Eminem vein - disturbing and brilliant all in one.

Dollar, I can't wait for next week's WW meeting to check out the new program! :hyper: I'm Lifetime, but it'll be the first time ever that I'll have gone back after a long absence (2 years) and actually show a loss! :lol: New programs always feel like fresh starts... :spin:

Eydie, oh great looser of 5 pounds! Congrats you! Of course you'll stay on course! You will! :yes:

Time to scoot I guess. I just feel like shutting my poor little watery eyes, and soaking my nose in lotion... AaaaaCHOOO! Darn :smoking:!

Terri

Punkinseed- I too am a closet marilyn manson fan. He's actually a very well read and intellegent person. He speaks very well. I had a chance to meet him last year at Ozzfest. He was a great 'normal' guy.

Thanks, :queen: o' Friday for acknowledging Arizona's gas woes ... it's true, we haven't gotten a mention! :( Nobody loves us!! Nobody cares!!

But anyhow, I had no trouble getting gas in one of the towns where I work, so that was good. And there's been a waiver granted so that our area can use conventional gas (as opposed to a special environmentally sound blend), of which there's lots! And Kinder Morgan swears they're working on that pipleline! :jig: So we're all jolly again!

Postcard from Hell
 

At least it's hot enough to be Hades! Geez, QOD...I HATE SUMMER!!! Especially when the lights go out and everyone is on conservation alert, which means reduced/no air conditioning in 40 degree Celsius heat with windows that don't open to even catch the breeze, hot or not. :hot: I've been working 12 hours a day all week, 7am - 7pm, in my office with the lights out to keep it cooler. Just me, in the dark, working by the glow of a computer screen, mopping my brow...:stress: And THEN....

DH was working in our Orillia office (about 2 hours north) today, fixing some system problems. Our GM informs me that my husband would be spending the night in Orillia because the work took longer than anticipated. So I'm ALONE here tonight, and I don't like being ALONE here at night in a ground floor apartment. I'll be up half the night, and I'm exhausted NOW after working 12 hours today. My landlady told me to pull the fire alarm that is in the hall outside my apartment door if anything goes wrong. She said she'd rather have a false alarm than have me in here frightened. I'm sure it will be fine, and the guard cats have secured the perimeter for me.

Amarantha, glad the gas woes are lifted, at least for now! We take such things for granted these days.

Punkin, gosh it must make you uneasy having fires that close. Aren't you glad you got those trees trimmed last year?

Eydie, 5 pounds??? :cb: AND conquered a challenging weekend! :cb:

Frogger, you're doing marvelously, darling! Keep it up, you'll be in Onederland soon! :cp:

Arabella, the Bay of Fundy is such a spectacular place! Your weekend sounds great!

Cerise, I work in one of those ridiculous places where the managers show up at 5:30am and don't leave until after 6pm....and expect everyone else to do the same! We don't officially start work until 8:30am, but if you show up after 7:30, you get THE FROWN. :nono: We're on salary, so they can ask us to put in some overtime, but they were talking every evening and all weekend for the next three months! I just told them, look, you need me....if you want me, pay me for it! They didn't have much choice in the matter. :yes: And look at you go.....uphill, no less!! Your outfit sounds comfie AND cool! :cool:

:wave: to all....I hope to catch up this weekend....very tired right now...:yawn: Going to sleep while I can.

Keeping this one short, 'cause yesterday's was LOOOONG.
 

Hey, sweetums.

Uh, Wildfire, your job sounds SO FUN. :dizzy: Yeah. I'm gonna go over there and be your full time nurse/housekeeper/cook/spa monitor, because you've GOT to take care of you right now! I'm going to send you some extra hours in the day to sleep and take nice baths and cook good food. You're like, right, cook food. Riiiiight. And don't worry about tonight, darlin'. Cats are the best...watch-animals that ever exist. They smell intruders just as well as dogs. Here, take my lucky rolling pin...:rollpin:

OK, I'm just talking to Wildfire tonight, because the rest of you know if I get started...:blah: . I'm thinking about all of you and hoping for strength and peace for you. Here's a butterfly kiss...:df: (OK, it's not a butterfly, just GO WITH IT)

Lovies,

Hello all!

Friday certainly makes so much seem so much better doesnt it??

Empress- I have been watching the news just to catch a word or two and still....nothing... Just goes to prove an old theory of mine-about rather than " all the news fit to print"- "what most of our viewers would sit and watch"-- so rather than alert us to a possible problem in our parts of the world,etc, etc, the news is choosing to ignore it .

Wildfire-- Yes, I 'm sending a couple hours of soothing music your way to make things a tiny bit more bearable. I know our Canadian correspondents were not open till yesterday, is this still a result of the black out?? And yes, sorry, remind me again what you do?? Sorry, I thought you worked in a big library -- I don't know why I'm so confused.

Punkin- WHAT PROGRESS!! YOU ARE DOING IT NOW!! I need to ride in your draft too!

I promise to catch up w/ everyone soon, need to get out the door
myself....
******************
Today's thought is:

"Too many people are ready to move the stool when the piano needs to be moved"--
Anonymous

Today's question is:

"When you really want something, how do you go about getting it?"
--Table Topics

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Take care all!

Empress, I did see one story on the national news about your gas problem. Don't remember network, time of day. Nice enough story but DAYS after you told us. Only that one but then I have not been watching much TV.

Ceara's our librarian, I think, Kaylets. Blowing breezes your way, Wildfire.

Will someone please put in some exercise for me. Mine's been nil.

Mom passed away yesterday. Funeral Monday. So I'm sure I'll be AWOL for a while. But checking in with my Royals is my "be nice to me" thing for the day.