Starting the topic - be right back

Good morning - it's a rainy Memorial Day here - I'm trying to relax today as I have to go back to work tomorrow - after 6 days off it's going to be rough!

I didn't weigh in on Saturday although I did go to my meeting. I just didn't want to see a gain - I did well over the weekend though and plan on stepping on that scale next Saturday no matter what. I've decided that starting today, I will be doing the program like it's week 1 - I had a good chat with my cousin over the weekend who started WW online and it gave me a bunch of motivation to do the program like it's meant to be done.

Friday was an interesting day - here's the dish on the interview on Friday. They brought me in not for the "Marketing Coordinator", for which they said I was overqualified (it was a pretty adminstrative/clerical position) but for a job that is on the drawing board. The company, which makes heart rate monitors (I have one of theirs) is expanding even in this economy. I met with the Director of Business to Business Marketing. She is looking at the possibility of putting together a training program for representatives who can then go out to health clubs, wellness centers, etc. We had a really good chat and got on well. She was very into my fitness enthusiasm, wanted to know what my routine was, wanted to know about videofitness.com, etc. The upshot is that she really liked me, my enthusiasm for the product, my intelligence, etc., the downside was that I don't really have marketing experience. Of course, the position isn't created yet and as she said, she might not be able to find someone with my assets and with marketing experience too. Oh, and I forgot, they are moving to a new location in the next couple of months (because they need to expand) - they are moving from a town about 20 minutes away to one about 10 minutes away. All in all, it was a good experience. After all, it really was my first interview since 1984!

Of course, I really want to get into a school system. As I've said to Tony, I need to follow that dream and find out if what I've been thinking (for the last 2 years) is right for me for me, really *is* right for me. I've sent out resumes to 40 school districts so far (I did some more yesterday). I've also decided that this week I am going to go to my boss and his boss and talk to them about trying to get a package.

OK - enough babbling for now. I'm going to do a back care yoga tape - I need to loosen things up after doing a ton of gardening yesterday morning (before more rain in the afternoon).

Have a great one!
Judy
163.6/154.4/135 (last week's numbers)
and 98/240 workouts

Happy Monday...or what's left of it.

Hope Carla is having a wonderful break in Seattle.

Judy, what an interesting experience your interview turned out to be. It sounds like something promising, and when a door opens, I think it always pays to investigate what's on the other side. It's an option to think about...and I think that it's great that you're putting so much effort into getting your resumes out for the TA positions. I admire your stick-to-it-ness a lot. You're definitely headed in the direction of a positive life change.

As for me...I've decided to get my butt to WW meetings for a kick start. I'll be going on Tuesday evenings, so will post my weigh ins on Wednesdays as usual - not that I've bothered weighing in much in the past couple of months. Tomorrow will be my first meeting.

On a happy note, I got my first major assignment back today, and managed to get 100%. I'd been fretting up a storm about how I could have done the assignment differently from the moment I clicked the "send" button, but it turned out it was all for nothing. I'm taking next week off, so will be doing a big chunk of the second assignment then. I'm also going to zip over to Victoria for a day to visit Jen.

That's about all I can say for myself for now...

Talk to you tomorrow.

Karen - Woo hoo on your assignment! That's great news. Hopefully you won't be quite as nervous when you submit the second! Good for you for deciding that for you to succeed you want to go back to meetings. I feel that both here and my meeting help - the more help I can get the better. Is it fairly convenient for you? Thanks for you encouragement on the job front. I need to make this happen for my health as well as my sanity!

I had a pretty good day yesterday - I did a short yoga workout and stayed just under my max point-wise. I hope to get in a workout after work today. The way things are going today, I don't think staying in my range will be much of a problem. I've been fairly naseous (sp?) about work - I have *got* to get out of that place - it's literally making me sick! I've made an "appt" to talk to my boss and his boss at 5:00 tomorrow - I'm practising my "spiel" today - I know that no matter what they say, I will feel better having gotten this whole thing off my chest - then whatever they do, they do.

OK - time for a stupid 2 hour conference call.
Have a great one!
Juyd
P.S. Carla - I hope Seattle was fun!

Good Morning...

Judy, good luck with your meeting...I'll be sending good vibes your way this afternoon.

I didn't get to WW yesterday. I came home from work in a major PMS induced deep blue funk, and spent most of the evening in tears for no apparent reason. I hate days like that. Eating wasn't good either. This too shall pass. I expect to be human again soon.

Have a great day.

Hi all.

We're back home, safe and sound. We arrived home at 7:30 this morning, so needless to say, it was a waste of a day.

Judy - Sounds like you had a really great interview! And you're right, it's great practice even if the job doesn't pan out or you decide you're not interested. Karen's right, with all the effort you're putting into getting out your resumes, you're bound for a positive life change. I hope your talk with your boss went the way you wanted it to. It is so not worth going to a job you can't stand every day, especially if it's making you physically ill on top of wearing you down mentally and emotionally. You're going to feel like a new person when you get out of there. I'm glad you've gotten back in touch with your "first week enthusiasm". You'll do great OP for sure.

Karen - Yay for you for acing that assignment! What a great feeling! Good for you for deciding to go to meetings, if that will help kick start you. I've been seriously considering that myself. Sorry to hear that you had a tough day with PMS yesterday. Those days are so hard to deal with. Here's to brighter days!

We had a good time in Seattle. We spent the first three days exploring the city and then Tuesday we rented a car and went up into the mountains. I didn't know this, but every Memorial Day weekend, Seattle sponsors an International Folklife Festival. Lots of music, crafts, food, etc. We went for a while on both Sunday and Monday and it was really great. It was at Seattle Center, by the Space Needle, so Ana got to ride the kiddy rides there. She's pretty fearless. I did pretty good, food-wise. As anticipated, we ate a decent breakfast and then a light lunch, if any. I packed my workout clothes, but when we got to the hotel I realized that I packed two left shoes from two different sets of sneakers. I suppose I could have worn my Mephisto walking shoes to workout in, but it didn't really matter as we did a lot of walking, so I got my workouts in that way. Especially considering that much of the walking was uphill - some gently sloping inclines (although enough of those in a row will kill you) and some hills of the kind that leave you at the top gasping for air and begging God to "take me now 'cause I'm surely dying". Amazingly enough, my knees and ankles held up really well. And now back to reality. I heard from a couple of my references that they were called by the guy I interviewed with so I guess things are moving along.

Talk to you later.

Carla

Karen B - Sorry to hear about the PMS induced blue funk. I hope today is a better day. Thanks for the encouragement. I feel good about what I'm doing, even if it's a little unsettling.

Carla - What a great trip that was - and to have the festival there too. I had to laugh about the two left shoes but I'm glad you got in your workouts the fun way (well, OK, maybe not those hills, but you know what I mean). Way to go on dealing well with the food. That's great news that the guy with whom you interviewed is calling your references! I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you!

I meant to write something yesterday after dinner (the day was very crazy after "the talk" - meetings, etc.) but by the time we finished dinner, I was *exhausted* - but in a good way!

As for yesterday, I think it went very well. Now, I don't trust my boss as far as I can throw him, and while his (new) boss seems to be a straight shooter, I have no evidence either way. Her first sentence after I finished my spiel was that she as "all for progress" and after 19 years she could see why I would
want a change and she respects that (she said she has been at the bank 17 years and every once in a while she thinks about intellectual property law). She said she would talk to HR and didn't seem to blink at my saying I would like to be considered for a severance package - that's encouraging but I'll be waiting to see something in writing. She asked about a timeframe, when
school started and I told her that although I missed deadlines for
September, I was trying to get into a school system so I was looking at Aug/Sept. She asked me to let her know if that changes; She said she appreciated my openness about it all. Then we started talking about finding my replacement. She's going to be in San Francisco next week but I'm assuming she'll be
talking to HR before that. We agreed that we would wait to tell the rest of the project managers (my peers) until next week's staff meeting.

When I got back to my desk, there was a call from Tony - I got a call back for an AT job at a private special ed school from I resume I had faxed on Memorial Day. The school is at most 20 minutes away. I have an interview on Monday morning!
Maybe it was a little release from stress but I snacked a little bit too much last night - didn't use all my banked points but did a major whittling away. My rings are tight this morning so it;s a guzzling kind of day. I plan on getting in some weight work later and going online tonight if the snack monster strikes.

Back to work - have a great one!
Judy

Hi all.

Judy - I'm glad to hear that your talk with your bosses went well. That must be such a load off your mind. I'll keep my fingers crossed that they'll come through with the severence package. And what great news about the AT interview. I'm so happy that things are looking up for you! Funny how we snack at happy as well as at stressed, bored, sad, isn't it? Ah well, you still have points in the bank so all is well. Has your leader said anything about the new plan that is all the buzz on the WW boards? Apparently there will be no more point ranges, but a target number that you must hit and each week starts out with 35 flex points that you can spend when and how you want.

I managed to maintain while away, so that is good. What is not so good is the gain I've seen lately did not go away and I can't blame it all on water. So, once again a new starting weight and a renewed sense of urgency about getting with the program.

Talk to you all later.

Carla
278/278/140

Hello ladies,

It sounds like a busy week for all of you. I will check in with each of you later, this is just a quick note to weigh in. Today's weight is 184, 1 pound down. Unfortunately yesterday it was 185, so I had to put $5 in the hotel pot, since it was a maintain. Oh well next week I will report a loss.

Take care, Anne

Anne - Congrats on the 1 lb down today.

Had a good day yesterday and am on track for a good day today. We're having a(nother) b-day party for Ana, for John's family and her godparents, on Sunday, so that's my challenge for the weekend. I'm just serving finger foods, so I'll be sure to have lots of fresh veggies and other low point goodies.

If I don't get back on today, have a great weekend everyone.

Carla