2009
are you kidding me?!
i caused a stir at work today – all i was trying to do was point-out that it would be nice to know the status of things, on this huge project i’m working on… the person i deal with, in editorial, is notorious for saying things like, “you’ll get file X tomorrow” and then i don’t, and i have no idea when i will be getting it… so i wrote this email this morning, with my boss’s help, and sent it to all parties involved… i guess someone got their panties in a bunch and was upset, and then had the balls to lie and say she HAD been telling me things… both my coworker and boss heard her in my office yesterday and know that’s not the case, so why bother lying? i just don’t understand… later, my boss got an email that said a list has been in the works – meanwhile, i’ve never seen it and it would’ve eliminated everything that happened this morning… c’mon people – work with me here! we’re all on the same team! :-p
(end of rant)
eric and i got anxious last night and decided to move my bedroom furniture (sans bed) and my tv… this week may be crazy and with the threat of rain on sat/sun, we thought we should take advantage of what we could last night… it’s now in the garage, and my couch is now in the LR which the cats have been LOVING! to them – it’s something new to play under, jump-on, and most of all – cover with hair! wahhhhhhh! we stopped at panera bread on the way home but they were closed, so option B was chipotle. (eric was considerate enough to ask which was a better option for me)… i did fairly well considering their menu, and i skipped both the sour cream and guacamole (which is a first)… 
tonight, i’ll be heading home and i have to clear-off my bed since we dumped all my drawers on there last night… i also need tackle my kitchen, walk-in closet, bathroom, and eventually – dismantle the computer… i told eric i wasn’t sure how i was going to watch tv in bed now since my dresser is gone (and the tv is now sitting on the floor)… oh, how i’m going to miss watching tv before going to sleep… 
happy tuesday…
2009
paint everywhere
ugh, who’s bright idea was it to start painting? oh that’s right, it was mine… i’m making progress with the DR but there’s still much to do (2nd coat of the trim, ceiling, doorways, and closet doors)… i want to get it done before eric gets back from florida this weekend (he drove down on sunday) and then we can tackle the next room… he helped me on saturday, in between prepping for his trip, but since then – i’ve been on my own and that’s fine… i was up til almost midnight doing the trim – i had to work late but didn’t want to put it off another day so i taped everything and then started… i’m crazy, that’s all there is to it…
our belated valentine’s dinner on friday night was okay – i give it a 6/10… we both ordered something other than our ‘usual’ and were both unhappy with the result (the calimari was tasty though)… the thai place we ordered from saturday night however, was awesome, and it’s only 5 minutes from his house… the people at the table next to us on friday suggested trying it, and i’m so glad we did – can’t beat green curry on a cold, winter night!
so besides painting – work has been busy esp. since our president is testifying on the hill today re: 401k stuff (that’s why i was here so late last night)… i have 3 big projects on my plate right – one in review, one just beginning, and one sort of in the middle… i AM making an attempt to get to the gym though, so at least i’m not being a total slacker in that department…
i made an awesome recipe this weekend –> carrot ginger coconut soup and it comes to only 1 point per serving (1 cup)… if you don’t have one of those hand-blenders, please consider getting one because it makes life so much easier when it comes to pureeing sauces and soup… now i have lunch for the whole week, plus some in the freezer for eric…
i’m not sure if i’ll weigh-in tomorrow since i don’t have my scale (i’m staying at eric’s this week)… since i have to stop at my place tomorrow night, after my chiro appt., i may bring it along and weigh-in thursday… i’m not expecting a loss but will be happy with maintaining…
now that i have a moment to breathe, i may try and catch-up with everyone…
happy tuesday…
TGIF
it’s been a busy week for me but today – things are rather slow, plus the boss is out (not that i’m complaining)… i was here late last night because i had to wait for a research report (that had to be posted on the website) so i went the gym and did about 30 mins on the treadmill… then i ran to home depot for paint swatches and a tape-gun thing, and then over to target for some bday cards, cereal, and cat food… exciting, let me tell you…
i found a woman on this website called freecycle.com (a yahoo group) that had some boxes she was willing to give-away – fine by me! she left them on her porch and i loaded them into my car the other night, after my functional training session… it went well i guess (he even said i was rather athletic! me? are you kidding?) but i’m just not feeling that it will be worth my while since i’d have to stop in 6 weeks anyway (because of moving)… we did a lot of ladder/floor exercises, some ball/balance moves, and dead-lifts on the machine (where i was told my form was as perfect as you could get!)… i can handle 1-night a week but 2-nights are ideal, and they’d have to be tues/weds which isn’t the best scenario – decisions, decisions…
plans for the weekend: hit home depot and buy paint/supplies and window blinds; stop by a few estate/moving sales; organize some closets and laundry room; meet a girlfriend on sunday for lunch; workout at least ONE day; and relax… next weekend’s a bust since my mom and i are going to see my sister, so i feel that we need to make SOME progress on the house sat/sun… why do i wish this was all over-and-done with already…
have a great weekend, everyone… stay warm!
2009
in the groove
i forgot what it was like to worry about weekly weigh-ins but being back on WW has really made me pay attention to what i am eating… after staying at eric’s for the extended weekend – i was anxious esp. since we had that pizza on sunday and then italian leftovers on monday… either way, i prayed for the scale to stay the same this morning but was blessed with a 1 pound loss instead… i know there will be many weeks where that won’t be the case so i’m enjoying it while i can…
work is picking-up against hence why i haven’t been able to read/comment on your blogs as of late… we are in the process of launching a new website and there’s much work to be done – my boss is the project manager and though she’s done much of the painstaking work herself, there is plenty for others to do in the next few weeks… ontop of that – i have some big projects coming up so i’m trying to not get stressed-out ahead of time and make sure i take time for ME everyday… i had a good cardio workout today and need to make more of an effort to go after work if there’s no time during the day… it’s so easy to say, “screw it, i’m going home” but if all i’m doing is eating dinner watching tv – a workout will be much better for me in the long run…
i taped last night’s LOST so for those of you that watch it – how was it? i’m also taping CSI – am just too tired to watch anything… i barely have the energy to type this so as soon as i post – i’m hopping into bed, watching some tv to wind-down, and then going to sleep… i have another early day tomorrow too (chiro appt) so 6am will be here before you know it – at least it’s friday…
happy thursday…
2008
today is pointless
besides the fact that my company is lame and will not close over the holidays (we’re open when the stock market is open), i am here with nothing to do… even if i HAD work to do – i doubt i would do it anyway because it’s the day after xmas and it’s friday – puhlease! i took my time getting to work this morning, after my chiro appt, bought myself a bagel and coffee at au bon pain (the only place open it seems), and will soon plan out my day… which really means, figure out what i’ll be watching online (www.fancast.com)… i did bring my workout clothes and in hopes that the gym is open, i plan on having a good workout esp. since they closed early on xmas eve and i did nothing but eat yesterday…
christmas was great – eric bought me a new camera and i can’t get over at how much smaller and lighter it is compared to my old one… i will miss my flip-screen but having one that is twice as large and having a camera with twice as many mega pixels will make up the difference… he said that i have more presents coming next weekend, when we celebrate w/his family in pittsburgh, but it’s always an issue since i feel xmas here should be ours and where we open all the gifts… he seems to think we should open some there too – maybe someday we’ll come to a compromise…
my mom came down around 3:00 and stayed til almost 9:00 – dinner came out well though i have a ton of leftovers in my fridge right now… she got me a bunch of little things and a steamer which is awesome – i’ve been wanting one for a while so now i can iron stuff w/out using an iron… we also made a huge batch of caramel corn last night – my mom is the type that has to do the same thing each holiday… make a ton of cookies, hard candy, fudge, peanut brittle, caramel corn – regardless if people say they don’t need it, she makes it anyway because that’s just what you do…
tonight, my brother is having the whole family over for dinner and that’s where we’ll exchange more presents (and eat more food and sweets – ugh!)… then my sister and nieces are coming home with me and staying the weekend – we have a busy day planned tomorrow with thrift store shopping, lunch w/eric, and more shopping… i’m not complaining by any means, mind you, when we’re all together – we can be quite the bargain shoppers…
thought i’d post some pics from yesterday…
santa was good to eric this year and got him a new motorcycle jacket…
finally a blanket we can both fit under (which i made, thank you very much!)…
tyler wasn’t very thrilled to wear this (plus it was too small!)…
pardon the hair but look at my new camera!
greek walnut pie for dessert – yum-o!
“i really hate it when she makes me model…”
where is everyone (a view of the metro this morning)…
i hope you all had a wonderful christmas and enjoy your weekend…
wow
so the mole i had removed last week was deemed skin cancer – basal cell carcinoma to be exact… according to this website, it’s the most common of all skin cancers and for the most part – easy to treat if found early enough… the nurse said the doctor had removed all the bad cells and nothing had spread, but i have to come back every 3 months for a full-body check… i’m not really surprised since my dad had the same thing (from being a bricklayer for 50+ years) but i also thought i was pretty careful when it came to protecting myself from the sun… i’ve always used a high SPF but this just goes to show you, one over-exposed day can do you in so PLEASE wear your sunscreen girls/gals…
my grocery shopping went very well last night – i was in/out in about an hour and spent just over $100 (which is amazing to me and that included wine)… i do enjoy grocery shopping, not sure why, so the cart-filled aisles didn’t bother me (though not knowing the store layout did! ha!)… after i got home and unpacked everything – i made two batches of sugar cookie dough and will making those tonight… i also wrapped the rest of my xmas presents and then had some time to relax before calling it a night…
the office is desolate today – i’m dressed as casual as i could (no jeans) and put on my santa hat so that was a fun ride-in this morning… my boss just ran to border’s to do some last minute shopping and until i get the stat release this afternoon – i have nothing to do… le sigh…
so i’ll make good use of my time and share some links with you… enjoy!
- nine west shoe sale (30% off)
- watch tv shows online (for free)
- breakfast ideas for over the holidays
- camera for your pet (i seriously might get one of these – how funny!)
- restaurant gift certificates (use code: HOLIDAY for an add’l 80% off)
- holiday tv show marathon schedules
merry christmas eve!
on the mend
i finally went to see a chiropractor on tuesday (since i had off on veterans day) and found out that my back is ALL out of whack and needs major adjusting… i’ve been having mid-back pain for months and after they did some muscle spasm tests, it appears the problem is really in my upper/lower back… he also did some neurological tests (reflexes, etc.) which i sucked at, but it just goes to show you how weak you can be when your nerves are not working properly with your muscles… they took xrays of my neck and i went back tonight to get my prognosis – instead of having a nice c-curve, my neck is practically straight so my head isn’t sitting on my spine properly… it’s evident that i need some major TLC so i’ll be going 3x/week for massage and adjusting, and then will slowly work into remedial therapy and then some physical therapy… i started treatment tonight and had 10-minutes of massage and then an adjustment – my neck cracked several times, as well as some areas on my back, and the doctor thinks i’ll be as good as new in a few months… i will also need to work on my desk setup at work and at home, as well as my posture and other things… so my advice is – if you’re having back pains, don’t think they’ll go away – see a doctor! you could make things worse by not getting medical attention!
work has been better now that the annual report is done and has been delivered… the president told my boss today that it’s the most beautiful publication he’s ever seen, and couldn’t wait to go home and show his wife! i’ve also had several coworkers compliment me, including a woman in the media department who can be very harsh/mean at times… honestly, i think it really hasn’t hit me yet (that it’s done) so perhaps in another week or so i’ll be able to look at it without looking for something that should’ve been fixed… 
exercise/food has been mediocre at best… i needed a few more pairs of pants and have to admit, i had to buy 12′s and not 10′s… i bought most at consignment/thrift stores so at most, i’m out a few bucks but it’s still a bit depressing… i know it’s just a SIZE but i can feel that i’ve gained and i can see more jiggle than i used too… perhaps when my back is feeling better and i’m feeling better in general (still feeling funky), i’ll be able to focus on myself again… i’ve lost interest in reading and am behind about 6 magazines – that never used to happen so i really need to work on that… i’m sleeping okay and haven’t had daily crying outbursts so it’s a very different depression than i’m used too… could be the change in weather too – this getting dark at 5:00 really sucks!
this weekend, eric and i are going to see my dad and then going to pittsburgh to see his parents… we’ll be staying at my sister’s cabin tomorrow night and then will spend the morning w/my dad on saturday before heading north to the farm… i haven’t seen my dad in a while so i’m looking forward to that, same goes with his family… as for thanksgiving – we won’t be doing the annual state college thing (with 80+ people) because eric needs to be in town for work… i’m not sure what i’ll be doing instead but am looking forward to having a long weekend…
sorry for not posting/commenting as often… will try harder, i promise!
happy thursday…
2008
change is coming
let me just start out by saying GO OBAMA! whoo hooo, what an amazing election and an amazing time for our country… i made it to the polls after work and waited for over an hour – no one was complaining in line and i found that to be pretty awesome (someone said the location never had a down-time during the day)… i stayed up as long as i could last night and watched mccain give his concession speech but fell asleep by the time obama came on… i was just too tired and couldn’t keep my eyes open but it was SO nice to wake-up to such great news!
the annual report is officially done – i went to the press inspection this morning and as long as they don’t screw something up in binding, i’m done done DONE with that project… i love going to see printers because i find the whole process so fascinating – most have modern presses but some still use the old ones… to see a piece of machinery (i.e. a heidelberg) that sometimes can be over 100 years old is just amazing to me… since i had to wait around in between sheet inspections, i took advantage of their customer lounge, checked email, and watched some talking head shows… the rep bought me lunch and then i was able to call it a day around 1:00 – how nice of my boss to say i could have the rest of the day off… as many hours as i put in – i should have more than that but our company doesn’t believe in flex time… such is life…
monday night was the football game and even though it was a lot of fun, the redskins still lost (cus they played like ass!) and eric was all happy-go-lucky… it was quite funny seeing us since he had a steelers jersey and i had a redskins jersey but then again – we saw a lot of split couples throughout the night… it took us almost 2 hours to get there but getting home was easy, thank god – still made for a long tuesday since i didn’t get much sleep… anyway, here are some pictures so enjoy!
can you tell this was before the game (meaning i looked happy)…
there’s nothing quite like being in a stadium with over 90k screaming people…
not sure why i’m smiling but perhaps i thought we’d still win… 
2008
she’s alive, SHE’S ALIVE
last week was utter hell for me – i somehow managed to only have ONE meltdown in my office and still get the annual report out the door at 5:30 pm on friday night… needless to say, i did not participate in any halloween parties or activities and eric went alone… even though he understood that i had a stressful week – i still felt bad that i didn’t want to go but just didn’t have the energy… so i went home, had pizza for dinner, parked my ass on the couch, and then went to bed around 11:00… i also had THE most lovely sleep-in on saturday (minus several incidents with max) and felt human again by the afternoon…
since this project knocked the crap out of me and i was working 10-hour days, i didn’t go to the gym… i believe it’s been two weeks so i’m making a point and getting there today, come hell or high water… food has been okay but both need worked-on and i need to get back on some sort of plan before things get more out of control… i did try on a pair of my ‘skinny’ jeans and they still fit so maybe i haven’t gained as much as i thought – what a treat indeed!
in other news – eric has adopted another cat… a friend of his found it near a construction site and took it home, only to find that she was allergic… so eric offered to foster him until she found it a new home but since last week, he’s become very attached (surprise, surprise)… he got all his shots this past weekend and was giving the go-ahead to be around others – norman seems to have tolerated him quickly and max (my cat) has basically growled more than anything… having 3 cats, in a smaller house, is definitely going to be a challenge so we’ll see how it goes… he’s very cute, solid black, and purrs very loudly…. as for naming him – we went from jean pierre to tyler since the living room resembled a scene from ‘fight club’… anything named after brad pitt is fine with me…
and the only other exciting news is that eric and i are going to the steelers/redskins monday night football game – i have been so looking forward to this game for months… we’ll be going with some friends of mine and their daughter who turns 16 today – neither of them have been to a game so it should be fun… she’s like, “i don’t even know what you’re supposed to do”… hahahaha, i’ll try and post pics later this week…
i was supposed to have off tomorrow but since this project ran behind schedule, i’ll have to come in for a few hours… i did ask to leave early since i have every intention of casting my vote before the polls close at 8:00… GO OBAMA!
happy monday…
weigh-in
thought i’d share two of my horoscopes from today – it’s funny how both seem to be saying something to me, but in different ways (i don’t take them that seriously, mind you)…
- you may find that you’ve been playing with fire lately, and this is a good day to change your ways and focus on a safer way of life.
- as much as you would love for someone to know that fantastical version of yourself that you’ve created in your head, the real you is more lovable. so when the questions arise, you tell the truth. helplessly so.
man, oh man – these are so dead-on, i can’t even tell you… somehow these horoscopes just knew that i was going to be reporting my weigh-in and today, and they decided to send me a little message… i will not lie to you guys – i have gained a few pounds (4.4 since july), so to say that i’ve been playing with fire is an understatement… though i’ve enjoyed not keeping track, perhaps i’ve been enjoying my comfort zone a bit too much… i am not saying, however, that i hate the way i look – i have worked way to hard at accepting myself, just the way i am, and will not let a few pounds get to me… yet on the otherhand, i can see/feel where the extra pounds have come back and even though my clothes still fit (thank god!), things like tights are a bit more snug these days…
so the fantastical me (created in my head) isn’t as thin as she used to be a few months ago… is that a bad thing? not really but i guess it’s all depends on how you look at it… i made an honest decision to stop tracking and gaining weight shouldn’t be that big of a surprise really… i have never pretended to be perfect or to be someone that hasn’t struggled while trying to lose weight… for me, i came to place this summer where i was just tired of everything… tired of counting, tired of keeping track, tired of bargaining this food for that food, and tired of reporting the same loss/gain each week… it was a choice i made and i’m not regretting it by any means but i do think i’m at a place now where i need to be careful… just thought i’d share… 
)
now back to my regular blogging…
i tried yet another new recipe last night – greens, tomato, and white bean soup… i found the recipe in the morning paper and believe it or not – i had all the ingredients in my pantry… unfortunately, i could only find a PDF of the whole paper online so i made a graphic of just the recipe and you can check it out here… the only thing i substituted was the last ingredient – i had a bag of spinach and am pretty sure it would be tasty with any greens you might have on hand… this soup was really good and it would be perfect for a chilly night at home or rainy weekend, and even better with a warm loaf of bread… )
work update: my boss gave me the good news on friday afternoon – sorry i haven’t posted since then but friday was a blur with the whole photography thing, and then i was super-busy over the weekend… anyway, she had been waiting to get final approval (from the big cheese) and told me that even though i don’t have a job description yet – i will receive the promotion which includes a new title (design director) and a 12.8% increase… i know, i know – i shouldn’t be bragging about this, considering the state of our economy right now, but damn – i really worked hard for this and am SO happy! she said basically the same thing and that i deserved it, so yay me! my first goal will be to pay-off my car loan and then i’ll be upping my 401(k) and putting more in savings… whooo hoooo… )
happy hump day…
p.s. i’m back to being a (lighter) blonde again and have updated my photo… ;o)
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