Randomness April 27, 2011

I’m totally ripping off the title of this post from my dear friend, Molly, who writes over at These Little Moments and if you aren’t reading her yet, you should be.  She’s funny, witty and wears fabulous shoes which are all reasons why we’re friends.  Oh yeah, and she’s got a big fluffy dog and a totally delicious little boy with the kind of cheeks kisses are made for.  And she’s an amazing person to boot.  So, read her…. DO IT!
 
That being said, this post is full of randomness…
 

- John and I went and saw Water For Elephants this weekend.  I begged him for a date night and promised it wasn’t a total love story (I kind of lied… I don’t lie often – only when it benefits me) and wouldn’t you know, he agreed to go.  I quickly bought the tickets online early in the day before he could change his mind and about an hour later I got a call with the question, “are we only going to see this movie because the dude from Twilight is in it?”
 

I think there’s an elephant in this picture somewhere…

 

“No…” and that wasn’t a total lie.  I HAD read the book and loved it and was set on seeing it before I found out who was starring in it.  And I TOLD John that that was the case but when he told his female co-workers that we were going to see it, they nicely reminded him of who the Elephant H2O Distribution Engineer was.  And apparently they told him in the middle of the day while he was still coherent and I probably snuck it into the conversation as he was falling asleep one night.  My bad.
 

I thought the movie was great and John actually admitted to liking it too.  I told him it was a really visually beautiful film and he immediately said, “yeah because you got to stare at Edward for the last two hours” to which I pointed out, “Reese is a hottie too and you get to take her home… quit your whining.”
 

- I have had the most amazing two days at work.  Great energy, awesome feedback and a group of students that I dote on like their surrogate “college mom” have made me feel like the luckiest girl in the world.  I LOVE my job and how many people can say THAT?
 

- We’re having someone come in and give us a price quote on carpeting for our living room. I’m trying to decide between berbers, plushes, friezes, loops or wools and figuring out which of these meet my needs (read: will stand up to 200 pounds of dirty, hairy rottweilers) is enough to make my head explode.  While we’re at it, we’re having a crack in our foundation fixed and we’re looking to do some rearranging of spare bedrooms to make way for some new office furniture I found on Craig’s List… I’m officially old.
 

- I’m going to a fundraising gala this weekend so I broke out my gorgeous bridesmaid dress from my sister-in-law’s wedding this past August.  It fits but it’s tight (read: my boobs are going to be up to my chin).  I guess it’s a good reminder of that 15 pound weight-loss goal I have and how I really need to get back on that.
 
Speaking of which… I really should be running too.  My shoes are calling my name and they’re feeling neglected.
 

- At my friend’s baby shower last weekend, I won a prize.  I successfully answered 25 questions PLUS the 6 bonuses correctly (for a total of 31, natch).  The object of the quiz?  Match the celebrities with their kid’s names.  My closest competitor had 18.  Clearly, I need to jump on that whole “give up tv for a week” thing.
 

Yes… I’m aware.

 

And on a much more important note, John and I hit a huge milestone this week… but that’s for another post.  Edward doesn’t deserve to share a post with my amazing husband.

 

When in doubt, make a fool of yourself.  There is a microscopically thin line between being brilliantly creative and acting like the most gigantic idiot on earth.  So what the hell, leap.  ~Cynthia Hiemel

Wait… HOW did you get here??? Vol. 3 April 23, 2011

If you havc no idea what’s going on haven’t read the first two “HOW Did You Get Here???” posts, check them out HERE and HERE (once we all realize this is a habit I won’t keep linking to the older ones).  That being said, my disclaimer is that I didn’t change the grammar/spelling on any of these searches so you can appreciate the full ridiculousness of every single one.
 

pregnant with a million babies comic

Well, I don’t think that’s possible…
 

Alright, so maybe it is.

 

cutest pair of bff

Yeah… I got that covered.

 
cancer kid cartton

I’m hoping cartton is another word for compassion, love, etc. rather than what I THINK you meant to type which was cartoon… and there ain’t NOTHING funny about kids with cancer.

 
pictures of cartoon mothers day witch

I searched through a LOT of pics… still not sure how you got here.
 

I’m sure my mother wished she could have just wiggled her nose and had the house clean… but that clearly didn’t happen.

 
disneyland best friends necklaces

Damn… how did I miss these??? I could have gotten a different theme for all my besties and had several necklaces on at all times – I would have had to make sure they coordinated – but it would have been AWESOME!  Hmmm… maybe I’ll check out Ebay.
 

Or maybe not.

 
most hot women boobs show

Not sure how you’d get here with that search… maybe I should Google myself and make sure nothing (too) inappropriate pops up.

what could i do in 3 hours of my life
A lot… but instead we all get sucked into Facebook and end up looking at OTHER people’s lives for 3 hours.
 

 
miserable & fat cartoon

I might be a little overweight but did this search REALLY bring you to my blog?  Ouch.

 
reality is for losers who dont play video games tee shirts

Yikes…
 

suck it up sunshine pictures

Oh my gosh, DON’T Google this – it’s terrifying and I’m not sure HOW they got here.

 
crying moments

I have them – this is a valid search.

 
jack daniels

Yes, please!

 
i’m you

Well then who the hell am I?

 
jony dep eat corn

“Johnny Cracked Corn and I don’t care…”  Oh wait, isn’t it JIMMY?  And who is Jony Dep and how did you get to this blog?
 

I’m sensitive like that.

 

no puking symbol

This should be at the entrance of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

 
having a friend who’s so like me convince me i’m almost normal

I surround myself with those kinds of friends… but they don’t generally know that’s why we’re friends.  So again, not sure how you got here.
 

This is true… my friends are unbelievably interesting and THAT’S why we’re friends.

 

Never mind searching for who you are.  Search for the person you aspire to be.  ~Robert Brault

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend April 20, 2011

You might remember when I lost my mind decided to take in a foster a couple weeks back.  If you don’t, then read my insane ramblings here.  I was really wondering if we could handle taking in a pup at the busiest time of my work year and whether or not our marriage would survive my spontaneous decision.
 

I got over it the second that little girl jumped out of the ASPCA van in my front yard.
 

This was within 10 minutes of her being at the house… I think she was happy.

 

Diamond was the happiest, loviest little snugglebug I’ve ever met.  I swear, you’d think she was crapping rainbows with the smile that graced her face at all times.  What.A.Doll.  We played with her for a while, let her investigate the yard and then we released the hounds… literally.

 

We let Brody meet her first because Brody can make friends with a wall.  It took a few minutes before she warmed up to him but I think his (enormous) size was a little intimidating.  She’s definitely a pocket pittie and made B look like Godzilla minus the fire breathing and falling buildings in Tokyo.  Then we took the real test and brought Capone out.  It didn’t take us long to realize that they both suffered from Idiot On A Leash Syndrome and decided that it was enough excitement for one day.  Seriously, my dog goes to doggy daycare where he plays with upwards of 70 dogs at a time but if he meets a dog in the lobby while on the leash, he’s a total bully.  Freak.

 

I iz pertie…

 

Given the fact that she was REALLY sick (I probably could still scrape up some of the green snot from my floor somewhere) AND she hadn’t been spayed yet (you can’t expect to be gassed under for surgery if you can’t breathe through your nose), we decided there was no good reason for them to all be hanging out.  So we did a lot of crate and rotate… and it ended up applying to both the dogs and John and I.  Because I was working such crazy hours and going home in the middle to let all the beasts out, I felt extra guilty and slept in the spare bedroom with her.  Every night.  For two weeks.  John missed me I think.  Through it all I just kept reminding myself… she would have been dead.  Spending the day alone ain’t that bad.

 

I just had a baff… rn’t i adorabol???

 

She was only with us for a week and a half before an application came in that was the equivalent of the winning PowerBall ticket minus the millions of dollars but including all the happiness and promise for a future you didn’t need to worry about.  Ok, maybe that’s a bad comparison.  What I am trying to say is, holy crap this family was perfect.  Now I just had to wait and see if she was perfect for the family.  On Saturday the 9th, exactly two weeks from the day she arrived, John and I brought the little girl to our town’s spring clean up we were volunteering at and she was Miss Social Butterfly – best friends with everyone, running around off-leash, picking up stray sticks and straight up loving life.  And I’m not going to lie… I teared up.  Big time.  Here was this little pup who I took a huge leap of faith on and she was SO happy to be alive.  Imagine that.

 

Ummmm… thanx fur savin me Darcie… i luv livin!

 

After one last make-her-smell-good-and-look-pretty bath, we were on our way to her potential new family’s home 25 minutes away.  We pulled up, she jumped out of the car, ran right up the front steps, stopped to say hi to her new mama and then walked into the house like she was already home.  It was an absolute love fest and after 2 hours of laughing, sharing stories, asking questions and overall bonding, all because of this little girl, John and I got back in our car with nothing but an empty leash in my hands.  Oh yeah… and two new friends.  And then I bawled my eyes out -  huge, alligator tears of happiness.  Diamond went from being on the top of a euthanasia list to the top dog in her new home, complete with grandchildren at the perfect height for kissing, in less than two weeks.  And there’s nothing better than that.  Diamond has been officially adopted after a week-long trial run.  She is now named Macy and is spending her days curled up with her mom and dad, snuggling on the couch and sharing that big pretty pittie smile with anyone who looks her way.  Good girl Macy… GOOD GIRL.  The coolest part?  We pulled her from the shelter on the same day that her new mom and dad lost their beloved pittie girl to cancer.  I certainly believe in fate and this was one of those times that confirms it for me.

 

I can’t help but imagine the thank you’s pouring through her mind.

 

So after all the anxiety, stress and overall “what the hell was I thinking” feelings, I walked out of this experience with a stronger sense of myself, what John and I can accomplish together and a feeling of happiness and satisfaction that I haven’t had in a while.

 

I don’t know how you can ever regret saving a dog’s life… and clearly I’m going to need to do it again real soon.

 

We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. – M. Facklam

Shhhh… I have a doppelganger. April 19, 2011

 
Oh wait, doppelganger isn’t something dirty?  Well never mind then… I’ll yell it – I HAVE A DOPPELGANGER!!!
 

Or three, depending on who you ask.
 

According to Wikipedia (a trusted source… trust me):  “A doppelgänger (pronounced [ˈdɔpəlˌgɛŋɐ]  ( listen)) is a tangible double of a living person in fiction, folklore, and popular culture that typically represents evil. In the vernacular, the word doppelgänger has come to refer (as in German “doppelt(e)”) to any double or look-alike of a person.”

Oh hi matching wooden figure… are YOU my doppelganger? 

Well I wouldn’t consider them “evil” but these three have been the most prominent comparisons that have been made.  However, keep in mind, I’m sure that the comparisons really stem from my time at the before the Before Weight (i.e. about 20 pounds ago) which would make me resemble these three lovely ladies much more than the bloated version that I do now.

 
 

#1 – Elin Nordegren, i.e. Ms. I’m Better Than My Ass-Hat of An Ex, Tiger Woods.

Yeah… I wish.

Clearly, I would love to think that people walk past me and think, “holy crap, is that THE ex-Mrs. Woods???  She should be in a bikini ALL.THE.TIME.”  But I also live in some semblance of reality.  And that just ain’t it.

 
 

#2 “The girl from Biggest Loser,” Alison Sweeney
 
 

 

I’ll admit, when I first started hearing this one, my first thought was, “wait, I look like a 350 pound person on Biggest Loser (although I would love to look like most of their ‘afters’)??”  Ohhhhh… you mean the HOST of the show, aka Sammy Brady (I caught a few minutes of Days of Our Lives a few weeks ago… the story hasn’t changed since I was watching in middle school).  I can see this one a little more than Elin.  Elin’s definitely not the girl next door but I think Alison could be and I think that’s me to a tee.

 
 

#3 Reese Witherspoon/Elle Woods aka Hollywood’s Sweetheart

 

I LOVE Reese… I think we could totally be BFFs.  And people would absolutely get us confused walking down the street.  Ok… maybe not.  But I have heard this comparison at LEAST 30 times and my friend’s husband refuses to call me anything but Reese and my aunt calls me Elle.  I’m totally flattered and never get sick of hearing it.  I’m kind of vain like that.

 

Plus, it appears that I would look FABULOUS with Edward Cullen… Just sayin’.

 

So who do people say YOU look like?  Anyone come up regularly that you would consider your doppelganger?  Or do you think I (and the many people who have said it) think I’m off my rocker if I think I look like any one of the three beautiful women above?  Have a better comparison for me?  Want to just give me so love because you know I love feedback?  Do I need to ask more questions to actually get you to respond?  Share in the comments!

It’s beauty that captures your attention; personality which captures your heart. ~Anonymous

Funk. April 15, 2011

Hmmmm… let’s hope you didn’t read the title too fast and find it wildly inappropriate.

I’m in a funk.

There.  I’ve said it.  Out loud.

I don’t know what my deal is.  I have a beautiful home (that does require a lot of maintenance), two beautiful dogs with the ability to foster more, a job I love (maybe a little too much) and a husband that I gush over every time I realize that we’re married and he actually chose me.  Go figure.  And on top of all that?  I have the ability to write and (hopefully) complete a list of 30 things I’ve never accomplished in my life and there are no financial obstacles getting in the way (well, maybe the one that says I want to be more financially responsible… but that’s neither here nor there).

So why am I feeling so punky???

I’m usually a ridiculously optimistic and upbeat person so if I’m in a funk, people notice.  I don’t get it… I really don’t.  But what I DO know is that I miss my family and friends.  A lot.  I haven’t seen my nephews since Christmas, I’ve only gotten to see my best friends’ new babies twice, I haven’t seen my oldest best friend (that’s based on the length of time we’ve been friends, not her age) in I don’t even know how long and sometimes I just want to be able to have a glass of wine with my mom… and not have to drive three hours to do that.

Huh… maybe I’m homesick.

I all reality, I go through these waves and I know where they come from (probably PMS… don’t judge), and I do really love the life I’ve created in CT – between the friends I have here, my amazing job and my own spec of land I can call my own, I’m pretty damn happy… so can’t you all just move here???

Well the good news is, I’m going to Maine tomorrow!  I’m getting a whirlwind overnight with some of my favorite ladies and their adorable little offspring, catching up with my mom & dad for lunch and getting my Valentine’s Day present (yep, haven’t seen my parents since before then) and trying to stop and see some pint-sized family members along the way!  Bad news:  I’m exhausted just thinking about it and I’m going alone.  John’s on his way to Reggae Fest at Sugarloaf (I’m super jealous but don’t want to miss my friend’s baby shower which is the main reason I’m headed north in the first place) and although I wish we had more time together (since our quality time during the week is so few and far between), I am so grateful that we have the ability to both do the things that make us happy…  And that’s what it’s all about, right?  Not that being apart from my husband makes me happy… don’t get confused.

I’m working on it…

I have the day off today (until 5) and I’m doing laundry and packing for the weekend – not exactly a super relaxing afternoon but I did get to sleep in and I’m trying to cut through a big chunk of the book I’m reading so maybe this day isn’t shaping up to be half bad!  There’s always the light at the end of the tunnel… after I drop off two ridiculously excited dogs at boarding and drive 3 hours (gah – I usually sleep while John’s driving), I will be with more of the ones I love!  And what’s better than that?

Oh yeah… tonight, I’m doing Relay for Life!  I Relay for my dad and grandpa… both survivors.  And that’s something to be happy about too!

Sometimes I just need those gentle reminders.  Life is pretty damn good.

So, what do you do when you’re in a funk?  What are your motivators for happiness?  And more importantly… how do you avoid PMS?

People often say that motivation doesn’t last.  Well, neither does bathing- that’s why we recommend it daily. ~Zig Ziglar

I’m not cut out for the housewife thing… April 10, 2011

Owning/cleaning/taking caring of a house is tough work.   And between the cleaning supplies and your blood, sweat and tears, you are actually PAYING to do it.  What’s up with that?

 

The weather was beautiful today so while John went in to the office to do some work (yes, it’s Sunday), I took the opportunity to get some pre-spring cleaning done.  I say pre- because let’s be honest, I’ve just scratched the surface.

 

We haven’t had guests in a while… it was getting bad.

 

The house was cleaned (and that’s a relative term), Easter decorations were put out and all my candles were switched from my fall/winter favorites to the fresh, clean smells of Sparkling Lemon, Early Sunrise, Pink Sands, Midnight Oasis, Fluffy Towels, Vanilla Lime, Fresh Mint and Dunegrass (all Yankee Candle scents – I’m slightly obsessed).  Each room has a specific scent that makes me feel like my house has been clean for weeks (and not just the hours it actually has been).

 

I like Maxine… she’s a smart woman.

 

My favorite part of the day was changing the sheets, but more importantly, the bedding on our bed.  I have different configurations of quilts/comforters for each season and when the temp gets above 50 degrees, it’s off with the winter quilt/flannel sheet/electric blanket combo and on with my crisp white down comforter and aqua sheets.

 

Ahhhh… I love spring.

 

I looked just like this… except I was wearing red pumps.

 

Although I hate cleaning, I’m lucky to have a husband that doesn’t complain (too much) about doing his part.  I cleaned up the kitchen, bathrooms, and Capone’s vomit (it’s been one of those days) along with running some laundry and picking up all the clutter and once he got home, John vacuumed the whole place (I bet he’s really happy we made that Dyson purchase). And now we’re curled up in our nice, crisp bed, watching the Sox/Yanks game surrounded by snoring (and recently brushed so they stop shedding everywhere) pups.

 

Life is good.

 

Well, I am happy the my house is clean but I wouldn’t go THIS far.

 

What are YOUR favorite things about spring cleaning?  Love it?  Hate it?  Pay someone else to do it?

 

What are your favorite products?  Are there any out there that come with it’s own mop and a person attached to it so that it indeed would clean my house without me having to lift a finger?  No?

 

Hmmm… why hasn’t Rosie been invented yet?

 

I bet she likes spring cleaning… she’s programmed to do so.

 

Our house is clean enough to be healthy, and dirty enough to be happy.  ~Author Unknown

Reason #720,426 that I love my husband. April 8, 2011

 

I’m a Twilight fan.

 

There… I’ve said it… Out loud (bonus points if you got the reference).

 

I’ll be honest, I’ve been a Harry Potter fan since the beginning (there was a reason I wanted to go to the park) but I really resisted reading the Twilight books.  However, I was doing some work in a few middle schools and rather than age out, I figured I would sell out and figure out what all the hype was about (look, I’m rapping!) and why at least 2/3 of any given class had one of the four books on their desk.  Truth of the matter is?  I ripped through the friggin things in less than two weeks.  That’s 2,443 pages of vampire goodness (“you can Google it”).  That’s right… a book series that I mocked for months turned into my own personal brand of heroin (let’s see how many Twi-references I can put in to one post).  Within two months I had read all four books a second time and was mocked at least 10 times that amount by my loving husband (for the record, I think I may be pulling an Alice and predicting re-read #5 in the near future). First of all, he doesn’t really understand the whole reading thing anyways.  I think the last substantial thing that he read (aside from work-related documents) was the Hallmark aisle when he had to buy me a Birthday card in January.  Reading?  Not his thing.  Then I bribed sucked him into watching the movies (no vampire pun intended).  And I think he might have considered divorcing me for wasting precious hours of his life.

 

 

I’ve been cheated out of a proper marriage.

 

What makes him the GREATEST husband in the world (considering Edward is, indeed, a magical figure) is his absolutely phenomenal ability to throw my Twilight obsession back into my face at the drop of a hat.  The nights where he’s absolutely freezing cold and trying to warm his icicle hands on my back?  “Edward’s hands are ice cold and you say you like them!”  Damn it.  Caught at my own game.

 

Ummm… this guy looks NOTHING like Edward.  I’d be terrified too.

 

After VERY patiently (and quietly) sitting through a viewing of Eclipse, he sat straight up as soon as the credits started rolling and began berating the film and even pointing out that “there were definitely scenes with sun in them and Edward didn’t sparkle and he’s SUPPOSED to sparkle… this movies sucks.”  I literally burst out laughing.  What a good sport he is.

 

At this point, I can’t even hide my ridiculousness.  I went to Blockbuster and bought several DVDs for cheap (I’m talking 4 movies and some candy for less than 10 bucks) including “The Yellow Handkerchief” and it took him all of 5 seconds to realize that I “only bought this movie because it has that chick from Twilight in it” and he wondered if I “really think she’s a good actress???  she’s awful.”  Yep.  He’s got me pegged.

 

However, the absolute best Twilight reference he has EVER made came about 3 days ago.  He was on “dog duty” (meaning he had to cut his work-aholic day shorter than mine) and when I walked in and saw him reading my blog again I said, “haven’t you already read that post?” and without skipping a beat, he simply said, “yeah… but it’s kind of like a Twilight book.”

 

God, I love him.

 

Maybe I’ll have to re-think this reward.

 

Is he going to go see Breaking Dawn with me at midnight on November 18th?  Definitely not.  Will he watch it with me after I beg (and bribe) him to once it’s on DVD?  Yes… but he’ll complain the whole way through.  Does he put up with my absurdity?  Absolutely.  And for that reason alone, I am unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.

I’m Team John (although I have a t-shirt saying otherwise).

 

And I can’t say that I haven’t had any influence over my family members and friends… let’s just say I’m not the only one who’s a little a lot obsessed (hi cousins!).  Why is it that this series of books has taken a group of (relatively) grounded ADULT women and turned them into a bunch of squealing pre-teens who are lusting over a 107 17 year old vampire?  And how is that at ALL appropriate?

 

At least we don’t have monthly meetings.

 

Hey… it keeps us young at heart.  After all, some of us are going to be 30 soon.

 

For the record, the number of official twi-references equals six.  Winning!  Ok, THAT was a Charlie Sheen reference.  That’s a whole different brand of heroin.

 

You are a terrible actress — I’d say that career path is out for you.  ~ Edward Cullen (what my husband would say about the “real life” Bella)

Wait… HOW did you get here??? Vol. 2 April 6, 2011

 

Because I had so much fun writing the first one, I thought I’d keep at it and see what we can pull together this week.  And I would like to point out that I have not corrected the grammar in any of these searches (the painful mistakes are not my wrong-doing). Enjoy!

 

sexy snowboarding ass

Hmmm… definitely not me.

why dont people exercise

Well I can only answer for myself and it’s because I’m lazy.

i’m with you

Cool, where are we going?

 

how much do jersey shore get paid

The answer is $too much.

 

orange hair spray result

Trust me… it works.

 

cliparts of bitter and mean old man

How does THIS get you HERE?

 

I’m going to guess that he wasn’t all that bitter…

umbrella exercise for acromioclavicular joint

What the what???

 

my blood wouldn’t fall down the tube on an iron test

You must be thick blooded.  Ba dum bum!

anytime is a good time to laugh

Agreed… I hope it’s a good time when you’re on this blog!

 

carharttsandcoachbags.wordpress.com/

That’s the entire web address… you had to use Google to find the page?

 

mad hatter girl costume

I know what one SHE was looking for…

 

happy faced spider

Friggin spiders… they’re only happy when they’re scaring the crap out of me.  This was searched 3 times.  In one day.  Just saying.

 

I took one for the team and searched it.  Apparently it’s an actual spider with a for-real “happy face” on it’s abdomen.  I couldn’t bring myself to having an actual photo of a spider on my blog but this fancy dog sweater (an absolute must-have) will do just fine.

blood clot cartoon

I’m not sure there’s anything comical about blot clots that would warrant a cartoon.

 

‘cuz we dont give a damn about hatters!

I’m going to go ahead and guess you meant “haters”

 

i puked in key west florida tee shirt

Apparently they should make one of these for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  And for the record, although I have been to Key West, I did not throw up there.

 

Well, wouldn’t you know… this is the 6th photo that pops up in Google Images if you search “I puked in Key West Florida tee shirt.”

yeah he’s back from behind the drive thru

What the hell was he doing behind the drive thru?  And how did you get to my blog?

 

mom im not having kids cartoon

Yeah, maybe that will help soften the blow.  Especially since my mom told me today that she put all her eggs in one basket when it comes to grandkids.  I think that warrants some comic relief.

 

i’m just sailing through life

Good for you.  I’m working.  Apparently too much.

 

i saved three lives today, what did you do?

I feel like you must have specifically been looking for me…

 

funny weight gain pictures

Actually, there’s nothing funny about weight gain… asshole.

 

a cartoon kid happy about his new iphone

What KID is getting a new iPhone???

He was a late bloomer.

bimini sox

I like Bimini and I like the Sox… I wonder what you were searching here.

 

Huh… when you search those things, you do, in fact, get me!

cartoons about therapy

Now THAT’S funny!

 

So… how did YOU get here???  Stumbling, looking for a photo, read a few sentences and you decided to linger longer?  Or are you a friend or family member that’s forced to read it and you’re not exactly sure how you got here?  Yeah, me too.

 

The tricky part of the human journey is to transform ourselves continually as our life directions change.  ~Donna L. Friess

In case you hadn’t noticed… April 5, 2011

 

I’m down 3.6 pounds!

Over in the right hand column, below my list, there’s a little ticker with my weight loss information (ummm… not my actual weight – no one other than me needs to know those numbers).  I just updated it and BAM…  3.6 pounds!

 

How did THAT happen?

 

 

Oh yeah… and I’m literally running my ass off.

 

This is me… complete with the matching outfit (and is she running in sandals?  show-off).  If only I were propelled forward by my own natural gas.

 

I did Week 2 Day 1 of C25K last night and am running between a 10:48 and 11:14 pace (depending on speed – either 5.3 or 5.4 on the treadmill) and I’m feeling damn good about it.  Is this a stellar time?  No but given the fact that this is the 4th time I’ve run in as many years, I’m going to chalk this up to a huge accomplishment.  This week kicked off 90 second running periods intertwined with 2 minute walking segments and it really does make it easier (mentally, not physically) to keep going.  Because trust, I did NOT want to go to the gym last night at 9pm.  But since I had slacked other things to do since last Tuesday, I knew I needed to push myself to the gym and start on this week’s cycle.

 

Luckily there were no evil vultures lurking in the gym, trying to sabotage my 30 minute run.  There were however very fit college students who might have been thinking this but were just too kind to say anything.

 

In addition to the treadmill C25K run, I’m also lifting weights.  Light ones, but lifting all the same and this week was easier than last so I know I’m making headway.  Add that to the fact that I’m drinking more water, eating less crap (I try and choose fruit instead of fries every time I order the “special” in the cafe at work) and now that I’m seeing actual changes in the number on the scale, I think I’m well on my way to crossing #15 off my list.

 

Truth is, when I started making the list back in the fall when I was a certain “before” weight (again, we don’t need to talk about specific numbers) and then with some changes to medication and apparently my metabolism, I gained ~13 pounds in 4.5 months.  Whiskey Tango Foxtrot???  So really, the 15 pound weight-loss goal from my “after” weight will bring me to 2 pounds below my “before” weight.  But then again, I guess I will appreciate that “before” weight way more than I did the first time around.

 

Yeah, compared to now, that weight doesn’t look half bad!

 

Would I like to lose even more?  Absolutely.  And I don’t think just because I wrote 15 pounds as a goal on my list means I’ll stop there.  Who knows, maybe I’ll become some crazy running star and want to work out Every. Day.

 

Or maybe not… but I’m still going to continue doing what I’m doing.

 

How are your weight-loss/exercise goals going?  Give me some extra motivation!

 

Fitness – if it came in a bottle, everybody would have a great body.  ~Cher

I’m working on it… no pun intended. April 3, 2011

I worked all day today… and yesterday.  Yes, it was the weekend.  Yes, I’m working all this week.  Yes, I’m tired.

 

Hi, my name is Darcie and I’m a workaholic.

My husband and I have matching “His” and “Hers” nametags.

 

Truth is??  I.Love.My.Job.  I really enjoy going to work every day, I get a ton of self-satisfaction out of it and on top of it all, I really feel like I’m making a difference.  And how many people can honestly say that?  Do I work un-Godly hours?  Sure do.  Do I rarely see my husband (who’s also a workaholic)?  Unfortunately, yes.  Do we make it work and fit in some fun stuff too?  Absolutely.  Remember that little pup I’m fostering?  She’s awfully adorable!  I’m also a member of my town’s Rotary Club, I volunteer with a local domestic violence organization, spend time with friends, travel 3 hours to see family, I’m working on completing a ’30 Before 30′ list and we even fit in some time for our marriage (I’m kidding… this is much higher on the list.  Most of the time).

 

I’m exhausted just thinking about it.

 

I can’t even believe I’m writing a blog post right now.  I’m sure it’s gonna suck.

People wonder why aren’t ready to have kids.  My answer?  You can’t kennel a newborn.  But in all seriousness, I think my mommy friends are a collective group of Wonder Women and I honestly don’t know how they do it.  I’m sure we’ll figure it out eventually, if we do indeed take that plunge, but until then, we’re going to keep on trucking, doing what we’re doing and making the best of it.

 

But I really should work on that whole work/life balance thing.  And not just this year but for the rest of my life…

 

Perhaps #33 (is that how many extra things I’m on now)?

I’ll add it to my to-do list.

 

What keeps YOU inspired?  Do you work to live or live to work?  And how many of you can honestly say you love what you do?

 

I feel really really blessed to say that I can.

 

To find joy in work is to discover the fountain of youth. ~Pearl S. Buck