Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Cranky

Man was I pissed off this morning. And it usually takes a bit to do that too.

I got a call from someone, blaming me for a situation that they put themselves into.... I was told that I had put her into an "uncomfortable situation" and that I should check with her before I asked people questions....

AARGH shall I get into it more? I guess I am just upset that she is trying to blame me. Of course I had to sit down and write something, just to get it off my chest. Weather I will send it or not is another question. For background, I subbed for M on a debate team. So this is what I wrote:

I feel like you are blaming me for a situation that was your own making. If you knew that I was not eligible to debate, the first person you should have appoached to fill my position was M. Do you think thta he would not have figured out that his team was the team that won? When you informed him that you had made a subsititution that was not him, would you not have been in the same "akward position" that you said was my fault?

Perhaps I should have dragged my sorry butt out of bed this morning to exercise, and I could have really used the friendly endorphins. Why have I let this take over a major portion of my day? Nothing I can really do about it now, but it still burns me.

And just a little later, when I got off a phone call, I hear something hitting and bouncing across my desk. The emerald from my earring had fallen out, the prong broke. Yes, I did find it, but now I need to get them repaired, and I have not been keeping up the inspections on this set... wonder if they will do me the favor of starting it up again... I am only 19 months out of date on the inspections!

Well, I did have a nice lunch with one of my vendors, and another is taking me out for drinks in an hour, so things are looking up. I had lettuce wraps, and some chicken white bean soup for lunch. All told, lunch was about 9-10 points (did not eat much of the soup) and they have wonderful szechwan green beans at the place I am going for drinks/dinner snack, then it is off to the Landmark Center to sell Winter Carnival merchandise.

Thanks for listening.
Anneke

Monday, January 30, 2006

As time flies by....

Geez, not sure when I last posted. It was a bit of a crazy week.

I did lots of driving to safety meetings (to Lacrosse, WI, Portage WI, and Winona MN), and in the middle of all of that, went to book club. Friday Eric and I drove to Wilmar, MN to the MN State Jaycees convention, and there was much socializing there!

I went to weigh in on Friday at a different meeting place. They talked about what you can do to exercise... they talked about workout tapes, stretchy bands, mall walking... and I felt so out of place - I wanted to jump up and tell them that I had gone to a spinning class that morning. An hour and 15 minutes of great sweating. Or that I like to spend some good quality time running on the treadmill, or weather permitting, running outside. But, since I didn't know anyone, I kept my big mouth shut. Really, what can you expect from a Friday noon meeting? A lot of older ladies and SAHM's. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but they are just not my type, if you know what I mean!

The reason I went to Friday WI (oh and I was up .6...) was that I was going to be busy in Wilmar all weekend with the convention. I competed in a writing competition, and in a debate competition. Did not place in the writing, but the team I was on for Debate, won the whole competition. The kicker is, I cannot go to National Convention and compete, because I went last year (and got beaten in the first round by the team that won overall.) This has both it's good and bad points. Good: I don't need to be worried about going to convention, which will be about $750 or so at least, and I don't need to burn a week of vacation time. Bad: I feel like I am letting my team down. If I knew that I was not going to be able to compete at national, I would not have offered to fill in for this competition, and the person I subbed for is not able to go to national either, because of finances.

Funny story: on the way to convention this weekend, driving down the road, Eric pointed out a sign that said "hiefers for sale". I told him, no thanks, I was enough of a heifer as it is.... and he said.... absolutely nothing.... until I looked at him for aobout a minute and said "What???" then he piped up and said: "Of course you are not a heifer honey!" You toss him an easy one, and he totally swings and misses. I really was not serious, but just wanted to see what he would do.

Anyhoo, I can't remember what else I wanted to say, so I guess I will just have to save it for another time.

Cheers!
Anneke

Monday, January 23, 2006

Hurry up and wait

That's exactly how I felt today - headed out of the office to get to court for the morning break, yet they did not put me on the stand until after lunch. And my testimony only took 15 minutes, then I was out of there.

Okay, so my company is being sued by someone who fell out of his chair. Saying that he cannot do his job anymore because he can't do it left-handed. Wants to get settled out of service. When we were doing the trial preparation, our council told me that if we lost the case she was going to quit because she did not deserve to be a lawyer.

I did get a nice compliment today though - the paralegal saw me at the cafeteria writing down my salad bar salad in my points tracker, lettuce, a smidge of cheese, sprouts, mushrooms, turkey, chick peas and low-fat french dressing, and asked me about weight watchers... she said that she never thought of me in that way, and said that if she was going to describe me to someone, she would have described me as thin. Made my whole day.

Yesterday at bowling, my partner (who had not been able to make the last date, and we only bowl every other week) told me that I looked like I had lost weight. That also made my day. I might not be down a lot in pounds, but I have been hitting the exercise pretty heavy, so I am firming up things, it appears.

And I did make it to the 5am spinning class this morning. Looks like I will be traveling most of this week, so I need to figure out what I am going to do for exercise, since one of the places I am going has the sucky exercise room that I griped about a couple of weeks ago.

And now begins the countdown: 19 DAYS UNTIL MY CRUISE!!!! (now that's really a case for hurry up and wait....)

Make it great!
~a

Sunday, January 22, 2006

"Hi Honey!"

So you need to be careful what you say when someone walks in the door.... I was in the kitchen, cleaning up (finally) some dishes from the party, and I hear someone come in the back door. I call out "Hi Honey!" since I knew Eric was going to be home soon, and I hear Curt (stepson) say "what did you just say?" So of course I repeated it... he asked if he had to be honey. Wondered if he could be brown sugar or maple syrup, since he really likes maple syrup better than honey... Actually I think it was rather amusing, even though it was a little embarassing at the time.

So we had a hell of a party on Friday. I figure all told we had somewhere between 80 and 90 people here througout the evening. My friend told me that it was the best house party that she had ever been at, and she is known for hosting fabulous parties. It was a lot of fun, there were people in the living room, in the rec room, in the laundry room, in the kitchen, in the dining room, and sitting at the table downstars playing cards. Pretty much all of the food got eaten, the Glug was drank, and most of the keg was consumed. And, at about 1:30 when I was getting really tired, the people left were all good friends of mine, so I just told them to "get out already".

I was even too busy running around that I did not eat all that much at the food table.

Anyway, I wanted to do a short update while I had time, but I am off to get my Desperate Housewives fix.

Wish me luck in court tomorrow!
Anneke

Friday, January 20, 2006

No room at the Inn?

I got the last bike on Wednesday at the spinning class, I was glad that I had gotten there 10 minutes early for the class - there were two people that showed up after me that could not participate. And I asked the instructor about the heart rate thing, and she said that it is a guideline and that it could be off by as much as 10 bpm, so I think I am in about the right range when I exercise.

I have the day off today, so I can do prep for my party tonight. I was planning on getting up this morning to go to spinning again, but I was SOOOOOO tired, I could not face the 4:30 am alarm. I ended up getting up around 6am to help Eric load coolers to get ice from work, and then I made some tidbits for the party. Pepperoni pinwheels and mini dogs in blankets. Then I went and picked up my co-worker to take him to the airport, and from there headed to go to a WW meeting, because there is no way I would fit it in tomorrow. I was down 1.8. Yay. The bathroom scale this morning said that I was in the 170's, so that made me pretty happy. I just need to keep it up. The goal is to have the bathroom scale tell me 175 or less before I go on the crusie. That makes 3 weeks to loose 4 pounds or so. I know I can do it, and saying it here makes me a bit more accountable.

It was kind of an interesting meeting this morning. The leader was okay, but she definately is not on par with my usual leader, Corky. Cork - if you are reading this, you completely rock!

I think the interesting part was that there were a number of people there that were new, starting over, or it was not there usual meeting. One of the people down the row from me was a Gustavus student, doing an internsip for J-term in Minneapolis. She said that she ususally went to a meeting in St. Peter, but was going to this meeting to keep up with the program. It really makes me wonder where I would be, weight wise, if I had actually started with the program when I was in college. I know I gained about 60 lbs in the 4 years I was there. Cafeteria food and lots of weekend parties, stress eating, and no exercise will do that to you. If I would have had better habits earlier in life, what would have happened?

I don't know, I guess everything happens for a reason. I probably would not be at the place that I am right now, if things had not happened as they did. Kind of a Sliding Doors kind of theory. What would happen if just one small thing changed, like missing the earlier train, with that 20 minutes your whole life could be completely changed.

Anyway, I need to clean house for 75-100 people to come over. Wish me luck!
Anneke

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

another day, another workout?

I went to the 5am spinning class yesterday. I think it was a better class than on Friday, I really felt like it was not the same workout I would get doing it myself. Added to that, a couple of people introduced themselves. I am planning on making myself a regular at the early classes.

I did not manage to get myself out of bed this morning to make it to the Y (did not want to face cleaning off a vehicle and then going... Well okay, bed felt especially good too - I kind of needed the sleep). I have packed my swimsuit today, and I plan to go for a swim after work. Yay to cross-training! I love to swim, but I can only do it on a limited basis, as I am mildly allergic to chlorine.

Tomorrow is another spinning class in the morning. I will get my rear out of bed tomorrow!

Food was okay yesterday, made some good choices, but did not count points. Today, I will count points, even if I don't write them down. Small steps, small steps. I have food here at work, I am drinking my water (along with coffee) and tonight we will be dining on salsa chicken that I put in the crock pot this morning. Thanks go to Jessi for the idea.

Today will be better. The scale said 181 this morning. Hoping by the end of the week it will be telling me I am somewhere in the 170's.

And I did have a NSV yesterday - the pair of jeans I was wearing, I kept the button fastened all day. Have not done that with that pair of jeans for a very long time!

Today at work, we will be having a conference call on the reorginization. Hopefully we will learn something about what is going on, rather than just wasting our time on a call with vague directions and plattitudes.

I was hoping to get Friday off so I can prepare the house/food for the 8th Annual "Thank God the Holidays are Over" Party, but I need to testify in court in the morning. I hope it does not take too long, as I am hoping to weigh in on Friday, since I have an event at 9am on Saturday, and I am hosting a party on Friday, so there is really no way I will be getting up for a 6am meeting... There is a meeting center closer to my house that has a noon meeting on Friday. I'm thinking that may be the best option at this point.

So said me.
~a

Sunday, January 15, 2006

A case of the Blah Blah Blah's

Well, I went to weigh in yesterday. I maintained. Was glad that I had not gained, but this puts me further behind on where I want to be in four weeks. I have nobody to blame but myself.

I went to the Y to run yesterday morning before WI. Did 4 miles on the treadmill. I actually wore my heart rate monitor, and tried to do the cardio workout on the machine. The thing is, the heart rate that it says I should be at for my age group does not seem to challenge me enough. The machine kept slowing down to get my heart rate in the "target" range, and I kept on bumping it up, because I did not feel like I was working hard enough. I guess I need to do some more research about the target heart ranges to see if they are just guidelines, or if that is something I need to be more concerned about....

Yesterday after I got home, I spent about 2 hours straghtening and cleaning the basement laundry room/workshop area. I finally set up the automatic litter box that I had been bugging Eric to get set up since we got it as a Christmas present, cleaned the other boxes, straightened up some lumber of Eric's, swept up all of the errant litter that was around, swept up the sawdust that Eric said that he was going to take care of before he went to Chicago (obviously we know how that went). I then called Eric, and told him that I figured out the reason I did not do laundry as often as I probably should - I hate dealing with all of the crap in the basement! Why does he make me so crazy? Why do I let it bother me so much? Is is really worth it to him to have me rant at him like a raving bitch?

Last evening my friend Matt picked me up, and we went to a bar where a friend of ours was celebrating her birthday. Lots of smoke and Karoke. I probably drank too much beer, but they were small, and you just can't beat $1.50 taps! Got home around 1:30, and took all of my clothes off in the hallway and put them down the laundry chute. I think if Eric had been home, I would have taken a shower to get the stench out of my hair. Yuk.

So this morning, I was just hurting. Not so much an aftermath from alcohol, but from the 2 days of intense workouts, and cramps, and this cold that seems to be residing in the middle of my chest that makes me almost hack up a lung in the morning. I was thinking seriously about calling Corky to cancel our run, but decided I was going to bite the bullet. She also was thinking aobut cancelling, but was also there. We ended up running and walking about 3 miles. About half and half I believe. Next time there will be more running.

So I was having some thoughts about myslef. I am wondering why I keep trying to justify myself. Let me try and explain.... I feel like I need to tell people about athletic accomplishments that I have made, just to have them look at me other than (what I consider) an overweight woman. I did that with the spinning instructor the other day. I had to tell her I ran a half marathon last year, to try and make me feel better about looking like a huge beast. I was the largest woman in the class. Could I do a half marathon right now? No, but you know, I have done it before... I guess the moral of the story is that I need to get myself down to a place where I feel comfortable with my body again. And I'm telling you, a size 14 is not where I feel comfortable.

Anyway, back to financial management - aka balancing the checkbooks and paying the bills. Thanks for listening.

~a

Friday, January 13, 2006

SPINNING!

Okay, so I actually dragged my sorry rear out of bed this morning to go to the 5:30 (yes am) spinning class at the Y. I thought it was about time to see what everyone was talking about. Eric left for Chicago and a Muskie Fishing convention yesterday, so it was easier than normal getting out of bed...

Yes I did get a workout, but honestly, I'm not sure that it was any different than using one of the programs on the regular bike. Probably just a bit more accountability because it is a class situation, and if I actually meet some of the people in the class it might be better. I felt like I really stuck out like a sore thumb. First, the instructor put me right next to her in the front of the class. Second if you compared the body shape/size of me versus her, I felt like a buffalo. Okay, I am 5'7", and about 185 pounds. I think she was not even 5 feet tall, and it looked like she weighed less than 100 pounds. Just a bit of a difference. I felt like I did keep up with the workout pretty well - perhaps I can talk my friend into attending the class with me to keep me company.

So things that I learned:
  • bring a bottle of water. I don't usually do this, as if I drink too much, I tend to get nautious, especially in the morning, but everyone else had water.
  • wear real bike shorts. The seats are tiny. and the running shorts really do ride up and your workout should not be spent pulling the shorts down your legs.
  • even though no one else had them, I need to bring my bicycling gloves. My palms are still sore.
  • wear my heart rate monitor. I have it, I should use it. I know it makes me train at an appropriate level, but I just need to use it!

I came home last night to a nice suprise. My stepson had actually unloaded the dishwasher without me asking him to do it. Wonders do never cease. Of course he did have to point it out to me so I would acknowledge it, and to tell him he did a good job. Men and dogs, not much difference - they are constantly looking for attention and praise!

Then when I was getting ready to settle down for the evening, DSS says "can you help me hook up the DVD player?" When I asked why, he said "well, you will actually sit still and read all of the directions..." And they wonder why we make fun of them.

And that's about the sum total. Eric is gone until Sunday, and I am going to try and avoid the typical "poor me, all alone" syndrome and NOT drink an entire bottle of wine at home by myself on Saturday night. You know, I travel quite a bit for work, and spend time alone, but it's not the same when he is gone from home.

Plan for the weekend: Regional awards tonight. Tomorrow I plan to get up and exercise, then go weigh in. I will stop by Soutdale to see if that store is still open, and if they have contact lenses left. Laundry on Saturday afternoon, out to Karoke with friends on Saturday evening, and perhaps on Sunday, a run around Lake Calhoun.

ta!

~a

Thursday, January 12, 2006

Time flies

Man, hard to believe so much time has gone by since I last posted. Hopefully some of you missed me! (feel free to comment....)

Well, let's see, since we last saw our hero, she was on her way to North Dakota, to make this world a kinder and safer place. Well, maybe we will just say safer. Safety Plan rollouts last week.... Fun and excitement and lots of questions from people who were just not getting it.

I really hate when people get an idea fixed in their head, and refuse to change what they are thinking, even when you explain and explain and explain, and don't listen to what you are telling them. Yes we are having two days of annual safety training. No they are not both in the classroom, and they are not consecutive days. So they say that it is not two days of training. Well, yes, yes it is, two days of training - just the second day (which is I repeat NOT the day after the classroom training) is out in the field with the trainer coaching the employees. Yes it will be recorded as day 2 of the safety training. I know, semantics, but it DRIVES ME NUTS WHEN PEOPLE DON'T LISTEN TO WHAT I AM SAYING!

Okay, end of that rant.

So Last week, Thursday, I stopped by my mother's house with dress in tow. She helped me with pinning the skirt hem, and where I needed to put the button holes in the back of the bodice, and then I used her FABULOUS machine to make the button holes, then sewed on the buttons. I got home at about 9:30 in the evening. Friday, another day of rollouts, then I actually made myself a wonderful dinner that I need to brag about: Stir fried brussel sprouts and cauliflower with garlic and onion. OMG was it good. I was planning on eating half, but ended up eating the whole thing. I added a bit of sesame oil, and teriaki sauce, and cooked it in my mini wok until the cauliflower was tender. Of course, Eric did not want to be around me later that evening - what is it about veggies that gives you gas (I know TMI)

So after that, I went and picke up Eric from the happy hour he was at, and we went to try and find a place that he had bought a tuxedo from several years ago, because he had grown out of it. To make a long story short, the neighborhood had changed significantly in the years since he had been there, and we were not able to find it. What is it about men that they refuse to do anything until the last minute. Ummmm let's see, we are going to a store, and I don't remember where it is. Let's just drive around for a while, instead of trying to look it up before hand. We ended up finding a K&G in that area where we did, in fact, find him a tuxedo.

Bought it, went home, I sat down with my skirt to complete the hem. Since I figured even if I machine stiched the hem, I would have to hand tack the edges, that I would just do it by hand. It took me almost 2 1/2 hours to do the hem. Then to bed at 12:30.

Up on Saturday morning, went to weigh in, went to Southdale to get my nails done, and since I had to wait, I went into this store that was going out of business: "The Fun Shop" where everything was 70% off. I scored a couple of small things for my nieces, and a lava lamp for $12, and a pair of red cat-eye contact lenses for $18. I was psyched! I think I need to go back to see if I can get another pair of a different style... So then it was home, into the shower, pinning Eric's pants to hem them - tuxedos don't come hemmed, in case you did not know, pressed my skirt, and ran out the door to my hair appointment. Back from my hair appointment, home to get ready, gathering what I needed for running the silent auction I was coordinating, then Eric drove me over to the facility to drop me off with stuff. Yep, Saturday was busy.

The auction went very well, everything sold. All of the proceeds are going to support this really cool charity, Caring Bridge. And my dress was a complete success. I even had someone I did not know compliment me on the dress, so you know it looked good! I will have to attach some photos once I get them downloaded on the home computer.

Sunday was bowling. I actually did not do completely crappy. 111, 89, 106. Always happy when I bowl over 100. After that, we went to meet with the group of people that are going on the cruise in February. I am soooooooo looking forward to that!

This week is also flying by. I have not been in the office to speak of until today.

Tuesday I met with the lawyer that would like to have me testify at a case that is going to trial next week. I would like to rant further on that, but I can save that for later - I feel it is bad karma to say any more at this point. I also had a phone interview on Tuesday, that I don't know if it went as poorly as I think... but we will see. They are looing for someone who has supervisory experience, which I don't have professionally, but I have headed many projects for the Jaycees that involved directing people - and really, doing that with volunteers can be MUCH harder than if you are doing it with direct reports... you really can't discipline a volunteer. They said they would let me know by the end of the week, but I am not holding my breath.

No other words of wisdom from me now. Perhaps I will have more mussings later, after I go home.

Make it a great one!
-a

Tuesday, January 03, 2006

Ground Zero

Yesterday morning, a friend and I were planning on going for a 3-mile run. She called me about half an hour before we were going to meet - it was RAINING and about 33 degrees. Running in the rain is not my idea of fun. Running in Cold rain is to be avoided like the plague. Therefore, I did not go running yesterday.

Instead, Eric and I went out to breakfast - I ordered oatmeal instead of the eggs benedict I considered - then we ran some errands. Returned the second copy of Alias season 4, and then bought ourselves a DVD recorder. Then went to Kohl's to return a pair of earrings (I did not realize they were clips when I bought them) and to use my Kohl's cash, I bought some really cool ribbon placemats.

Then it was home. Put away the Christmas decorations and the tree, cleaned up the kitchen, folded some laundry, and ate way too much leftover christmas candy, and two (yes two) grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch. Put together most of the skirt for my outfit, just need to finish hand-stitching the waistband, and then it needs to be hemmed.

Today I am leaving to go to ND for a couple of days, safety plan rollouts with all of the track guys (have I mentioned that I work for a railroad?) and I have packed exercise clothes. Stuff if they have an exercise room, and stuff if they don't and I need to run outside. Took my dress also, hopefully I can stop by mom's house on Thursday, and have her help me out with the buttons on the back of the top, and to hem the skirt.

No other musings, or words of wisdom/inspiration... just the ramblings of another day.

~a

Sunday, January 01, 2006

Green

As in feeling a bit green around the gills as my mother likes to say.

Overindulged last night... the wine was just sliding down waaaaay to easy last night, and with Eric driving, I didn't feel like I needed to watch it, so of course I didn't. It was great seeing some people again, folks that I have not seen in a while - it was really nice to be able to catch up.

And I looked darn cute last night, if I do say so myself. If I actually get the pictures in my camera developed, I will have to get it posted on my picture site...

Today has been recovery.... and we got the computer disinfected, so I can actually post from home again. All is good with the world now. I am feeling more human, working on my dress, thinking about having a day off tomorrow to get lots done around the house. My SIL is bailed out of jail....

Yep, you read that right. As I joked with some people, I am thinking about getting a TiVo so I can tape soap operas to ensure that my life is not one.

My SIL, in her infinate wisdom, on Friday, decided she needed to try and shoplift a car battery from Wal-Mart. This got her arrested and put into jail. The thing is, she had taken her mother's car that was parked at their house (MIL and her hubby winter in Texas) to said store, and when she was arrested, the car remained in the parking lot of said store. Eric and I had to make the hour- long trip to get the car out of the parking lot and back into the garage, as we did not want it to get towed, and there is no insurance on the vehicle since it was supposed to remain parked in the garage until they returned in the spring. As Eric put the key in the front door of the house, a dog on the inside of the house started barking at him. My SIL had brought a friend there from Minneapolis, and he was stranded there. So, we took friend and Dog back to Minneapolis. I was a little concerned at first, large dogs and leather seats are not a good combination, but I was able to find a rug to put on the seat, and the dog was very well-behaved.

I just want to know how you would try to shoplift a car battery. The darn thing must weigh about 40#'s.

And no, this is not the same sister that keeps taking money from family. I keep asking Eric how he turned out so normal. He attributes it to the fact that he did not abuse drugs as a teenager. All the more reason to be thankful I was never interested in drugs - they can surely screw up your life in a big way. Talking to my mom, she says that's why parents get their kids involved in all sorts of extra-curricular activities, so they don't have the chance to get bored and try stuff, or to hang out with the 'wrong' crowd. Truly, truly frightening world we live in!

So today, Eric needed to go back to bail his sister out of jail. 4 hours in the car, and I don't know if it is over yet. The positive side might be that it kept her off the road on New Year's Eve. I guess she was pretty chagrined when Eric bailed her out. Serves her right. Not to be a bitch or anything, but if you do something truly stupid, there should be consequences.

On that note, I am going back to my dress!
~a