1. I am 30 seconds away from climbing through the phone and strangling my "relocation consultant." Yesterday I asked her several questions regarding my relocation package, including if there's a minimum price at which I can sell my house. She took more than 24 hours to get back to me and basically said, "You need to ask your contact at New Company." Lady, really? My contact at New Company is in Talent Acquisition. You are a "relocation consultant." Consult, dammit!
2. I'm also about 30 seconds away from firing my realtor. Ugh!
3. We are moving in less than a week. I want so badly to be excited - new city, new adventure, new place to live... But all this bullshit about selling the house is making it difficult to be enthused. Why do people always rain on my parade? (I'm very whiny today.)
4. I weighed in at 201 this morning. Come on, 199! You're so close!
5. I finally took my boss' advice and bought a pair of work pants from Kohl's a couple of weekends ago. When I bought them, they fit. When I put them on to wear them to work for the first time today, they're too loose. This is why pants are hard.
6. I wore a size 12 dress from Banana Republic Outlet to work yesterday. Eeeeeeeee!
7. You know, the number one reason that I got a Lap-Band was for my health. I was so miserable, what with the GERD and the rest of it. And all of those issues have gone away - my blood pressure was 117/71 at my last fill, my heart rate was 72 (which is "above average" for my age), I never get heartburn anymore, my knees don't crack when I walk, I don't need to nap all of the time (though I would still *like* to nap), I've stopped smoking, I quit caffeine, I don't drink carbonated beverages, I haven't eaten at Taco Bell since April... And I love that all of those things have happened for me. I'm so grateful to my band for making those changes possible (though I did work my ass off to make them happen). But I have to say - being able to walk into any store, even an outlet, and buy things off the sale rack and have them fit - I'd honestly underestimated how good that would feel. 'Cause it feels damn good.
8. The flip side of that is that me and my addictive personality could run the risk of becoming a compulsive shopper. Luckily, I've banned myself from buying clothes online, because I'm still not a really consistent size - I'm a 12 in skirts and a large in tops at Banana and J. Crew, but an 8 in jeans from Target (WHAT?) and I bought a winter coat in an XL from Old Navy.
9. This is going to sound ridiculous (and some of you may want to punch me), but I feel like when I was bigger, clothes were easier - I just put on the size 24 from LB and the XXL from Old Navy and went on my way. In a sense, it was a little bit easier to have such limited options - 95% of the time, I didn't even try things on before buying. But now I may have to try on an item in 3 different sizes before I find the right one. Also, when I was bigger, if an item of clothing fit me, I bought it, regardless of how it actually looked on me - it was so hard to find clothes in my size that I couldn't afford to be picky. Getting over that mentality is hard - I'm learning to ask myself, "Do I really love this?" before I buy it - I've never done that before. That said, while clothes were easier when I was bigger, they're way more fun now.
10. My parents bought an elliptical for their house. This makes me very happy, as now when I'm home for Christmas I won't have to run outside in the cold. Yay!
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Liebster Award!
Thank you, Cheri at Staying In the Pink for the award.
2. I am an only child. I didn't always love being an only child, but now that I'm an adult, I fully appreciate it.
Bono, because I love him even though he's a total ponce. Viggo Mortensen, because he's gorgeous and would have a very interesting conversation with Bono, I suspect. And Rob Thomas, because he's totally my secret shameful rockstar crush.
Boy George. I know.
I hope that I'm starting my dream job next month! But if I could do anything in the world without worries about money, I'd love to be a travel writer.
The wife and I are obsessed with Homeland right now.
New Zealand. One day I want to take a Lord of the Rings tour there.
Extraneous noise. Oh my god, I hate it when people tap fingers or jog legs or do anything else that creates unnecessary noise. I'm very sensitive to noises. I'm also, ironically, married to the noisiest person on the planet.
My wife's thigh dance. Don't ask.
I'm dumping Dr. Phil because I hate his voice and Barbara Walters, because she only has a little time left anyway. Yeah, I'm insensitive like that.
Religion. I would solve religion.
The Rules:
1. Think of 11 facts you'd like to share about yourself.
2. Answer the questions Cheri asked.
3. Think of 11 questions you'd like to ask.
4. Nominate 5 bloggers with less than 200 followers.
The Facts: (I like Cheri's approach of doing something chronological, so I'm going to imitate her (imitation, after all, is the sincerest form of flattery).)
1. I am adopted. I don't know my birth parents and really have no interest in finding them - I've always considered my adoptive parents to be my "real" parents. They're awesome people and I don't have a need for a second set of parents in my life. That said, sometimes I wonder what it would be like to find someone else in the world who resembles me.
2. I am an only child. I didn't always love being an only child, but now that I'm an adult, I fully appreciate it.
3. My dad, while not an alcoholic, likes his wine (and brandy). He used to take me trick-or-treating around the neighborhood with a big plastic cup filled with wine. So very classy. I love that man.
4. My childhood dog was a Yorkshire Terrier. Even though he died almost 13 years ago, I still look for him in his little place in the window whenever I go to their old house.
5. I had the highest SAT score in my graduating class. No, my SAT score was not that high - my high school was just that full of underachievers.
6. I was a double major in undergrad, and in my current profession I don't use either of those degrees.
7. I went to all 50 states before I turned 30.
8. Though I've traveled all over the States and Canada, I haven't been out of the country much. I've been to the Bahamas, Germany, France, Turkey, Greece and Egypt. And though it doesn't count as being out of the country, I've been to Puerto Rico - twice.
9. I've seen U2 in concert in four states. One of them was Hawaii.
10. I've seen Tori Amos in concert at least 10 times. I've lost count.
11. I just gave my resignation and I'm so nervous that I could eat my own hair.
Cheri's Questions:
1. You are throwing a dinner party - what three famous people would you invite?
Bono, because I love him even though he's a total ponce. Viggo Mortensen, because he's gorgeous and would have a very interesting conversation with Bono, I suspect. And Rob Thomas, because he's totally my secret shameful rockstar crush.
2. Who was your first crush?
Boy George. I know.
3. What would your dream job be?
I hope that I'm starting my dream job next month! But if I could do anything in the world without worries about money, I'd love to be a travel writer.
4. Favorite television show?
The wife and I are obsessed with Homeland right now.
5. You are being served your last meal on earth...what do you want?
Spinach dip from Publix with a whole bag of Tostitos scoops and a dozen chocolate iced creme filled Krispy Kreme donuts. Oink.
6. Place you haven't been yet and want to see?
New Zealand. One day I want to take a Lord of the Rings tour there.
7. Something that annoys the snot out of you?
Extraneous noise. Oh my god, I hate it when people tap fingers or jog legs or do anything else that creates unnecessary noise. I'm very sensitive to noises. I'm also, ironically, married to the noisiest person on the planet.
8. Something that will always make you smile?
My wife's thigh dance. Don't ask.
9. Oprah, Dr Phil, Kelly Rippa, and Barbara Walters are on a boat. It's
going to sink unless you throw two of them off into shark infested
waters. Who are you dumping?
I'm dumping Dr. Phil because I hate his voice and Barbara Walters, because she only has a little time left anyway. Yeah, I'm insensitive like that.
10. You can wave a magic wand and solve ONLY ONE world problem (ie: water for everyone). Which would you solve?
Religion. I would solve religion.
11. What are three things you most like about who you are?
I'm generous. I'm devoted. And I will try harder than anyone else.
I'm not going to nominate anyone, because I don't want to pick people - I want everyone to do it, because I like learning things about all of you!
Monday, November 5, 2012
Wardrobe Victories!
I weighed in at 202.5 pounds this morning. I am so close to Onederland that I can taste it. I will be there in the next couple of weeks!
I've discovered a new love of Spinning. My gym has these Spinning bikes that run programs - I've been doing intervals on them recently - I ride about 20 miles in an hour, and I sweat like a hog. It's amazing. I love it!
I had two major shopping victories yesterday. First, the wife and I were wandering around some shops and decided to go in Banana Republic. I know I said something the other day about being able to shop at BR now, but I don't know if I really believed it. But we went in and I started picking through the sales rack, and I found this: Faux-Leather Trim Dress It was 50% off, so I figured, "What the hell?" I tried it on in a 14 and it totally fit. So now I own my very first piece of clothing from Banana Republic! My style is slowly getting a makeover.
I also tried on a dress, a skirt and a couple of blouses from Anne Klein but, while they fit, I didn't like them, so I passed. But they fit! I can try on clothes at Anne Klein!
And then we went to Target, because the wife and I have decided that I need to step up my work wardrobe when I start my new job. I wear a lot of dresses now, but a lot of them are too big and kind of old, and just overall I'm starting to look a little schlubby. I want to get off to a good start at the new job and make good first impressions, so I'm trying to build an affordable workwear wardrobe. So I bought a couple of cardigans, along with this dress. So pretty.
And then... the second victory. I tried on, fit perfectly into and purchased size 10 jeans. Eeeeeeeeeeee!
Now I just have to avoid buying a purse at the Coach factory clearance that's going on right now. Oh, shopping.
I found out today that I passed the background check for my new job, yay! I'm giving my notice at my current job on Wednesday. One of two things will happen at that point - 1) the shit will hit the fan or 2) everyone will completely ignore it. I'm 95% certain that option 2 is going to happen.
The wife and I are narrowing down our apartment search. Cost of living is certainly higher in the new destination city than it is in Fort Worth, TX - rent prices are higher than I'm used to. But we're gonna get it done. We may end up renting an apartment sight unseen - which makes me nervous. I wish we had friends in western PA (yes, we're moving to PA!) who could help us out with scoping out the neighborhood.
I've discovered a new love of Spinning. My gym has these Spinning bikes that run programs - I've been doing intervals on them recently - I ride about 20 miles in an hour, and I sweat like a hog. It's amazing. I love it!
I had two major shopping victories yesterday. First, the wife and I were wandering around some shops and decided to go in Banana Republic. I know I said something the other day about being able to shop at BR now, but I don't know if I really believed it. But we went in and I started picking through the sales rack, and I found this: Faux-Leather Trim Dress It was 50% off, so I figured, "What the hell?" I tried it on in a 14 and it totally fit. So now I own my very first piece of clothing from Banana Republic! My style is slowly getting a makeover.
I also tried on a dress, a skirt and a couple of blouses from Anne Klein but, while they fit, I didn't like them, so I passed. But they fit! I can try on clothes at Anne Klein!
And then we went to Target, because the wife and I have decided that I need to step up my work wardrobe when I start my new job. I wear a lot of dresses now, but a lot of them are too big and kind of old, and just overall I'm starting to look a little schlubby. I want to get off to a good start at the new job and make good first impressions, so I'm trying to build an affordable workwear wardrobe. So I bought a couple of cardigans, along with this dress. So pretty.
And then... the second victory. I tried on, fit perfectly into and purchased size 10 jeans. Eeeeeeeeeeee!
Now I just have to avoid buying a purse at the Coach factory clearance that's going on right now. Oh, shopping.
I found out today that I passed the background check for my new job, yay! I'm giving my notice at my current job on Wednesday. One of two things will happen at that point - 1) the shit will hit the fan or 2) everyone will completely ignore it. I'm 95% certain that option 2 is going to happen.
The wife and I are narrowing down our apartment search. Cost of living is certainly higher in the new destination city than it is in Fort Worth, TX - rent prices are higher than I'm used to. But we're gonna get it done. We may end up renting an apartment sight unseen - which makes me nervous. I wish we had friends in western PA (yes, we're moving to PA!) who could help us out with scoping out the neighborhood.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Ten Things Thursday
1. My house went on the market today. I've got my fingers crossed for a quick sale. Anyone in Texas or looking to relocate to Texas wanna buy a house? It's priced to move. With a pool!
2. Trying to figure out this move is something of a logistical nightmare. I'm a person who likes to have a plan, and this whole thing is very, "It depends." Ugh! I start my new job in a month in a city 1,200 miles from here, and I don't even know where I'll be living yet. Does anyone have a couch in an as-yet unnamed mid-Atlantic state on which me, my wife, my dog and three cats can sleep? It would have to be a large couch...
3. I'm giving my notice at my current job next Wednesday, assuming that I've passed the background check for my new job. There is so much stupid schoolyard crap going on behind the scenes at my current job that it just makes me ill - everyone is talking about me behind my back (not bad, just "How do we keep her from leaving?") and no one is talking to me. I can't wait to run out the door laughing with glee. I cleaned out my desk yesterday.
4. I'm in Chicago for work today and tomorrow. I had a 7:30 flight this morning. At least I got upgraded to first class - first class makes getting up at 4:30 not quite so bad.
5. I cannot believe it's November. What the hell happened to 2012?
6. I haven't really been getting as much sleep as I would like for the last week or so. I'm the kind of person who needs quite a bit of sleep, and between Real Dog and repairing the bathroom and organizing the house and going to the gym, I haven't had enough sleep. But my kitchen cabinets have never been so organized.
7. I have a million things to sell before we move. Anyone want to buy any of the following?: A Kenmore stainless steel French door refrigerator, a large chest freezer, a 1980s-era refrigerator (currently in use as a second fridge in the garage), a Dolphin pool cleaner, a red Whirlpool front loading washing machine, a white Amana dryer (yeah, my washer/dryer don't match - don't judge me), a 200something grey Toyota Corolla with fewer than 40000 miles? Christ, why do I have so much stuff?
8. I painted my nails with Revlon Scented Nail Enamel last night. It smells like Ocean Breeze, even with a topcoat. Very trippy.
9. My back hurts. My back has hurt since the last time I was on the elliptical, which was Tuesday night. I'm about 5 seconds away from asking someone to walk on my spine.
10. I have let my exercise get away from me a little bit in the last week, what with the prepping for putting the house on the market. I skipped the gym entirely on Monday and I won't get a chance to go today (on account of the 7:30 am flight and the fact that I will be working until 9:30 tonight). I want to be in the low 190s/high 180s by the end of the year, so I need to prioritize - I must fit exercise in whenever I can!
2. Trying to figure out this move is something of a logistical nightmare. I'm a person who likes to have a plan, and this whole thing is very, "It depends." Ugh! I start my new job in a month in a city 1,200 miles from here, and I don't even know where I'll be living yet. Does anyone have a couch in an as-yet unnamed mid-Atlantic state on which me, my wife, my dog and three cats can sleep? It would have to be a large couch...
3. I'm giving my notice at my current job next Wednesday, assuming that I've passed the background check for my new job. There is so much stupid schoolyard crap going on behind the scenes at my current job that it just makes me ill - everyone is talking about me behind my back (not bad, just "How do we keep her from leaving?") and no one is talking to me. I can't wait to run out the door laughing with glee. I cleaned out my desk yesterday.
4. I'm in Chicago for work today and tomorrow. I had a 7:30 flight this morning. At least I got upgraded to first class - first class makes getting up at 4:30 not quite so bad.
5. I cannot believe it's November. What the hell happened to 2012?
6. I haven't really been getting as much sleep as I would like for the last week or so. I'm the kind of person who needs quite a bit of sleep, and between Real Dog and repairing the bathroom and organizing the house and going to the gym, I haven't had enough sleep. But my kitchen cabinets have never been so organized.
7. I have a million things to sell before we move. Anyone want to buy any of the following?: A Kenmore stainless steel French door refrigerator, a large chest freezer, a 1980s-era refrigerator (currently in use as a second fridge in the garage), a Dolphin pool cleaner, a red Whirlpool front loading washing machine, a white Amana dryer (yeah, my washer/dryer don't match - don't judge me), a 200something grey Toyota Corolla with fewer than 40000 miles? Christ, why do I have so much stuff?
8. I painted my nails with Revlon Scented Nail Enamel last night. It smells like Ocean Breeze, even with a topcoat. Very trippy.
9. My back hurts. My back has hurt since the last time I was on the elliptical, which was Tuesday night. I'm about 5 seconds away from asking someone to walk on my spine.
10. I have let my exercise get away from me a little bit in the last week, what with the prepping for putting the house on the market. I skipped the gym entirely on Monday and I won't get a chance to go today (on account of the 7:30 am flight and the fact that I will be working until 9:30 tonight). I want to be in the low 190s/high 180s by the end of the year, so I need to prioritize - I must fit exercise in whenever I can!
Monday, October 29, 2012
I am on the verge of collapse!
I had the busiest weekend I've had in recent memory.
On Friday, I:
- Agreed to dogsit for a co-worker. See, I thought I liked dogs. I have a dog. In fairness, my dog is really more like a neurotic toddler in a dog costume. He's not really a typical dog (lookit that face!):
.JPG)
My co-worker's dog is a Real Dog:
- Discovered that, while I thought I liked dogs, I don't. I like my dog. Other dogs, Real Dogs, are kind of a pain in the ass.
- Wrangled the Real Dog while the appraiser assessed my house.
- Took my Neurotic Toddler Dog and the Real Dog for a 3-mile walk. It felt more like a 3-hour tour.
On Saturday, I:
- Woke up at 7:30 and went to Cycle. I like Cycle way better than RPM - the instructor was playing Halloween music, so we cranked it out to "Time Warp" and "Thriller" and I got sweaty in a way that I don't get at RPM. Then I followed that with Body Pump with a new instructor, who was pretty hardcore. I liked it. It was a good way to kick off the weekend.
- Went home, showered, dressed and went to early vote. Now I don't have to stress about voting on election day, *whew*.
- Went home and met with Realtor #1. I liked her. I had originally requested the realtor who sold me my house a year ago, but she's in Italy (hmph!), so her office sent over this woman instead. We walked around the house, she commented on some things, we went over comps, she stayed for about an hour.
- Laid down on the couch for 20 minutes. Tried to avoid getting licked by the Real Dog.
- Met with Realtor #2. I liked her as well, just a little bit less than #1.
- After Realtor #2 left, the wife and I went to renew our Texas car inspections. My car freaking failed. Apparently, my tires were bald. Wah!
- Got new tires. I do so enjoy these unplanned expenses, don't you?
- Went back to renew my Texas car inspection. Passed this time. Screw you, Texas.
- Had Chipotle for dinner. I get a carnitas bowl, no rice, with black beans, fajita veggies, pico and lettuce and maybe, if I'm feeling mischievous, a bit of green salsa. 370 calories, 37 grams of protein, incredibly filling.
- Went to Target to look for a Halloween costume for the wife, who needs to wear a "zoo" themed costume to work today and Wednesday. Didn't find anything, but bought a lot of yogurt.
- Went home. Collapsed. Was licked by the Real Dog. A lot.
On Sunday, I:
- Woke up. Was kind of sad about it.
- Showered, dressed and headed out to Burlington Coat Factory. Did not find a suitable coat.
- Went to the Halloween store. Found a penguin costume for the wife.
- Went to Home Depot for supplies. Ugh.
- Had Chipotle for lunch. Nom.
- Went home and started working on the bathroom/bedroom. See, my house has settled a bit, leading to some cracks in the walls. So we had to:
- Took the dogs on a 2 mile walk.
After work today, I will:
- Meet with Realtor #1 again to fill out some paperwork
- Give the Real Dog back to co-worker.
- Paint the master bathroom and touch up the master bedroom.
- Try to fit in some exercise.
- Collapse.
This morning I weighed in at 205.5. I am no longer obese! Now I'm merely overweight! Holla! The wife is a little upset by this development, because her weight loss has been stalled at about 30 pounds since August. I gave her a reassuring talk about how, if she's eating well and exercising, it will happen for her - it's just happening faster for me because I had more to lose and I got a freaking Lap-Band to help me. She whinged that she's "eating all the same things you are and exercising just as much and not losing!" And then this morning I found the discarded wrapper of a Kit Kat bar. Hmph!
On Friday, I:
- Agreed to dogsit for a co-worker. See, I thought I liked dogs. I have a dog. In fairness, my dog is really more like a neurotic toddler in a dog costume. He's not really a typical dog (lookit that face!):
.JPG)
- Wrangled the Real Dog while the appraiser assessed my house.
- Took my Neurotic Toddler Dog and the Real Dog for a 3-mile walk. It felt more like a 3-hour tour.
On Saturday, I:
- Woke up at 7:30 and went to Cycle. I like Cycle way better than RPM - the instructor was playing Halloween music, so we cranked it out to "Time Warp" and "Thriller" and I got sweaty in a way that I don't get at RPM. Then I followed that with Body Pump with a new instructor, who was pretty hardcore. I liked it. It was a good way to kick off the weekend.
- Went home, showered, dressed and went to early vote. Now I don't have to stress about voting on election day, *whew*.
- Went home and met with Realtor #1. I liked her. I had originally requested the realtor who sold me my house a year ago, but she's in Italy (hmph!), so her office sent over this woman instead. We walked around the house, she commented on some things, we went over comps, she stayed for about an hour.
- Laid down on the couch for 20 minutes. Tried to avoid getting licked by the Real Dog.
- Met with Realtor #2. I liked her as well, just a little bit less than #1.
- After Realtor #2 left, the wife and I went to renew our Texas car inspections. My car freaking failed. Apparently, my tires were bald. Wah!
- Got new tires. I do so enjoy these unplanned expenses, don't you?
- Went back to renew my Texas car inspection. Passed this time. Screw you, Texas.
- Had Chipotle for dinner. I get a carnitas bowl, no rice, with black beans, fajita veggies, pico and lettuce and maybe, if I'm feeling mischievous, a bit of green salsa. 370 calories, 37 grams of protein, incredibly filling.
- Went to Target to look for a Halloween costume for the wife, who needs to wear a "zoo" themed costume to work today and Wednesday. Didn't find anything, but bought a lot of yogurt.
- Went home. Collapsed. Was licked by the Real Dog. A lot.
On Sunday, I:
- Woke up. Was kind of sad about it.
- Showered, dressed and headed out to Burlington Coat Factory. Did not find a suitable coat.
- Went to the Halloween store. Found a penguin costume for the wife.
- Went to Home Depot for supplies. Ugh.
- Had Chipotle for lunch. Nom.
- Went home and started working on the bathroom/bedroom. See, my house has settled a bit, leading to some cracks in the walls. So we had to:
- Spackle some cracks around the archways to the master bath
- Hardcore spackle one corner of the master bedroom and a bit of the wall above the window
- Hardcore spackle three corners of the master bath, along with the top of two of the walls
- Spray texture on the bathroom wall where the wife took down wallpaper only to discover two live junction boxes, which an electrician had to come out and remove, leaving the wall oddly lumpy, so the only solution was to use some spray texture (that made a giant mess, but ended up looking pretty good)
- Paint acoustic texture on the ceiling in the entry way
- Sand down the closet doors in both of the other bedrooms and the entryway
- Took the dogs on a 2 mile walk.
After work today, I will:
- Meet with Realtor #1 again to fill out some paperwork
- Give the Real Dog back to co-worker.
- Paint the master bathroom and touch up the master bedroom.
- Try to fit in some exercise.
- Collapse.
This morning I weighed in at 205.5. I am no longer obese! Now I'm merely overweight! Holla! The wife is a little upset by this development, because her weight loss has been stalled at about 30 pounds since August. I gave her a reassuring talk about how, if she's eating well and exercising, it will happen for her - it's just happening faster for me because I had more to lose and I got a freaking Lap-Band to help me. She whinged that she's "eating all the same things you are and exercising just as much and not losing!" And then this morning I found the discarded wrapper of a Kit Kat bar. Hmph!
Thursday, October 25, 2012
TTT!
1. So, I have a confession to make - I went a little nuts with the food when our friends were here this weekend. Here's what happened:
On Friday, we went to The Woodshed Smokehouse and I had smoked almonds, the bun from a chopped beef sandwich (I know, you're saying, "The bun? Aren't you doing it backwards?" but the meat itself was so fatty that I found it really unappetizing, so I just ate the delicious homemade bun) and all of the homemade potato chips that came with the sandwich, plus two bites of something called buttermilk pie.
On Saturday, the wife and I woke up early and went to the gym (more on that in number four). Then we took our friends to Rise and Shine for breakfast, where I got the omelet with roast beef, cream cheese and asparagus, with a biscuit and hashbrowns. Well, I ate one bite of the biscuit, which was gummy and gross, a couple of bites of the hashbrowns and two bites of the omelet before... I found two hairs in my eggs. *gag* Done with breakfast! We headed out to the casino and stopped at Starbucks (where I had a tall, skinny iced caramel macchiato) and The Fried Pie Co. on the way and I had a few bites of some bacon cheese fries and the crust from a pecan fried pie (the filling was way too sweet for me). After the casino, we headed back to town and had dinner at The Italian Inn, where I had some salad and an order of chicken piccata - I ate three bites of the chicken and half of the pasta. Stuffed!
Sunday was the really bad day. We headed out to Lucile's where I debated between the lobster roll and the corned beef hash, but finally settled on the hash with two eggs, hashbrowns and a piece of toast. Carb heaven! I ate the whole damn thing. Then we were off to the State Fair of Texas. This is where things really went downhill for me. I had nachos, a bit of popcorn, tater twisters (which are, in essence, thick cut potato chips), three fried Oreos and 3/4 of a fried Snickers bar. So full I could have died. And yet, our friends wanted dinner at Uncle Julio's, where I had the meat and cheese from two beef soft tacos. And then I really, really, REALLY felt like crap.
Proof, my friends, that the band will not keep you from eating (an overabundance of) junk. Lord almighty, I ate so much.
2. But here's the thing I learned from the weekend: I feel like ass when I eat that much of those types of food. I really, really do. I felt bloated and oogy, and, on top of it, my skin, which had completely cleared up over the last few months, broke out. I weighed in at 217 on Monday afternoon, a gain of about 5 pounds over just the weekend. As much as I liked the food in the moment (especially the fried Oreos, OMG, delish), I should have exercised some restraint, especially given how crappy I felt on Sunday night and Monday. My body definitely gave me some feedback on what I did this weekend, and it wasn't happy with me. I won't say that I fell off the wagon, because I fully intended to do what I did and eat what I ate, but I won't be doing it again in those quantities. Ever. Ugh.
3. After weighing in at 217 on Monday afternoon, I was down to 211 this morning. Thank goodness. I jumped right back into my normal eating and exercising routine, which is another thing I love about my band - it makes it so much easier to course correct than it ever was when I was "dieting" in the past.
4. On Saturday morning, I ran a 10-minute mile. Holy shit, you guys. 10 minute mile! I never thought I'd be here or be able to do that.
5. I haven't signed with Dream Job yet. The relocation company is being... difficult to work with, which is not a surprise (I worked with them when I moved here last year, and they were a pain in the ass then, so I didn't expect it to be any different now). I'm so ready to sign that I could eat my own hair, though - I just want to get this nailed down so that I can start working towards my future.
6. I already have my resignation letter for current job written. Oh yes.
7. I have to go to Chicago for work next week, but not fun Chicago - airport Chicago. Joy.
8. I have to have two real estate agents and one appraiser come out to value my house in the next few days. Did I mention that I'm currently dogsitting for a co-worker's 70 pound, un-crate trained boxer? Double joy!
9. Everyone is out of the office traveling for a trade show this week (I didn't have to go, thank jeebus) and we're having a fire drill at 2pm. I may go home at 1:45 and stay until 3ish.
10. I started writing this list two hours ago, and in that time, I signed with Dream Job. It's official! (Oh god, oh god, now I have to move across the country again.)
On Friday, we went to The Woodshed Smokehouse and I had smoked almonds, the bun from a chopped beef sandwich (I know, you're saying, "The bun? Aren't you doing it backwards?" but the meat itself was so fatty that I found it really unappetizing, so I just ate the delicious homemade bun) and all of the homemade potato chips that came with the sandwich, plus two bites of something called buttermilk pie.
On Saturday, the wife and I woke up early and went to the gym (more on that in number four). Then we took our friends to Rise and Shine for breakfast, where I got the omelet with roast beef, cream cheese and asparagus, with a biscuit and hashbrowns. Well, I ate one bite of the biscuit, which was gummy and gross, a couple of bites of the hashbrowns and two bites of the omelet before... I found two hairs in my eggs. *gag* Done with breakfast! We headed out to the casino and stopped at Starbucks (where I had a tall, skinny iced caramel macchiato) and The Fried Pie Co. on the way and I had a few bites of some bacon cheese fries and the crust from a pecan fried pie (the filling was way too sweet for me). After the casino, we headed back to town and had dinner at The Italian Inn, where I had some salad and an order of chicken piccata - I ate three bites of the chicken and half of the pasta. Stuffed!
Sunday was the really bad day. We headed out to Lucile's where I debated between the lobster roll and the corned beef hash, but finally settled on the hash with two eggs, hashbrowns and a piece of toast. Carb heaven! I ate the whole damn thing. Then we were off to the State Fair of Texas. This is where things really went downhill for me. I had nachos, a bit of popcorn, tater twisters (which are, in essence, thick cut potato chips), three fried Oreos and 3/4 of a fried Snickers bar. So full I could have died. And yet, our friends wanted dinner at Uncle Julio's, where I had the meat and cheese from two beef soft tacos. And then I really, really, REALLY felt like crap.
Proof, my friends, that the band will not keep you from eating (an overabundance of) junk. Lord almighty, I ate so much.
2. But here's the thing I learned from the weekend: I feel like ass when I eat that much of those types of food. I really, really do. I felt bloated and oogy, and, on top of it, my skin, which had completely cleared up over the last few months, broke out. I weighed in at 217 on Monday afternoon, a gain of about 5 pounds over just the weekend. As much as I liked the food in the moment (especially the fried Oreos, OMG, delish), I should have exercised some restraint, especially given how crappy I felt on Sunday night and Monday. My body definitely gave me some feedback on what I did this weekend, and it wasn't happy with me. I won't say that I fell off the wagon, because I fully intended to do what I did and eat what I ate, but I won't be doing it again in those quantities. Ever. Ugh.
3. After weighing in at 217 on Monday afternoon, I was down to 211 this morning. Thank goodness. I jumped right back into my normal eating and exercising routine, which is another thing I love about my band - it makes it so much easier to course correct than it ever was when I was "dieting" in the past.
4. On Saturday morning, I ran a 10-minute mile. Holy shit, you guys. 10 minute mile! I never thought I'd be here or be able to do that.
5. I haven't signed with Dream Job yet. The relocation company is being... difficult to work with, which is not a surprise (I worked with them when I moved here last year, and they were a pain in the ass then, so I didn't expect it to be any different now). I'm so ready to sign that I could eat my own hair, though - I just want to get this nailed down so that I can start working towards my future.
6. I already have my resignation letter for current job written. Oh yes.
7. I have to go to Chicago for work next week, but not fun Chicago - airport Chicago. Joy.
8. I have to have two real estate agents and one appraiser come out to value my house in the next few days. Did I mention that I'm currently dogsitting for a co-worker's 70 pound, un-crate trained boxer? Double joy!
9. Everyone is out of the office traveling for a trade show this week (I didn't have to go, thank jeebus) and we're having a fire drill at 2pm. I may go home at 1:45 and stay until 3ish.
10. I started writing this list two hours ago, and in that time, I signed with Dream Job. It's official! (Oh god, oh god, now I have to move across the country again.)
Thursday, October 18, 2012
TTT!
1. So far, Dream Job is earning the name, and I haven't even signed my contract yet. I feel like I'm in the very beginning stages of a romantic relationship - I get good butterflies every time I think about it. They're doing *everything* they can on their end to make sure that the transition goes as smoothly for me as possible, including accommodating without question one request that I was honestly concerned would be a little outlandish. We've agreed on a start date at the beginning of December, so it's almost settled. The relocation process is about to begin!
2. I'm leaving my current job for a lot of reasons, and I've been letting those reasons build up inside of me for about a year now. I've been getting really bitter. But now that I have Dream Job lined up, I find myself not nearly as bitter as I was a few weeks ago. I feel like I can see things a little more clearly, a little more objectively. But damn, guys - I CANNOT WAIT to turn in my resignation letter. Especially because current job? Is in a hiring freeze. *insert evil laugh here*
3. I'm gonna need a winter coat. I kind of love this one... Ooooh, or this one, except the only size they have available is 3X and I'M NOT A 3X ANYMORE, wheeeee!
4. I'm going to be able to walk to work in my new city. I cannot even express how happy that makes me. Which begs the question - who have I become, that I'm looking *forward* to walking to work? Let me tell you a story: A few years ago, my wife and I went to a cute little neighborhood to get a Ben & Jerry's ice cream cone. Once we had our cones, my wife begged me to walk around the block with her, all romantic, holding hands, eating ice cream. But I didn't want to walk around the block. It was too far. I wanted to take my ice cream and drive home. I bitched. And moaned. And complained. About walking around the block. Seriously. And now I want to walk to work? I love you, Lap-Band!
5. We have friends coming in to visit us this weekend, so we are planning trips to the State Fair and the casino. This will be the last weekend of fun before the frantic home improvement begins so that we can sell the house!
6. We are not buying a house in new city. I need some recovery from the stress of being a homeowner.
7. My official wedding band is a plain, polished band. It matches my wife's. Mine is a size 11. It doesn't fit anymore. Not even a little bit. It flies off of my hand if I try to wear it. So I tried on my wife's. Hers is a 9. It also doesn't fit - it's way too loose on my finger, though obviously not as bad as the 11. So then I tried on a cocktail ring that used to belong to my grandmother - it's a giant aquamarine set in platinum, and it has never fit me, but because it's set in platinum, I never wanted to pay to get it sized up (and also, sizing up rings tends to make them a lot more fragile). I've never worn it in my life - it barely fit over my pinky knuckle when I tried it on in the spring. Now - it fits. Holy smokes.
8. I have a confession to make - aside from the suit that I had to buy to wear to my interview last week, I don't own a pair of dress slacks. There are several reasons - I've been going down in pants sizes very quickly, and I'm tall, so I generally need long inseams, which are harder to find (and sometimes a little more expensive, especially in larger sizes). If I'd bought just one pair of work slacks in every size I've been in since May, I'd have had to buy 6 pairs of pants. Not an investment I'm willing to make for pants I can wear, on average, for a month. So I've been wearing a lot of dresses, because my work wardrobe before weight loss mainly consisted of dresses, and I haven't been sizing out of dresses as fast (thanks, giant boobies). But yesterday my boss said to me, "I think it's time you buy some pants. Banana Republic is having a sale." And my first reaction was, "You loon, I can't fit into anything at Banana Republic." And then I realized - yes, I can. Oh my god, I can fit into things at Banana Republic!
I'm still not buying slacks, though.
9. I have to find a fill doctor in the new city. This makes me nervous, because I so love my doctor, and everything has been going so smoothly.
10. I have so much food in my chest freezer that I'm thinking about having a frozen food giveaway party. Any Texas locals want to come over and claim some frozen steaks?
2. I'm leaving my current job for a lot of reasons, and I've been letting those reasons build up inside of me for about a year now. I've been getting really bitter. But now that I have Dream Job lined up, I find myself not nearly as bitter as I was a few weeks ago. I feel like I can see things a little more clearly, a little more objectively. But damn, guys - I CANNOT WAIT to turn in my resignation letter. Especially because current job? Is in a hiring freeze. *insert evil laugh here*
3. I'm gonna need a winter coat. I kind of love this one... Ooooh, or this one, except the only size they have available is 3X and I'M NOT A 3X ANYMORE, wheeeee!
4. I'm going to be able to walk to work in my new city. I cannot even express how happy that makes me. Which begs the question - who have I become, that I'm looking *forward* to walking to work? Let me tell you a story: A few years ago, my wife and I went to a cute little neighborhood to get a Ben & Jerry's ice cream cone. Once we had our cones, my wife begged me to walk around the block with her, all romantic, holding hands, eating ice cream. But I didn't want to walk around the block. It was too far. I wanted to take my ice cream and drive home. I bitched. And moaned. And complained. About walking around the block. Seriously. And now I want to walk to work? I love you, Lap-Band!
5. We have friends coming in to visit us this weekend, so we are planning trips to the State Fair and the casino. This will be the last weekend of fun before the frantic home improvement begins so that we can sell the house!
6. We are not buying a house in new city. I need some recovery from the stress of being a homeowner.
7. My official wedding band is a plain, polished band. It matches my wife's. Mine is a size 11. It doesn't fit anymore. Not even a little bit. It flies off of my hand if I try to wear it. So I tried on my wife's. Hers is a 9. It also doesn't fit - it's way too loose on my finger, though obviously not as bad as the 11. So then I tried on a cocktail ring that used to belong to my grandmother - it's a giant aquamarine set in platinum, and it has never fit me, but because it's set in platinum, I never wanted to pay to get it sized up (and also, sizing up rings tends to make them a lot more fragile). I've never worn it in my life - it barely fit over my pinky knuckle when I tried it on in the spring. Now - it fits. Holy smokes.
8. I have a confession to make - aside from the suit that I had to buy to wear to my interview last week, I don't own a pair of dress slacks. There are several reasons - I've been going down in pants sizes very quickly, and I'm tall, so I generally need long inseams, which are harder to find (and sometimes a little more expensive, especially in larger sizes). If I'd bought just one pair of work slacks in every size I've been in since May, I'd have had to buy 6 pairs of pants. Not an investment I'm willing to make for pants I can wear, on average, for a month. So I've been wearing a lot of dresses, because my work wardrobe before weight loss mainly consisted of dresses, and I haven't been sizing out of dresses as fast (thanks, giant boobies). But yesterday my boss said to me, "I think it's time you buy some pants. Banana Republic is having a sale." And my first reaction was, "You loon, I can't fit into anything at Banana Republic." And then I realized - yes, I can. Oh my god, I can fit into things at Banana Republic!
I'm still not buying slacks, though.
9. I have to find a fill doctor in the new city. This makes me nervous, because I so love my doctor, and everything has been going so smoothly.
10. I have so much food in my chest freezer that I'm thinking about having a frozen food giveaway party. Any Texas locals want to come over and claim some frozen steaks?
Monday, October 15, 2012
Breaking News
My wife is going to kill me for telling you guys first, but...
I got the offer from Dream Job!
Size 12 jeans AND a job offer? I'm the happiest girl in the world right now.
I got the offer from Dream Job!
Size 12 jeans AND a job offer? I'm the happiest girl in the world right now.
Two Victories Today!
I have a scale victory and a non-scale victory to report on this Monday morning:
Scale Victory: I was at 214.5 when I weighed in this morning. This means that I have lost
Plus? TOM came yesterday, with all of the bloating and ooginess that entails. I'm down 100 pounds even with TOM in town.
Non-Scale Victory: Jeans are on sale at Target this week for $15. I like Target jeans for what they are - they're cheap, but they fit well (I like Fit 4) and they come in long inseams (I'm a tall gal). I like cheap jeans these days because I've been through 6 sizes so far. I'm not at a place where I'm looking to make a commitment to expensive jeans. So I'm a few weeks away from fitting into a size 12 yesterday when I read in the Target flyer that jeans are on sale. I figure, "What the hell, I might as well buy them when they're on sale and hold onto them until they fit." So I bought the size 12 long, fit 4 jeans (possibly the only ones they had - the selection was a little picked over yesterday). I got them home and the wife says, "Try them on. Just to see how far you have to go."
They fit. They fit perfectly.
I almost cried. I haven't been lower than a size 14 in my entire adult life, and those size 12 jeans went right on and buttoned without a struggle and looked DAMN GOOD.
I cannot wait to see what happens next.
Scale Victory: I was at 214.5 when I weighed in this morning. This means that I have lost
100.5 pounds
since I started on the pre-op diet on May 2nd. I remember when I went to my required psych appointment in the spring, she asked me what my goal was, and I told her I didn't have an end number in mind, but I didn't think it was unreasonable to lose 100 pounds in the first year. Baby, I will take 100 pounds in the first 5-1/2 months. I will take it and run away laughing. I still have 41-55 pounds to go, depending on where I decide my ultimate goal weight is, but 100 pounds feels amazeballs. That's a two-month-old horse!Plus? TOM came yesterday, with all of the bloating and ooginess that entails. I'm down 100 pounds even with TOM in town.
Non-Scale Victory: Jeans are on sale at Target this week for $15. I like Target jeans for what they are - they're cheap, but they fit well (I like Fit 4) and they come in long inseams (I'm a tall gal). I like cheap jeans these days because I've been through 6 sizes so far. I'm not at a place where I'm looking to make a commitment to expensive jeans. So I'm a few weeks away from fitting into a size 12 yesterday when I read in the Target flyer that jeans are on sale. I figure, "What the hell, I might as well buy them when they're on sale and hold onto them until they fit." So I bought the size 12 long, fit 4 jeans (possibly the only ones they had - the selection was a little picked over yesterday). I got them home and the wife says, "Try them on. Just to see how far you have to go."
They fit. They fit perfectly.
I almost cried. I haven't been lower than a size 14 in my entire adult life, and those size 12 jeans went right on and buttoned without a struggle and looked DAMN GOOD.
I cannot wait to see what happens next.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Ten Things Friday!
One of my favorite parts of blogging is Ten Things Thursday. Looking back through my blog, I notice that I've missed very few of them. But owing to being at a three-hour job interview and then on a plane back home for most of the day yesterday, I didn't get a chance to do TTT this week, so I'm doing TTFriday. You'll live, I trust.
1. I haven't been terribly commenty on other blogs recently, and I feel like an ass about that, because I know how much I like comments. I resolve to comment more, starting immediately!
2. My interviews yesterday went pretty well, I think. Thing is... I'm starting to feel a bit ambivalent about making a job change. I'm pretty change averse, and for me a lot of the times it's about the devil you know - I'm scared of leaving my current hellhole because at least I know how it works. What if I get this job, move across the country again and end up just as miserable as I am right now? So I don't know if I'm just being a chickenshit or if my conservatism is warranted.
3. While sitting at the airport yesterday waiting to board my flight home, I got a phone call from a large company wanting to talk to me about a job I'd applied to with them a while ago. A large candy company. A bandster with a sweet tooth working at a candy company? What was I thinking? I'm talking to them this afternoon anyway. We'll see where this goes.
4. I get so tired of talking about myself during and after the job interviewing process. Like, there are only so many different ways that I can tell the same story about "A time I led a team to success despite obstacles."
5. I find that no matter how hard I prep for interviews, there's always at least one question that I could never have anticipated. Yesterday's curve ball involved dried soup. Yeah, didn't see that one coming.
6. It's nice to be wanted, or at least to have my resume spark some interest. I went into grad school to get my MBA thinking that I was going to graduate and go right back to the career path I'd had before. Then, in the middle of school, I made a decision to change the career I was pursuing. I didn't have an internship or any experience in my field, and it was incredibly difficult to get interviews in my desired field, much less offers. I got two job offers out of grad school - one was with my current company, and one was with a company doing the same work I'd done before school. So it's gratifying now to see that I can at least get interviews and have conversations with prospective employers. It's far less difficult now that I have some experience under my belt.
7a. I must confess - I didn't do any work on the kitchen last weekend. I do have a good reason - the wife and I needed to buy a new mattress for our guest bedroom. We needed to do it pretty urgently, as we have guests coming next weekend. So on Friday, when we were out suit shopping for me, we spotted a brand new Rooms To Go outlet and ended up buying a deeply discounted, Columbus-Day-sale mattress from them. But because it was an outlet, we had to take delivery the next morning, sometime within a very large delivery window. So I couldn't go to the hardware store to gather supplies, because I was waiting. And I missed my Body Pump and Zumba classes, because I was waiting. And they showed up an hour late. So then by the time the mattress was delivered and I was free to leave the house, it was mid-afternoon and I still hadn't been to the gym. So I had to ditch the kitchen idea.
7b. Speaking of suit shopping - we went to Macy's and I tried on a bunch of suits in the Ladies (not Women's) section. I bought a suit in a size that does not have a "W" after it. Victory! I bought this pretty black pantsuit with a jacket that cinched my waist just so and made me think I looked so slim. It was very nice. Then I went and bought a pair of new black shoes to go with it (after spending 45 minutes in the DSW trying on every single pair of black shoes they had in my size). And then I went home and hung the suit up in my closet. Where I promptly realized that the suit was BROWN, not BLACK. Sonofabitch. Now I have to return the black shoes this weekend (I already had a pair of brown shoes). And apparently I need to have my vision tested, though my wife swears the suit was black in the store.
7c. Yesterday, I walked from my hotel to the interview, because it was only half a mile and cabs were taking forever. Yesterday was the first time I really realized how much my body has changed, because I walked that half mile in my brown heels, wearing a 30 pound backpack and rolling a suitcase behind me, and NOT ONCE did my feet, legs, or any other part of my body hurt me. I couldn't have (and wouldn't have) done that pre-band.
8. I got my hair cut. I took in this picture of Ashley Greene:
I had really long hair before, so I ended up getting 8" cut off. It took some adjusting, but I think I really like it now. You'll just have to use your imagination.
9. My wife is staying home with me for Thanksgiving, rather than going home to visit her family (in fairness, she was just there last weekend and two weeks before that). I am so excited for us to start our own little family traditions - like maybe going to the Thanksgiving buffet at the local Indian casino.
10. I think we might go see the $5 matinee of Argo on Sunday. Yay, $5 matinee!
1. I haven't been terribly commenty on other blogs recently, and I feel like an ass about that, because I know how much I like comments. I resolve to comment more, starting immediately!
2. My interviews yesterday went pretty well, I think. Thing is... I'm starting to feel a bit ambivalent about making a job change. I'm pretty change averse, and for me a lot of the times it's about the devil you know - I'm scared of leaving my current hellhole because at least I know how it works. What if I get this job, move across the country again and end up just as miserable as I am right now? So I don't know if I'm just being a chickenshit or if my conservatism is warranted.
3. While sitting at the airport yesterday waiting to board my flight home, I got a phone call from a large company wanting to talk to me about a job I'd applied to with them a while ago. A large candy company. A bandster with a sweet tooth working at a candy company? What was I thinking? I'm talking to them this afternoon anyway. We'll see where this goes.
4. I get so tired of talking about myself during and after the job interviewing process. Like, there are only so many different ways that I can tell the same story about "A time I led a team to success despite obstacles."
5. I find that no matter how hard I prep for interviews, there's always at least one question that I could never have anticipated. Yesterday's curve ball involved dried soup. Yeah, didn't see that one coming.
6. It's nice to be wanted, or at least to have my resume spark some interest. I went into grad school to get my MBA thinking that I was going to graduate and go right back to the career path I'd had before. Then, in the middle of school, I made a decision to change the career I was pursuing. I didn't have an internship or any experience in my field, and it was incredibly difficult to get interviews in my desired field, much less offers. I got two job offers out of grad school - one was with my current company, and one was with a company doing the same work I'd done before school. So it's gratifying now to see that I can at least get interviews and have conversations with prospective employers. It's far less difficult now that I have some experience under my belt.
7a. I must confess - I didn't do any work on the kitchen last weekend. I do have a good reason - the wife and I needed to buy a new mattress for our guest bedroom. We needed to do it pretty urgently, as we have guests coming next weekend. So on Friday, when we were out suit shopping for me, we spotted a brand new Rooms To Go outlet and ended up buying a deeply discounted, Columbus-Day-sale mattress from them. But because it was an outlet, we had to take delivery the next morning, sometime within a very large delivery window. So I couldn't go to the hardware store to gather supplies, because I was waiting. And I missed my Body Pump and Zumba classes, because I was waiting. And they showed up an hour late. So then by the time the mattress was delivered and I was free to leave the house, it was mid-afternoon and I still hadn't been to the gym. So I had to ditch the kitchen idea.
7b. Speaking of suit shopping - we went to Macy's and I tried on a bunch of suits in the Ladies (not Women's) section. I bought a suit in a size that does not have a "W" after it. Victory! I bought this pretty black pantsuit with a jacket that cinched my waist just so and made me think I looked so slim. It was very nice. Then I went and bought a pair of new black shoes to go with it (after spending 45 minutes in the DSW trying on every single pair of black shoes they had in my size). And then I went home and hung the suit up in my closet. Where I promptly realized that the suit was BROWN, not BLACK. Sonofabitch. Now I have to return the black shoes this weekend (I already had a pair of brown shoes). And apparently I need to have my vision tested, though my wife swears the suit was black in the store.
7c. Yesterday, I walked from my hotel to the interview, because it was only half a mile and cabs were taking forever. Yesterday was the first time I really realized how much my body has changed, because I walked that half mile in my brown heels, wearing a 30 pound backpack and rolling a suitcase behind me, and NOT ONCE did my feet, legs, or any other part of my body hurt me. I couldn't have (and wouldn't have) done that pre-band.
8. I got my hair cut. I took in this picture of Ashley Greene:
I had really long hair before, so I ended up getting 8" cut off. It took some adjusting, but I think I really like it now. You'll just have to use your imagination.
9. My wife is staying home with me for Thanksgiving, rather than going home to visit her family (in fairness, she was just there last weekend and two weeks before that). I am so excited for us to start our own little family traditions - like maybe going to the Thanksgiving buffet at the local Indian casino.
10. I think we might go see the $5 matinee of Argo on Sunday. Yay, $5 matinee!
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