LUMI

Just finished reading this book...

and I loved it! Although I don't live in NYC, I absolutely adore it there and still see a gaping hole in the skyline that breaks my heart whenever I am there. This book made 4 of those 3000+ names into real people. It also made me pine for Manhattan, reading about the great meals and the great trips they were taking really made me want a better paying job!!!

I highly recommend this book. It wasn't a tearjerker, just a realistic look at how these four women overcame the most devastating event in recent memory.

Monthly Resolutions

At the beginning of the year I decided to make a list of things I wanted to start doing on a regular basis. I didn't post the list here, cause I didn't want to be embarrassed if I didn't many to DO any of them! But I did MOST of them and I am proud! I am resetting the list for the month of February. Here is how I did in January. :)

January To Do's

1. meet someone new (finally met Matthew in person)
2. go to a museum (went to see the Cassatt Exhibit with Matthew)
3. paint a room or part of a room in the house (FAIL)
4. spend time with an old friend (although we didn't see each other in person, I did reconnect with the Tall Willowy Queen online)
5. try a new recipe (New Years Day SOUP!)
6. go dancing

Work Out Wednesday!

Sheldon and I met at the gym last night. It is so great that I have him to work out with because if it was just me I would go once or twice a month if that, but when he calls and asks me to meet him I jump right off the couch and run out the door! :) I did my favorite treadle machine first, then 20 minutes on the bike, then enough time on the rowing machine to equal a total of 400 calories!

I was totally craving french fries but Miles and I stopped at Subway instead. Sigh.

Today I didn't eat nearly as well. I went down the street to get a yummy club sandwich and my long craved french fries at Jonathan's on 14th street. I didn't eat til around 2pm so I won't be hungry again til 8 or 9pm.

Tonight is my normal Date Night with Sheldon. We have spent a LOT of time together this week, but have not been alone since last Thursday so I am really looking forward to cuddling with my sweetiepie!

We had a really long phone conversation last night about our relationship and our thoughts on living together/buying a house together this year. It was a very very good conversation, and as always we feel closer after we discuss things that we have analyzed separately.

Celebrity Encounters

I was telling Sheldon one of these stories recently and I thought I would revive this entry from a previous website. I will add to this entry as new encounters happen. Enjoy!

Celebrity Encounters

Kevin Bacon (movie star/musician)
He waved his water bottle at me during a show at the Birchmere. This was when his first album came out and I already owned it and knew all the songs...unlike most of the audience who were only there because it was Kevin Bacon. I was singing and dancing through my favorite song and he acknowledged me at the end. The next time I saw him at the Birchmere the same thing happened. I stood up singing and dancing through the whole song and he kept an eye on me to see if I was still there. Don't believe me? I have witnesses!

Danni Leigh (country music singer)
Danni Leigh is from my hometown. We went to the same church and the same high school. She graduated with my brother. A few years ago when she was in town I got to talk to her. She has been fighting hard to realize her dream and she has an amazing voice. Someday she'll get to the top of the charts!!

Joey Ramone (rock legend)
My ex-husband and I saw Joey Ramone on 2nd Avenue in The Village just months before he died, May 2000.

Sean Lennon (child of a music legend)
Walking down East 55th in Manhatten on a sunny day in December 2000.

Louise Gluck (poet)
Attended a reading and then stood in line for her to sign my book. She seemed really shy.

Clarence Thomas (supreme court justice)
A few years back when Miles was a baby I worked as a cashier at the Price Club one Christmas season. One day a handsome black man came through my line. He was very chatty and we discussed nutrition and diet and such. He was a bit portly and he was dressed in jeans and a windbreaker type jacket and a baseball cap. He looked very familiar to me but I couldn't place him. Since he was discussing "diet for energy" and was dressed like a coach I asked him if he was a sports coach of some kind. He chuckled and said no that the topic just interested him. His wife was getting snippy at this point, I guess she thought I was flirting or something. So he hands me his check and I immediately zero in on his name. Boy did I feel like a doofus. Here I was talking to a Supreme Court Justice and asking if he's a football coach! I think he enjoyed being treated like a regular guy though. He was very nice, but his wife needs to take a chill pill.

Pat Conroy (author)
Went to a book signing for "Beach Music" by Pat Conroy when my son was an infant. The line zigzagged through the store, out the front door and around the corner. I was around the corner. I had no idea how long the line was inside the store or I probably wouldn't have waited. When I was inside the store about 2 rows away from where he was sitting my son had had enough and started fussing. I picked him up and jiggled and swayed and sang to him til he quieted down. When I was about 20 people back and he was in sight, a mom with a child who was leaving grabbed one of the clerks and made them take me up to the front of the line saying that we had waited long enough. (Miles was long quiet by then so it wasn't because we were making a ruckus.) Anyway, when it was my turn Mr. Conroy asked if mine was the baby who had been crying. I was quite embarrassed and said "Yes, I'm sorry." He was very nice and said he didn't know why I would stand and line all that time just to meet him. He asked my name and Miles's name and he wrote in my book..."To Sarah and Miles, who EARNED this book." Course, I still had to pay for it, but I thought it was sweet of him to take so much time talking to us when the line still stretched way out.

Jeff Bostic (Redskins football player)
The Ex and I were eating with some friends at the Outback Steakhouse in Herndon one night in the early '90s. Jeff Bostic was in the booth beside our table. He had been hurt on the field a couple weeks before and was wearing a sling on his arm. There was much fluttering by the waitress when she bought his food as she got to cut his steak for him.

Charlie Taylor (Redskins football player)
Charlie is a former Washington Redskin, a hall of famer, and one of the ex's childhood heros. He also happens to be the friend of a friend. Our friend Jane invited him to the ex's birthday party one year. The party was in a restaurant where I was working as a bartender. I had a long table set up for the 20 or so people in our party. When Charlie came in Jane sat him down right beside the ex who had no idea that he was coming. He was flabbergasted and overwhelmed, he couldn't even talk, finally he got up and moved to my side of the table, he could hardly talk to Charlie even from across the table. We still laugh about that. A funny sidenote to this story is that the ex's mom and dad also knew Charlie but their son had never believed it. When they were married they had a date night every weekend and they would go dancing and clubbing. They would run into Charlie at the clubs. When they told their children, the kids always thought they were teasing. That night Charlie walked right up and started talking to Big T and L, he knew exactly who they were. As if the ex wasn't flabbergasted enough, he now had to realize that he had been wrongly accusing his parents of lying for years!

Stephen King/Dave Barry (writers)
I had a temp job with a company on the waterfront in Georgetown back in 1993. I was the receptionist and my office sat over a walkway between two buildings. It was always fun to watch the people walking by. One day I looked out the window and saw a man who looked like Dave Barry. I kept staring at him trying to figure out if that's who it was, and why on Earth he'd be walking in Georgetown when he lives in Florida. Suddenly I remembered that I had read that he was in town playing a gig with the "Rock Bottom Remainders" his rock band with Stephen King and Amy Tan et al. At the last possible second I looked at the other man and realized it was Stephen King. They passed out of sight underneath me and I almost passed out from the shock. I wanted desperately to run down the stairs and chase after them, but didn't for 2 reasons: 1) I was the only one in the office at that moment and couldn't leave. 2)I didn't want to look like a complete stalker idiot even though it would have made my year to meet Mr. King.

Dexter Manley (Redskin football player)
I was taking a Public Speaking course at George Mason University in 1985 (or so). The first day of class this HUGE black man sat behind me. He was so large he hardly fit in his desk. I glanced back and saw a huge ring on his finger and I thought to myself that it looked as big as a Super Bowl ring. At this point I still didn't know who he was and no one else seemed to notice him. When the teacher called the roll she said "Dexter Manley" and he answered and I totally froze. The most surprising thing about this to me was that no one else reacted. There was no rustle of recognition or anything. Now you have to realize that in sports circles he was a huge celebrity in DC at this time. I about had a heart attack that I was in the same room with him. Anyway, class went on as usual. At the end of class I was walking out with a guy and I turned to him and said, "Was that THE Dexter Manley?" and he said "Who's Dexter Manley?". Later it turned out that I wasn't the only one who recognized him, we were all just staying cool. After we got more comfortable with him there was much joking about tickets to games and such. He was a really nice friendly guy. Unfortunately his personal life wasn't so peachy and he ended up dropping the class about halfway through.

Jay Schroeder (Redskin football player)
Jay is a former Redskin quarterback and years ago when I first moved to Fairfax I literally bumped into him. If I remember correctly, the Redskins were playing against the Eagles in Philadelphia and Jay got hit so hard he was knocked out. It was a playoff game and we lost. During the 11pm news that night the sports reporter was broadcasting from Redskins park and he said that there were fans there to welcome the team back even though we were now out of the playoffs. He said that the buses with the players were due back before midnight. Well my boyfriend and I looked at each other and realized that we could be there before the buses were so we high-tailed it to the car and raced over there. We got there right before the buses pulled up and this actually put us on the outside of the crowd and right up against one of the buses, just to the right of the door. Well when the doors opened the fans parted and made a path right up to the door of the building. We were all screaming and hollaring to let them know that we were still fans, the tv cameras were on and the lights were bright. Evidently Jay was still a little out of it because when he came down the bus stairs into all that chaos instead of following his teammates into the building he turned right and ran smack into ME! Now from watching football on tv I always thought that the quarterbacks were small guys. I mean beside all those linebackers they Look small! But boy was I wrong. Jay was huge, he was so tall I was staring his belt buckle in the eye! Someone behind him grabbed him and pointed him in the right direction. A fleeting but exciting moment.

George Jones (country music legend)
I was working in Hechts at the men's cologne counter. George was in town performing at the Patriot Center. The morning after his concert he stopped into Hechts to buy some perfume. The lady who waited on him was a older German woman who had NO IDEA who he was. The rest of us girls had gathered on the opposite corner of the counter to gawk. I wasn't a big country music fan at the time, but I knew he was a legend.

Ralph Sampson (basketball player)
He was a guest of honor at the Sport Banquet at my high school one year. I was a waitress at the banquet. He was taller than I was when he was sitting in his chair!

Mystery Actor
Remember that guy from Geritol commercial who said "I'll think I'll keep her."? I can't remember his name but I saw him in the London production of "The Little Foxes" with Elizabeth Taylor. While my group waited by the stage door for Liz to leave, he came out and tried to get us to join him in the bar across the street. He was at least 40 and we were all about 16. Much giggling ensued!

Kicking my Ass!

http://www.nautilusgsa.com/brochures/Treadclimber.pdf

This machine is kicking my ass at the gym and I am loving it! It works you twice as hard as a regular treadmill and you don't have time to get bored. 20 minutes burns over 200 calories for me and every time I use it I feel like I have to crawl off of it to get to the bike for another 20 minutes and then the rowing machine for 10 minutes. I have used it 3 or 4 times now and I am planning on upping my time by 5 minutes today! It conveniently asks me at the end of each workout if I'd like to add 5 more minutes. I have wimped out every other day either because I forgot my water, or was too exhausted, but I am determined today. I am down 7 pounds in my search to reclaim my 40 year old body. I was hot at 40, at 43 I'm "not so hot"!! Sheldon and I go to the gym together which is great motivation for me as I am always more than willing to talk myself out of the going when I am on my own.

No snow sports for me thanks.

Hi All!
I am back from a lovely day in the mountains of Pennsylvania. I accompanied Sheldon and his kids Sasha (8) and Jack (15) and my Miles (14). Sheldon had gotten Jack a new snowboard for his birthday and had bought himself a new board as well while he was at it. Sasha skis but just rents for now until she is bigger. The three of them have been doing this for years, but Miles had never been so I convinced him that this would be a good "life experience" and it would also be his xmas present. I was along for the ride and to wrangle the 8 year old when she was too tired or cold to ski, so that her dad could get maximum time on the mountain. I DO NOT DO SNOW SPORTS. In fact, just walking from the car to the lodge and back was more than enough cold weather for me!

We went to Liberty Mountain which is about 90 minutes from where we live in Northern Virginia. When we got there the place was a madhouse of boards and skis and people bundled to within an inch of their lives. I was amazed at the activity, but obviously the resort workers are used to this because the place ran like a well-oiled machine. We set Miles and Sasha up with lessons and Sheldon and Jack hit the slopes. It was about 11am. I hit the lodge with my book, my cross stitch and my macbook in hand. I was NOT going to be bored!

The book I was reading was fantastic, so that got first priority. I was a little past halfway in the second book of the Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer.



I absolutely love this series and this book. I finished it before 2pm. I had brought a second book, but didn't feel like starting it right away, so I played on my computer for a while. I checked email and toyed with the idea of writing an entry here, but didn't. I ended up playing gangster wars on Facebook for a little while and then shutting down the computer and looking for a more comfortable seat closer to the fireplace. Once situated by the fireplace I took out my stitching. I am making a little sumpin sumpin for my best friend Wren for her birthday next month. I can't discuss it any further as she reads this and I don't want to give her any information. I promise to show it to you later though.

After a while Sheldon and his kids came in looking for lunch. Sheldon had packed us a complete picnic so we gathered the food and headed to the "picnics allowed" room. We hadn't been able to track down Miles at this point even though all three of us who were big enough had gone on a search, and I had called and texted him. Eventually he found us and we all dug in to yummy sandwiches. After lunch Miles decided to stay indoors with me but the hard core snow bunnies went back out into the sunshine.

Miles and I were lucky enough to find seats on the couch by the fire and ended up camped there all afternoon. He never went back out. He had had his adventure and he was done. He had a book and his iPod with him and seemed quite content. I started my second book, but didn't much like it so I ended up stitching and people watching and reading the Washington Post that was on the coffee table for the rest of the day. I was VERY bored by the time Sheldon finally came in around dark and was ready to leave. His son had been crashed on the couch for at least an hour at that point and his daugther was camped in front of Sponge Bob on the big screen tv beside the fireplace.

When we left the resort we decided to stop for pizza on the way home and I am proud to announce that we discovered one of those great hole-in-the-wall, family owned pizza joints that you always wish for, in Emmitsburg. It was named Stavros Pizza and it was absolutely delicious!!! We got a hawiian pizza which was absolutely drowning in delicous cheese, and Sheldon's kids ate burgers and fries. I swiped some of Jack's fries and they were ALSO super yummy! If you are ever in Emmitsburg, PA, I highly recommend this stop!

I fell asleep on the way home and woke up so exhausted that I wasn't sure I'd be able to drive back to my house. I did make it home and went STRAIGHT to bed. When the alarm went off this morning I felt like I could sleep for another 9 or 10 hours. The only thing I can think is that the constant stimulation of being surrounded by conversations around me, people stomping past in ski boots, the tv and screaming children really wore me out!

Pleasantville

I love this movie. Have you seen it? I went to see it in the theatre when it first came out. It was not what I was expecting at all, I was surprised and pleased by what it turned out to be. I had expected some sort of mistaken identity/screwball comedy. Instead I found a beautiful allegory on humanity, freedom, racism, sexuality and etc. I rented it for Sheldon to see last week and he and I watched it over the weekend. Today I have been watching it again with the director's commentary turned on. It was written and directed by Gary Ross who also directed Dave and Big, two other movies I really enjoyed. I really, really love this movie. If you haven't seen it, by all means rent it asap, if you have seen it I can recommend rewatching it.

It has been a musical weekend.

Sheldon and I went Swing Dancing on Friday. There is a swing dance with a live swing band every Friday night at a ballroom in a local hotel. This is one of my favorite forms of exercise but unfortunately it is not one of Sheldon's. He was a good sport and went with me just this once. He did enjoy the band and liked the fact that I was having such a good time. I won't make him go again, although he assures me I can go whenever I want and dance my little heart out, as long as I come home to him. I actually did dance with 5 or 6 other guys who were great dancers and were throwing me all over the floor. I had a great time and I'm sure I worked off a lot of calories. If I start going every Friday or every other Friday I will kick my weight loss up a notch AND have fun!

Last night we went to the Birchmere to see Eddie from Ohio. Sheldon loves this group and was really looking forward to the show. I love any show at the Birchmere so although I had never heard any of their music I was pumped. I did enjoy the EfO show, but even better, we were both introduced to a new group that we both loved. They were three young girls from New York named Red Molly and they were marvelous. They had beautiful harmonies and one song that they sang a capella was enough to give us goosebumps. It was called "May I Suggest". Sheldon bought the CD and we even got the girls to sign it. They are coming back to the area to play at Jammin' Java next month and we are hoping to see them again!

This was our third concert in a month! We saw OAR and the Bacon Brothers before xmas. We both love live music and luckily this area is a goldmine!

Weight Loss!

I have good news on the weightloss front!!!  Yesterday when I weighed myself I saw a number I hadn't seen in over a year, today when I weighed myself it was an even BETTER number, one I hadn't seen in over 3 years!!!  I came squealing out of the bathroom and Sheldon did not know WHAT to think, but he was very happy for me when he figured it out.  It was a very happy moment!!  Well deserved too, Sheldon and I went dancing on Friday and went to the gym yesterday.  The machine I chose at the gym yesterday really kicked my butt and burned over 200 calories in 25 minutes.  It was a Nautilus treadle treadmill where there are two separate belts you are walking on and they treadle up and down like the old fashioned sewing machines.  It is supposed to replicate hiking as opposed to walking and it is also supposed to be twice the workout.  I believe it because after 25 minutes I felt like I had to crawl to the bike...I didn't crawl mind you, I just felt like it!  That is definitely the machine I will be using from now on instead of the normal treadmill!

I have been doing quite well on my eating too.  Not eating unless I am actually hungry and trying to choose well.  I have had a few cheeseburgers...but I'd take a banana right now over a bowl of ice cream hands down.  I wish I had a banana right now!

The Best Book!

I just read the Best Book! I started it when I was sitting in line waiting to get into the Birchmere. I just finished it this morning on the train. It caused me to miss my stop one day this week and I almost missed my stop two other days! I read a lot of good books, I even fall asleep on the train, it has been a VERY long time since I missed my stop!


The book is "Red River" by Lalita Tademy.



I highly, highly recommend it. It is about 3 generations of African American in Louisiana. It begins in 1873 shortly after the end of the Civil War. The main characters of that generation are former slaves who are fighting for their voting rights. The story follows those men and their progeny up through 1937. The most fascinating part is that it is the story of the Tademy family and the author threw in photographs of the characters as they came up in the story. It was a wonderful weaving of history and family and fiction. I got lost in it every time I picked it up.

I love Heath

This is the best piece I have read about Heath Ledger since his passing.

http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20252991_27,00.html

I personally loved him best in "A Knight's Tale". I could watch that movie over and over. I refuse to see Dark Knight. I just can't bear it.

I'm a Packrat and a Gangster on Facebook

I love Facebook. No really. Love it. I like it for lots of reasons...I like being able to find old friends and keep in touch with friends, but most of all I love to play the games. I have been addicted to Packrat since last May. Play it all the time. I got Sheldon addicted to it as well. Now he has paid me back by getting me addicted to Gangster Wars. This is the most boring post ever. Sorry. Come play on Facebook with me, I'm much more entertaining...I swear!

Boob Job?

If you saw me this morning in my brand new sharp looking striped blouse you may wonder if I had a boob job over the weekend. The answer to that query would no and YES! While I did NOT have any surgery I did in fact enhance my figure. Saturday while Sheldon was snowboarding and Miles was hanging with his friends at the mall I went to Nordstroms and got myself officially measured and I found out I was wearing The Wrong Size Bra!! Oprah did a show on this a while back and when I watched it I thought it was so ridiculous...I mean who could be so dumb. Turns out it was me! So I got myself measured and then fitted and then I bought several of the new lacy concoctions with their matching undies. Sheldon was SO happy as this is something he was really missing in our relationship. I feel like I am wearing a straight jacket as this contraption is much more involved than my old ones were...but it is also much more uplifting!! I'm a whole new girl, before you know it I will be paying more than $10 for a haircut and having manicures and all those other girlie things I have managed to avoid so far in this life. Ugh!

Of course, when I was wearing a new bra I had to go buy some sexy new tops to show off my new figure. Luckily, cute, sexy tops are much cheaper at Old Navy than they are at Nordstroms, so I was able to buy several. I guess the fact that I spent nothing on xmas is now moot as I spent a boatload that I didn't have on new clothes for myself. I did need the clothes though, I have not bought myself anything new to wear in quite a while.

Miles hasn't noticed the new me yet (and honestly, he shouldn't!!), but Sheldon was quite pleased with the results!

Stupid Diet

Okay, I don't know about you, but I'm already bored with the diet thing...so let me just tell you that I ate well all weekend and I worked out for an hour with Sheldon yesterday morning. I did 10 minutes on the rowing machine, 20 minutes on the treadmill, 20 minutes on recumbent bike and 10 minutes on the seated climbing machine. The stupid infomercials that were on the TVs in front of my machines managed to depress me and I was a complete crab when I was done! Not the way I usually finish a workout! One was showing women who lost many inches and many dress sizes in 2 weeks by dancing every day and the other was how to pay off your mortgage in less than 10 years without changing your lifestyle. I am obviously a BIG FAT FAILURE at both of those lifegoals and having smiling happy people remind me of it for an hour was not at all helpful!!!!

I was also able to weigh myself at Sheldon's on Sunday morning and although I hadn't lost anything, I hadn't gained anything either, so I was happy.

He Said YES!!

Hello My Friends!

Today is a Red Letter Day! After months of tears and talking my patience has finally paid off and Sheldon and I are back together! I don't know if I won him over with my sweet, sexy self, or just waited for him to have enough bad dates that I looked good in comparison, but whatever it was I'm glad. I sent him a long email first thing this morning outlining my ultimatum and asking him to think about it and we'd talk after we went to the gym tonight. I never heard a word from him so I wasn't sure he'd even seen it. Luckily I was busy at work all day, so I wasn't worrying about his thought processes all day long. He called me on my way to the gym and as soon as I heard his voice I was pretty sure it was a go, when I saw his face I was even more sure. He made me wait until we went back to his house for dinner and even then I had to stop the small talk and say "YOU ARE KILLING ME!" We talked through our thought processes and feelings and we each agreed that we needed to see what we had before we could move on to other people. This is so obvious considering we broke up in July and have seen each other at least once a week every week since then! I am feeling very warm and fuzzy. I am home now, just got out of the shower, headed for bed. He is at his house working on more algebra and statistics torture for his students. Tomorrow night is our weekly date night, hooray!!!

January 6th and 7th Diet Notes

I have no idea what my calorie counts are as I didn't add them up as I went along and I don't feel like figuring it out now. I don't think I did too badly over the last two days though!

On January 6th I ate:
One waffle with butter and blueberry sauce
2 bowls of Total with whole milk
cheese and crackers
fruit salad
one slice of toast with butter
1/2 of a fluffernutter

I didn't move much...only walked about 5 blocks, not even a mile and not very fast.

On January 7th I ate:
one yogurt with grapenuts
one serving of New Year Soup
4 oz of cottage cheese
one jelly donut
one double stack from Wendy's
10 french fries
6-8 oz of sauteed cod
5 waffle fries

I had a fabulous workout, 40 minutes and 2.25 miles on the treadmill and then 20 minutes and 1.6 miles on the seated stair climber. Burned over 300 calories!

Museums

I got a message from one of my Facebook friends yesterday that there was an Ansel Adams/Georgia O'Keefe exhibit at the Smithsonian and yesterday was the last day. I had already planned on going downtown with Miles on Saturday but he had weaseled his way out of it. I used to be able to strong arm him into going to museums with me but it is getting tougher and tougher! I called Sheldon who was supposed to be doing schoolwork to see if he wanted to go with me instead. It turned out he was just leaving a coffee date with a new "friend" and he jumped at the chance since Ansel Adams is one of his favorites. Since I knew he was already dressed for a date, and we had had a recent conversation about my less-than-sexy wardrobe, I dressed up as well. It actually felt like a DATE! It was nice.

I'm finally going to see the Mary Cassatt exhibit at the Women in the Arts Museum tomorrow on my lunch break! Getting to meet a new friend of my own...unfortunately I already know that he is gay, so no luck there...

January 5th Diet Update

Good Morning All! I had an absolutely fabulous weekend! I am very proud of my efforts to watch my calories and move more.

So far today I have eaten:

2000 calories

1 oz of cheese
6 triscuits
bowl of total with whole milk
apple
Caesar salad with bacon bits
snack pack choc pudding

12 oz can of V8 juice

10 french fries

McDouble with big mac sauce

4 chicken nuggets

moved:

3874 steps or about 1.89 miles

Things that make me feel smart...

This week I broke down and got my TiVo reconfigured.  It turns out that it will work without a cable box, so I still have the savings of the basic cable package, but now I can watch what I want when I want again!  This is fabulous news because the one show I kept missing was CBS Sunday Morning.  I am sitting here watching it now and I just realized that the reason I love it so much is because it makes me feel smarter.  This thought led me to the realization that there are three things I come in contact with that make me feel smart.  The second thing is Vanity Fair Magazine.  I love this magazine.  I have been a subscriber for more than 10 years and I have read every issue in all those years.  I haven't read every story in every issue, but every issue has made me just a little bit smarter.  I love it so much that I can't bear to throw it away and instead pass it around a circle of my friends and my sister so that we all get to feel a little smarter and a little more cultured.  The third thing?  Sheldon.  I know this thought will make him laugh, but it is true.  He is a very smart man and he is always questioning things and questioning me.  His sharp intellect is like a whetstone sharpening my blade...just being in his presence makes me want to be better.  There is a Proverb in the Bible that I used recently as my quote of the day.  Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

(If you'd like to be on my quote list send a request!)

Diet - Day Three

After yesterday's calorie overload I am determined to do better today.  I also plan on working out, but I can't walk as much as yesterday as I have blisters on my poor tired feet.  I think today I will do sit-ups and push ups and some planks and maybe dance like a crazy woman across my livingroom.  At least until Miles comes home from his dad's and begs me to stop.

Today I have eaten 1890 calories:

scrambled eggs with ham and cheese

buttered toast

tater tots

oj

boneless buffalo wings with blue cheese

10 french fries

fried apple bites with carmel dipping sauce

I have moved:

30 sit ups

30 push ups

walked 12 blocks

Diet - Day Two

Feel free to ignore these posts if you couldn't care less about what I'm eating.  I don't blame you in the least...I just need to track it for my own self.  On the other hand, if you have any tips, feel free to share!

Today I have:

eaten 2508 Calories which is WAY over my goal of 1983 per day.

Lucky Charms

1 cup of whole milk

Vanishing Potato Casserole

LOTS of sushi

1 large orange

Moved: 16,518 steps!  I walked 7.4 miles in two hours!  It was a very good workout and I enjoyed being out in the sunshine.  The only downside was how exhausted I was when I got back home.  I recovered pretty quickly with the infusion of sushi however!

Biggest Loser

Really gonna do it!  I've been fighting this 30 pounds for 3 years and I'm really gonna do it this time.  I was down 4.5 pounds the last time I weighed myself at Sheldon's.  His scale is my barometer.  So I have approximately 25 pounds to go.  I am going to keep track of my calories and exercise here.

Today I have:

eaten 1334 calories:

2 homemade oatmeal cherry cookies 

2 cups of homemade New Year soup

2 oranges

2 slices of toast with real butter

1 container of lowfat yogurt with a tablespoon of grapenuts mixed in

2 prunes

1 cup of whole milk

1/2 of a fluffernutter

walked 8115 steps 

about 2.5 miles

Crockpot New Year Soup

I am eating some of the soup I made yesterday and it is SO good! I thought I would put the recipe up before I forget exactly what I did. I started with a recipe from my Fix It and Forget It Crockpot Cookbook but then I made some changes.

One 12 oz can of V8 Juice
12 oz of water
1 chicken boullion cube
one cup of diced ham
2 cups of frozen southern style hash browns
One 15 oz can of white beans
One small can of corn
One teaspoon of dried onion
One teaspoon of italian seasoning

Spray crockpot with Pam. Dump in all the ingredients and put on high for 4-6 hours or low for 7-8 hours. Enjoy! Vegetables/starches/beans can be added or changed according to what you have on hand or what your family likes.

Happy New Year, Here's to a better year in 2009.

Hi All,

I have had a marvelous day off today. I made veggie ham soup in my crockpot and my favorite bbq chicken/potato casserole. I took a nice nap. I have stitched quite a bit on my current cross stitch project which is a circle of snowmen and snowwomen that I will make into a wreath. I'd like to hang it this month, so I'm hoping to finish it soon. I only have 1.5 snowmen left! I have watched 3 episodes of the first season "Friday Night Lights" on Netflix. I have read about 100 pages of a Jodi Picoult novel. It is the first book by Jodi Picoult that I have read and I am REALLY liking it. It is called "Vanishing Acts" and each chapter is written in a different character's voice. Very compelling.


As for FNL, I had heard good things about it but never watched it so was glad to see it on the Netflix Watch Instantly menu. I really like it, even though I hated high school, there is nothing I like better than a high school football drama.

Miles has been sleeping all day. He went to an all night teen party at a local megachurch and came home tired and cranky. It is currently 5pm and he just stumbled out of his bedroom and grumped and moaned and then went back to bed. He's mad because his dad didn't come pick him up. His dad called me this morning and I said I expected him to sleep all day, so his dad said he'd see him tomorrow...can't say that I see what the big deal is.

I'm hoping that the new year brings new and exciting things my way. 2008 wasn't a great year for me. The manufacturer of my clothing line going bankrupt in June really put a hole in my year and in my bank balance. It has been a struggle to make ends meet since then and working a retail job in addition to my day job just didn't work for me, I need my sleep and two jobs just doesn't allow enough time for me.

So, in the new year, I am hoping to:

• find a better paying job, hopefully closer to home.
  
• lose the rest of this 30 pounds that has been dogging me for the last 3 years (5 down, 25 to go)
• cook more and brown bag lunch more
• dig myself back out of the financial hole I am in
• see more of my friends
• go to more museums
• write more

I thank all of you for being my friends. I hope all of you have a wonderful year!