Square One

Mmmm... tiger's blood with cream...

Okay, so maybe I'm not back to 'square one,' but I'm getting there. Remember back in November, on my 'Diet Lite' post, when I rambled about trying not to drink too many calories and making exercise a priority? Well, I kinda lost that. Mar and I did a half-marathon in March, and the stress and work it took to train and participate in that drained me of all desire to jog or run at all. Well, for a month or two. I was still walking 6-9 miles a week during lunch hours, but right when I was getting back into running, I klutzed it up big time and fell down the front porch steps and sprained my foot! No more walking on lunch hours... and after three weeks of pain, I finally went to the doctor who said no running for several more weeks. Oh man.
Well, as the days and weeks turned into months, I just got out of the habit of exercise. When I could finally start walking on lunch hours (without pain) again, my friend and I decided to quit for the summer - WAY too hot in the middle of the day to be exercising. I ate and drank pretty much what I wanted because I had been so active for the past several months, and I could maintain my weight; but I still ate and drank what I wanted, while I wasn't able to exercise. OOOHHHHH... last year, I lost somewhere between 15-20 pounds. I'm pretty sure I've gained at least half, if not more, back. I started a new job, which took my to the office earlier, and started taking Trax, which took me to the station even EARLIER - so exercise in the mornings is out, because there's no way I'm getting up at 5:30 to torture myself. I started drinking one soda a day - regular, not diet. Then I went to two sodas a day. The Snoasis opened... I went from having a small snow cone once a week to a medium two or three times a week. I started snacking on candy and granola bars instead of fruit and veggies. I remember thinking last year, 'Cool! Next time I go to the doctor for my yearly check-up and he weighs me, he'll be so impressed!' NOW, my yearly appointment is looming ahead in the next month or two, and here I am thinking, 'Crap, I gotta go to the doctor soon and he's going to weigh me... I better get on the ball!' Not to mention the fact that at cousin Sharon's wedding last weekend, Mom took a picture of me with cousin Rod's wife, Amy - who is stick-thin. I look like a heifer next to her.
So, here I am. I had the first Coke I've had in 3 days today, and I've been downing more water than my usual 2 liters a day, got back into a rigorous exercise routine, started counting my calories again, purchased a pilates DVD to do 2-3 times a week, and even bought a green-tea weight loss supplement.
Here we go again.

Black Helmut Man

Yesterday at work, I had just settled down at my desk after a trip to the kitchen for a drink, when suddenly, I heard Darth Vader breathing - RIGHT BEHIND ME. I whipped around to see who the prankster was, but - no one was around!

I froze.

The 'deer-in-headlights' look appeared on my face.

WHERE WAS THAT NOISE COMING FROM?

Turns out, one of the guys in the mailroom has Darth Vader's breathing pattern as a ringtone for his phone. He slipped it into the pocket of a jacket I have hanging on the back of my chair, and when I sat back down, he got one of the other guys to call it. When I finally stopped searching my desk frantically for Darth Vader, I looked down the hall a bit and saw the two of them watching me from behind a tall plant, laughing hysterically. Clever, really clever. Some day, me and my Sith Posse will get you back...

Weasels.

A Secret to Happiness

"...But, Lizzy, you look as if you did not enjoy it. You are not going to be Missish, I hope, and pretend to be affronted at an idle report. For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them in our turn?" -Mr. Bennett, Pride & Prejudice

Last week, I was at dinner with 'my good friend Holly,' as I like to refer to her (we've been friends for over 10 years), and over our brownie skillet, I asked her advice on a situation that came up a few weeks ago, where I (and another family member) unintentionally offended someone. We were wild with regret and mystified at our forgetfulness over this particular incident; full of apologies and reassurances. But the person we offended feels so hurt, it's hard for her to let go. I wanted to know how I could make it right.
Holly thought for a minute before she said, "You know, I think one of the secrets to being happy is to not be easily offended."
How true!! I've heard it a dozen times, but for some reason, heard it with new ears this time. Holly helped me see that people take offense all the time, but only because they let themselves. 9 times out of 10, offensive comments or behavior are unintentional. We did talk about the difference between being offended, and behavior and language that offends the Spirit of the Lord. Very interesting conversation.
For example: Say I'm wearing a green shirt. In a conversation with several people, one of them mentions that green is not a very complimentary color, and only few people should wear it.
a) Was that comment directed at me?
b) Would that person intentionally offend me?
c) Who really cares?
Unfortunately, most people don't stop and think of these things; it's human nature to jump that step and go right to taking offense. I'm guilty of it a thousand times over.
So, I asked Holly, if someone was using foul language and I was offended, was I CHOOSING to be offended at it? She stated that there is a difference, because that offends the Spirit of the Lord, and therefore offends those of us that are trying to keep the Spirit with us.
AH. Very true.
In the meantime, not being easily offended is something I choose to work on. It would make things so much easier; I wouldn't have unkind feelings about anyone, and it would save me a lot of pain and anguish over having offended someone, and feeling bad because I THINK I've offended someone, or someone feeling bad because they've offended me, or THINK they've offended me. Chances are, they haven't, or haven't meant to.
Now, if I could only work on not being filthy...

An Escape from the Mundane

For almost a year, I've been going 'walking' two or three times a week, during my lunch hour, with a friend at work. For almost the same amount of time, I've been trying to remember to take my digital camera on the route we take because it's absolutely beautiful. We walk from our office building over to State Street, up State to North Temple and veer right, toward City Creek; up through City Creek to Memory Grove, and up just a little ways into the canyon there. It's so scenic, it's hard to believe we work only a few minutes from there. So last week, when we got dumped on by all that snow, I talked to another secretary in the office that takes a similar walking route that we do. She said that Memory Grove and City Creek were so pretty, I should take my camera and get a few shots. So I did! I FINALLY took my camera out on our weekly walk. It took longer, because I kept stopping to take pictures.


Anyone that's been to the building where I work knows that we have a fantastic view from our conference room windows; But it's still inside rather than outside, and being outside is always better! Memory Grove and City Creek are awesome escapes from the mundane office existence.

I am so spoiled.

Good-bye, Twenties

I love this picture... I look so evil! Hehehehe...

But check out my lei! Thanks Mar and Melissa!

As I say good-bye to my twenties, I look back and see that: I made some not-so-smart financial decisions, I didn't date much but watched most of my friends get married and start families, I happily watched my sister get married, I made several friends... some of whom I have since lost track and then re-connected with, I've switched jobs 5 times, switched companies 3 times, moved home twice - only for short periods of time, however; I battled depression - but not alone; I watched 5 siblings head to the MTC while I sat home with no desire to serve a mission and felt guilty about it; I moved apartments/condos just about every year, I've lost friends and family to death, I've travelled around the continental U.S. a little bit, been to Hawaii twice, been to Europe once, and started a road-trip tradition to Southern California with my sisters and cousin Em (who, let's be honest, is just like my sister), watched 'internet dating' develop a lot (and even particiapted some, but with no real spectacular results - just the desire to meet someone the 'old-fashined way'), had one or two heartbreaks, went to more weddings and wedding receptions than I can count, had more roommates than I can count, bought my own car (and paid it off!), laughed, fought, loved, mourned, hated, cried, raged and relaxed.
In my thirties, I'm going to get out of debt, make better financial decisions, travel a little more (if I can), finish school, get married and start a family (I hope), buy my own house, focus on being a better member missionary, watch my youngest sister go on a mission, watch my brothers and sisters get married (HOPEFULLY), lose more friends and family to death (I'm sure), beat depression, run a half-marathon, go to more weddings and wedding receptions than I can count, continue the road-trip tradition even when we're all married, play with nieces and nephews, have more heartbreaks, meet more new friends and probably lose track of some old ones, laugh, fight, love, mourn, hate, cry, rage and relax some more.
I have ten years of '30s' and I'm going to enjoy them ALL!

Happy birthday to me! :)