Ramblings...

This picture was taken last year in Midway, after the Schutzenfest 5k that Mar and I did up there.

I find myself with a little bit of time on my hands... and that's rare when I'm at work, which is where I am right now.
I'll just say quickly that I'm down about 12 pounds since my last post about food - I WANTED to be down 14-15 pounds by now, but the weight is coming off slower than I anticipated. At least it's coming off, and - as Muti pointed out - the slower it comes off, the higher my chances are of keeping the weight off permanently. So at this point, I WILL NOT give up, but I WILL say - 12 pounds down, 18 pounds to go until I reach my goal.
On to more ramblings...
I came to a strange conclusion not too long ago. I was ready for Summer to end, and Fall to begin!! I'm NEVER ready for Summer to end. I was trying to pretend that I didn't want Summer to end - I complained about the changing weather, the early snow in the mountains, and the fact that now I have to wear actual shoes and socks to work, rather than sandles, because I'm so cold all the time! But I'm going to welcome Fall with open arms. The bright, vibrant colors on the mountains, decorations, the smoky smell of Halloween (yes, Halloween DOES have a smell), the sweaters and turtlenecks, my heating blanket, hot chocolate (or, hot Postum in my case - it's only 10 calories), candy, socks, seasonal pajamas (I got the Halloween ones out last week! I'm looking forward to my Christmas ones!), pumpkins, the time change to Mountain Standard Time, pumpkin pies, apple pies, Thanksgiving, Christmas music, parties, fun events (like Haunted Deseret for Halloween, and Disneyland at Christmas!), firelight, Christmas movies, and on days that I can stay in - SNOW.
Of course, this all comes with its bad points - the cold, the travelling, the scraping of ice off my windshield in the mornings, the crowds, the fact that I'll have to plan VERY well to get to the Trax station in time enough to walk from the parking lot to the train (which can be quite the jaunt, sometimes) in the cold and snow, to name a few.
However, as I sit here thinking, the good points of Fall and Winter far outweigh the bad points; although, I will say that January and February are pretty dreary months. I'm just going to enjoy September through December, in all their glory.
(And try not to let all the good things about these months ruin my hard work at weight loss!)

I want to hear other peoples' favorite things about Fall and Winter! What do YOU enjoy about this time of year?

Food Post!

This meal totaled 325 calories. 240 for the Cheese Ravioli Lean Cuisine, 60 for the sugar-free vanilla pudding, and 25 for the sugar snap peas. The drink you see is a Black Cherry Fresca - completely diet, no calories. (And not bad, I might add, in spite of its 'diet-ness.')
Just another step during my quest to lose 30 pounds by Christmas. I have to get creative with fruits and veggies, drinks, and treats, since I don't allow myself any less than 1200 calories, or any more than 1500 calories, a day. I can still go out to eat, I just have to be selective and eat small portions. I'm keeping a food journal, where I record every calorie I eat, if possible. I also record the number of minutes I exercise per day, and I weigh myself weekly and keep a record of it also in the food journal.
I've found a 3-mile route that includes some mad uphill time, and I generally like to take a dog with me - preferrably Bo, since Indy is unruly, and Bo needs to lose weight too! Except Indy has more energy... anyhow, they both need it. And so do I, so it works.
In conversations I've had with Mar, Mike, and Melissa, we've all concluded that we think and dwell WAY too much on food and diets. I'm sick and tired of the 'lose and gain' game - I have to lose 30 pounds if I'm going to be at a healthy weight for my height and build. I can understand a 5-pound weight fluctuation - that happens to all women, I'm sure. But I just want to be at a healthy weight, and stop worrying about dieting and food.
So I'm gonna do it. I have until Christmas to lose 26.5 more pounds. (I'm down 3.5 at least, since I've started.)
On another food note ... I'm starting to really enjoy sushi!! I'm disturbed at the amount of calories in it, though - so I can only indulge myself once in a while. The picture below is of 'fake' sushi -just a california roll. Still really good - but my favorites have to include the Philadelphia Roll (smoked salmon, cream cheese, avoado, cucumber, etc.) and the Caterpillar, which is eel wrapped in avocado. Who knew that could be so dang good?? And Wasabe... that hot, green-colored paste is really growing on me, and I find myself using more and more of it in my soy sauce!

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...