Terrible TV Tuesday - July 20, 2010

I figure it has been almost a month since my last blog post. Time to get going again. It has been another good month. I ended up losing 4lbs in June but have not seen that number again in July. At this point, I just want to maintain the loss for July and then make another attempt at getting rid of some pounds in August.

There has been a real improvement in my fitness this month. I've been burning at least 2500 calories a week an trying to work out five times a week. I think I am ready to start running to the gym (instead of riding my bike) in an attempt to bump myself "to the next level" and burn some more calories. I did it today for the first time, it took me 16 minutes to run there and I bummed a ride home. I'd also run about 20 minutes with the dog before heading to the gym so I was burnt after GG. My total today was 1hr 45 minutes / 945 calories. My legs died in GG.

I ran my first 10k in about five years on Sunday. It took me about 70 minutes, which I think is slooow, but I am thrilled to have finished and am planning my next 10k with a goal of 65 minutes.

When Mary gave me a ride home from the gym she was telling me a funny story about driving her car into the wall of the gym parking lot. It was clearly one of those stories that is hysterical now and was NOT funny at the time. I was a snorting laughing mess.:) Need more of those stories in my life.

Death to the McFlurry - June 24, 2010

I've been doing great on my weight loss/exercise regime. I have defiantly hit another bump in my fitness. Workouts that used to have be burning 600-700 calories are now burning 500-600. I am also down ALMOST 10 lbs since the beginning of the year. The scale said 193. on Monday so I am motivated to keep going.

The downside of this week has been the McFlurry. Someone told me about the "snack sized" McFlurry. I had one yesterday, it was so good I had another today. I knew this could not be good so I looked up the calories....over 400 calories for a snack sized. This treat is dead to me. There are less calories in a Dove Ice Cream bar.

c'est la vie

I have worked out every day this week so far:

Monday - spinning

Tuesday - Power

Wednesday - groove

Thursday - running

Must keep moving in the right direction.

Ian broke up with me on Friday - or I broke up with him....after a day of to much wine and self pity I am back in the saddle with a date on Sunday for brunch. I had my hair cut today so hopefully I will be working the mojo and make a good impression:)

Tuesday May 8th

I don't seem to be doing a good job keeping up with my blog. Some updates:

- I found my camera battery charger and then smashed my camera in Turkey.

- I spent 10 days in Turkey (May 21-31). Hopefully I will get a new camera and post pictures.

- I am still working out five days a week and even ran three times in Turkey with Laura. The challenge goes two more weeks - I am hoping we renew.

I actually got on the scale after turkey and saw a MUCH lower number than expected. So far I have lost five pounds since January which is not great (at a pound a month) but I'LL TAKE IT!. Heck, I'll happily take two years to get back to weight goal at this point. My fitness is really improving. I can workout harder and longer - which burns more calories and also inspires me to eat better.

I've been juicing a la Natalia Rose every morning since returning from Turkey (except weekends). I am almost off caffeine totally at this point with no with drawl (I have had some diet coke). My goal is to not eat any food/drink other than the green lemonade until 12/noon and then to keep with the fruits/veggies as long as possible. I think I am eating less - definitely more f/v.

I'm almost to a decision regarding money management/financial planning. Tomorrow I have one more skype conference with the MD guy and I had a seminar with Fidelity tonight. It will be HUGE to have this off my plate.

Finally, my summer schedule starts Monday, FINALLY! I am excited to be working more efficiently for the summer and (hopefully), running around less. Courtney and Doug are staying with me on Sunday night and we are going out for "our" birthday. yeah!

Still running - the run for the zoo was last weekend. I did the 5k instead of 10k which was a good decision. It was about 33 minutes, the course was VERY crowded. I am happy I ran the whole thing and had a kick for the last .1 mile. My next step is to find a race for July and someone to run it with me.....I need to have a goal!

I love house guests!

Amy is staying with me this week while she rents out her place. I love the company and having someone else around. Since we lived together for a few years, it is somewhat like slipping back into old habits. She is going to watch River for me while I am in Turkey so it is a GIANT win/win. I've convinced her to help me eat the ice cream in my freezer so I am listening to her crunch away on an ice cream cone at this point. Yeah! Less for me to eat!

I really need to find my camera battery charger so I can post some pictures. I'd love to do a daily "what I am wearing" blog - but then I would be outed for wearing the same thing several days in a row. not good

I've already worked out Monday (spin), Tuesday (groove), and Wednesday (groove) this week. I'm thrilled to be on track to hit my five workouts early this week. I'm a little stressed about making my five next week since I am going to miss Monday spinning for a meeting and leave Friday night for Turkey (and I can't count on working out over the weekend since we arrive on Saturday afternoon). The challenge lets us take one week of - which will be my week in Turkey - but I have to hit five for the week before I get there!

Having an ok week other than some stupid family drama that makes me sad and mad. The good news is that I have gotten MUCH better at making decisions that are good for me - rather than doing what other people want me to do (which they say is best for me, but is usually what is best for them.) I still get mad at how mean people are though....I also stress about the "crazy" genes that I know are floating around the family. Is THIS what I have to look forward to? Going batshit crazy and making every one miserable? grrrrreeaaat!

Off to unload the dishwasher - hopefully the rain will hold off and I can run in the morning before my "long day" at work. I need to get some miles in before my 10k in June. This is NOT going to be pretty.

May 10th - Banging my Head on the Desk.

I feel like banging my head on the desk today - and like I keep running into a wall and bouncing back......on one hand, after four weeks in the "five days a week workout challenge", I am noticing a real change in my fitness level. The ability to workout both harder and longer is definitely increasing. On the other hand, I cannot seem to stop eating ice cream or even stop eating when I am not hungry. Every day I look at Delane's blog and am inspired - then fall flat on my face.

Today - I hauled myself out of bed (quite literally) and made it to 8:30am spinning - which I tolerated (I am sore and achy). Upon arriving home, I ate ice cream. ugh

Ran around to see two EI kids in Albany Park, went home to get River, then to the office for four more kids. THANK GOD my 6:15 Lincoln Park kid cancelled this evening. I need to be at the office and get organized.

I got checks today from Cigna - for a kid that I have not seen since last year. My billing help entered in charges from another folder (with a very similar name) and sent it in. I must now pay her to fix her HUGE mistake. It peeves me when people say they are organized and are somewhat smug about the fact that they are so organized, and then pull crap like this. I do not claim to be organized, my desk is a mess, I work hard to keep my house on the positive side of disaster zone......but I have a great memory and do know what I have and have not done, where things are and who I talked to (and when).

UGH - OK- rant over, I am going to try to get 30 solid minutes of paperwork done before heading home for the evening.

Hurray for May!

I just read the post I posted on March 31. It was somewhat shocking to read my paragraph bio of the last few horrendous years of my life. I guess the good news is that 2010 really does seem to be a good year for me. It is amazing how much more upbeat I am feeling about myself and life in general.

Laura started a workout challenge where you need to work out five days a week or pay $5 for every workout you don't complete. I've got three weeks of 5 workouts per week under my belt at this point. Here are all the great things I did in April 2010:

Great dinner out for Amy at Ceres Table

Cubs game with Amy

Hawks game with Liane for the playoffs

bad date:(

two good dates:)

watched more Hawks games with Liane and Amy

Had dinner at Naha to plan our Turkey trip.

Saw Anthony Bourdain at the Chicago theater

Helped Leslie celebrate her 35th birthday followed by a trip to Carol's and 2:00am burritos.

Hosted my 3rd or 4th CAbi party with Anne.

Saw The Farnsworth Invention at Timeline and Trust at Lookingglass.

I'm excited about May and need to go find my camera battery charger so that I can take pictures of my balcony. It was my big project for the weekend and I think it looks beautiful. Going to try to post more and keep sort of an online journal.

Yuck

I think it is fairly well known that I had some serious issues with depression in 2008 into 2009. Things really got started around Thanksgiving 2007 but had been building for some time. I really think that a lot had to do with my plantar fasciitis and inability to keep running. For years running was how I controlled my weight and also my mental well being. After six months of therapy in 2008 and about a year on anti-depressants, only in the past few months have I really been feeling back to "myself". It kills me to think that I spent six months in therapy asking the same questions:

"Why don't I feel like me?"

"When will I feel normal again?"

"What do I need to do?"

"Is this my new normal...or will it pass at some point?"

Unfortunately, I never really got the answers. Fortunately, I have learned with time that I can feel more like me again. Unfortunately, I don't really recognize myself physically any more after almost three years of no consistent exercise and the addition of about 30lbs. I keep trying to work on it but have issues with consistency. In an attempt to "get it out", here is what I ate today:

Breakfast (at the airport) - McDonald's

bacon, egg and cheese biscuit and hash brown - I did not drink the gross coffee

diet coke on plane

Lunch

BBQ pulled pork with sauce at Park West

toast with butter

three bites cole slaw

about 1/2 cup baked beans

Dinner:

Italian beef over a red potato

lettuce and tomato with poppy seed dressing

1/2 glass red wine

about 4 see's chocolates (thanks Lizzie)

I did walk 2.7 miles with my Dad but it does not make up for the crap I ate. Tomorrow, without travel will be better. My goal is to drink more water, eat more fruit and veggies and work out (walk the circle twice - am and pm).

Charleston - Easter 2010

I arrived today after a little delay in O'Hare when they completely offloaded the plane while fixing the hydraulics. There were a few tense moments but all was well. Dad picked me up and we headed off for some fair BBQ at a place in Park West.

The good news is that the weather could not be nicer. Today the high was 77 and it should continue on that vein for the next few days. All I can wonder is why I don't live here as well. It is easy to forget the 120 degree summer days and 50 degree and rainy winters. Dad and I took an (almost) three mile walk and we had a fairly healthy dinner - followed by chocolates sent by Lizzie. Yum.

Whelp, I resurrected this blog because I felt the need to start writing again as a way to get some "stuff out". I don't really expect people to read it but want a place to blog my vacations and also move some stuff out of my head and onto a page in an attempt to reclaim my brain. It was a rough week, hormones are a bitch. I should have known it was going to be rough when last week I was craving Salt and Vinegar Potato chips. I don't even LIKE Salt and Vinegar Potato Chips.

Paris - June 11, 2009

So I decided sometime today that Facebook has jumped the shark and that I should no longer be posting my travel blogs there. I am going to work on moving them all back here along with some photos.  Maybe I can get my act together, get a great book deal and become independently wealthy!:)  *snort*

The the best thing about today was that it DID.NOT.RAIN!  To say that I have been thrilled is putting it lightly.  Dad asked why I had not been working on my travel journals and I told him that I was so pissed off about all the rain, it was better if I did not write anything till my mood improved.

This morning we headed to the Musee D'Orsay.  I am not sure if the museum has improved or I have changed, but it is fabulous. Simply fabulous.  They really seemed to get it together with the lighting, the collections, grouping things and not having either to many or to few paintings on display.  We arrived at about 10:30, arted strong till about 12:30 and then took a break for lunch.  We split the cheese plate (awesome) and lasagna (somewhat "chef boy r dee") at the resturant and then kept going.  

It is weird.  The as I get older, my taste in art is changing.  I am much less interested in Monet.  Everything looks greyish to me.  On the other hand, I am much more interested in Manet, Cezanne, and sculpture.  The last time I was in D'Orsay I was about 19 or 20.  In the past 17 years, I have learned more about the human body and have a totally different appreciation of it in both sculpture and painting.  

The other thing that I really noticed today was the number of naked women, with clothed men in pictures illustrating both great and terrible times.  Personally, I don't feel the the need to rip off my clothes when I am am in either trauma, or lounging on a riverbank.  Especially when all the men around me remain clothed in full suits.  I told my Dad they also needed to show all the wine bottles needed to get the girls naked.

After the D'Orsay, we headed towards our next stop - more hot chocolate.  This time we went to Jean-Paul Hevin - 231 Rue St. Honore (as recommended in the Luxe guide).  The chocolate was darker but not as thick as Angeliana's.   I'd call it a draw with Angelina's winning points for decor (and it was cheaper).  We then walked down Rue St. Honore and ended up taking the bus home and having a light dinner of bread, cheese and ham at home.  

After dinner we took the bus to Champs de Mars to see the Eiffel Tower lit up.  We had a nice chat on the bench waiting for the sun to set and the tower to light up.  I love the new sparkler lights.  Very festive.  

We took the metro home, called Mom and now I am typing while Dad is in bed.  I hope to recap Tues and Wed before heading to bed.  Also want to upload some photos.

Some funny things I thought about today:

Tights are big here.  I have tons of black tights in a drawer back home. Now I remember why.  Everyone here wears tights with short skirts.  I can't remember when I did that last in Chicago.  Still have all the necessary pieces in my closet though....must remember.:)

Flats are in.  My mom LOVES plain flat, leather flats.  I HATE them.  Parisisan women love them.  Now I know why Mom always says they are classic.

Smoking: people here LOVE to smoke.  I used to be smoking neutral.  Now I hate it.  I can't believe how much people smoke here.  Thank God not inside anymore.

It is official, my favorite most hated weather is rainy 50-60's.  yuck.

Adventures in Charlotte (Sept 19-21, 2008)

I spent the weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina visiting Courtney, Doug and Ruby in their new home. It was a beautiful weekend in Charlotte with gorgeous weather and great company. The weekend was very relaxing since having a 12 month old in tow makes the crowd adjust to her schedule and pace.

I arrived on Friday and Courtney picked me up from the airport. For some reason I completely slept through my alarm and woke up when I was supposed to be leaving the house. After literally throwing on clothes, shoving food down River's mouth, and rushing us out the door, I did make it to the airport on time (but not with make-up or washed hair).

Courtney and I headed out to the US National Whitewater Center (www.usnwc.org) and had a fabulous lunch at the restaurant there and then sat, chatted, and watched all the boats come down the level 3-4 rapids sections. We cheered for people who were tossed into the water and also for the lifeguards pulling them out. After walking around the entire whitewater loop, we headed to pick up Ruby from daycare and then to the house.

We had a yummy pizza dinner and then Courtney and I lost 90 minutes to the worlds most stupid movie (The Good Night). Don't watch it. Doug was clearly the wisest of the three of us and went to bed after an hour (he also had a race in the morning).

Saturday morning, Courtney and I got up fairly early and made a yummy breakfast of cheezy eggs, hash browns and faux sausage. We then went back to bed for a nap. I woke up again at about 11:15 and headed out for a walk, with Courtney catching up about 30 minutes later. Saturday afternoon, we all drove out to the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens in Belmont, NC. www.dsbg.org)

It was an unbelievably beautiful day and we wandered through the orchid house, around the fountains, touched the "argyle grass" and ogled parrots. It is still fairly small, which makes it very manageable as a trip. We stopped on the way back through Belmont for burgers (we were all starving) and ate in a sports bar which was nice enough to turn on the Cubs game for me!

Saturday night, I had offered to babysit while Courtney and Doug had a date, but it was not to be. Ruby fell asleep on the way back home and I think they were afraid she would wake up and need them (she never did) and Doug was tired from his race that morning. We ended up playing scrabble and having another early night. I think I won the game of Scrabble for the first time ever.:)

Sunday, Courtney and I again walked, I had some quality time hanging out with Ruby and then Court and I drove to "uptown" Charlotte for the Festival in the Park to meet Maureen and her friend. It was another beautiful day and we wandered around looking at art (and people) with stops for a funnel cake with chocolate and a gyro.

Maureen got me to the airport in plenty of time to get home and I enjoyed the rocking chairs in the Charlotte airport. The only bump in the trip came on the way home when the "L" was closed between Montrose and Addison. They put every one on buses, again fine...until our bus driver missed the turn onto the expressway and had to execute a somewhat haphazard three point turn to get going to right direction to get on the expressway.

My car was unscathed at Irving Park, River was a good boy for Amy, and I slept well last night!:) The perfect weekend!