I Hate Popcorn

I’m sad to have to admit this. Some of my favorite memories of visiting my grandparents as a child was that we popped popcorn in a pot. Using something like microwavable popcorn was unheard of in my family. I used to love to go to the movies to get a bucket of popcorn smothered in the very bad for you butter (you don’t even want to know how many calories is in movie popcorn. Yes, I do know the answer to this).

But lately I’m really starting to hate popcorn. Let me explain. On the other side my cubicle wall is the floor’s kitchenette. I probably don’t need to even say more, but I’m going to. Sorry. Sort of. Sometimes this is good. I get to smell every cup of coffee brewed during the day, sometimes I get to smell some fabulous lunches being heated in the microwaves, and every now and then, I catch the best gossip that is going around the building. (I don’t make it a habit of eavesdropping, but if you’re dumb enough to say something loud enough, it’s not my fault that I sometimes hear it.) The bad thing about sitting here is that I also get to smell all the foul things that people eat. There should be a law against heating things like tuna at work.

Popcorn wasn’t always included in this list. In fact, I loved the smell of popcorn popping. Now, it makes me want to gag. I don’t know what the hell has gotten into everyone on my floor lately, but it seems like a good 2/3 of these women pop popcorn EVERYDAY. It starts at 10 a.m. which blows my mind because I’m still drinking coffee at 10 a.m. Also, at least once a day someone doesn’t use the convenient popcorn button that most microwaves now grace us with and burns her popcorn. Yesterday it happened twice.

Side story: There’s a lady on my floor that is a few bricks shy of a load. I almost feel bad for her, but she can be so hateful to people that I don’t feel bad for her. Well, someone walked off and left their popcorn to burn one day and she was in the kitchenette. I smelled it start to burn, then I heard her say, “this is starting to smoke.” I looked up. Starting? There was smoke rolling up to the ceiling. Then she said, “oh wow it’s on fire! What do I do?” Was she serious? I yelled “TURN IT OFF!!” To which she replied, “well I didn’t know if they wanted it that way.” What charred??? Yes, this is what I have to put up with on a daily basis.

To make matters worse, someone has taken to popping some sort of “organic” popcorn. Now, being the healthy eater that I am (most of the time), I’m all for these type of healthier changes. However, this is the most God awful smell I have had the displeasure of experiencing. It smells like someone has put an old pair of sweaty gym socks and set the microwave on high. My friend and I have come to the conclusion that the flavor on the box must say, “Cow Poop” and that something that smells that foul cannot be good for you.

I think at this point my best course of action is to go around to every cubicle on the floor and take all the bags of popcorn I can find and throw them away. Or maybe I just need a vacation.

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Tasteful Thursday: Buffalo Chicken-Blue Cheese Meatloaf

This week I’m going to try not to stick my foot in my mouth and instead bring you all a real treat. I admit the first time I ever tried this recipe, I wasn’t very sure about it. The thought (and looks) of a few of these ingredients together just seems wrong, but once all is said and done, this is one of the best dishes!! Add some veggies, and you have yourself a very healthy meal! And it’s delicious!

Buffalo Chicken-Blue Cheese Meatloaf (source: The Biggest Loser Families Cookbook)

Ingredients:

Olive oil spray
2/3 cup old fashioned oats
½ cup fat free milk
2 ½ tablespoons of buffalo wing sauce, or more to taste
1 lb extra-lean ground chicken breast
½ cup finely chopped celery
¼ cup shredded carrot
½ cup finely chopped sweet onion
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup crumbled reduced fat blue cheese

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly mist a 9” x 5” x 3” nonstick loaf pan with olive oil spray.

Combine oats and milk in a medium size mixing bowl. Mix well. Let stand for 3 minutes or until oats are softened. Stir in wing sauce until well mixed. Add chicken, celery, carrots, onion, egg whites, and salt. With fork, mix ingredients well. Add blue cheese and gently mix.

Transfer mixture to pan and spread so that top is flat. Bake 35 to 40 mins or until chicken is no longer pink. Cut into 8 slices. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 263 calories per serving, 35g protein, 14g carbohydrates, 6g fat (2g saturated fat), 74mg sodium

Modifications: Sometimes I have a hard time finding ground chicken, so I’ve also used ground turkey. Works fine for me. Also, I’ve only made it for my parents, and they can’t tolerate hot sauce, so I have to reduce the amount of buffalo sauce that I use. I’d love to try it with more than the 2 ½ tablespoons…so who’s coming to dinner so I can try making it HOT??


If you want to play along, post your recipe on your blog, then head on over to Lisa's blog and leave the link to your post in the comment section!

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New Challenge: Kiss Me, I'm Shrinking!

Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans




There's a new challenge over at the Sisterhood!! I'm excited; can you tell?? My goal for this challenge it to lose 3 lbs. This would put me over 60 total pounds lost! I have a couple of thoughts about this. It is unreal to me to think that I could ever lose that much weight. But I have, and I'm damn proud of this. Damn proud. I look at pictures of me before and think, who was that girl? Well, she was me. 60 lbs ago (well almost, you get the picture). That was one scared chick then. She was so scared of life that she forgot to live her life. And as much as I want to forget about her, I know I can't. A small part of me has to hang on to her so that I will never forget how I felt then, and so that I will never go back.

So, my starting weight for this challenge is 148.0. I've lost 5lbs since joining the Sisterhood, and I couldn't be more excited about it! (Good job, April! Thank you, April!) I held steady at 153 for months and months, which was good that I maintained, but I was more than ready to start losing again! So, let the Challenge begin...join us?

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Table Topic Tuesday: 2/24

Today's Table Topic question is: if you were going to create a new holiday what would it be and how would people celebrate it?

My immediate answer to this would be National Drink Beer Day, but then I remembered that we already have this holiday. Called St. Patrick's Day. I like the idea of Christy's holiday minus the Spa. As stated before, I have issues with the Spa. (Sorry Christy!) I actually like a tradition that my friends and I already celebrate. I think more women should celebrate it. It's called Cabin Weekend. We rent a cabin and just have a girls' weekend. A few musts at Cabin Weekend are a hot tub, lots of spirits, and a ton of fun! This year we have a pool, and we couldn't be more excited!

Sometimes life happens and all of a sudden it's been a while since you've hung out with your girlfriends. So, my friends created this weekend just to escape life for a few days and to just have fun with their girlfriends. And that's just what we do. We eat, drink, soak in the hot tub, play a few jokes (no silly string this year!), eat, and drink. Does anything really sound better than that? And believe it or not, I actually lost weight after last year's Cabin!

So, that would be my holiday. It is my holiday. Make it yours too. It doesn't matter how or where you celebrate it, just celebrate it! Man, is it time for Cabin yet???

If you want to play along in Christy's Table Topic Tuesday, post it on your blog then head over to Christy's blog and link your answer!

True Confessions: Feb 23rd edition

I realized as I was writing this, that I could go on and on and on. But I won't. A lot of these aren't diet or exercise related, but I thought you all would enjoy.

1. I had cake again yesterday. It was a small piece of cake, but still.

2. I drank Sam Adams instead of my usual lite beer. Sometimes a girl just wants a better quality beer.

3. I once strategically placed my fart machine in a neighboring tailgate by rolling it down a hill. It came to rest near two drunk fellas. Each time I pushed the button to make the machine go off, the dudes kept glancing at one another as if to say, “did he just do that?” I also found out that it’s fun to place the fart machine under the port-o-potty.

4. I have the sense of humor of a 12 year old.

5. I love my new BlackBerry. I wonder if it’s wrong to love a phone as much as I do it.

6. I don’t care if it’s wrong.

7. I love terrible movies. Examples of these movies include Space Camp, The Postman, and Episodes I, II, and III of Star Wars.

8. Related: I’ve also been known to love bad TV shows. Examples of these include Earth 2, The Class, and Kids Incorporated.

9. The thought of a day at the Spa gives me willies. I don’t like massages and have never had a pedicure. The thought of someone touching my feet grosses me out.

10. It’s Monday, and I’m ready for Friday.

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More Pennies

I woke very early that morning, six years ago,
I lay there awake, waiting, watching my clock glow.
And then at 5 I got that dreaded phone call;
You were gone, and I just stared at the wall.

I have to admit there were times when I hated you so.
You’d make me so mad, I wished you’d just go.
Little did I know that on purpose you’d do anything it took
To make me give you that “go to hell” look.

Now I can smile when I think of that,
And how you’d grin like a cheshire cat.
I’d give anything to see that grin once more,
Or to have you bounce my head on the floor.

I still have that great, big hole in my heart,
But, you know, the pain? Not quite as sharp.
There are still times that I cry with all my might,
Especially when I hear playing bagpipes.

Things I remember are now more good than bad.
Even those times when you made me really mad.
It seems like always when things aren‘t going my way,
You send me that sign that we gave you that day.

We sent you to Heaven with a slew of pennies.
Finding one now is better than any lotto winnings,
Because one of your pennies I always seem to find
When I have something really working on my mind.

I haven’t always kept your pennies this I will say,
But I still have the one I found on your birthday.
I found it under the chair where I sat with a friend
And taped on the fridge; there its time it will spend.

So thank you, dear uncle, for remembering us up there
Because time without you here just isn’t quite fair.
But we know that in a better place you are
And I still know that you aren’t really far.
I know if there’s a time when I need a smile,
I’ll find a penny, and I’ll smile quite a while.


***
Larry W. Chapman 5/27/47 - 2/26/03

My uncle was the most annoying and aggravating man I've ever known. In the last 18 months of his life, I grew to love him more than anyone. I can't tell you what I'd give to have him annoy the shit out of me just once more.

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A Visit to the Doctor

I went 30 years, 8 months, and 5 days without ever having to wear a cast. Guess how old I am. Now guess what I got today. Yep. My first cast. Thank God it's a removable one.

Almost two weeks ago I fell and landed awkwardly. I didn't go to the doctor right away because I thought my thumb was just jammed. I jammed fingers all the time playing basketball. When my thumb didn't get any better, I figured I had done a real number on it. But I can move it, so it's not that bad, right? My friends thought differently. I got text messages and emails until I gave in. Now, I could sit and whine, but I'm not(anymore). I have to admit that my visit to the doctor today was amusing. So, I thought I'd share.

The waiting room started it off. There were three other women waiting for their appointments. One was quietly reading, the next one was chewing happily on a sandwich (who does that at the doctor's office?), and the last one was snoring so loudly that I swear I felt the floor vibrate. That poor woman was sawing enough logs for a cabin. I couldn't help but giggle to myself.

Why do the nurses always tell you that the doctor will be with you in just a minute? Is this a trick or do they just not know how to tell time? "Just a minute" is never less than 15 minutes. Maybe time inside that office is different than time in the real world.

I love the question, "Does it hurt?" I felt like saying, "Nope. Just thought I'd give you all a $20 co-pay for the hell of it."

I could see the doctor looking at my x-rays. I knew how he kept going back and forth between views that the news wasn't going to be good; however, when he showed me the fracture and said he was going to splint it, I thought this is good news, right?

Now, I don't know about you, but I've had splints plenty of times in my life, so I thought I was going to get this little metal thing that you tape around your wrist. Am I wrong in thinking that this is was a splint is? So, why did he just walk back into the room with a box almost the size of a shoebox? And what he pulled out of the was no splint. Nope. That's a cast, and it goes a good four inches past my wrist.

When the doctor was fitting me in my cast, he SQUEEZED my thumb right where it's fractured. Could I have gotten sued for kicking him in the balls for that? It would have been a reflex, I swear.

Also, why does my thumb hurt more now than it did before I went?

One last thing. When the nurse came back in to fill out the paperwork for this cast, was it mean of me to let her completely fill out the form for me (because my right thumb is the lame one), and then proudly announce that I'm left-handed when she handed me the pen to sign the form? I don't think so. ;o)

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Tasteful Thursday: Chicken Salad

It's again time for Lisa's Tasteful Thursday on her food blog. Why don't you share a recipe with us? Head on over to Lisa's blog and post the link to your recipe in the comments!

Homemade Chicken Salad

Source: My Granny! (not sure where she got it from)

As a kid, I can remember going to visit my grandparents, and when we’d go to “Granny’s house” EVERYONE was excited about Granny’s chicken salad. I also remember peering into the chicken salad container for the very first time and thinking (I probably said it too), “I ain’t eating that!” But as I grew, my taste buds changed and I grew to love Granny’s chicken salad. And now that I’m an adult, I’ve put my own modifications to it.

Ingredients:

1 package of chicken breasts
2 or 3 boiled eggs
3 medium sized sweet pickles
1 stalk of celery
1 cup of mayo

Instructions:

After you cook the chicken, combine all ingredients into food processor (or if you don’t have a food processor, just finely chop all ingredients), and mix well. This makes a spread-like chicken salad (sort of like egg salad). And that’s it. Simple right?

You can either serve on sandwiches or with crackers.

My Modifications:

Now, don’t get me wrong, I love my granny’s chicken salad, but I’ve found that I like it better my way! I like a chunkier version. So what I do is shred the chicken and I don’t chop the rest of the ingredients as finely as the food processor would. I also don’t use the celery. I don’t mind celery, but it’s also not my favorite thing in chicken salad. And as I’m sure you’ve guessed I use light mayo rather than regular mayo. One last thing, if you don’t want less mayo, use less mayo, if you want more pickles, use more. It’s all on how you like it.

Note: I think it's a crime against chicken salad to add things such as fruit. If that's your thing, then that's fine, but for me, this is THE chicken salad to have. I'm just sayin'. ;o)

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Weigh-In Wednesday: No "Last Chance Work Out"

Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans



Ok, so I’m not feeling so great about this weigh-in. This is the last weigh-in for the Sisterhood’s Valentine’s Challenge, and I was really hoping for a great loss this week, and I know that just didn‘t happen. I know my food choices weren’t great, and I was fine with it because I was pretty sure I could put in enough good work outs to make up for it…until yesterday. I went to the gym with a friend even though I hate going to the gym and ended up basically helping her instead of really working out because she’s just staring out. I applaud her for taking the first steps in becoming healthy and I truly hope she sticks with it, but if I’m going to keep going to the gym with her (which I’m less than thrilled about the gym. I like my at home work outs.), then I’m going to have to re-arrange my work out schedule so that I can help her, but still help myself. Because I sure didn’t get the good “Last Chance Work Out” I was hoping for. So, let’s see the damage.

Last week’s weight: 149.4
This week’s weight: 149.2

Thoughts: Ok. I know a loss is a loss, and I’m extremely thankful for that, but I also know it could have been better. I know what went wrong here and now I need to fix it. And I think I know how to fix it. I just need to adjust my work outs. I think I can do that. I hope I can do it. Congrats to everyone this Challenge! You should be very proud of yourselves!

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Table Topic Tuesday

My friend Christy has once again given us a Table Topic to discuss. While this one made me think, it wasn't nearly as difficult as last week's question. (Not that I minded answering it. It was just tough is all.)

So, if you want to play along, answer the question, then go put your permalink back on Christy's blog.

Today Christy poses the question: Would you rather be smarter, more athletic, or better looking?

This is a TOUGH question for the analytical types, such as myself. If I choose smarter, well I'm already pretty smart (well I think I am anyway. Some may argue this.), then I risk becoming a complete nerd. You know, the kind that you laugh at on TV because they have absolutely no social skills and can prove to you that 2 + 2 = 5? Well, ok, I can already show you the proof that 2 + 2 = 5. Hmm. Let's move on. Choosing to be more athletic may be ok. I was an athlete in high school, but I had to really work at it. But if I were more athletic, then I could go pro at a sport, wait-April, you're 30. In most pro sports 30 = getting old. Except in maybe curling. (Is that a pro sport?) Ok, scratch that. How about better looking? Well, I think I'm cute. And I have worked REALLY hard on my looks in this past year. I think that's good enough for me. I'm not trying to impress anyone anyway. As long as I fit into a bikini this summer, I'm fine with it.

Drat. I still haven't answered the question, have I? Ok, I got it, I got it. I'm going with smarter. IF I were smarter, I could make more money. Then I could pay people to keep up my social skills and make me better looking. Then I could date someone like Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (he was the first one that came to mind that I know for sure is single) who is more athletic. And I'd be just fine with that. There you have it.

Yes, I am that much of a goober. Honestly, I would go with smarter. If I were smarter, then I wouldn't have to worry as much about starting school again. I hate tests. ;o)

True Confessions: Feb 16th edition

A couple of the girls over at Shrinking Jeans are posting their confessions. And I thought I'd play along again. So, here are my True Confessions for today:


1. I ate half a can of Pringles on Saturday night. They were left over from the company I had last weekend and well, they were there. At least they were reduced fat ones, right? Right?

2. I had a piece of double chocolate cake (cake is my only sweets weakness). If it were carrot cake, I would have had two pieces. Just being honest.

3. I also ate a bite size Almond Joy. I normally don’t eat sweets. Yesterday was a tad bit stressful.

4. On Thursday I bowled even though my thumb is sore and swollen. Now my thumb is more sore and more swollen.

5. Not related to this week but kinda funny: A few years ago at Thanksgiving, I tried to give the sweet potato casserole a try even though I don’t like it. I tried it. Didn’t like it, then I scraped the rest of it on my cousin’s plate when he wasn’t looking.

6. I totally had to Google more than a few of the spices that came on my new spice rack because I had never heard of them before. And now I feel dumb.

7. During my work out yesterday, I imagined I was punching my brother’s face at times. My brother is an arse.

8. I want to get out of town for a bit. Can’t afford to get out of town.

9. I stayed in my PJs all day Saturday. I MAY stay in them all day today.

10. I defended my favorite Nascar driver to my brother and dad yesterday when he caused a wreck even though I haven’t even been keeping up with racing here lately. I didn’t even really watch the Daytona 500 yesterday.

Whew, I feel much better. :o)

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Got Sleep?

I have gotten into a very, very bad habit of not sleeping. I can go days on little sleep or restless sleep. I’m not proud of this. I know that sleep is needed and helps in weight loss. For various reasons, I have a really hard time turning my mind off. Some of these reasons are silly, some of them are amusing, and some of them just piss me off. So, without further adieu, here are the reasons that I don’t sleep.

I don’t sleep the night before tailgates. I’m so excited to go to football games or races that I just can’t stand it.

Same goes the night before a trip. Trip = no sleep.

If I’m upset or have a problem, I will sometimes stay awake all night trying to find a solution.

I used to sleep on Tuesday nights, but now, I don’t because I’m so excited, anxious, and nervous about Weigh-In Day. I’m anxious and nervous about how I did, and excited to see how everyone else did.

I don’t sleep on Wednesday nights because I can’t stop thinking about the TV show LOST. Every episode leaves me trying to figure out what the heck is going on. I’m glad next year is the last season of this show. I’d like my life back.

Thursday nights I sleep. It’s amazing what a few beers at bowling will do. Problem with Thursday nights is I don’t get home until midnight.

If I get a new video game or gadget, you can absolutely forget sleep. “Just five more minutes” ends up being two more hours.

If I get a new season of Stargate, I find myself saying “just one more episode”. Next thing you know, it’s past 2.

Some nights I do fall asleep and then my neighbors’ cat decides to sing to the moon at 3 AM. I love animals, but I hate that cat.

And sometimes if I get my hands on a good book, I just can’t put it down. I stayed up all night reading the last Harry Potter book. (This I’m quite proud of for some reason.)

So, you get the picture. :o)

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A Valentine's Day poem

Ah, today is that lovely day filled with love
And cards and hearts and little chocolates by Dove.
Some of you look forward to this day I know,
But for me, it leaves me looking for something to throw.

I groan the second stores put the little pink hearts out;
And the cards and the roses, I just really want to shout.
Oh, and don’t even talk about that little shit, Cupid,
I think that squat little thing is just stupid.

OMG, there’s a commercial for match.com.
That’s much worse that any kind of love song.
The chocolate really is the best part of this day,
But let’s face it, too much of it, affects how much I weigh.

I give up and am just going to wish this day to end.
Because as soon as it does, I know my attitude will mend.
But to all of you folks who love this day I will say,
I really hope you all have a Happy Valentine’s Day!


Note: To those of you who are just getting to know me, I'm just bitter because I've never had a Valentine. ;o)

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Tasteful Thursday

My friend, Lisa is blogging here today and she's started something called Tasteful Thursday, so I'm going to play along and give you my favorite recipe.

Spinach Dip

Source: I first tasted this at a food day at work, and asked the girl for the recipe. I then found that I liked it better if I changed the recipe a bit.

Ingredients:

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed (be sure to squeeze it dry!)
1 c. sour cream
1 c. mayonnaise
1 (4 oz.) pkg. Knorr vegetable soup mix (or any vegetable soup mix will do, but this is my favorite)
1 (8 oz.) can water chestnuts, finely chopped (optional)
3 green onions, finely chopped (optional)

Put everything in a bowl and mix it up! Let it chill for at least 2 hours. Serve with your favorite type of crackers or bread. Enjoy!

My modifications:

When you follow the recipe, it tends to make the dip a little more, let's say soupy, than I prefer. So I use 1/2 cup sour cream and mayo to make the dip thicker. I would suggest adding the 1/2 cups and if you decide that's too thick for you, just the rest like the recipe calls for. Also, I don't use water chestnuts or the onions. It's just a personal thing.

Note: To make this a bit healthier, I've started using light mayo and non-fat sour cream. I know some of you may not like these healthier options, but I've found that you really can't taste a difference. I tried this out on a bunch of guys at a tailgate and they didn't even notice. Sneaky, April. ;o)

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Weigh-In Day: BYE-BYE 150s!

It’s weigh-in #5 (it is #5, right?) for the Looking Fine for Valentine’s challenge over at the Sisterhood. I have no clue how this weigh-in is going to go. I’m so close to reaching the next set of tens, but when it comes to weight loss, sometimes, so close can be still very far away. I FEEL pretty good about the week. I worked hard to make sure that my one super bad day didn’t hurt the rest of my week. But you just never know. So, that said, drum roll please:

Last week’s weight: 151.0
This week’s weight: 149.4

I swear I didn’t think I read that right, so I got off the scales, waited a few seconds, and got back on the scales. Yep. That’s what it said. Man, I can’t even tell you my level of excitement right now!! The 140’s! I haven’t seen this weight in, years! YEARS! And you know what? I’m proud of myself. I don’t say or think that nearly enough but I am. I’m very proud of myself! You know, this thing called weight-loss isn’t something I love. I know, you’re shocked. But I LOVE the results. That’s all you have to do…find what you just love about all of this and let that be your motivation! Sometimes you're going to fall off the wagon and sometimes you're going to need to lean on someone else, but if you put for a real effort to try to live healthier lives, then you should be damn proud of yourself too!

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Table Topic Tuesdays

I had every intention to write about why I don’t sleep at night today. The reasons are amusing, annoying, and just plain silly. I get a kick out of them, and some of you probably would, too. But after reading Christy’s post today, here, I decided to play along and save the sleeping post for later in the week. If you want to play along, too, please link back from Christy’s blog. :o)

So Christy’s Table Topic for today was the question: What is the hardest thing you’ve ever done?

Just answering this question was hard for me. My first inclination was to give you an answer that really wasn’t the hardest thing I’ve ever done. And the one thing I want to be here is honest, open, and real. SO, to be honest, I still am working on the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and it’s something I may always have to work on.

The hardest thing I have ever done is learn to be happy. I discovered two things when I was a teenager that would send me into a dark place as an adult. I learned that I had lost someone I never got a chance to know, and I “remembered” something that I went through as a child that no child should ever have to go through. The blow of these two things was just too much. I lost trust in most people and built a wall around my heart. Then I befriended people that just made me feel worse about myself because I thought feeling like shit was something I deserved. I didn’t even realize how unhappy I was. I thought this was how life was.

I was at such a low point in my life that I realized things couldn’t get any worse. And I realized that if I wasn’t happy, if I couldn’t be happy, how could I EVER find the right man for me to “settle down” with. How could I ever give love to someone else if I didn’t love myself and didn’t make myself happy? So, I made a promise to myself right then and there to change this. I dumped the losers that made me feel like crap and slowly, VERY SLOWLY, started to heal.

Today, I can say that most days, I’m pretty happy. I smile a lot more now. I laugh a lot more now. But, honestly, I still struggle with it. If something bad happens, then I have to really work to not let myself linger in the bad. But I am much better at not lingering. Yes, bad things happened to me. But I DESERVE to be happy, and I'm going to be happy. I’m learning to not be so hard on myself and to accept that some days are going to suck, but it doesn’t have to be most days. I have friends now that make me laugh, that pick me up, and that boost my ego. Now, I feel like maybe one day, just maybe, I will find the right guy to give love to. And that wall? Well, it can still be thrown up at a moment’s notice, it can also be taken down in the most surprising of times (um, like right now). I consider myself a pretty lucky girl. I found my way out of the dark.

True Confessions

So, Lisa over at The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans posted her True Confessions today. At first, I said that I couldn‘t remember any. Ok, so I thought of a few. Enjoy!


1. In a drunken state, I totally let my friends put way more make-up on my face than I normally use, spend way longer on my hair than I do, and dress me up on Saturday. Yes, there are pictures. Then the next morning, I temporarily forgot why I had lipstick on my lips. Temporarily.

2. I taught my nephew to scream at the top of his lungs, then died laughing at him, so he would be encouraged to scream at the top of his lungs. Just to piss my brother off.

3. I have a closet that I’m certain if I open the door, things will fall out. I have good intentions to clean this closet, but when I have free time to do this, I sit and play on the computer or practice Guitar Hero skillz.

4. I still have notebooks from college courses I took over 10 years ago. You know, in case I decide I ever need to freshen up on my Abstract Algebra or Fuzzy Math.

5. I have never watched the movie Grease all the way through (oh, watch the comments on this one). I can see it over on my DVD case right here from where I’m sitting, but I have never sat down to watch it. I’m a Star Trek kinda girl.

6. Related to Star Trek. I know the storyline of almost every episode of the series Star Trek: Voyager. Yes, I am that sad.

7. I am a walking klutz. I have fallen out of my chair at work. TWICE. And once I fell right in the middle of a crosswalk (but I didn’t spill my Frosty).

Ok, that’s all I got for now. ;o)

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Family

I often wonder what life would be like if my sister were here. Would I be any different? Would we have a great relationship? How would growing up have been different? Don’t get me wrong, growing up with three boys was fun, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t long to have my sister. I’ve spent countless hours being angry and sad. I have been deprived of her, and that more than sucks. I even joined a sorority in college because I thought that it would show me what it was like to have a sister. While I made some wonderful friends through the sorority, I didn’t come away from it knowing what it was like to have a sister. Finally, I came to the conclusion that I just wasn’t meant to know. And then…

I re-connected with Jessie, a friend from childhood. I started hanging out with her and her sister, Rachael. I just love to watch the two of them together. They have little inside jokes, hilarious stories about growing up, and one always seems to know what the other is thinking. They are the best of friends. You can just tell how much they mean to one another. It’s amazing. Now, I realize that all sisters may not have this type of relationship, but I choose to believe that if my sister were here, we’d be like Jess and Rach. But what’s more important than that is that in the almost two years that we’ve re-connected, I’ve been lucky enough to have been included in this relationship. We have little inside jokes, we have hilarious stories, and they know me so well, it scares me a little bit. I can’t even express how much that means to me.

There will always be a tiny little hole in my heart for the sister I never got to know. And I think a part of me will always feel deprived. I know that I’ll never know exactly what it’s like, but I’m no longer sad. I’m no longer angry. I wasn’t lucky enough to have gotten to grow up with my blood sister, but I am extremely lucky to get to grow older with two sisters of the heart. Jess and Rach, thank you and I love you.

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My First Award!


So, I check my email today and see that my new found friend, Christy has left a comment on my blog. Her comment tells me that she has a little something on her blog for me. So, I check it out and what I see is that she's left me this award for great attitude/gratitude. I have to say I'm excited because I'm still fairly new to this whole blogging thing, and well, who doesn't like awards? So, thanks Christy! It means a lot that you'd give me an award on my kinda simple blog!

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude! (ok, since I'm still new to this, still meeting folks, and Christy has given the award to folks I would give it to as well, I've listed 5 that I that I meet the criteria this week!)
3. Link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link your post to the person from whom you received your award.

So here are the girls I think have shown great attitude/gratitude this week!


1. Becca @ Gray and Becca
2. Jessi @ Table for Four
3. Mary @ Randomness of Me
4. Vickie @ My 40 Day Triglyceride Challenge
5. Audrey @ Progress Not Perfection

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Weigh-in and ADDD

Last week’s weight: 151.2
This week’s weight: 151.0

Ok, this is a surprise. It’s a loss, and that’s cool. I had my thoughts together to talk about how Mother Nature had sabotaged my weekly weigh-in. I’ve been bloated, crampy, and just plain grouchy. I was prepared to tell you how Mother Nature could kiss it for having my body from the waist down screaming bloody murder for the past few days, she says, “oh yeah? Watch this.” So yeah, I got nothing and instead I’m going to ask you to please read below.

To the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans:
I just wanted to inform you all, that on Saturday, I am taking the day off. My friends Jessie and Rachael are coming for a visit. It’s been a few months since we’ve seen each other, so Jessie’s driving 4 hours to my house, Rach is headed over, and we have designated Saturday as ADDD. What is ADDD you ask? Well let me tell ya. ADDD is an All Day Drinking Day. Due to stresses in our lives, we have decided that we need one day to hang out, catch up, and yes, drink…like alcohol…and lots of it. Think of it as a prelude to the Girls’ Cabin Weekend Extravaganza 2009 (see future post or ask me about it if you just can‘t wait). We are going to stick with some healthier than normal options here. We’re drinking lite beer, Crown with Coke Zero, and we’re even going to try our hand at some sugar-free margaritas! And on the menu we have chips and salsa, healthy spinach dip, and grilled chicken nachos. I am fully prepared to accept the consequences of this day. The calories are going to be higher than usual, and the hangover may be a bitch(ok, it will be a bitch). But for one day, I’m just not going to think about it.

I guess my point in writing this to you all is that I’m making myself accountable for my actions and telling you all will help keep me focused. I know I’m blowing this day off. I know we’re getting so close to the end of a challenge, but I NEED this day. It’s not so much about the food and drink as it is spending the day relaxing and blowing off steam with my friends. The food and drink are just a bonus for us. :o) I promise you and myself that I will make up this one day. I’ve planned to work in a few extra work outs and to be militant with my food until the next weigh-in. You all are a wonderful group of people, and I’m very grateful to have found you. So with all that said, the promise of ADDD lies ahead. You’re welcome to join us if you like!

Sincerely,
April

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Turbo Jam's Cardio Party Mix 1

I hate to run. There I said it. If I‘m playing a sport, I‘m cool with running, but I’d rather poke my eye out than go for a run. Still, I love cardio. Other forms of working out like strength training, yoga or pilates are important and necessary in any fitness routine, but cardio is what I’ve heard some call the “icing on the cake” because it’s a big time calorie burner. And while I will go for a run on a rare occasion, I prefer to find other ways to burn calories.

Like I’ve said before, I’m a work out DVD kinda girl. But, I have also have a problem when it comes to most cardio DVDs. I get bored with them. The boredom may derive from different sources, too. It could be because the music sucks or the work out being too short or not challenging enough for me. Sometimes it’s because I’d really like to punch the trainer or the background people (ok, background people annoy me more). I can do these DVDs, but I have to space them out and really mix things up so I don’t throw my water bottle at the TV. So, when I got the chance to try out Turbo Jam’s Cardio Party Mix 1 a few months back, I was a bit excited but expected more of the same. I’d enjoy it at first, then I’d be annoyed.

And I was wrong. This is my favorite of all of my cardio work outs. For 40+ minutes you punch, kick, and dance(man, do I get down in my living room. Kidding. Sort of). The trainer, Chalene Johnson has broken the work out into segments (notice a pattern here?). You start out with a warm-up, then there are 3 segments broken down into 5+ minutes. By then end of these segments, you should have a nice sweat started. Then comes this little thing she calls Turbo. It’s 2 minutes of kicking your tail. By the end of Turbo, my water bottle is my best friend. Oh, but wait-you’re not done. There’s the recovery period, then the finale and finally, the cool down. Before you know it, the 40 minutes is up and you are soaked(well I am anyway). It’s the fastest 40 minutes of my day.

I’ve done this work out dozens of times, and I’m not at all bored with it. Chalene say’s “if exercise isn’t fun, you won’t do it”. And isn’t that so true? How many times have you sat and dreaded your work out because it just isn’t fun anymore? Well, this one is a lot of fun. Chalene is upbeat but not annoying, the music is decent, and the background people crack me up. I haven’t once had the desire to hit any of them.

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I'm a walking contradiction. While I love to draw, paint and read, I also love all things gadgets, science and even science fiction (I know). My animals (two dogs and two birds) are my heart, and if I could figure out how to legally own a giraffe, I would. That all said, I have my BS in Mathematics. :o)

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