I registered! I am officially committed to doing this triathlon sprint in Austin in June. I have so much work to do before then, OH MY GOD. Now, I am kind of scared. Holy crap.
In other non-triathlon/weight loss news, our Oscar party went swimmingly. I kind of wish it would inspire blogs like this one, but we did get some lovely thank-yous. I spent too much time on food this year, then got drunk too fast, so I didn't get to do as much socializing as I might have preferred. Such are the perils of hostessing. I'm going to start saving up now for caterers at next year's event.
Spring has sprung in Los Angeles, which means it's still cool & rainy sometimes, but mostly it's sunny and green and awesome. West Hollywood is starting to smell like jasmine & lilac, and I love it. We've started taking the dogs on these hikes up Runyon Canyon, and even though there's still a haze of pollution blanketing the city, it's still quite lovely.
In other news, that insufferable egomaniac Nader has announced he's running for President again. Really. Going to create some false dichotomies, some bullshit arguments that only you can win so you can try and look all forward-thinking and liberal without actually having to DO anything, Nader? Going to try and help jack up another election for the Democrats by trying to make some kind of "statement" again? GOD. I hate this guy, and have no respect for anyone who votes for him. Seriously. It's not like he actually wants to BE president of the United States, and he's certainly not qualified. (Foreign policy, what??) He just likes to be a pain in the ass, listen to himself talk, and get his ego stroked, and I'm over it. Well, I'm not, I hate him, but I'm just done blogging about it. For today.
If only because, I've been cranky lately. If you wanted to push my buttons & piss me off, now would be a really easy time to do it. Stuff that works really well: don't follow direction, don't stick to the schedule, don't trust me, don't listen to me, be bossy, make shit complicated that doesn't need to be complicated, and/or transform yourself into technology of some sort then stop working for no reason. So, basically, unless you're Captain Awesome or Miss Moneypenny, beware. (Mac is also in the clear, as he's been super-awesome-understanding-patient husband during this time, and I don't know how he does it but I'm sure glad I married him.) Mercury is in retrograde, I have taxes due and no idea how to do them, I've got a million reports to do, look over & fix, and I gained a rather stupid amount of weight over the Oscar weekend and it has totally bummed me out. So, cranky. And if you're reading this wondering.... Is she talking about me? Oh, probably not. Well, maybe, actually. But, you know, it's a foul mood. I'm sure I'll get over it soon.
Maybe I'll go to the garden store this weekend & get some jasmine for my yard.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
victories
I just wanted to announce to the world (and by "world" I mean the 7 lovely people who read my blog) that my health and fitness endeavors are paying off!
Around mid-January I hit a record high that I'm not going to publish because I'm a lady. (And, admittedly, easily shamed by the numbers on the scale. Stupid patriarchy.) So I started eating better, exercising more. I committed to a triathlon, and introduced a whole array of different exercises into my routine. I went swimming. I lifted weights.
I started this endeavor only 6 weeks ago. As of this morning, I've lost a total of 12 lbs. My gut is smaller. I'm starting to see muscle definition in my upper arms.
12 lbs is especially victorious considering that on Thursday night I went way "Off Plan" and indulged in Godiva chocolate truffles, fried calamari, steak and potatoes, chocolate mousse, and too much good wine. And then on Friday I ate a whole plate of baked macaroni & cheese at a client lunch. And then I felt the old indulgent, "I'm grown! I can if I want!" attitude slip back over the weekend, when I ate pasta and helped Mac finish off the truffles.
But here's what's different: I also went hiking Thursday morning. My Valentine dinner was delicious, but I didn't eat until I was so full I felt sick--there was still food on the plate when they took it away. Mac and I split the mousse dessert, instead of each getting our own. Friday's rich lunch actually did make me feel sick (and took care of the mac & cheese craving for at least a few months), and I ate lightly for the rest of the day. As for the indulgent weekend, 1) We didn't order any Chinese/Thai/Pizza, which is kind of huge, and 2) I snapped out of it yesterday. Just like that. I went back on plan, I went to the gym.
So, yeah, 12 lbs is a huge victory for me, for sure. But I think the bigger victories so far lie in the overall changes in attitude. The fact that I could see my muscles working while I was on the pectoral fly machine yesterday, and it almost made me squeal out loud with glee is, in itself, a huge victory. And on this next Sunday we're throwing our big annual Oscar party, complete with a vast array of delicious food and baked goods. And I already know that I'm going to sample pretty much everything on the table, and probably eat more than my share of brie because that's just how I roll. I also know I'll send cookies home with people and I'll be at the gym the next day. Just knowing this is a win.
Next goals:
I also need to buy a bike. Any recommendations?
Around mid-January I hit a record high that I'm not going to publish because I'm a lady. (And, admittedly, easily shamed by the numbers on the scale. Stupid patriarchy.) So I started eating better, exercising more. I committed to a triathlon, and introduced a whole array of different exercises into my routine. I went swimming. I lifted weights.
I started this endeavor only 6 weeks ago. As of this morning, I've lost a total of 12 lbs. My gut is smaller. I'm starting to see muscle definition in my upper arms.
12 lbs is especially victorious considering that on Thursday night I went way "Off Plan" and indulged in Godiva chocolate truffles, fried calamari, steak and potatoes, chocolate mousse, and too much good wine. And then on Friday I ate a whole plate of baked macaroni & cheese at a client lunch. And then I felt the old indulgent, "I'm grown! I can if I want!" attitude slip back over the weekend, when I ate pasta and helped Mac finish off the truffles.
But here's what's different: I also went hiking Thursday morning. My Valentine dinner was delicious, but I didn't eat until I was so full I felt sick--there was still food on the plate when they took it away. Mac and I split the mousse dessert, instead of each getting our own. Friday's rich lunch actually did make me feel sick (and took care of the mac & cheese craving for at least a few months), and I ate lightly for the rest of the day. As for the indulgent weekend, 1) We didn't order any Chinese/Thai/Pizza, which is kind of huge, and 2) I snapped out of it yesterday. Just like that. I went back on plan, I went to the gym.
So, yeah, 12 lbs is a huge victory for me, for sure. But I think the bigger victories so far lie in the overall changes in attitude. The fact that I could see my muscles working while I was on the pectoral fly machine yesterday, and it almost made me squeal out loud with glee is, in itself, a huge victory. And on this next Sunday we're throwing our big annual Oscar party, complete with a vast array of delicious food and baked goods. And I already know that I'm going to sample pretty much everything on the table, and probably eat more than my share of brie because that's just how I roll. I also know I'll send cookies home with people and I'll be at the gym the next day. Just knowing this is a win.
Next goals:
- 5 more lbs, which should get me into more of the clothes in my closet.
- Still need to run a mile (I keep pulling muscles and injuring myself, so I've been walking a lot).
- 3 sets of 10 reps on the "push up" machine without feeling like I'm going to cry.
I also need to buy a bike. Any recommendations?
Sunday, February 17, 2008
perfume
Today, instead of cleaning my house in preparation for weekend guests from Seattle and the Best Oscar Party not hosted by Vanity Fair or the Kodak Theatre, I am scanning in pictures from college. After handling these old photos for about an hour, I realized that my hands smell kind of sweet, and floral. And then it hit me: Elizabeth Arden's Sunflowers perfume.
Photos can remind you of your past; smells can really take you there.
I wonder if my diary from jr. high still smells like Love's Baby Soft?
Photos can remind you of your past; smells can really take you there.
I wonder if my diary from jr. high still smells like Love's Baby Soft?
Thursday, February 14, 2008
flowers and chocolate
The thing is, I happen to really like flowers and chocolate. And going out to dinner. So a traditional Valentine's for me is totally fine.
May your Valentine's Day be just as satisfying.
May your Valentine's Day be just as satisfying.
Monday, February 11, 2008
HAPPY STORY/SAD STORY
HAPPY STORY TIME!
What I really want to write about today is how I registered for my triathlon over the weekend, and am super ready to go. Unfortunately, registration isn't open yet. Registration for the first city they opened up closed in just a few hours, so now I'm super nervous about getting shut out. Think positive registration thoughts for me, would you? Thank you, I really appreciate it.
That said, I'm proceeding as though I'm already registered/committed. Since announcing my commitment to this endeavor on January 30, I've started working out about five times a week. Mostly I work on my running, since I can still only jog in short bursts. I've also taken the dogs on a hike through Runyon Canyon with one of my employees, looked extensively at bikes, and gone swimming once. (Note: me trying to put on a swim cap for the first time = PURE COMEDY. Very Mrs. Bean.) I didn't work out yesterday and, even though it was probably good for my body to take a day off, I missed it. I've become obsessed with the exercise. I even bought a book about training for triathlons.
Oh, and I've also lost about 3 lbs, bringing my total weight loss for 2008 so far to almost 10 lbs. I'm so close to 10 lbs lost, in fact, that I'm already plotting out how I'm going to run the gauntlet of Valentine's meals/treats and client lunches this week. Because, I'm going to eat the truffles and the petite filet and drink the champagne. So, I make sure I'm doing 60 minutes of cardio every day instead of my average of 45.
Yeah, I don't know what alien took over my mind & body either.
SAD STORY TIME.
In unrelated news, I went to see In Bruges yesterday, which was ridiculous and wrong and surprisingly gory and funny as hell. I went to the bathroom before it started, and as I walked into my stall, I heard a young woman saying, loudly,
"Oh my god, do you think anyone will know I'm bulimic??"
And my stall door shut. I think we both realized we were in adjacent stalls at the same time, and she freaked out.
"Oh my god, IS SOMEONE ELSE IN HERE??"
Her friends responded, essentially, yeah, numnuts, it's public bathroom and you're not alone in here with your stupid eating disorder.
So she proceeded to throw up her lunch anyway.
There's really no sound more depressing than that of a young woman wretching and forcing out her lunch in the stall next to you.
I tried to finish quickly so I could avoid her at the sinks. At the same time, I wondered what I would say to her if I did have the chance. I came up with the following:
"You can't just go to the gym like the rest of us?"
"Oh yeah, bulimia's hot. Except for the swollen glands, the hair falling out, the chronic bad breath, the rotting teeth and that pesky little risk of STOPPING YOUR HEART. Dumbass."
And the meanest of all,
"You better keep it up, girl, or you could end up looking like me."
What I really want to write about today is how I registered for my triathlon over the weekend, and am super ready to go. Unfortunately, registration isn't open yet. Registration for the first city they opened up closed in just a few hours, so now I'm super nervous about getting shut out. Think positive registration thoughts for me, would you? Thank you, I really appreciate it.
That said, I'm proceeding as though I'm already registered/committed. Since announcing my commitment to this endeavor on January 30, I've started working out about five times a week. Mostly I work on my running, since I can still only jog in short bursts. I've also taken the dogs on a hike through Runyon Canyon with one of my employees, looked extensively at bikes, and gone swimming once. (Note: me trying to put on a swim cap for the first time = PURE COMEDY. Very Mrs. Bean.) I didn't work out yesterday and, even though it was probably good for my body to take a day off, I missed it. I've become obsessed with the exercise. I even bought a book about training for triathlons.
Oh, and I've also lost about 3 lbs, bringing my total weight loss for 2008 so far to almost 10 lbs. I'm so close to 10 lbs lost, in fact, that I'm already plotting out how I'm going to run the gauntlet of Valentine's meals/treats and client lunches this week. Because, I'm going to eat the truffles and the petite filet and drink the champagne. So, I make sure I'm doing 60 minutes of cardio every day instead of my average of 45.
Yeah, I don't know what alien took over my mind & body either.
SAD STORY TIME.
In unrelated news, I went to see In Bruges yesterday, which was ridiculous and wrong and surprisingly gory and funny as hell. I went to the bathroom before it started, and as I walked into my stall, I heard a young woman saying, loudly,
"Oh my god, do you think anyone will know I'm bulimic??"
And my stall door shut. I think we both realized we were in adjacent stalls at the same time, and she freaked out.
"Oh my god, IS SOMEONE ELSE IN HERE??"
Her friends responded, essentially, yeah, numnuts, it's public bathroom and you're not alone in here with your stupid eating disorder.
So she proceeded to throw up her lunch anyway.
There's really no sound more depressing than that of a young woman wretching and forcing out her lunch in the stall next to you.
I tried to finish quickly so I could avoid her at the sinks. At the same time, I wondered what I would say to her if I did have the chance. I came up with the following:
"You can't just go to the gym like the rest of us?"
"Oh yeah, bulimia's hot. Except for the swollen glands, the hair falling out, the chronic bad breath, the rotting teeth and that pesky little risk of STOPPING YOUR HEART. Dumbass."
And the meanest of all,
"You better keep it up, girl, or you could end up looking like me."
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
I Voted
I picked a Democratic candidate that I'd like to see on the ticket in November. I picked one I'd love to see as President. I picked one that I really think will change the course of the US for the better, and motivate its citizens to participate more in their democracy. I picked the one that inspired my patriotism, after years of it laying dormant and abused by our current administration.
I don't know if it matters that I say which candidate I voted for. I think the main thing is, I Voted.
Now get out there, vote, and be heard.
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