Harem Pant Leggings!!!

Been MIA for a bit, but coming on here to start doing a "Few of my favorite things" on things that make me happy.  I've been finding myself more these days, and wanted to share that with you while I take this journey of self realization/self worth to a level I have not yet found, but want to get to.

So I've been getting more into the whole "down with pants" phase and have been looking for something to wear other than my bulky SO not flattering sweats, and something that I can wear that's comfortable not only at the gym, but at home doing yoga, or just lounging around wherever.  Comfort is a plus, something that's not going to fall off my butt, something that can hang with my curves, and not feel like I've got a permanent muffin top or stuffed sausage look.  Of course you see the adds on facebook on the side of the page for clothing, so my eye caught a company called Thai Harem Pants with an image of a woman in flowy, really cool patterned pants.  So I checked out the website: https://www.harempants.com/

I'm flipping through the pictures of cotton pants, fisherman pants, low cut harem pants, then I see the leggings.  The picture shows tie dye, as I am a HUGE fan.  So I figured I might as well check them out and see what happens.  I came across these lovelies and I was in love!

But they were out of stock!!! ARG.  Thank you for having a "Notify me when this becomes available" link, and within I think it was about a week or 2 these were available.  They were reasonable at $22 for a pair, with just under $5 for shipping.  It took about 2 weeks to get them, the website says it takes about 2-3 weeks with Thai Post Airmail, and 3-4 days with Express Courier.  No worries, it came quicker than I thought it would and I actually did a little happy dance when I found them in my mailbox after work one day!

I am truly a happy camper and will definitely be checking out more of the different patterns/styles of pants on this website.  Let me know of any pants/leggings that you've purchased that make you happy? I'm always up for looking at new styles and companies.

Official Sucky Blogger

So I have learned that I officially SUCK at being a blogger.  That, and Facebook seems to be the biggest time suck around....and where all creative differences, pictures of food, and videos of cats playing for hours on end become the staple of what society decides is everything you need to know.  I have decided that I spend more time on Facebook than I do with pretty much anything relevant in my life....and that is sad. I'm not saying Facebook is a bad thing, it's just a TOO MUCH thing.  I used to use THIS page as a venting board, now I get to post it where my hundreds of friends can see the first tomato I pulled from my garden, a video of ripping down walls with a sea of termite debris, my latest culinary creation or fail, stories of my commuting on the train to work on a daily basis...  You lose touch with things, with your surroundings,  with what's important.  Where everything is social media based and ideas get twisted, and no one checks the facts anymore, and you can have fans one minute, then death threats the next because you didn't feed the homeless guy the street, where people show their true colors while hiding behind what they think is their own little perfect corner of cyberspace.

It's scary.  It's downright terrifying how we've become obsessed with posting the perfect "selfie", looking like we're having the best time, that everything is honkey dorey, and we want to show the world that we've got our shit together.  Guess what, that is 75% NOT the case (don't quote me on that, I'm just pulling this number out of the air).  People are losing their jobs, their houses, their lives, their children, their sanity, their individuality, their safety....and we post it up on Facebook for the world to see how we're not about to lose it and go apeshit and that everything will get better.

Does it?

Sometimes.

Sometimes not.

Not trying to be the Debbie Downer, a lot has gone on in the world and in my life since I've last written.  Not everything is rainbows and unicorns farting sprinkles and LIVE LAUGH LOVE and happy happy joy joy.  Things happen.  People happen.  Situations happen.  Things change.  I've changed.  And I'm hoping to use this page to find that person I used to be because I've lost her.  I lost her a long time ago, but I've just realized that I miss her dearly and I need to bring her back or else I will not survive in this life anymore.  So that means that some of my new posts may not be comfortable to read because I'M not comfortable to read anymore.  No, I'm not suicidal, unless you call downing a quart of Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream from Baskin Robbins death by chocolate...again...I need to find my voice and I was able to maintain that when I used to write stuff out and sort it out and find out who I used to be.  I will still swear like a motherfucker, that will not change, and I don't claim to be a lady even though I technically have the parts, so sorry, this is not your Mother's blog.  I'm beyond the prim and proper shit, so get used to me sounding like an 80 year old man screaming at the kids to "Get off my lawn...."

If you're reading this, thank you, and if you're not, I hope you're doing something at least constructive or spending time with someone amazing who makes you feel amazing because everyone deserves that.  And with that, I've spend WAY too much time on this from work and would rather not get fired.  So with that I bid you adieu until I can find this page again to post up what's ticking inside for what's a day in the life of....me.

How time flies....when you're not having fun...

Apparently I feel the need to write what, every 6 months or so? So yeah, it's May, coming up upon the 2nd Anniversary of marriage bliss to Loverboy, and still with a house that looks like it was hit by a tornado (though I shouldn't joke, we've actually got tornado watches going on right about now), and the bathroom is actually pretty usable, though not yet finished...I think that was the middle name of Loverboy: Lover "won't quite finish anything I come into contact with my Bob Villa type fix its" Boy. Yup, nothing is finished, yet everything has been stared. However MAJOR changes have been in the works...though nothing so recent (been working tons, so haven't been home much to actually spew what's been going out here on this blog oh mine).
So the bathroom is almost done....just need to finish the walls, finish the sink counter, and put the closet in once we get the floor done. If you may have seen in previous pics, we had a big hole in the floor for putting in concrete footers to support the roof. Well, we've lost just a little bit more of the floor... yup, we have a partial floor...that you need to walk across with planks (I feel like I should be on a pirate ship leaping to my death to a swarm of hungry sharks)...Yup, those are boards going across nothingness...and all I wanted for Christmas and my birthday was to get the friggin' couch back in the house...alas my prayers were NOT answered.Yeah, how great is this? We even have planks that go to the bathroom!

Though I must admit the bathroom is looking sassy...and I swear is now worth more than the house itself. So we'll see what happens this summer.

Other than that, had issues were Loverboy and I almost parted ways...well, I almost parted ways, Loverboy is one of those men type who don't get that their woman is unhappy, and life is like is a bowl of cherries, or some shit like that. I was indeed on the verge of leaving loverboy, this hell house, and the southern suburbs of Chicagoland to find something actually sane and just had a floor. I was so tired of living in the bedroom while tard boy spent his days doing anything BUT work on our "home" (just because it's a house does NOT mean it is automatically a home). After much discussions and loads of crying (which I kick myself for...I've becoming a freakin emotional mess since meeting the man I'm supposed to spend the rest of my life with), we came to an understanding that we need more communication and help from each other...him with the zillions of things needed to be done with the house, and me with some attention and housework when I'm not working my 60-80 hour weeks (yeah, got second job, so now I'm gone from the house even more now!).

What else is going on...that's about it. Job is good, aside from having dirty old men telling me they want to help my husband do unmentionable things to me (seriously?), old ladies screaming at me because the think I have no idea what I'm talking about (a heat pack is NOT a pain medication patch and you do NOT pick it up from behind the counter...that's not what over the counter means...), and clients sitting on the floor and shitting on the carpet...I commend all those who join me in doing CNA work, nursing, and home healthcare...

What else...I'll be getting my garden in soon, hopefully, but not today...tornado warnings put a damper on that. Though I am excited to add a second 4x8 foot raised bed to the mix and have more homegrown deliciousness (I'm talking veggies here...though that could be taken out of context SO easily...) and less cash on grocery stores and farmers markets (they're just starting this month at a lot of locations by me, and I go a little overboard with helping the local markets, but need to seriously tone down the cash spending), plus eating healthier and losing my so called pouch of a gut (also known as my "joey"...I'm waiting for a kangaroo to come out and prove that it's not my fault that it's there).

So that's that for now...6 months, geez, I was shocked when it was 2011, let alone almost halfway through the year!!! So lets see what happens with the house. The new rule is that if I don't have the couch back here by Christmas of 2011, then I will leave this house, leave Loverboy, and start the New Year out on my own...so let's see what happens.

Holy crap, it's September 14th...and where the hell is this year going!!?!?!?!

OK, time to vent...it's been what, 7 months since I last spewed a bunch of crap? OK...well, here goes...

At least I haven't gained any weight...though I haven't lost any either. Still a lazy behemoth (yeah, it's spelled right, I googled it) and not taking initiative to loose the tubbyness that has been my middle region for how long now?

What else...oh yeah, still living in the crappy money pit house! Can you believe it's been over a year and we are still dealing without a decent bathroom? Holy fuck, batman, will the insanity ever be over? However, there has been improvement (however, it's been just mostly recently): see exhibit A...

At least the shower drain is in (the pitch and concrete steps of this must have been written by Satan himself, they sucked so majorly), the walls are mudded, the ceiling is just about dried so we can finish sanding and painting, the shelves are in the shower wall (handy for those shampoo and conditioner bottles and extra showery goodies)

So yes, that is a faucet coming out of the wall. Another of the boys bright ideas on how we can spend more money and make this bathroom cost more than the house is actually worth (at the moment at least, we're still waiting to transfer said bathroom and finish ripping up the floor). So yeah, this is the hell I've been dealing with for a year...I gave the boy actual ultimatum that either the house is livable by October (and as in livable, that we have couches and a TV in the living room area and no more piles of sawdust or nails or any power tools that are necessary for someone to not fall through the floor) or I am moving out. You think I'm joking? You try living in filth and dust and dealing with the cats using under the house as their own giant personal toilet...yeah, I'm not joking. However, the rest of the house still looks like this:

What else...oh, I'm still waitressing and barely getting paid to bust my ASS off! I also took on a part time weekend gig (if you can call a 48 hour shift as a live in as part time) doing home health care...12hour, 24 hour, and 48 hour positions where I watch elderly clients who are either recovering from some type of surgery, are in danger of injuring themselves if left alone, or have Alzheimer's or some form of dementia (or all three if that's the case). So yeah, working 7 days a week for the past month or so...and why you ask? Oh, get this bit of brilliance.

So the boy decides in the summertime that he's rather build a shed in the backyard to put all his tools in and get rid of the cheapy aluminum shed that was rusting out and was dented due to a big branch and an even bigger wind (wind one, shed el zippo). So I let him have his fun, do what you gotta do, just finish this fucking house. So apparently one day he's working on the shed roof and he falls flat on his back. I didn't know this happened, we're both accident prone individuals, so the fact that we're still walking on 2 legs is a mystery to me, so I didn't think much of it. During the next few weeks he starts getting major pain in the right side of his back, he's losing feeling in his right arm, and he's losing feeling in 3 of the fingers of his right hand! He thinks it's just kinks and arthritis, so he takes off a few days from work just to recoup. So this is going on for longer and longer...then I finally persuade him to go to the doc that did my shoulder surgery. Saw this doc, did an MRI, and finally a month after he's been off work already we find out...bulging disk in his 7th cervical vertebrae. Doc says let's start off with cortisone shots, and if 3 don't work, then surgery. So that was 2 weeks ago, and we're still waiting to find out when the boy can start the cortisone shot. Mind you he's been off work for almost 2 months, I'm working 60-90 hours weeks (yeah, one week was actually 90 hours with not only my waitressing 30 hours, but I worked 3- 12 hour overnight health care shifts as well as a 24 hour health care shift...I don't think I could do one of those anymore). Yeah, my heal spurs are nothing compared to that bulging disk, here's hoping that he can get an injection within the next week or so and that his disability papers from work start sending his disability checks this week (yeah, 2 months and he hasn't gotten paid...yeah the financial arguments are constant).

However, though my life is not what I wish it to be, it could be a LOT worse...though it makes me feel better to gripe about it than saying how good we actually have it....I can say that after we find out the deal with the boys back and getting this house done! So that's it...I'm done...I need a drink....latas!

A New Year, a new me...better late than never...

246.8…good bejesus! Yup, I’m newly 34 years old and weigh over 240 pounds…pathetic, isn’t it? I can’t use the “I just had shoulder surgery” excuse, or the “I’m stressed out with this wedding”, excuse, or the “I just don’t have time to exercise” excuse…I’m done, and I’m ready to actually make a difference. What I think I’m so pissed about is a)I’m NOT going a bra size up, I’m already squeezing into a 42DD (okay, down boys, it’s not that fun to actually have to carry these funbags around), and I’m sure it’s one of the causes for my shoulder pain.

B) I always said I was not going to look like my Mother when I got older…well, I have her features, but now I have her waistline…why? Growing up with too much cooking and fattening foods? No, I have no excuse, I’ve been eating crap, KNOWING I’ve been eating crap, and not doing a damn thing about it. Yes I’m married now, I don’t need to look good for the boys out there anymore, but the fact that I’m probably at least 70 pounds overweight (which would make my ideal weight 176, which is still above what my actual weight SHOULD be, but I wasn’t even 176 in high school!!!) And now with working at a pizza place and taking WAY too much advantage of bringing food home from the buffet (they just throw it out…it’s such a waste of food when the buffet is over), I need to step away from the free food and deal with the problem this is becoming…no one to blame here but me.

C) I’ve had these friggin heel spurs for over a year now, and gaining weight is NOT helping!!! Lose weight, or lose the foot I say…if I don’t get my weight down, then I’ll need surgery, and I cannot afford to be off work for 6 weeks right now, let alone take off a week of no pay (sucks to work where you get no sick time or vacation time).

D) This is one of the many reasons that I absolutely HATE shopping for clothes!!! I have to spend a heck of a lot more money just to cover my rolls, and I don’t care how cute the stuff is at Torrid, it’s still pricey!!! We big gals aren’t made of money, we spend it all on crap to stuff in our faces!

E) I miss doing things I used to do before I majorly ballooned up…like walking, or canoeing, or rollerskating (ok, well, not REALLY rollerskating, since for some reason I could only skate at night without cars on the road, otherwise I was a weeble wobble) I miss wearing cute clothes and going out dancing…now I look like a hot mess jiggling to the beat…yeah, not pretty. And it’s not the fact that I’m already off the market and taken, I don’t like the “Oh, she’s cute in the face” whisper…I have the equivalent of a sixth grader (estimated 70 pounds of blubber) stuck on me, and I’m not going to deal with it anymore.

So no, it’s not a “New Years resolution”, but it’s a start, and stepping on that scale for the first time this year was DEFINITELY not just a wake up call, but a “GET YOUR ASS IN GEAR” military scream from…yup, my ass. Maybe this will help the back pain, maybe this will help the chest pain that comes sporadically, but I know this will help the cholesterol level go down, as well as my chances of dropping dead due to a heart attack…or at least postpone it a little bit. So I’m back to blogging, and back to a day in the life! Not that this will turn more into a weight loss sob story, but it’ll be an outlet for me, and if not for just me, for anyone who gives a crap and cares to chime in “You know, I’m a little peeved at myself too right now, and I’m not going to take it anymore.” Yeah, happy birthday to me...and lets skip the cake this year.

It's been a while

So it's already August...seriously? Already? This year is seriously going by way too fast!!! So what's happened since July...

I start school on the 24th for the nursing program. Due to my hours at school would now be outweighing my hours at work, work has decided that my services are no longer needed 20 hours a week (I'd only be able to work Thurs and Friday) and I'm being "let go" on August 14th, next Friday. This is a good thing, however I wished I'd had another job set up in lieu of unemployment...never been unemployed, so this should be interesting.

My resume must be sitting in over 150 different websites and HR emails...going to have it reviewed to see if there's a reason no one is calling me back.

The name change game has finally begun!!! Man, is anyone told me how fun this would be, I think I'd keep my maiden name!!! Drivers license...check, bank...check, still need to do all the credit cards and my social security card...fun fun! Why don't you stick a spoon in my eye while you're at it? But hey, with my nonworking keister, at least I'll have the time, right?

What else...almost done with ripping down the siding and the asphalt shit on the outside of the house...whomever came up with that abomination should seriously be shot! Carpet is ripped up, drywall is ripped down...we should be able to start working indoors soon...hardwood floor here I come!!!

Hugs, till later...I need a drink.

Boredom and uterus cakes...

So it's Wednesday, I've got no patients, and I'm aimlessly surfing for jobs and messing around on facebook. What a great way to get paid. However, I would enjoy it a little more if I wasn't deal ing with a friggin 3 hour commute...come on call back from J-mart.

So I come to a blog about cake wrecks (I think I've found a new favorite blog)...and this one takes the cake...pun intended! Apparently there's a run on uterus cakes for those having their innards removed (aka: hysterectomy). I just about lost it when I saw the cakes that were made about this, and this one seriously takes the cake...

Yeah, makes me wanna add some red velvet ice cream and have a go at it...

Random crap patients feel the need to tell me...

So I've decided to sporadically add wonderful tidbits of TMI (Too Much Information) that patients feel the need to tell me while I'm at work. Here's the most recent that almost had me rolling on the floor. Scenario...patient is a diabetic who needs to bring in his first morning void (pee) so we can do a urinalysis, so the patient gets a cup with a lid at his previous visit to bring in with him at his next visit, this one is a month after his orientation visit:

Me: Mr. X, did you remember to bring in your first morning void this morning?
Mr. X: You betcha I did...do you want it?
Me: Um...no, when you go to the lab, you can give it to them since they will check the specimen?
Mr. X: How much was I supposed to fill it up? Because you never told me how much to fill up the cup...
Me: If you filled up the cup about half way, then that's perfect. They just need enough to run a dipstick test to check for blood and protein in your urine.
Mr. X: Well, I filled it up to the top. And lemme tell ya, I tried to stop, and god darn it my kidneys just wouldn't quit! I could've fill up another couple of cups for ya, at least a good 3 ta 4 more...
Me: No, one cup is sufficient, Mr. X. But thanks for the offer...

Maybe it's just me, but crap like this cracks me up...yeah, don't need 5 urine cups from you, sorry...lol. Oh well...welcome to a day in the life...

No longer MIA...

Okay, so I've been MIA for what, over a month and a half now. What's been going on? Well let me give you the readers digest version...

Got married (whoo hoo, I'm Mrs. Loverboy now!). Wedding was loverly...bridesmaids were smokin, and Sarah did a gaw-geous job on my hair (I seriously don't know what I would have done without her...I'd have probably just put it up in my usual bun and said to hell with it). I just wish I would've been able to see you gals more...

What else...OH, got accepted into the nursing program the week before the wedding, and classes start at the end of August...I'm applying for all financial assistance that I can...maybe I'll win big on the Super Ball and not have to worry about working anymore and just go to school for fun since I'll be filthy rich!!!

Which brings me to finding a new job...not too picky since I'll be going down to part time in the fall, but still wanna find something that's going to help pay the bills...and applying at the local hussy joint or poll dancing ain't quite my theme..."But it helps pay for college"...yeah right, like those fake breastessess are going to help you get a PhD. I've applied to multiple nursing assistant positions locally, and even applied at a place that rhymes with J-Mart...thus my career option would literally be about 5 minutes away (how's that for saving gas, and I don't mean the kind that requires Bean-o). Wish me luck, kiddies...Momma wants to stop wasting 3 hours a day traveling to and from work!

What else...back to the tying of the knot (or the wearing of the shackles as confirmed per Loverboy's cousin Richie)...so no honeymoon as of yet, and the way bills and time is lookin', there ain't gonna BE a honeymoon anytime soon (what was previously stipulated for a Dec/Jan cruise will probably not happen due to us being poor).

First week in July Loverboy and I will be going to Eagle Lake in Michigan to spend the week drinking to our liver's content, and boating like it's nobody's business! We've gone the past 2 years for a week up to this quaint little cottage area off a lake with some of Loverboy's friends...no drama, no work, no hustle and bustle of everyday life...sounds like THAT'S gonna be the closest we have to a honeymoon for the next 2 years, and though it's low key and not fancy (the cottages are kinda old, smelly, and have matresses that we dare not sleep upon for fear of catching something...thank god for the air mattress), it's just relaxing with no problems. This year we gals all planned our menu's accordingly...helps save everyone from having to bring too much food, and someone else takes the dibs for dinner at least one night for the week. We're all on our own for breakfast, lunch is sandwiches and group efforts (like chips and fruit and salads), and then dinner is stuff like steaks for the guys, kabobs for the gals, spaghetti and meatball night with grilled garlic bread, hot dog/brat night, pizza night (which will be a night when the weather absolutely sucks and we actually go into town for pizza and a movie...and the movies are seriously $2 a person for NEW movies), mexican night, and god knows what else. I'm psyched.

So that's that in a nutshell...though I don't know how Reader's Digest I got there at the end...hey, I need a LITTLE excitement since all we've done since the wedding is work, work on the house, and try to keep cool with this nasty humid weather (OMG, I don't see how people are supposed to function in this weather, and there's supposed to be a weather advisory of 106 degrees today...bleah!). I'm hoping the heat breaks before my nerves do!

Sporadic spew...

So things have been interesting lately...I saved a baby goose from getting run over on a major street in Naperville. The lady 2 cars in front of me wasn't going to move until the gosling was off of the street...sad to say he was too little to jump up the curb and to clueless to run until he found the sidewalk, so I threw my truck in park, put on the hazards, and ran over to usher the little guy to get off the road. Got a thanks from the lady in front and a thumbs up from the lady behind her as I ran back to my car.

What else...I saw a pair of dirty plaid drawers in the middle of the road (looks like someone either had an accident while driving, or was doing the nasty and ditched the evidence)...what else.

OH, one of the doctors at our facility thinks we may have had a patient last week that had the swine flu...how comfortable does that make you feel when you see one of the doctors and 2 nursing assistants wearing gowns, gloves, and masks while you're walking around without said protection asking what's going on? Yeah, STILL don't know if this patient tested positive, but oh, they building said they're going to start sanitizing better in the building, such as doorknobs and elevator buttons..hmm...thought they should've done that already. Turns out there's a couple of cases of the swine f...correction, a couple of cases of H1N1 (apparently the pork industry having issues due to the "swine" reference) in Illinois, one so close as to my hometown of Batavia (the middle school was closed down, as well as a case possibly found in Rogers Park). Hmm...now Loverboy is ill...it better be allergies after he was outside all weekend mowing, chain sawing trees (yes, I said chain sawing), and working with the yard...and here I keep telling him to take his vitamins and honey (which is supposed to help build up immunity to seasonal allergies...wives tale, maybe so, but who hasn't gotten hit with allergies yet this year...hint hint).

So what else...wedding's in full swing, and so is my brain. I've been having negative thoughts of being the ugly fat bride, and I've had some special ladies tell me I'm mental....thanks gals, I love ya!

This is my final week of work before the wedding!!! Then I'm off for 2 whole weeks...que something by Aerosmith that would fit here...I'm on an Aerosmith kick lately. Whoot-whoot!!!

So all is well, things are happening, and I'm trying not to be mental (if you see me scoot to the edge, just give me a boot to the head).

Whoo-hoo...

Loverboy's Mom has a hotel room! Praise the lord!

Are you frackin kidding me?

Okay, yeah, the shitith has hitith the fan...at least in my book. So Loverboy's Mom calls to see how things are going , asks what the dress looks like, and wants to know if we've found her a hotel/motel close by so she can visit with us during the wedding. Okay, fine, we said we'd find something close and cheap, and we're trying, but when someone has a budget of $50 or less a night for a room, it's pretty damn hard...even Priceline declined my offer. So that's not the reason for this little rant.

Loverboy's Mom has never been much of one saving money (and don't get me started of her saying how she was "in debt" after she lived with us free of charge for 3 months while looking for a local job about 2 years ago) and is horrible with her impulse buys...and alcohol...and cigarette addictions. So she's trying to find a hotel online for around $50 a night, and can't find any. So she asks us to help, and apparently someone I'm the one trying to find a place for her to stay. She's coming in 2 days before the wedding and leaving the Monday after. Ok, 5 day stay, then she's flying back home.

So I was letting her know what was going on, then how I didn't know how much we would see her on that Thurs night because we were doing the "jack and jill"(bachelor/bachelorette party)...and then staying the night out at a hotel and not coming home till the next morning. Friday night was the rehearsal dinner, and then we'd see her at the wedding. Well she asked if she was invited to the jack and jill, and I started laughing and said no, but she could come to the rehearsal dinner on Friday night. Then I asked her if she wanted to go to the jack and jill, just to see what she'd say (lord knows parents are NOT allowed to the bachelor/bachelorette party...unless you have that type of relationship with your folks...we do not), and she was all for it if there were strippers there. Um...I think I just threw up a little in my mouth...Loverboy's Mom, drinking, and strippers is NOT my idea of a good time. So I explained that we weren't having strippers, and that we were going to a bar that we went to for my birthday to play volleyball...it was something I wanted to do, and after my b-day, Loverboy said he wanted to go there too for his bachelor party...hence now the jack and jill.

So then Loverboy's Mom started saying why should she come out if we're not even going to get to see her (while I'm STILL trying to find her a hotel/motel room online) and that now she may have to change her flight information...we're still going to have to pick her up from the airport, so what the hell? I was getting to a breaking point, so I passed the phone off to Loverboy, I couldn't talk to that woman. So he's talking to her, and then he said something like "You can come to the party, I don't know why Dawn would say that." He said he'd call her back, then came to find me and find out why the heck I passed off the phone and took off. He was also trying to find out why I didn't want him Mom coming to the jack and jill. I apologized for pawning off the phone, but I was frustrated with trying to help her, then she wanting to invite herself to everything, and I'm sorry that she's coming early, but I've got a lot of stuff and I didn't feel that I wanted to babysit her when she was in town...it's not like I don't have enough stuff on my plate! Also, she's still expecting ME (not him, not the Internet, not God himself) to find her a cheap hotel room...who knows what's going to happen then...then she had said that with the money for the flight, and if she's got to put down $300-400 for a hotel stay, either she won't be able to stay as long as she wanted, or she won't be able to get us a wedding gift. I told you, she's not one for saving, and I told her we didn't need a gift as long as she was coming, that was good enough. Loverboy didn't know she'd said those things, I should've told her I'd call her back after talking to Loverboy. But what really upset me was that she wanted to come to the jack and jill (and this is what I explained to Loverboy) and if she did, she would be spending money and be drinking, she's LOUD when she drinks and wants to be everyones friend (then she'll stab you in the back when you least expect it, speaking from experience), she was already complaining about money so why spend money out and about for drinking rather than saving it for the hotel room...and she doesn't know the area. If she follows us, she wouldn't be able to find her way back. If she came WITH us, we are NOT sharing a hotel room with that woman...and don't even THINK about paying for her for the night in her own room, let alone see if anyone else staying would take her in, not for free at least. Loverboy then understood why I had told her that she wasn't invited. Now she's upset and is going to try to come in on that Friday instead of Thursday...and even when she comes into town, she's borrowing one of our cars!!! Seriously, this woman is getting everything handed to her on a silver platter, I swear! I'm not looking at hotels anymore, I'm gonna go tomorrow after the bridal shower to see what's in the area...at long as it's not a roach motel, I think she'll be fine....otherwise she's on her own...I can't perform miracles! Yeah, this is just want I needed...drama...and here I was doing so well?

Meh...

Yup, I said it. Meh. It's a crappy day. I'm stuck listening to an online webconference about a study that I'm apparently doing well on (and all these questions people are asking are just reworded from what the patient previously just asked!!!). I'm going on 47 minutes of wanting to rip out my hair!!!

48 minutes....

So today is a list of things I get to do today:
-get off work at 1pm (whoo-hoo)
-start jumping rope (see video: http://soonereyo.blip.tv/#1762059 )
-take pups for a walk/run
-finish up on wedding bouquet (bridesmaids bouquets are done...I'll send pics tonight)
-work on wall hangings with Loverboy (he did such a wonderful job with the other one!!!)
-start working on wedding music files (yeah, haven't started them yet, but need to sit down with Loverboy so we're not playing Slayer or Incubus)
-clean out fridge and put together healthy meals for the next couple of days
-clean out Blazer to go help friend move tomorrow
-do Biggest Loser workout and have Jillian kick my arse
-stop buying crappy "diet" foods, and learn how to eat normal, healthy, and organic foods (stop buying 100 calorie packs or fat free foods...majority tastes like crap, and it's pricey!!!)
-finish laundry and put away loaded dishwasher from last night
-start working on seating chart and writing out table placecards (at least names until seating chart completed)
-pay bills
-rebudget wedding stuff (and why didn't we do this at the start of the wedding...no idea, we're just winging it here, maybe not the best thing to do, but we're getting by okay)
-post more stuff on etsy (I need some spending cash)

Okay...it's 11:02am...now they've said with all the questions, this meeting is going on until 12:30pm. Yeah, that's not gonna happen!

11:06am...can I not strangle people for asking so many questions? Thank you operator lady for coming on and saying all other questions will be addressed in writing due to being WAY late on the continuation of the study review.

Oh well, things will get done eventually...surprisingly I'm not so stressed about the wedding lately, which is a good thing, and I'm becoming more laid back with what's going...not as laid back as Loverboy, who comes home and plays his video games again without worrying about wedding plans, but less than I was before. Maybe my brain is just saying to go with the flow, freaking out never helped anyone....though procrastination is a strong point of mine. In the infamous words of George Bush..."Not gu-nna duh it."

ACK, more questions...I need to rip out my hair now.

Verdict...

...Venti Mocha...that's it. This'll hold me over till dinner...not that there isn't enough calories in this already for the rest of my day, but better this than a Mocha Frappucino...however it's only 9 weight watcher points, so it looks like I've got enough points for a nice salad for dinner.

That is as long as I don't start my heinous snacking habits again!!! Zoinks!

And the countdown continues...

So it's April 8th, 39 days pre-wedding, so the countdown is commencing!!! Am I freaking out? You can bet your tweaked keister I am!!! Why do weddings need to be so stressful when it's supposed to be a wonderful and momentous occasion? I thank the lord for Loverboy, he's getting the grunt of it, though I've been trying to go work out when my blood pressure starts to rise when something goes wrong...breathe...just frackin breathe!!!

Okay, so centerpieces are FINALLY completed, finished those up the other day. Last night I completed the bridesmaid bouquets (nothing fancy, girls, but their really cute, and I think they'll look lovely against your dresses, which I can't wait to see!!!), pics will go up tonight or tomorrow...let me know what you think. The favors need to be worked on tonight, even though I've only received 54 responses so far (I haven't even gotten back 1/2 the response cards, and the deadline is April 16th)...oi vay!!! I still need to plan the menu, and figure out what I can throw together. I broke down and asked my Mom if she would be interested in making a sheet cake...yeah, just a sheet cake. We're not doing anything elaborate in the dessert department, no 3 tier gorgeous waterfall cake with the bride and groom on top and layers of fondant and sugared roses with lattice and ribbons...nope. I'd be happy with a giant cupcake cake with the bride and groom sitting on top indian style...lol. But the cupcake would have to be lemon...that's the only thing. Make it like a giant zinger with raspberry filling...hmmm...now THAT sounds tasty!!!

So enough about food, I'm starving and haven't eating anything other than a small banana and a 100 calorie pack of Lorne Doone cookies.

What else...oh, they messed up Loverboy's suit...actually, they gave him ANOTHER person's suit. Apparently there were 2 people at the same time with similar suits (both black, but the striping and buttons were different) that were getting fitted. The other individual was apparently a large man, but they altered his suit for Loverboy's dimensions...are you kidding me? So either the suit is still at the shop, or they OTHER guy has his suit. So Loverboy had to return the suit, and is waiting to get his back...when that'll be, I have no idea. Thank you Loverboy for doing this weeks BEFORE the wedding!!! The groomsmen have their suits, no problem there.

My girls have their dresses in the works, I can't wait to see you guys!!! My wedding skirt is supposed to be shipped this week, and the flowergirl skirt should follow. I have my top, it's just a matter of whether it flows with the skirt or not (I'm going to need to take some pics without Loverboy around) and if not, find a top that fits pronto!!! I need shoes, I'm making a garter, and I'm making flower clips for our hair (if you gals want) of the blue hibiscuis that's incorporated into the centerpieces and the bouquets...I'll make one or two to see what you gals think. I need a flowergirl top...and thank you to my sis in law who just got her white shoes for easter (score!!!).

What else...my wonderful friend Kat is whoring off her husband Andy to be my bitch for the day...lol...her words, not mine. Andy is an AWESOME photographer starting up his own business, and I am blessed that he is going to be our wedding photographer...now it's a matter of where do I need him, when do I need him...yada yada yada. My friend Brother S also asked if he could take pics too for his portfolio as well, hey, heck yeah!!! So I've got 2 photographers there, we're borrowing Loverboy's Dad's speakers to hook up to a laptop with tons of music (Linds, I ADORE those CD's you sent me on my b-day, you rock!), I got a bunch of decorations from Big Lots thanks to Lindsey (they had the netting with shells already on them, that's almost exactly what we were going to make, now I just need to add flowers and they are ready to hang...super easy!!!), and we've decided no archway for the dancefloor for the ceremony...just something extra that would be in the way. My friend Angie is loaning us her envelope box (super cute) for the gift table, as well as a cake serving set...both will go back to Ang after so she can save them for her daughters wedding (which hopefully isn't for years since she's only 12!!!). Yeah for recycling wedding stuff!!!

Big upset was the rings...I sent a convo to the indivitual at etsy to see what the status was on the rings last week...apparently he hadn't put up a listing for me to purchase the order, so that meant that he hadn't started MAKING the rings. It was over a month after I talked to him, so needless to say I was little peeved that he didn't even remember talking on the phone for almost an hour about the rings and about what he does, what tools he uses, and how he got started. I know I don't need them NOW, but I'd like to have them in adequate time to make sure they fit and are what we want BEFORE the wedding, and not have to wait last minute in case we do need to look elsewhere...GRRRRRR!!!! He appologized and said he remembered the conversation, and that he's a little busy right now because of spring and summer weddings...I told him that's why I contacted him in FEBRUARY!!! Lets see if he comes through, these rings better be worth it!!!

So other than that, bridal shower is going on on the 19th, week after Easter. No idea what's going on with that, how am I going to be able to sit while everyone watches me open gifts? I feel like it's going to be like birthdays at my parents house, everyone sits and watches you open presents, then oh's and ah's, or laughs, or in the back of their mind is thinking "Why the heck did she want that?!?!?" Oh well, lol...that's all I've gotta say for that. Plus it's not like we even have the room right now for anything, so looks like stuff is gonna get packed away back in Loverboy's Dad's garage until we redo the kitchen...sigh. Oh lord, please grant me the patience until we redo the kitchen and I have space to actually work with a stove that doesn't smell like gas sometimes, and space that I can actually put everything in the cabinets instead of on the counter, or on the washer and dryer.

So that's that. I'm drained just writing, and I have no idea what I just wrote!!! I've spewed anything that's come out of my fingers at the moment...now I think I'm going to go to Starbucks for some caffiene...and maybe a cookie. I'd like a cookie. Not that I NEED a cookie. Perhaps a scone then...but I don't like scones really, but I've never had a scone from Starbucks...maybe I should just get some coffee and lunch...but then what am I going to have for lunch? Shall I eat healthy...I have to since I had a Cinabon yesterday...man, I still feel sick from that Cinabon yesterday. Note to self....no more Cinabon's...why am I aimlessly ranting...I dunno, my brain is on overdrive and my fingers are taking over to remove it from what's left upon my noggin atop my shoulders...maybe I should do water day, I feel like crap right now...but my stomach is talking to me, like in that episode of Seinfeld "Helllll-oooooo...la la la"...welcome to my world, this is how my brain is 24/7...I'm out...need substance.

Help, I'm stress eating!!!

Okay, so we're getting down to the wire with the wedding. I've got a month and a half till we walk down the aisle (or across the dance floor since we're doing the ceremony and reception at a Viking lodge, maybe then we'll sashay instead). So with that, I'm stressed at what needs to be done, favors and centerpieces need to be completed, I need to find out a menu of food to bring in (and make a menu of stuff we're going to make like salad and desserts)...I haven't even gotten 1/2 the response cards back, but looks like it's going to be under 150 people (phew!) and that means one of the tables can be converted into a kids table (whoo hoo for the munchkins in the family who'd rather color than dance)...my Mom keeps telling me to invite so in so, and invite my sister in law's parents...what!??!?! Yeah, no. I only see them when I'm at my bro and sis in laws, I don't get Christmas cards from them, I don't talk to them on the phone, not gonna happen. I think this is because she may have invited them to the bridal shower...and they were NOT on my address list of who I wanted to come. I don't know if she's trying to show up the bridal shower against the one that sis in law's Mom threw when she got married, but I don't care, not my problem. Now I just need to explain this to my Mom when she gets back from Texas with my sis, nephew, and Dad...yeah, THEY get a Spring Break, I get an ulcer. Oh, speaking of my Dad, remind me to tell you the story of the devil beagle of my Dad's that we're watching while they're checking out the Alamo...give me a day or so, it'll get posted soon enough.

So with all that going on, and the economy being megasucky, work hours got cut...I'm working 32 instead of 40 hours a week now. Better that than lay offs, even though that seems great, a 3 day weekend to get more stuff done, that's one less day that we can use to PAY for the wedding. Zoinks!!! So this is contributing to some bad choices in eating habits!!! ARG!!! Loverboy used to have Monday's off, so I was thinking that'd be great that we'd have 2 days off together. Not anymore. His hours got changed from Tues-Sat, to Mon-Friday...and usually Sat is me running around doing errands, laundry and dishes and I wouldn't be able to see him during the day anyway. Now I'll be seeing him even less since I'll be running around while he's at home playing his video games (or gets kicked into helping with the centerpieces again...hee hee), while I try not to pull out my hair, pray that my skirt comes in the next 2 weeks, and wonder why the guy making the rings hasn't gotten back to me yet...SERENITY NOW!!! I need a T-shirt that says that, I'd wear it everyday.

So that's my schpeal...stress eating. I try to keep cut up veggies in the fridge, or keep fruit on hand, but I go for the salty and chocolatey stuff. Those new 60 calorie Sugar Free dark chocolate Jello pudding cups are my new downfall...I get stressed, I grab 2 or even 3 of those things!!! Though its only 180 calories, it's 180 unneeded calories. Better that than a pint of chocolate peanut butter ice cream from Baskin Robbins, though that DOES sound tempting now. What are some things you guys do to help prevent stress eating? I'd love to go walking, but the weather is so iffy right now, we even got an inch of snow yesterday...on a sidenote, I didn't end up doing the 5K Shamrock Shuffle yesterday due to a sore throat AND the inch of snow on the ground, I heard there were runners and walkers slipping on the ice, and thank god I didn't do it cause I'd be the one to break my leg from falling. NOT something I want to do less than 2 months prior to the wedding (even though the skirt is long enough to cover a cast...yikes, bit my tongue wench!!!).

So that's that, please help or I won't be able to fit into my skirt and will look like the staypuff marshmallow man on my wedding day!!!

So I survived another birthday...

First of all, sorry to everyone that I've been MIA, there has been SO much going on in the past couple of weeks from almost quitting my job, to working overtime, to relatives in the hospital, to relatives passing away, to getting out wedding invitations, to errands and then some, and wedding dress shopping (which is still nill right now, I need to crack down NOW on this).

So Loverboy's Grandpa passed away after a grueling couple of months of alzheimers, head contusions from falling out of his wheelchair, to strokes, to seizures, then blood problems due to the seizure medication...they let him go last Thursday night after giving him morphine, removing the feeding tubes, medication tubes, and saline. He went quickly and quietly, just like he'd been asking them to do the past couple of weeks. Loverboy is a little upset since he really didn't have a relationship with his Grandpa, apparently the Grandparents didn't have much of a relationship with any of the Grandkids...that just urks me.

My Grandma ended up in the hospital over a week ago (found out via email from my Mom), but is home now. She's a little shaky, but doing well. Loverboy's Grandma also ended up back in the hospital 2 weeks after having kidney stenting due to a hiatal hernia. Doc told her to wear a girdle and come back when she could due to her husbands passing (Loverboy's Mom has been calling us with all the details).

What else...we were having septic problems (no, we're not lucky enough to have the city put sewers by us) due to all the snow, and melting, and rain...it was nutso!

Survived another birthday, we're gonna celebrate next Friday with drunken volleyball at North Beach. Drinking starts at 7pm, volleyball starts from 9-10pm...Loverboy is my DD (finally I can go out and drink and have an escort!!!) It was a low key weekend, got the majority of the invitations done (they're in the mail ladies), relaxed on Saturday night with junk food and watching Battlestar on Sci-Fi, and went to bed early. Sunday went to my folks to celebrate the Feb birthdays...Loverboy, sis in law, brother, and me. My little bro was in there too since we weren't able to celebrate his b-day in Jan (that was the night that our parents met his fiance's parents...they're getting married in September). Came home after playing Pictionary for an hour, relaxed, and went to bed early so I could get in today early to get files cleaned up for a monitor who's coming to review them tomorrow morning. Plus I have to leave at 3pm to catch a train to go for a 5pm dentist appt...never a dull moment!

Man, I can't wait till I work closer to home, the search will start within the next month and a half, goal is still to leave this job before the wedding so I can save all the vacation time when I quit, nice little amount of time saved up. Right now I've got 101 hours saved up (that's about a week and a half right now). I'm taking off 2 days next week, but that'll still leave me with 2 weeks, plus whatever I accumulate between now and then...so yeah, a nice little cushion to hold on to. Plus with the days worth of sick time I've got saved up, I'd need to use that since they don't pay out on sick time. So that's a freebie off day between now and then too...just hope I don't need to take the day off for actually being sick (but then again, I rarely do that anyways...I'll take my DayQuil and tough it out).

So that's that...another year here, another year gone, not too exciting. This week I need to either find a dress, or purchase a gorgeous skirt I found on etsy, then find a top to go with it.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19333621

If I get that skirt, I'm going to get this skirt for my niece (who's my flowergirl):

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7153824

And then find her either a leotard with beading and sparkles on top, or I'll make her something with sparkles and jewels on it.

Other than that, still working on the favors (almost done), need to find out about food, need to push Loverboy to get the suit, as well as his groomsmen...the hotel rooms are booked, the hall is booked, decorations are in the process once I get measurements from the hall (need to do that this week hopefully), I'm gonna meet up with Loverboy's cousin's wife to go over centerpieces (she used to be a florist and will charge for supplies only, and I've got a good idea for that too)...so it's all a work in progress. Unfortunately, I still have a bridezilla contacting me if I need help with planning or finding a dress...how do you politely tell her to back off and that you don't care what she wants, it's not her wedding and you don't value ANY of her input...and that she's a major B and you want nothing to do with her, and you're only inviting her because of her husband, who's a friend of yours? Hm....that'd be an interesting Hallmark card, I can tell ya that!

Oh well, take care, and I hope to write back sooner than later!

Leave it to my Mom to make me feel like crap...once again.

So I got a call from my brother to see what date we were going to pick for the group birthdays: my sis in law, brother, Loverboy, me, and my little brother who's birthday was in Jan. I had talked to my sis in law about 2 weeks ago and we decided it'd be nice to do it on a Sunday since Loverboy worked on Saturdays and we wanted to include him. I told sis in law to double check with brother to see if it worked, then let me know and I could talk with little bro to see if it jived. Well, got an email from my Mom yesterday (apparently she had talked to sis in law on Friday and said they were going to do it on Saturday the 28th), and I said to talk to sis in law since it was up to them.

So the call was brother saying they didn't want to be in charge of choosing the birthdate since Mom had said that they wanted to do it on the 28th (my actual b-day), and that Sunday didn't "work" for them. In other words, my father, the martini man, would not be in good spirits or would be intoxicated by the time we'd get there. They asked me to choose the date, I said March 1st, Sunday, and if they were going to do it on Saturday, I wasn't going to make it because Loverboy should be there too...sis in law said it's only one day and that martini man and Mom should just suck it up, I wholeheartedly agree.

So I call Mom to confirm the date, she says she's not thrilled with Sunday due to the drinking, and that Saturday would work for them. I tried to explain that Loverboy, who's been working Saturday afternoons for the past year, wouldn't be able to make it and we want to be able to celebrate his birthday too. She said she was tired of the "cat and mouse game" that was going on trying to figure out the date, no one's had a problem with a Sunday except for her, and then I tried to explain that there's 5 of us this year deciding what day it's going to be...everyone else has their own birthday/birthday month...it's just Feb is now packed with birthdays (also including my niece, but she gets her own princess party day). She asked what we're having for lunch (someone usually chooses), I said little bro is in charge and would let her know...he got screwed on his Jan birthday, so he gets to pick. Cake? Sis in law and brother are in charge of that...I'm easing up on the sweets as it is anyways...she'll get an email from them. So THEN she gives this massive sigh, says she's gotta go, love ya, then hangs up. She hung up on me...me, the messenger trying to figure out what was going on for the birthdays. I'd rather not even go over there anymore, this seems to be a big hassle to her, and I'm sorry that we can't accomodate a Sunday alcoholic (not that everyday isn't alcohol day, but Sunday is martini day), and that there's 5 of us who aren't getting our own day to celebrate our own birthday (I've always celebrated my birthday with my older brother, it was one cake, one dinner...we usually swapped turns on what we wanted to eat per what kind of cake or dessert we wanted every year...now there's 2 more in the mix, and little bro due to an Jan birthday scheduling technicality).

I'm stressed out. I really don't need this from her, but I shouldn't expect anything less. She's always on her tiptoes with that man, he's never going to change, and I'm seriously waiting for his liver or kidneys to go out due to the excessive drinking. And this coming when I'm trying to order invitations for the wedding and skim a source doc draft for work (yeah, I'll finish that on the train)...I know I need to breathe, but I had a mini break down when I was trying to find out how many Thank You cards I had gotten from Michaels when they closed the store in the next town over...I'm going to need to get some more. It actually started after Loverboy asked me if I was okay, then I brokedown and started to cry on the couch. Loverboy sat with me as I sat, blubbering, holding my hand..he's seriously the best and I'm lucky to be marrying him (though there have been times I almost previously left him...multiple times...he seems to redeem himself accordingly).

Why does my life have to suck so much right now, I wanna crawl under a rock and hide for the next month or so...but AFTER I do my taxes and pay off bills/wedding dress (which I still have no idea about and need to find) /doc bills/wedding stuff in general...someone please clone me or send me some cheap help...I'll pay in meatballs.

So it's Feb 9th, 2009. Things have been nutso lately, hence why I've been MIA for a bit, sorry guys.


First I was in Miami for less than 48 hours for a work meeting, then I had a dentist appt where I'm getting a whitening tray and getting my partial fake tooth fixed before the wedding (accident in the 4th grade when I was pushed into a metal bar on the playground...chipped my front tooth, but hey, it's still there but discolored for 20 something years, not too shabby that it's still there)...had a lady doc appt, where as I have to go back on Feb 23rd (not thrilled, need an ultrasound, not for being prego, but for other concerns, pray with me that it's nothing and my ovaries are fine), finally got new books from Loverboy's Dad for invitations for the wedding which should be coming in either over the weekend or next Monday, started working on my taxes and balancing my checkbook (this is a mother of a month with the car insurance and doc bills coming in), 2 of Loverboy's autos (the Olds and the truck) are both having transmission issues, mine was last year so I'm glad it's not all 3 cars this year, found out Loverboy's Mom's Dad is in the hospital after having a stroke (trying to find out how he's doing), work is kicking my keister, I'm so friggin busy...my Mother is bothering me with dates for when we're going to do the "group" birthdays...Feb is a hellion for birthdays: me, Loverboy, about 6 friends, my brother, sis in law, and niece. Yeah, it's the party month...just need to make sure I don't chow down everything.


Speaking of chow down, I lost 3.2 pounds this past week!!! Whoot! I've been watching the Biggest Loser and Bulging Brides on the FLN (I think it's Fine Living Network)...hey, if a 350+ person can run a 6.0 on a treadmill, why can't I? Yeah, I need to up my ante...and actually took the pups on a 20 minute walk/run yesterday. Yeah, we're all out of shape. Try joggin with 2 80+ dogs both trying to run in front of you (making you kick them in the hienie) or after random squirrels running in neighbors yards...not fun, but it did kick my butt! By the time we got back, they both passed out on the floor, and I was still raring to do chores around the house. I'm going to try to do that 3 times a week if I can, extending the time and distance everyother time. I haven't been able to do much with training for the Shamrock Shuffle, and I'm hoping I don't cop out and do the 5k walk...I'm kinda excited to do my first 8k. Plus, the more I run, the more I lose. I've lost 12.2 pounds since Jan 1st, which according to Weight Watchers is a 5% goal loss...my BMI is now 34.9, as opposed to 36.8 right after surgery. I'm still considered morbidly obese, and I'm hoping to get it down to at least 30 or under before the wedding. I've got 13 weeks to go, I think I can pull it off as long as I step up my workouts.


So busy life, losing weight, no time to relax (though I did take off last Thurs and Fri for doc appts and wedding stuff, I don't call that a day off)...


Speaking of wedding stuff, I FINALLY got Loverboy to go out and look for tuxes/suits. Turns out that since there's only 3 of them (Loverboy and 2 groomsmen) that it'll still cost anywhere from $120-$160 for a rental, no deals unless there's 5 other guys renting. Suck it, MW Tux, we're not using you. We were driving around and found a place called Dress It Up, in the more cultural section of town, and found an awesome suit for $200 with coat, vest and pants! $10 for alterations, and they can give us a deal if the other 2 groomsmen buy from them too. That's up to Loverboy, he's getting them, so he's gotta make the appointments, I have nothing to do with what he wears the day of the wedding, though getting that suit is quite a deal as opposed to renting a tux. Also got Loverboy to go with me to register for stuff at the infamous Bed Bath and Beyond (where everyone getting married has a registry). I was surprised at some of the items that he picked out...what guy tried to multi-match sheets with comforter sets? Where did this man come from!?!?

So takin it one day at a time, getting healthier, planning the wedding, and hopefully looking for a job closer to home within the next 2 months...I want to leave my job BEFORE the wedding...then I'll have all that vacation time to relax...hey, 90 hours is nothing to laugh at right now, and I'll even accumulate more by then...adios till I have another breather moment!

The Shamrock Shuffle...and beer

Yup, I did it. I signed up for my first race...not so much a race, but I'm going to be running. Yup, March 29th, 2009...which gives me over 9 weeks to start training. The Shamrock Shuffle can either be an 8K run, or a 5K walk...and the cool thing is that if I don't think I can handle a 5 mile run, then I can always bump myself down to do the walk...whoo-hoo! Incentive? Apparently beer drink tickets after the race, just what I want to do, run then drink, then hurl...sounds like a grand time, dontcha think?

So doing weight watchers, didn't lose any weight this past week, but didn't gain any either. It keeps snowing, so I'm peeved that I can't go out and start running outside yet. Found out that the Village has a Community Center, it's $25 for a 2 year membership....yup, that sounds good to me. Only deal is that it's only open past 4 pm 3 days a week, and it's not open on the weekends...oh well, at least I can get 3 days in of working out...and for $25, I'm not going to complain. Plus that gives me incentive to use some of my vacation days to take a day here or there off and sneak in some extra training...then again, I have no idea what this place looks like, on the website there's a couple of treadmills that have elderly people on them...maybe I should look into this place more before I join...

So that's the latest and the greatest. Looking to clean out the storage facility this weekend so we can save an extra $159 a month (and here I thought we were going to be almost done with the floor in the living room/dining room...we haven't even started!!!) that can go towards bills, and I'm praying for my W-2 to come in the mail so I can either knock out bills, or put it towards the wedding (which I'm sure it'll go partial for both). I'm also heading to Miami for a day and a half next week, I'm not a big fan where I fly in the day of the meeting, then the next day when the meetings end I'm back on a flight to come home...at least I don't have anything planned that weekend, and I'm not going to. Loverboy will either have to do the laundry, or learn how to make underwear out of hand towels...and if he wants a dish he'll have to wash it cause I'm hiding the paper plates (TOTAL cop out if ya ask me).

It's snowing upwards, but then again, I see all kinds of crazy weather patterns on the 27th floor of a Chicago high rise...the only time I'm not a fan is when there's 30+ mile wind gusts that literally sway the building (and the faster the gusts, the more the building shakes)...freaks me out.

Hopefully within the next 3 months that'll change. Goal? To find a job right before the wedding, give my 2 weeks notice so I'm done the week before the wedding, get married, then start the new job and new life about a week or 2 after. Hey, I'm saving up all this vacation time for a reason, nice going away paycheck...I get paid for unused vacation time, just not personal or sick time..so those are all used up. Right now I've got about 103 hours right now, that's over 2 1/2 weeks right now...even if I use up a day here and there, I'm still guaranteed, by the time I leave, almost 3 weeks in pay. Yeah, nice little nest egg which can either be used for time off or for the wedding again...I'm thinkin ahead.

I need a nap, I'm thinkin' too much these days...