Weightloss rewards.

I might not have been very good about writing here every week but I have managed to blog at my sparkpeople.com page at least once a week so far this month. I need to start writing things down so I get everything I want to done.

Anyway, I finally remembered to print out the last couple blogs for my weight loss journal/scrapbook to chronicle the last few weeks and my thoughts etc. I am also finally writing out my rewards for each milestone:

1st 10 lbs: more whipped body soap from A Breathe of French Air, an etsy.com store that I love. I think I'll get a 3 or 4 month supply.

2nd 10 lbs: a complete new outfit (including shoes and accessories)

3rd 10 lbs: scrapbooking shopping spree of all the coolest stuff and an album/accessories for my fitness journal/scrapbook

4th 10 lbs: a day at the spa... nails, facial and maybe a massage. After all that exercise, I'm going to need to relax!

Final 10 lbs: dress from butter by nadia that I love.

Onward and upward. And off to work on my journal scrapbook.

Another week

Well the first week of being back into eating healthy and living better went pretty well. I exercised every day and got DH to the gym with me twice. We skipped Thursday night because he was tired from work and it was late. I'm hoping he gets more into it as we get into the habit of going. He knows he needs to go and that he should go so I don't feel like I'm nagging when I suggest we go. Easier on all of us.

This week, more scrapbooking, more exercising and working on my business ideas. Hope to have some done and ready to send to a printer for test prints soon.

In other news, we've had two earthquakes lately. I felt one and the other was so faint I only knew about when DH mentioned it. He gets emails from the survey people reporting local activity.

Another week.

Amazing news this weekend - Randy and Missy V finally got engaged on Friday night so Missy and I had to have a nice long chat Saturday after some calming down had occured. They've been talking about different things for awhile now so are setting up some tours for Saturday. They want to get married later this year so they need to get to work soon. I don't think they need to start that soon but I know how exciting it is to be engaged and want to go whole hog into planning. Congrats!

I got some new DVDs today from Amazon.com that I'm going to add to my regular workout routine. I got one last week from Netflix and was pretty happy with Jillian Michael's latest DVD so I got both of them to switch off with. I think I'll be good with DVDs for a while since I already have a few.

I did my progress test last night for a 100 push-ups and got 17. My 18th wasn't up to par so I called it good and started week 3 in the same rank (1) as I have for the other two. I was hoping to do better but there will be another test in 2 weeks so I'll see how that one goes. I might need to repeat a week as I get near to the end. Today's push-ups were much harder to do. I'm hoping that I feel more confident as I go through the week and build up more strength. Fingers Crossed.

My jog this morning was almost relaxing. I did my usual Wednesday "hard" jog and plan to do something similar on Friday with Wednesday becoming my "easy" jog day. We'll see how long that lasts. I'm getting more into and yesterday afternoon T talked me into an IPOD nano (I already have the classic) but the nano will be great for jogging. I ordered NIKE+ and an armband on Amazon.com last night and I'm hoping to get them both tomorrow. I ordered an adapter for my shoe too since I don't have NIKE shoes but it'll take a few days because it was from another company thru Amazon.

A month from now we'll be in Hawaii for 10 days. I am so looking forward to the vacation and cruise. I'm not very happy about the flight but we're going to get a hotel in SF for the night before and take BART in so it should be fine.

Almost the weekend.

Well, I finished week 2 of the push-up challenge and getting myself out and jogging. I think both are going okay. Jogging seems to be easier than the push-ups but I'm going to stick with both. It's a great way to count down the days until we leave for Hawaii! Hopefully, I'll be comfortable with both by the time we're heading off to paradise.

Not too much planned for the weekend. Relaxing and errands seem to be the most pressing plans as far as I can see. Nothing too hard or pressing. We do need to get T's car smogged. Otherwise, quiet and relaxing is fine with me.

Happy April!

Hard to believe that we're into April now! Why didn't time move this fast while I was in school? Those days just seemed to drag on by. The joy of being an adult I guess.

We're now down to a little over a month before we leave for our trip to Hawaii!! I cannot wait to get there and experience paradise. I think T is just enjoying the thought of time off work. Can't say I blame him. Soon.

Another Week, Another Jog

Hard to believe I managed last week. I found myself up early today so I took some pictures and then another jog around the neighborhood... approximately 3.3 miles or so. I'm trying to mix up the length and routes I jog so I'll keep you posted on how that goes.

I'm feeling creative (and congested) so I'm going to go scrapbook for a bit before I dig back into editing a friend's paper for a class she's taking.

Maybe we'll have another earthquake to make it even more fun.

Good weekend.

Hello again friends!!!

What a great weekend. Good weather and we accomplished our goals - even better.

Saturday, we drove over to Danville and had lunch at a little bistro called the Peasant and the Pear. I had the Waldorf salad and it was very yummy. T had a delicious looking chicken sandwich and we shared an order of garlic bread that was just heaven. Two thumbs up.

Afterward, we walked around downtown Danville but there really wasn't too much to see. It just isn't as quaint a town as Sonoma or Healdsburg up near the wineries but still a good day all around. Back home, we actually cleaned out and reorganized the closets as planned! Ohmigod! Miracles do happen.

Sunday we went hiking and I took some fun pictures. We haven't been since last year. I had a great time and I'm hoping T did too because I'll want to go again very soon.

So far this morning I went grocery shopping, had lunch, had time with the kitty, did my work out dvd with Jillian Michaels and then went for a jog outside. Dinner is planned and I'm just enjoying my relaxation time.

7 goals for next week.

Last night while I was trying to sleep, I thought about things that I would like to accomplish or complete during the next 7 days. I need some motivation and I thought maybe if I put it in writing where someone might see it I'd be more likely to follow through. Honestly, I doubt anyone would read it really because I don't think I gave any of my friends or family the link so all the pity reads are out and I doubt my ramblings are interesting enough for some person who is just humming along looking for some entertainment. But maybe I'm just being negative. Hm. I'll think on that and get back to you.

Anyway, the list of stuff:

1. I will exercise for an hour a day Monday through Friday (and my afternoon walk - weather permitting - does not count.
2. I will write something (not including my attempts at blogging) an hour a day.
3. I will send out 5 resumes to interesting jobs I want during the week or failing that will blog about my failure on Friday afternoon.
4. I will make a good, healthy dinner at least three nights next week.
5. I will turn off the Law & Order - or NCIS or Monk - marathon after one episode and accomplish something else on my list.
6. I will clean the apartment without whining to myself about how much it sucks.
7. I will read a book on a hobby or software program I am interested in learning more about everyday before I read my novel.

So there you have it. Let's see what I can get myself to do and how well I do it. I wonder if I can get paid for accomplishing my weekly goals. If this works, maybe I'll do it next week too.

Anyway, T's parents will be here soon for lunch so I'm off.

Job search.

I've been looking for a job since we moved to the East Bay in November. I'll admit that we were busy moving the last week of November and then unpacking the beginning of December so I didn't apply for much. I also went home for a week the second week of the month. Then I was getting all the stuff done for Christmas and then it was January.

We're now almost into March and the only job interview I've had was with a temp agency. How frustrating. I know I don't need to work but it would help us save more and it would get me out of the apartment for awhile. I'd like to meet people too. I'm a bit lonely since T's gone all day and gets home so much later than his old job. It sucks but we're so much better off than most people right now that I can't complain too much.

I've come across some pretty crazy jobs in the last few days. One was Penetration Tester for the federal reserve in San Francisco - I think. Basically see how easy it is to rob the place but that's not what I thought when I read the title. The second was Office Plant Caretaker for a company that offers plants and such to local businesses along with care so the business doesn't have to water them themselves. HUH???

What are these people thinking? Is it really that difficult to water some plants? Check that. My plants have become dried flowers of late. It's pretty cool but doesn't make me a potential employee. So I guess watering plants is pretty hard.

Lucky.

My husband says he's lucky because I'm not into the whole Valentine's Day thing. I don't want flowers or candy or cards just because it's Feb. 14th and everyone else is doing it. Instead, we surprise each other through out the year with special dinners or flowers or other little things - that's how love should be.

Valentine's Day is all well and good. My parents always bought little things for us... spending a couple of bucks on each of us... just to know they cared. I'm sure if we have kids I might do the same thing but I really prefer the day-to-day surprises in life.

Bad 'Manda.

Ok. So I haven't been so great about blogging. One would think that being unemployed would give me an infinite amount of time to do all sorts of things... like blogging and scrapbooking and blogging and writing and watching the grass grow, etc. Hm. It has - and it hasn't.

I'll be extremely honest and admit that I am completely unmotivated at times and really have to force myself off the couch or the computer and face the day. Hunting for a job is depressing. There just isn't much out there. Luckily, I don't need to work, but of course it would be nice if I did - a couple of hours a week wouldn't kill me. I could meet people and feel like I accomplished something other than making dinner every night (which I do manage to do most days - FROM SCRATCH EVEN). So aside from the fact we're eating healthier and I get all the errands and chores done during the week - it doesn't feel like I'm doing much on the home front. All the money is my husband's. Well not really, but it feels that way some times.

Mostly, I think I'm lonely since we moved and we don't really know anyone in the area. I took my bootcamp session last month as a chance to meet people - which I did but we didn't become best buds or anything... even running laps at 5:30 in the morning.

Hm. Focus on positives. Right? I am consistent in my exercising managing at least 30 minutes 5 days a week minimum. I'm getting stronger and I'm more confident in what I can do physically so I got something out bootcamp. I had fun but I was also glad it was over. Too early!

Well, today I did 45 minutes on the elliptical machine and then did some stretches with my fit deck. Then I had my breakfast at about 11. Usually I eat earlier than that but since I've been unemployed I sleep later... I either eat earlier and then wait an hour before exercising or just exercise and then eat late. Depends on how hungry I am... Took a walk after lunch - that's when it started raining so I just came home.

Crazy weather.

The calendar says quite clearly that it's January. Unfortunately, Mother Nature must be have jumped straight to June. I probably should not be complaining given the weather the East Coast has had lately, but this just isn't natural. Seriously. This morning, I was out with my Bootcamp class hiking at the butt crack of dawn - it was cold and frosty. By the end of the day, I was in shorts. Seriously, messed up.

On the other hand, it was nice being about to run around in shorts. I just know it's not suppose to be like this. AND no, I don't miss the snow.

Home again.

Just back from a week+ visiting my family in PA. I had a great time but it's always nice to come home. I wish we weren't so far away but there's not much I can do about that.

I'll update with a summary of my adventures shortly. Later.

Family.

I'll be going home later today for a week so I'll miss T's starting his new job. I'll follow up when I get back.

Packing continues.

I am not doing well with the whole packing thing. T's made progress. I'm just not into the groove. I have managed to make myself bleed several times. It's a wonder T lets me keep using the tape gun and the whole thing. I guess it's my part in the process. Bleeding over everything. Fun.

T's mom is out tomorrow to help me pack. I get to leave work early to do it too. FUN. I'm not sure if we'll get anything done.

All for now.

It's been a while.

I don't remember when I wrote last so let's rehash.

Mom had an accident last week and broke her leg. She is at home being taken care of by Grandma and is doing as well as we can hope.

T. got a new job and after many frustrating apartment viewings we found a great place. We're going to be moving soon. I'm not looking forward to that but it'll be fine once we're in. I'm really excited about our new place.

Not too much else. I'm suppose to be writing for National Novel Writing Month but I haven't done very well this year. I'll try harder this weekend. It's difficult when we were always away looking at apartments or I was freaking out about mom... hard to concentrate but I'm going to try really hard to work on that.

That's all I can think of. I'm going to go read and then go to bed. T's parents are out tomorrow for his birthday.

Long weekend.

Mom is back at the house recovering. Grandma came down from NJ to spend the next week to 10 days helping out. When Mom goes to the Doctor's again, we'll see what he says and what her prognosis is.

T. got the job so we spent all weekend looking for places we'd want to live and are running out of time. Very frustrating. I just wish we were done and moving to the next set of problems.

Waiting.

I'm waiting again.

It's something I'm not good at. I hate it. I start fixating on how much I hate waiting and it only makes everything seem slower and take longer. Ugh. My lack of patience is probably my worst fault.

Anyway, my mom fell down the stairs Monday morning and had to go the hospital. I got a text as I was arriving at work that morning. That night, Mom told me she was waiting to have it set the next day at her orthopedic surgeon's office. Yeah, she already had one. She's broken her leg/ankle a couple of times that I remember and she had her knee repaired. At least, Dr. Mazur is good and she already knew him.

He told her she needed surgery so that's this afternoon sometime EST. I'm here waiting in California to hear her recovery, etc.

That all comes on top of the waiting for the company T. interviewed with last week and the week before to come back with a counter offer. They offered him 10% more than he makes now, but it's more expensive down in San Jose so he asked for more. They underpay their engineers I guess because he got an email yesterday saying they were still debating the issue.

Fun, fun fun.

Oh yeah, Happy Birthday, Amy! What a way to spend your birthday, at the hospital waiting for Mom.

Election day.

I am so glad the election will be over today. This whole Presidential Race has gone on way too long. I'm tired of it and the signs and all the stupid messages on my answering machine. I voted by mail last week so calling me now is just ticking me off.

Rainy day.

Welcome Monday!

It rained off and on all weekend. It's raining again now. Sort of a middling rain... not too hard but not misty soft either. It's still a little to know that it's raining again and to hear the tires driving through it over and over again. But we need the rain. It's been a dry year. Not good.

The first two days of National Novel Writing Month went well. I tallied 6,000+ words over the weekend. I wasn't pushing myself too hard. I'm trying to enjoy the process and let the writing move me on. So far, it seems to be working. I was planning on doing grocery shopping after work this afternoon but I think I'll just go home. I hate carrying grocery bags in the rain. I'm sure we have something to eat.

On other news, Mom fell this morning and broke her leg. She's at home now but I'm waiting for updates since I can't just rush over. Sometimes I hate being 3,000 miles from home.