Quote of the Day:
"Kiss my hairy yellow butt." <-- Homer Simpson/Jayant reading out loud from a magnet on my fridge.
Song of the Day:
Sittin' On The Dock of The Bay, Otis Redding

Weightloss:
Workout: Weights (Legs, abs). No cardio.
Water consumption: 2Ltrs

I had a rough night sleeping - the 'parasomnia' was acting up - so I was pretty tired this morning, went back to bed. Packed my gym bag though, and hit the gym after work. I only did weights, didn't really feel like doing cardio. Plan is to go tomorrow morning but with it being a half day, I might just wait and go in the afternoon. I ate like crap all day (multitude of timbits and raw carrotts and really nothing else until dinner so I feel pretty disgusting as a result. I don't think my period is helping matters much either - blech!

Strange times in the neighborhood...
This evening, on my way out to Renu's for dinner, I open the front door and who do I see, but my nieghbor. Not the strange thing, as they seem to spend their LIFE out in the front yard; the oddity is the neighbor's GeekBoy (Is he really their son? He showed up one day with the old woman; can't figure out if he lives there or not) sprawled out on an air mattress in the middle of the lawn. I gave him this look, I'm not even sure what the look was saying, I think it was a cross between 'What the @#$!??' and 'You're a total GeekBoy'. Later tonight, when Renu was leaving (Stay tuned, that story up next ;) the neighbors were out there again; GeekBoy is hanging around, the Mrs. is coming in and out and he's working on his van, cigarette hanging from his mouth, even though it's pitch black by then and he can't see a thing. I'm beyond trying to explain it.

Hey Ladies!
So I'm at Renu's earlier, dusk is disappearing, and dark is falling and the power goes out. Well. Well. (This is right in the middle of Jayant and me fighting over the Nintendo controller - he definitely doesn't play fair!!) Anyway, a power failure is a very exciting thing at Renu's place apparently, as they've never had the power go out in all the time they've lived in Canada. Jayant just spins into action, he goes running around vowing that he will get candles, and then matches and that we'll be okay. At some point he claimed that Indian people had lots of candles. So we light the candles and then it's so weird, he's all of a sudden trying to take care of us, asking if we're hungry, do we need food, make sure we keep Jago away from the candles. I couldn't help but laugh, I've never seen him like this - he was SO wound up. Then Renu launched into telling him how lucky we were that he was here to get the candles, and he said wasn't it a good thing that he hadn't gone to the grocery store with his father. To this, Renu had to agree (That's one I-Told-You-So that was fairly earned ;). So he goes into the bathroom to pee after I tell him that the toilet will still work, and then he's coming out,shouting, "Hey guys!" and Renu tells him we're not guys (Oh, she's cheeky tonight!). He seems a bit puzzled so I say that we're LADIES. So then, he keeps saying "Hey Ladies!" I wanted to die laughing - he's such a funny kid, I have never seen anyone like him. Renu mentioned that she thinks he is picking up a lot of new vocabulary from me - she wondered for a while where he was getting some of his words. I think I may need to chose my words carefully from now on, as some of Jayant's new vocabulary/sayings are definitely sounding oddly familiar to me. He's now describing things as "tasty", "freaky" and "Oh my GOD!". There were other things to, but I can't remember :). "Can I tell you something?" is definitely a Jayant original however :).

Catholics say the Stupidest Things..
Sometimes, I'm emabarassed to be a Catholic and wonder how it came to be that I would be ashamed of my religion. I heard on the radio this morning that the Catholic Church has declared that John Chretien will be going to hell for legalizing same sex marriages. It's this kind of closed-minded spewing that makes me seriously considering denouncing my religion - because it's perhaps not enough that I'm simply a non-practicing catholic. How is it possibly for the world to heal itself when we have religions that are encouraging this kind of propaganda? Would we perhaps be better off if Bush was running out country, denouncing same-sex marriages because of his idiotic views regarding marriage and how it exists between a man and a woman. Pleeeease, he's a moron. I'm not into politics much, but I'm glad to see a PM standing up and doing what's right for the people. Unfortunately, I can't believe we're only just now going in the right direction, how did it take this long? The article is here if you're interested.

Quote of the Day:
Ken is just another one of Barbie's accessories. <-- My comment during a conversation on the front porch at work.
Song of the Day:
Mad Season, MatchBox Twenty

WeightLoss:
Workout: Weights (Back, shoulders, biceps, abs) and cardio (10 minutes, stairclimber, 15 minutes, bike).
Water consumption: ~1Ltr so far, but I'm about to drink more!!

I just went down to get a glass of water; the house is perfectly quiet with one minor exception. The neighbors damn dog is yapping away - I hate that thing, if I could get away with it, I would drop-kick the furball into outer space ;). Anyhow - today's workout. I got up a little after 6 and made it to the gym - even though I felt dead tired. But once I got there, it was worth it - this means, I have worked out 4 days so far this week - and I still have Thursday and Friday's workout. Looks like I will get to 6 this week, YAY me! :) Un-workout related, but body related, I did start my period, I'm pretty crampy this evening and I was pretty irritable at work today, but it was an amusing-irritable rather than a bitchy-irritable. It basically consisted of me telling people, "I'm irritable today, don't talk to me." Sometimes I swapped "don't talk to me" with "don't look at me", it all depended on whether or not they looked like they wanted to say something ;). Irene was laughing at my crankiness, we agreed that at least I was honest :).

In Other News
Irene and I went out for dinner after work, which was pretty nice actually. A few weeks ago, I won dinner for two at the Mandarin (an all you can eat Chinese-type buffet place) - prior to my name being drawn from the raffle I vowed that if I won, I would take Irene with me. Well I won, so Irene came with. This is the second time that I've eaten at the Mandarin, it's pretty good but nothing spectacular really - the fried shrimp was yum, as were the spring rolls. The company was better, I enjoy spending time with Irene, she's my mother's age so she's sort of become a substitute mother to me. We talk a lot and she gives me her opinions about a lot of stuff so it's really nice. I think her and my mother would get along really well. We were talking about moving into the new office and were strategizing how maybe we can swindle one of the few offices to share - we seem to work well together and it makes sense, since we deal with the money and it's neccessary for us to interact throughout the day. I have a feeling she might get her way, which means I won't be shipped off to cubicle hell.

The Barbie Thing
So over lunch today, a group of us were sitting in the front porch/lunch room talking about our relationships with our siblings, and howe never really got along when we were younger. I told them about how when I was younger, all I ever wanted to do was play Strawberry Shortcake with her and her friend, but they would never let me. I don't think my sister was to blame, I believe it was her friend, even when I was 6 I could tell she was a real bitch (at 8!). Anyhow, then I mentioned how I used to be very flexible with Sandra when we played Barbies - when we used to play, I would get very creative with my house (ie. hot water bottle and satin pjs became a luxury waterbed) and then she would sulk because her house would suck. So I'd give her my house to keep her happy and then we'd continue playing. Well, when I was home in June, Stacy and I were talking about similiar things and she would tell me that she would sit down and try and play Barbies with Sandra, but when she did, Sandra's Barbies would suddenly stop talking. When Stacy would ask why they weren't talking anymore, Sandra would reply that they were talking in her head. So Stacy would walk her Barbie up to Sandra's only to have them turn their back to hers... I couldn't believe it when she told me all this - that is a NASTY kid. So that's the basic Barbie thing - the Ken conversation occured when I mentioned that we had probably twenty Barbies and only one Ken (how many guys do you know that would complain about THAT ratio?? ;).

What Else?
I went to Chapters again tonight - I figured I could take back the two books I bought at Cole's and get them at Chapters, therefore taking advantage of their volume discount. I spent a while in Chapters, just wandering around, I'm falling in love with that place. It's been a while since I shopped there, it's out of the way, so I usually forget about it, but there Bargain Book section is pretty expansive actually. I'm realizing that books are such a comfort to me, they're like comfort food - in my case, chicken noodle soup or/and grilled cheese. So five more books to the collection and nowhere to put them :). Perhaps I will just have stacks of them on the floor around my desk :).

I wish...
I got an email from some job search thing I was part of when I was jobhunting last summer, and it was a posting for an admin support position in Brampton/Mississauga. I sent it off to Renu (even though I don't think she needs to look further, I have a feeling she's probably got a job she was shortlisted for) because the location is perfect - it would be probably a five minute drive from where our new offices are going to be - we could carpool again, and have lunch together :). If she doesn't get the job she is being considered for, I hope that this one looks like an attractive alternative :).

I'm a sleepy-head.
I'm going to call it a night, take advantage and go to bed earrrrrrrly - it's only 10:00 but it's been a longish day and I'm feeling it in my upper back. Maybe I'll have a nice hot bath (with lavender) before I crawl into bed - guaranteed good night's sleep.

From Drowning Ruth, Christina Schwarz:
"And so I agreed to go home, not to the Milwaukee boarding-house full of unmarried nurses where Eliza and I had carefully divided the freezing, mustart-colored room into her side and my side, but back to the farm where I had grown up, where the snowy hills were white as bleached linen and where my sister rocked her little girl to sleep beside the kitchen stove while she waited for her husbnad to come back from the war."

Quote of the Day:
A man and his truck: It's a beautiful thing <-- on the back of a truck, on my way to work
Song of the Day:
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Cyndi Lauper

WeightLoss:
Workout: Nada
Water consumption:1ltr

I was up late last night, first blogging and then writing, which means that today was my one official day off from the gym. It's ok tho, I will have plenty of opportunities to work out the rest of the week so no biggie. I have noticed the past couple of days that I am feeling lighter somehow. I'm not sure that I have lost any weight but my body feels different - not sure how to explain it. My period comes tomorrow, usually I feel a little thicker but not this time. I don't mind it, of course but it is weird nonetheless.

What Else?
Last night I blogged for a while and then went and did some writing - when I came back to update my writing blog, I saw that Renu had been here visiting. It was very groovy to think that she had been reading my blog just after I had updated it. I know that she reads this on a constant basis so in some ways, I am writing to her when I blog :). Stephen King wrote in his book On Writing "that every novelist has a single ideal reader; that at various points during the composition of a story, the writer is thinking, "I wonder what he/she will think when he/she reads this part?" For me that first reader is my wife, Tabitha." I've come to realize that my ideal reader is Renu :). I confess to loving it when just about anybody reads my work, but the best thing about Renu is that when she finishes, she wants more. And so, I keep writing so that I don't disappoint her :).

Total truth, I kid you not: Renu just called to tell me she was reading my blog, why hadn't I updated it? :)

Terrible news about the Tuesday This-Or-That:

I went to the This-Or-That website, excited to do this week's series of questions only to discover that the site had gone on hiatus. Very disappointing, I was enjoying this aspect of the blog especially. I'll keep my fingers crossed that it returns soon. :(

Quote of the Day:
"Forget your troubles, come on, get happy." ~ Get Happy, Judy Garland
Song of the Day:
Get Happy, Judy Garland

WeightLoss:
Workout: Weights (Chest, triceps, abs) and cardio (15 minutes stair climber, 20 minutes bike).
Water consumption: 2ltrs (so far).

Our phone rang at 5:45am this morning, shortly before I was due to get up to go to the gym. By the time I had fumbled for it, it had stopped ringing. I thought about getting up to see who had called but didn't because I knew my alarm would go off in about 15 minutes and I could find out then. But instead of going back to sleep, I lay there wondering who would have called. When my alarm went off, I got up and call-displayed the number - it was Brad calling for Sandra - apparently he just wanted to talk. He's now mortified to think that he had woken me up - I guess the idea of calling seemed like a good idea at the time, but when his drunken stupor wore off, he realized the error of his ways. I could have gotten annoyed at Sandra, but when we talked later today I took a deep breathe and calmly said, "It's okay, I was getting up anyway." Anyhow, none of this really relates to the gym. I went and had a great workout - I'm getting that vibe back, I can feel it in me, to the tips of my toes. The urge to workout is slowly taking over again. It's a GREAT feeling. Tomorrow is legs, and a bit of bike, now I just need to get absorbed into another book before then so I have something to read while pedaling :).

What Else?
I seem to do my best thinking when I'm driving home from work in the evening - today I realized that I've become a very impatient, anxious person and I'm not fond of this person at all - I know it's certainly not likable. (Ahhh... I just typed out a bunch of stuff then IE went screwy and I lost my post...so I took deep breaths... all of this you would understand, if I hadn't just lost my post ;). Anyhow, what I was trying to say is that I recognize that I need to slow down and look around me and appreciate all the good things in my life rather than the things that annoy me (and there's a lot :). When I got home from work, feeling utterly wiped because a) I slept poorly last night, our room was too warm and b) it was just a busy day, Mondays always are, I went into the kitchen and discovered dirty dishes stacked next to the sink because the dishwasher was full of MORE dirty dishes. Normally, I would have thrown a tantrum..the OLD me would have slammed a few cupboard doors. The NEW me calmly walked away from it until I felt like dealing with it later :). So I went and sat on the sofa and read my book until Tay came and found me. We chatted a bit and then, after I expressed how tired I was, he agreed to make dinner. It's the simple things in life (like that) that makes my world a better place.

From Until The Real Thing Comes Along, by Elizabeth Berg:

"Actually, I do have a pair of Ethan's socks. A gorgeous brown paisley weave. Once when I stepped in an icy puddle on the way to his house, he gave me a pair of his socks to change into. On days when the blues suck the life out of me and I never change from my bathrobe, I wear his socks to add a little class to the outfit."

She makes me want to write :). *whoosh*
Read what I wrote here.

Quote of the Day:
"There are no stupid questions, just stupid people." ~Mr. Garrison, South Park
Song of the Day:
Hella Good, No Doubt
Random Thought:
Why do some people who shop at Wal-mart have to look like Wal-mart shoppers?

WeightLoss:
This week's weigh-in: 164lbs (Woo! 1lb! ;)
Lbs to Slim-Fast goal: 6lbs
Lbs to Personal goal: 9lbs
Weight lost: 12lbs
Water Consumption: 6ltrs+ (Sat & Sun)
Workout: Weights (Legs, abs, obliques) and Cardio (Bike 20 minutes). Yesterday: Weights (Triceps, chest, abs) and Cardio (10 minutes stair climber, 20 minutes bike).

I worked out both yesterday and today - plus got in a mini-hike while at a picnic yesterday - me and Amanda hiked to the gorge overlook. So it only took 5 minutes or so, but I was in the woods, I was wearing sneakers, there were bugs - that's a definition of a hike if you ask me :).

The Wal-mart Thing
Overheard Conversation (while at Wal-mart):
Woman: "Hon? Can we go look at cushions? Please?"
Man: "No. We came in here to buy one thing. Or two things. Not to buy the whole store."

So I went to Wal-mart today because I needed Saran Wrap and since Wal-mart is near the gym, it was easier to go there then to the grocery store. I've been avoiding Wal-mart lately because it depresses me - the last time I was there I saw a kid who looked about ten. He was wearing shorts and a t-shirt and sandals that looked like shower-shoes and he had this geeky hair cut and wore these big round glasses. He looked like a bad imitation of Harry Potter. In his ear, he wore this big silver stud that was so girly looking, but from the look on this kid's face, you could tell he thought he looked cool. I secretly snarked at him until it struck me that perhaps he had to make do with his obvious Wal-mart apparell. And then I remembered being his age and being forced to shop at Bi-Way for my new school clothes because my father wasn't working. And I remember trying to make the best of the situation and digging through cheap knit sweaters that would fall apart after three washes and trying to find a pair of sneakers that didn't have those velcro tabs, and maybe I too had the same optimism that this kid probably struggles to maintain. After I thought all this, I felt ashamed - I could have wept for how sorry I felt for this kid.

So today I drag myself into Wal-mart, trying not to look at people and trek all over looking for the Saran Wrap and finally found it in the far back corner. On my way to the checkouts, I see these two girls shopping - and I swear to God, they are wearing tacky sportswear - gym pants with text across the butt and matching tops with - get this - platform sandals. These girls are young but old enough (early twenties?) that they should posess the common sense in regards to what works and what doesn't work. And high heels with gym wear DOESN'T. Hence my random thought from above. Anyhow, I escaped the Wal-mart relative unscathed with my Saran Wrap, a bag of jasmine rice (which I've been having a hard time finding but stumbled across in the grocery section looking for the Saran Wrap) and a bottle of new Palmolive aromatherapy dish soap - it's Mandarin and Green Tea - I couldn't resist :).

What Else?
Last night we went in to visit Caius and Elisa - we hadn't seen them at the Hada picnic like we thought they would - it appears as though they ended up shopping for wedding invitations. They didn't even find anything - they have to go back out today looking. I told Tay that I no longer want a big wedding because I've seen how it just totally consumes your whole life - I was talking to Alec at the picnic, him and Sandy are going to Italy and getting married there. If you ask me, that's the perfect way to do it. It looks as though C&E will be wedding in October, probably over the Thanksgiving weekend. I've gotten over the petty jealousy that I experienced when I first found out about it, but I can admit that it was hard at first :(.

I fell asleep on the sofa at C&E's while we were all sitting around chatting - I've done it before and not embarrassed by it, like I think some people would be. Obviously, I'm so comfortable being there, plus we'd had a long day. It was so strange driving home, I felt like it was the middle of the night, I was sooooo sleepy but it was only 1:30 and the city was very much alive. I love being downtown, feeling the energy and the way the city lights up, seeing the CN Tower and the Skydome against it's backdrop. I used to wish I lived downtown (mostly when I was working down there) but now I'm glad I don't - because I don't think I would continue to appreciate the city the way I currently do. I rolled my window all the way down and felt the wind on my face.

Good Sale Worth-Mentioning:
Chapters had a deal on their bargain books, the more you bought, the more you saved. I bought 5 books and saved 30% (off the lowest ticketed price!) Woo!! I got close to $200 worth of books for $23 :). Added to my reading list are: The Pickup (winner of the nobel prize for literature), by Nadine Gardner, Still Waters, by Jennifer Lauck, Never Change, Elizabeth Berg, Slipstream (winner of the Governor General's award), by Rachel Manley and The Persia Cafe, by Melany Neilson. Plus at Coles I got two other books off the discount table - Back Roads by Tawni O'Dell and Open House, by Elizabeth Berg - both worth buying :).

Weekly Wrap-Up #55 - Rain, Rain, Go Away

(from May 16th)

1. Do you like rain? Why or why not? I'm not overly fond of hot weather so I usually welcome summer rain - I like how everything smells after the rain, and colors it brings out, how green everything seems.

2. As a child, what did you do when it rained?My best memories are of summer rains - me and my sisters racing to put on our bathing suits so we could go dance in it.

3. What is currently your favorite rainy day activity? Why? Curling up on the sofa with a blanket and a good book - because I don't feel guilty for indulging myself, since the weather outside is so bad :).

4. Describe the best rainy day experience you've ever had. On our way home from Halifax one year, we were driving with the top down and it started to pour. Puddles of water started pooling on the dash and in the window wells. I pulled off my sweater and tried wiping the car dry; the effort of course was futile. I'm trying to remember why we didn't stop to put the top up - I think it was because we had the top strapped down under it's cover and if we had removed the cover, we would have had no where to put the cover. Tay and I were laughing the whole time - while the passengers of cars driving by were staring at us :).

5. Suggest a good video/DVD rental for a rainy day. Why did you pick this movie? If I felt like a romance, then something like The Bridges of Madison County, because it makes me cry and there's something that feels right about crying when the world around you is too. If I felt like something to match the weather, something like Dark City, because it's dark and it reminds me of how the world would be if it rained every day.

Quote of the Day:
"If I did have a tumor, I'd name it Marla," Fight Club.
Song of the Day:
Why Didn't You Call Me, Macy Gray
Mood:
Playful

WeightLoss:
Workout: Nada... Oh well!
Water consumption: 3+ litres

Last night, when I went to bed, I didn't set my alarm. Don't ask me how that happened, because I couldn't possibly tell you. Not only that, I left my watch (with the alarm set for 5:45, that's the pre-wake up call) in the bathroom so when IT went off at 5:45, there was no way I could hear it. Good thing Tay had set his alarm, it went off at 7:30 and I woke up - feeling very disoriented, but strangely rested. I guess when your subconscious knows that it won't be rudely woken at ungodly hours, it lets you sleep better :). Anyhow, the plan had been to work out after work (half day), but I didn't get out of the office until after two (THAT's a whole other story but my rule is to not blog about work, there's the whole confidentiality thing there). Anyway, by the time I ran some errands and got home it was after 3 and I hadn't eaten lunch. Then I got tempted into reading the rest of the day away on the couch. No regrets, because it was worth it :).

Friday Five
If you could invite any five celebrities out for dinner, who would you invite?
Al Pacino
Bill Clinton
Angelina Jolie
Marilyn Manson
Edward Norton

Stupid Blockbuster

We rented Spun from blockbuster this week, watched it tonight. Blockbuster sucks. We ended up getting the rated version so the whole thing was censored. Fortunately, we had seen it last year at the film festival so we saw how it was intended but for people who hadn't seen the unrated version, they missed out - the censoring was really distracting, and very annoying, it took some of the rawness from the movie and made it less real. Disappointing to say the least. I hate Blockbuster - what's the deal with them anyway? Are they trying to be kid-friendly? If that's the case, leave it up to the parents to monitor what their children watch, it's their responsibility not the video store, therefore not forcing those of us who don't need to be censored alone to watch what we want and how we want. Stupid Blockbuster - Rogers appears to rent the unrated version - if you're interested, go there.

Worth-mentioning:
We were watching Insomniac w Dave Attell this evening - it was the taped show he did in Toronto. I figured he would end up at a Pita Pit and I wasn't disappointed - what was funny was he went to the one that I used to frequent when I worked downtown and the guy who made his pita was one of the guys who used to make MY pita! Small world!! :)

Quote of the Day:
"I will write myself into well-being." ~ Nancy Mair
Song of the Day:
Thank You, Dido
Mood:
Semi-blah?

WeightLoss:
Workout: Nada
Water Consumption: 3 Ltrs (at least).

I've gotten pretty good at listening to my body - I know when I've drained myself, when I need to take a break, so for that reason, I didn't go to the gym today. I was up at 6 and I easily could've gone, but while mentally I was in the right frame, physically I wasn't. I'm looking forward to tomorrow's workout tho, I'm done work at noon so that means I can get a good, lengthy workout in.

Hooooraaaah!!
Renu told Jai yesterday that she really wanted to go to Helen's wedding, she said that she felt she deserved it. It doesn't sound like Jai is happy about her decision, but he is okay with it - it would appear as though he has no choice in the matter ;). I think that this is a big step for Renu - three days ago, it was Jai giving her a 'strict NO' that she couldn't go and her feeling as though she had to obey him. Now look at her :). I'm sure it was hard for her to stand up for herself, even now she seems worried that she has made a mistake. I don't think it can be a mistake if she is doing what she wants - this may very well be a first with her. I'm very proud of her for doing this - I think it's further proof of how strong of a person she can be. A part of me is flattered that she has gone through the trouble, I think if I wasn't pushing to go, she never would have bothered. YAAAAY her!! :)

Poooooor Millie :(
So we watched The Amazing Race tonight - it was fabulous, probably one of the ones I've enjoyed the most so far. I can't believe this is our first year watching it - we missed out on so much!! It's too bad that Millie and Chuck were eliminated, I've never seen such determination and intensity and it's kind of sad too because they may have lost so much more than a possible million dollars. I don't know if that's worth it - I felt bad for her even though she annoyed me at times; she kind of reminded me of a little terrier, not a cute, friendly one either. I probably would have been much happier to see the red-head and Jon go - I really have no patience for how ignorant and condescending that girl is - calling people 'Buddy' in the totally dismissive way she has. I would like to think that winning the million dollars will make whatever team better people and I don't see that happening with her. Fortunately, her and Jon aren't an overly strong team, so I don't think we have much to worry about. I want the clowns to win... not sure who I think will actually come through tho. Ahhhh... it's all so intersting :).

Detour: I think I would have gone for chopping down those thingys.
Roadblock: Would have made my partner do it - I doubt my arms would have been strong enough, or my legs long enough. I think that's the only roadblock I would have personally passed on.

Worth-mentioning: To the right, beneath the links, there's a new link that says "Off on a rant." I've joined a site ring, which means my blogs are connected to a bunch of other blogs. If you click one of the arrows, it will take you to another blog. Might be neat to see what other people blog about - there's two there that I read daily, So Anyway, and Delusions of Grandeur.

From Here on Earth, Alice Hoffman:
"Among men and women, those in love do not always announce themselves , with declarations and vows. But they are the ones who weep when you're gone . Who miss you every single night, especially when the sky is so deep and beautiful, and the ground so very cold."

Quote of the Day:
How could it hurt when it looks so good, From Hollywood, by Madonna
Song of The Day:
Theme from Marineland (Stupid song that gets stuck in your head!!)
Mood:
Tired

Weightloss:
Workout: Weights (Back, shoulders and abs) and Cardio (Stairclimber, 10 minutes, bike, 15 minutes), 15 minute walk on the way home from work.

It was Enh today. Not great, not terrible, better than yesterdays. Finding it hard getting up still - I almost think it was easier when the weather was cold, I guess you need that minus zero weather to get your blood pumping.

What Else

I took the bus home from work today, Tay wanted my car to work on the wheels. I can't remember the last time I took the bus; it must have been 18 months ago at least. Made me realize just how much I love my car, the open windows, my stereo, soft seats. The bus in comparison? All I could smell was diesel and bad B.O. Blech!! I've turned into a commute-snob; I am anti-public transit and not ashamed of it!! :)

Tonight, while I was making dinner, a weird feeling settled over me - I've felt it before, this isn't a first. It's a feeling of everything not quite being real; my life, my work, my house. It comes over me most at home, I can be in the middle of doing something and I get this surreal feeling that I'm playing house. I'm not sure where the feeling stems from - perhaps I don't feel old enough to be at this point in my life - at times, I still feel as though I should be running barefoot through my neighborhood, spitting through my teeth and beating up boys who have the nerve to call me a "stupid girl". It's not a scary feeling, in fact I am a little comforted by this feeling because it makes me aware of the youth that I still have inside me - I imagine it fluttering against my soul like a butterfly. I sometimes wonder, if I could go back to one day in my child hood and just experience that day again, what day would that be? It's constantly changing as my memories shift. Today I would chose the beach in Fox Cove, walking with my sisters in the early morning, after a rainy night, collecting those green-seed like things that we would carve into little canoes and float.

From Here on Earth, by Alice Hoffman:

"The sky is so flat and gray Gwen has the urge to put her arms over her head for protection, just in case stones should begin to fall from the clouds."

Quote of the Day:
"I'm such a geek; I have no life." <-- From a conversation with Jody, referring to my blog-obsession.
Song of the Day:
What's Love Got To Do With It, Tina Turner
Mood:
Giddy

Happy Birthday Andy!! Woo-Hoo!! *confetti*

This-or-That Tuesday

1) DVD or VHS? DVD, of course!
2) Best Literary/Movie Villan: Voldemort (Harry Potter) or Sauron (LoTR)? Sauron
3) Meat: rare or well-done? Medium
4) High Speed Internet-Cable or DSL? DSL, I think!
5) Women: 1-piece bathing suit or Bikini? Tankini (I like compromise ;)
6) To be fair--Men: Boxers or briefs? I like briefs personally ;).
7) Beer or Liquor/Wine? Liquor/Wine
8) Coke or Mountain Dew? Coke
9) In honor of my 10/18/03 nuptials: Morning or Afternoon/Night Wedding? Afternoon/Night
10) Carpet or Hardwood Floors? Hardwood Floors
11) American cars or foreign? Foreign
12) Cutest TV Twin: Mary-Kate or Ashley Olsen? Blech!
13) Coffee: Caffeinated or Decaf? Blech!!
14) Thought-Provoking Question of the Week: Computers: Do they make life better or worse? Why? Better, of course! Do I really need to explain why? :)

By the way: I don't write these questions, so if you think there's something you should know about October 18th, you'll be disappointed ;).

More to follow... I should be working!!

WeightLoss:
Workout: Weights (Legs, abs and obliques) and Cardio (20 minutes, bike)
Water consumption: 2.5 LTRs

Well I went to the gym this morning, I dragged my feet getting me there. I was sooooo tired, I don't know what's my problem. I think the summer hours at work are really affecting me, I know it's only an extra day (M-Th) but the day seems so much longer, and then it's so much later when I get home and the evenings are therefore that much shorter. I keep telling myself that it's worth it to have the Friday afternoons off..but right now, my morning workouts mean more to me than the time off. I'm going to keep this short tonight so I can get to bed early.

What Else?
Renu was showing Jago my picture today, and trying to get him to say Tawny. He got as far as "Ta." If he makes it to Ta-ta, he's got one of my nicknames down pat :). Renu called me on the phone so I could hear the baby - I've never heard anything cuter in my life. Saturday night when we were out for dinner, I took Jago while Jai went out for his cigarette. I was feeding the baby bits of rice, and sips of my water and Renu commented on how comfortable he was with me. I think that he's just now starting to know me, probably trust me and feel safe with me - it could have been a result of my taking care of him Friday. They are such good kids - Jayant told me during dinner that he was going to win 99 TRILLION dollars in the lottery. When I asked him if he was going to end world hunger, he said he was going to be the mayor instead. On the road home, we discussed the challenges of becoming Mayor. I advised him to avoid scandal - no lying, cheating, stealing. Poor kid, he's only 6 - he's got a long way to go :).

Quote of the Day:
"People will start to refer to eras around here as Before-Tawny and After-Tawny." - From a conversation with a coworker earlier today :).
Song of the Day:
Waiting, The Devlins (From the Six Feet Under soundtrack).

WeightLoss:
Workout: Nothing yet.
Water consumption: 2.0 LTR so far.

I was up later than I wanted to be last night so getting up this morning at 6am just didn't work for me. I considered going to the Boxercise class at the gym this evening, but it's at 6:30pm and that is just an annoyingly inconvenient time - I'd prefer to have dinner with Tay and watch some TV. I may feel like working out after dinner, we'll see, I could always do kickboxing off the Kathy Smith tape I have.

What else?
Usually Sunday night is HBO night - we watch Sex and the City and Project Greenlight, but last night we ended up taping it. Tay and I were talking about a lot of stuff and time sneaked away from us. As much as I wanted to stay up and watch, I was falling asleep - not enough sleep the night before I guess. So I am realllly looking forward to watching those two shows tonight, Project Greenlight more so than SATC - which, with each passing season, is becoming more stale. Why we continue to watch it is beyond me, maybe we are just so desperate for something to watch. How pathetic are we?? :)

The Drive Home
There's a straight section of road on my way home that isn't as heavily populated as some of the other streets and it's not uncommon to be able to do 80, 90 klicks along it. Even when there's truckers on it (which is fairly often) this speed is still achievable, as the trucks seem to stick to the right lane. Anyhow, I'm on this stretch of road and we're averaging 60km an hour and I remember thinking this as I pass a guy in a Grand-Am, who's driving painfullllly slow. (Consider that I passed him going 70 tops). Anyhow, a few seconds later, he floors it and passes me going at least 80, maybe 90, and then he starts driving aggressively, cutting in front of people. And then he slows down. We reach an intersection with a red and I am sitting there, watching him dusting his hair (I don't know, don't ask?!) when the light turns green so I go, but he doesn't. Then, a few seconds later, he's flooring it. I decide not to be anywhere near this guy so I maneouver through traffic so that I'm not alongside him- it's a little too easy to imagine him switching lanes and not checking his blindspot. I get behind a mini-van who is driving sloooow, and this guy's a little brake happy so I'm busy watching him when I notice the other guy is behind me, and he's right there tailing me - and now I'm thinking... BAD situation. So we drive along, I back off a little to space myself from the mini-van but Mr. Grand-Am is not interested in making space between us. Traffic begins easing up, so we're picking up speed when Mr. Mini-van decides to brake hard. As a result, I brake hard and it's close but not as close as what's happening behind me. I look in my rear view mirror to see the Grand-Am is still too close and I'm bracing myself for the impact cause it's so obvious he's going to plow into me, when he swerves into the left lane which was fortunately a turning lane. Thump-thump-thump went my heart. 10 minutes later, I watch him run a redlight.

I'm not sure why Mr. Grand-Am was so hostile. He probably blames it on stupid women drivers. I think it's cause he has dandruff or because he drives a purple car. Either or. :)

Project Greenlight...
...it was good. I mean REALLY good. I admit I am getting sucked into the show, and perhaps too much of me is getting invested in it, but I can't help it. So we're watching it and I getting all worked up over it because the screenwriter seems to be getting walked all over by the directors and she's just putting up with it and then, as the show is ending, Tay says something that is totally sympathetic towards the directors and then we're off, it's a day at the races. I'd go into detail but I'm quite exhausted from the whole argument and want to forget it. Suffice it to say that Tay (yet again) is taking a more objective position; arguing motive and reason and logic and I'm taking the side of the screenwriter (naturally) because I think the two directors (well mostly the one director) is a prick-asshole who walks around the set like it was owed to him to be there when a year ago he was a nobody director from nowheresville. His first movie and he's already interrupted a production meeting to request a nice car to drive, talked down to a potential director of photography therefore causing said expert to withdraw his interest in the project, then decide he's got enough clout to threaten to walkout on the movie because he can't get his own way. I'm sure there's more to add to my growing list of assholisms but you get the idea.

I get so riled up watching this show, it's not healthy, really. I told Tay that I'm a sucker, I'm right where the producers of the show want me, I'm so easily manipulated. I'm still loving it :).

I think that's all for today :).
___________________________
From Back Roads, by Tawni O'Dell:

" A big flock of ME exploded in front of my eyes. They rose up from Betty's lap and fluttered around the room like butterflies. I tried keeping track of them, bobbing my head and blinking, but there were too many."

Quote of the Day:
Being a man might describe a man, but being a mom defined a woman. ~ From Back Roads, Tawni O'Dell. (Is this true??)
Song of the Day:
Bring the Pain, Missy Elliott

WeightLoss:
This week's weigh-in: 165lbs (No loss - maybe I'm meant to weigh this??)
Lbs to goal: 8lbs
Weight lost: 11lbs
Workout: Weights (Back, shoulders, abs) and Cardio (Stairclimber, 15minutes, Bike 15minutes).

Didn't want to workout but forced myself too - afterwards, there was a bounce to my step that I missed. I think that sometimes those are the best workouts -because the satisfaction from doing it is so rewarding!! Trying not to be discouraged that I didn't lose last week - I think I've narrowed down the culprit - Freezies!! What was I thinking when I bought the box at Costco?! So we'll avoid the freezies this week and we'll see what happens; oh yeah, probably doesn't help that Tay and me had a fondue last night ;).

Petty Annoyances
~ The award today goes to Sunday Drivers... ARGH!
~On my way from the Farmer's Market I was behind a minivan; the driver was going sooooo sloooooow. I switched to the right lane so I could get past him - didn't he cut me off by making the switch? So I moved back into the left lane. Few seconds later I looked in my rearview mirror in time to see him cut across two lanes of traffic to get in the far left turning lane. ARGH.
~And then... Why do people insist on slowing down to gawk at things that are totally not their business? And do they care that there is someone behind them that actually has a life and somewhere to be and are therefore not interested in the police car that has pulled over two other cars? Keep driving like that buddy, and somday you're going to be pulled over with a busted bumper and people are going to be gawking at YOU.
~But the best was the two women in their mini-van who STOPPED at a green light in a busy intersection. Word of advice for you ladies - when you pull that crap, drivers in the opposite direction waiting to make a left hand turn DON'T LIKE IT. I sat watching them waving their hands and looking around - maybe you should know where you're going BEFORE you get in the car. I'm sure there are people in certain states in the U.S. who would SHOOT you for pulling that crap. ARGHH!!!

What Else?
I was chatting online with Tina - she was telling me about chatting online to an ex-girlfriends of Rob's - someone that he dated oh-so-briefly before he met Tina. We went to high school with this girl, it was actually coincidental that the two ended up knowing each other. Anyhow, Rob and Tina have been together for close to nine years. So almost a DECADE after dating Rob, this girl decides to tell Tina how her life (she is married) is not quite complete without Rob and that it still kills her to think of them not being together. What kind of MORON do you have to be to A) confess these thoughts out loud and B) admit them to the wife of the man in question? At one point, Tina told her that Rob had gotten his ear pierced (finally) and that Tina was loving it. To which she replied, "Oh, I would NEVER have allowed that." If I was Tina, I would have said to her, "Ya, well, that's why he married me and not you."

Some people need their head examined.
_____________________________________
From Back Roads, by Tawni O'Dell:

"I tried not to watch her walking in front of me, but her jeans fit like someone had rubbed the color on with a piece of powder-blue chalk. They had been worn and washed so many times, I bet the denim felt like a puppy's ear."

Quote of the day:
I'm a spring leaf trembling in anticipation. ~ Maya Angelou
Song of the Day:
Rescue Me, Madonna

WeightLoss:
Workout: Weights (Legs), Abs and Cardio (Bike, 15 minutes).
Water consumption: Lost track, 2 Ltrs?

I was soooooooore this morning! It felt good though, I had missed that feeling after a long, hard workout. It took me a while to get to the gym, when I finally made it there I did all my leg routine, including squats using the stability ball and worked my obliques. Forgot my water bottle going to the gym - wouldn't think it would make much of a difference but the difference was huge. Bought batteries for my MP3 player - listened to music while doing my weights, what a difference! :) Not feeling sore anymore so I'm looking forward to tomorrow's workout.

Weekly Wrap-Up #62 - Physical Injury

1. Describe a childhood memory in which you sustained a physical injury. It doesn't have to be a serious injury, only one that you remember distinctly. What happened? When my father was in the navy, we lived in a PMQ, row after row of white cement apartment buildings, only three stories high. One summer, I was running through the neighborhood in my barefeet, stepped off a curb and into a piece of glass. So exhililerating was the moment that I didn't even realize I had been injured until a playmate had pointed out the trail of blood that I was leaving behind. I remember sitting on a breadspread in front of one of the apartment buildings; it was pink with ballerinas. I bled all over it until it looked like a massacre had taken place at the ballet. I went to the hospital for stitches, I remember the ER room and being put into a wheel chair and later, being covered in a heavy sheet and a doctor working on my foot, made visible by a round hole in the material.

2. If that particular memory was not about your worst physical injury, what was/is? What made it so bad? Having my wisdom teeth removed was pretty terrible - I was in a lot of pain and the nurses kept giving me morphine, which kept making me sick so I couldn't keep it down. My sister and I had our teeth out at the same time, she experienced swelling but no pain, I experienced no swelling but pain that was so intense that I would wake up crying.

3. How well do you handle pain? Have you always had a high/low tolerance? If so, when did it change? I've always handled pain well; my tolerance is high. I'd rather be in pain than see someone I love experiencing it.

4. Do you take external medicines when you are hurt? Why or why not? Do you try/use alternative therapies? Why or why not? I don't really believe in suffering, I believe that medication exists for a reason. The most common medication I use is for headaches; I can't seem to function with a throbbing head. Most other things, sever menstrual cramps, sore throats, stuffy noses are just minor annoyances.

5. Describe a time when you were hurt and it wasn't as serious as you thought. How did you feel before and after? A couple of months ago I experienced a severe headache, which was followed by horrible wretching/vomiting. I was convinced I was dying; it didn't help that my doctor was concerned that I could be experiencing bleeding in my brain. I spent 10 hours in the ER that day getting a CAT scan. Fear of the unknown was terrible; that was the before. Afterwards, I felt mild annoyance and utter exhaustion.

In Other News
The weather here has been exceptional the past week - the temperature hasn't climbed above 30 and seems to be averaging between 23 and 27. Humidity hasn't been an issue either. This is the kind of weather that I love, these are the days that remind me of summers when I was younger and it was just nice to be outside, it didn't matter what we were doing. This morning I had my breakfast out on the patio - is there anything better than being outside in your pajamas, eating your breakfast, reading a book?

Today I finally framed some of the card-prints I picked up while home - came across them in one of those glossy-embellished souvenir-type shops at the airport - the type of place that sells saltwater taffy, assorted jams and outrageously priced woolen winter wear. I had been looking for some local art that reminded me of home and hadn't expected to find anything when Mom and I had wandered into the shop. The artists name is Paul Hannon - I picked out 5 prints that I liked; Coastal Arrangement is on my bulletine board at work. I didn't see East Coast Arrangement while I was there, but wish I had, I now want it to add to my collection. His work draws me in and makes me feel happy; proud of my heritage, of where I am from. His Newfoundland work makes me wince from the pureness of it, the beauty - it reminds me of my childhood, summers in Foxcove, my grandmother. My mother ended up buying the cards for me, we'd just undergone a long and arduous drive to the airport, she admitted to it being her way of making amends.

I came to the end of Open House today. Some books you don't want to finish; this was one of them. Elizabeth Berg brings her characters to life, you feel like you know them so that when you turn the last page you feel as though you are about to lose a friend - it's like airport goodbyes. Such a poignant book for anyone who has had a partner leave them, thought about leaving or merely be in a relationship. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think I could be perfectly content reading my summer away - next on the list is Back Roads, by Tawni O'Dell. See my reading blog (A Time To Read) for Oprah's Book Club List, which has become my summer reading list.
_________________________________________
From Open House, by Elizabeth Berg:

I wish I believed. I wish I could pray.
I get out of bed and onto my knees, bow my head. Somewhere, a couple lie in bed together holding hands, and they will stay together until one of them dies. They will not hate each other over the breakfast table, they will give thanks for each other's presence. Somewhere, that is true. This is my prayer.

Quote of the day:
Solitude never hurt anyone. Emily Dickinson lived alone, and she wrote some of the most beautiful poetry the world has ever known... then went crazy as a loon. ~ Lisa Simpson
Song of the Day:
A Kiss to Build a Dream On, Louis Armstrong

WeightLoss
Workout: Weights (Chest, Triceps, Abs) and Cardio (Stairclimber, 20 minutes, Bike 10 minutes).
Water consumption: 3 Ltrs and I'm still thirsty!

Today, was a good day :). I was up by about 6:30, at the gym by 7. My workout was pretty good, not yet to the "YA! GREAT!" level, but pretty good nontheless. I loved the mood there this morning - the 8ish crowd seem to be in a different frame of mind then my usual crowd - more laid back I guess. Seems to be mostly bored housewives, university students and retired men. Not sure what category I fit into this morning :). After I did my workout I was in the locker room and had a few minutes to kill before picking Tay up at the car dealership (he was dropping his car off) so I called Saskia to remind her I'd be working from home and assign her some stuff to do. As I was hanging up I teasingly told her to tell the rest of the staff not to bother me at home unless it was mucho important and I noticed a woman listening to my conversation. When I replayed my side of the conversation in my head, I realized how it sounded then had a sudden thought, "How did I get here?"

Tomorrow is Saturday, which means I've got a good workout in store - my best workouts are always on the weekend. I'm sore tonight though, my arms and chest - thank god tomorrow is leg-day.

Worth-mentioning: I will be weighing in tomorrow but I don't think I've lost anything, I feel like I haven't. I might even have gained a pound or two - my butt seems particularily traitorous this week, could be the lack of stairclimber??

Friday Five
Summer Must-Haves:
1. The Body Shop, Born Lippy Watermelon Lip Balm
2. Jergens Naturally Smooth Shave Minimizing Lotion
3. Clinique Glow Crazy in Gold Dust
4. Old Navy Beach Capris
5. OPI Nail Lacquer in Java Mauve-A

_______________________________
From Open House, by Elizabeth Berg:

"Were you crying?"
"No! I'm just tired, you know? I'm going to go home and take a long soak in the tub and then read a big fat book and eat a big fat candy bar. I'm actually pretty excited."
"What kind of candy bar?"
"I thought I'd stop at CVS and scope it out."
"Yeah. They have a good selection."
"I think I'll get the killer-size Snickers."
"Boring."
"Well." I kiss his forehead. "I like them. Aind if I were eating one right now, you would want a bite."

(I'm loving this book, by the way, I expect that I will have finished it either tonight or tomorrow. Trying to save the remaining pages because there's nothing better than being submerged in a good book while on the stair climber :). )

Someday, I want to have a conversation like this with my kid - I want to talk to them on their level, to be able to relate to them about the things that matter to them (like chocolate bars), to not be tired and have my words edged with impatience. I hope I remember these things when the time eventually comes.

When I was babysitting at Renu's today, I had Jagrit in her room while giving him his bottle, and as I sat on her bed, with him laying in my lap, I looked up and caught sight of myself in her mirror and for a second, I didn't recognize myself. But as I watched the two of us together and I enjoyed how peaceful, how lovely the moment was, I understood that I could do this, and don't doubt that someday I will :). It's such a strange, positive feeling to have these little people so dependent on you, such a nice feeling that they just want to be near you. When I was in the kitchen, Jagrit kept toddling in and grabbing onto my pant legs; when I left Jayant in his room to have my lunch he discovered that he too was hungry shortly after (though he'd be resisting the idea of lunch previously ;). If I've learned anything about being around kids, it's that the best thing you can ever give them is your attention :).

At one point, we had to go pick Tay up and drive him over to the car dealership. On the way to my house, from the backseat Jayant asked me if I was going to get married. When I replied that I probably would, someday, he said "Ewwwww." I told him that his Mom and Dad were married, didn't he want me to get married as well. His reply to that? NO.

Worth-mentioning:
Below this post I've added a comments feature. You should be able to click on it and it will open a text box. This allows messages to be left for me - go ahead, try it! Let me know you're out there ;).

Quote of the day:
"How now Brown Cow" ~ Mia Wallace, Pulp Fiction
Song of the day:
Sk8er Boi, Avril Lavigne

WeightLoss
Workout: Nada
Water Consumption: A lot - probably 2ltrs, maybe more

I have no idea what's going on with me, I can't get back into my rhythm of working out in the mornings. I tried getting up this morning, but just didn't feel like going at all. Not even an ounce of me wanted to go, which is unusual for me. Maybe it's the whole running thing; maybe I'm in avoidance ;). Anyhow, I've been in a foul-foul-foul mood all day - maybe it's because I missed my workout, I don't know. I'm planning on going to bed soon so I can get some sleep - I'm working from home tomorrow, so I can probably push my workout to 7 which gives me an extra hour of sleep. That's the plan, anyhow.

Petty Annoyances
~Anything and everything, I mean that literally. All day long, it only took the slightest thing to irritate me. I'd start listing the stuff but then I'd be here all night... and sometimes, I get so tired of hearing myself complain that I think it's best to keep my mouth shut.

Five good things about today...

Ummm...
One good thing about today?
Spaghetti and the Amazing Race - - how sad -- but it's two things, not just one :).

My bed will be good, that's three.

Being able to help Renu out tomorrow.

Five - Billie Holiday.

I think I'll call it a night now ;).

_______________________________________
From Open House, by Elizabeth Berg:

"Instead, I save his confidence in me as though his words were silver dollars, knotted in a silk scarf and kept hidden in a dresser drawer."

Quote of the Day
"I've got a good mother, and her voice is what keeps me here." ~ Good Mother, by Jann Arden
Song of the day:
Good Mother; Jann Arden

WeightLoss
Workout: Weights (Back, shoulders and abs) and Cardio (Bike, 15 minutes).
Water consumption: 1.5 Ltr.

My workout today seemed half-hearted, I just didn't feel into it. That's one of the reasons I don't enjoy working out after work, I'm usually so wiped by then, I just want to go home and sit on the couch. I made myself go, and for that I am glad... and now I see that it's getting late ~ and my plan is to get up tomorrow morning and go to the gym. We'll see what happens, I guess.

Petty Annoyances
~Whenever I work out, I always have three things with me: a towel, a bottle of water and my book. I usually lay those items right next to where I do my weights - today was no different. Anyhow, was at the rack exchanging my weights (less than 4 feet away) when this chick decides she would work out in my spot. What possesses people to act this way? Am I the only person who thinks the world is an absolutely selfish place? I didn't say anything to her, but made a big deal of collecting my stuff and moving them. I hope she pulled a muscle doing her sets ;).

In Other News...
So Renu and I keep going back and forth about Helen's wedding. I'm all for going; she's undecided. I think she wants to go because it will be a chance for us to go away together - the wedding is in Pembrooke, about a 5 hours drive. That's very appealing to me too - we've never gone away together. We've already had the discussion about Jai and the kids - I thought it would be best if they didn't come; not that it would overly cramp our style, but I think Renu deserves a night away from the kids. Not to mention driving 5 hours there and back in the backseat with a 6yr old and a 1yr old isn't exactly my idea of fun, as much as I love those two :). For the record, Renu did offer the front seat to me, should the family decide to go.

Anyhow, bout a month ago, Renu decided she wasn't going. She's been talking a lot with TLL - and she might not be returning there at the end of her maternity leave - they've been hinting to her that she might not have a job to come back to. It's understandable that she's hesitant to attend the wedding; it will be awkward for her to be around the TLL partners, and if she's out of a job, money might be tight. So of course, if Renu's not going, then I won't be going. That sounds childish, but really, it's not - I've no interest to drive 10 hours by myself, stay by myself in a hotel and be at a wedding where I will know next to nobody.

So Renu and I were talking more about it today and she said that when she thought about us going away together, she really wanted to go. I told her that Helen had done the seating plan, and we wouldn't be sitting with the TLL partners - which I think made her happy. I suggested as well that if money was an issue, we'd put the whole thing on my credit card and she could pay me back my share whenever. She was warming up to the idea - we had pretty much decided we would go, she just wanted to talk to Jai one final time.

Anyhow, we were talking tonight and she said she mentioned the wedding to Jai. Before, Jai was like, "Do what you want." Now, he suddenly doesn't want her to go. I was teasing Renu, I asked her what would happen if Tay told me not to go. She laughed and said I would tell him to "Fuck off" :). I didn't say much else, because really there wasn't much else to say at that point. Their relationship is so vastly different than Tay's and mine and a lot of other people's because of their culture, so I always try and consider that. But then I think... they moved to Canada for a reason :). I'm sure Jai thinks I am a bad influence on Renu at times.. We were shopping last weekend and Renu tried on a couple of tops that looked so nice on her, she looked so young and sexy but she wouldn't get them because she said they were too revealing and that Jai wouldn't let her wear them. I kept pushing her, but this was one argument I wasn't going to win. I don't think Tay has ever told me not to wear something because it was too revealing. I think he doesn't mind because he's pretty secure with our relationship and I think he tends to be proud of how I look. The only thing he ever comments on is when I'm wearing capris and that's cause he doesn't like them. I can't imagine he's possessive of my calfs :).

_______________________________________
From Open House, by Elizabeth Berg:

"And the things I really like aren't fancy at all: old aprons and hankies. Butter wrappers from the one-pound blocks. Peony bushes, hardback books of poetry. And I like things less than that; the sticky remains at the bottom of the apple-crisp dish. The way cats sometimes run sideways. The presence of rainbows in a puddle of oil. Mayonnaise jars. Pussy willows. Wash on a line. The tick-tock of clocks, the blue of the neon sign at the local movie house. The fact that there is a local movie house."


[ Tue Jul 15, 05:50:18 PM | Marian McAlphin]

Quote of the Day
OooOooo...Tawny is becoming devilish <-- Saskia's comment on my plot to seek revenge for the person stealing my parking spot.
Song of the day:
Seargent Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band; The Beatles

This-or-That Tuesday From July 8, 2003

Summer Potpourri!

1. Strawberries or blueberries? Strawberries
2. "Legally Blonde 2" or "Terminator 3"? Terminator 3
3. Hamburgers or hot dogs? Hamburgers
4. Boating or hiking? Boating
5. Suntan lotion or sunblock? Sunblock
6. "Big Brother" or "The Amazing Race"? The Amazing Race - Go Clowns!! :)
7. Beach Boys or Jimmy Buffett? Beach Boys
8. Grow your own produce or buy from supermarket/greengrocer/farm stand? Farm stand
9. Drive with car windows/top down, or with air-conditioning on? Windows down
10. Go away for vacation, or stay at home? Go away to vacation!

Weight Loss
Workout: Nada
Water consumption: 1.5 Ltrs (so far).

My alarm went off this morning at the usual time of 6 am, I got up and made it as far as brushing my teeth before I decided I REALLY didn't want to do the gym thing. I knew that I had meetings scheduled all day at work and had plans for this evening so I decided to take advantage of an extra hour and a half of sleep. In retrospect, I think that was a good decision :). My goal is to work out six days a week so I don't feel guilty when I take a day off. Someone once told me before not to beat myself up if I don't go to the gym one day - because this whole fitness thing is a permanent change in lifestyle, not a temporary one and to remember that I will be back at the gym the next day. Which is true :).

Also - I'm only posting my weight, and lbs lost, once a week. I don't want to get obsessive about the scale and I think stepping on it every day would only lead to disappointment and then discouragement..so no report today. I can say that I have been eating fairly well this week, all I had so far today was my two slim fast shakes, an apple, a handful of cherries and Subway for dinner. Ya, it was a roast chicken, and a footlong, and with extra mayo, but it was on wheat bread :).

Petty Annoyances
The neighbors continue to irk me, their constant presence on their front porch is getting a little creepy. Some old woman was out there this morning - at 8am, just sitting there. When I got home tonight, there was three of them and their stupid wind up dog who had the nerve to yap at me when I pulled in the driveway. We still have not exchanged any pleasantries whatsoever.

In other news...
Last night while I was making dinner, I received a phone call. We have call display so we've gotten really good at avoiding calls from telemarketers. When the phone rang, I saw that it said unknown name but I answered it anyway, simply because I was in a jovial mood. It turned out to be someone calling on behalf of our agency - we launched a telemarketing campaign back in May, and have outsourced to a telemarketing company. So I bit my lip and pretended otherwise and let him do his spiel. When he finally asked me for the donation I confessed to working for the agency :). As we were hanging up, I told him to keep up the good work, he probably thinks I am a geek :). I think it was smart to handle the call that way tho, we've been getting some complaints lately so it was refreshing to get a positive call. In other related tidbits - someone left a message at work today saying they wanted to donate a car to us...(?). Update pending...

$75 to give my opinion
I'm registered to attend a focus group this evening for HBC - we're going to talk about shopping. I was on the list of potential participants because I have a Bay credit card. It starts at 8:30, lasts a couple of hours and I will be paid $75. I told Tay that I should try and be a very unique candidate so that they put me on their list more often - I could do focus groups for a living!! :) (By the way, I've already spent the $75 - will have to put it on my Visa to help pay for the shopping spree on the weekend... not to mention the new sandals that I bought last night :).

Stay tuned...
I'm going to create a new blog to record some of my daily writings. I'll post the link when it's up and running. --> It's there! Find it at http://ediblewoman.blogspot.com/. You can also get to it at the link on the upper right hand side, called Putting Pen to Paper.


[ Mon Jul 14, 09:35:28 PM | Marian McAlphin]

From Open House, by Elizabeth Berg:

"He returned to the paper, and I returned to lying on the sofa, to falling down an elevator shaft."

Page four and I'm already hooked.

[ Mon Jul 14, 09:35:28 PM | Marian McAlphin]

Quote of the day:
Pain is temporary, results are forever <-- on the back of a t-shirt at the gym.
Song of the day:
Some Kind of Wonderful; The Drifters
Random thought:
Why do some parents push their kids to succeed (ie. forcing university on them) only to hold their success against them at a later date?

Weight Loss
Today's Weight: 165 :(
Lbs to goal: 8
Weight lost: 11lbs
Workout: Weights (Chest, triceps and abs) and Cardio (Bike, 15 minutes).
Water consumption: 1 Ltr (so far).

I've decided to try running again - started up yesterday while at the gym. Jumped back into the running program that I started in the fall, which is running for so many minutes and then alternating with walking. I started at 5 minutes, which meant I walked 2 minutes, ran 5 minutes, walked 2 minutes etc. I only did 3 running sets because I'm a wuss :). I'm not sure I'm cut out to be a runner, but it was one of my new year's resolutions, so I should at least try - plus I have a really cool running suit that I got for Xmas that I would like to use ;). Anyhow, my plan is to run on days when I do leg weights, which is Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and then do lighter cardio on my upperbody weight days, like bike or step for 10-15 minutes. Can I also say for the record that I DETEST pushups - trying to tone my chest so I did some, but only managed 3 sets of 5. WUSS!! :)

I've also started up with Slimfast again - it seems to be what works for me - takes the weight off and it's so little hassle. I'm about to have my lunch shake as a matter of fact! :)

Worth-mentioning: Went shopping on the weekend as I seem to have NO clothes - a lot of my stuff no longer fits me properly which is a good thing :). Purchased the following: Gap pants (M) and shirt (M), Esprit skirt (9) and blouse (9), Esprit skirt (L) and top (S) ~Esprit seems to have inconsistent sizing ;), Old Navy Beach Capris (12) and tank (L). I'm liking shopping at Esprit and the Gap lately, they seem to have kinder sizes :) :). Felt really good about the shopping experience as I had to get smaller sizes,14 no longer seems to be a consideration. Hoorah!!

Petty Annoyances
It's Monday.. there seems to be a lot of them:
~ On the way to work, I tried to skirt a big cement truck and then get in front of him to get on the ramp to the highway. He SAW me trying to get in front of him and he sped up!! I suppose I deserved it, being impatient and all, but still... grrrrr.
~ After getting on the highway, got stuck in traffic - there was an accident further up that closed down 2 of the 5 lanes. While creeping along, someone in a Rent-a-van HAD to get in my lane, wedged himself in a gap where there literally was NO gap. I honked at him - so did other people ;). Said traffic meant I was 30 minutes late for work.
~Arrived to work to discover that someone had parked in my spot. It's not officially my spot, but EVERYONE knows that I park there. Grrrrrr.

[ Sun Jul 13, 06:37:22 PM | Marian McAlphin]

I did the daily writing prompt at Toasted-Cheese, the idea was to walk around the block and then write about something you saw. I decided to write about our annoying new neighbors instead; it seems like everytime I open my front door they are up to something, and yes, it's annoying.

The new neighbors arrived in early June, replacing neighbors who were also annoying. These old neighbors twice called the city and reported us for things that were essentially none of their business. The first being that our back patio was too high, the second being that our grass in the back yard was too long. We don't know for certain that it was them that filed the complaint, but the probablilty is fairly high. Our landlord told us that prior to our moving in, neighbor A had offered buy the house from our landlord and he had turned them down. So we sense a bit of resentment floating over the fence and therefore quite possibly the motivation for the reports. Anyhow, after living next to them for over four years and finally resigning ourselves to at least tolerating them, they decided to move. They were there one day, gone the next, they left in broad daylight but as far as our relationship goes, they could have snuck away in the dark of night for the amount of goodbyes we exchanged ;).

So then, enter Neighbors B to the scene. The first thing they do is chop down the huge tree that grows right next to their front porch. Our front porch faces their, they are literally less than 6 feet apart from each other so I had become slightly attached to said tree. It was especially lovely in the winter time, encrusted in ice, and in the summertime, when it'd be in full bloom and birds used to sing from it. Not only did they chop it down, but they uprooted the tree from the ground and planted stupid flowers there instead. As far as I'm concerned, this act is total blasphemy and grounds for non-communication with myself and neighbors B.

A few weeks later, my sister comes home from work and announces that Neighbors B are having a party in their driveway. I raise an eyebrow at this, and question if she means on the front step. She says no, in their driveway. Apparently, there is a bunch of people sitting in lawnchairs in their driveway. Neighbors B are very weird; they seem to prefer their driveway or their front step which is basically just a slab of concrete, unlike the rest of the neighborhood who seem perfectly content with their patios or backyards. With the exception of the neighbor down the street who has put a decorative bench off to the side at the end of his driveway; I see him sitting on his bench in the early evening, sometimes he is eating ice cream from a bowl.

About a week ago, as I was going to bed, Tay tells me the grass has been mowed. He has been on a grass-kick this summer, treating it with weed-killer and pesticides and mowing it at intervals so that it doesn't get dried out. The whole grass thing is reminding me of Hank Hill from King of The Hill, it is all very funny to me. So I open the door to investigate and sure enough, the grass has been cut, but worse then that, it has been sheared. Because our front yard borders the neighbors, when he decided to mow his lawn, he decided that he would also mow our lawn. I am not sure if he is trying to be neighborly or what, but Tay thinks neighbor B is just too impatient and rather than wait for us to handle our grass, he has taken the liberty of doing so himself. So Tay is pissed and I don't blame him - I've encouraged him to have words. (This whole grass cutting issue arose with Neighbors A, Tay finally told them to lay off the grass that he prefers to do it himself).

Then, just when we thought it couldn't get any worse:

I arrived home from shopping yesterday, had a late lunch and was in my study doing some stuff on the computer when I heard this really odd, steady whacking-like noise. I got up to investigate, thinking it was coming from inside the house (sometimes the fish tank makes a weird noise that is similiar). going down the stairs I realized it was coming from outside the house; opened the door to discover that a car alarm has been set off - and the car is in our neighbors driveway. Even better; there is no sign of our neighbors car - apparently, them and their guest have gone off somewhere. Also, from outside, the car alarm sounded less like a whacking noise, and more like a dysfunctional sprinkler. Very weird.

I had to spend the rest of the afternoon upstairs in my study, listening to music to drown out the noice. When Tay arrived home around 8:30 the alarm was still going off (4 hours later). He tried knocking on the neighbors door, but as I had assumed earlier, there was no one there. We spent the evening in the TV room, drowning out the sound but when I went to answer the phone around 11pm, the alarm was STILL going off. We went to bed at 12:30ish, the alarm had been silenced by then. I have a feeling that we are now not the only ones in the neighborhood who dislike Neighbors B.


[ Sun Jul 13, 04:20:23 PM | Marian McAlphin]

From Fall On Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald:

"Lily's hand glows red around the Bakelite Virgin - conductive scarlet threads beneath the line of life, of fate, heart and mind, her palm bleeding light."

There was another snippet from Fall On Your Knees that had stilled me and I had dog-eared the page. When I went to reread it, the page had turned itself back up and of course, amongst 566 pages, it is impossible to recover.