How the Mighty Have Fallen

To start, two years ago today, I ran the Hypothermic Half-Marathon.  My little brother is running it today for the first time and if I hadn't let myself fall apart and laze about, I could have been running it too.  Boooo.  As I see the FB status updates about being off to the race, I'm so jealous!!  I will run a half-marathon again.  I WILL!!

The falling continues . . . In my previous post, I'd said that I had already lost nearly two pounds that week and my goal was to just not gain while my sister was visiting for five days.  I did well for the first two days she was here but since the trip was actually just a sea of visiting and eating, by day three I was going to hell in a handbasket filled with chips, crackers, and cheese.  It continued right up until yesterday, three days after she left.  There were leftovers!  So hard to see that I've gained my loss back.  Tomorrow is a new day and the start of a new WW points week.  We had a great time though and she's so happy she came to visit us and meet our other sister's baby.  A jolly good time was had by all and we played cards and games and laughed our asses off.  My sister is also an esthetician at a really nice spa in Vancouver so she brought some supplies and gave us all spa-quality facials, it was awesome.  And I had no idea she gave an amazing head massage.  On the Sunday night, I think I laughed myself right into a headache.  She gave me a head massage for about five minutes and it was gone!   Yes, I think I should live closer to her.  I digress, so tomorrow, I'm all about points and walking.  I want to hit 30 km's this week and I'm using my runmeter app to track it.

Now for the tv shows!!!  I love when new shows start up again and new episodes are on again.

The Amazing Race -- I think this might be my favorite reality show.  I looooooove it.  The first episode was last week and teams are so nervous and pumped up that they make silly mistakes.  I almost always feel bad for the first team to go and last week was no exception.  After getting the suv stuck in the sand and knowing they were behind, it was like they ran out the back of the building looking for Phil and the mat so frazzled that they actually couldn't SEE anything.  To see how close he was to the back door would have been heartbreaking.  Of course, Phil couldn't resist digging it in a little by telling them that it was the closest anyone had ever been to the mat without seeing them.  Ouch.  

Survivor -- I will watch but so far I'm pretty disappointed in this season.  Every single season I wonder why oh why oh why do people go on Survivor without having learned how to make fire.  I was disappointed that the women were running to the men.  I did love how they stole the ember in the night especially considering the men stole stuff from them right off the bat.  But seriously??  After you got your fire going from your stolen ember, you couldn't keep it going??  Oh ladies.  I really wish they'd lose their lame alliance already, it's pretty obvious they picked wrong.  That's what happens when you pick in the first 30 minutes on your very first walk to camp.  Sigh.  I hope the ladies get it together and start working together, if not, it's going to be a tribe full of men and the women's tribe down to one.  

The Bachelor -- Oh Courtney, I will say this, without you, this season would have been dullsville.  I'm going to take a minute to bash the editing team of the Bachelor.  My sister noticed the first thing so after that we started paying attention.  During Kacie B's hometown date (most awkward hometown ever), when they kept going to Ben's interview portions that were supposedly happening during the date, he was wearing a different shirt.  It was close but definitely different.  And his hair was longer.  So obviously shot at a later date.  Then on Courtney's hometown, editing completely fell apart.  First, I thought it was weird that they didn't spend their alone time together and then go to her parents.  That's how it always works.  First, there was the pathetic voice-over of Courtney saying she felt bad about some of the things she said to or about the other girls.  My theory, they taped that after because he picks her in the end and they don't want the world to still loathe her.  Also, when they went to her interviews, she was wearing the same outfit, her hair looked different and she wasn't wearing any of the jewelry.  During the lunch, I kept wondering why she & Ben were wearing these weird rings on their ring fingers.  Then they leave, wearing the rings.  Then they walk across to have a little wine picnic where the faux wedding is set up and they aren't wearing the rings but he's talking about how great it was meeting her parents.  Then she hijacked her "vows" from Sex & the City, nice.  She was planning this whole thing and the best thing she could come up with was not her own?  Lame.  Then at the faux wedding, they put the rings on.  So what the hell???  It obviously happened before the meal and that's why they had them on then.  And trying to make Courtney look good now??  Too little too late.  It's not them editing her to be a villain when all of those things came out of her mouth.  Plus, in previous seasons where someone came off looking bad, the other girls would set the record straight after and say that the other lady wasn't that bad.  This time, not one has come to her defense and say that what you see is totally accurate.  But again, in a way, thank goodness for her, because I would have ditched this season a while ago.  Now I can't wait till the Women Tell All or the After the Final Rose.  

Parenthood -- I don't hear a lot of people talk about this show but I LOVE IT!  Last week's episode made me cry about half a dozen times.  So much happened!!!!  And I'm dying to know what the monetary offer was to buy the recording studio.  If the first offer was $1 million, I'm betting the second one was $3 or $5 million based on Adam's expression.  

So to sum up -- I watch too much TV, thank goodness for PVR.  I'm going to walk 30 km's this week and count my points.  Any special goals this week?

Social Situations

I got to thinking yesterday about my timing of jumping back on the WW bandwagon.  I started counting my points again this past Sunday.  I've counted every single little thing that has passed my lips.  Trouble is, my sister from Vancouver arrives tomorrow (Friday) and is staying till Tuesday.  She's staying with me and there is basically going to be a lot of meals and a lot of wine.  At first, I started to think that I should have just started the day after she left but then came to the realization that that is just wrong thinking.  There will always be something.  A weekend away, out of town company, Thanksgiving, Christmas season etc.  It's always something, it's life.  I need to learn how to navigate these things without letting it be a free-for-all which is just a slippery slope into my previous habits.  I weighed myself this morning and I was 210.6 so I've lost 1.8 pounds so far this first week.  My next weigh-in is supposed to be Monday morning.  My goal now is to just not gain from this 210.6 while my sister is here.  Friday night, it's supposed to be burgers at my other sisters place.  I'm going to bring my own light cheese slice and my own bun (one of those whole wheat sandwich thins).  I'm supposed to bring a salad so I'll bring a delicious salad and some mixed veggies and dip.  My brother is bringing chips and pop so I'm bring my own coke zero and a small bag of pop chips.  I don't feel silly bringing my own stuff just because it's just my family, they know I'm trying to lose weight.  Monday night is tacos at my place and I find those easy to make point-friendly.  Everything in moderation!!!

Next up, Valentine's Day.  I usually dread it.  Haha - I did actually dread it but it turned out better than I thought.  One of my FB friends called it Singles Awareness Day (s.a.d), I thought that was hilarious.  He said it's because he's never more aware of being single.  Anyhow, my little sister and her husband and the new baby have been coming over every Tuesday for the last 5 or 6 weeks.  I make supper and steal the baby and we watch the Bachelor recorded from the night before.  We have a good time.  It wasn't until Sunday that I realized that our next Tuesday fell on Valentine's Day.  We'd already decided what we were having for supper, "breakfast for supper".  When I realized, I offered to just babysit so they could go out on a date and they both said no, haha!  They wanted the eggs benedict and the bachelor.  So it was just like any other Tuesday but this little cutie pie had a Valentine's Day card for me and she was decked out in hearts.  She was the best Valentine I've ever had.  Haha - all the previous ones turned out to be d-bags in one fashion or another.

And now the segue (not a weird word when you say it, but totally a weird word when you type it) to the bachelor . . . Oh Courtney.  She is just so unreal, I wouldn't know where to begin.  What stuck out most to me this episode was how much she doesn't look at him.  If you still have it on PVR, go to the part where she & Ben are having dinner.  She glances all around her and then all of sudden looks fake interested in what he's saying.  So bizarre.  Then, the whole cocktail party thing when she was acting weird and talking about her pina colada and talking about how confident she was, OBNOXIOUS!  However, the worst was when she was sniffing her rose and waving it Emily's face and then sang her little "see ya, wouldn't wanna be ya" as she left.  How does Ben not see that???  He's RIGHT THERE.  He doesn't want to see it and his penis is incapable of seeing it.  Anyhow, internet rumors have long since said that he picks Courtney in the end and I really hope he does.  I hope he picks her for two reasons: first, none of those other girls would be having a fun time right now.  Imagine, he picks you.  Then you have to sit and watch this whole season and how he carries on with Courtney. Awful.  And the second reason I hope he picks Courtney?  the aftermath.  This aftermath I think will prove to be delicious reality television for both the Women Tell All and the After the Final Rose.  Delicious.  Yes, I'm a junkie.  If you haven't watched this yet, please do, it's hilarious and unfortunately, the tune is a little catchy so it will get stuck in your head.  

Hometown dates next week!  I'm kind of wondering if Courtney hired a family, hahaha!!  And if she used her own family, are they embarrassed by her behavior now while watching the season??

It's a terrible show and I love it!  I was going to include some Survivor thoughts in this post but I'll do that on the weekend.  Sneak preview, the women are driving me nuts and Matt is so arrogant and cocky that I hope he goes first.  

So what say you Bachelor fans?  And how do you stay on track for special occasions and/or out of town company when you know there will be lots of food and socializing?

The Tablespoon

I really really really wish that these . . . 

were these . . . 

Seriously, when I'm counting my points, I feel like I am constantly washing my 1 tbsp measuring spoon. And my 1/2 cup measuring cup actually.  I'm going to google and see if I can buy a set of 1 tbsp's.   If not, I'm hitting up the dollar store and buying five and tossing out the rest of the set.

Solitary Confinement - it's for your own good.

I've had a very solitary weekend which is good for a mid-life crisis.  Keeps me from spreading the poison around and makes it easier to not say "piss off" to every shiny, happy person.  :)  I weighed myself this morning.  212.4.  Ouch.  I don't remember when the last time I weighed myself was.  Probably sometime in December.  Works out that I've gained 3 pounds since whenever that was.  I started counting my points yesterday.  I started off with one of my favorites for breakfast.  Eggs.  I sauteed mushrooms, onions, and spinach and then scrambled in an egg and put it in a wrap spread with laughing cow.  Yum yum yum.  I'm convinced that if you put anything in a wrap/tortilla, it tastes better.  Salad, eggs, anything.

It was really cold yesterday so I wanted to avoid going out and scraping the windshield.  Looking around the kitchen, this is what I had.  A bag of onions, two 2lb bags of carrots, and two butternut squash that I had meant to turn into soup a long time ago.  One of the squash has a soft spot, jerk going to the dark side.  And what is one person doing with not one, but two bags of carrots??  There's just one thing to do -- SOUP. 

My new boyfriend Keurig sneaks into pictures.

I made a curried butternut squash soup and a carrot ginger soup.  I hate cutting and peeling squash so I decided to roast it to soften it up and I read somewhere that it is easier to peel after and it gives it a more flavorful nutty taste.  Although, I don't even know if that's right because when people start talking about roasting and nuttiness, I check out, much like the way I check out when people start talking about notes and woodiness and so on in red wine, blah blah blah, pour me another glass fool!!  I decided to throw a couple onions on there to roast as well.  Turns out that was genius because when I coarsely chopped it into chunks later, there were no tears.  Score!!!  I hate cutting onions.  I tear up like crazy and then end up crying for some other reason.  It's like the onion tears bring up real emotions.  Fricking onions.

Simmered, blended, and poured into containers.

A few hours ago, I was sitting on the couch all woe is me because it seems everyone I know is just coming back from, or just going to a tropical vacation.  I'm not even kidding.  Five people in my immediate vicinity.  Mexico, Florida, Hawaii, Caribbean cruise, and Vegas.  Jealous jealous jealous!  I so want to go somewhere and just don't have the money.  I have less than zero dollars.  I spent money I didn't have last year visiting my family.  And what really sucks is that so long as I live far away from my family and I want to visit them, I will never go somewhere tropical and fun because the money just won't be there.  So basically, I need a free or deeply discounted vacation.  

Then I started thinking that even if a free vacation fell in my lap right now, I would at first be so excited and then I'd be sad because I would be self-conscious about my weight.  That got me off the couch.  I said in my last post that I was going to start walking and that I was going to that today.  It was beautiful and sunny out.  A bit windy on my way back so my inner ear hurts a bit right now but it will pass.  The path though was really icy, I did a funny dance about half a dozen times to prevent my ass from hitting the ground.  But all in all, the walk felt good.  I downloaded a new app for my iPhone called Runmeter that uses GPS.  It seems really cool so far, it makes me my own competition.  I used a walking trail to walk from my place to a Tim Horton's and back.  I entered it as a route so the next time I walk that, I select the route and it will tell me if I'm slower or faster than last time.  It also keeps track of all of the walks or whatever you are doing and has many activities to choose from.  On my way though, I saw one of my neighbors and we stopped to chat for about 5 - 10 minutes.  I should have taken my phone out of my pocket to pause it because while I was standing there, the time just kept ticking away.  I'll have to look into settings.  Maybe there is a setting for  pausing after a minute of inactivity.  This app will also be a cool way to keep track of my 30 km's in a week.  I always have my phone with me so even if I try to get in a walk on my lunch break, I can use it.  

I wish I hadn't turned around yet, I could have had 4km!

So excited for the Walking Dead tonight!!  AMC has a marathon on right now until the new episode tonight.  I keep pausing at commercials to get stuff done.  Before it starts, I need to have my white hair colored, my lunch packed, and my condo cleaned.  Thankfully Cely set out clear instructions and I can get it all done.  Read it, it's hilarious.  As I'm sitting here watching the episode where Glenn discovers that they are keeping Walkers in the barn, I'm wondering something.  Glenn can't keep a secret so he spills the beans instantly.  Then everyone finds out.  What I don't get is why the people keeping the Walkers in the barn didn't come clean and say that Sophia was in the barn.  Whoever put her there, knew they'd captured a young girl Walker.  Wonder if that will come out in the new episodes.  Poor Sophia.

I just realized that Downton Abbey is on from 8 - 10 tonight and the Walking Dead is on from 8 - 9.  Thank goodness for PVR.  

Anybody have an favorite apps for iPhone?  Anybody else love The Walking Dead or Downton Abbey?

ps.  managed to get my PVR down to 40%, woohoo!  Now, to clean and be ready for the shows tonight.

Wanna See My Scrapbook?

Not sure how long I'll keep this up, but i'm enjoying it.  I swear, today at work, I was thinking in "blog post" thoughts.  Remember when facebook came out and you got all hooked updating your status with funny things?  Next thing you know, you're thinking in the third person "Michelle is . . . " all the time.  My thoughts today . . . 

1.  The Bachelor.  Oh man, I was delayed in watching this week.  I usually record it and watch it on Tuesdays.  My sister, her husband, and my awesome cutie pie niece  come over for supper and we watch.  I believe it's really important to start babies on a healthy diet of a meal while watching skanky reality tv.  Having it recorded is awesome so that we can rewind the moments missed because of the adorable screaming baby.  Or every time you think "she did NOT just say that!" or when Kacie skis down a San Francisco street  - ass first.  These moments need to be watched again and again.  Anyway, Courtney is awful but she didn't even stand out to me this week.  This week, there were two big cringe-worthy moments for me.  What made them so sad and cringe-worthy was that both were born out of sheer desperation.  Jamie and her little red dress so desperate for a kiss that she straddles him trying to make it sexy or romantic.  Outcome - the dress rips, she can't really sit right and then has the most awkward kiss ever seen in Bachelor history.  Maybe there are more awkward ones, but I don't remember one.  (Except maybe that crazy chick Michelle but I don't remember whose season she was on).  Anyway, I was so sad for Jamie.  She'd been really sweet up until then.  Nice girl, hadn't done anything embarrassing or shameful on national tv, then she does this and goes home with that fresh in our minds!  I can't wait till the Women Tell All episode.  

THE scrapbook

Second painful moment (I know it happened first but it was more tragic), Blakely and the scrapbook.  Oh Blakely.  I felt for her because at 34 (supposedly, there is much speculation that she’s older but I don’t think so), you start to get pretty nervous as a single girl that you won’t find your special someone especially if you want kids. I get it, I totally get it. Those ladies have a lot of time on their hands to think about Ben and daydream.  Those daydreams are the worst, they turn these “relationships” into so much more than they really are.  Hell, I’ve done this in real life. I think if I didn’t have to work every day and all I did was think about some dude, I’d lose it too.  When she pulled out that scrapbook with his name on the front, I swear, I nearly cried.  I knew she was going home at that moment and was so sad that she went out on that desperate note.  Really though, these two girls dodged a bullet.  He doesn’t deserve them but it’s sad that they both went home after they pulled their most desperate moment. Booo. 


2.  The Maze Runner.  After Harry Potter, Twilight, & The Hunger Games, I was looking for something else to dive into.  I so love a good trilogy or series.  When it's just one book and then it's over, I feel sad!  I've read on a number of blogs (of course, where else would I read it) that The Maze Runner trilogy is quite popular.  Also young adult fiction, shocking!  I dove in.  So far I'm intrigued, I'm loving it.  According to my Kindle, I'm 30% into the book, haha, I've grown to love the percentage.  Depending on what time I'm getting to bed, I let myself read a certain number of chapters.  Last night it was already really late, so I decided on one chapter.  So I get to the end of chapter 16, I'm tense, the walls of the Glade are closing on the Maze and Thomas is faced with a decision!  He looks out of the sliding stone wall doors and sees Minho carrying Alby who is injured.  Slowly.  They aren't going to make it into the Glade before the doors close and they will be trapped all night in the Maze with the Grievers!   Other Gladers are yelling at Thomas not do do it but Thomas can't help himself.  He runs out of the Glade into the Maze and the doors slam shut behind him.  End of chapter.  Noooooo!!!  How will I wait till tomorrow to know what happens!!  I wanted to stay up but knew it was already way too late and I'd been doing that all this very long week.  And now I know you want to read the Maze Runner too.    

3.  I've been thinking that I want and NEED to start exercising again (still no bouncing allowed).  So I'm going to start with walking.  I was going to give myself a little 5K per day challenge but I know that some days, I won't actually have time for 5K.  Like Tuesdays.  No time.  Then I figured maybe I would do a weekly total so that it doesn't matter if I walk 7K a few times or manage 5K every day.  So I'm thinking 30K per week is a nice place to start until I'm allowed to do more.  I was going to start today but it's -31 C.  For the Americans, that's - 24F, so I decided to wait until this painful, stinging cold lets up.  That's supposed to be Sunday.  I'm actually okay with -31.  I trained all winter outside for the half-marathon I did in the winter.  It's the wind chill that gets me.  I don't like to feel my face burning from cold.  So Sunday, I walk.  And eventually, I will run.


And now it is time to put on the pj's, turn on the fireplace, make some hot chocolate, and refresh my Walking Dead memory in time for Sunday's new episode.  

Holy Crap! Still Alive!

Two posts in one week, gimme a break!  This week has been moving slowly!  Well, work-wise anyway, the evenings fly by me.

1.  Let me tell you about my biggest fear at the moment.  My biggest fear is that I'll die alone, I'll never lose weight, my selling condo neighbors will sell to party animals, my mom will find my blog.  I'm not kidding!!!  Facebook used to be awesome.  Then my mom joined.  Sh*t.  She comments on EVERYTHING, whether or not it even has to do with your post, status, picture, etc.  Random.  Then I try Twitter.  "mom is now following you on twitter".  Sh*t.  I don't really catch on to Twitter so whatever, I don't tweet, she gets nothing.  Then I find Pinterest.  Loving it, having fun. "Mom is following all of your boards on Pinterest!"  Sh*t.  Now what I have here is a triple sh*t situation.  A sh*t hat trick if you will.  So now my interest in Pinterest has waned. Hehehe - interest in Pinterest, I just heard that in my head. What do I have left?  My blog.  If she finds it, it's getting deleted.  Either that, or I have to secretly email or contact all my followers and tell them where I've moved to.  I have hopefully removed all traces of myself from it.  My last name is not on it.  My real email address for everyday life is not on it . . . ANYMORE.  I made the mistake of accepting an invitation to Google+ and logged in using my normal email address and I go into the profile and I'm about to add people to my stupid circles and I notice that Google, all powerful, taking over the world, Google, added my blog for the world to see.  Thanks but no thanks. I have about  five people in my real life that know about this blog.  I promptly deleted Google+ and then changed my email address associated with the blog.  What the heck is with everything linking to facebook too??  Would you like to log in using facebook?  NO!!!!  Anyhow, Mom, please please please don't find my blog.  No one in my family knows it exists so she shouldn't know to look for it.  Fingers crossed.

2.  I'm hooked on Downton Abbey.  Thanks to Cely at Running off the Reese's.  The folks in the USA can get season one on Netflix but apparently Netflix hates Canadians because it doesn't show up in our menu.  You'll have to wait till Feb 22 when Canada starts showing season one on VisionTV immediately followed by season two or you know, resort to other resources.

Oh my goodness!  No wonder I'm single!  I wear black ALL. THE. TIME.  Sigh.  And I don't look anything like sweet Lady Mary.

3.  You'd think with all the TV I watch that I could get my PVR under 72% full.  Just an observation.

4.  I'm working on a meal plan.  I have to get back into packing lunches and planning meals.  When I'm in the mood to cook, I love it.  When I'm not in the mood to cook, I'm in a drive-thru.  The first time I lost weight on WW, I made sure that a few suppers and a few packed lunches per week were either super easy & quick or pre-made.  Now I'm going to refer to her again . . . Sarah posted about her lunches and that's what got me thinking about how I used to do things and that's when it was working!!    Sarah reminds of who I was when it was all working!  When I was running, when I was cooking, when I was 50 pounds lighter.  Success and motivation are starting to feel closer.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go work on lowering my PVR percentage.  But not before I leave you with some pictures of my niece.  I've had to look at enough baby pictures in my freaking lifetime, so now I'm using my niece as payback.  Doesn't hurt that she's the cutest fricking kid I've ever seen.  And she has my eyes.  And eyelashes.  And this is probably what I look like waking up in the morning too.  But no one is there to take 92 pictures of me in two hours.  Probably a good thing. :)

I'm Alive?!

I've been missing in action.  Actually, more like missing in inaction, hehe.  I've been not doing much really.  Started the new job which is going well.  Spending Tuesday evenings with my new niece who is ridiculously cute.  Reading and watching tv.  So here's what I've been up to:

1. The Hunger Games - seriously what is with young adult fiction being so mesmerizing?!  I was never into sci-fi or futuristic books and movies.  Then came Harry Potter.  I came late to the party on Harry Potter.  Book four had just come out when I started the first one.  It was pretty awesome that I didn't have to wait for each book to come out until I got to book 5.  Then Twilight.  Loved the books, hate the movies.  Can't say I hate all the movies, I watched the first one and can't be bothered to watch the rest of them.  Loved all the Harry Potter movies.  Now The Hunger Games, I got through the first two books in about two days while I was off work after surgery.  Then it took me a little bit to read the third book because I was limited to the bus to & from work.  I cannot wait for this movie to come out!!  I so hope that I enjoy it!!

2.  My new best friend.  I always wanted a Keurig but just couldn't justify the cost.  Then I discovered that I had enough air miles to get it.  I promptly ordered it and a week later I had it.  Awesome.  I'm in love with making iced coffee and regular coffee and tea, oh my!!

3.  And my final topic -- weight.  Sigh.  I haven't been counting points.  I'm trying to talk myself into activity.  If you want motivation for activity, go check out Sarah @ Just in case you wanted to Know.  I just found her blog the other day and I started at the beginning and read right to the current.  She kicks ass on working out and tracking.  AND LOSING!  So it works eh?  As I was thinking about working out and maybe walking home from work (just over an hour) instead of taking the bus, I started getting hives.  Yes, hives.  Happens every once in a while.  I was out of Benadryll and headed to the drugstore for some and spotted these.  I'd never seen them before, they are new to Canada and I was put under their spell.  Don't try them, you'll hate them.  Yes, I'm doing you a favor.  

A final question for all you active folks -- do you love or hate working out?  If you love it, did you always love it?  Did you learn to love it?  Or do you work out and still hate it as a necessary evil?