On an even keel…

Now that I am no longer controlled by raging sugar and grease craving hormones, I am feeling a little bit better about the future of my diet.  Although no progress was made, no damage was done over the past few days.  I am open to any suggestions on controlling eating habits during premenstrual hormone surges. 

In preparation for our trip to Las Vegas at the end of November, I am trying to train myself to eat only three times a day.  A lot of my diets come to a screeching halt and turn into a long period of expansion during vacation.  My plan for Las Vegas is as follows:

• Eat, in moderation, whatever I want three times a day.
• Write down what I eat to record in my fitday program when I get home.
• Take my pedometer.  I’m sure we will be taking many steps each day.  My friend told me that sometimes a patron will walk close to a mile from the front of the hotel to their room.  I hope that’s true.  The strip is advertised as 14 blocks.  The same friend said that the strip is probably about four miles long.  I will record my steps daily as a motivational measure.
• Drink a lot of water.
• Have fun, don’t worry about it too much.  It is vacation after all.  It doesn’t have to turn into a six month period of overeating and feeling bad about myself. 

Someone lent me the book Losing Itby Valerie Bertinelli.  This is the story of Valerie’s journey with weight loss.  I am really enjoy it.  I am only about 60 pages into it, but one sentiment has made the wheels in my brain turn and turn.  Valerie says that she had to take the time to discover what she is really hungry for. 

I will try to think about this when I am eating when I am not really hungry.  I have identified a problem time frame.  I get home from work earlier than my husband does.  I tend to eat a junkfood during this time, then proceed to have dinner.  I need to put that time to more productive use. 

Perhaps I will try to read books about people that have lost a lot of weight and kept it off.  I think it would help me to refocus when I am feeling unmotivated.  Any suggestions?

Netflix frustrations

We have been loyal customers of Netflix for a long time.  Since the beginning of August we have had Dexter Season 2 Disc 2 at the top of our queue.  This disc has always displayed a status of “Very Long Wait”.  Seven months is a very long time to wait, even for such a popular title.  For the past month, Mad Men Season 1 Disc 1 has been choice number two.  The status of this movie has been “Long Wait.”

My friend Jennifer rejoined Netflix last week.  Guess what two movies were sent to her last week?  You got it.  Dexter Season 2 Disc 2 and Mad Men Season 1 Disc 1. 

This makes me think that some preference is given to new customers so they will rave about Netflix to their friends.  Customers who have had their account for more than five years obviously love Netflix, so why bother trying to make them happy?  They’re not going anywhere.  They definitely won’t try Blockbuster Online.

We always send our movies back within a day or two and average about fifteen movies a month. 

I called Netflix to complain that we hadn’t gotten these movies and the nice person that I talked to assured me that this incident is just a coincidence.  She said that they don’t hold movies for customers.  For example if on Thursday you send back your copy of Battlefield Gallactica and the next movie on your list, Wayne’s World II, is in then they send it to you.  If it is not in, they send you the next movie.  This sounds like a great business model.

I find it very hard to believe that out of the 45 titles we have received since the beginning of August that not once was Dexter Season 2 Disc 2 available.  But for Jennifer, a new customer, it was available the very first time.  Really, Netflix, really?

Flu shot reaction or cold?

Friday, I got a flu shot.  Now, I am sick.  I really did not want to get out of bed this morning.  I woke up cuddled with my husband and a cat lying next next to me.  I seriously thought about calling in, but decided not to, as the cats and my husband have their own agendas today and wouldn’t have been able to spend the day cuddling.

Is it just a coincidence that I got a flu shot and immediately got flu symptoms? 

The silver lining to the cloud of my illness is that I have no appetite!

Dieting Update

It is trying not to fall of the diet wagon right now.  The only reason that the past two days are not in the category of complete failure in the eating department is that I haven’t given up yet.  I am not motivated to exercise or eat right or drink water or to record the food that I am eating.  Since Tuesday I have exercised once.  Jennifer and I walked on the Peoria riverfront yesterday for about 2 1/4 miles.  I have been using the fitday program to record my weight, exercise and food intake.  The data that I am recording is not positive.  I need to remind myself that the good thing is that I am recording it.

I will set a few goals for today -

• Drink some water, thus far I’ve had three cans of Diet Cherry Coke.
• Exercise for at least twenty minutes – such a small amount of time, but that is all I feel I can commit to at this point. 
• Eat less than 1700 calories.  So far, I’ve had 910 between my breakfast and lunch.  I will allot 280 for snacks and 500 for dinner.

Any encouragement would be greatly appreciated…

WordPress, I love you!

I have previously written at three different blogs – First I posted at The Atheists Down The Street, then I moved over to Names Have Been Changed after a strange experience with a friend who often read my blog.  I lost interest in blogging and started up Mistress of the Post, which didn’t stick.  Now, here I am at Adventures and Musings. 

I wondered if there would be any easy way to migrate my old posts to this site.  A quick Google search, about two minutes of work and voila, for your reading pleasure, all of my old posts – and your comments -are now included on this site!

What Happens in Vegas…

Craig and I finally decided where we will be going on our winter vacation.  Las Vegas here we come! 

I have never spent any time in Las Vegas and until recently did not think that I would want to visit there.  Last year Craig and I flew into Vegas, rented a car and drove to Yosemite, Death Valley and Sequoia National Parks.  We didn’t set aside any time for Las Vegas and the strip. 

The airfare and hotel are relatively inexpensive.  Allegiant Air is having a buy one get one free sale on airfare to Las Vegas from Peoria.  So, the grand total for two round trip flights and six nights at the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino is $844.00. 

I’ve heard the food, gambling and shows can get quite expensive.  We plan to see two of the well-known shows during our visit and then will take in some of the lesser-known, less expensive events.  Dear readers, have any of you been to Vegas?  What shows do you recommend?  Any ideas on how to eat inexpensively? 

We plan to visit the Hoover Dam and to do some hiking at Red Rock.  So, not all of our time will be spent in the city. 

I hope we enjoy Las Vegas.  Of course, we always enjoy ourselves on vacation, since we are out of our perspective realities.  We chose Vegas because of the low price.  We need to conserve our vacation fund as we are likely travelling to Ireland and Alaska in 2009.  Hopefully we don’t deplete the vacation fund on Las Vegas food and fun.

W

On the spur of the moment, my husband and I went to see W last Sunday afternoon.  I will preface this post by saying that I am usually an apolitical American.  Reading Curtis Sittenfeld’s American Wife piqued my interest in George and Laura Bush.  I thought that I would pick up a biography (perhaps an unauthorized version, so I could get all of the juicy details a la Kitty Kelly).  Then I remembered that W the film was in theaters.  How better to spend a Sunday afternoon than at a $4.00 matinee?

Several months ago, I first saw a trailer for Oliver Stone’s W.  I was aghast.  Though I am extremely grateful for freedom of speech, isn’t the President of the United States sacrosanct?  What kind of person is Josh Brolinthat he would star in a film that pokes fun at our revered leader?  Like looky-loos to a drug bust, I rushed to see the movie.

I am currently reading The Other Queen, by Phillippa Gregory.  Several times in her tale of Mary Queen of Scots, Gregory reminds us that it is treason to speak of the end of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign.  Were that the case now, millions of Americans would have their heads displayed on a pike.

But, I digress.  W was entertaining.  I learned a lot about Bush’s past and the scenes where the cabinet meets to discuss the War on Terror were very interesting.  Stone’s portrayal of Colin Powell counseling Bush against the War in Iraq was pertinent to yesterday’s announcement of Powell’s support of Democrat Barack Obama.

Is Condoleezza Rice really as creepy as Thandie Newton depicts?  The Rice character is extremely annoying.  She cow tows to everything Bush says and does.  She cocks her head at a very weird angle and speaks in a voice reminiscent of fingernails on a chalkboard.  I have seen Newton in other films and she does not come across in that manner, so I wonder if there is something to it.  Now, I have to see the real Rice in action. I must hurry, Bush won’t be in office much longer. 

Back to Bush.  Although Brolin doesn’t resemble Bush, he does a great job in this role.  On SNL he said that Bush was an easy character to play, just squint and hold your arms away from your sides.  Really, truly, that’s our President.  It is not remotely feasible to me that Bush could be as dumb as the character in W.    The man graduated from Yale and then from Harvard.  He was charismatic enough to win the electoral vote twice.  But Stone’s Bush is no smarter than your average billy-bumbler. 

Love or hate George W. Bush, W is a great additional to any Netflix queue.

SNL Is Back!

I have long worried that Saturday Night Live would go off the air.  It was one of my favorite shows for a long time.  Over the past few years it has been almost painful to watch, but with fine comedic skits such as “Mark Wahlberg Talks to Animals” that aired a few weeks ago and the Sarah Palin rap shown this past Saturday I think SNL is going to be around for a long time. 

First, watch “Mark Wahlberg talks to animals“.  As an aside, can you believe that such a fine actor took part in Marky Mark and The Funky Bunch? 

Then, check out the Sarah Palin/Amy Poehler rap that aired on SNL this past Saturday.

SNL Sarah PalinRap, Lyrics & Video – Amy Poehler

one two three

my name is sarah palin you all know me
vice president nominee of the gop
gonna need your vote in the next election
can i get a ‘what what’ from the senior section
mccain got experience, mccain got style
but don’t let him freak you out when he tries to smile
cause that smile be creepy
but when i be vp
all the leaders in the world gonna finally meet me

how’s it go eskimo
eskimos
tell me what you know eskimo
eskimos
how you feel eskimo
ice cold
tell me tell me what you feel eskimo
super cold

i’m jeremiah wright cause tonight i’m the preacher
i got a bookish look and you’re all hot for teacher
todd lookin fine on his snow machine
so hot boy gonna need a go between
in wasilla we just chill baby chilla
but when i see oil lets drill baby drill

my country tis of thee
from my porch i can see
russia and such

all the mavericks in the house put your hands up
all the mavericks in the house put your hands up
all the plumbers in the house pull your pants up
all the plumbers in the house pull your pants up

when i say ‘obama’ you say ‘ayers’
obama. ayers. obama. ayers.
i built me a bridge – it ain’t goin’ nowhere.
[ohhh]

mccain, palin, gonna put the nail in the coffin
of the media elite
she likes red meat
shoot a mother humpin moose, eight days of the week

[three gunshots]
now ya dead, now ya dead,
cause i’m an animal, and i’m bigger than you
holdin a shotgun walk in the pub
everybody party, we’re goin on a hunt
la la la la la la la la
[six gunshots]

yo palin, i’m out

Various and sundry things…

The staycation is over.  Back to work today.  Ugh.

I am two days into my water drinking challenge.  It has not been a problem to drink four bottles of water.  I feel fuller and I am not so thirsty.  There were days when I would drink eight 12-ounce cans of Diet Pepsi when I was at work and drink even more when I got home.  I was a little bloated this morning.  Hopefully this is just a temporary problem. 

Today was a good eating and exercise day.  I walked for an hour during my lunch.  I work in a small town and three people encouraged my efforts.  Taking advantage of the lunch period is a great way to get my daily exercise in.  If I don’t leave the building then I end up working through my lunch.  I keep itunes stocked with audiobooks.  Since I only listen to my ipod when cleaning or exercising, a particularly good audiobook will motivate me to engage in those activities for a longer period of time.  Right now I am listening to Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult.  It took me a while to get into it, but now I am very intrigued. 

Check out audible.com or find some free audiobook torrents to download.  New members to audible.com can get a free trial of two audiobooks.  If you cancel before 14 days you don’t have to pay anything.  There are a lot of newly released titles available.  Another great option are is podcasts.  I frequently download podcasts of Dave Ramsey and other talk radio shows.  Personally I have to be entertained, via my ipod or my friends when I exercise or I find that I want to give up rather quickly.  Whatever it takes!

Chivalry, cashew thunder and the chore list

Earlier this afternoon, Jennifer and I met at Jane’s Ice Box in Dunlap to walk on the Rock Island Trail.  We made it 6 miles and I ran 1/4 mile!  Total time: 1:42:26.  To this outing I sported the following – pine green yoga pants, brown and blue New Balance running shoes, black t-shirt reading “I cannot live without books – Thomas Jefferson, 1815″, and a red hooded zippered sweatshirt.  I really need to update my fall/winter workout wardrobe.

I arrived home at the same time as the perfect robot couple that lives next door.  Neither the husband or the wife has ever been spotted dressed anything less than immaculately.  Mowing the grass?  Wear chinos and a button down shirt.  Pulling weeds?  Capris and a sweater set will be a great look for your spread in Better Homes and Gardens.  After pulling into the driveway the husband gets out and says hi to me.  Then he proceeds to walk around to the passenger side and open the door for his wife.  In your own driveway?  Really?  Doesn’t chivalry cross an imaginary line over into patronization at some point?  At a nice event, it would be appropriate to open my door for me.  But, in the driveway?

Some Boy Scouts came to my door a few minutes ago selling popcorn.  Who I am to resist the call of cashew thunder (carmelcorn and cashews dipped in creamy fudge)?  I would have said no, but they were so cute and earnest in their uniforms.  It was reminiscent of going door to door as a child selling Kathryn Beich candy and magazines.  This will likely be detrimental to my diet when it arrives.  My current plan is to eat one serving and throw the rest away.  The road to dieting hell is paved with good intentions and cashew thunder crumbs. 

Several months ago, Craig made me fire the cleaning lady.  Granted she wasn’t vacuuming and we have four cats, so vacuuming is a deal-breaker when it comes to being employed as my house cleaner.  Several times she said the vacuum was broken, but the canister was just full.

In an effort to save money and burn more calories, I have prepared the a chore list for my husband and myself.  It switches off chores each week, so neither of us should feel like we are being taken advantage of.  For example if I clean the toilets this week, Craig will do it next week. 

We aren’t quite ready for an appearance on How Clean Is Your House? but it got so disgusting that when Ron picked me up for our outing on Friday I was too embarrassed to let him come in. I waited on the front stoop and got directly into his car.  Today my chore was yardwork.  I raked up all of the leaves under our little tree and pulled out some dead perrenials.  Twenty minutes, done. 

How is it that we let our house get to the point where it seems overwhelmingly dirty, but with a twenty minute daily effort it would be acceptable?  Hopefully we can keep on track, because the cleaning lady cost $1800 a year and that would go towards a nice vacation.