* Results Not Typical

Book(mark) It Tuesday - Al Roker

2011-02-01T15:29:00.000-08:00

Hey gang,

I have not finished the book I started before getting sick. Just haven't gotten back into a regular reading schedule. (Hence the bookmark title of today's post.)

But, I thought I'd mention what I'm reading and tell you that so far, I'm liking it. So, from a partial read, I would recommend Al Roker's new mystery "The Midnight Show Murders". I will note that while I don't remember all the details of the story, I think I preferred "The Morning Show Murders". But, this is still a good read to this point.

I'll give a full report when I finish reading it!

They Were Flying for Us!

2011-01-28T17:18:00.001-08:00

Where were you 25 years ago today?

I was in the cafeteria at my college - a technical school. We were all watching the Space Shuttle Challenger launch. Something like that is a big deal at a tech school. The computer folks (like me) were discussing the programming involved. The electronic students were marvelling at the circuitry needed to make something like that happen.

Then the unthinkable happened. In an instant. 11:38 EST. It all ended. We were stunned. And confused. Most of us (guys included) cried. Time stood still. After watching the TV in silence for another hour or so, we all left school for the day.

That 40 minute drive home was a lonely one. How on earth could the Space Shuttle have just blown up? It was scary. First, it was a tragedy for all involved. Second, just minutes before the launch, we were all talking about what we could have added to the space program - how we could be involved in something that spectacular after we graduated. The enormity of what we were studying hit home with all of us. For the first time, we realized that we were embarking on careers that could result in fantastic victories - or catastrophic endings.

So, where were you? What were you doing?

Think of those astronauts today. After all, they were flying for us.

Book It Tuesday...delayed this week

2011-01-18T14:51:00.000-08:00

Sorry, gang, I have a miserable cold and haven't finished the book I'm reading. As soon as I can see through my sneezy-tear-laden eyes, I'll finish it up and give a report.

Just a couple thoughts though. As I was sitting here in the recliner, head in hands, praying for a cure to the common cold, I heard a report of a celebrity being released from a couple days in the hospital. He was sick to his tummy and just didn't feel good.

What the hell? The rest of us common folk buck up and fight through illness. Sure, we might whine and bitch a little, even. But, do you know anyone who not only goes to the hospital but is admitted for the minor ailments? It seems that sniffles can render these delicate celebrities hospitalized for days!

Okay, off my soapbox. My ears are so clogged that I'm afraid I might get dizzy and fall off if I stay on it any longer.

Take care. Wash your hands, use your hand-sanitizer, and drink your orange juice.

Book review to follow soon!

Jacked Weigh Up

2011-01-15T15:06:00.000-08:00

Have you seen the commercials for the "Jumbo Deal on a Big Meal" at Jack in the Box? For $3.99 you can get Jacked weigh up!!

Now, some of you read my post many months ago about Taco Bell's "Fourth Meal". I was left speechless when I first heard those ads. This new offering by Jack made me sit down and look it up online to make sure I'd actually heard what I'd heard and had seen what I'd seen.

For $3.99 you can get a Jumbo Jack hamburger, 2 tacos, a small order of fries and a small soft drink. I gotta tell you, never once have I headed towards a fast-food place thinking "man, if I could only get a couple tacos with my hamburger and fries, I would be so much more satisfied".

I did the math using the Jack in the Box website. Jumbo Jack hamburger - 499 calories, 27 grams of fat. One taco - 194 calories, 11 grams of fat...times two = 388 calories, 22 grams of fat. Small fries - 333 calories, 15 grams of fat. Small non-diet drink - 227 calories. (Since when is a small drink 20 ounces?!) Add it all up...1447 calories, 64 grams of fat. Opt for the diet drink and you drop down to a "mere" 1220 calories. Still with 64 grams of fat.

I'm not sure how many calories Tums or Rolaids have but you would probably have to toss a few of those in for dessert.

Are you kidding me?

I always refer to Jack in the Box as "the big-headed guy". Eat that meal and you'll be the big-butted customer. Maybe - maybe - if you're going to feed a family of 3 with this meal, I could see someone purchasing it. A burger for the adult. A taco for each of the kids. Split the fries for a greasy side treat. But, my guess is that the majority of folks who purchase this have no intent of sharing.

OMG! The next commercial for this place better be set to Jack singing "I like big butts and I cannot lie".

Weigh too much in this meal for any of us!

Book It Tuesday - Tim Gunn Makes It Work

2011-01-11T14:49:00.000-08:00

I'm thinking of starting the "Tim Gunn for President" movement. I've always liked him and the way he carries himself. After reading his new book Gunn's Golden Rules: Life's Little Lessons for Making It Work, I'm convinced he should be the leader of the free world.

Mr. Gunn breaks it down into 18 simple rules. Some are etiquette related. Others are inspirational. All of them are fun. His examples throughout the chapters are fabulous stories that will have you laughing, cringing, and wanting more.

From pointing out that the world owes us nothing, to reminding us that we should never underestimate karma, we are lead through a series of thought-provoking lessons that made me say "he's absolutely right" on almost every page. I marvelled at the audacity of the folks in some of his stories and celebrated the simple joy and power of the human species in others. (I have an urge to visit Walter Reed. Wonder if I could make that work?)

This is the book that I expected to read when I picked up Whoopi Goldberg's "Is It Just Me?". I wasn't inspired or entertained by Ms. Goldberg's book (although I certainly enjoy her). On the other hand, Tim Gunn could have been channeling me with some of his thoughts and observations.

Bottom line, Mr. Gunn will let you know that living with integrity does make a difference - and that a good life is only one of the rewards of doing so. Do yourself a favor and learn a little something about yourself - and laugh more than a little - by reading Mr. Gunn's book. It's a great way to start the new year.

Okay...carry on!

The Write Thing

2011-01-06T17:21:00.001-08:00

Did you get any letters at Christmas? I'm talking real letters. Hand-written. Not those mass-produced "how great our year was - bet it was better than yours" computer-printed essays.

I got two. And, I've read them both several times. For me, there is nothing better than sitting back in the recliner, hand-written letter in hand, and hearing my friends' voices as I read their words. They told me what they knew I'd love to hear about . They related things to past shared experiences. They were - well, personal.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy those computer-printed letters but they somehow carry a bit of detachment with them. I still love to hear what my friends have done during the year. But, it's just not a special event to read them. (Matt & John, you're the exception to this. I can't wait to get your newsletter each year! Love them!!!)

When's the last time you wrote a letter to someone? I try to write at least two a month. This year, I'm upping the ante to one a week. I hope the recipients feel the same way I do when I get an honest-to-God letter.

Most friendly resolution on my list...doing the write thing each week.

Book It Tuesday - Fannie Flaggs' new novel

2011-01-04T15:48:00.001-08:00

Tuesday's are going to be "Book It Tuesday" from now on. Another one of my resolutions for this year is to read more. One book down, many more to go over the next 51 weeks.

I just finished reading I Still Dream About You by Fannie Flagg. EXCELLENT!! I like to laugh when I read. And, I enjoy a good mystery. Laugh I did while reading this funny novel that mixes a bit of mystery with quirky characters (some of whom, I sure I know), love (lost and found), and thought-provoking wisdom.

Ms. Flagg rocks with her guaranteed surprises.

So, what happens when a former Miss Alabama end up selling real estate? Well, one thing is for sure, there are sure to be some skeletons in the closet. We should all be so lucky to have friends like Brenda, Ethel and Hazel in our lives. And, we all know someone like Babs "the beast of Birmingham" Bingington.

Oh yeah, and haven't we all been caught doing something we're not too proud of? You know, like having our weight loss sponsor finding us in the Krispy Kreme donut shop? (C'mon, you know you have!)

Do yourself a favor, get lost in this funny, southern belle of a book. It will be time well-spent!

For more info, click here: I Still Dream About You

BYOB

2011-01-02T11:37:00.000-08:00

That's right...another one of my resolutions. And, I hope after you read this, you will make it one of yours.

Bring Your Own Bag.

Plastic bags are handy - but they cost way more than the convenience is worth. You're probably thinking "so, I get a few plastic bags a week, no big deal". But isn't it amazing to open the pantry door and have them attack you? They add up quickly. More quickly than you might believe...

The average family of 4 uses 1,460 plastic bags a year.
Plastic bags are made using petroleum (polyethylene).
Every year Americans use 380 Billion plastic bags. Do you know how much oil that translates to? 12 million barrels! For plastic bags. EVERY year!!! (Just think if some of that could be diverted to one of the many other uses of oil. Maybe gas would be cheaper. Maybe we wouldn't have to kiss the butts of countries that don't like us so much. Maybe...)
Do you know how long it takes a plastic bag to completely break down? 1000 years. Of course, the toxic chemicals from the break down start leaching into the ecosystem as soon as the bag is disposed of. Toxins from last decades bags have already started to make it into today's food chain. Think about that.

I remember the first plastic bag I ever got. I spent the summer of 1982 in Spain. A few days into my trip, I visited a popular Spanish department store and was given one filled with my purchases. I was amazed at how convenient and what a good idea they were. I couldn't imagine that we didn't have such a thing in the US. I mean, my goodness, I thought Chicago had everything.

When I returned home, I handed out gifts to people in the bags. Mom even took one into the grocery store she worked at. Everyone agreed that it would be so much easier to pack groceries into them than the paper bags that all the stores here used.

Apparently America fell in love with the concept of the bags because not too long after the summer of 1982, they started making their way into our society as well. Who knew then that they'd grow into menace they've become?

So...can you add another resolution to your list? We'll all get plastic bags somewhere along the line this year despite our best intentions. But I am going to do my best to avoid them by carrying my own bags every time I go out. And, you can bet that I'll recycle every plastic bag I do get this year. Hope you'll consider doing the same.

Blank!

2011-01-01T18:11:00.000-08:00

It's January 1st and we've all just been handed a blank book with 365 pages. Isn't that exciting? We get to write our story for another new year.

Each page - each day - is ours to make of it whatever we want. We can choose the story. It is ours to create. Sure, stuff happens that we might not like and, unfortunately, send our story in a direction we hadn't anticipated. But, what is important on our page of the day is the way we choose to react to things beyond our control.

So, have you made any resolutions? Have you chosen a new habit to replace one you'd like to change? (That's the key to success, you know.)

I have a few resolutions. One of the most important is to end each page - each day - with a thought that reads "I'm glad I did" instead of "I wish I hadn't".

I'll share my other resolutions over the next several days. But I'll end here by saying...

"I'm glad I posted an entry today. I love writing and it's high time that I make it a priority in my life again." (Oops! Did I just give you another one of my resolutions?)

Happy New Year, everyone. Now, go write a good tale!

Can someone tell me...

2010-07-15T17:37:00.000-07:00

...why a sinus infection leaves you between two worlds. The first one is thinking that you're going to die. The second one is wishing that you would.

Honest to God, I've gone through some pretty tough things in my life, but none of them leaves me whimpering like a sinus infection. So that's where I've been the last 2 days. And, that's where I'm heading tonight. The antibiotics are starting to kick in so hopefully the person kicking my face will stop soon. In the meantime, I'm going to whimper my way to bed.

Back soon.

Weight A Minute!

2010-07-12T16:38:00.000-07:00

One of the things that happened during my absence is that I became scale obsessed again. Had that problem many years ago. I could tell you my weight at just about any minute throughout the day. Knew how much I'd gain if I drank a can of Diet Pepsi, wore a certain outfit, washed me hair, etc.

Guess what? I have NO idea of what I weigh today. I didn't get weighed this morning. Or yesterday morning for that matter. I'll weigh at the end of the week. And I feel free! Just another symptom of my new attitude.

You see, I've learned that the closer I watch my weight, the more I step on the scale, the less happy I am. The scale has made a slow move downward over the past few months. But, my guess is that it will move down even more quickly now that I'm not freaking out over everything that goes into - or out of (TMI!) - my body.

How often do you weigh? Too much for it to be a motivational tool for you? Not enough to be able to celebrate the small victories?

Balance is the key. And it's a fine line. But when you learn to walk that line by yourself, for yourself, things start happening naturally.

My new plan for balance is a weight-a-week program. I'll let you know how it goes.

Hey, y'all!

2010-07-11T16:46:00.000-07:00

I'm ba-a-a-a-ck!

Seems I got lost somewhere over the last few months. But, this weekend, I found myself. And I found my mojo.

Have you ever gotten so deep in the real world that you've lost your way in life. I have. I did. And around noon on Saturday, I decided the hell with it. I turned my car around, drove home, turned on Buffett as loud as my stereo would go and cleared the clutter of life. Figuratively - from my brain. Literally - from my house.

The load is lighter and so is my spirit.

(Speaking of Buffett, he's giving a killer live concert from Gulf Shores right now. On CMT. Really. Turn it on. Find yourself!)

There's so much to cover. Writing. Weight. Oil. The hottest freakin' summer in the history of the planet. But today, it's about fun. And living a light life.

So...are you light? Have you danced today? Have you sung your favorite song out of tune? Why not? I promise you'll feel a thousand times better.

We all take life too seriously. We rush from one place to another. Speeding. Blowing through stop signs like they are meant for everyone else. The joy of the journey is lost.

Of course, there are the times we move too slowly because we are tied to all of our useless stuff. Can't take an impromptu drive to the beach (or the mountains or the local park) because we have to dust or cut the grass or run to the mall for a sale where we can buy more stuff we don't need. Here's an idea (okay, a few ideas) - get rid of some of those knick-knacks that are causing you more work. Or, pay the neighbor kid to cut the grass. Give him a little spending money so that he can start living his life and free up your time so you can get on with living yours. As for the mall...save yourself the trouble. Take the money you were going to spend in order to save 50% and spend it on groceries for the food bank next time you go to the store. You've just saved yourself wasted hours of looking through sale stuff, saved yourself the aggravation of driving, parking, etc, and those groceries will feed an elderly person who might not have eaten because they had to spend their money on medicine. That's a win all the way around. And, it's a light way of living.

In fact, I think it's something to sing about! How 'bout you?

As Jimmy Buffett says "According to my watch, the time is now". Happy life. Y'all!

Lots To Say...

2010-01-27T17:14:00.000-08:00

...but not time to say it tonight. I've been crazy busy. But I've got lots of things to say. Over the next couple days, I'll fill you in on what I've been up to, how much I'm down (the scale is my friend!), Biggest Loser, returning to the working life in a job I LOVE, resolutions, turning another year older and lots of other stuff.

See you soon!

Must-See TV

2009-11-30T18:05:00.000-08:00

Did you see Meet the Natives last night? If not, find it on your TV schedule and watch it. Soon. (It is on the Travel Channel in the US, National Geographic in other countries.)

If you're caught up in the frenzy of holiday shopping...or keeping up with the Joneses...or just looking for an interesting way to spend an hour each week, this is absolute must-see TV.

Here's the premise: Five tribesmen from the South Pacific island of Vanna come to the US for five weeks. They are taken to a ranch in Montana, NYC, Peoria IL, Orange County CA, and Fort Stewart GA & Washington DC. The five men chosen from the tribe are the Chief, Head Dancer, Medicine Man, Happy Man, and the translator. Note that all five could be referred to as the "happy man" because these folks are all happy - and kind and thoughtful and thought-provoking.

To see their excitement at seeing and feeling snow for the first time, their confusion about how someone could be homeless in America, and their joy at celebrating with their American hosts is a definite delight. Their tribal wisdom and view of everyday life is eye-opening.

Watch this show and you will look at your life and your surroundings in a whole new light. Even stepping into a "moving metal box" will make you think as you head up to your chosen floor. And that kid riding the "wood on wheels"...well, it really is a pretty cool thing!

This show takes some concentration as you have to read the subtitles when all but the translator are speaking. But that only makes you more aware of the view you are getting. And, like the "natives" observation of a missing part of American society, it will slow your life down - if only for an hour. You won't be able to multi-task if you really want to "get" this show. And trust me, you should get it. We all should.

Tune in next Sunday. You'll be glad you did.

And The Answer Is...

2009-11-26T17:57:00.000-08:00

Waiting for an answer from someone? On anything? This is a great post to read!

From agents to editors to potential employers, the idea that no response is okay seems to have taken over the country. I don't know when we began accepting such rude and disrespectful behavior - or when folks determined it was okay to be rude and disrespectful - but we have obviously crossed that line...and kept on running.

That noise you apparently don't hear, that's me yelling down the canyon. I will not be ignored...ignored...ignored! Well, at least I won't be beaten down, dissuaded, or not-responded-to into giving up. And don't worry, all the rabbits are safe, too!

I'm Alive...and Well

2009-11-17T15:55:00.000-08:00

Love, love, love Kenny Chesney's and Dave Matthews' new release "I'm Alive". What a FABULOUS song.

And it is the perfect song for me today - November 17. You see, November 17 always surprises me. This morning, I started a new job. After 18 months and 1 week as one of the millions of unemployed workers in this country, imagine my surprise that when I finally found a job (not just any job either, a job I wanted with a great company!) and was given a start date of November 17. On a Tuesday. Not a Monday. A Tuesday. The 17th...of November.

Five years ago today - on November 17th - I suffered a stroke. In fact, 5 years ago at this very moment, I was laying in the critical care unit of the ER. Among other things, my right hand would not move. Here I am, 5 years later, typing with that hand. And, if you didn't know to look for subtle cues, you probably wouldn't be able to tell that I ever had a stroke. Five years ago at this time, I kept thinking "I'm alive!".

Four years ago today - on November 17th - I had emergency surgery. In fact, 4 years ago at this very moment, I was laying in recovery. But, the results came back with good news and two weeks later, I was as good as new. Four years ago at this time, I kept thinking "I'm well!".

You might thing that for the last 3 November 17ths I hid under my covers. Nope. Didn't do that. Instead, I celebrated. If the date fell on a work day, I took it off as a holiday. My personal day of celebration of life. Nothing particularly fabulous happened on those November 17th...but then again, I didn't spend of any of them in a hospital so I was waaaaaay ahead of the game.

Then there's this year. A new job. Another new journey to take. Another celebration!

It's November 17th...and I'm alive...and well!

Two Biggest Losers In The UP-State

2009-11-14T20:00:00.000-08:00

I've said it a hundred times - NO ONE can maintain their weight loss when they lost it by exercising 6 to 8 hours a day. NO ONE is going to keep up that schedule. Not even ex-Biggest Loser contestants. In fact, a couple of them said today that they only work out 60-90 minutes a day since the finale. (Thank goodness!)

Filipe and Sione Fa (season 8 Biggest Loser contestants) were in upstate Carolina for a Fitness Across America program at a local Y. Before heading to the Y, they made a stop past our local NBC station. They did an excellent 2-part interview.

Unfortunately, it was obvious that Filipe had gained some weight. Filipe started at 364 pounds and weighed 229 at the finale. Sione started at 372 and weighed 226 at the finale. When asked today what they weigh, Filipe said he weighs 241. Sione replied that he's in the 240's.

Sione looks like he did at the finale to me (even more fit, in fact!). I would have never guessed that he was up 14+ pounds. (The banter about the amount of weight loss is at the start of part 2 of the interview.)

Whatever they weight, they are certainly to be congratulated for keeping off the majority of the weight they lost. I just hope it doesn't creep back up on them a dozen pounds at a time.

If we're really going to have a "reality" weight-loss show, why not see one where folks have to deal with their daily lives, exercise the amount that is normal and healthy...and then declare the participants who lose weight at a healthy, realistic pace and keep it up to their going THE BIGGEST WINNERS?

Do You Hear What I Hear?

2009-11-14T18:34:00.000-08:00

It's Christmas-time in the city, gang! The two biggest pop-rock stations here in town switched to all Christmas, all the time today. Gotta give 'em credit for being patient this year. They used to do it on November 1st.

Funny thing though, I spent a good part of the day listening to Christmas carols and enjoyed it! Maybe I'm just in a happy mood. Maybe I'm ready for all the fun and positive vibes of a joyful season. Or, maybe I've just had my fill of Taylor Swift songs on the radio and am glad for the break. LOL!

And get this - the first song one station played was "Do You Hear What I Hear?"...one of my three favorite Christmas carols. When it ended, I switched stations to get in on the first notes of "Little Drummer Boy"...another of my favorites. Still haven't heard "Silent Night" (to round out my faves) but I figure by this time tomorrow, I'll have heard it more than a few times.

So...are you ready for the season? Or do you feel like you're being pushed into it? Did you listen to Christmas carols today? If so, hope you heard your favorite.

Happy pre-Holidays!

Change IS Good!

2009-11-12T18:30:00.000-08:00

Heck, sometimes it can even lead to weight-loss and love. Don't believe me? Just take a look at Happy's story!

Losers

2009-11-11T06:57:00.000-08:00

It's taken me all season to figure out who I'm rooting for on this go 'round of Biggest Loser. There were probably more hard-to-like (on TV, anyway) folks offering themselves up for abuse this time than in any other season.

I've decided that either Danny or Allen would be excellent winners...er, losers...er, you know what I mean. Don't get me wrong, I wish them all success. But these guys are the ones who I've come to respect and like.

Did you see last night's show? Now, I've never been a huge fan of Shay's but she absolutely deserved to stay. I was SO hoping for Amanda and Rebbecca to be packing their bags. After Tracey, they were next on my oh-God-get-them-out-of-there list.

On a side note, here I was all braggy yesterday about losing 5% of my weight in 7 weeks. Then last night, a couple of the Losers lost MORE than that in one week! And to add insult to injury, there were a couple more in the 4% range. Of course, I've had a life, eaten healthy and exercised a reasonable amount of time during that period. They, on the other hand, have absolutely abused their body.

And speaking of abuse...did you catch Shay on Jay Leno's show? Didn't you just want to SCREAM when she said the exercises 4 hours a day during the week and 6 to 7 hours a day on the weekend?! What a screwed up life. And, what a way to set yourself up for weight gain in the future.

I definitely have a love/hate relationship with Biggest Loser. It's like a car wreck. You don't want to look but you do. I can hear the wheels screeching every week. I just hope that the resulting crash that they will find themselves in eventually doesn't kill 'em.

(btw - is this the season for hard-to-like folks on TV? Have you seen Next Iron Chef? Need I say more?)

What's The Point?

2009-11-09T16:20:00.000-08:00

Success! That's the point!!

Okay gang, I've done Weight Watchers so many times that I've lost count. The only thing that has ever really worked for me (in the weight-loss world) is Richard Simmon's Deal-A-Meal. You know, those little playing cards with food exchanges on them. See, the beauty of them is that they don't include stuff like, oh, jelly beans.

The first time - or first dozen times - I did WW and cheerfully counted my Points, I had this nifty little book that told me 25 jelly beans was 3 points. And, that better yet, 22 Gummi bears was 3 points. (So what's the deal with 12 Dots = a WHOLE box of Good & Plenty???!!!...3 points, btw, if you're interested.) Seriously. SIX pages of candy and their Points values.

Let's see...I could have 8 oz of cranberry juice (something good for me) or a WHOLE box of Good & Plenty for the same number of Points. Well, needless to say, I chose the Good & Plenty. (A WHOLE freakin' box!!!! Helluva trade off if you ask me.)

SO...seven weeks ago, I decided to join WW...again. BUT, I decided to use the Deal-A-Meal logic. And guess what? In seven short weeks, I've lost 5% of my body weight. In fact, when I weighed yesterday, I blew past the 5% mark. (3.8 pounds last week! Woohoo!!) Now, you don't need to know what 5% translates to on the scale...but, it's a big number.

So what's the point? The point is to do what works. Deal-A-Meal works for me...but I have to be accountable to someone. Translated: I have to pay someone to weigh me. Enter WW.

NO jelly beans or Gummi bears or Good & Plenty for this gal. I'd rather eat the fruit that I can or drink the milk for the same amount of Points. Click. Soooo making a point of successful weight loss again!

Hang with me. 10% isn't very far away!

Universe 1, Tracey 0

2009-11-03T19:12:00.000-08:00

Tracey. Is. Gone! 'Nuff said. (For now anyway.)

BL'ing!

2009-10-27T19:40:00.000-07:00

Yep. It's Tuesday. Which means it's all about Biggest Loser'ing. Can I just say...UGH???!!!!!!

Now, I guarantee you that if I was on the losing team (or the winning team, for that matter!), I'd be the first one raising my hand, waving my arm, and demanding that they ship my tired butt, deaf ears (do Bob and Jillian always have to be yelling?), and sweat-stained self home. But why oh why do we have to endure another week of whiners, nasties and not-so-big-losers while the ones we really like go home?

I know, it makes for better TV to have the despicable ones left on the show. But, really. There's only a couple people left that I hope win. I don't know if I'll keep watching if they get sent home.

Which brings me to another thought about tonight. I really don't like the idea of a one-on-one competition. Too much stress. Wrong motives. Not good for anyone. Probably good for ratings though. (I know you can't see me rolling my eyes right now...but please know that I am.) Team work is good. In fact, excellent. Competing against your own set goals. That's good, too. But when you start thinking of it being you against someone else, it changes the basis for the action. And, it's really easy to get lost in that and end up defeating all the progress you've made for the right reasons.

'While we're talking about good and bad, how would you react to a trainer yelling at you? Would you keep that trainer? Does negativity inspire you to a positive result?

It's not my style. Wasn't when I was a trainer. Wasn't what worked for me when I was a student. Still doesn't work for me - either on the giving or receiving end.

If someone treated me like that - even if they try to convince me it was for my own good - I'd tell them to kiss my shiny, white...ummm, you know. Bling!

Well-Connected...Or Not

2009-10-23T21:40:00.000-07:00

Guess what I'm doing this weekend? I'm turning off my cell phone. ALL weekend.

We spend our lives at so many people's beck-and-call. Remember the days when you could go away all day and not care about who called you? If you had something to do, you could focus on that one thing - do it, enjoy it, complete it, live it without a phone ringing and interrupting your concentration on whatever it was you were or weren't doing!

Well, I'm turning back the clock this weekend. I'm going to un-connect.

What about you? What would your friends - the ones you're with - think if you didn't answer the phone once while you were out with them? Or your family? How cool would it be for your kids if you could have your attention totally uninterrupted? What about your mind? Think it could use a break from all the noise?

Join me in my cell phone free splendor. Even if only for a day. Take back what is yours...your time.

When Eating Out Is GREAT!

2009-10-22T16:34:00.000-07:00

Today in Greenville, SC, several restaurants have participated in "Dine Out for Mom". No, it's not Mother's Day. Nor is it Father's Day. But rest assured that in these parts, it's Family Day.

If you've never heard of "Let There Be Mom", you need to. LTBM is a local organization that helps make memories for kids whose parents have life-threatening illnesses. When a family is selected for LTBM, permanent reminders of the ill parent are made.

Things like a silver medallion/pendant with the parent's fingerprint impressed in it. Mugs and vases with a hand print of the parent interlocking the hand print of the child. Quilts made from the child's and parent's clothing, all sewn together to tell a story that is meaningful to the child and will always be a remembrance of the times shared with the parent should the parent not recover. There are beautiful photo albums and scrapbooks created. In short, the children are given several individually made objects that will forever serve as a tangible reminder of the love of the parent and the times shared.

Let There Be Mom is a wonderful organization doing wonderful things.

I hope they are an inspiration to you. If you have a family in such a crisis in your community, use these folks as an inspiration to do something for the kids. In turn, you'll also be doing something for the well parent. And, you'll also help assure the ill parent that not only will they not be forgotten, they will be thought of and celebrated every day of the child's life.

If you live in this area, it's not too late to have a great meal and help the families, too!

I'm proud of you, Greenville. This is exactly the type of thing that makes our town so special.

Yikes! A Three-Way!!!

2009-10-21T18:02:00.000-07:00

O-M-G! Here I was, feeling pretty good about my recent steady weight loss. And what happens? I walked into a dressing room this afternoon...straight into view of a three-way mirror.

Today was officially the last time I wore my old favorite jeans. Yikes! They looked horrible! Part of the problem was that they have become a bit too big in the tush area. In fact, I've had to roll them up one hem-length because they started dragging on the ground. (Apparently Zumba is good for the butt!)

But the even bigger problem was that they looked dirty and were just not at all flattering. I've seen Stacey & Clinton point to women's washed-out, light blue colored jeans dozens and dozens of times and very clearly identify almost identical jeans to the ones I used to have as what not to wear. I've poo-poo'ed their comments, figuring that they must have stock in dark-wash jeans somewhere.

Well...holy-faded-looking-most-unflattering cow! They are absolutely right!! Those jeans hit the rag bag as soon as I walked through my bedroom door.

Maybe I'll pay a bit more attention to what they have to say this week. (Of course, that means that I can't ditch the cable just yet! As Gilda Radner so famously observed, it's always something!!)

Here's a challenge for you - grab your favorite outfit and make a visit to a local store. Have your own three-way moment of enlightenment. If you like what you see, EXCELLENT! If you don't, get rid of the offending outfit. You'll thank me later.

Stranger In A Familiar Land

2009-10-20T19:38:00.000-07:00

Being a stranger in a strange land is not nearly as disconcerting as being a stranger in a familiar land. Just as the Black Team on this week's Biggest Loser.

They went home for a week. The only problem (and the great thing) was that they were not the same people who had left home 6 weeks earlier. For the most part, their friends and family were. So, trips out to restaurants, family picnics, etc brought with them a certain set of familiar expectations that were no longer true for the Biggest Losers.

I remember this feeling. When I'd lost weight and saw friends for the first time in a long time (and it seems that those gatherings were almost always at a restaurant, btw), they'd often order appetizers for the table or finish the meal with the community dessert. Fine by me. Eat all you want. But, I'd choose not to eat the "treat".

"Aw, c'mon. You haven't had it in so long. Just this once won't hurt."

"No one gets fat eating one Buffalo wing. Try one. They're really good." (For the record, I've never eaten just one wing. Wings are meant to be eaten by the half-dozens...aren't they?)

"It's not going to hurt you to skip the workout and go with us to the mall."

No one says these things with any malice. (Although I gotta tell you, when Tracey said tonight that she hoped the members of the Black Team had eaten lots of cake when they were home, I was really hoping for the Universe to take care of her tonight. But, looks like we'll have to wait at least another week for that to happen.) They are just doing and saying and thinking what they've always done and said and thought. They haven't changed! The person who has lost the weight is the one who has changed.

The trick is to not let anything (a wing or a cupcake) or anyone (even the best-meaning family and friends) change you to something you don't want to be. Again.

Hang tough and before long the "new you" will be the familiar person in the familiar land. What folks will eventually deem strange is when you grab that chip and swipe it through the cheese dip!

Attitude is Everything!

2009-10-19T19:26:00.000-07:00

This was one of those days that could drive a gal to ice cream or pizza or onion rings...or all of the above. In the past, that's where you might have found me today. But, despite some disappointment, I stuck to my plan, ate what I knew was healthy and would lead me down the path to my ultimate goals, and didn't give in to eating myself (temporarily) happy.

Now that the day has progressed and I'm further away from the disappointment, I am happy. I am proud of myself for sticking to my guns and doing the right thing for me. I know that things work out the way they should in the Universe so today's disappointment only means that greater things lay ahead.

Right now, I'm definitely celebrating what I do have and not spending another minute mourning what I don't! I hope all of you are celebrating your life too!!

A Sunday According To John

2009-10-18T17:34:00.000-07:00

Raise your hands...how many of you know John Prine's song Spanish Pipedream? Yeah? Good, then you'll know what I'm talking about. No? Well, all you need to know to understand this topic is the first 4 words of the chorus.

Blow up your TV

Okay, I have to admit that I didn't actually blow it up. But, I turned it off. I've had enough of reality. I've had enough of fake (ie. Balloon Boy). I've had enough sports and news and pundits and...well, I've had enough TV.

I've been trying to decide if I should give up cable. I'm just not sure that I can suffer Food Network withdrawal. And, more and more, I'm finding that I'm turning to the cable channels that run the reruns of old shows. Like MASH and Andy Griffith. So, I've not convinced myself to cut the chord just yet.

But, I sure have enjoyed a day of peace. By peace, I don't necessarily mean quiet. I've played all my favorite music. And I danced around the house while doing things that I probably wouldn't have gotten done if I'd gotten sucked into some crumby TV show that I didn't care about but couldn't turn off.

The other thing I've done today is go through my inbox and unsubscribe to about 2 dozen emails, newsletters, etc. All they were doing was stressing me because when I didn't take the time to read them, I'd feel like I was leaving something unfinished. The next day, there be another email update. I was falling farther and farther behind. So, today I unsubbed and deleted all the unread things that obviously weren't that important to my every day (or every week) existence. Phew! Load off my electronic mind!!

So tell me, if you've cut the cable, how long did the withdrawal last? Are you glad you did it or are you considering cabling up again?

I'm definitely going to Turn off the TV on a regular basis going forward. And who knows, one day maybe I will Blow up the TV as John suggests...or at least donate it to a reality-, fake-, sports-, news-, pundit-needy home.

That's NOT How I Roll!

2009-10-17T10:15:00.000-07:00

Okay - this might tick some folks off but hear me out. (Please.)

I had to go to the store this morning to pick up a few things. Now, I do my best to avoid grocery stores on Saturday morning. And, I especially make a point to avoid WalMart on any weekend day. But, I found myself having to get a few things. And, against my better judgement, I headed to WalMart to get them.

I had made it to the second aisle when my cart got front-ended...by a person on an electric scooter throwing it into reverse without so much as a glance. Within 5 minutes, I counted 7 - SEVEN - motorized scooters on the grocery side of the store. Every one of them was a WalMart-provided scooter. And in every case, the person riding them was obese.

Now, before you think that I'm another person hating on fat people, understand that I am overweight. I've got another 80 pounds to lose. At one time, I had lost over 140 pounds. But, I wasn't smart enough to keep the weight off. Now, I'm on that journey down the scale again. I've worked with overweight/obese people. I fully understand their situation. Perhaps better than most of the people they will encounter throughout their lives.

However, I also fully understand that riding around a grocery store on a motorized scooter is not doing anything to improve their situation! IF you truly need a scooter for any reason other than you weigh too much and that makes it tiring for you to get around a store, you will own your own scooter! You will need it all the time. Not just when a store provides it to you. There are many, many, many legitimate reasons for using a scooter/wheelchair. Being fat is not one of them.

"But my knees..." Yeah, well let me tell you about knees. I had knee surgery for a torn cartilage. I was 100+ pounds overweight. AND, I was taking a medicine that was causing problems with my legs. I could barely get around. The pain was unbelievable. But I never used a scooter. I'd go to the store and walk as much as I could while leaning on a grocery cart. When I couldn't go any further, I'd sit down and then either continue shopping or pay and head home. Every day, I could walk a little farther. And each time I did, I'd feel so good about myself that the strength of my spirit added to the strength of my legs.

"But my back..." Yeah, well in order to make your back stronger, you need to make your legs and abdominal muscles stronger. Riding around on a scooter accomplishes neither of the things that will improve your mobility.

"But I get out of breath..." Yeah, well the only thing that is going to improve your lung capacity and ease your breathing is if you get up and move. I'm not saying you need to run a race through the store. (However, some of you drive the scooters like there's a prize at the end!) But walk at a steady pace using a cart for additional support. Increase the amount of time/distance you walk on every trip.

"But I get so tired..." Yeah, and how are you increasing your endurance by not pushing yourself to do something? You know why the muscles shrink while in a cast? It's because they are protected and not used. If you are riding a scooter and not at least trying to walk, your fat is acting like a cast on your muscles. You'll never get stronger or be more able to carry your weight if you don't start doing it!

"But..." But = BUTT. There's the equation for the day, folks.

Again, if you need a scooter and have one prescribed to you by a doctor, I'm not talking to you. But if you think you need one and that WalMart is providing the scooter to you (as opposed to providing them for injured folks or elderly folks who need a scooter but, I'm sure, have trouble finding them available), I'm talking to you.

Get up, get moving. You'll gain pride and strength every time you do. And along the way, I bet you even lose some weight.

So, how do you CHOOSE to roll? Remember, it's a choice of a lifetime. It will, in the end, define who you are and what you can do.

I choose to roll on the power of my own two feet...not that of an electric scooter.

Persistent, Consistent, and Diligent

2009-10-16T15:58:00.000-07:00

Another month, another Activate Upstate weigh-in. My parents and I all participate in the program. And, according to the official weigher at the Life Center where we weigh in, we are the only three folks who still weigh in every month. The dozens and dozens of others who started at our weigh-in station have all dropped off the edge of the scale.

The lady said she knew we would show up today. She said we are very persistent, consistent, and diligent in our efforts. That's the nicest thing anybody said to me this week.

Once I make up my mind to something - really make up my mind - I am indeed persistent, consistent, and diligent! And, I reach my goal. Always.

I made up my mind to lose the rest of my extra pounds three weeks ago. Since then, I've lost 14 pounds. And, nothing is going to stop me from losing all of it! (Compare that to the BetterU program where I intended to lose 25 pounds over 12 weeks. I only lost 17 pounds during those 12 weeks. See, I had the intention of doing it. I just didn't commit 100% to actually doing it!)

The only way to reach a goal is through persistence, consistency, and diligence.

I have 3 main goals right now...lose all of this weight, find a freakin' job and get my books published. Hang tight folks, the job and books will happen before I reach my goal weight. But, all of those goals will be reached sooner rather than later.

Onward and upward...except for the scale, that will continue heading downward.

Fat Taxing

2009-10-15T17:29:00.000-07:00

I just heard a TV commentator talk about the new "should fat people pay more for insurance?" debate as a "fat tax". That was a new take on it. I thought the fat tax was on sugared drinks. No?

I'll tell ya something that is fat-beyond-fat and should be taxed. Actually, two somethings. Have you seen the ads for the burger value meal that includes a taco? Ay carumba! Are you kidding me? Let's see...I'll have a super-sized burger, give me the largest order of fries ya got, a 64 oz soda...and oh yeah, throw in a taco. In my family, we refer to Jack-in-the-Box as the "big-headed guy's". Maybe we've got the wrong end tagged as big!

So - not in the mood for a taco with your burger? That's okay. Drive a few yards down and grab yourself a humungo burger...topped with shaved roast beef! Have you ever heard of a more nauseating idea? Heck, I could handle a taco on the side long before I could handle roast beef on top of my burger!

I wonder what the folks in the brainstorming sessions are thinking when they come up with these ideas. Do you suppose some guy is checking his stock in Slim-Fast and Jenny Craig and trying to figure out how to make more money?

And just as confusing, what are people thinking that actually order these meals? I can see someone buying big-headed guy's combo and dividing it up between three kids. But, my guess is that that's not how most of the burger-taco-fry-gallon-o-soda meals sold are eaten.

No wonder fat is taxing our hearts and knees and every other body part. Lunch for three has become a lunch-for-one option in today's world.

I'm not even going to get into the insurance debate. Yet.

Lighten Up!

2009-10-14T15:12:00.000-07:00

I feel soooo gooooood! Tomorrow is "shred day". I love shred day. You see, a couple times a year, the local Chamber of Commerce brings in this big shredding truck - and they shred all the crap that I've got sitting on top of my shredder!

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I could actually use my little shredder for something other than a crap-that-needs-shredding holder. But that takes time and makes a huge mess on the floor around the shredder. It's much easier and cleaner to just toss it all in paper bags and then toss it in the big shredder.

I've been doing a lot of lightening of the load lately. I think it's inspired by all those TV shows. You know, Clean House, Hoarders, Oprah. Now I don't have nearly the stuff that those folks do. Not even close. Not even close to being close. But, every time I see one of those shows (and they seem to always be on!), I absolutely have to clean up an area in my house even if it's only a small drawer. I am quickly making work of becoming a neat-nik!

What about you? Got a bunch of cancelled checks from 1987 sitting around the house? (Yeah? Well, I won't after tomorrow!) Or a closet full of perfectly good clothes that you never wear - and probably never will? (Got rid of those three weeks ago!) Well, call your local Chamber of Commerce or Better Business Bureau. Ask them when the next shred day is and get your papers together! And those clothes...call the local women's shelter or Department of Social Services. The DSS office will let you know when they have their women's education classes wrapping up - the participants can use those good clothes for interviews!

If it's just sitting around your house taking up space, pass it along to someone who can truly benefit from it. It will not only lighten your load, it will lighten your heart and your spirit.

Go forth and shred! (And donate!!)

If It's Tuesday...

2009-10-13T19:24:00.000-07:00

...it must be BIGGEST LOSER.

Ugh! Coach Mo - there is no honor in falling on the sword. Especially for such a negative force. (In case you don't know who I'm referring to, it's Tracey. If you don't know her, you're better off in life!) The one truth is that the universe takes care of itself. I can't wait to see it happen in her case. (Yeah, it's so much more fun to be around to see it - or at least have a good friend report it to you...but that's another story for another day. LOL.) Let me restate my thoughts about tonight's show...UGH!

But, that's not what I want to talk about today. I want to tell you a BIGGEST LOSER story that had me up in arms for days this summer. There is a BL couple here in these parts. I went to a local event several weeks ago where these folks were part of the entertainment. The guy was absolutely hysterical. I didn't expect to like him but he turned out to be a hoot! The gal...well, she was very nice but also looked beaten down. It was all over her face.

After their gig, they were at a booth. I wanted to talk to them, compare notes from my time in the weight-loss spotlight. Then it happened.

They had a manager or handler with them. Well, it was about 1:30 - they had a noon show. So, when I got to the booth, the gal was eating a sandwich. One she'd brought from home. It didn't have much on it. BUT, the manager/handler/BIGGEST JERK leaned over and whispered something to her. I heard it but couldn't believe it. The gal turned to her husband and said "I need to go eat this somewhere else. BIGGEST JERK says it doesn't look good for me to eat in public." Yep, I'd heard correctly.

OH HELL NO! I spoke up. Pointed out that we all eat and that it was actually a good thing for the public to see this gal eating a healthy lunch. BIGGEST JERK shot me a hateful look and pulled the gal away.

I was livid. You see, I lived this many years ago. After I'd lost weight and become a public figure, every one thought they should tell me what I should or shouldn't eat in public. Strangers who'd seen me in the paper or on TV would approach my dinner table at a restaurant and suggest what I was eating wasn't the best choice or ask if Richard Simmons knew that I was eating out or what I was eating.

After allowing all that type of crap to drive me into exercise bulimia, I went the opposite way and gained weight. I started hiding what I was eating and after maintaining the weight-loss for five or six years, finally gave up the fight.

So, BIGGEST JERK, if this gal struggles more than usual after losing the weight, I hope you take the credit that you so rightly deserve. You've got no idea what you are doing or saying. You are so superficial and so uneducated in the "handling" of weight-loss success stories that you are dangerous.

Now, if you want to devote some attention to Tracey from this season, I think you'd make a perfect team! But, leave the good folks alone! Look over your shoulder, BJ, the universe is approaching.

Catching Up

2009-10-12T15:06:00.000-07:00

Hey gang,

Thanks for all the emails in my absence. Sorry for the delay in posting. Before I get back into the regular swing of things, thought I'd take this opportunity to catch up.

First of all...congrats to everyone on the BetterU path to health! My final number was -17 pounds. Not the 25 that I had hoped for. But given this summer, I'm pretty darn happy with the total! Hope everyone is continuing their healthy changes even though the program is over.

Next, two thoughts for everyone to take to heart:

If you have a cat and you know it bites, keep the damn thing in your house! As a second suggestion along these lines...if you have a cat, make sure you get all of its shots! Preferably, BEFORE it bites someone, please. (I guess the same would apply for dogs as well...but since I didn't have a run-in in my own garage with a dog, I'll leave the comments directed at cats/cat owners right now.)
If you're driving down the road and all of the traffic ahead of you is stopped, it would be appropriate for you to stop, too! And when I say stop, I mean using your brakes - not the back end of the car ahead of you (or more specifically, not the back end of the car I'm driving).

So, I guess that's my summer in a nutshell. Thank goodness autumn is here! LOL! How are you doing?

UP IN THE AIR

2009-08-29T18:18:00.000-07:00

Hey, gang, the Space Shuttle is up again and there are lots of good opportunities to see the Shuttle and the International Space Station between now and September 10. NASA's viewing schedule is updated. Viewing schedule.

Let me know if you see it. You can bet that I'll be out looking!

Zipping Along

2009-07-25T18:21:00.000-07:00

The International Space Station and the Shuttle, that is. Have you seen it? It's highly visible from now until Wednesday.

Here's a link to the NASA site that will let you choose your state and city so you can see when and where to look: ISS/Shuttle tracking.

It really moves across the sky. It's a bright white ball of light. You'll know it when you see it because it moves faster than anything you've seen crossing the sky. Go out and take a peek! You'll be glad you did.

Lips, Hips, & Trips

2009-06-22T16:37:00.000-07:00

Hey, Gang!

For those considering lip injections, FORGET IT! I've got a much cheaper plan for you. You know those yummy, low-cal slush puppies you can buy at your local drug store? The flavored water sticks that you pop in the freezer and they never freeze all the way, but instead just get to the point where they are loosely frozen (as opposed to ice-cube frozen) and are the perfect treat to cool down on these hot, hot days? Get some of those. Then, rather than running just a bit of cool water from the tap over the end you're going to eat them from, just plant your lips right onto the plastic tube. Yee-ouch! I did it three days ago and my lips are still swollen from where I totally ripped all the skin on the inside of my lips off.

I've never had lip injections but I've seen them done on TV quite a few times. They look incredibly painful - and I know they are expensive. So, here's an equally painful way to achieve the same look for a lot less money. LOL! (I do have to say that the slush puppies are a great 50-calorie, cooling treat. And I've especially enjoyed the Wyler's ones these last couple weeks. Just be sure to warm up the end where you're going to be putting your lips!! You'll thank me later.)

Now about my hips...I think they've gone down! My favorite capris are too big!! I only lost 1 1/2 pounds this week but I'm sure I've lost inches. (Too hot and lazy to measure today.) I love the hula hoop (see earlier post). It's the best waist-whittler around. Does wonders for the hips and thighs, too.

As some of you know, I am still looking for a job. I've actually had some interest shown this past week. So, I did the responsible thing and cancelled my trip - the 10-day cruise that I had booked for February. It was to be my first "real" vacation since I got laid off last May (2008!). BUT, I'd rather have a job. And, I do have a short trip to the beach scheduled for later this year - and a big family trip to Alaska scheduled for later in 2010. Now, I'll just enjoy that Alaska trip that much more! (Cross your fingers everyone, I really want to work for the company that I have an interview with at the end of this week.)

So this past week has been all about lips, hips, and trips. This week is all about the job! And, hopefully, my lips and hips will both be smaller as the week progresses. The trips...well, they just get bigger and brighter...kinda like everything else in my life. Life is good!

BetterU goals for this week:

Maintain all my previous goals.
Lighten the load by cleaning out the cabinets in my house - yes, ALL of them!
Take my water dumbbells to the pool EVERY day that I go to the pool this week.

Reward:

I'm going to change my sheets one extra time each week. I LOVE the feel of fresh, clean sheets when I crawl into bed at the end of the day. I could just lay there and make bed angels on them! So, I'm going to treat myself to that wonderful feeling an extra time each week. (I know, more laundry...but soooo worth it!)

How is the rest of the posse doing? And, what are you doing? Whatever it is, give it all you got and be proud of the progress you've made already. At the end of this week, new habits will be established because we will have made it through the four weeks that it takes to cement them in our brains. Yeah for us! (Now go out and get a hula hoop.)

BetterU - Another Monday

2009-06-15T17:24:00.000-07:00

Hey gang! How's it going?

I'm down another two pounds this week. Lots more to go but at least I'm seeing consistent progress so far.

Goals for this week:

Buy a pedometer...and use it
Eat 1 more serving of fruit per day
Go to bed by no later than 11 pm!
Maintain the first and second week goals

For a reward this week, I'm going to get a book I want. Speaking of rewards, I've replaced the first week reward of real flowers with a beautiful flowered dress that I bought...and it was one size smaller than I usually wear! The real flowers will adorn the front of my house sooner or later. But for now, I'm more than happy with my pretty new dress. (I'll post a pic of it soon.)

Anyone taking the challenge I issued a few days ago? If you can't make it a full day, try it just before lunch - or after.

Good luck to everyone in Week 3 of BetterU! Hang in there, we're at the toughest point right now. Another week or so and this will all be old hat!

BetterU - A Challenge

2009-06-11T17:08:00.000-07:00

WARNING - there may be some indelicacies in what you read below!

Okay gang, we're eleven days into a Better Us. Now is about the time that folks start to lose interest, best intentions start to wane, and cookies find their way into the house. BUT just think, you are 1/3 of the way to developing solid, new habits! They say that if you do something for a month, it will become a habit. So hang on for another 2 1/2 weeks and you'll be golden!!

But those darn cookies... I'm going to issue you a challenge that will have you reaching the other way. We all have our reasons for joining BetterU. Somewhere along your list, I'm sure, is to get and/or stay healthy. But what does that really mean? Time to make it real.

Take 24 hours and imagine you had a stroke. Whatever hand you are, use the other hand - and only the other hand - for 24 hours. Do everything that you would normally have to do during a "normal" day. And YES (here it comes - indelicacy alert), you have to wipe with the other hand. This is not as easy as you think!

Shower/bathe using only one hand. Dry off with only one hand. Eat with only one hand. Clean with only one hand. AND REMEMBER that hand has to be your weaker hand.

What about your feet, you ask? Well, one leg/foot is probably going to be weak after your one-day stroke. So when you stand, make sure that you try to balance most of your weight on the "other" leg. (The leg affected will be the leg of the hand you are not using.)

OMG! You are sooo going to want to complain about how hard this new way of functioning is. Too bad your brain is working but your mouth isn't! Limit your talking on "stroke day". Of course you won't want to add a fake slur or someone is liable to call EMS for you! So, just limit what you say for the day. You will be amazed at how much you hear. Experience the frustration of not being able to respond.

So, there's your challenge. IF you can't do all these things but you're willing to try one of them, then (indelicacy!) spend the day wiping with your opposite hand. I think you'll be surprised at the level of frustration you will achieve with just that task.

At the end of your stroke day, you will better appreciate the "better health" you are trying to achieve. After all, you could spend a couple weeks- or your life - HAVING to do the things I mentioned.

If you are up for this challenge within the BetterU challenge and participate, please post your thoughts.

**And PLEASE be careful! Use plastic glasses, butter knives, etc. Do not injure yourself in this challenge. If this were real life, you'd quickly learn that plastic and dull are your new best friends. And, you'd learn that you have to ask for help. So, if there is something you can't do with your other hand, ask for help. Experience what that feels like, too.

I'll wait a few days and post my thoughts on my REAL experience with these challenges.

Good luck. And keep up the good work! You are doing this for reasons you may not even fully comprehend!

BetterU - Week Two

2009-06-08T11:57:00.000-07:00

Week two - already?! Time flies when your arms and legs hurt like...well, like you couldn't find the one- or two-pound weights so you used three-pound weights all week. Yeee-ouch!

So, I kinda look like Quasimodo today. My right shoulder is about and inch and a half higher than my left shoulder because the muscles in my shoulder blade seem to be spasming. The good thing is that with my face naturally wanting to look down right now due to my shoulder...ummm, situation, I could clearly see the scale without any effort. (If only I could say the same about laying down in bed!) And what did the scale say????? It said that I lost three point two pounds! That's 3.2!!! That's heavier than the dang weights I've been lifting this past week. And, I can tell you without any doubt, that is a lot of weight! In fact, it's more than I can lift today. LOL!

I also managed to meet all my goals! So, I'm going shopping for plants for my front porch. I'll post a picture when they are potted and positioned. And, I've added another reward for myself...I'm going to get some one-pound hand weights - which will guarantee that I find my old ones immediately thereafter. ;)

I guess it's time to up the ante on this trail ride. Here are my goals for this week:

Maintain all the goals from week one. (Sorry, I can't cut back any further on the pop this week.
Add in three days of using the dusty Gazelle in my back bedroom. (I'll dust it first. In fact, that will be my goal for today.) Since ten minutes of brisk walking was a BetterU point this week, I'll make that my Gazelle goal. Ten minutes, three times this week.
I'm also going to add one more vegetable per day into my diet. This is a tricky one for me because I have to limit my vegetable eating due to suffering from a paralyzed stomach. So, I will also be adding in a probiotic (Flora Q) every morning to aid with the digestion.

Rewards...hmmmm. I have some pictures from my last trip to Hawaii that I really want to frame and hang. That will be my reward for my success this week. By the end of this twelve weeks, I might have all my household projects done!

How are you doing? What rewards are you going to give yourself this week? No matter what you choose, CONGRATULATIONS on making it through week one! And, BEST WISHES for success in week two!!

BetterU - The 25-pound Reward

2009-06-02T09:51:00.000-07:00

I figured it out! I've been fretting over my reward for reaching my 25-pound goal by the end of the 12-week BetterU program.

I'm going to get a Wii AND the Wii Fitness game AND the new Wii Active! I've wanted the Wii and Wii Fitness for months but have not been willing to spend the money (being laid off is NO fun!). Well, I'm going to get the whole shebang when I reach my 12-week goal! That's a reward that will help me make it to my final goal. Win-win...wiiiiiiii!

BetterU - Week One...Day One

2009-06-01T11:37:00.000-07:00

Yippee-ai-ay! Saddle up posse members...were heading out, and the scale is heading down!

Time to set specific goals for this week.

Exercise at least five times. I'll do Sweatin' to the Oldies 3 and will go to the pool for some water exercise. AND, I'll use my two-pound dumbbells for a good arm workout at least three days this week.
Replace my normal-less-than-healthy evening snack with watermelon. I've already cut one up and it smells soooo good!
Limit myself to only two cans of Diet Pepsi a day. This will be the hardest goal by far! My name is Charmi and I'm a pop-aholic!

I've already rewarded myself with a pre-program treat. I bought a pretty, summertime glass at Target. If I'm going to give up the pretty Diet Pepsi cans, I need to drink my water out of a pretty glass!

My reward at the end of the week when I meet all my goals - I'm going to buy myself flowers! Not a bouquet but summer plants for a pot next to my front door. Then every time I come home, I'll be reminded of my success. And, when I have to water them, I'll be reminded to drink some water myself.

So what about you? What are your goals? And your rewards? Let me know.

Better U? Better Me!!!

2009-05-31T19:14:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is game day. The American Heart Association has a new 12-week challenge called BetterU. It starts tomorrow. Here's how the AHA describes the program:

Go Red BetterU is a FREE 12-week online nutrition and fitness program that can makeover your heart. Each week will focus on a different area and provide step-by-step guidance. You'll receive everything from daily expert tips, an online journal, and a downloadable BetterMe coaching tool. Get started.

Get started! That's the plan.

Why am I doing this? Well, other than the fact that I can't pass up a challenge, I've been a member of the American Heart Association advocacy network for four and a half years. They, along with the American Stroke Association provided wonderful information to me - free of charge! - after I suffered my stroke in November, 2004. I've written dozens of letters to my state and federal Representatives and Senators advocating the passage of countless bills that will help make you and me healthier - and will strengthen the services available to all of us if and when (God forbid!) we have a heart or brain attack.

But the biggest reason I'm taking the BetterU challenge is that I need to be heart-healthier. I need to lose weight. And, it's SO much more fun when there's a group involved.

I can't think of a more fun group than the one I'm in with this challenge. I'm part of Joshilyn Jackson's posse. You know Joshilyn - she wrote those fabulous books gods in Alabama, Between, Georgia, and The Girl Who Stopped Swimming. (If for some reason you haven't read these books, go get them. Now!) Joshilyn is a blogger - er, international spokesmodel - for the AHA BetterU program. And, if you've read her blog (Faster Than Kudzu), you know she's going to make a great, funny leader of the posse. (If you haven't read her blog, do it. Now. But come back here!)

Twelve weeks. Eighty-four days. Two hundred and fifty-two meals. One hundred and sixty-eight snacks. Sixty workouts (I'm committing to five a week - but will try to get in at least thirty minutes of exercise the other two days, too.)

So, what are my goals? I'm going to lose at least twenty-five pounds. My waist measurement will decrease. My fitness test numbers will double ( timed push-ups, sit-ups, holding plank, measured run/walk...the run/walk will decrease by at least 1/3).

I have some other goals, too. I'll talk about those over the next several weeks in my Better Me blogs.

In twelve weeks, I'm definitely going to be a Better Me! What about you? Will you be a Better U? C'mon, join the party! You'll thank yourself later.

The Dress I Wore on Oprah

2009-04-25T17:57:00.000-07:00

Several years and several pounds ago, I was on Oprah. YES - that Oprah. I was on the show to talk about losing weight. She and I were both thin at the time. (Oh for the good ol' days.)

Fast forward to now...both of us are trying to lose weight again. Well, I decided in addition to trying to get rid of the junk in my trunk, it was time to get rid of the junk in my closet. I've held on to that Oprah dress all this time. For several years, the dress fit. For the past decade, it hasn't. But it's the Oprah dress! And, it was hanging there right next to the Jenny Jones pantsuit, the Sally Jessy Raphael workout wear and after-show celebration outfit, the Home Show dresses, the Faith Daniels dress, the Jane Whitney little - and I mean little! - black skirt, lace top, and bright blazer...then there were the two buckets of clothes from other shows, speeches, appearances, etc that all held a special meaning. All of them taking up a full closet.

My neighborhood garage sale couldn't have been more appropriately timed - Earth Day week. Time to go green and pass along all these beautiful clothes to someone else. So, I got them out, put a ridiculously small price on all of them, and hung them up on a rack in the garage. I got out a bunch of other stuff that was going unused in my house and hung out the sale sign.

All was good!

Until the first person picked up the Oprah dress. I whimpered. Oh. My. God! Someone was looking at the dress. I thought I was going to puke. What if they bought it and I didn't have it any longer?! It was the Oprah dress! I whimpered again.

The lady looked at me and asked if I was okay. "Yeah." I choked the answer out. Then I blurted it out. "I wore that dress on Oprah." What the hell was I thinking? If she didn't want it before, she certainly did now! Who wouldn't want an Oprah dress?!!!!! Stupid!

Before I knew it, I was holding court. Everyone wanted the Oprah dress. And at $5.00, who wouldn't? There was only one problem, it was TOO SMALL for everyone. So, no one would buy it.

We went through all the TV clothes. After Oprah, the Faith Daniels dress was the most popular. (There is a helluva story about that one. Wait until you see that in my memoir!) No one could wear any of them. All of the clothes were too small! I was stunned into silence. But, everyone quickly moved to my bigger clothes and bought several pieces. They all wanted something from the "girl who had been on Oprah".

Towards the end of the day, a skinny, skinny lady walked down the driveway. She headed straight for the rack with the Oprah dress. It was the first dress she held out. She smiled and said, "This is such a pretty dress. I wish it was bigger so it would fit me." ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I could not believe that it was too small for her but darned if it wasn't. I think that was the first time that I truly understood exactly how thin I had been.

So, when all was said and done, the Oprah dress ended up back in the closet at least for tonight. Lord knows I'll never get into it again. I suppose I could use it as a scarf but that's as close as I'd ever get to getting it on my body in any fashion in the future.

Next weekend is the annual neighborhood sale in my parents' subdivision. I think I'll give it a go and see if there are any shoppers with eating disorders on their side of town. If not, the clothes will be packed up for charity. Somewhere there's a hungry person who might be able to wear them.

The Ultimate

2009-04-09T15:59:00.000-07:00

I love seeing my name in print. It's the ultimate! And this time, it's literally THE ULTIMATE - THE ULTIMATE TEACHER.

We've all had good teachers. And, we've all had bad teachers. Some of us have been lucky enough to have had teachers who have changed our lives. I had a teacher like that - Mr. Everson, my seventh grade geography teacher. As the title of my essay says, he meant the world to me.

I grew up in a factory town in Illinois. Dad worked in the factory, Mom worked in the grocery store. It was a beautiful little town - a river divided the town between East and West. Those of us on the East Side were the factory kids. Those on the West Side were the doctor and lawyer kids. There was always a rivalry between the two sides of the river. Those of us on the East Side all passed through Mr. Everson's classroom. We were the winners in Aurora.

You see, we might not have been the richest kids in town but Mr. Everson gave us the world every day in his classroom. He taught us about places we could only dream of visiting - the places the kids on the other side of the river went to without a second though, without appreciating.

He inspired us to learn all we could about our city, our state, our country, our continent, and ultimately, our world. He had been so many places and done so many things. He made us believe that we could go to those places and do those things, too!

He's not the only hero in my story. My Mom and Dad made sure that the dreams he planted grew into real experiences. When I'd come home with a sparkle in my eyes, all excited about somewhere we'd talked about in class, we'd add it to our travel itinerary for the future. We've visited many of those places he taught about so many years ago. And, we continue to travel as a family at least once a year still, working on that list.

What teacher made a difference in your life? Have you ever thanked them? It's not too late! I wrote Mr. E a letter a few years ago. We've been in touch ever since, sharing postcards from our travels. It was one of the best things I've ever written. It has certainly provided a lot of fun and interesting correspondence over the last few years!

National Teacher Appreciation Day is May 5th. Drop your favorite teacher a note and thank them for what they meant to you all those years ago. Maybe you'll even want to send them a copy of The Ultimate Teacher.

A Word About Words

2009-03-31T15:53:00.000-07:00

As a writer, I understand the importance of words. As a reader, you do too. A friend of mine wrote an excellent blog post about words - or at least about one word - today. Follow this link and give it some thought.

Words are very powerful. So is Anne's writing.

Dripping With Virtue

2009-03-30T18:19:00.000-07:00

Patience. I have it and that is a good thing. But if, as the old saying goes, it is a virtue, I must be the most virtuous woman in all of South Carolina. In fact, it is pouring from my body...or at least from my eyes every night when I go to bed - because that's the only time I let myself cry from the frustration of it all.

I've not blogged in a while because I was waiting for this rant to pass. You know, trying to be patient. But since the rant doesn't seem to be passing - well, here goes!

I'm tired of waiting. Hear that world? I'm used to making things happen in my life but I'll be damned if I know what to do to make things happen right now. I'm waiting to hear from potential employers. I'm waiting to hear from agents about my manuscript. Hell, I'm even waiting to hear from the mechanic about my car today.

"Be patient." That's what everyone says.

Well, I have been patient. I've waited. AND WAITED. Politely.

I've filled out your applications down the smallest details. I've dug through drawers to find my high school diploma. You know, the one from 1982 because you had to have a copy of it for some reason still lost on me. I've stayed up until 2:00 a.m. answering the 275-question questionnaire that you sent me at 9:30 p.m. and wanted returned by the start of business the next day. I've stood in line for hours with 10,000 others at a career fair to hear you promise you'd call. (Did the red star really mean don't call?)

And what have you done? NOTHING. You've not even acknowledged the receipt of the documents. If I've managed to get through to HR through the mistake of some kind receptionist, you won't confirm whether or not the position has been filled. I'm waiting for your call to set up an interview. Or an email or letter telling me that the position is filled so I can give up hope and move on. I AM the person you are looking for. Call me. You'll see. You already know I'm patient. And, if you'd answer your phone the one time I call for a follow-up, you'd know I'm STILL interested.

I'm doing my part to be polite and professional in the job search. How 'bout you do the same? I'm sure you're overwhelmed with applicants. Lucky you! It must be nice to be busy at work. Try being on the other side. Try wondering what you're going to do when the unemployment benefits stop or your COBRA runs out. Try being patient when you've applied for a hundred jobs and no one shows you the common courtesy of responding to your inquiry for employment. One in nine people in our state are experiencing the same thing. You might be next. Do unto others because it might be you having to be patient tomorrow and the next week...and the next month!

And about those manuscripts...thanks to the agents who communicate, who acknowledge receipt of the query and requested materials. You will never know how much of a real difference that makes to a writer. You make it much easier to be patient in a career that includes waiting as part of the job description. You rock!

So tonight I'll go to bed and patience will reach my eyes again, because today I applied for a job and was told not to expect to hear anything until April 20th "at the earliest - be patient". And, my inbox didn't contain any email from any other employers...or agents. And, my mechanic just called and said he needs to keep my car until tomorrow afternoon. But tomorrow, I'll wake up smiling and ready to go again. There's a job to find, another manuscript to finish and my car to pick up.

Note to employers - I AM the employee you're looking for!

Note to agents - I AM the author you're looking for, the editors can't wait to sign, and the readers can't wait to buy!

Note to the world - I WILL make it happen!!

Good things come to those who wait. And even better things come to those who reach out and make it happen.

Words of Wisdom from Tim McGraw

2009-03-06T17:48:00.000-08:00

I love music. If you've read my blog, you know that. If I had to give up one or the other, there is no question, the TV's would go and the radio, CD players, and iPod would stay. My music is me. I am my music.

Music transcends and permeates everything in my life. I write with music on. I know exactly what music I need, what artist I want to listen to, for what I am writing that day, that hour. My novel - like my life - has a definite soundtrack to it. Hopefully one day soon, you will get to see that when you read my novel.

There have been a few songs that have stopped me in my tracks. A song did that a couple days ago. I was driving down the road when a new song - at least a song that was new to me - came on the radio. I was glad that I was near a parking lot because I had to pull over. The song - Nothin' To Die For by Tim McGraw.

There's a whole lot of things you say you're living for
You've got to fight it somehow, stop and turn around
'Cause this ain't nothin' to die for

Tim was singing about alcohol and spending too many hours at the office in his song. Well, I like a margarita or a Landshark Lager every now and then but I definitely don't have a problem there (too many empty calories)...and Lord knows back when I had a day job - you know, back before the "economic downturn" when several of us were outsourced/laid off - I would put in too many hours but that's not been a problem for much too long now (anyone need an excellent business analyst?). No, Tim's words were a direct belly blow.

I stared at the radio. When the song was over, I sat there and hit scan until I found it playing on another station. OMG! He was right! All the crap I'd been wandering back towards eating again lately...none of it was worth dying for!

We all have our own addictions. EVERY one of us. Some are addicted to drink, some to shopping, others to work. Me - it's food. I traded the food addiction for exercise addiction one time several years ago. That didn't work out so well either. I recovered from that addiction. Too well. I work every day to find that balance between food and exercise without letting either one be all-consuming.

You know what? Since I heard that song it's become easier. Honest to God. I'll look at my food choice and think "this ain't nothin' to die for". I've done the same thing when I think about skipping the workout to watch a TV show. What an easy concept to employ at every decision point.

Thanks, Tim!

Frozen Pizza & Beer...It Must Be Snowing In South Carolina!

2009-03-01T17:17:00.000-08:00

YEP! It's snowing BIG TIME! Like inches. School will be closed for a week. Even if it all melts by noon tomorrow. The state will be traumatized for the week. Trust me.

But thanks to the ace weather reporters, we knew it was coming a couple days ago so everyone did what they do here in the South...they went to the grocery store and loaded up on bread and milk. I mean gallons and loaves. Because you might need to eat a few dozen pieces of toast in that day - or maybe two - that you're stuck in the house before it all melts.

Me? I was born and raised in the Chicago area. I did what transplanted Northerners do. I went to the grocery store and got a couple frozen pizzas and a six-pack of Landshark Lager. Hell, I'm no fool. If I'm stuck in the house, I'm eating pizza and drinking beer.

Thank God it snows down here once a year! It's the one time that I allow myself the treat of a Tombstone pepperoni pizza. Or two. I make healthy pizzas during the rest of the year. You know, low-cal ones on tortillas. They taste good and are really satisfying but Lord how I look forward to my snowed-in, Tombstone treats!

When they start talking snow, the kids in Greenville start praying that it happens so that school is cancelled. I start drooling at the possibility of eating a frozen pizza. I got a pepperoni and a supreme. Good thing because we are getting socked with snow. This is a REAL snowstorm this time. It's beautiful...absolutely beautiful! As white and light as the cheese on my frozen pizza.

Life is good!

UPDATE - We definitely got snow! Here's my Amish snowman (no face). Life is better than good - IT'S GREAT!!!

Self-Absorbed

2009-02-15T17:10:00.000-08:00

Not me. Well, yeah...me, I guess. At least, my tooth. Doggone-it if I haven't been struggling with another bout of resorption in another tooth. Ever heard of it? Probably not because most folks never get it. And if they do, they only ever get it in one tooth. Like I did a couple years ago.

The tooth gets an auto-immune disease in it and it starts to reject itself from the inside out. It starts out feeling like a numb irritation. Then it starts to hurt. Nothing much shows up on an x-ray at first so the dentist looks at you like you're crazy. Then you actually start going crazy. Then you ask the dentist to pull your tooth and he won't because there is nothing wrong with your tooth...just look at the x-ray! Then you consider poking your eye out because it couldn't hurt any worse and at least something would show up on the x-ray. Then - after many, many months - there will be a shadow. And no one will think you are crazy anymore BUT by that time, you are crazy!

So, the periodontist will try to save the tooth by carving away the area that is diseased and seeing what is left. In my case the first time, there was nothing. I didn't care. I just wanted the damn tooth out. It was irritating my sinus and I was so miserable that he could have taken my tooth, my sinus, and all my eyelashes from the inside out if he wanted to. I just wanted some relief.

I danced out of his office. After all, it's a one-in-a-million thing and if you're stuck with it, it's a one-time thing. I had it. I was done with it. My turn was over!

Fast forward to ten days ago. My gum - completely opposite where I had the tooth with resorption - had been killing me. It was, I believe the correct medical term for it, yucky. So, I went to the dentist. No cavity but there was a strange brownish-black spot on the tooth. Huh! Enter the periodontist - again. Blood coming through the tooth. Huh! Caused by resorption. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!

This one was much worse than the last. This surgery was a lot rougher than the last. And, I gotta say, it was also more nerve-wracking. If it happened again... As the title of this blog indicates, nothing is typical in my life. Usually, this works to my advantage. Usually.

What I want to know is if I'm going to hit a one-in-a-million thing, why can't it be the winning lottery numbers?! Those are some non-typical results that I could really fully absorb myself in!

On Pins & Needles

2009-02-06T16:18:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the delay in posting. I've been on pins & needles. Literally. I turned forty-five and fell apart.

Thank God for Hong! Hong is the little sprite of a woman who does my acupuncture. She is FABULOUS! I can hobble in feeling like I'm ninety-five and dance out feeling like I'm fifteen.

I don't claim to even begin to understand how acupuncture works. All I know is that it does. I had my first acupuncture session about three years ago. My mom's back surgeon was trained in acupuncture and had done it on her. She got immediate relief - and avoided surgery! When he moved, he recommended Hong. I went to her to her with my stroke recovery. A few needles and my hand was moving more than it had been. A couple sessions later and my balance was more reliable.

From that point on, if it hurt, I let her stick a needle in it, around it...or anywhere she wanted. On her recommendation, I'd see a doctor to have something checked out further. But always there was relief.

When Dad had rotator cuff surgery, acupuncture was an integral part of his recovery. His physical therapist was delighted with the progress he made - his doctor flabbergasted.

IT IS AMAZING!

I twisted my knees several days ago. Both of them were swollen and so sore that I could hardly walk. It was all I could do to get in and out of a chair. Advil wasn't doing anything to ease the pain or swelling. Enter Hong with her pins & needles...and her energy lamp (it's so much more than a heat lamp!) and I got immediate relief.

They say that acupuncture can even help with weight loss! I've never asked Hong about that. I keep imagining her asking me to stick my tongue out and having her run a need through my top lip, tongue, and lower lip then twisting it into a knot so I can't eat for a few months! That might be the only way I lose weight the way things seem to be going right now! But, that's another post.

Forty-Five

2009-01-22T14:38:00.000-08:00

I don't feel like it. But that's what the calendar tells me I am today.

I was telling someone a story the other day about something that happened on my cruise into the Panama Canal. It seems like that trip was just a couple years ago...but that is where I celebrated my thirtieth birthday. How on Earth can that be fifteen years ago? It certainly doesn't seem like that much time has passed.

I remember when forty-five seemed so old. Now, it seems young! I was tickled pink when a couple days ago, the folks sang Happy Birthday to Michelle Obama...Happy forty-fifth Birthday! Today, I'm the age of the First Lady! Can you believe it?! The folks running our country are my age! I'm their age! And we're so young!

Forty-five is a good number. Back when I was a kid, it was the number that produced music. We played our 45's all night long in my friends' basements. We danced and sang and laughed. In astronomy, M45 is the Pleiades - the Seven Sisters. You probably look at them every night in the winter and don't even know it. Jimmy Buffett writes about the Pleiades in Where Is Joe Merchant. The Japanese call the Pleiades "Subaru". If you drive one - or next time you're in a parking lot - look at the logo on the car then look in the night sky. You'll see the Seven Sisters dancing as they tease Orion by staying just out of his reach.

Yep - forty-five is a good number and this is a grand week. The Eagles. The President. My birthday. Definitely a week to celebrate!

We Can! We Did!! Now Let's!!!

2009-01-20T19:29:00.000-08:00

Did you see it? History. One of those "I was" moments that we will all be talking about years down the road. Only today, it wasn't a moment. It was an all-day affair and I couldn't get enough of it. It's official - we're moving forward with a new president, in a new direction, and a new attitude. And, it feels good.

We've got to keep the smiles and the positive thoughts in the days to come. But we've got to do more than that. It's time to actually do something. Our president has asked us to, so let's do it! You might be asking yourself what we can do. I say there is a lot we can do even if we start small.

I know that the readers of this blog have two interests weight-loss (which inherently leads right to food) and all things reading and writing. So, we've automatically got two avenues to take.

Those of us trying to lose weight can do ourselves a favor and help the hungry right now. Grab a bag and go out to your pantry right now. I bet you have at least one bag full of food that you shouldn't be eating if you're trying to lose weight. Pack it up and donate it to the local food bank tomorrow. While you're at it, go to the linen closet and bathroom cabinets. Food banks are in need of toilet paper, tooth paste, and deodorant. If you have any unopened packages of any of those, add them to your bag too, please.

Okay readers and writers, it's our turn. Libraries are very short-funded right now. All those books you've got taking up space - donate them. Some of them will end up on the shelves, some will end up in the annual fundraising sales allowing the library to purchase the books they need. If your area has a literacy association, check with them. They may collect books for annual book sales, too. Do you have two extra hours a week? That's enough time to help teach people to read! Again, check with your local literacy association or library. They can direct you to the literacy program offices in your area.

We can be the change. We can continue to make history. Let's do it!

Music to My Ears

2009-01-19T23:59:00.000-08:00

The Eagles landed in Greenville for, as Glenn Frey put it, the Assisted Living tour tonight. For a bunch of sixty-somethings, those guys can still rock the house! The BI-LO Center was filled with a bunch of folks with sore knees, tired feet, and swollen ankles who were content to sit in their seats and enjoy the show. And that's what we all did. Sat down and had a fabulous evening!

If you've followed my posts, you know that I was ready to wet my pants several weeks ago when I got killer tickets to this show. I'd seen the Eagles when they came to town a few years ago. It was the best concert I'd ever seen. Until tonight. These guys get better with age!

First of all, it's just them. When you go to an Eagles' concert, you see the Eagles. They sing for three hours. They don't have an opening act - or two! They have a short ten or fifteen minute intermission between sets but that's it. But you get three solid hours of music. That you can hear and understand. Their vocals are so good that they don't need the bass to override their voices. Imagine that. Their four-part harmony is so pure that it will send chills through you.

The show behind them adds to the music rather than distracts! Again, nothing to hide the performance of the music itself. Last time they were here, it was four simple screens across the top of the stage. This time, it was one off to each side and a dome-shaped screen behind the stage. No dancers, no pyrotechnics, no flashing lights. More often shots of them. And, on rare occasion, a film that went along with the song. Like Dirty Laundry where all the tabloid reporters and ragsheets were flashed across the screens. But these guys are funny - and clever. So, they ended with their own hilarious tabloid headlines about themselves.

They did that throughout the night. Entertain. Make you think. Then make you laugh. But always make sure you enjoyed yourself. Isn't that a great lesson for a writer to walk away with?!

I had the time of my life tonight. Last time I saw them, it was a celebration - my first venture out after surviving my stroke. This time it was a celebration, too. This is a big week - the country is celebrating a phenomenal new start with a grand new leader. And, I am turning forty-five in a few days. Yeah, things just get better with age!

(btw - for those who read my earlier Eagles posts...it started snowing on the way home from the Eagles concert. I told you so!)

I'm Activated!

2009-01-16T11:32:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the kick-off of Activate Upstate. I - along with 3000+ of my closest overweight friends - went to the local convention center to weigh in and get the new year off to a healthy start. For the next six weeks, we'll weigh in once a week. After that, it's once a month. The goal is to end up being losers!

I posted on New Years that I wanted to lose five pounds a month. Well...I'm happy to report that when I stepped on my scale yesterday morning, I had already lost five pounds this month! I am w-a-y ahead of schedule.

The key is to keep moving in the right direction. Heck - the key is to KEEP MOVING! That will ensure the scale heads in the right direction.

Good luck to everyone who is Getting Active! Wear your t-shirts with pride. Hope to see less of you next Friday when we hit the scales again.

What the Health?!

2009-01-11T17:15:00.000-08:00

The Upstate of South Carolina is gearing up for the kick-off of our annual fitness campaign. It's the time of year when everyone gets excited about it - the community weigh-in is always a big, fun event.

And from what I read in today's newspaper, there better be a helluva lot of people standing in line for that first weigh-in on Thursday! I was stunned to read the following:

"Greenville may be a wonderful place to live -- but it's not a healthy one. A health assessment from Greenville Forward showed skyrocketing diabetes and heart disease rates and a nearly 60 percent obesity rate -- the fifth highest in the nation." Dana R. Ray, MD

WHAT?! Can that be right? I mean, I know it's wrong in oh so many ways! But can that statistic be correct? I just read on AOL's homepage that there are more people in the US classified as obese than overweight for the first time in history.

Are the healthy really the minority in this country now? Apparently they are in Greenville! Well, I'm making it my mission to join the minority! I've already registered for Activate Upstate. It's just another tool in my toolbox for getting healthy and reaching my goal this year. I'll post my progress after each of the weekly weigh-ins.

I hope the majority of you out there join me in becoming part of the minority...for the health of it!

I Can See Clearly Now...

2009-01-09T11:03:00.000-08:00

...the bifocals are gone! But not before I went batcrap crazy and nearly crashed the car.

I didn't make it three weeks. I made it three additional days. And in those three days I hit the cement landing at the front of my garage (thank goodness it was there or I would have hit the bed on the other side of the wall at the front of my garage!), I knocked two bottles of Diet Pepsi off the table trying to catch them before they fell (from the flat surface), and I made a total ass out of myself asking to be moved from a table at one of our local restaurants. My family sat down to dinner, I looked at the table, and immediately asked to be moved. You should have seen the ridiculous slope of the table! Our dinners would have ended up on the floor in no time flat. The waitress looked at me like I was a loon. My parents laughed. I took off my glasses and saw the perfectly level table. My vision was getting "progressively" worse with the glasses - not better.

The glasses were not right because the prescription was wrong! Not sure whose prescription I got but it wasn't mine. I hope there's not someone else running around Greenville blind as a Magoo this week, too!

And BEST of all...I lost two chins just by returning the glasses! Now, I've only got the one extra chin to concentrate on getting rid of again! Life is good!

The Way I See Things

2009-01-05T14:27:00.000-08:00

Very little is clear right now. And, everything is skewed a bit to the left. "Give it three weeks." THREE WEEKS!!! I'll be batcrap crazy in three weeks! Heck, I'll be batcrap crazy by this time tomorrow!!

I got progressive lenses today. Actually, I got them on Friday. I wore them on Saturday until I almost puked. They sat in the pretty glass case the rest of the weekend until the eye doctor's office opened this morning. I got a woman who actually knew - and cared about - what she was doing today. She adjusted the glasses correctly so I can see through them. (I told the gal on Friday they weren't adjusted correctly but she cared more about lunch than my lopsided lenses.) But, there seems to be a problem with the left lens - so when I look a the computer screen, it looks like the Star Wars screen. It's bigger on the left than on the right...kinda like the left side is coming in from outer space. I spent five minutes trying to fix my "bent" laptop screen before I realized I was about to bend it and break it and stopped. When I look at the dinner table, it looks like the left side is about four inches lower than the right side and everything is going to slide off the table and onto the floor. I've "caught" stuff from falling off the side table next to my chair. You know - the flat table where everything is laying safe and sound. (Come to think of it, I might already be batcrap crazy!!!!)

But here's the kicker...did you know that when you have progressive lenses you have to tilt your head down to see things?! OMG! I already have two chins! I don't need a third and fourth!!! Why don't these glasses come with warnings BEFORE you buy them? Guess I'll lower my goal weight by ten or fifteen pounds. (Thanks, doc!)

I'm not exactly sure what's magic about three weeks. I don't know if they think that my eyes will change or my brain will straighten out the crookedness of the left lens. In the meantime, I am fighting the urge to adjust every picture in my house and move every item on every flat surface. So if you come for a visit, please let me know if something really is crooked. (I'll take off my glasses and straighten it.) And, if you're going to take my picture, PLEASE remind me to lift my head so that you don't get a picture of me looking like one of those lizards running through the desert...the ones with their chins down to their chest and the skin flapping in the breeze. PLEASE.

Time To Make A New Plan, Stan!

2009-01-01T12:09:00.000-08:00

It's New Years already! Where did 2008 go? It just flew by. So now it's time for all those positive thoughts and plans for a new year...a new start.

But let's look back for a minute. How was 2008? I had a pretty darn good year when all was said and done. First of all, I took THE BEST EVER vacation with my parents. We spent 3 weeks in Maui that were pure magic. Second of all, I finished my novel - I mean really finished it...in a way that makes me truly happy. Sing-song happy. I hope you will all be reading it one day soon - and that it will make you happy, too! I got thisclose to finishing my memoir in 2008. So it will be done very early in 2009. That was a big accomplishment in the year passed! I re-established a healthy exercise routine and dropped fifty pounds.

What about you? What were the good things that happened - that you created in your life - in 2008?

What are your plans for 2009?

I'm going to do the following:

Lose 5 pounds each month. That's 60 pounds next year! I'll almost be at goal by 2010! C'mon, 5 pounds! That is SO do-able!
Finish my memoir by my birthday - January 22
Have a Maui party and bring the joy of the island to my friends. (I had wanted to take my parents back to Maui this year but I got laid off in May and am still looking for a job. Instead of going to the island, the island will have to come to us this year! Remember when they told us that if you had a degree in computers you'd have a job for life? They lied! That's okay, I'm taking it as a sign that I'm supposed to be a writer - not a systems analyst.)
NO plastic bags! I'm not taking any from any stores. (I read that the average person gets 700 plastic bags per year!)
I am not going to cuss any more. I probably won't cuss any less, either - but I'm definitely not going to cuss any more!

To those of you that I was lucky enough to spend time with last year, THANKS! You added to a FABULOUS year in my life. I hope we cross paths again in 2009.

To everyone, I wish you a happy, healthy, fun and fabulous 2009! Go out and create the year you want! I'm going to!

Pickles and Knuckles...Missing Hazel

2008-12-25T18:03:00.000-08:00

Christmas dinner is over. It was a quiet one this year - just Mom, Dad, and me. Not like when I was a kid and the house was full of people. Gosh there were lots of us. We lived up North then - where Christmas really felt like Christmas because it was cold and there was snow. We live in the South now...mainly because it's not nearly as cold and there's rarely any snow.

Back when I was a kid, there were always at least a dozen people at the dinner table for every holiday. We'd celebrate at my Grandma & Grandpa's. They would spend hours and hours cooking. Mom & Dad would help. No matter who else would come, it was guaranteed that my Uncle Everett and Aunt Iole would be there. And, my Uncle Donald and Aunt Hazel would be there, too. ALWAYS.

And, ALWAYS, Hazel (like the rest of the family) would sit down at the table and build a plate a food made up of delicious roasted turkey and dressing - with homemade croutons, mashed potatoes...the real ones, gravy, cranberry salad, an assortment of vegetables and salads. There'd be dinner rolls - homemade from scratch - and real butter to put on them. The food would go on and on. It would fill the center of the table, line the buffet on the side of the room, cover the cutting boards set on top of the radiators, and fill two card tables set up along the other wall. Plus there'd be more out in the kitchen. But ALWAYS, Hazel would comment on how good the pickles were! I never remember her ever commenting on anything else. Not one of the delicious dishes slaved over by my parents or grandparents. But she sure liked those jars of pickles from the grocery store. No matter the holiday, she pointed out how good they were. I'd give anything for her to be alive today and have her comment on the pickles Mom and Dad served with dinner.

She'd have had something else to comment on today. You see, Hazel was one member of our family who was always mindful of my weight. "Charmi, honey, you're rear is getting bigger. Perhaps you shouldn't have such a big piece of pumpkin pie today." Nope, she wasn't afraid to point it out if I was gaining weight. However, she was also quick to point it out if I was losing weight! "Why Charmi, I think you're losing weight! I can see it in your knuckles!" That was Hazel! She always saw by butt getting bigger and my fingers getting smaller. It was never the other way around!

This Christmas, she would have seen my knuckles about 50 pounds thinner. She probably would have even pointed at my knuckles with a baby gherkin as she told everyone that I was losing weight. And, I would have been so proud, I'd have taken a smaller piece of pumpkin pie to make sure my knuckles kept getting smaller - because they still have more to lose.

Merry Christmas, Hazel! (And Donald, Everett, and Iole...and Grandma & Grandpa and Grandpa. I miss you all so much!)

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T06:16:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve already. It seems like just yesterday I was listening to Mannheim Steamroller and thinking that Christmas was so far away. Now it's almost over.

I've had two health related goals this month - avoid eating the holiday sweets and maintain my workout schedule. I've managed to hang on to both of them...although somedays just by my fingernails! So I bet you're wondering how much weight I've lost this month! Ready? Nothing! Zero! Zilch! Nada! UGH! BUT...I haven't gained anything either. I call that I major victory.

The month isn't over yet so I'm not willing to throw in the towel. Nor am I willing to do the victory dance. There's plenty of time for it to go either way. But I'm still pretty proud of the way things have gone so far.

Santa is coming tonight. What's on your list this year? I researched some Tiffany jewelry for my novel so you know what I want! LOL! Maybe someday. Maybe that will be my reward to myself when my novel is published or when I reach my weight-loss goal. Or both!

I hope you have the Merriest Christmas ever - or the Happiest Hanukkah if that is the holiday you celebrate. And for those of you really lucky enough, I wish you Mele Kalikimaka!

Oh Fudge!

2008-12-16T20:05:00.000-08:00

Not just fudge - but chocolate-covered nuts and a box of candy, too! Yep. Three boxes of candy in the last four days. All from friends who know I'm trying to lose weight. One from someone who goes to the gym with me!

I've gotta tell you, none of this sits well with me. Don't tell me "it's the thought that counts" because there was no thought put into these gifts. Seriously. If I was an alcoholic would they have given me a bottle of wine? Or if I was recovering from lung cancer would they have handed me a carton of cigarettes? I hope not! So please, no chocolate for the overweight gal working so damn hard to find her thin, healthy self again.

Tomorrow, the candy is going to the food bank along with several healthy items. I have a personal rule to only donate healthy items to the food bank but the candy is too expensive to just throw away. (My friends do have excellent taste in chocolate!) So, three families will get a special holiday treat this week. Perhaps that's the best gift of all.

It's All A Mystery...

2008-12-13T17:22:00.000-08:00

So you've still got some holiday shopping to do and the folks on your list are mystery fans. Good! So am I! I've been trying to figure out how best to organize today's suggestions and have decided upon doing it by author.

For the most part, I prefer "cozy" mysteries. Ones that are not graphic or violent or full of blood and gore. I like to work the puzzle of what happened and enjoy the characters. My favorites are ones that involve travel, shopping, and (surprise!) food. There are a few exceptions to my cozy rule and I will list two of my favorites after I list some cozy authors. One, sadly, passed away a couple months ago. The other is still writing but not fast enough for me. (All I want for Christmas is for Kirk Mitchell to finish the next book in his mystery series. I'm waiting!)

Now for a few cozy authors...

MADDY HUNTER - Maddy writes the Passport to Peril series. These are FUN travel mysteries that take place all around the world. Emily Andrew escorts a group of old folks from Iowa (including her grandma) on tours to Ireland, Switzerland, Italy, Hawaii (on a cruise), Australia, and Norway. Where ever they go, it is a given that people will turn up dead - in the darnedest ways. The adventures of these senior citizens and Emily's efforts to reign them in are hilarious. If I had to recommend one, I'd suggest HULA DONE IT?...only because I'm in a Hawaiian kind of mood. All of Maddy's books are enjoyable. Note that there is a running romance throughout the series so if you want to pick up where it starts, start with Switzerland (ALPINE FOR YOU). It's not necessary though. Perfect for the traveler - armchair or otherwise - on your list.

TAMAR MYERS - Tamar writes two series - Den of Antiquity and Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery. Both are good. My favorite of the two is the Den of Antiquity series. The D of A books are set in Charlotte and Charleston. The only problem is, now I'm always afraid I'll find a dead body when I'm searching for treasure in the local antique stores! Tamar, like Maddy, writes with a lot of humor. All of her books are fun, fast reads. Do you have someone on your list who is a fan of Antiques Roadshow? Get them one of the Den of Antiquity mysteries!

JOANNE FLUKE - Joanne writes clever cooking - actually baking - mysteries! Her characters are definitely memorable. And, her recipes are quite tasty, too. Reach into the "Cookie Jar" and grab one of these mysteries for a person on your list who enjoys mysteries and baking.

There are literally hundreds of cozy mystery writers writing series for any subject you can think of - NASCAR, dogs, cats, bird watching, scrapbooking, quilting - you name it! Go into your bookstore and look in the mystery section. You will see the series all lined up. Look through the books. I bet you'll find something for yourself and for the people on your list.

Now for the not-so-cozy recommendations. First up, Tony Hillerman.

TONY HILLERMAN - Tony wrote Navajo mysteries better than anyone around, in my opinion. His Chee and Leaphorn mysteries wove the Navajo legends and beliefs in with the modern day realities of life on the reservation. Like the authors I mentioned above, any of his books are excellent choices. Men and women alike enjoy his writing and are immediately engaged in the mystery from page one. In addition to his mysteries, he wrote one of the best memoirs I've ever read. I mentioned it in an earlier post but it bears repeating. SELDOM DISAPPOINTED is an excellent read. If you have someone on you list who likes books on tape, you can find man of Tony's books, including his memoir, in the audiobook section of your bookstore!

KIRK MITCHELL - If there is anyone who even comes close to Tony Hillerman in the category of American Indian mysteries, it is Kirk Mitchell. CRY DANCE is the first in his series of Emmett Parker - Anna Turnipseed mysteries. He leaves the Navajo to Hillerman, but he engages several other Indian nations in his writing as Parker is 1/2 Comanche and Turnipseed is 1/2 Modoc. CRY DANCE starts on the Havasupai reservation but moves to other locations, including Las Vegas. Mitchell includes even more Indian legend than Hillerman in his writing. Be forewarned, he is also more graphic. And, you may have guessed that with a man and woman, there is also some romantic tension. I mentioned CRY DANCE first because of this. The tension builds throughout the series. CD is followed by SPIRIT SICKNESS, ANCIENT ONES, SKY WOMAN FALLING, and DANCE OF THE THUNDER DOGS. If you have someone on your list who enjoys Hillerman but has read all his books, pick up this series for them.

Again, a gift card to a bookstore is an excellent option, too! And pick up a book for yourself while you're picking up that gift card!

Seasons readings!

Christmas Shopping? Please Buy A Book!

2008-12-11T12:46:00.000-08:00

Okay gang, times are tight this year. You're probably wondering what to get the people who are left on your list. And, by left on your list, I don't necessarily mean those you haven't yet shopped for...I mean those that you haven't had to cross off due to lack of funds. Either way, the BEST deal going is books. It's also one of the most thoughtful gifts.

Now, some of you are probably thinking "but I don't know what book to get this person or that person". Well, that's okay. I'll help you out with some suggestions in a minute. But, if none of these seem to fit, get a gift card to a local bookstore and let the recipient pick out their own book. Present it with a pretty bookmark and wa-la...a GREAT gift the person will enjoy for endless hours. C'mon - we all have enough clothes and dust-collectors. Everyone loves a good book. Trust me on this! Your gift will be loved - and remembered!!

So here goes - some suggestions for books I've enjoyed and given as gifts...

EARTHLY PLEASURES - Karen Neches - (Simon & Schuster) What do the angels watch in Heaven? The hit reality show Earthly Pleasures, of course! It's heavenly greeter Skye Sebring's favorite show - especially when she wants to track the activities of a certain hunk after his near-death experience. What follows is a bit mystery, a bit romance, and a whole bunch of fun! Anyone who enjoys a fun book will enjoy reading this tale. While EARTHLY PLEASURES was written for adults, it is appropriate for older teen readers as well.

SUMMER AT TIFFANY - Marjorie Hart - (William Morrow) What college student hasn't turned to their best friend and schemed about running away to a big city for the summer? Who hasn't imagined the adventures of youth? Imagine two single college gals doing that in 1945. Better than imagining it, read about it in this memoir written by 82 year-old Marjorie Hart. From celebrities to soldiers, you'll have fun reliving the summer of '45 when Marjorie and her best friend Marty spent the summer working as pages at Tiffany & Co. - a long way from their home in Iowa. And, if you're like me, you'll hold your breath and realize that you would find yourself in the exact same spot as Marjorie in the Tiffany elevator! Again, this book would be appropriate for all ages. If you have a person on your gift list who remembers the 1940's, this would be a perfect gift for them! (And, it's available in large print.)

THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN - Garth Stein - (Harper) Enzo the dog wants to be reincarnated as a man. He should - he knows more about humans than most humans do. This is a wonderful book that will make you, at times, sad and mad but will leave you damn glad you read it. You'll cry but plenty of those tears will be from laughter. Read this book - and scratch your dog behind his ears just a little bit longer tonight. If you have a dog-lover or race-lover on your list, this book will appeal to them. (btw - I'm a dog-lover...racing, not so much - but I really enjoyed this book.)

WELCOME TO THE WORLD, BABY GIRL! - Fannie Flagg - (Ballentine) New York City to Elmwood Springs, Missouri, this novel follows the journey of TV anchorwoman Dena Nordstrom as she searches for answers about her family's secret past. Fannie Flagg's humor shines through in creating memorable characters from the nosey Southern neighbors to the New York shrink. This is a book that hits you with an "I'll be darned!" moment and you'll wonder why you didn't see it coming. But no one I've given this book to has ever seen it coming - and they all agree it was right there all along. This is my favorite of Ms. Flagg's books.

MR. MONK AND THE BLUE FLU - Lee Goldberg - (Signet) Actually, ALL of the Monk books are excellent and I'd recommend any of them. Lee Goldberg does a phenomenal job of capturing Mr. Monk and his eccentricities in these novels. For the Monk lover, these are a must. The the casual Monk viewer, these are still a must. You might find you enjoy the books more than the show!

Be sure to treat yourself to a book or two while you're visiting the bookstore.

I have more books on my list of suggestions. I'll post them over the next couple days. In the meantime, take a look at your gift list and jot down a title or two for each person on your list. They will be glad you did!

Happy readings to all!

It's Better In The Middle

2008-12-08T18:02:00.000-08:00

A friend was talking to me about Christmas cookies, lamenting the fact that she had to "bake" when she didn't much feel like it. I love baking Christmas cookies but have cut w-a-y back on this hobby over the past couple years. I don't need to eat 'em, so I try to limit making 'em, too. Anyway, I asked her what she was making. She was dipping Double-Stuff Oreos in milk chocolate! Somehow, I don't think that qualifies as "baking Christmas cookies". Mind you, I've eaten my share of these dipped goodies. I've even made my share of 'em. But, I've NEVER considered this "baking". And, I've certainly never thought to complain about the work involved. LOL!

But her mention of Oreos brought up a college memory that I'm almost embarrassed to mention. (So what better thing to do than to blog about it?!)

It was my freshman year. At Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois, the freshmen were squirreled away in Carman Hall. Carman was actually two halls - a twin tower...one male and one female. Yep - a co-ed dorm! And, it was W-A-A-A-Y across campus across what was referred to as "the tundra". There was the EIU campus with all the academic buildings, then the other dorms, then this HUGE open field that went on forever, then Carman Hall. Where all the freshman girls and boys were. Out in the middle of nowhere. I think they put it over there, you know - across the tundra, because it was as far away from the bars as you could get.

My dorm room was on the 5th floor of the girls' tower - the middle floor. One of the first tasks assigned to all the Carman residents was to make floor shirts. So, the second week, we all gathered in our floor's common area and set about this very serious task. It didn't take long before we had our floor motto: It's Better In The Middle.

We giggled and laughed and turned red. Our Resident Assistant warned us about the picture for the shirts. "Young ladies, I know you are excited about your freedom but be careful how far you go with this." That brought about another round of laughter.

While everyone was picturing some pretty interesting scenes with the guys from the other half of Carman, I...you know, the biggest gal on the floor...was drawing a picture of Oreo cookies. What?! They ARE better in the middle! Right? Right!

We were voted the best shirts in all of Carman Hall that year. Not one of those skinny little freshmen would have ever come up with that design!

(Speaking of design, note to college administrators: not such a good idea to put your freshmen as far as possible from classes as you can...especially when they haven't yet developed the habit of getting up and going to class, and if they have to walk across a 2-block wide "tundra" in winter, and if there is a tower of kids of the opposite sex an elevator ride away. I'm just saying.)

One Too Many for This Gal!

2008-12-04T18:01:00.000-08:00

By now, you've probably seen the ad on TV for "fourth meal". I nearly spilled my Diet Pepsi when I saw the ad the first time. Have we really come to the point where we are eating an actual FOURTH MEAL?! Holy crap, Fatman!

Most folks snack during the evening. Heck, that's one of the ways I managed to pick up all this extra weight again. But I can honestly say that I have never gone out to a restaurant and eaten a fourth meal during the day. Nor have I ever made a fourth meal at home. Have I grazed enough to pack in enough calories to equal that of a meal? I'm sure I have. But if I ate everything in my house, I couldn't get all the fat grams that I'd get in one meal in a fast-food restaurant. (I know, calories are calories in the end!)

I think there needs to be some truth in advertising here. If a restaurant is going to advocate going out for a fourth meal, they should have the folks in the ads look like people who eat four meals a day - not like people who don't even finish their first meal of the day. There should be a group of pre-Subway Jared size people eating their taco and nacho fourth meal.

So, how 'bout it? I'm taking a pledge to pass on "fourth meal" - and to get serious about limiting my evening snacks so that the calories don't even add up to a quarter of a fourth meal. What about you?

Steamrolled...Man-oh-Man!

2008-11-29T20:53:00.000-08:00

It's officially Christmastime. I saw Mannheim Steamroller in concert tonight.

We are very blessed here in Greenville to have a fabulous concert hall - The Peace Center. And, because it is so good, they are able to pull in excellent folks to perform. MS performed their Spring show here earlier this year and liked the venue so much that they wanted to come back for The Christmas Music of Mannheim Steamroller! Can you believe it?! Mannheim Steamroller in the same town TWICE in one year!!!

I have been a Chip Davis fanatic ever since my stint in Omaha in the mid-80's. When I graduated college, I moved there for my first "real" job. A company from Omaha came to interview on my college campus. I remember very distinctly asking everyone "Omaha - who the hell would move to Omaha?" Well, I was the one person from the class who did. And, I loved almost every minute of it. (The car crash and resulting ambulance ride to the hospital and losing a job for the very first time in my life were two things I could have lived without!)

There are two things you learn within the first half hour of living in Omaha - that food there is AWESOME (I mean, some of the best restaurants in the country!) and that Chip Davis and Warren Buffett are heroes in town. By the end of the first week, I was up five pounds, learned more about the stock market than I'd ever known up to that point in my life, and was absolutely in love with Mannheim Steamroller and Chip Davis.

Tonight's show was phenomenal. The music was, of course, top-notch. It included the MS classics that you'd expect - Carol of the Bells, Deck the Halls, We Three Kings, Away in a Manger, I Saw Three Ships, God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen, and Silent Night - all the classics from "Mannheim Steamroller Christmas". But they also did several songs from their "Christmas Song" album and some of the Fresh Aire Christmas albums. The band's use of three small screens and one large screen was amazing. The screens never distracted but rather enhanced the music. Perhaps the most intriguing use of the screens was when the band was behind the large screen but fully lit - as in "seeable", not soused. The movie images were playing over and around the band and they melded into the scene so that they and the music and the images were all one. There was no delineation in the experience, they were all pieces of a whole and necessary to each other. Absolutely beautiful! And exquisitely clever.

The only thing missing tonight was Chip Davis. He is in Omaha recovering from neck surgery. I hope that Chuck Penington, Jeff Yang, Glen Smith, Tom Sharpe, and Joey Galizia and the supporting musicians remind him that he missed a really great show in a really great venue in an even better town. And, I hope he has a complete and speedy recovery - and that he rolls back into Greenville again in the near future.

If you get a chance, go see Mannheim Steamroller no matter the time of year. And if they're not coming to a venue near you, check out their CD's. My Christmas favorites are "Mannheim Steamroller Christmas", "Christmas Song", 'Christmas Extraordinaire" and "A Fresh Aire Christmas".

November 17th - My Luckiest Day of the Year

2008-11-17T11:47:00.000-08:00

It's November 17th and I'm celebrating the day. Those who know always wonder if I plan to spend the day in bed, hiding under the covers. But that is not my style - and those who know me, know that. In fact, those who know me are celebrating the day with me - just like they have for the past two years.

You see, on November 17, 2004, at 4:07 p.m. I had a stroke. So, those of you who are quick with math might be asking, why haven't you and your friends been celebrating November 17th for the last three years instead of the last two? Because on November 17, 2005, I was in the operating room undergoing emergency surgery.

Now, I'll be honest with you, on November 17, 2006, I thought about staying in bed when the alarm went off. But I got up...and took the day off work - and made sure I had 911 on my speed dial. But then I realized that November 17th had to be the luckiest day of the year for me. First of all, sure I'd had a stroke on that day, but I'd survived it and recovered almost 100%! And, yeah, I'd had emergency surgery on that day - but the results were excellent and two and a half weeks later, I was back on my feet and ready to take on the world again. Both November 17ths could have ended in disastrous results - instead, things turned out pretty good. So, I consider myself lucky. And blessed.

So, I'm celebrating. I'm celebrating movement. I'm celebrating family and friends. I'm celebrating life.

I've learned to do that not just on November 17th but on EVERY day...because any day can be a November 17th. And maybe that day won't be as lucky.

So celebrate today with me. And if you happen to glance at the clock at 4:07 p.m. smile as wide as you can - because you can. And know that I will be, too - because I can now.

PS Thanks, Tama, you were my hero four years ago. You were the one who recognized what was happening and called for help. And you stayed by my side at the hospital until my parents arrived. You are the best!

PPS Thanks Carol and Val for following the ambulance to the hospital and staying by my side until my parents arrived, too.

Signs of a stroke:

Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg - especially on one side of the body
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance or coordination
Sudden severe headache with no known cause

Songlines

2008-11-15T16:10:00.000-08:00

Are you familiar with songlines? They are the Australian Aboriginal myths of Creation. And, they are fascinating...and beautiful. These Dreamtime stories tell of Australia's original wanderers giving names to places, birds, animals, etc. They explain everything. All cultures have their myths of creation. I mentioned in an earlier post that I also enjoy the Native American myths that Hillerman and Mitchell incorporate into their mysteries. But the Aboriginal songlines are especially close to my heart because as Bruce Chatwin says in his book "The Songlines", they sang their world into existence.

So...what does all this have to do with the Eagles tickets that I was about ready to pee my pants over yesterday? Well, I'm glad you asked!

Music has always been one of the most important things in my life. Music is interwoven through my entire world, my entire existence. I can tell you the first album my parents gave me as a child (Walt Disney Hits...and I swore that my mom's best friend Ruth sang Bippity-Boppity-Boo...and NO ONE could convince me otherwise...still can't...I don't care what the album jacket says), my first album as a teeny bopper (Wayne Newton Live! - hey! cut me some slack! we had just gone to Vegas and seen his show AND MET HIM and I thought he was SO cool!), my first 8-track (An Evening with John Denver...no excuses...I still love John Denver) - well, you get the picture.

Okay, okay...the Eagles. Heartache Tonight was released in 1979 and was a huge hit. The Sophomore class at East High School in Aurora will take credit for that, thank you. After all, we were the ones who called the radio station and requested it night after night as we worked our fingers to the bone on the homecoming float. Really. We twisted more tissue paper around chicken wire than you can ever imagine. And we constantly requested Heartache Tonight. And when it came on, we'd jump up from the garage floor and dance and sing at the top of our lungs. There was heartache for the Juniors and Seniors on homecoming night when our Tomcat beat their Tomcats. We'd sung out path to victory.

I could tell you stories for hundreds of songs in my life - including dozens of Eagles songs - but I'm only going to tell you one more for now. One that is immediate on my personal songline. You know, my path in the life I'm creating for myself.

I've already mentioned that music is important to me. My whole life has been and is set to music. When I think of a memory, I can immediately associate it with a song. When I hear a song, I immediately think of something that happened in my life. I've also mentioned that I am working on a novel. When you write a novel, they tell you that you should "know your characters". Things like what they'd eat, what's their favorite TV show, what's their favorite color, etc. Well, naturally, I also know what's on each of my characters' iPods. When I look at a person, I often think of a song. So, I associate my characters with songs as well. When the Eagles released their newest CD (Long Road Out of Eden) late last year, the song Busy Being Fabulous immediately became Stephanie's song. I don't know when Don Henley and Glenn Frey went on walkabout through my dreamtime but I'm glad they did. They nailed my gal Steph. Everyone should have a song. And Stephanie has hers. AND I'm going to get to hear the Eagles sing it live!

The Eagles have one other really special place on my songline. Yesterday I mentioned standing in line for tickets. That was on November 13, 2004. A Saturday morning. With snow flurries. It was a fabulous day and all was right with my world. Four days later, on Wednesday, I had a stroke. At age 40. I remember laying in the critical care area of the emergency room thinking "well damn it, I have Eagles tickets". (I couldn't piece it together at that very moment, but I had four months until the concert - March 8, 2005.) One of the legs that I had used to stand in line for those tickets would not keep my balance. The hand that I had used to hand the lady my credit card would not move. I knew what I was thinking but that's not always what I was saying. Only four days had passed since I stood in that line and requested those seats and paid for those tickets and at that moment, nothing was right with my world.

So, almost exactly four years to the day later - November 14, 2008 - I bought Eagles tickets again. I didn't have to stand in line but I could have if I had to. And, I used that hand that didn't move to type on the keyboard to purchase the tickets because it moves again. And, on most days, my mind and mouth do work together unless I'm REALLY tired or REALLY excited. And once again, all is right with my world. Now I just have to get through November 17th. (Stay tuned!)

Find your songs and dance along your songline in life. What are your songs? I hope that one of them is Life's Been Good!

Life's Been Good To Me So Far...

2008-11-14T18:54:00.000-08:00

...and today was no exception. Eagles pre-sale tickets were made available to people with American Express cards today and I got awesome seats! WOOHOO!!!

I saw the Eagles here in Greenville three years ago. It was the only group that I'd always wanted to see but had never had the opportunity to. When I say wanted to see, I swore that if they ever did another concert tour, I would crawl across the country on my knees if I had to to see them. Because remember, they had done their Farewell Tour so I was sure I'd never have the opportunity to see them.

But, they did a Farewell Tour 2! And, it came to little ol' Greenville! I wouldn't have to crawl on my knees anywhere! Instead, I'd just have to go down on a COLD, COLD day and stand in line for tickets because the only time they put tickets for any good concerts on sale in Greenville is on COLD days. Yes, Greenville is in the south. But it doesn't matter. Elton John, Cher, Eagles. They seem to come here in the winter or early Spring so the tickets go on sale in the winter and it's always on COLD days. So I went downtown and stood in line and it started snowing. No lie! Snow flurries! But I got my tickets!

I went to the concert with a sense of absolute excitement and a bit of dread. I'd looked forward to this concert all my life. How could it possibly live up to my expectations? Oh My God! I've seen at least sixty or seventy concerts in my life - and probably a few dozen more than that. None of them compared to the Eagles concert. The clarity of sound (in a venue known for often having poor sound quality, no less!), the quality of their voices and instrumentation, the non-stop entertainment (the show went on for over 3 1/2 hours and it was just them!), the mood they created in the arena, the rapport with the crowd... It was FABULOUS!

I figured it was a once-in-a-lifetime event. Then two days ago they announced the Eagles were coming back. To Greenville! After the Farewell Tour 2! Go figure! And they're going to be here three days before my 45th birthday. AND even though I got the tickets through the pre-sale where you can't choose your seating section (it just pops up the available seats and you take what it offers or you don't get any tickets) it came up with my favorite section - the one that I always choose when I go to the box office to purchase tickets. What are the chances?! Indeed, life's been good to me!

Now, some of you are probably thinking "Chill Charmi, it's just a concert!". Tomorrow I'll explain why this is such a big deal to me.

11/21 Update...Eagles tickets went on sale at the box office today and just to prove my point from four paragraphs up, it was 27 degrees this morning. The wind chill brought it down to 14 degrees. I TOLD YOU! Concert tickets don't go on sale in Greenville, SC, unless it's COLD. (Thank you, American Express, for letting me sit in my warm, cozy living room to get my tickets this go'round!)

Hey, Mabel...this one's for you and your friend!

2008-11-08T16:19:00.000-08:00

So the economy sucks and the mall is having some killer sales. Purse 3/4 empty...glass 3/4 full type of situation.

I haven't shopped a lot in the last six months for a couple reasons. The first is that since I was outsourced - or since my job was - I've been on a tight budget until I have an actual income again. The second is that I've been trying to lose weight so I haven't wanted to spend what money I still have budgeted for fun on clothes that hopefully will be too big before long.

But today was sale day and I went. Now, I'm still a plus-size gal. But I thought I'd wander down to the regular size area and look around. I was looking at some sale racks in the Liz Claiborne area when Mabel and her friend entered my life.

"Mabel, isn't this the regular size area, Mabel? I didn't think they had anything BIG over here, did you, Mabel?"

I ignored the screechy-voiced elderly lady. I assumed that Mabel, her equally elderly friend, must've been hard-of-hearing because she was certainly talking loud enough for the near-deaf to hear. Although Mabel didn't respond, so maybe she couldn't hear her. Mabel's friend must've assumed the same thing because she just continued on...getting louder for both our benefit, I guess.

"Mabel, BIG sizes are down the way, aren't they?"

I looked up at the woman. She just stared back at me. I picked up an XL knit dress and held it up. I was sure it would fit.

"Mabel..."

I looked at Mabel. Mabel looked at me. I picked up another XL knit dress and looked at Mabel again.

"These are the regular sizes. I'm just sure there's another department..."

Finally, Mabel found her voice! "I think there are some larger sizes here."

Well, that wasn't exactly what I was thinking about saying to Mabel's friend but I just bit my tongue. I found two more dresses that I liked. I took all four of them into the dressing room, much to Mabel's friend's horror. (I could hear the gasp!)

I slipped the first dress on - AND IT FIT! I sashayed out to the sales floor...and Mabel and her friend were no where to be found. I looked all over. I padded, actually, I stomped around in my stocking feet from one end of the department to the other. I couldn't find them anywhere. I stomped back to the dressing room and tried on the second dress - AND IT FIT! I stomped out of the dressing room and made another tour of the department. I wanted to cup my hands around my mouth and yell "MABEL!" at the top of my lungs. But I didn't.

I went back and tried on the other dresses. AND THEY FIT! I swear, if Mabel had ever called her friend by name, I'd have gone and had them paged and I'd have made them watch me model the dresses.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I could not get my hind end into a single pair of pants in that entire department. I have no doubt about that. But every one of those knit Liz Claiborne dresses fit me and looked nice. I could wear them to dinner tonight and feel comfortable doing so.

So there you go Mabel and friend! You were so worried about whether or not I should be shopping in your area and it turns out, the answer was YES! And those dresses...they were all 80% off! I got all four for less than the original price of one! So, there's still some money floating around in my purse. And that glass I mentioned at the start...it's definitely 100% full tonight!

Find Your Pizza Party - And VOTE!

2008-11-04T10:01:00.000-08:00

Election Day...finally! I hope everyone has voted. If not and you still have time, go - now! I'll wait.

I'm a political junkie from waaaay back. As long as I can remember, there were pictures of John Kennedy and the Kennedy family mixed among the family photos at my grandparent's house. For the longest time, I just thought they were relatives of ours. Heck, we even had a picture of him at our house. He died two months to the day before I was born. I never experienced him during his lifetime but still, I knew all about him.

My first actual political experience was a George McGovern rally at my dad's union hall. Dad worked at the Caterpillar factory, on the line. It was a big deal when Senator McGovern announced that he was coming to the union hall to talk to the guys working in the factory. My dad and his buddies worked so hard, oftentimes working overtime four days a week and at least two Saturdays a month. It was great that he was going to hear the stories of the working men and their families. We all went down to the union hall for the big event.

When we got there, you know what they had? The biggest pizzas I'd ever seen! Oh my God! In all the eight years I'd lived to that point, I'd NEVER seen pizzas that big. I had no idea who this George McGovern guy really was but if I could have voted, I would have walked barefoot across hot coals to vote for him! Democratic Party? Republican Party? Pizza Party!!!! Yep - I was for the Pizza Party. I had politics all figured out by age eight. (Is it any surprise that weight has been an issue in one way or another throughout my life?!)

So there it is. Which candidate is going to give everyone, especially the working man, the biggest piece of the pie when the day is done? Which one is going to give the children something to smile about and look forward to? Which candidate would you walk barefoot across hot coals for? Go out and vote for that person. Now!

And grab an extra large pepperoni pizza on the way home. It's a great day for a pizza party!

Local Biggest Losers Lose

2008-11-03T15:50:00.000-08:00

Well, the Red Team is out. I mentioned earlier that the Red Team is from my town. And, in fact, they work out at my gym...at least part of the time. According to the local news, they work out at a few gyms around town. And why shouldn't they? They work out for AT LEAST three hours a day. THREE! Hello!!!

I guess that's how Phil (the male half of the Red Team) has lost 120 pounds in the last five months. Amy (lady Red) has lost 80 if I remember the news report correctly. When they were at "the ranch", they were working out eight - yes EIGHT - hours a day. So, I guess they are taking it easy now. (Go ahead, roll your eyes. I did.)

Now, I gotta tell you, I lost 128 pounds - actually a bit more but I don't often count those last few pounds. (Too painful to remember...but that's for a later post.) I lost the first 118 exercising ONE hour a day...and not even every day. Granted, I didn't do it in five months. But I also had a life. And I didn't suffer. And it wasn't hard. Really! I also didn't have a television camera in my face until AFTER I lost the weight.

They're keeping up the grinding exercise schedule in hopes of "winning" $100,000 on the Biggest Loser season finale. They won't be the Biggest Loser Big Winners but they can still be Biggest Loser Winners. Ummm. Sitting here thinking about it. Biggest Loser is really an appropriate name for the show. "Winning" can come at a really big cost - one that I'm sure they can't even begin to comprehend at this point.

I'm so glad that when I lost my weight the first time it was when you had to lose weight and then get on TV, not the other way around. I took the time to do it right. Do it in a healthy, realistic way. Biggest loser? Nah. But guess what? In the overall scheme of things, I win!

Trick-Or-Treat!

2008-10-31T07:49:00.000-07:00

Today is Halloween. If I was a kid, that would mean that I would be bouncing my leg and looking at the clock and sighing and fidgeting and whining that time moved so slow. Then I'd run home from school, skipping with excitement.

The five of us - my friends Denise and Lisa, Carol and Linda, and me - we'd gather in front of my grandma & grandpa's house and we'd ready our pillowcases. The planning would begin. We'd look up and down the street.

"The 600 block sucked. Remember? The white house gave raisins. The tan house gave apples."

"Yeah, and we got bubblegum and Dum Dum suckers from that block, too."

"Okay, so we'll skip that block and hit it last if we have time."

We'd huddle and draw up the map in our minds - five little girls planning a strike that would impress an Army general. All of us undercover, a gypsy, a ballerina, a princess, a butterfly, and an angel. No one would suspect that we were on such a planned mission - commandos dressed liked princesses.

None of us would even mention the first two stops but we'd know where they were. We'd turn as a group and head to Max' house. Max lived three houses down from my grandparents. He and his wife were always fond of us girls. It was a good thing because we liked to go collect the chestnuts from his chestnut tree in the Fall. And we liked to run in his big side yard. And, we liked to pretend that his pretty brick house was ours so we'd sit in his front yard and have picnics. He and Miriam never chased us away like some older people do. They seemed to delight in the fact that we visited. And, they were always waiting for the five of us to show up on Halloween.

"Trick-or-treat!"

Max would open the door and made a huge fuss over us just like he did every year. Then Miriam would arrive with THE TRAY. Our eyes would grow wide because even though we knew that Max was going to treat us all like princesses, we'd still be surprised. Max and Miriam would first give us each a homemade popcorn ball and a homemade caramel apple. Then we would have our choice of a full-size Hostess cake (I always took the Suzy-Q) and then a full-size candy bar (I always took the Milky-Way)! Can you even imagine all that?! We'd thank Max and Miriam and leave the porch squealing like we'd just robbed the candy store. We'd run home and drop the booty off so it didn't get crushed beneath the rest of the night's haul, meet in front of my grandparent's house again, and then set out for the second house.

The second house would be a house that was never discussed either. We just knew it was where we were going. It was the corner house on the next block. We would have a two-fold mission, we were to collect our booty and to deliver an envelope from our parents. The lady who lived in the house was an old lady. A really old lady. Every year we wondered if she'd be there the next year.

"Trick-or-treat!"

We'd all smile when the old lady opened the door. She'd smile too. She'd drop the nickels into our empty pillowcases. We would be thrilled with the nickels - we would go to Rusty's, the corner store - the next day and buy some penny candy. I don't know why we needed to buy penny candy. We'd have a whole sack full of candy before the night was over but at that minute as the nickel tumbled into the cotton sack, all any of would think about was going to Rusty's to get fistful of candy...because Ray would always give us more than a penny's worth.

We'd thank the old lady and I'd hand her the envelope. It was only later that I learned that our parents would give her money every year. Halloween was a treat for her as well! I'm glad to know that.

Off we'd go on the rest of our mission. At the end of the night, we'd return with our pillowcases full of candy and our hearts full of incredible memories of a mission completed in a way that only friends could. Talk about shock and awe! It was sugar-shock and AWESOME!

The true treat of all those Halloweens is the memory of the costumes made by Mom & Dad, the time spent roaming the neighborhood with Denise, Lisa, Carol, and Linda, the kindness of Max and Miriam and the old lady whose name I never knew, and the laughter. Lots and lots of laughter.

(btw Dad, I finally figured out that the candy you sorted out that I "didn't" like when I was little was the candy that you did like...but that's okay, you earned it!)

Seldom Disappointed...but definitely sad today

2008-10-28T17:48:00.000-07:00

I couldn't believe it when I saw the news that Tony Hillerman died on Sunday. I had just returned home from the annual South Carolina Writers Conference at Myrtle Beach when I heard the news.

On Saturday evening of the conference (just the night before), I'd had dinner at a table hosted by a literary agent. One of the topics of conversation was what authors we always bought in hardback. I immediately responded Tony Hillerman. His Navajo mysteries were to me like Harry Potter novels were to others. I would anxiously anticipate the release date and would be first in line when the bookstore opened on the Tuesday release day. I could not get enough of Lt. Joe Leaphorn and Officer Jim Chee. Another dinner table topic was audio books - did we like them and if so, what did we like. I said that I preferred ones read by the author and again referred to Mr. Hillerman's memoir, SELDOM DISAPPOINTED, as an example.

I became intrigued with the Navajo when I was a young child. My parents loaded up the old station wagon and off we went - a three-week drive from Aurora, Illinois, through the Southwest and back. We stopped at a little roadside stand on a Navajo reservation and my parents bought me a handmade Indian doll. The Navajo woman who sewed it told me stories of children my age on the reservation. I still have that doll.

The summer I graduated high school, I spent several weeks in Spain with some friends from my Spanish class. I was wandering through Barrio Santa Cruz (the Jewish Quarter) in Seville one sunny afternoon and happened upon an elderly Navajo man selling dreamcatchers. I sat with him for a while while he told me stories and drew one of the legends on a bookmark for me. I still have that bookmark.

Tony Hillerman took all of those stories I'd heard - and many more - and wove them into mysteries that not only kept me guessing, but also increased my desire to learn more about the Navajo way. It was because of him that I kept reading more, learning more about the Navajo and other Native American nations. It was because of him that I found another fabulous mystery author, Kirk Mitchell. Both men are masters at writing well-crafted Native American mysteries that honor the Indian legends, the natural beauty of Indian Country, and the strength and beauty of the Native American people while dealing with the real problems of reservation life.

Mr. Hillerman's mysteries are all top-notch. And, his memoir is one of the most interesting I've read. SELDOM DISAPPOINTED got it's title from Mr. Hillerman's mother's favorite saying. "Blessed are those who expect little. They are seldom disappointed." He writes in his memoir, "Looking back at life, I find I have often received more than I ever expected and suffered less than my share of disappointments."

At least for this gal, Mr. Hillerman never disappointed. Here's hoping that we all receive more than we expect and suffer less than our share of disappointments during our lifetime.

Thank you, Tony Hillerman. You will be missed.

Hoop-Dee-Do!

2008-10-13T21:36:00.000-07:00

After being stuck forever (at least it seemed like forever) at the same number on the scale, the darn thing is finally down FIVE pounds. Five! 5!!! WOOHOO!!!!

That loss didn't come without a new, old trick. I got out my hula hoop. Or, more correctly, I took it off the hook on the garage wall. I've spent as much time bending over and picking the plastic ring up off the floor as I have spent spinning it around my ample hips. But I'm not complaining! It did the trick. It got me headed downward again.

I have a history with hula hoops. I learned the benefits of hula hooping years ago when I was stuck at a plateau. I'd lost a lot of weight but was stuck then, too. I don't know what made me do it but I picked up a hula hoop one day. It did the trick back then just like it did this time. I guess that's why I've always had a hula hoop hanging around all these years. The thing is, it doesn't do a darn thing hanging on the garage wall. It sure does the trick running circles around my waist though!

How 'bout you? What's worked for you in the past? More importantly, what FUN thing has worked in the past?

On The Level

2008-10-02T07:49:00.000-07:00

I'm stuck. The scale hasn't moved in two weeks. I'm not a happy plateau camper, either. Smooth and level is boring for me. When I'm bored, I get in trouble...usually in the form of double pepperoni and extra cheese. That's a sure plateau breaker!

I've added exercise. I've stopped exercise. I've eaten more kiwis. I've eaten less kiwis. I've sucked down water like I live in the desert. I've done everything but stand on my head. The thing that has me most frustrated was that I was editing my memoir last night and realized that this is FAR from my longest plateau. I could be stuck at this weight for weeks. WEEKS! I think I must have lost my patience along with the all the weight I lost several years ago because I don't think I'm up for several weeks without the scale moving.

I keep reminding myself that, yes, the smaller clothes are fitting...but I can't help it, I want the freakin' scale to move! No matter what anyone says, it is a numbers game in the end.

I guess as bad as a plateau is it could be worse...I could be heading back up the scale. UGH! I don't even want to go there. I'd rather stay on the level. Boring can be good!

Excuse me. I'm going to go stand on my head for a while and think about that.

Growin' Some

2008-09-29T15:41:00.000-07:00

Tonsils...UGH!!! I had mine out two and a half years ago when I was 41 years old. It was HORRIBLE. It didn't get HORRIBLE until about eight or nine days after the surgery...just like the doc said it would. He was right. "They" always say it's harder on adults to have this surgery. He told me exactly what to expect and he was spot on. (He is a great doc.) Wish he'd have been my doc when I was nine years old and taken the suckers out then!

Anyway, for the last month, my throat has been hurting. For the last week or so, it's been really hurting. REALLY. I tried fat-free fudgesicles. They didn't work. I tried sucking on sour balls. Nope. I even tried cough drops and ibuprofen. Not a bit of relief. So, I tried more fudgesicles more often. Today, I finally gave in and went to the doctor. Did you know that your tonsils can grow back???!!! What kind of deal is that? I'll tell you, it's a BAD deal!

Now I'm not sure that that's why my throat hurts but all I know is that I have a small right tonsil again! I couldn't get much past that bit of news. I go see the ENT in a couple weeks. In the meantime, I'm going to have another fudgesicle...and maybe a margarita or three.

Shortly after my first tonsillectomy, I told my ENT that I'd rather have another hysterectomy than another tonsillectomy. Uh-oh...you don't suppose ovaries can grow back too, do you? Oh my goodness...maybe I'll just skip the fudgesicle in favor of an extra large 'bucket-o-margarita'. The kind that it takes two hands to hold. That might sooth my throat AND my nerves.

Pass the salt, please.

Downsizing My Closet

2008-09-21T16:58:00.000-07:00

I've spent the last couple days going through my oversized closet. Not only is the closet oversized but so are the clothes in it. The good news is, some of the clothes are now too big. YEAH! So, I'm downsizing.

I should have done it twenty pounds and a dozen trips to the mall ago. The only reason I'm doing it now is because my neighborhood is having its Fall garage sale in a couple weeks. In my neighborhood, that's a big deal. We can't just have a garage sale...we can only have one when the neighborhood association decides we can. Part of the covenants. (Don't get me started!)

I've been trying on clothes am tickled to find how many zippers zip without a struggle now. I'll have to remember that when I'm kicking and cursing as I head out to the gym. I'll still kick and curse, just not quite as loud or for quite as long. The scale hasn't been moving as much as I'd like but today showed me progress in other ways.

I'm still a long way from the point of "rightsizing" my closet but as long as the downsizing keeps happening, I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing.

In the meantime, I've got a lot of stuff to go through in the next couple weeks. Ugh! Is there anything worse than having a garage sale? (I know the answer to that...yes, having it on a weekend not of your choosing! Don't get me started!!)

Picture this...

2008-09-18T21:30:00.000-07:00

I got the monthly email update from the gym a couple days ago. It was full of the standard stuff. New classes, time changes, reminders to stop taking the towels home, etc. But then there was something definitely out of the ordinary..."no pictures, please". That got my attention. In all the years that I've worked out at gyms, I don't think I've ever seen anyone taking pictures. I've certainly never had anyone specifically tell me not to take pictures. I guess when I was juggling my water bottle, towel, keys and iPod, I just never thought to reach for my camera as I was heading out for a workout.

It seems that one of this season's "Biggest Loser" couples belongs to the gym. Okay. Got it. I also understand the request to respect their time and space. After all, I'm going to the gym to get a workout, too. Heck, I want my time and space respected. But, I'd have never known they were there if they hadn't pointed it out in the email - or if the local news station and newspaper hadn't done stories on them and made a specific point of the fact that they were working out at that gym. My guess is, neither would 99.9% of the rest of the city. They could have just left the name of the gym out. You know, like I have. So much for flying under the radar.

Several years ago, I was a Richard Simmons success story. When Deal-A-Meal was all the rage. Back when you had to lose weight at home and then get on TV via an infomercial - not lose weight on TV via a reality show in order to be a "weight loss star". I was everywhere when you flipped the channels. I did national talk shows, local talk shows, Richard showed my clip on QVC for months and the infomercial ran morning, noon, and night for over a year. There were print ads in the Sunday newspapers. Heck, I was even paging through "Glamour" magazine one day and came across my picture in a review of "Sweatin' to the Oldies 3". I have to say that in all the time that I was in the national spotlight, other than a photo shoot I did at the Y in Aurora, Illinois one day, no one ever took a picture of me working out at the gym. And, rarely did anyone ever interrupt my workout.

But times have changed. Paparazzi have changed the expectations and the bounds of reasonableness. I wonder if people really do have to be told to not take pictures at the gym? It will be interesting to observe from the distance. I hope that my workout schedule crosses theirs sometime just so I can see how others react to them - and vice versa. My guess is that everyone will do their own thing and no one will even notice that they are working out. Don't you think?

(btw Red Team...best of luck! I hope you win it all!!)

Welcome to * Results Not Typical

2008-09-17T20:48:00.000-07:00

Thanks for stopping by my new blog! This is the place for discussing novels and navels...books and bellies. I'll be posting about weight loss and weight gain (oh no!). And, I'll be telling you about some great books and authors.

As soon as I get this whole blogging thing figured out, I'll post a couple pictures. Some of you might recognize me from "Sweatin' to the Oldies 3". That's where I got my asterisk. You know - "* results not typical". Of course, I should have had the asterisk much earlier - like on my birth certificate. Nothing has been typical about my life...and I wouldn't have it any other way. My life has been a grand adventure. And God willing, it will continue to be for years to come!

So, I'm going to do what I always do. Instead of holding on with both hands, I'm throwing my arms up in the air as the roller coaster crests this hill and I'm going to laugh and scream and enjoy the ride. I hope you will come along and enjoy it, too!