Drama

Today was just what the doctor ordered.  I spent the day at a BBQ with good friends and good times/laugher were had by all.  Granted, we all ate way too much food but that's something that tends to happen when the food is as good as it was today.  Maybe all of the laughter helps to negate some of the calories that were consumed - - hey, a girl can dream anyway!  =)


It was nice to have a fun day today because this week has been filled with lots of drama...  It started off with a five year old telling me that they hated me and then they threw a block at me causing a swollen/bruised lip and bleeding gums.  Then, when I was driving on the highway Monday, my windshield got hit by a rock and caused a crack.  This is honestly the first time my windshield has been hit by a rock and I didn't know really what to do.  So, after talking with my parents, I had to make my first insurance claim and deal with the headaches that ensued.  I called about having the windshield replaced (since the crack was bigger than a dollar bill) and they said it could be replaced on Tuesday.  On Tuesday, the glass place called to let me know they had the wrong windshield and they wouldn't be able to replace it until Wednesday (I needed a windshield with a rain sensor and they had one without).  So, they told me the tech would be there between two and four and he of course didn't show up until just after four.  At least he was able to replace the windshield quickly, cleaned all of my windows and then vacuumed the carpets and seats.  If all of that wasn't enough, later in the week another child from my class hit me across the face, sent my glasses flying onto the pavement and both lenses ended up being scratched.  NOT my best week.  =(


At least my lip is getting better (I still have a small bruise on my upper lip), the windshield has been replaced with (fingers crossed) no leaks and work is looking into getting the lenses of my glasses replaced.  I guess if I looked at things from a different perspective, things could have ended up worse (even though I am very thankful that they didn't).


With everything that happened last week, I am also glad that I have tomorrow off of work.  I'm not quite sure at this point how I'm going to spend my day but I'm hoping to spend at least part of it relaxing.  Surprisingly my dance instructor is closing the studio tomorrow so I will probably spend some time at home tomorrow working with some music for an upcoming performance (time again to turn the studio into a nightclub!).  I am planning on performing two pieces - one with my sword and one without.  We'll see how that goes...


I suppose if I'm going to work on a new piece of music, I need to narrow down my selection first.  I have a couple of pieces in mind but am trying to decide which one goes best with the music I'm already using.  I know it will all come down to what inspires me as well as what I think I can come up with in two weeks (since that's when the performance is).  I know it will all come together as it always does but at this point I'm feeling a little bit nervous about the performance.


Well, I think it has come that time to put the computer away for the night and think about maybe getting something accomplished before going to bed (since I wasn't home most of the afternoon).  I figure if I get one thing accomplished before I go to bed, that will be one less thing I have to do tomorrow.  Please keep your fingers crossed for me that this week will be drama free.  =)

Yawn!

I'm sleepy.....  It was a full weekend of shimmying and I'm tired.  We had class yesterday morning (two hours) and then had a quick performance (which was running SO behind that it wasn't even funny).  If that wasn't enough, we had a full performance today (45 minutes of continuous dancing) and within the performance I had my sword solo.  Both my mind and body are tired after this weekend and it's difficult to think that I have to get up early in the AM to go to work.  I know that next weekend is a long weekend but that feels like such a long time from now and that week hasn't even started yet...

On the way to today's show of course I had to stop and put gas in my car.  And of course I didn't think to bring my debit card with my so I had to go into the gas station to pay.  And of course I was in full performance make-up and in my costume.  I know it wasn't the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to me but it was pretty embarrassing all the same.  Oh, well.  I survived the experience and only got a couple of really weird looks and double takes from people.

After the show today, I ran home to change (without even removing my make-up), took my solar viewer (made from the replacement lens from a welding mask and a rectangle of cardboard -- even though the guy at Home Depot treated me like I was dumb and told me it wouldn't work) to the beach and watched the Solar Eclipse.  Because I pulled something in my knee during the performance today, I didn't go onto the beach to enjoy the event but I sat on a bench right before the beach started.  So I was able to hear the waves crashing while I looked through my solar viewer.  While I was sitting there, I was talking to my Mom (the lover of astronomy) while she watched the Eclipse on-line (she wasn't able to see it where she lives) and I wished she could've seen it in person, with me, sitting on my bench at the beach.  At least we got to share the experience the best way we could.


Once I got home from the beach, I let the dogs out (who were very upset/annoyed with me that I didn't let them outside when I came home to change) and then jumped into a long, hot shower to not only wash all of the glitter off but to relax whatever I did in my knee.  After the shower, I used some Icy/Hot on the knee and some peppermint foot cream on my feet and legs.  Things are starting to feel a little better but it's been interesting trying to keep two doggies away from my feet and legs because they are trying to lick the peppermint lotion off.  =)


I was pretty impressed with myself at our performance today.  We were performing at a fair where there was all sorts of wonderful smelling fair food.  While everything smelled delicious, I stuck to my diet and found some yummy things for me to eat and still be "good" (I had grilled chicken skewers and a strawberry smoothie).  I wanted to get some of the other fair food but I just lived vicariously through the food the other people were eating and the smells.  Maybe one of these days I'll be able to enjoy fair food in moderation but because the dieting is still relatively new, I didn't want to jeopardize things by overindulging.


Well, since it's been such a long and eventful weekend (and who knows what the week holds in store -- hopefully it's better than last week), I think I'm going to shut the computer off and just relax some before going to bed.  Enjoy the magic a Solar Eclipse brings!

Thanks!

I can't believe how many people I know who are going to be Mom's this year (lots of them 1st time Moms but others having another child to add to their family)!  There must be something in the water is all I can figure.  While I am happy for all of these new Mommies, Mother's Day is a difficult one for me.  It's not that I don't want them to have happy and healthy babies; it's just that someday I would like to have one of my own.  Week before last I got to hold my coworker's new baby so I did get to have a little bit of a baby fix and in a few months, I'll get to have another baby fix but it's still difficult for me.  I guess I'll just have to look forward to each possibility of holding a new little one in my arms.


Also, on this Mother's Day I am reminded how special my own Mom is.  I truly wish that I could give Mom all of the things that she deserves (including the million dollars + that she is due in the belly dance costumes that she has created for me so far and I'm crossing my fingers she'll make for me in the future).  My Mom continues to be there for me when I need her - - even if it's just to calm me down over something silly (I mean who else can you turn to when you're dieting and are overwhelmed in the grocery store or don't know how to cook something?).  I am just so thankful that she continues to be there for me even though I'm not little anymore.


I know that not everyone has more than just their Mom to be a strong female role model in their life but I'm grateful that I do.  Since my Mom lives so far away, I have several strong women locally who have helped to fill that void (even though they can't completely because only my Mom can fill that true void).  I am glad that I have these other women in my life but I also wish that I could live closer to my parents (and the rest of the family).  Because I don't have living closer as a possibility, I know that I just have to continue to stay connected to Mom as best I can (gotta love the newest technology so we can occasionally see one another while we're talking) and take advantage of the opportunity I've been given to have these other ladies in my life.


Mom has been very supportive in my endeavor to diet.  In the last week and a half, I have lost 10 pounds (woohoo!) and have 40-50 pounds left to lose to reach my goal.  Mom has been very helpful to give food suggestions (since I really don't care for too many different veggies) and recipe ideas (since I never been a very good or adventurous cook).  With these 10 pounds dropped, that puts my total weight loss at right around 130 pounds so if I look at it that way, the other 40-50 shouldn't be too difficult.  But we shall see....  =)


Mom, thank you for all you have done and will continue to do for me in the future.  I love you (and your grand-dogs love you) and am sending a big hug!


Since I got a late start writing today and have a long week in front of me, I am going to sign off for this week.  Happy Mother's Day everyone! (this is to the Mothers of people babies and furry babies)  =)

Learning process

Well, this past week I have worked on beginning my new weight-loss challenge for myself.  My Mom found an amazing App for tracking calorie input/output (yes, there's an App for that) and I have been using it since last Wednesday.  This App also tracks your weight and so far I have lost between 4-5 pounds.  I figure that's not a bad start in meeting my total weight-loss goal.


Yesterday was the first time I went to the grocery store after I started my weight-loss challenge (other that that, I had just picked up food in a grocery center when running other errands) and I felt very overwhelmed.  I wasn't sure where to begin, I didn't know what to get and all I knew was I didn't want to fall into old eating habits.  I placed a few food items into my cart and then sent a text message to Mom.  She helped talked me through what food items might be good for me to stock up on and things that I might enjoy.  I know that this will be a learning process for me and that I will get better at it; it's just going to take some time.  I know that I may have to also go beyond my comfort zone when it comes to food choices as well and see myself going on "food adventures."


Another learning process that I'm still working on is the idea of saying "no."  I really want to look into pursuing those things that interest me and not that I'm just "good/decent" at doing.  I have found myself feeling overwhelmed lately with the things that I feel like I have to do and therefore not truly allotting time for the things that I want to do.  I know that there are only just so many hours in the day and I have to find a way to spend some of that time on me (and not just the time in the middle of the night when I should be sleeping).  While I am starting to find time for me when thinking about my food choices, I need to find that kind of time in other aspects of my life as well.


I can't remember the last time I spent time walking on the beach or reading a book while sitting in the sand.  I haven't spent nearly the time I have wanted to working on two cross-stitch projects (I'm less than 1/2 way done with one of them and haven't even started the second one).  I have new pieces of music that I would like to start playing around with as potential new belly dance solos.  But all of these take time.  Time that I haven't been able to find for myself.  I think if I can begin to find some sort of balance between the have-to things and the want-to things, I'll find myself with more time.


Maybe these are some of the reasons why I've been overeating.  I know that in the past I have often eaten out of boredom and just because I have no one to sit down and eat with.  I know I have also convinced myself that because I have participated in two-hours of dance class, I can eat whatever I want - no matter what the calorie count.  Neither one of those is a good reason to eat.  Since I have been making some of these food adjustments, I am finding that food tastes different and I am reminding myself of foods that I used to enjoy eating that I haven't eaten in a long time (right now I can't seem to get enough of cut up pieces of fresh celery - either with a little bit of veggie dip or crunchy peanut butter).  I know that I also have to drink more water - - something else that I haven't done enough of in the past.  Not only is it good to stay hydrated it's also good to drink water to help tell myself that I'm full because there is something in my tummy.  We'll see how well I'll be able to meet my goals this upcoming week.


I think I'm going to attempt some "me" time before heading to bed...