Random Topics, Part 2

Today, I'm talking about more random things.  If I ever want to maintain some sort of blog posting schedule, I have to start with writing when the mood strikes, even if I don't have a particular topic.

1.  After last week's -52ºC, today's weather feels tropical!  My head does not like it one bit though, it throbs every time I move.

2.  For my birthday in December, we had a 1920's themed party - here's me and the husband, hamming it up:

I was hoping for more Gatsby-fication, but sometimes you just have to be grateful you have good friends who show up, whether or not they dressed up.  I'll have to dig up some more pictures - I'm pretty proud of the decorations!

3. GAME. OF. THRONES. *dies* I read the books before I got into the series, and I just finished season two. I have less than a month to finish season 3 before season 4 starts, along with the stuff already happening in April.  I have many favourite characters, but I think my favouritest (yes, that's a word) is Daenerys.  Mother of Dragons, bitches!

4.  Things happening in April:

• My Accounting course deadline, including the final exam
• Air Cadets Field Training Exercise weekend for the kid (it means Mom has to help him pack his kit)
• My son's 14th birthday (this includes two celebrations - one family, one friends - on different weekends)
• My son's TWO hip hop competitions (different weekends, one being on his birthday)
• Moving from one house to another mid-month (of course there's packing, cleaning, unpacking, organizing, moving utilities, arranging movers, etc. to deal with)
• Calgary Comic Expo (which I have to send my husband to without me *sob* - I'll be at a hip hop competition with the kid)
• Easter/Easter break (kid will be at his dad's for the week, but I'll have to drive him back and forth to the bus [3 hours each way] which puts a big dent in my available "doing stuff" time, nevermind the gas budget)
• Mamma Mia! with friends (tickets are pretty reasonable when you buy for a group of 10 people!)

5.  Once May hits, we have to get the trailer out of storage, de-winterized and ready to roll for May long weekend.  I have a serious case of cabin fever, and I can't wait to NOT sleep on the ground!


Not anymore - we bought a trailer in February!




Little Friday Link-Up

Linking up today with Ashley from The Grits Blog!  These link-ups are really helping me get back into the blogging groove.



I swear the link-up button is here, I can see it!  It's in the preview!  But it's not on the blog.  *cry*



This isn't where I live, but it's close, and I was there visiting a friend on the COLDEST DAY IN ETERNITY.  Just thinking about it makes my face hurt.  -52ºC??  WTF WEATHER.

But when you live in this part of Canada and the temps get insane, you can just invest in a big furry parka and take cute pictures of yourself.

My husband makes the best Eggs Benedict I've ever had - and it only took SIX YEARS for him to make them for me.  I didn't have a clue he could cook something so fancy!  I can cook almost anything, but I've never poached an egg.  And yes, those are the most perfectly crisp tater tots.  *drool*

And this is the present someone left on my desk last week... WTF?  I don't even eat popcorn on a regular basis, and no one will 'fess up.

That's all the random I have for today!

Finish the Sentence with Jake & Holly

I'm having a heck of a time posting this - Compose won't let me edit anything, so I'm stuck in HTML, plus I can't get the link up button to work! 

Here we go anyways, time to Finish the Sentence with Jake & Holly! 

1. I always pick L'Oreal Voluminous mascara over fancier high priced brands. 

2. Look at the size of those... shoes! Buying runners for Zumba has been a nightmare. My feet are kind of wide, but kind of not (depends on the shoe), and I need something lightweight and flexible, but not too flimsy. 

3. I recently learned.... that a lot of people rely on me to support them, whether it's through work, family, or friends, and I need to do a better job of handling all that responsibility. Stress will kill me; I need to get it under control. 

4. Only when no one is looking... will I eat saltines with margarine on them. Salty deliciousness. *guilt* 

5. I lost my.... purse once when it was stolen out of my (unlocked) car in the parking lot of my apartment building. This was a long time ago, so I definitely didn't have anything worth stealing in that purse (SO. POOR.), but it was still a bonehead move. The police found it a couple of years later at Stotan Falls (back in my home town), wet, muddy and completely empty except for my ID. 

6. I was certain I'd be... a music teacher. It was all I could ever imagine being, and I learned a lot of instruments in preparation. The main one was the piano, and I completed Grade 10 of the Royal Conservatory, along with the required music history and harmony courses. Now I have a desk job, and I make an excellent salary for staring at a computer all day, but there is still a twinge when I think about teaching music. 

7. There is not enough liquor in the world for me to.... sing karaoke. I've already had my moment in the spotlight, and I could tell through the booze haze that it was NOT my strong suit. 

8. I just finished... book 5 of Game of Thrones (Songs of Ice and Fire series). That was a labour of love. They're not easy books to read, even for someone like me, who chews through multiple novels a week. I was so entangled in the characters, the story, the extensive details, but it really required a lot of thought and time. 

9. Why does everyone have to be... getting on my nerves?? I think I'm extra cranky these days - I need a vacation. 

10. It's very rare when I... cry. And when I do, it's usually over something stupid. 

11. If I were a dog... I'd probably be a German Shepherd. A well trained one, who requires a lot of mental exercises and will never pee in the house. 

12. I don't believe... I am meant to be overweight. My body doesn't function well, my joints hate me, and my frame is not that big, even though I'm 5'11". I've got skinny extremities! When I stand next to my (skinny, healthy) brother, I feel like I should have the same focus on fitness, healthy eating and willpower that he does, but something in my brain is messed up when it comes to food.

It Was Bound To Happen...

I injured myself at Zumba! 

Now don't ask me what I did exactly, cause it felt just fine while I was shaking my thang, but by the time I went to bed, it was aching.  Woke up yesterday morning, and I can barely bend my knee - it doesn't seem swollen, but there is a shooting pain through the middle.  Anyways, skipped the gym yesterday, and will stick to doing hand weights at home until it's 100% again.  You don't want to mess with knee pain!

In other Zumba related news, the gym has added two more classes a week, which means I can get my groove on 4 to 5 times a week.  Is that insane?  Am I addicted?  Perhaps.  But cardio is cardio!

Someone at work has started a 'Spring Into Action' weight loss challenge, which starts next Tuesday.  It's $50 to enter, and the final weigh in is July 25th.  I'm joining as this could be the motivation I need to stay on track with my eating.  I don't have any problems going to the gym (minus the injury thing), but it's REALLLLY hard to say no to chocolate cream cheese on a bagel (why did I even buy that??  I could eat it with a spoon, straight from the container!)  This week, I'm going to work on a menu plan that hits around 1500 calories a day.  Of course, I will put in some wiggle room for things like vacations (I have 2 coming up before the final weigh in) and parties (um, yup, there's a few of those... hello gin and tonics!)

So far, this blog has been all weight-loss related.  I didn't plan that, it's just what's forefront in my brain these days.  For a change of pace, here's some news about my weekend!

On Friday, my son Ben is coming for spring break.  He lives with his dad about 5 hours away - we share custody, and Ben asked to try living with his dad for a while - so it's not very often that I get to see him.  I'm super excited to have a whole 10 days with him!

Friday night, my friends are having a Hawaiian themed dinner party, which required dressing up.  I don't have anything particularly Hawaiian, but I do have some summer clothes I can pull out.  As long as I wear some bright colours and shorts or a skort, I should be good - oooo, I should put a flower in my hair!  Done.

Saturday is RIHANNA!  Four of my friends are coming from out of town, plus my husband, son and some local friends, so there's a total of 10 of us.  After the concert, we're going out dancing for my friend's birthday (I haven't been to a club in Calgary for, umm... years?), then we're getting a limo home.  I love that it's the same price for an 8 person limo as it is to take 2 cabs back to my place!

Easter Sunday means I MUST. NOT. EAT. ALL. THE. CHOCOLATE.  Maybe just one, but that's it.  Mmmm, Reese's peanut butter egg...

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Ugh.

What a crazy weekend.  I'm exhausted.  I shall return with a real post shortly.

Ahoy!

Nope, still terrible at titles.

*drumroll*  Now it's time for.... results from last week!

Last week's fitness goals - RESULTS:

• Zumba tonight!! *dance dance* Also, Saturday morning. - CHECK!
• Complete my trainer's strength workout twice. - Sad face - only did it once.
• Add at least 20 minutes of cardio to the strength training days. - CHECK!  Did 30 minutes of the "heart intervals" setting on the treadmill.

This week's fitness goals:

Follow this schedule:

• Monday - Zumba
• Tuesday - Rest day
• Wednesday - workout with my trainer
• Thursday - Butts and Gutts (keep repeating the mantra "what doesn't kill me makes me stronger")
• Friday - Zumba

 Last week's food goals - RESULTS:

• Stick to my meal plan - CHECK!!  Although any benefits gained were negated by my vodka intake on Saturday night, and the subsequent post-drinking greasy egg and bacon bagel on Sunday morning.
• Protein shakes for breakfast, while being aware of the amount of fruit in them (sugar) - CHECK!  This was actually a lot easier than I thought, so I'm keeping up with it.
• Create a menu for next week - CHECK!
• Complete all food prep on Sunday - I did some prep on Monday, since we were at a hockey game on Sunday night.  I'll call it a pass.

This week's food goals:

• As always, stick to my meal plan!
• Week 2 of protein shakes for breakfast.
• Create a menu for next week.
• Complete all food prep on Sunday.
• Start planning weekend food as well as work days.

 Click to embiggen!

 

 

Notes:  Monday has already passed, so I updated it to show what I actually ate.  I had a crazy morning at work, plus I didn't plan well the night before, so I skipped breakfast and had a bunch of random stuff for lunch.  The purpose of the 4 PM snack is to fuel me for the gym, so if I'm not doing that, I don't have a snack (especially before sushi, nom!)  Friday is my day off, and I'm going out of town, so I don't know what I'll be having for lunch or dinner yet.

What I like best about having a blog that no one really reads is that I don't have to worry about a posting schedule - I just do what I want.  It's nice for me to see everything laid out "on paper" so I can tell where I need to work harder.

Since this was a long post, I'm going to wait until next time to tell you about the rest of my week.  Pins and needles, amiright?