The first of my traveling-for-work trips is tomorrow - I'm off to Miami on Tuesday! My boss is fantastic, letting me choose that city after I promised her I wouldn't eat too much to keep expenses down. And I'm taking my husband, which will be such a nice reward after a year of biting our nails praying for work. However, hurricane season is kicking off, and thunderstorms are predicted. I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. However, we're content to stay in the hotel room ordering room service if it is too stormy outside. *eyebrow waggle*
I interviewed for a new job last week. Within the same company, but something totally different from what I've ever done before. (not the new job I originally wanted) It's a marketing position, and I was encouraged to apply by a woman in the marketing department, who after I submitted my resume, promptly gave notice so she could follow her husband to his new job in another state. Frustrating! I actually had a sitcom moment of "You wha-?" with the sound effect of the needle screeching off the vinyl. True story.
It was interesting to interview for this position, when I'm not miserable in my current position. I thought it would make me feel more confident, and it did to a degree. However, the HR woman made sure to tell me that they had over 100 applicants, and it was her job to make sure that she found "the right" candidate with "the right" experience. Well yes, of course we all want to hire the perfect person, I thought. My marketing experience is limited, and as I described my meager experience, I felt sort of silly and inadequate. BUT I know I'm a sharp girl, I know the Seattle office, I know the team, and I know the database that we use, AND I was asked to apply based on my performance as an admin, and I know I can do the job, and it would be interesting. So I am 50% okay with not being passed on to the next round of interviews, only because it was something I thought I would try on, and not a position I was in love with. But the other 50% really wants a chance to meet with the local team, to talk more about the position since we speak the local language, I know our clients, etc. I would rather be rejected by them, than the HR lady with her checklist. I agree they need someone talented, but I'd like the opportunity to hear from the actual team what their expectations are. So, que sera, sera. By the end of the interview, it felt like I dropped it over the side of a bridge into the river and watched it float away. And it was okay. 50% okay, I mean. So tomorrow I'll go to Miami and do some good work, and eat some tasty black beans and Cuban sandwiches, probably have a mojito and remember I have it pretty good in this life.
* 10 points to anyone who can name the reference for this post title!
5.31.2010
5.25.2010
HYC Check In
This was a good week! Healthy meals, one splurge on a pizza night, and good exercise. I don't have much to say other than I've been experimenting with different breakfast options. Something that isn't just eggs, and isn't just oatmeal. But keeps me full. And tastes good. I'll share the recipe when I find something. I tried the summit climber again at the gym. I only did 5 minutes, after I'd already done elliptical or some other form of cardio and I felt like the Thanksgiving wishbone. S-T-R-E-T-C-H-E-D. Okay, so most boring post ever, I'm going to just keep on trucking.
5.18.2010
My I heart Seattle weekend
Best. Weekend. Ever. My glorious weekend kicked off with some much needed good news. My husband got a job. At a big Pacific Northwest company, I love having major employers here. He starts next Monday the 24th. This is significant, because he has been out of work for 354 days (but who's counting?). I never wrote about it publicly here, because I just didn't want to talk about how my insides were a mess of goo and running mental financial calculations every 2 minutes. Now, we have two incomes! We can eat out and not feel guilty! We can dump money into savings, and then blow it on a vacation. To say I am relieved and excited is an understatement. I would also like to say that I am pretty proud of how well we handled this - I still managed to contribute to 2 retirement accounts, and even socked away some cash while only using a meager amount of the severance package to pay the mortgage. This was possible a) because we don't have any debt except the mortgage and b) the unemployment money and lovely Obama administration that extended unemployment payments. Thanks, Mr. O! Okay. Enough money chat.
Seattle gave us beautiful 70+ degree days this weekend. I know elsewhere it is probably even hotter, but here, this is a big deal. Friday I picked up all my groceries, and we had a very healthy rice, asparagus, cashew and Asian vinaigrette dinner. Delicious. Followed by a nice glass of wine while laying in the hammock. Does it get better than that?
Saturday brought more sunshine and dinner with friends - which always does my body good, no matter what we eat. We had a delicious dinner - outside (!) and chocolate fondue for dessert. It was so fantastic, good friends, good food and kids and dogs and laughing. I ate very well - a bonus!
On Sunday, I had plans to exercise and do my chores. But then we were seduced by the call of the Seattle Cheese festival. Two words: Free. Cheese. How can I say no? Our new favorite is little blocks of smokey sharp cheddar, and a Camembert that was so creamy delicious. And who knew that there was a Parmesan that I would consider eating by the slice? Walking around the market, snagging toothpicks of cheese to sample, people-watching, and buying a famous Pike Place Market bouquet, it was enough to make my heart soar, especially side by side with my sweet (employed!) husband. Plus - the samples were tiny, tiny - I estimate that at the most, I had 4 ounces of cheese total. And that's giving me some wiggle room. We headed home, and I was full of good intentions to go to the gym. BUT - it was sunny, and the floor needed mopping, and I needed to pay bills and stamp them, and paint my toes and make dinner, and I skipped my workout. I didn't even make dinner. We cobbled together something to eat out of what was in the fridge. And I am religious about making Sunday dinner. It felt kind of freeing, and I'm learning to realize that just because I don't get all my fruit and veggies in on one day, I'm not going to die of scurvy, or gain 50 pounds.
Oh! And I watched Geneen Roth on Oprah, talking about her new book, Women, Food and God. It cracks me up how the guest is supposed to be talking, but really it was a chance for Oprah to dump out all her a-ha moments. I found myself thinking a few times - hey, Oprah, let her tell us about that chapter, rather than just your reaction and interpretation. But I know what it is like to be excited and you can't stop talking about it. (see paragraph 1) Would love to hear if anyone else has read it.
That is my super duper fun and productive weekend. Mostly I'm just excited that I had a combination of doing fun things but still eating on plan. Gooooooooo...lifestyle change! Ha! I crack myself up.
Seattle gave us beautiful 70+ degree days this weekend. I know elsewhere it is probably even hotter, but here, this is a big deal. Friday I picked up all my groceries, and we had a very healthy rice, asparagus, cashew and Asian vinaigrette dinner. Delicious. Followed by a nice glass of wine while laying in the hammock. Does it get better than that?
Saturday brought more sunshine and dinner with friends - which always does my body good, no matter what we eat. We had a delicious dinner - outside (!) and chocolate fondue for dessert. It was so fantastic, good friends, good food and kids and dogs and laughing. I ate very well - a bonus!
On Sunday, I had plans to exercise and do my chores. But then we were seduced by the call of the Seattle Cheese festival. Two words: Free. Cheese. How can I say no? Our new favorite is little blocks of smokey sharp cheddar, and a Camembert that was so creamy delicious. And who knew that there was a Parmesan that I would consider eating by the slice? Walking around the market, snagging toothpicks of cheese to sample, people-watching, and buying a famous Pike Place Market bouquet, it was enough to make my heart soar, especially side by side with my sweet (employed!) husband. Plus - the samples were tiny, tiny - I estimate that at the most, I had 4 ounces of cheese total. And that's giving me some wiggle room. We headed home, and I was full of good intentions to go to the gym. BUT - it was sunny, and the floor needed mopping, and I needed to pay bills and stamp them, and paint my toes and make dinner, and I skipped my workout. I didn't even make dinner. We cobbled together something to eat out of what was in the fridge. And I am religious about making Sunday dinner. It felt kind of freeing, and I'm learning to realize that just because I don't get all my fruit and veggies in on one day, I'm not going to die of scurvy, or gain 50 pounds.
Oh! And I watched Geneen Roth on Oprah, talking about her new book, Women, Food and God. It cracks me up how the guest is supposed to be talking, but really it was a chance for Oprah to dump out all her a-ha moments. I found myself thinking a few times - hey, Oprah, let her tell us about that chapter, rather than just your reaction and interpretation. But I know what it is like to be excited and you can't stop talking about it. (see paragraph 1) Would love to hear if anyone else has read it.
That is my super duper fun and productive weekend. Mostly I'm just excited that I had a combination of doing fun things but still eating on plan. Gooooooooo...lifestyle change! Ha! I crack myself up.
HYC Check In
Happy Tuesday - my weigh in is not so good. 216.6. So, down like half a pound or something. There was a point right before Cinco de Mayo and Mother's day and the cold from hell where I touched down at 215 and I was so happy to hit the 75 pound mark. Alas, we're back up. I am thinking my body is a delicate flower who absorbs everything. There are no freebies for me. But I had the most glorious weekend, eating-wise, getting things done AND having fun -it was great. More on that later.
So here I go again - you can kick me, scale, but you won't win! Hope everyone had a successful week.
So here I go again - you can kick me, scale, but you won't win! Hope everyone had a successful week.
5.11.2010
HYC Check in - Life at 1600 calories
Life at 1600 calories is, in a word, shitty. Okay, truly, it's not THAT bad. The only time it really is unpleasant is when you're out to dinner, or the big gorgeous buffet on Mother's Day, trying to decide between choosing only bacon, or bacon AND sausage. That's rough, amirite?
I actually did very well at the buffet, thank you very much. I got hit with a killer cold this weekend - something crawled inside my chest, and moved into the cavity where my lungs used to be. This made me not so hungry. Since the cold, and the hacking cough, I haven't exercised since Thursday. And boy howdy, when you listen to your tummy - and wait to eat until you're hungry, I am reminded again that a body that does not exercise, does not need a lot of food. Who knew? The old adage is still true - move more, eat less. I'm anxious to get get back to my normal, able to breathe and laugh and not use an entire box of Kleenex in one day, self. I hope everyone else is healthy and happy and smiling!
I actually did very well at the buffet, thank you very much. I got hit with a killer cold this weekend - something crawled inside my chest, and moved into the cavity where my lungs used to be. This made me not so hungry. Since the cold, and the hacking cough, I haven't exercised since Thursday. And boy howdy, when you listen to your tummy - and wait to eat until you're hungry, I am reminded again that a body that does not exercise, does not need a lot of food. Who knew? The old adage is still true - move more, eat less. I'm anxious to get get back to my normal, able to breathe and laugh and not use an entire box of Kleenex in one day, self. I hope everyone else is healthy and happy and smiling!
5.04.2010
HYC Check In - May 4th
Here I am, with 2 (soon to be 3) perfect days under my belt. And by perfect, I mean I have planned what to eat, and I eat what I plan. I get hungry every few hours, so I'm armed with fruit, veggies and sugar free gum, which is just as satisfying as a packet of Starburst, or something salty and crispy, you know. That, was sarcasm my friends. I also had a week of perfect workouts - 3 days of strength training with a little cardio and one cardio only day.
Oh! I almost got mauled by a lady in her seventies on Sunday. I usually work out downtown near my office after work, but the YMCA in my neighborhood is offering water aerobics a few times a week. My favorite class is on Sunday. It is at 5 pm for 45 minutes. It's a great time of day for me, because I have all Sunday to do my chores, or laze about, and then go to the gym for strength training, and then hop in the pool for water aerobics, then go home and eat dinner! Love it. So anywho, the instructor decided that we would play water polo for that class. I groaned inwardly and wanted to hop out of the pool and say "Um, I don' t do sports, thanks anyway." but I decided to stick it out. First of all, it turned out to be a GREAT workout - 10 ladies scooting around the pool on their noodles which we're all riding like horses - oh we must have been such a sight - at one point, a woman looked at me and said "This is exhausting!" I concurred, as we were all red-faced and sweaty. So this other woman was so aggressive, at one point, I had the ball and she lunged at me and tried to hit it out of my hands, but when that didn't work, she held on and started desperately trying to pull it out of my hands. It was brutal! And the funniest part was that the teacher kept shouting "Virginia! Virginia! We have to just stop, and put the ball back in play!" As much as I wanted to say "Lady - it's just a game, let go!!" I also hope to have that kind of grip when I'm in my seventies! There's my anecdote for the week. Hope everyone else at HYC had a great week too!
Oh! I almost got mauled by a lady in her seventies on Sunday. I usually work out downtown near my office after work, but the YMCA in my neighborhood is offering water aerobics a few times a week. My favorite class is on Sunday. It is at 5 pm for 45 minutes. It's a great time of day for me, because I have all Sunday to do my chores, or laze about, and then go to the gym for strength training, and then hop in the pool for water aerobics, then go home and eat dinner! Love it. So anywho, the instructor decided that we would play water polo for that class. I groaned inwardly and wanted to hop out of the pool and say "Um, I don' t do sports, thanks anyway." but I decided to stick it out. First of all, it turned out to be a GREAT workout - 10 ladies scooting around the pool on their noodles which we're all riding like horses - oh we must have been such a sight - at one point, a woman looked at me and said "This is exhausting!" I concurred, as we were all red-faced and sweaty. So this other woman was so aggressive, at one point, I had the ball and she lunged at me and tried to hit it out of my hands, but when that didn't work, she held on and started desperately trying to pull it out of my hands. It was brutal! And the funniest part was that the teacher kept shouting "Virginia! Virginia! We have to just stop, and put the ball back in play!" As much as I wanted to say "Lady - it's just a game, let go!!" I also hope to have that kind of grip when I'm in my seventies! There's my anecdote for the week. Hope everyone else at HYC had a great week too!
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