Life: Another year Older

That's right today is my birthday! Yay 27! Bring me Cake!

Life: Stay Positive

I have half a mind to make this a "poor me" post concerning my birthday dinner (people didn't show, didn't call...) but I'm not going to. If people want to completely ignore me, fine. It sucks, and hurts, but in the end I can't dwell on it. So in that vein, I'm going to elaborate on a few things that make me happy!

Let's start with Soft Soap:

I know, I know.  You're thinking "this girl has to be crazy to like soap."  I'm not crazy.  It's the smell that makes me happy.  It's a light kinda girly, clean smell.  It's not as harsh as, say, dial, and I like that there's no dye in it.  It's see through, I really like it when I can see through my soap.  Plus the aquarium design with the little fish always gets me.

*Warning, this gets long b/c I have pictures!*

Life: #64

Alright, down 2lbs! It took to long, but it's done.
I have decided to quit Curves because it costs to much and I have access to most/all of the equipment here at my apartment gym that I need. Even at $9.95 a month to be dormant, I really don't want to pay 10.83 a month to keep my option of returning open. So, this afternoon I go to say "I quit." In CC I pay 10 dollars a month to use the gym. I also feel that the workout I get at Curves is too low impact for me.
For actual progress go to: My Other Blog
That blog is about my new following of Weight Watchers Online, in 52 small goals, one a week.

Life: Christmas Update & More things that make me happy

As we all know my Christmas from my parents gave me a small existential break down. It didn't help that my hormones had gone to pot thanks to PMS, so I might have been a little over dramatic. I also cried and had a migraine the day I wrote that, so we can all see how my mode was not the most positive.
Anyway, my mom knows me, and she could tell that I was less than thrilled with the tree. (Clues she picked up on more when we FINALLY went to get the pot...) Having picked up on that vibe, and listening to me get SUPER excited that the shoes I've been obsessing over looking at on Amazon had gone down to 50% off (plus no tax, and free shipping!), she bought me the shoes. Leading us to:

Things that I love!

In this blog I have identified some of the things that make me happy without saying "these are some of the things that make me happy." To give a sum up of 2010 things identified they are:
My Cat
My New Camera
Dooney and Bourke Disney Purses

Today I'm adding:
Soft Soap
My New Shoes
James Avery
Robert Lutter
The Nook
My Niece Charly
Travel

All of these are going to be done in seperate posts, just so this one isn't so long. That brings my total to: 10, I better get crackin'!

Life: Christmas

Okay, I'm going to bitch.
This is going to sound incredibly childish and selfish, but here it goes. Christmas has come and gone. I got some alright gifts from Rob...he tried, but I was rather underwhelmed.  I did get a pretty ring though. I got him awesome stuff, I got everyone awesome stuff that they really like. I get down to my parents hoping that I got some good stuff from them (Windows 7, a new lens for my camera, new Reebok Runtones...) any of the things that I've been talking about for the last 6 months, and I get nothing. I get some random things from my Grandmama, Granddaddy, and Uncle Fred, the random gifts that my mother got from her family, but nothing else.  "My presents are at the office." Fine I'll wait till tomorrow.
The next day, I get to the office and there is a package on my desk. Not from my parents, a Caress gift set, pashmina, and car air freshener from the girls in the office.  What did I get from mom and dad? A Tree! A fucking TREE.
Not something that I can take home to Austin, not something that I can decorate my house with, no something that stays in the office I work in at my mother's office building. An office I have no intention of spending the rest of my adult career in, so it will stay there. We all read into things, whether we're right or wrong, and that's what I did. I read into this 'gift' as their expectation that I'm going to become an accountant and get stuck working for mom, like she got stuck working for her parents. Like she's depending on me to continue on her work.  I do not want to be an accountant, there is in no way I want to be in this job more than one or two more years. No way I'm going to stay working for her for the rest of my life, but that's the message that I get from the STUPID tree.
If that's all they want of me, then why did she let me go to Texas State? Why didn't she just make me stay in CC and study accounting??? Just because her mother did that to her doesn't mean she can do that to me. It's not fair!

So then we were going to go to the mall on Tuesday to look for some nice earrings, but did we get any? No. Mom got her teeth whiten (not that we found a pair that I liked). Her other idea was to get a pot for the tree, but we didn't get to the Home Depot. We didn't get there the next day either, and today they left to take my jack-off brother his presents in HOUSTON!!! They would NEVER drive up to Austin just to go to dinner with me, NEVER. It is such a double standard. So I got stuck here housesitting. My dad thought I was upset because I thought Adam got more presents than me, which he did, but it's not about that. It's that he's getting things to unwrap. Things that he'll be able to keep in his own home, things that will be his, and not decorating some else's room. Presents that don't give messages that he's stuck forever.

Now the tree is very nice, and I will enjoy some nice earrings if I ever get them, but as it stands I cannot refer to the tree as mine. It is not in my home, nor will it ever be in my home so how is it MY tree?  Honestly she bought a tree for herself and claimed it for me.  Then she validated it by saying that she thought I needed something there, and that she bought me those outfits from Macy's. It was 3 shirts to wear when I went to TN. I hope that we get to go to the mall again and I get something before my birthday. GAH!!!!

Life: I'm Here, I'm Here

Wow, I am really bad at this whole blogging thing! So instead of trying to go through a huge catch up with what's happened between September and now (a deadline, a whole lot of nothing, a couple of family events, and some holidays nbd), I'm going to quickly note changes to my 101 list. YAY Progress!

12. Host a Game Night...really did this a long time ago. It was fun, but there are certain people in my circle who I don't enjoying playing board games with. They become quite rude, and also become disinterested if they do not choose the game or are not at the center of attention.

46. I have finished The Hour I First Believed and I am nearly done with Under the Banner of Heaven. The first, by Wally Lamb was amazing and I highly recommend it. The second, is an amazingly detailed and interesting look at the world of Mormon fundementalism and the history of their church. Thrown in is the very real details of a "God Divined" murder in 1984. Very well written, entralling book.

53. I've done 2 more 5k. I participated in Race for the Cure with my friend Jen Osmundsen, and I also walked the 5 mile Turkey Trot with my cousin Ruby and friend Alison. I know it's more than 5k, but I'm counting it! I really need to get back into the running and everything. I'm changing my fitness plan in the new year for budget reasons, but I am confident that all will work out. (bad pun I know...)

65. I did it, I got mom a massage for her birthday (which was in August, which should have been documented in September, and it may well have been) but since she technically didn't use it till October, I'm counting it now. She loved it and really needed it because she had pinched a nerve in her shoulder.

71. My library is finally organized in a way that suits me. It is divided into sections and grouped that way. Alphabetizing isn't happening because I honestly don't want to, and I never put them back in order that way anyway.  I need to go through and give some to Goodwill, because there are too many. There is a total of three 8' tall cases full of books! Not to mention the one in the hall or the books tucked around Rob's room.

78. I recently went to Nashville and Memphis to visit my girl Robin Ann...exptect a post with links very soon. I hope to return with Rob in the spring/summer.

81. Girl's Weekend at my condo was super fun! It happened in early mid August around the time that my cousin Ruby was visiting Texas.  Amber and I headed down to Corpus Christi, where Amber picked up Ruby and did the shopping while I did some work. Now these two bright, well educated ladies are two of the smartest people I know, but they still managed to mess up SIMPLE directions. I really don't know how. The weekend was full of chatting, exploring, laying out, and just having fun. I can still remember Tropical Cows, jamming out in the car and condo, and I have the Malibu bottle!  It will not be the last weekend there with the girls! I can't wait for the next!

89. My beautiful Orchid has staid alive for over 6 months...but I have a terrible feeling that she is no more from lack of water (I haven't been home and Rob forgets), and from the fact that Rob and I perfer not to use the heater, and she's right next to the glass of my window, which gets very cold.

That is the progress I have made. Now I'm off to pick up my little brother, regift some booze, and get Christmas presents from Grandma!

Life: Super busy, Taking a quick break

Alright, so I have been super busy with work and probably the worlds worse blogger. Anyway, today I'm on a friends iPad to test it out. I'm trying to decide if I want to get an iPad or a new laptop, so I borrowed this one and am trying out the typing. The only downside is that I don't know if I can upload pictures directly on here from my camera and edit them on here which is also what I would want to do with the laptop. My other option is to get this and Windows 7 for my laptop to use exclusively for my photos, which will probably work the best. Hmmmmm must talk to Rob about it. More to think about. Sigh, more big purchases...it would help if the price of Windows 7 would go down.

Travel: Number 5

So I got to the East Coast!!
Last month Rob and I went to Massachusetts for Granny's 90th birthday. We came into Rhode Island, and spent the day traveling back to Granny's house in Fairhaven, MA.  We had lunch in Newport and drove past the Breakers and other Newport Mansions. You can check them out here: http://www.newportmansions.org/.
We then met Rob's aunt Rita, at her house and talked about the party two days later. When we finally got to Granny's Rob and I were dropped off one house down and instructed to wait a bit before walking up the drive, as we were Granny's surprise. Granny's house is very nice, with no central air, but there is breeze and shade, which makes it nice inside.
Friday we went to explore Martha's Vineyard. Martha's Vineyard is a very popular place to go, and the day was overcast and rainy, but it was great walking around there. I fell in love with the black dog. I bought myself a shirt, my mom a shirt, an umbrella, and dog biscuits for my black dog. I also wanted to go on their long boat charter, but I didn't have the time. Oh well, I guess there will have to be a next time. We were also there for the Oak Bluffs Monster Shark Tournament, which was interesting. So many people were up in arms about it, but honestly those that were caught, and not released, (many were released, and only certain species that are not considered threatened are targeted) were examined by marine biologists. I'm not one to say go out and catch every shark, but if they're used for food and research, I'm not going to start a one woman protest.  We also saw the painted/gingerbread houses that are famous.  They are very cute and quaint.
Saturday we drove around Fairhaven where we saw the Old Stone School House which is where I also got info on Manjiro (who attended school there) who not only is a folk hero in Japan, but also attended school in the one room building.We drove from there to the Millicent Library which was just gorgeous. Rob and I got some great pictures there, that I will post to my picasa account soon. We then drove around to Fort Pheonix, the harbor and across the bridge to New Bedford.  Our drive went through downtown New Bedford and past the Whaling Museum (something that will have to wait till next time), back across the bridge and to the site where Rob's Grandfather is buried.
After the graveyard tour we headed back to Granny's and started preparing for the party and talking with is family. We had a clam boil, which of course was complemented with beer and talking. The food was really good, and everything was lots of fun. The evening was ended by watching home movies that Dave had converted to DVD from his computer. Rob was kinda cute when he was a baby...he acts the same way around presents as he did then, haha.
Saturday Jon, Anna, Rob and I went to Boston. We followed the Freedom Trail around the city, stopping where Mother Goose is buried, the Union Oyster House, Paul Revere's House, and the Old North Church.  I think the best part was when Rob asked "is this a legit church." Instead of "is this an active congregation." Oh well. This is another place that I would love to go, just Rob and myself, because Jon and Anna have been so they wanted to rush through everything.  We did stop at Quincy Market which is in the Faneuil Hall Marketplace. That was a lot of fun to wander around in, and the criticism ice cream that we shared was well worth it. We did some more wandering on our way back to Boston Commons, and then took a driving tour around BU and Fenway. Back at Granny's we made chicken burgers for dinner and turned in early for the disgusting 4:30am wake up call and drive to the airport for our 6:30am flight.
That was my experience, but I hope that it was not a one time only deal. I really hope to go back and explore some more with out people who have seen everything so much that they aren't really interested in stopping and looking. Plus I want to see Bunker Hill and the USS Constitution. Harvard would be cool to see as well. Till then, I still have pictures.
Yay for one more down.

Changes to the List

I've contemplated this list, and honestly there are some of the items to accomplish that are going to be accomplished simply by doing others, and some I have really lost interest in, so we're going to do some editing. This list will simply be the numbers that were changed.



5 Go to the East Coast (Was "Go to NYC"--The new goal encompasses more and adds options)
27 Redecorate the Kitchen of my Condo (was "finish decorating my apartment"--this feels like cheating and really something that I won't do because I can't have complete flexibility...)
28 See the Grand Canyon (was "visit a state I've never been to before" which honestly is cheating because I would do that with SEVERAL of my other goals...)
42 Redevelop the film from my first trip to Germany and fix the scrapbook (was "Get Married" but that seems to be a gimme, since I'm engaged and 44 is "plan my wedding" which usually ends in being Married...)
59 Get an Apple Product (was "Get and IPad" I've made up my mind that I'll probably get a Macbook first, the IPad still needs to be worked on I think.)
72 Write a short story/Essay (and put it online) (added Essay b/c I tend to muse more on topics than dabble in fiction right now...)
77 Take a golf lesson (was Play Frisbee Golf, but I tried that, and let's just leave it at that)
78 Visit Robin Ann in/go to Tennessee (was "Improve my credit", which is happening with paying on my mortgage and paying down my Credit Cards)
88 Visit Atlanta (was "Spend an entire day in bed with my bf"...but I can't spend an entire day in bed by myself, I've tried, it doesn't work.)
89 Keep a plant alive for more than 30 days (was "Grow tomatoes and hot peppers," but my thumb is not exactly green, and I need a goal that's more general. We'll work on the veggie garden when I achieve this goal)

I really think these things make life more interesting, plus I don't feel like I'm coping out by doing one thing by accomplishing another.

Reading: It's been a long while

It has been a while since I've blogged, but will not start doing what I was doing on my Vox...I will not just make a bulleted list of what's been going on since I last blogged.  Though it helps get my thoughts together.  It's been over a month so I really can't go through it all. Let's say that nothing on my list has been accomplished, but I have started on a book that I bought but hadn't started...I'm about 215 pages in to The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb. I truly love the author's voice and the way he treats each character.  His narrator's line of consciousness runs between his present, what he's remembering, and what he's reading.  It's very interwoven, but very easy to connect thought A and thought B.
This particular tome takes place around a teacher and the nurse's aid(fictional) from Columbine HS at the time immediately before, during, and after the infamous shooting.  He (the teacher) wasn't there because of the loss of a family member, but his wife(the nurse's aid) is hiding in the library during the ordeal.  At the point I'm at, the story is centering around how they interact with each other.  I become completely engrossed with the story and could read and read and read, but unfortunately I read when I can steal time and before I go to bed. So I'm taking to much time out of work, and getting to sleep rather late. Oh Well.
There are more things to blog, but I thing each should be it's own post...so that's it for the book review today.
Next I think I will be reading Dawn of the Dreadfuls which is the Prequel to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies  (which will be second on the list) after that I will continue the theme with Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, then Android Karenina. As an English major I should balk at the irreverence, but I revel in it really, it's tongue in cheek and I LOVE it.

Wanting: Take me away!

I'm honestly thinking of changing one of my 101. Honestly I can, because, well, it's my list so :-P

I have always really wanted to go on a cruise, to be specific, I want to go on a Disney cruise. Yes a Disney Cruise.  Because, well, I'm a Disney dork and I really thing that it would be way to much fun to go. I also know what I would get as a souvenir. 

I know it's a pretty shallow reason to go on a cruise (they only sell them on the cruise) but I really really want one. Pretty much because I'm IN LOVE with my new one, and these are the nautical/tropical theme that I love love love. 

I love love love the nautical thing because of the fact that not only do I have a condo on the beach (tropical) but my mom has a boat that I LOVE being out on(nautical) and I am obsessed with being on the water now. All I have to do now is find someone who has the time to go on a cruise with me. I hope that these bags are around by the time I have the money/time to go on the cruise...

I'm not above trolling eBay, but honestly you can get it cheaper from Disney themselves, and I don't mind paying the source. They're an american company, doing what they do über-successfully, and I have no problem supporting that, because in a good Karma way I want that to happen to me.  Let's not forget that I am extremely brand loyal and a HUGE fan.

Life: Book Club

So I've joined a book club. I don't know if it's exactly the kind of book club I want to join, mainly because our first book is not fiction, but it is a book in a genre I have not read yet.  I suppose that's part of being in a book club. I'm honestly thinking of joining another (who meet on Saturday or Sunday afternoons) that focuses on fiction. I just need to tap into my inner bookworm who has been somewhat hidden and start eating up books again. Honestly finishing 2 books a month isn't that hard.
That being said, the first book is: Women, Food, and God by Geneen Roth.

Exercise: Chuy's Hot to Trot

This 5k started at 8:15am down at the Chuy's on William Cannon. I got enough sleep this time, didn't remember to get to pick up my packet, and ate the WORST thing I possibly could the night before.
I didn't get my packet (my shirt and bib) before the run because RL's parents were in town so we were showing them around. I got into town about an hour and a half after they touched down on Thursday after working in Corpus Christi, and Friday we spent all day in Fredricksburg. The Chuy's is way south of our place, and we could have gotten it on the way back in from Fredricksburg, but I didn't even think about it. Thankfully it was only a shirt and my number, both of which I could put over the shirt I was wearing.
The food the night before was also a lesson learned because of what we ate. After coming back from Fredricksburg and resting for a bit we headed down to Driftwood and the Salt Lick.  Once there we had family style, all-you-can-eat BBQ and sides, which I know I could have gone easy on, but I haven't had BBQ in forever and so ate quite a bit! Again, this was Friday after having Oasis Fajitas on Thursday evening, and Weiner Schnitzel with potato salad and red cabbage for for lunch.  In Short, lots of meat, little veggies, and nothing entirely good for you.  Well Saturday morning, I was was feeling it, and it made the run a little difficult. Now I know to stick with lean protein and lots of veggies the night before.
I learn every time, now I just have apply.

Going: Oh How I Love My Rob

I love him enough to buy tickets to Star Wars: The Concert.
No I didn't buy the Platinum Package or the Hot Seat Package, because honestly I didn't want to pay that much. Also the seats I got are Ah-MAZ-ING! They're on risers on the floor, almost center to the stage, and pretty close to the front of the section. I was so excited about these tickets, any idea of surprising him with them went right out the window. I called him the minute I got them and told.
He wanted them so badly, and I had the means to get them, so that's what I did. It doesn't count towards anything on my list, but it will make him a little more willing to go somewhere for me. Haha.

Exercise: Bun Run

Well, I got more sleep than last time, but probably not enough still, haha. I did have a ride this time thanks to my darling boyfriend, and I remembered to pick up my packet before hand. Win.
The course was nice, we started going over the 1st street bridge then down the road for a while, then back up the road. The course was nice an flat, and the location was pretty, green, and quiet. 7:30 was a little early for me, but in the end there was cloud cover and wonderful views of the skyline. I really should plan an early Sunday morning to walk around down town to take pictures.
I also met a woman in the last leg of the race who was really nice.  She's had some hard times, but I'm so proud of her going and doing.  We both finished in under an hour (48 minutes for me) and were happy with that.  She's going to be doing the Chuy's Hot to Trot 5K on May 8th, so we exchanged numbers and hopefully we can meet up with each other. I only hope I can do better on that one that I did on this one.  That's all I aim for really.

New Toy: Oh Eye Candy.

I posted earlier about something that I loved.  Something that in all honesty I didn't need, but oh I loved. Well today, after trying to stay strong, and  examining my situation financially, I have made the purchase, and it will be here soon.  Part of the motivation for the purchase was that when I went back to see it today, it was sold out or "unavailable" at www.disneystore.com, and I was looking at getting it from another website where it was listed for about 60 dollars more.  I had talked myself out of it, till I saw that it wasn't listed on Amazon anymore, and I went to the other site, ready to buy when I tried Disney again, and THEY HAD IT!!!! I was so happy! I know the principle of perceived scarcity totally worked on me, but I am vowing here and now that I will not buy another high dollar item till after September. The exception being a plane ticket(s) if needed. I really cannot wait for it to get here!!!!

Exercise: One 5K Down.

Alright, so I really should have posted this earlier, but on April 17th I participated in the Shoes for Austin Shoes for Kids 5K at the State School.
I was not prepared and had very little sleep, so thank heaven it was not timed.  The start of the race was all the way at the back of the school, and the registration tent was between the start and the parking lot.  That being said, I had not gotten my registration pack the day before and I was running late, so I had to go to the registration tent and pick up my bag and t-shirt.  I then walked back to my car to put on the shirt and bib, and then started to try to find the beginning. Well, I didn't start at the beginning, I started as close as a cared to(the start was on the other side of the building) and was dead last the entire time.  I take it as some one had to be and it might as well be me.
Anyway the route went around the grounds twice, I did the full thing the first lap going around the parking lot and back to the start.  I was even photographed(I think) as finishing, though I wasn't done.  Because I hadn't started with the rest I had missed the critical pass between finishing and continuing, apparently I was supposed to veer to the left.  Determined to do all 5k I went back through the gate, got back on the familiar path and kept going. I skipped looping the parking lot and finished the route.
There was food and pizza provided afterwards, but being slightly embarrassed about being dead last either way you slice it, I continued my trek back to the parking lot. I count it as 5K because what I skipped was made up for by going back and forth to my car and the last trek from the finish to my car. I was done.
I'm glad it wasn't timed, but when it was all said and done I was running/walking for less than an hour, so I'm happy with that.
Lessons learned:always pick up your packets and always get enough sleep.

Wanting: Eye Candy

This bag has become one of 2 bags that I have wanted with a passion. This one of course will have to be purchased at full price, but because it is Disney, I'm willing to.
There is a smaller one, but I'm not really a fan of th shape of that one, plus my dear friend Sarah already owns that one and I don't want us to be complete twins.
Anyway here is a link to the wonderfulness.


Disney Park Authentic...I LOVE

Life: Meet My Secretary

This is Scar. He is my 12 year old American Shorthair/tomcat. He is in reality more of a task master in the morning and the laziest employee ever after 1 p.m. His main interests are sleeping and eating. He has a twitter(scarkitty) thanks to the boy friend, Rob, but mostly he sleeps or peers out windows, longing to be outside, where he rolls in dirt.
(This was also a post to show off a picture from my new camera. haha)

Life: Working on It.

To be honest, I have been "working" on my weight, ohhhhhh forever? I clearly remember several different diets in middle school, all set off by the fact that in fifth grade(maybe fourth?), the school decided it was a good idea to have EVERYONE in my grade go into the nurse's office and be weighed and measured.  Now I truly doubt that this woman was trying to traumatize anyone, and I question her 'medical' background, but when it was my turn I was measured at 5'8" and 180lbs.  This is HUGE for a child who was 9 or 10, HUGE.  I was horrified that I weighed that much, though I knew and was very aware that I wore a size 18 in children's (so probably smaller in misses which would have been helpful to self esteem).
Now where I question this woman is this: I was still wearing my boots.
Now my family is known for a few key features: large noses, large ears, and large feet, besides being of tall German Viking stock meaning that I ended up being 5'8" and one of the tallest girls in my class.  I also was wearing women's size 9 by the end of elementary.  So here I was being weighed and measure with boots that were probably 5-7lbs.  Of course the woman also didn't try to console me by explaining that my clothes were also heavy (a long corduroy jumper dress that my mom had made for me and a sweater on top of that) so I was probably around 10 lbs less than what I was told, but that final pronouncement crushed me. That was also the point where I kinda said fuck it, I'm going to eat what I want.
That brings us to middle school and high school, where even though I was in Tennis(the starting of which still amazes my mother because I was the child who only liked swimming as a work out "because you didn't sweat"...I know, you do, but I was all of 11), I went up to a misses size 18, pushing size 20 or 22. Mom and I went on several diets that seemed to work and I would go down a size or two, but while they worked for her, they seemed to only momentarily work for me. I graduated at size 22, though I my self esteem was not in the tank yet, I was not happy that I was the largest of my circle.
In college, of course, I was paired with a tall waif of a girl who was wildly popular in HS, and my self esteem tanked. My grades were awesome, and I made great friends who helped me, even a guy who seemed kinda of interested (to jump ahead, he came out to me that summer...I'm a girl with NO Gay-dar at all), so I wasn't going to cut my wrists, though crying was a regular past time. Though through the saving grace of the Department of Residence Life, I became a Conference Assistant shortly after leaving my first year at college. I had signed up for summer school, but came back early to work.  I was a Resident Assistant during the next year where I met my friend Melissa who had done REALLY well on Weight Watchers and was still sticking with it. That spring I considered it and that summer I joined Weight Watchers for the first time.  My tenure with them resulted in my first major weight-loss since middle school, and I stuck with for a long time.  I even lost weight while studying abroad in Germany the next summer, and stuck with it into the following Fall Semester.  Somewhere I got swept up in life and trailed away from the program, and gained a bit of the weight back, though I had gone down to a size 16 and then back up to 18 but staid there.
Another episode of accomplishment was during my tenure as a Disney CP, where I was getting really close to a size 14 pant, because of my schedule and the food I was eating.  I worked afternoon/evening, walking miles at a time pushing a minimum of 20lbs on these walks(I worked luggage at the largest resort hotel outside of Las Vegas), but during the day before I went to work, I would wake up, go to the gym, shower and go to work. On top of this super active life style, my meals were usually lean cuisine during my break and before I went to work, and rice or pasta with veggies and chicken when I had a chance to eat at home in the evening.
Upon returning to the normal world, I got off work out/dieting bandwagon.  I also tried getting back on some kind of regime during that final year of college and the first year of living with my boyfriend. This being the case, I start gaining again.  This past summer, I joined Curves and I was weighed in at 292. The next month I was up to 294(the largest I have ever been), and I have gone down steadily, if not a little slowly, ever since.
I weighed in today at 274, meaning in a stressful time I had not GAINED, but I had not lost. So today I rejoined Weight Watcher Online to help me get to my goal of 120lbs smaller.
So here I stand embarking on this with the every clear goal of not looking like a marshmallow on my wedding day in 2012, and also having a body to be proud of and not look ridiculous when pregnant. It seems vain, but in truth, if I don't do it for vain personal reasons, I won't do it at all.