INTRUDER

Got a dumb email about an intruder in the office today. It was along the lines of "We found an intruder, but he has been turned over to the authorities. No need to worry. Go back to your normal job."

Ok.

I also got a dumb email about not being allowed to use my own personal office chair at work. They assumed that I'd stolen the chair from an executive. Not quite the case, ribman.  The corporate office furniture policeman said they'd done an annual audit and discovered my chair, that I had no medical condition on file for the non-standard chair and therefore, they were taking the chair away from me.
Snarkily, I wrote back and said they'd owe me $400 in cash if they took the chair away, since I brought it from home. After reviewing it with the company safety department, they decided that it was OK for me to continue my use of the chair. Pretty much the dumbest thing ever.

Anyway, I went shopping for wedding attire. I didn't find one dress. I found 4. I didn't find 1 new pair of shoes. I found 3. My friend encouraged me--I bought a very pale dress that's very adorable and only two shades darker than my skin. It's risky.  Probably can't wear it to a family wedding, so I'll save it for the one at the vineyard this summer.  I'm hopeful that after 3 more months of working out, my body will look even better in it.

It's weird to look at your legs in the dressing room. You want to see the muscles that you see after spin class, but in the dressing room, it's all flab instead. You see the dimples of fat. Your stomach bulges. You're even wearing 2 sizes smaller than normal, where did this fat come from?

Blah blah blah.

So anyway, the family wedding this weekend is back in my hometown. I seldomly visit the location but have been able to see some people that I like, old neighbors, old day care providers. It is definitely nice to visit and get a feel for small town Iowa again. 30K people (maybe 100K in the whole Cedar Valley area)  might not seem small to most Iowans, but it's definitely small to me.

Quotes again

It's a sad and stupid thing to have to proclaim yourself a revolutionary just to be a decent man.  ~David Harris

The first gold star a child gets in school for the mere performance of a needful task is its first lesson in graft.  ~Philip Wylie, Generation of Vipers, 1942

Half off 5k Runs

Finally a groupon I can use.
50% off a bunch of 5ks.

But wait--that's back in DSM. Oooops.

Did an awesome spin class tonight. We've got a great group of people who give a lot of banter back and forth and the instructor is groovy. Took it up to level 10 a bunch of times and then back down. I discovered that bench pressing the bar isn't so hard at all and that I've lost between 3-6% body fat in the last month or so. Which is a step in the right direction, since the pounds are not changing much.

I'll take any changes that I can get.

Back from KC and more!

Well, we are back from KC, it was a whirlwind and lovely trip. I think we have a plan for selling (as always, right?)

I hate recounting everything I did on a trip,but we hit all our favorite places and got to see several old friends that we kee
p missing otherwise.

Anyway, life went back to normal this weekend. Short work week, same work frustrations, back to the gym and carried on.

The good news is that after eating out twice a day in KC, I didn't gain any weight. I guess it's because I was doing a LOT of manual labor and we ran a bit while we were there.

But back on track for this week--I still haven't lost anything. :(

I wanted to recount my physical activity for you from yesterday:

Ate: one bowl of spicy chili corn soup
a few tootsie rolls and hershey kisses (BAD!)
a container of greek yogurt with fruit in the bottom
a plate of sun chips shared with Dan.
a 1x1 inch square of pizza (I was at a party and couldn't help myself)

That's it. I drank over 40 oz of water and nothing else: no beer, no wine, NADDA.

I walked home from work (3 miles) and then raked the yard vigorously for 2 hours.

Hope that on the scale today, I would see a change.
NOPE.
I weighed a lb more than I did yesterday morning.

Woot and Pfooot

Went to a swap party today. I resolve to not take anything. Then the clothes keep piling on...they look cute, they're free, they fit.
I went home with a giant bag, plus a bridesmaid dress to use for an "art project."
Read that as: I bet I could make some decorative pillows out of this dress for practice.

I also spent most of my day sleeping. Guess how I spent most of my Saturday afternoon? Yep. Same way.

I woke up, went to SKY AEROBICS, which was great. But I came home and felt sleepy, so I indulged myself.

Now I am reexamining my situation and realize this is a classic sign of depression, and since I have every other "normal" symptom (for me), I'm angry at myself for letting myself sleep.
I'm angry at myself for getting depressed.
I'm angry at the world for labeling me if I were to tell people about it.
I'm scared that my company will find out, I'm scared that it will hurt my career. (And it would, let's face it.)

Transplant day

I just transplanted all of the basil and half of the red peppers. I am already out of dirt and things to plant in.

Randomly wandered around the house looking for a extra bowls, containers or pretty much anything cylindrical to put seeds and dirt inside.

"I could dump out the flour and plant in the flour and sugar canisters!" "I could use this tub of butter, after I get rid of the butter." "What about a toilet paper role? Or this old box?"

I've got 6 pots of basil to bring to the swap party tomorrow and I'm debating what to do with it. Should I put it in the freezer proof bag and bike it to the swap party? Will it die on the 10 minute bike ride? Should I insulate it?

Who knows.

I have noticed that gardeners do fail as often as they succeed. I am pretty darn good at failure, so this profession is for me.