sometimes the "end" button on my phone works...

But mostly, it just does nothing but mock me.

It is my own fault. I was trying to be smart and keep a beer bottle in my purse so I wouldn't have to carry it or let it get warm. Ok..let me 'splain. I was at the Mardi Gras street party in Dallas. The beer lines were LONG. It was warm outside. You buy two beers at once...so you only have to get in line every so often. Anyways...I still had one beer in my purse when we mosey'd over to the parade route. Realizing this, and having an empty cup in my hand...I poured half the beer into my cup and re-capped the beer bottle and put it back in my purse. No need to attract attention from the Dallas PD. Well, apparently that screw top didn't close as tightly as I would have hoped. My purse was not soaked, but definately wet.

My phone worked...but it was to be forever changed by that event. Intermittently, the "end" button will work in its original fashion. Most times, it doesn't work at all. This is tiresome at best. When I call my voicemail, I actually have to unhook the battery and rehook it and let my phone reboot.

BOOOO

sigh.

I can see it...

Aside from my car payments...I should be completely debt free by Oct 1. (If I stick to my guns!)

YAY!

cheap wine....

Last night I had a great time eating, drinking and laughing with two of my favorite people. We had this spectacular spread of appetizers (I am soooo not logging my food consumption in CalorieKing). We had two really yummy cheeses (12 month old Comte and some amazingly creamy Grueyere), a spicy pickled garden medley (olives, peppers, onions, etc), more olives (looked like some sundried tomato stuffed, blue cheese stuffed, and kalamata), apple slices, and these KICKASS vegetarian rolls that Lauren made (sliced and roasted zuchini with hummus, then rolled and feta cheese on top). OMG....it was soooooooo good. By the time dinner was ready, I am pretty sure we had finished off 1.5 bottles of wine. :) For dinner, Lauren fixed us a salad (can't tell you all the ingredients, but it was fantastic!!!) and tilapia with spinach, capers, and lemon. WOW. That girl can cook!! We had some delicious wine (red and white): ShooFly Chardonnay, Wishing Tree Chardonnay, a Torres red, "Bitch" red, and I think we started another one...but i can't remember what it was (last bottle...red...I think). :) We also dotted our experience with a little unfiltered sake. I can't remember laughing so hard in a long long time. We caught up on how our jobs were, what we want to do over the summer, who we miss, and allowed ourselves to be really silly. It felt good.

too deep for a Monday?

I have begun using the Caloriking.com website again to try and aid in my weight loss goals. And its not so much even weight loss...its more getting in shape...but yeah, its weight loss. fuck.

Anyways...instead of filling my blogger page with daily portion information and my victories and failures, I am logging onto the site and chatting with other folks who are facing similar battles.

We all post helpful info, questions, etc etc. One such posting Are You Afraid of Being Thin? was very interesting and got me to thinking...

"Weight loss may require you to accept more challenges or responsibilities and staying fat then becomes a form of safety."

You know, I have thought in the past that this might be one of my problems. I have always had this gnawing "you can't be faster or stronger" thing in my head and its drives me crazy. Since I have always been overweight, I have never been very strong in sports...and I think it gives me a comfort zone of "well I can always be last" and therefore there is no pressure. I say I am a non-competitive person, but I think I may be lying to myself. By saying that, I give myself an excuse for not pushing harder or doing more. I see it more now than I did when I was younger, I am more aware of when I am rationalizing or running away. I love being active, but maybe its time for me to let go of those feelings that have been holding me back and actually shoot for something greater than I have been working for.

Mainly, I am speaking of my trail running and mountain biking. Maybe I am scared of actually being a real competitor instead of just someone who participates and what that would mean for future events and other portions of my life.

eep. If that's true...what steps do I need to take now? Or do I need to take any at all?

it's time to take the snowmen down....

I have these whimsical little window clings...festive snowmen sledding and having snowball fights...that I have stuck to my work window. It is time to take them down, I think. Hoping for warmer weather and longer sunlight hours (for playing outside!), this might trigger something with Mother Nature. (no? well I can hope!)

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Just wrapped up a full, but relaxing weekend.

Friday: after work, met some folks for happy hour at Cape Buffalo. It was really good to see some of my fave co-workers and just fun people.
Saturday: woke up a bit late, but got my arse to yoga - just in time to find out it was a hip opener class. While I love my yoga, and I know I needed the class...I knew I was in for a world of hurt. Saw Moldy Ho out there, so she pulled her mat up next to mine and we cursed and sweat side by side for the whole class. My body is STILL sore. After yoga, went home and showered and put on some comfy clothes. Mike and I ran errands and bought some stuff for dinner - got some great steaks and asparagus and risotto. Dinner was wonderful...and we capped off the evening by watching Resident Evil: Extinction. I had zombie dreams all night.
Sunday: had a great breakfast, then went to see "Fools Gold" with my mom and sister. Movie was allright, predictable, but cute...then I went to yoga. Needed to stretch out the craziness in my body from Saturday's class. After yoga, I met the bike hashers out at Angry Dog in Deep Ellum. Sadly, there wasn't enough room at the table - so I made some friends at a nearby table and we talked about hockey until they left. Then Mike came over and sat with me and we decided to head home. When we went out to the cars, mine was covered in bird poo. Go figure. I will have to get the car washed today. Sigh. Mike made a wonderful pasta dish (penne with this spicy sauce and italian sausage) while I did laundry. We watched Evan Almighty while we ate dinner, then an episode of Ugly Betty while we had a couple of cookies. :)

All in all, a really good weekend. It is deceptively sunny outside...wish it were warmer!

maybe I am way off base here...

This is a response I sent my friend in Oklahoma about our Democratic nominees...

Ok, so I am gonna take a chance and reply to this.

I think you must be watching only one media source. Plenty of news outlets (Fox News being the main one) are taking pot shots at both Obama and Hillary. They have pulled up insignificant incidents and blown them out of proportion. This is pretty much safe to say on both accounts. Thinking that only one is getting slammed in the media is a mistake. (See where people are showing un-official campaign headquarters for Obama where a lady has a Che Gueverra banner hanging, or check out where people are hurling "he isn't patriotic" rants at him for not covering his heart when God Bless America was being played at an event, or check out where people are saying he was sworn into the Senate on a copy of the Koran as opposed the Bible - which is false, btw.)

In all honesty, I think between the two...Obama has a better chance of winning against McCain. McCain is liberal enough to get the Dem Hillary haters to swing and vote for him. (I mean, conservatives are up in arms because he isn't "conservative enough" - trust me, some Dems will roll and vote for him instead) And then there are republicans who don't see McCain as a real option and feel some kind of hope when they think of Obama as pres (my parents being a good example).

All candidates deserve our respect right now. The firefights they have to endure are ridiculous. Our country expects our public servants (namely people in office) to be damn near Saint-Like. Good luck finding a human without error. Every error, especially in a presidential election will be highlighted, slapped on the cover of a newspaper and plastered on tv. NO ONE is safe. Hillary has to deal with all those things, but Obama has to deal with other issues as well. He has to deal with whether or not he is black enough with African-Americans or if he is able to distance himself from race or if he is competent to lead. Trust me, every candidate out there is daily fighting to show why they are valuable as a possible president.

You should actually take a look at the polls again. Barack Obama has a large percentage of mid-age, college educated, high income white males as well as chopping away at the woman's vote. I think you need to take into consideration that he is providing a message of hope, but he also has plans to enact and follow through on the ideals he is presenting. I do not believe it is all smoke screens. He presents a message of positivity that I think our country is in dire need of...but even above that, he has voted and showed in his state senate and US Senate tenure that he is solid in his beliefs and he is dedicated to the American people.

If you want to know why I want to veer away from Hillary, it mainly comes to money. She has been so close to Big Corporations and special interest groups, that I don't know if she really represents and serves the middle americans (you and me). I think out of the two of them, she will be more likely to bow to pressure from big corporations and serve them if she is elected. Yes, Obama is a millionaire...but I think his journey so far has shown him to be a man of the people.

I really don't want someone who is gender motivated (there are alot of women who want to vote for her simply because she has a vagina..) or naive enough to think that Obama doesn't have the know-how, guts or determination - to pick my next president.

Just my $0.02.

----------------- Bulletin Message -----------------
From: Scott
Date: Feb 13, 2008 7:52 PM


If this makes any sense to you please feel free to repost.

The media has done everything possible to sling mud at the Clintons while making Obama shine. While he does have a dream of a changed America the truth is that one man alone cannot change our government unless they overthrow it and begin a new one. We need someone who has the right idea while still able to play the political game. That person is not Obama at this time. Maybe in another 8 years, but not now. The media is infamous for leaning Republican, do you think it would care if Obama was rolled by McCain?

HIllary also deserves a little respect in that she has been hit with everything-from her husband's past behavior (not unlike many other presidents before him). Also she is fighting the stigma that a woman can't do the job due to the fact she loaned her campaign $5M-and she still holds her head up and continues. That is the kind of president I want representing me. She has the best interests in this country at heart. She's believe's in our future and our children that are our future. She has worked hard for their cause and ours for a very, very long time. I don't know what Obama was doing 35 years ago.

Honestly, when you look at alot of Barack Obamas strength at the polls it falls to college students in densely populated areas, a racial slant from African Americans, and the blind non-thinking Change for the sake of it crowd. I really don't care for students or someone who is racially motivated or the "Change is good" lemming crowd picking my next presidental canidate, do you?

ohh that was stoopid. :)

So, I forge ahead with my "getting back in shape" plan. I am using CalorieKing.com again to log my food and exercise (more WORK as Mike puts it), and trying to stay within the alloted suggested calories for each day. I am trying to get in at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. (Side note, I LOVE Calorieking.com. I really do. I think I have been most successful with weight loss and getting back into a healthy eating plan when I use it. They have TONS of information available, forums and blogs - so I can rant and rave about my weight loss trip without wearing you folks down - and they have the great food/exercise diary that makes it SOO much easier to log the calories in/out.)

So today, I go to the gym on my lunch break and think WOO HOO...I am actually excited about jogging today. I jogged yesterday for a full 30 minutes and was pretty happy with myself (seeing as how I haven't been jogging AT ALL). So I am getting dressed for my workout when I realize, oh sh!t-fire! I didn't bring socks. This couldn't stop me, though...I continued ahead and did my 30 minute jog. Overall, it wasn't bad. But I know I have the beginnings of some MEAN blisters. oy.

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In non-fitness related news, the end button my phone is yet again not working. This means in order for me to hang up...I have to un-do the battery. SHEESH. Guess I need to go by Verizon and see if they can fix it.

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I also have mixed up some henna for shits and giggles. I have been adorning my feet and hopefully I will work out a flow when I get the henna bottles out. YAY!!!

Family Weekend in the Hill Country!

What a great weekend. Fabulous weather, laid back family time and a wonderfully cozy log cabin. I love hill country. Rustic and beautiful, it really taps a well of energy and adventure in my core. It also presents some of natures more amusing artistry....

We did some bike riding, some little hikes, went fishing, climbed some trees...


.....and we ate TONS of food. I made my first ever homemade pizza (Mike and I make a fantastic team in the kitchen - each making two pizzas and topping them with our own flair!)

A great time was had by all...I am glad my family was able to take some time out and just get away. Mike got a great family pic for us...


My new Scion xB established itself (herself?) as a genuine roadtripper! Excellent MPG and very comfortable for distance driving. I am pretty happy with it! :)

Mississippi introduces new bill.

I don't see how this thing has any legs.

How do you enforce it? Certainly just eyeballing someone and saying "yay" or "nay" isn't an option. What else? Using calipers on all guests as they walk through the door to check their fat? Please. If I went to a restaurant and some pimple-faced, skinny wanker of a kid at the door tried to caliper me, I would have to b!tch slap him. Maybe not a teenager, maybe a well dressed, slick asshole type. Sure. See how long it takes for my San Angelo-ness to come out. Or...what, have a doctor at the door? Who foots the bill for this?

What if the restaurant serves a grilled chicken dish that the obese person wants to eat as a part of their new healthy diet in an effort to lose weight and become healthier? (wishful thinking, maybe...but still...maybe they can't cook!) Will they still be banned from the restaurant - or will there be new healthy places that the obese people will only be allowed to enter? How will this prevent the home cooked artery clogging, fat inducing chicken fried steak their mama's make from crossing their lips?

If you are going to try and use negative forces to reduce obesity, employ the same tactics as the ones imposed on cigarette smokers. People should have the option, they just have to pay for it. Tax twinkies. I don't care. Anytime you associate a hard cost with something, people will think about it differently. Doesn't mean they will stop...but it means they will have to budget for it.

I heard about this on the radio and while I think something definitely has to be done about the problem of obesity in our country, I just think this is another example of tax dollars put to really bad use. How about allocating more funds to build bike and walking paths? How about offering insurance incentives for people who stay active?

Positive options are much better than encouraging a stigma that can sometimes lead to greater issues. So many people are overweight because of emotional eating habits, can you imagine if their public ridicule (and don't think they don't feel that on a daily basis) grew with being blacklisted from restaurants??!?!? Good lord. They would just stay home and order in pizza to feed their disappointment. bad idea...bad idea.

Maybe this person (the one introducing the idea) was just trying to incite some conversation about the topic - but I highly doubt it. It shows me that our politicians aren't thinking at all. Who comes up with these bills?

Better yet, let's ask our presidential nominees what they would do to combat the obesity epidemic in America. I would be curious to hear that.

Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulet....

It's Fat Tuesday...and its windy outside. Alternating between rain and sun, this Texas weather is keeping me on my toes.

I have been waffling on whether or not I wanted to go out to Nate's for some Mardi Gras insanity, but as the afternoon wears on...my heart and head say "HELLS YEAH!!".
I am in some need of real cajun revelry...some music...some crawfish...some beer...and some good times. It may be too packed to have a good time, and I will make that call when I get there...but if not, I plan on chillin for a while with my girl Lauren (AKA Nacheaux) and some other Mudbugs from Lousisiana.


Woooo hooooo Aiyeeee!

women's single speed winner?

Mike and I participated in the last of the 3 part series of races that DORBA put on for the winter months. Dubbed the "Frozen Four Hour", the idea is that you ride as many laps as you can in 4 hours.

Being my first ever off-road cycling race (I have done adventure races before, but those are way different), I am pretty proud of the fact that I had a good time and didn't crash or anything. :) I only did one lap, but even with that, I was able to clinch the 1st place in the women's single speed division. Sure, no one else registered in my group...that doesn't diminish the fact that I finished my lap with pride. Makes me want to ride more, though. Being out of shape sucks!