Bookmark Update

Ok, I am ALMOST done with my last bookmark.  I committed to finishing it by the end of the month and I am mostly on target for meeting that goal.   I finished all of the lettering.  I just have to add the outlines and a few little details and it's done!  I'll try to get a picture of me stitching on it one more time using the camera timer feature.  Yah know, stitching to a deadline isn't as much fun as stitching just because :P

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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.
- Dr. Seuss

Volleyball Season is Over

Yesterday was the last day of volleyball for my team. We were 7th out
of 10 teams by season end. We played the 10th team in the first round
and one quickly. Then we played the 4th team in the second round and
lost quickly.

It was a fun season. We played our best last night. Maybe we'll do
better next season....

On a positive note, I've worked out daily so far this wee inspite of
not feeling my best. 2 more days to go and I'll have reached my
health goals for week 2.

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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't
matter and those who matter don't mind.
- Dr. Seuss

Week 1 Complete

Ok, so I worked out 3 out of 5 days this week. I got my hair done yesterday and I have food poisoning today. I know, excuses, excuses, excuses. We'll see if I can't make up a day tomorrow morning. But hey, least I worked out. It's better than weeks past.

A friend is going on this watermelon and grapefruit diet for 1 week. She believes she'll lose 5 to 7 pounds... and not just water weight. I'll believe it when I see it, but I think it'll all be WATER. But if it works out... who knows :) But eating watermelon and grapefruit all day, every day for 5 days... does not sound appetizing or nutrionally smart.

Anyway, I won't belabor this post, just wanted to give a quick status.

Fitness Evaluation

I got up at 5:30am this morning in preparation for my 6:00am fitness evaluation. Living down the street from the gym is going to make it easier for me to handle my business. I don't have to get up an hour early to make it for a specific time.

Anyway, my evaluation went ok. I didn't feel like a chump. All my numbers for strength, flexibility and aerobic were fair/below average. So, I guess the world is my oyster. No where to go but up from here. They took my age, height, weight, resting heart rate and blood pressure. Then they had me walk on a treadmill at 3.4 MPH with an increasing incline. It took me about 8 minutes to reach my max/target heart rate. Then I had to do sit ups and push ups and then a stretch test. All of this without warming up or stretching in advance.

I impressed myself by being able to do 9 push ups before giving up. Once upon a time I could only do one. Granted, this was the girly-push up but I'll be the first to admit that my upper body strength is suspect :)

Well... now I know what I need to do. In September, I will go back for a re-evaluation and see how much progress I've made.

Another Bookmark

I am finally working on book mark 4 of 4. It's turning out pretty well so far. It'll probably take me 8 to12 more hours of stitching before it is done. I usually stitch for 1 - 2 hours at a time, while I have good natural sun light. I prefer not to stitch using artificial light, but when I do, I use this really cool, bright Ott light. But it's still a little hard on the eyes.

Anyway, here's a shot of me stitching while sitting on my sofa with my legs covered with a green blanket. I took this picture myself so you'll only see my right hand pretending to stitch. Next time I'll have someone else take a picture of me stitching or I'll be sure to use the lil timer feature of my camera and prop it up on something. I could have had a better shot if I weren't wearing house clothes and a scarf on my head :) So, all you get is my right hand and my work in progress.

The stitches I've already done are with a light blue thread and a tan thread, so they don't show up in the photo well at all. I'd say I'm about 10% into the piece. I'll take another shot when it's about 50% done.

A poem quote

"I'm so hip, even my errors are correct." -- Nikki Giovanni

First Steps

Today I went to the company gym. I haven't been there in so long my ID was rejected when I logged in. I had to complete the documentation all over again and schedule a fitness evaluation. I guess it's all good. I need to see where I am and what I need to do to handle my business.

I'm usually the kind of gal that likes to do things decent and in order, for example, starting new exercise or diet plans on a Monday. Well, given my current condition, I figure, I'll start on a Thursday morning. Heck, why wait till Monday? I need to get into the groove as soon as possible.

So, in the spirit of documenting my goals to help make them REAL...

• Go to the gym in the morning before work EVERY week day... yeah, everyday, if for some reason I miss the morning, I MUST go that evening. NO EXCUSES.
  
• Eat smart - 3 healthy meals , 2 smart snacks, plenty of water, no eating after 7pm ; one cheat day either Saturday or Sunday... if I completely deny myself, it'll be over before it starts

That's it... for now. I'm not going to document any weight loss goals in terms of pounds or inches. Whatever I benefit from the above will be worth it. If I can just be consistent, the rest will come.

Cross Stitch Project

Last  year I was inpired to start this blog to share my love of arts and crafts, in particular cross stitch.  I haven't worked on a project in MONTHS.  Sharing this new blog opened the door to opportunity.  A member from my previous church saw my work and then requested 4 bookmarks!  I was honored and amazed to have someone ask me to make them a bookmark.  Previously, I'd make them for my own pleasure, capture a picture of it, then just give it away.

 

Anyway, I am ashamed of how I handled my first craft order.  It took me WAY longer than I thought to produce the items, and I still have one left to do!  I love cross stitching but I'm not always in the mood to do it.  I guess my love of the craft may be a bit faulty if my mood (good, bad or indifferent) impacts my desire to do it.  A friend told me I had the signs of depression... it's something worth looking in to.  But in the meantime....I need to finish that last bookmark and move on with my life!  With that said, I hope to post of picture of me stitching on the bookmark as a friend has suggested. 

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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.
- Dr. Seuss

I'm a Fatty

I stood on the scale for the first time after many weeks of avoiding it.  The digital scale mocked me as it fumbled around for an accurate reading.  The numbers were not a friendly sight.  I was in shock at first, then I guess I accepted it.  The next day, it dawned on me that those numbers were the highest they have ever been for me... ever.  I was an emotional wreck.  Swallowed up by the realization that I have just let myself go.  All my current woes are due to that number.  I am having trouble sleeping.  My clothes are fitting just a bit too snug.  I've been having chest pains and all kinds of other pains (no, it's not heart trouble, got that checked out). 

 

So... what now? I've been losing and gaining the same 20 pounds for the past 5 years!  I guess the buck stops here.  I can't continue to live like this.  It's time for a permanent change. I hate feeling bad about myself. I hate that my health is being impacted because of my laziness.  Yes, laziness.  That's all it is.  I don't generally eat badly, but when I do, I'm not exercising to deflect the impact.  I'm not moving much at all, aside from day to day stuff and I know I need to do better than that if I am to lose and then maintain the loss.  Sigh... working out isn't my favorite pastime. I need to figure out a way to enjoy it so that I'll do it regularly.  I love arts and crafts and I don't do that regularly either, so this is no small challenge.

 

I may blog more about this challenge... then again, I may not :P  We'll see.  I'm still a bit depressed over the realization.

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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.
- Dr. Seuss

I am not my hair

I went to a friends farewell party tonight. It was a this new restaurant/club called Crush. It was really urban, new, cool. That sounds kinda corny, but oh well. They had complimentary valet parking, dining area and bar upstairs, dance floor, bar and live music downstairs. We were in the downstairs area. It was a good sized crowd, good music and good fun.

There were several sisters there with these really cute, short haircuts. I'm talking fade like haircuts, but these ladies were rockin' it. Had me wanting to cut all my hair off. Not that I have a lot. I have the beginnings of a basic bob, since I'm growing out my last hair cut. I just liked the short fade like cuts. They seem so easy. Easy hair... that's what I always say I want. Easy but still feminine and sexy. Hmmmmm.... what's a girl to do?

Anyway, I am not my hair comes to mind after my evening tonight. My hair gives me a hard time all the time. I think in a 5 week period I may have 2 weeks of easy hair.

• Week 1 - new perm, limp hair
• Week 2 - easy hair, bouncing and behaving
• Week 3 - easy hair, bouncing and behaving
• Week 4 - weird hair, no bounce and rather naughty
• Week 5 - hair on crack, looking for it's perm fix

It's a vicious cycle. I lack the courage to go natural. I've tried that before and it wasn't easy hair. Granted, I didn't go about it the right way. I tried to go natural by just growing out my perm. What a mess I was, I should have just cut it all off and started from the beginning. Instead, I went to this salon where the stylist was supposed to be good at helping you transition from a perm. I left the salon looking like a hot mess. Then the stylist I normally went to would ask me every time I was there if I was sure I didn't want to get my hair touched up. After a while, I just gave in. I'm a slave to the perm and I don't wanna be. Help me!!!!

Sincerely,
The slave Harriet left behind