Project Ass Reduction ~ week 1

Ugh....nothing like a profile view to put things in perspective.

A. my bathroom is a disaster

B. my stomach is a disaster

Hard as this may be, I am going to take the same photo every week. We will see what we will see over time. Just knowing I have to take a photo of my stomach will no doubt help me lay off the pasta, bread and other bad choices.

I actually had a good start on PAR. I took my lunch everyday last week....made good eating choices thru the week....and excercised 6 out of 7 days. At the very least I will save money by not eating out for lunch daily and able to buy myself a reward outfit!

I also will clean the clutter in the bathroom....it looks like poop!

Project Ass Reduction

My ass seems to be in a plateau period.
My body is not getting smaller.
Thus I have begun Project Ass Reduction.

I promise that it will only involve excercise and proper diet.
I am terrified of needles....and no way is anything going to be allowed to suck the fat out of me.
Wish me luck.

I will be a size 8 by September. Hell or highwater.

Music with Meaning

We keep coming back to this project for the reunion.....it has been a fascinating process.

I have asked everyone to submit their 'favorite' song to me.

It can be a song that they consider their 'theme' song, the song that makes them shake their bootie....whatever.

We will play the music throughout the reunion - play a game to match the song to the person....and then I will sell copies of the CD to use to pay for our catered event next year....but anyway....

The song selections have been trickling in.

I know that it is no easy task to pick your 'favorite' song.

I have about 385 favorite songs...how do I narrow it down to one?

Ask me what my favorite thing to eat is.....and I will most likely respond with "food". How can you pick just one song?

However, after much agony......I made my selection.

Do you want to know what it is? I bet you do....too bad you will have to wait, or buy the CD.

So as the songs come in, I have laughed at some of the choices, giggled at others...and said...."hhhmm interesting choice" or "hhhhmm, who knew?"

Seeing the songs of your 1st, 2nd, 3rd and removed cousins is fascinating.

Some were predictable, some unexpected.

And then today, I received my Pop's selection.

It really made my day.....

He sent me a note in the mail ~

Annette

Here is my favorite song

Irving Berlin 1918

revised 1938

Spoken Introduction

While the storm clouds gather far across the sea. Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free. Let us all be grateful for a land so fair. As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer.

God Bless America

Land that I love

Stand beside her and guide her

through the night with the light from above

From the mountains

To the prairies

To the ocean white with foam

God Bless America

My Home Sweet Home

If you can read this thank a teacher

If you can read this in English thank a Vet

P.S Annette

I Love You

Pop

How sweet is he? I had one of those moments where I could actually feel my heart swell with love for him. As he ages, his war stories slowly come out. And I realized that his favorite song means more to him than any song any of us could ever pick.

It is a bit early for Memorial Day.....but this is my early tribute to my Pop-pop.

I love you too Pop!

Pope T-Shirt

A few weeks ago, I went to New York with my Aunt for a gal's weekend.
We stayed in a fantastic loft in Tribeca.
We ate, window shopped and walked in Soho....where I touched Adrien Brody.
That's right....touched him..ok, so we actually brushed shoulders. (he is not as tall as you would think - about as tall as me)
And on that day....I bought my new favorite t-shirt.
My Pope t-shirt.
We stumbled into the Young Designers Market @ 268 Mulberry St.
PASTE t-shirts. Check it out.
Get your own Pope shirt if you dig it.

Re-cap

Nice day today.
7 mile walk/run
trip to Wegman's
made the cake
made clams and angel hair pasta for dinner
finished sweater
watched movies.

I did not get the planting done. Somehow I managed to get a freak injury on my right wrist. I have an enormous bruise and it is very swollen...I could actually see the vein swelling up with blood and bursting....ouchy. It made movement a bit difficult today.
Don't ask how I did it.....I believe it is somehow related to climbing 3 flights of stairs with 5 cloth grocery bags filled to the max.

It was nice to do my walk/run today in leisure....I could enjoy the time to myself....and as usual, found myself lost in my own thoughts. (sometimes it is scary to be alone with your thoughts)
I did have a bit of sadness when I realized that I'm really still missing J.
Isn't that terrible?
I miss my friend. Despite all the drama, all the love and loss and disappointment....the hardest part is not being able to talk to the one person I could tell anything to.
I know that I need to snap out of it. Have someone slap me across the face please.
For the past two weeks, his name keeps popping in my head at the worst moments.
Why am I doing this to myself? Why won't he go away?
Oh the angst.

Speaking of angst....I did watch Reality Bites today. I forgot how much I liked that movie. Winona Ryder irritates me...but any movie about young 20 somethings in the 90's takes me back. Even better, the movie is set in Houston....land of most of my young adult angst.
It was like watching a home movie....only with more attractive people.

Happiness is a day off mid-week....

You can't see it yourself, but I am currently doing a happy dance in my pajamas this morning.
I don't have to go to work today!
Hooray!

The day holds so much promise ahead.
A day all to myself! Laundry is done. (6 loads on Saturday!) Ironing complete (2 hours to finish! Can you imagine?)

My normal excercise is on the agenda....and then I think I am going to plant in my windowboxes, bake a cake and then lounge on the couch with a good movie. (and yes, I have to finish the last 2 inches on this sweater I am knitting......which will blend perfectly with my movie watching.)

Last year, I planted petunias...they lasted nearly all summer long until the nasty little bugs came and ate them. For once, another living creature killed them....not me.
I need plants that are easy to care for and resiliant to my tendency to overlove and then the next week overneglect them.
Apparently Nastursiums are a good choice because they thrive on neglect! Right up my ally!

I am going to bake an Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Honey Apple Cake. It sounds yummy, is in Cooking Light magazine, and should pair beautifully with a cup of tea tonight.

Movies, movies, movies.....hhhhhmmm who knows. I do know that I will stear clear of the 'epic/tragic/romance'
Last night I watched Atonement.
Sunday night I watched Curse of the Golden Flower.
ugh...enough with the sadness and death.

Circadian Rhythm

Finally my own circadian rhythms have matched up to the Daylight Savings Time change.

Clearly, the government should consult me on when the best time is to implement the time change.

When they do this without consulting me the only result is:

Weeks of insomnia.

Weeks of not being able to get out of bed at the appointed hour.

A general grumpy demeanor thru the day.

Now, I rise at 5:45am again....no alarm, no great drama.

All is right in the world again.