Mexico Day One: Spiritual Awakening

What a day. As I sit here in my modest room, I think back to the events that brought me to this Mexican paradise. The mountains are covered in a humid haze, but I can still marvel at the views as I share my day’s experiences.

Our day started at 5:00 am. By 6:30 we had Casey at the kennel and by 7:15 the taxi was ready for our transport to the airport. After arriving at YQR, I was informed that, because my passport was “damaged” (bitten by Casey over a year ago, prior to our last Mexican vacation), I could choose to fly to our destination with it as-is but would be responsible for the flight back if they denied me entry to their beloved country. Of course this caused me some worry, but I had to be confident that everything would be okay. I said a prayer shortly after, and many more between the airport and Mexico.

Paul and I ended up sitting separately, but we both ended up with nice couples, and we could still chat because I was only one row in front. “My couple” was a middle-aged mother and father of an 18-year old nursing student. “Paul’s” was a young couple headed to the same resort as us with a group of ten. I sat by the (very hot) window and enjoyed my book, the company, and the way-better-than-you’d-think airplane meal.

Before even departing Regina, I looked out my window to the wing of the plane and noticed that the company’s logo was emblazoned on the end. I immediately felt a sort of peace as I stared at it. Maybe simple, but moving nonetheless. All I saw was a smile, of sorts. The Sunwing logo. For whatever reason, it gave me peace. I said my prayer, regarding the Mexican custom officials and my damaged passport, and smiled back. When we were at a high enough altitude that the sun shone through my window, I noticed that the metallic paint on the wing also reflected back at me. I felt some sort of spiritual connection with that notion, as if God was smiling back at me, telling me everything was going to be just fine.

Guess what? We made it through customs with no issues, even after “lucking out” after Paul pressed the red button, which meant we were randomly selected for a suitcase search. Everything was perfect.

After arriving at our resort and getting to unpack, we grabbed our favourite beverages and headed to the beach. It was more beautiful than I remember. You know, the saying “you don’t know what you got ‘til it’s gone” is completely true. All we could both say was, “this is awesome”, and “I’m so glad to be here with you”. Even writing about my day’s experience is bringing a tear to my eye. It’s so easy to take advantage of things, and we clearly did that until we came back here. It’s just so beautiful and perfect and we are so, so happy to be able to experience it again.

I really felt something special today. Something incredibly spiritual. God was looking down on me, us, and I’m so overjoyed. I just wish you could be here with us. Truly! Our room isn’t even considered as having an “ocean view”, but it does! The view is even better than last year! And here I thought our previous room was great… no way. I love this one. Everything is perfect.

Hasta luego!

The Joys of Packing

Wow, my 60th blog. Can you believe it? Honestly, I can't. This is probably the first "hobby" I've found that I haven't dropped after a few weeks. It's dedication, I tell ya! :)

If you've been reading my blog, you know that I'm leaving for Mexico tomorrow morning. Oh the joys of packing for a holiday. I could probably use some work in that area. As I filled up our two suitcases this afternoon, I recalled my first experience traveling to a warm destination...

It was the end of March in 2002. My best friend at the time, "J", and I saved up our pennies to be able to embark on our first ever international vacation to the Dominican Republic. I remember it being so exciting. We were both a few weeks short of turning 19 and this was our chance to just get away on a girls only trip. It was a great week of fun, sun, and friendship.

Apart from the fun and sun, however, I also recall the pre-trip "intervention". J and I were to fly out of Winnipeg, so the day before we departed, we drove to the big city to stay the night at my aunt and uncle's house. I had a full suitcase. I also had a carry-on. And...I also had...a bag of shoes. Hmm. It was my first trip; I didn't know how to pack! It was so embarrassing. So here's my aunt and J intervening with my bag of shoes. Basically, they convinced me to leave enough behind that I didn't even need the extra bag. Needless to say, I did learn my lesson.

It's been 10 years since that experience and, although I learned that you can pack too many pairs of shoes, I still have trouble not packing certain items of clothing. I even had a mini-intervention this afternoon. It consisted of me talking out how I really didn't need three black sweaters and that I must pick only my favourite. So I did. I also didn't need three dresses, so instead I packed one and two skirts that took up much less room. I'm so proud of myself! Truly, though, if I can fit everything into my one suitcase, without having to unzip the expander, I've succeeded. I nearly forgot to pack my underwear though, so promptly stuffed them into the last available spot. Whew!

I still get very anxious about the things I pack and don't pack though. If there was some way to just transport my entire closet, I'd be happiest. I guess I'm my father's daughter (eh, mom?). The truth of the matter is, I'm very well-prepared for this trip and extremely excited to be able to spend it alone with Paul. Prayer for good weather is appreciated, and I wish you could all come with me!

I'll be blogging each day, albeit briefly, about what we've been up to. The next time you hear from me I'll probably be sipping a girl cocktail, wearing flip flops, and hopefully enjoying some delicious Mexican fare. Bon voyage, all!

Pi for the last time before we return: 3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419

Excitado por Mexico

Only two more sleep until Mexico! Estoy tan emocionada (I'm so excited)! Paul worked today, but now he's officially on holidays as well. We had our final tans this evening  so all that's left is packing and picking up a few last-minute items. 

I wanted to get into the tropical mood so went YouTubing to find some videos. I found the one below It's really mellow and has plenty of tropical scenery to enjoy.

I also checked the weather report and it's not looking too sunny for the first few days of our trip. I immediately said a prayer after seeing that but, if you care to help us out at all, please say one too! I'd hate to spend all the money to get there and not get to enjoy the beautiful sunshine.

That's about all I have to say tonight. I need to finish reading the book I'm in the middle of so I can be done it before we go. I plan to start up the second Song of Ice and Fire book on our trip and don't want to not be finished this current one. Duh!

Winter, etc.

Winter is back! Winter is back! I can't see the grass anymore and the puppy turds are covered over! Yay!

I don't care if you were happy with the weather we had. Winter was simply not over yet, and I knew that. I'm no psychic, and I don't pretend to be, it's just a natural thing for the prairies to experience. I mean come on, it's only February. On many occasions we've seen late snows in April or even May. You should take this as a blessing and see that potentially we won't have a late snow this year now.

I had planned to get out and shovel the driveway, but I didn't get up early enough to do so. So I made Paul do it. He needed the exercise anyway. Then I made him do the back. It's only fair: I cleaned up the kitchen and will have to do all the laundry.

So tonight is the Academy Awards. Do you watch them? I've tried to most years. The only issue is that they tend to go on for so long that I have to go to bed before the show is over. Lucky for me, I'm on holidays for two weeks so I can stay up and watch the entire thing this time! I'm actually pretty excited about that. It doesn't happen very often that I get a Monday off, other than on stat holidays.

I'd love to see some underdogs pull out a win, but if the prior award shows (i.e. Golden Globes or SAGs) are any indication of what is to come, The Artist and The Help will pull out on top. Not to say those aren't excellent movies with phenomenal actors, but I'd just like to see the awards spread out a little. I guess we'll have to see how it goes.

I spent way too much preparing for our trip, on travel-size toiletries, etc. Oh well. I'm just happy to be going away and I like to be ready for it, in all ways. The only real concern I have is the amount of clothes I'd like to take. Ideally, my entire closet would accompany me on trips so that I can create various ensemble option at any time. I know, that's nuts. I'll have to eliminate some things when Tuesday comes around and I discover that my suitcase is only so big.... when I put it on the scale and find I've gone over the weight limit... oops.

Pi for the day: 3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841

Eating & Working

I went to a Women's Ministries breakfast this morning. It was quite nice, even though I still don't know many of the women. There was even a silent auction with tons of stuff people just donated. I only had to spend $6.25 and got a bunch of good stuff. I'm definitely not a hoarder, and don't like garage-saleing, but I picked up a few useful items.

The one thing I'm not a big fan of at these breakfasts, however, is the food. I prepared by eating an egg, yogourt and a cup of apple juice before I went. The spread was mostly muffins, with some breads and scones thrown in. Sure, there was fruit and even some cheese, but sometimes I wish they had other options. I just need to be prepared, that's all. I loaded up my plate with half fruit so that I didn't overdo it on the other yummy food. Yes, it's yummy, but we should eat it in moderation. Muffins can be higher in fat than cupcakes! Did you know that?

The speaker was a young woman from the church who is originally from Honduras. She had a lovely story, and a good sense of humour, so it was quite entertaining. She spoke about meeting her Canadian husband and of their struggles with their youngest child's health issues. I'll have to get to know her more because she seems like someone I could really enjoy being around.

After the breakfast, which didn't end until noon, I headed to work to get everything done before my holidays began. Since we had last Monday off for Family Day, and I was at home sick on Tuesday and only worked 90 minutes from here, the extra hours worked on Friday and today were no big deal. It was nice and quiet and for the 3+ hours I spent doing work, I was very productive. I even finished some items up that I hadn't planned to.

Later, we popped into Value Village to see if there were any cheap shorts or tank tops I could find for our trip. I lucked one with one of each, for only $10.50 total. Sweet! Only 4 more sleeps to go!

I'll add a piece of pi today: 3.141592653589793238462643383279502884

Ennea-Thoughts

Ah, the life of an up-and-coming payroll star. It might not be glamorous, but I wouldn't give it up just yet! Pulling an eleven hour day isn't exactly my style, or my idea of fun, but sometimes it's gotta be done. A nice, hot tan at the end of said day sure makes it all worth it. Well, that and the leftover bread sticks for dinner!

So I've been getting these Enneathoughts now for over a year. The Enneagram is most often presented as a system of personality types. Each personality type is characterized by specific patterns of thought, speaking style, feelings, emotions, sensations, and belief systems which are universal to the type. I read my "thought of the day" every day, but only occasionally really pay attention to what it's telling me. Most of the time it suggests I try harder to change myself, but I don't necessarily agree.

My type is 3: the Achiever, aka the Performer. For the most part, I agree with the Enneagram Institute's description of me:

Threes are self-assured, attractive, and charming. Ambitious, competent, and energetic, they can also be status-conscious and highly driven for advancement. They are diplomatic and poised, but can also be overly concerned with their image and what others think of them. They typically have problems with workaholism and competitiveness. At their Best: self-accepting, authentic, everything they seem to be—role models who inspire others.

My Enneathought attempts to give me insight into myself and to help me get to "my best". Sometimes I feel it portrays my type in a bad light, but I don't take it personally because I feel I've gone past the areas it refers to. All of us have things we can work on in our lives to be "better".

Famous Threes include Oprah, Barack Obama, Tom Cruise, Madonna, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. When I look at those people, I do see how I can be compared to them. Not the crazy parts, but the high-level achiever parts. I'm always striving to be more and do more. When you look at what I've been able to accomplish in 18 months, it makes sense.

July 2010 - move to Regina without a job
August 2010 - get lucrative, well-paying payroll job in an expanding corporation
October 2010 - begin first payroll course, at home on my own sans instruction
February 2011 - challenge first course with one exam, achieving a grade of 90%
March 2011 - begin second payroll course, again as a challenge on my own
July 2011 - complete second challenge exam with a grade of 80%
August 2011 - begin third and final payroll course, obviously on my own
November 2011 - complete final challenge exam, achieving a grade of 83%
December 2011 - receive a temporary promotion to a higher position
January 2012 - obtain my PCP certification

Everything I've done in my current career has been to further myself. I'm not interested in just skating by and will never be content in the same position for long. I need variety and to challenge myself. I am a very typical type three. There is definitely more to come for me, because if there wasn't, I wouldn't be who I am!

Arts & Crafts

Arts and Crafts. Ick and ickier. I wish I had at least one ounce of arts and craftiness in me, but it seems I don't. Walking into "Michael's" craft store literally makes me feel uncomfortable. I try not to let it bother me because I know there are lots of other things I'm good at, but a number of people in my family are so crafty so I'm a tad jealous.

Scarf by Jolene

For example, there's my sister. She made me a lovely pink and white scarf one year. It's very warm and I've had lots of compliments when wearing it. I always give her the credit for making it. Not only is she crafty in her crocheting and knitting skills, but she's also an artist. I have a few "Jolenes" packed up in boxes.

Then there's my mom. She crocheted me a cute green and white blanket before I was born. I bet it took her a lot of time, so I cherish it. She hasn't done anything like that lately, but she's really into card making. You know, the scrapbooky type of cards that you hate to throw away (so I don't).

Elephant by Paul

Then there's Paul. He's quite the artist. My current favourite is an elephant that could be used as a tattoo. I bought him a graphics tablet for Christmas and he's come up with some really nice pictures. He just has an eye for drawing, which I've never had.

My cousin K is also very talented, in many areas. Most recently I discovered that not only can she sing and play multiple musical instruments, she makes stuffed toys and blankets (for her baby nephew). And she knows how to cook. Wow.

Lastly, my amma (grandmother) is a painter. Not really anymore, but at one point she really enjoyed creating beautiful watercolours. I feel very lucky to have six of her creations in my possession.

With all this talent, I can't help but feel jealous at times. I know I have my own abilities, but they don't seem as... interesting. I suppose if I spent more time on my talents, rather than on my abilities directly related to work, I'd be more satisfied.

So, what am I good at? I can play the piano (and a few other instruments, although not very well anymore). I can cook. I'm pretty adept at computer-related things. I (think I) can write. I'm very good with geography and have a good sense of direction. I have a good memory for number sequences (pi!). Paul says I'm good at "a lot". Thanks :)

I may not be good at the crafty stuff, but I guess that's all not too bad after all.


Another piece of pi: 3.14159265358979323846264338327950288

Oh, Wednesday

Quick note for today, considering it's TOPS Wednesday and I like to go to bed early. I had a pretty decent day overall; I just wish there were more hours so I could get more done at work. There are only a few days left before I'm off for two weeks, so every minute counts.

In my inbox at work today I found a delightful surprise: my official PCP (Payroll Compliance Practitioner) certificate, complete with silver seal! It made me smile. Amazing what a little hard work does :)

No parking tickets today. That was pretty awesome. Speaking of which, I still have to pay the two I already have... better get on that!

I stayed the same weight this week, but not without stripping off an extra layer. I already weigh in wearing only my tights (I wear a skirt every Wednesday) and a light camisole or tank top. The tank came off because there was no way I was letting a quarter pound ruin my day. Phew. No change. Thank the Lord! I kinda wanted a little more "cushion" for Mexico, but at least I'll have a week to lose any extra put on once we get back home.

Speaking of Mexico, I got my official travel documents today via eConcierge. This is a new thing to me, but as long as I print off what I need from the site, we're good-to-go. Only 7 more sleeps before the big day! Casey's kennel is all booked and our friend will be coming by while we're away to feed the cats. Paul and I are also getting pretty brown, if I say so myself. Oddly, however, the places no one will see are the most tanned...hmmm.

Anyway, that's about it. Boring, but that's me on a day when I'm too busy to have many other thoughts. I'll cross my fingers for something funny to happen tomorrow.

Mr. Not-So Romantic

My husband isn't romantic. Okay, maybe not totally unromantic, but he has difficulty in that area. He tries, don't get me wrong, but you know it's not very often when I take "being romantic" as taking out the trash or cleaning up the kitchen without having to ask.

Maybe he just needs to watch more romantic movies. Nah, that would never work. Any time I put one on, he zones out and plays with the computer. We do make an effort to go on dates, but the basic romanticism is missing. I don't ask for a lot, just a little! The "light is off" and I don't know how to turn it on!

I'm also not going to complain about this past --  very uneventful -- Valentines' Day. It's a fake holiday (not even a day off work!) that the retail chains just invented to earn more revenue. The only thing we've ever done in the past is buy each other a card, or maybe go out to dinner. Never have we bought gifts; that would just be too much. We have, however, chose to celebrate our anniversary of meeting each other in person for the first time (Feb 9, 2003) which conveniently occurs in the same week. It's much more significant than V-Day.

So, how do I get my man to do more romantic things for me? Do I have to do more for him? Isn't it enough that I cook and clean for him? I do think I do romantic things for him that don't involve cooking or cleaning, but he isn't so quick to reciprocate. Is it possible he's just missing that particular gene?

According to Yahoo!, 40% of women are married to unromantic or hardly-romantic men. I guess my man is included in that percentage. Not sure what I'll do to get him to be more romantic, if anything. Until then, I'll just have to keep on loving him for who he is! Go figure :p

Pi for the day: 3.1415926535897932384626433832795028

My Monday

Wow, coming up with something interesting to say everyday sure is hard. I guess sometimes my blog will have be uninteresting to ensure I get one written each day! HAHA I mean, not that I really care if anyone actually enjoys what I write, but I'd like to enjoy it myself!

Today was a nice, extra day off work. It consisted of Casey puking at 6:30 this morning, followed by her trying to lick it up. We attempted to sleep a few more hours after that. I started some laundry, cleaned up the kitchen a bit, then our tanning appointment was at 11:30. Following a delightful 8 minutes in the "sun", we ventured out to the east end to shop for swim shorts for Paul. Luckily we found a pair.

I decided that, since I finished reading The Hunger Games last night and couldn't go a day without starting the second in the trilogy, I had to find a bookstore. Since the best bookstore in the city happens to be all the way down in the south end, we headed there. We found "Catching Fire", as well as the "A Song as Ice and Fire" 4-book boxed set. Now I'll be good-to-go for a while!

Hunger had set in so I figured we should try out Five Guys for a quick lunch. I'm going to presume it was due to the holiday but, that place was packed! After getting our order, we just headed back to the car to munch. Whoa, they sure don't skimp on the fries! Yummy meal though.

Then we just went back home to get the rest of the laundry done and relax a little. Pretty boring, huh? At least we had an enjoyable weekend visiting with mom and dad who were in a for a visit. Casey was also a good girl and only fully let loose once they left. The only thing I missed out on was a decent sleep-in. Oh well, our holiday is soon enough and we'll be able to sleep in every day. Only nine more sleeps!


I guess since I took the weekend off from any pi, I better add one now that it's officially a weeknight: 3.141592653589793238462643383279502

The Hunger Games

If you haven't heard of the novel "The Hunger Games", you must be living under a rock. I suggest you crawl out from under said rock, get in/on your preferred method of transportation, and head to any retail location that sells books.Then you need to buy it, take it home, and read it. Seriously.

Okay, okay, I can't actually force you to do that, but I can urge you to! I don't even care that it's considered a "young adult" novel. I can't remember the last time I novel made me happy, sad, anxious, and angry all within a few pages. Here's a synopsis of the riveting novel that I can't put down:

     Set in the future, The Hunger Games takes place long after natural disasters, war, disease, and famine destroyed society as we know it. From the ruins of North America rose the nation of Panem, which consisted of a powerful Capitol ruling over thirteen surrounding Districts. The Districts didn't like the Capitol’s oppressive rule very much and soon rose up together in a rebellion.
     The results were disastrous. The Capitol quelled the uprising in twelve Districts and completely annihilated the thirteenth. As punishment, the Capitol created the Hunger Games. Each year, every District must send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve to eighteen as tributes. The tributes then fight each other to the death in an arena until only one person is left. These are not normal arenas. Armed with immense technology, the Capitol creates natural terrains that are enormous and range from forests to deserts to arctic landscapes. They can control the weather, climate, and even alter the terrain while the Games are in play. All this while the Games are televised across Panem, for the entertainment of the Capitol and for the sorrow of the Districts. This is the Capitol’s ultimate tool of fear, to keep the Districts in check so they can never rise up in rebellion again. It says, “Look at what we can do. We can take your children and make them kill each other while you watch. And you can’t stop us.”

I'm not quite done the book, but am very close. Definitely before this weekend's over. I did come to the best part though, so at least I know the outcome of The Games.

If you hadn't heard about the book, you probably also have not heard it's already been made into a movie. I'll definitely be going to see that one next month when it arrives in theatres.

That's all I have to say. If you want a good read, just go buy the book (or ask to lend it from me!). It's less than 400 pages (of large print) and is a good, "clean", read. Enough said!

Because You Never Know...

There were approximately 178,000 new cases of cancer reported last year, and 75,000 people died of the disease (not necessarily the same ones). There are more cases in Atlantic Canada and Quebec than in the west.

In Manitoba last year, 70 individuals were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. When the 2012 statistics are released, a member of my extended, extended family will be included in the number for the year. The diagnosis isn't good; they're giving him a year. Having this happen to someone you know, even if you don't know them well and aren't close, will cause you to take a good, hard look at your own life and what's really important.

I'm pretty healthy, and make a point of taking care of myself, but something like cancer can take over without any warning. I don't worry about it, but it's still something to consider. I think regardless of what's going on in the world, you have to remember to eat right, exercise, and get plenty of sleep. You never know what will happen and need to take charge of your life as much as possible.

In addition to taking care of one self, we should also make an attempt to spend as much time with our loved ones as possible. Even if it's only a phone call or a short visit over coffee, I'm sure you'd be pretty disappointed if you didn't make the effort and missed out on an opportunity. This is something I'm going to try to do more of.

I hope for the best for my family member, regardless of what the doctor has determined. I'll be saying prayers for him, as well as the other members of his immediate family. May God be with them all during this difficult time.

I'll definitely keep trying to be as healthy as possible, and strive to live a life I can be proud of, because you just never know what tomorrow will bring.

Friday = Funday

It's Friday *insert long, drawn out, satisfying sigh*. De-lovely. Groceries done, yummy dinner eaten, tv shows watched, vacation booked. A good day, I'd say!

This week was pretty busy and yet I'm still not done everything I need to do! It may be a long weekend, and I am going to enjoy it, but I already know I'll have to go in to work for at least a few hours. Not sure yet if I'll go on Sunday or Monday, but with the short week ahead, and our vacation after that, it's gotta be done. I'd hate to leave aything that is my own personal responsibility for someone else to try to fit in. 

Before going in to work we have Casey's final obedience class, a house to clean before the parental units show up and a fun day to spend with them, a tan, some shopping, and who knows what else. I love long weekends and would prefer to sit around and do nothing but... maybe on the next one I can do that! I am looking forward to our visit with M&D though. And Bushwakker nachos!

Speaking of our vacation booking, the price stayed the same from yesterday so we booked once I got home. My travel agent friend in Brandon helped me out. I'm super excited about it now. All we have to do to "prep" is buy Paul a new pair of swim shorts and do a bit more pre-tanning. I'm also really happy the flight times are "normal": 9:45 am departure from Regina; 3:40 pm from PV. Means I don't have to get up before 5 am on either leg of our trip! Score! Sure, we could have gotten an even better deal leaving on the Saturday before, but then we'd be leaving here at 11:15 pm and coming back at 5:00 am. Ouch.

This is our resort. I hope we can get a room in the same area as last year. From this pic, we were just left of the centre at the back, facing towards the ocean, on the "first" floor (which is not ground level). It was above the main dining room and we could see straight through the gardens. The sports bar was also directly around the corner, as well as the lobby. Super convenient for everything, and we didn't mind the walk from the beach or pool.

The first thing I'll be doing -- after having an arrival cocktail, of course -- is walk down to the beach to get a whiff of that salty, Pacific Ocean air. Mmmmmmm. I can already feel the breeze off the water. Don't you wish you could come?! Just imagine me lying on one of those green beach loungers, sipping my "Chamulas". I wonder if Carlos will still be working there...

Well, anyway, enough day dreaming. I've got plenty to keep me busy for the next 11 days.


I'll add one more piece of pi this week... 3.14159265358979323846264338327950

Mexican Anticipation

Ooooooh our trip is coming up quick! I'm starting to dream about Mexico every few nights, and think about it in my spare moments during the day. I even got word this evening, from a friend who works as a travel agent in Brandon, that the price has come down another $50 per person! That's exactly what I wanted to hear! Now we're within budget. Amen.

Until then, there's lots of work to be done at the office. Not only do I have my normal work to complete, but I also have testing to do and wrapping up final things before my two weeks off. Going away can be stressful right before and right after, but the time away is so worth it. I've already got my "backups" lined up to take care of certain items and will be preparing a list of anything I think of last-minute. I'll also go in on the weekend before to tie up any loose ends. Better to be prepared than not!

I also have a request to pick something up while there. Believe it or not, it's for hairspray. Apparently it works quite well -- better than Canadian stuff -- so I'll do it for a friend. If I can pick it up in the little store on-resort, even better. No more requests, though! My suitcase will be full with the tonne of clothes that I wasn't able to decide whether to pack or leave at home. Meh. I prefer to have lots of options. This reminds me a certain male parental unit... :)

Well, there's still 13 sleeps until the big day, so I'm sure I'll be sharing even more excitement in future blogs. I also plan to log in for a brief few minutes every day to report on what we did, saw, ate, etc. Until then, buenos noches!

Pi for the day is (pi para el día es): 3.1415926535897932384626433832795

When the Going Gets Tough...

They say that "when the going gets tough, the tough get going". I totally believe that. I have plateaued numerous times since reaching my weight loss goal last July. It's been a constant battle. Two steps forward; one step back; one step forward; half a step back. But, I haven't given up.

Since July 27, 2011 -- the day I reached my goal -- I have only lost 4.5 pounds. That was NOT what I had planned. In my mind, I figured I'd get to goal then just keep on doing what I'd been doing for the last year and easily lose another 5-10 within six months. Wow was it ever harder than I expected. I found myself eating more and more of the "bad foods" more and more often. I even stayed at the same weight for five weeks in a row this year. For each pound or two I'd lose, I\d just gain it back the next week and then struggle to get it back off.

That being said, I lost 2.5 pounds this last week, putting me at my lowest weight to date since joining TOPS. I'm pretty happy about it., and proud of myself. What I must remember, however, is that I can't sabotage my success my over-celebrating. I did enjoy a soft taco and mexi fries for dinner, but plan to eat healthily for the next two days in anticipation of a few less-healthy meals when the 'rents come for a visit.

I also integrated more protein than usual, which has been something I don't always remember to eat. I could easily be a vegetarian, but would have a hard time getting enough iron out of my meatless meals. Thus the reason for eating more low-fat, lean protein this past week.

It appears to have worked for me, so I'm definitely going to keep it up. I always hope to at least stay the same, but any more weight loss is icing on the cake. I'm only a few pounds from requiring a new goal weight, but until then, I'll just stay focused, remember that food is only meant to keep me alive (rather than satisfy my emotional needs), and BE TOUGH.

My virtual piece of pi today: 3.141592653589793238462643383279

Ticket Tuesday

Parking tickets. Ugh. I hate them. Not because they're so expensive, but because they are proof that I was parking either somewhere I shouldn't, or for too long. I know it's one-hour parking but that won't stop me from leaving my car there. All day long.

If I was to obtain a parking spot (if in fact there was one available for me), I'd pay $40 per month. In the 18 months at this current job, I've had a total of four -- count them! -- four tickets. That's a total of $60. I'd say I'm getting quite the deal. Not only am I saving money though, I'm also getting some exercise walking from my parking spot to the office .Even a few extra minutes a day is good for me! How can I go wrong?

In all honesty I don't actually park downtown very often anymore. Unless I want to go into work early, Paul takes the car and I ride the bus. Not only is this good for the environment, but it's also cheaper as I'm avoiding any chance of getting a ticket. I still wish I didn't get them though!

Today I not only received one ticket for exceeding the one-hour limit in a "limited parking area", but I received two. Yes, two. I suppose this is payback from the City of Regina for getting away with parking in that exact spot on so many occasions without getting ticketed. *sigh*

Anyway, whatever, it's just a couple tickets and I'm still saving money by not having a permanent spot that wouldn't even get parked in every day of the week. Happy Tuesday!

Oh and by the way, it may be Valentines' Day, but nothing romantic is happening here today. Paul worked late and we're still saving up for Mexico. I'm sure we'll treat each other another time.

Thanks, Gracias, Merci

Thank you to the person that invented the lint brush. You know, the red one that can only be brushed in one direction. Without it, my furniture would be absolutely fur-infested.

Thank you to my wonderful grandparents for their generous gifts. You may be downsizing, but it doesn't mean you have to be so kind! We appreciate you for it, more than you know.

Thank you to Paul for spending all the time you do with that crazy mutt. Hopefully she sleeps well again tonight!

Thank you boss lady for giving me this career opportunity. It may be stressful but I've learned so much and continue to look forward to what's next.

Thank you, "Playground" for having an opening for aforementioned mutt a day earlier than previously booked, just in case we need it.

Thank you, George R. R. Martin for writing an awesome series of fiction novels.

Thank you HBO for ramping the books up a notch and making my television-watching experience interesting.

Thank you, God for the lovely weather. Seriously. But can I have winter back now?

Thank you to the afternoon bus driver for taking me home quickly today. Next time can you lay off the gas pedal just a touch though? I'd prefer to feel SAFE while traveling in a 25 ton moving vehicle that I have no control over!

Thank you, Wikipedia. You are oh so knowledgeable. About absolutely anything and everything.

Thank you, Missy for scratching on the scratch post. My furniture is grateful.

Lastly, thank you, Mr. Mailman for stepping carefully while on my driveway to avoid any slipping and subsequent lawsuit... Just in case you do slip, you can thank God. He's the one that keeps changing the earthly temperature. (Hey Big Guy, read above re: request to get winter back. Thanks.)

Thanks, pi: 3.141593653589793238462643383279

Thank you, Mr. Martin... and HBO!

I finished reading Game of Thrones. All I can say is, "wow". I felt like the book took a while to get interesting, but once the action started and secrets unfolded, it got really good. The last chapter was absolutely epic. The kind of chapter that makes you want to grab book #2 and keep reading. Unfortunately I don't yet own a copy of the second book. Maybe that's a good thing for now! I have another book I want to read before the movie comes out in theatres next month, and I have the first season of G.O.T. to watch now. No rush, I suppose. There are at least six more to go (Thanks, George R.R. Martin!)

Speaking of the first season. Once I had finished the book, I knew I had to get to watching the TV series to see how much they'd left out or changed. I found a great copy and had it downloaded in a few hours. After only one day I've already watched 7 out of 10 episodes. Paul even started watching it!

It's pretty good but... gosh, I wish they hadn't left out so much. I mean, for someone that hasn't read the book I guess they won't be missing anything, but it's pretty obvious to me. They even wrote in new parts. I suppose they thought it would be more interesting at certain moments. I don't know. It makes it weird for me. There were so many amazing parts of the book and to cram it all into 10 hours of television... near impossible. I am still enjoying it and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series and watching more seasons to come.


The one part of series I'm very happy is different from the book is related to the character of Khal Drogo, the horse lord. After reading the book, I had a picture in my mind of some dirty, smelly, scary-looking, overweight, monster of a man. Someone who looked more like a barbarian than a lord (aka Khal). I was pleasantly surprised when HBO's version of Drogo showed up onscreen. They picked a much younger, sexier, easier to look at version of the man in my head. Amen to that! It definitely helps a show out when there's some eye candy for the ladies! Haha.

So I enjoyed my weekend after all! Much relaxation was had, and now I only have a few more episodes to watch before I can proceed with book two: A Clash of Kings. On the cold front (pardon the pun), I'm still getting better from this one and should be back to normal shortly. Just a little sniffly still, but that's normal. Back to work tomorrow it is!

How C Fixed Me

Wow do I ever feel like I'm getting better today! I prayed that this cold would be over as quickly as my last one, and it appears to be happening. I'll attribute my quick-healing to mega doses of Echinacea, a constant intake of zinc fortified with Vitamins C and D, and plenty of thirst-quenching lemon tea. Those items sure helped me at the last-minute once I'd gotten the cold, but I definitely notice that my overall healthy lifestyle has made any sickness much easier to bear.

I first noticed the difference when I got my last cold, circa October or November last fall. First came the sore throat (as per usual with all my colds), followed by a stuffy and runny nose. I prepared for the worst and stayed home from work not one but two days. At the end of the second sick-day, after realizing I was getting better, not worse, it suddenly dawned on me that my body was fighting that cold off much faster than ever before. I had spent years going through a 6 month cycle of getting a cold, getting better, than getting yet another cold. Each one was at least a week long and saw me couch-ridden for the worst of it. I remember feeling so much sinus pain that I couldn't think straight. Sleep was my only saving grace.

Looking back, I only experienced one of those such sicknesses since moving to Regina and changing my eating habits. It's amazing what food can to for your body! Ha! That sounds silly because we hear it all the time, but only after experiencing it for myself do I see how eating right has given me more than a smaller butt. I didn't call in sick for this one...albeit I'd wanted to on Thursday but there was so much to do I had to grin and bear it. I really didn't do too bad. I may have sounded really ill, and had a difficult time concentrating, but I hardly went through a couple kleenex boxes, and that's just not how it used to be.

I really need to be thankful though. Missing work just creates more to do later, and the stress of being sick affects more than just the afflicted. Paul had his much worse than I did, or so it seems, but he doesn't eat as well as I do. Guess I'll keep trying to shove the fruits and veggies down his throat so he doesn't feel so bad when the sickness hits! Until then (hopefully no time too soon), I'll keep doing what I'm doing. 

Stay healthy everyone!

Guess I should have some pi... 3.14159265358979323826264338327

This and That

I'm obsessing over this danged vacation. It IS going to happen, I just have a hard time with the spontaneity of it. There are tons of places we could go on our budget, but we really just want to stay at the Riu. At this point, it's just over our top end by a couple hundred, so either we pray it comes down a bit -- even a hundred per person -- or we go for it and splurge a little. OR, we bite the bullet and take the Saturday flights. It just means I don't really get to sleep the first night at all; it leaves at 11:15 pm and arrives at 3:40 am. Ouch, eh? Until the moment I pay for the trip we've chosen, I definitely won't stop thinking about it.

I've still got "Paul's" cold. It was worse today, but I have moments of feeling okay. I'm just glad that everything worked out tomorrow for me to have absolutely nothing on my schedule except for a tan. Well, that and sleep in for the first time in weeks! I plan to stay in my pjs until at least noon. At least. If I can get away with it, I'll go to the tan in them. HAHA.

Speaking of sleeping, you know what I love about bedtime? My two favourite furballs come to bed with me. Look at them. So comfy. And warm. And safe from the "evil" doggie. As soon as I put away the computer and go to sleep, Buster will come cuddle with me. Gosh I love those two.

Speaking of sleeping (heh, deja vu?!) I've been waiting to do that all day, so g'night!

I ♥ Shopping

So I was Facebooking one day from my Blackberry while on a lunch break when I came across a post from Ricki's clothing store. It stated that for one day only, all coats were priced at $39.99. Holy crap, Batman! I promptly put down the Blackberry and went to their website on my computer. Low and behold, what they stated was true, and I even found a coat left in stock in my size. *Add to cart.* Whew! That was close; someone else could've snagged it up!

Well I can't just buy a coat and not take a peek around the website to see what else might be nice... There was a link to their "Clearance" section. Hmmm, that could be interesting... and cheap! Low and behold, there's a pair of Ultimate pants in a brown pattern... and they have my size... in the tall length.. and they're only $15! *Add to cart* Whew! This shopping stuff is stressful! What else can I find? Oh, that's a nice pair of espresso-coloured pants... hmmm... they have my size... in the tall length... and they're only $15! *Add to cart* Okay, that's it, I'm exhausted.

That shopping trip lasted only about 5 minutes, and I experienced about as much stress as I would driving to the store, going in, trying things on, paying for them, going back to the car, and driving home. But, it cost WAY less! Yay!

I received the items in the mail today. Definitely my "awesome moment of the day". The coat fit, except it's a tad tight around the arms when I lift them up and out, but I find that happens with my body shape and can only be avoided by going up a size and then having a coat that's generally too big. Then I got to try the pants on tonight. Low and behold, they both fit! The Ultimate pair fits like a glove. They're also so long that even after a wash and dry, I'll still be able to wear my tallest heels with them. Bonus!

So yeah, I may be sick with Paul's cold, but I got some sweet deals and no one loves retail therapy as much as me :)

Pi = 3.1415926535897932384626433832

A-Choo!

Okay so this "Wednesday" blog is a tad late. I have a good reason, though. It seems that my adoring spouse has bequeathed his delightful cold bug to me.*insert sneeze here* Yay. All I can hope for is a speedy recovery, as I simply can't afford to miss work for all the stuff that's going on right now. And working from home really is not an option from this teeny, tiny netbook...

But Wednesday was a good day overall, other than the cold part. I had signed up to lead a program at TOPS a few months ago, and this was my night to present it. I chose to learn more about Iron, like what it is, why we need it, what happens if we don't have enough, or if we have too much, etc etc. I think it went well overall. I used to be quite nervous when speaking in front of people. As I've become more confident with myself in the past few years, and have been more outspoken, I now find it much easier to get up in front of people and speak about something. I just hope that at least a few people got something out of it.

I also checked out the price on our upcoming Mexico vacation. Unfortunately, it's gone up a bit rather than down. That doesn't mean we're not going; we just need a backup plan in case we can't afford to go back to the Riu Jalisco. Paul's on board with "whatever, whenever", so by next weekend when I've got the money in my account, we'll have made a decision. We're still hoping the Jalisco works out, but any trip away from here will be great.

So that's about all I have to say about Wednesday... stay tuned for more.

Quotables

My life is so uninteresting lately, and I need a laugh. Here's some funny quotes I found tonight that made me smile:

Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I thought to myself, where the heck is the ceiling?

The only reason people get lost in thought is because it's unfamiliar territory.

The average woman would rather have beauty than brains, because the average man can see better than he can think.

When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car.

Everyone has photographic memory; some just don't have the film.

Friendship is like peeing on yourself: everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling that it brings.

"Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the world together."

Marriage is give and take. You'd better give it to her or she'll take it anyway

Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else.

The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.

He who laughs last didn't get it.

The man who smiles when things go wrong has thought of someone to blame it on.

There is a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot.

There are three sides of an argument -- your side, my side and the right side.

Whatever it is -- I didn't do it! (hehe)

Okay pi, here we go: 3.141592653589793238462643383

Sleepy Puppy

I love watching my dog sleep, but I don't like that she gets to nap at all in the evening. I'm currently trying to keep her half-awake by petting her and talking. I know that if she gets to sleep, she'll be up when it's bedtime and we want to sleep.

Lately, if I leave my soft "couch blanket" in an organized pile on the sofa (rather than draping it nicely over the back), she sleeps on it for most of the night. I really don't mind because we've had quite a lot of trouble getting her to stay in bed. We started off, right when we got her, having her sleep in a crate next to the bed. She did not once get to sleep in our bed until one fateful morning at the lake. She was scratching the kennel door and whining to come out, and we just wanted to sleep some more, so I pulled her up into the bed... oops. I think it would've happened at some point anyway, but that started it all.

She still gets to sleep in the bed, but will often jump out to go bark at the night sounds from the front window. It gets frustrating because one of us has to get out of bed to get her to stop barking. Accidentally leaving the blanket out one evening, and discovering in the morning that she'd spent the entire night sleeping on it, was not a bad thing. This just means the cats can have "their" bed and we get a more restful sleep. Problem solved!

But this problem of napping at the wrong time still bugs me. I get it, she's tired, and she might not feel well after gobbling down her dinner then running around outside like a banchee. I just can't afford to lose sleep because of it!

Oh well, we love her, so be it :)


For today: 3.14159265358979323846264338

Youth in Revolt

You know why I like Indie films? They are what "regular" movies were, until special effects and digital animation came along. They are simply refreshing because of the lack of non-essential movie add-ons and instead are filled with great acting initiated by great writing. Paul would call them "slow and boring"; I say bring them on.

Today I watched Youth in Revolt. God help Michael Cera: please don't let him ever, EVER act in a mainstream, special effects-laden movie and therefore totally sell himself out. I Googled the movie and found out that Youth in Revolt: The Journals of Nick Twisp is a 1993 epistolary novel (a novel written as a series of documents) by C. D. Payne. The story is told in a picaresque fashion (a popular sub-genre of prose fiction which is usually satirical and depicts, in realistic and often humorous detail, the adventures of a roguish hero of low social class who lives by his wits in a corrupt society) and makes heavy use of black humour and camp (an aesthetic sensibility that regards something as appealing or humorous because of its deliberate ridiculousness).

You know what else I like about Indie films? You'll still find many mainstream actors in them. For example, Mary Kay Place, Fred Willard, Steve Buscemi, Ray Liotta, Zach Galifiniakis, Jean Smart, Justin Long, and Rooney Mara all appeared in Youth in Revolt. They obviously see the value in making a movie that requires them to actually use the skill they say they have.

I just enjoy watching a movie that can tell a great story without attempting to make it look like something else. Enough said.

Thanks, Mr. Lube.

This is a shout-out blog to the employees of the Mr. Lube Albert Street North. If you are not blessed to have a Mr. Lube oil change in your town/city, I'm very sorry to hear that. I have visited this location twice now, and am still extremely impressed with how they treat their customers.

Upon arriving, I could see that all three oil change bays were occupied, so I just pulled up in the middle. An employee waved me over to the right, and another promptly came outside with a (free!) newspaper and their "menu" of services. I ended up being asked to pull back into the middle lane because they were done sooner than the other, and the employee that had waved me over to the right quickly apologized for making me move. I sure didn't mind, but the fact they said sorry was great!

Basically, throughout the entire 15 minute duration of the oil change, I truly felt like they cared, as if I was a friend or someone in their family. They were professional, courteous, respectful, and even educated me on some particular items. By the end, I felt so satisfied with the whole process that I didn't even care that I'd had to also replace both the cabin and engine filters, and spent much more than I'd expected to. Not to say that they buttered me up just to spend more money, but they showed me the filters and they were blatantly filthy. I don't drive a new vehicle to not take care of it; I truly appreciated that the took the time to check everything over and ensure that I was doing what was necessary to keep my vehicle in tip-top shape.

When I arrived at home afterwards, all I could tell Paul was that he absolutely has to come with me the next time so he can see just how awesome their service was. I wish that other businesses adopted the same values as Mr. Lube. I might never get ticked off at another situation again if they did! They really made my day, so thank's Mr. Lube!

By the way, did you know that Jim Treliving from The Dragon's Den owns the company that owns Mr. Lube, as well as Boston Pizza? Cool huh?!

Pi for today: 3.1415926535897932384626433 (that's 25 digits by the way... only 4 times that to get to my goal...)

This Gosh-Darned Winter Weather

Okay, what the heck, God? Why are you playing tricks on the people of Canada this year? First it snows, then it melts, then it snows, then it melts, then it gets really cold for a whole week, then it melts... I can't handle it anymore!!!

Seriously though, what happened to winter this year? Does having a warm winter mean we'll have a cold summer? The summer of 2004 was considered cold. I was finally able to go outside because it wasn't sweltering. So many people are extremely happy about the current weather patterns, but I'm looking at it all from another perspective.

If we don't get adequate snow amounts, what will happen to the fields? What about the rivers and lakes? Will we end up with a drought for lack of precipitation? Or, does a lack of winter snowfall mean we'll get drenched in the spring? Sometimes I wish I'd gone to school to be a meteorologist instead of an HR person...

I'm just concerned that the current situation -- albeit quite desirable for those that have difficulty braving the often harsh, prairie winters -- means something much more undesirable is headed our way in the next season or two.

What happened to the days of snow to the tops of doorways, or being snowbound until plows made it down the streets? I can literally see grass on my lawn, and I don't like it.

Sorry to say this, because I'm in the 1% of the population that actually enjoy winter. I'm quite disappointed overall.

Dear God,
Please make it snow before winter is over!!! Thanks.
Sincerely,
Dana aka winter-lover

By the way, I heard the groundhog saw his shadow this year so we've got at least six more weeks of winter. Let's just see what "winter" means for the next six weeks though...


A piece of winter pi: 3.141592653589793238462643

Beep! Riiiiiiing! Buzzzzzzzz!

I have a hard time concentrating while there are distractions around. I often can't turn off my ears and focus on what I'm doing. It's like my brain thinks it will miss something interesting if I do. Annoying, right?

Tonight while waiting for Paul to finish in the tanning bed, I attempted to read a book. First the esthetician was busy chatting about the radio station, and I had to do the "mm hmm, yep, mm hmm" thing to at least make it sound like I was interested. Then a girl came in for her appointment and sat down across from me. She promptly went typing away on her Blackberry then... "ba-ding".... "ba-ding"... ARGH. It's one thing to block out background noise like a radio or the sound of someone typing, and it's another to be disturbed by the electronic notifications on a smartphone.

It really bothers me that people leave their phones turned on to something other than silent or vibrate when they're messaging others. I understand how it works, I do it myself. You send a message then the phone "beeps" to say there's a response waiting. And on an on it goes. I just find it really unprofessional in the workplace and inconsiderate in public.
Similarly, I also find it bothersome for someone to leave their phone on vibrate, thinking it won't be noisy, but then leave it on the desk all day and have it "BUZZ", like, every 5 minutes. Sheesh. The vibrations are nearly as bad as the beeps.

I understand that everyone and their dog has a personal mobile device these days, but they need to be put away more and left for "personal" time. I only have mine around as much as I do because I don't have a landline so need to ensure that in case of emergency, I can be contacted. Otherwise, I don't enjoy hearing beeps and buzzes all day long.

So hey, next time you hear yours going, think of me and the all others that may not enjoy listening to it!

I'm pi'd out... gimme a couple days and we'll have another :)

Hump Day

So it's Hump Day. The middle of the week. The end of the beginning and the beginning of the end. I like Wednesday's for a few reasons:

-there's only two more work days before the weekend
-I get to eat whatever I want after I weigh in, regardless if I gained or lost
-I get to see all my TOPS friends

I had some Delissio pizza tonight. Casey ate the olives. I really had wanted something like a Super Soft Taco from Taco Time (with extra sour cream and hot sauce, of course), but I already had the pizza in the freezer so thought it a good idea to save the money. The pizza was quite good, surprisingly, and I didn't completely gorge myself to the level of indigestion. Just means I get leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

I hope that tomorrow's a good day at work. I just started training the new administrator on our team so I have more to do now, but it's nice to have a fresh face around. I'm still busy as all heck, but it keeps things interesting and I'm attempting to be very light about the whole situation. Mexico isn't far away now, so that's something to look forward.

Well, I'd rather go read another chapter of Game of Thrones than write some more, so we'll see what tomorrow's blog brings!

Night all.

Here's a piece of pi: 3.14159265358979323846264