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Lessons learned – Weekend Edition

  • When measuring for shelving (both closet and kitchen cabinets) make sure to measure correctly. As in, measure existing shelves for the correct measurement. Or a day spent at Home Depot having a very nice man cut your shelves so you could come home and get some sh*t put away, could turn out like this (1/2 inch too long!!! Both of the shelves I bought were a 1/2 inch too long!!!!):

100_3037 

  • When walking outdoors for the first time in 3 days after below zero weather, don’t forget your earmuffs. 22 degrees is still super cold. And ears don’t care about the 20 degree increase in temperature.
  • Almost bad deli roast beef + garbage bag + 26lb cat +owner away from the house for 3 hours will always = A fully kitty with an awful upset tummy.
  • Good girlfriends will always make a formerly boring Sunday afternoon go by super fast.
  • Size Large workout clothes both do not fit and do not look good on you. Go for the XL. Atleast for now.
  • Extreme hunger does not look good on anyone, but especially you. Eat before you go shopping with friends.
  • Friends with cars in the city ROCK MY SOCKS.
  • Friends with cars in the city also need help clearing 2 feet of snow (seriously) from their car so they can drive it.
  • You enjoy clearing snow from cars. No, really, you do. Especially since it is not your chore to do each time it snows!
  • A clean house means you actually have to get off your ass and clean. You know that, right?
  • Cutting coupons doesn’t really matter unless you USE THEM AT THE STORE when you buy coordinating items.

AJ

Colder than…

I wish I was one of those cool people who could wax nostalgic about all those times they walked uphill both ways in the snow with no shoes to school/work. It would be a great story to tell my kids someday.

I am not one of those people -especially today.

When I woke up this morning, it was -18. AIR TEMP. That meant the wind chill was a balmy -31. There was no way in hell I was going to go wait at the bus stop hoping for a bus to pick me up before I became an AJcicle.

So I worked from home in my PJ’s for the 2nd day in a row.

I get so much done when I am home working – unless the 26lb fluffy cat is wanting his head rubbed or wants to "type" at the same time I am. Then, not so much gets done.

In other news, I am starting a Bridal Bootcamp (BB) very very soon (next week). I am one of those people that can’t be part of a gym unless I literally pass it on my way to or from work.. if it is even 1 block off the beaten path, forget it.  Well, this BB is across the street from my office so I have no reason not to get my big butt over there 3 times a week for 4 weeks.

They promise a one size clothing loss in one month if I go all 12 sessions or my money back. Aaand it is only 135 bucks. That is CHEAP for Chicago.

To keep me honest, I am going to be posting 3x’s a week how I am doing- sore, bitching, happy, sad, can’t walk, can’t sit? So what. I will post. Even if I can only move my fingers enough to write a blog title. I will still post. :-) Before I start, I am sure we will take measurements.

I am super scared of the measurements. I know they will be big, and I am afraid of the numbers.

I just have to remember that I will have smaller numbers in 4 weeks. :-)

My new super secret public job is going well, though I am stressed to the max trying to get everything done on time. I downloaded a few meditation workouts from www.yogadownload.com this morning and hope it will help with the heart palpitations and "panic-attacky" symptoms I have been having since last week.

You see, last week I was in Atlanta at HQ learning that the (insert what I do now here) that we had planned to push off for a few months due to the economy being back just may instead be back on track to get out in April. Well, that meant that I am now 2 months behind. And 2 months behind is not good. Not good at all.

Oh, and the kicker of the whole thing? Is that they don’t know if (job I do now) is set in the new (original) date. Won’t know until next week. That would put me 3 months behind.

So I have moved forward with what I need to do on the assumption that we WILL be getting everything out in April. Though my stress level has been HORRIBLE and my salt intake – also bad.

No wonder I thought I was having a heart attack last Friday night.

I have been getting lots of whole wheat and have been eating lots of veggies, but the exercise (not even walking) has not been happening and my pants are getting a bit tight.

Crap.

I went to WW early last week before my trip but didn’t make it this week (chalk it up to the FREAKING FREEZING WEATHER and the fact that I have been holed up in my apt for 2 days straight.) 

No, that is an excuse. I could have gone to WW meeting if I would have thought I was going to lose some weight, but I knew I was going to gain.

Anyway, I am rambling and need to get my dinner dishes cleaned up. Will be back soon to talk all about the BB!

AJ

Annnnnd….

(and windows live writer links to Picassa!!!) Love it!!!!!!!!!!

Well, trying something new…

I have a tough time posting while I am at work… for some reason, out IT guy blocked me from even looking at my page. :-) Maaaybe I should be WORKING at work?? :-)

Aaanyway, KathEats raved about this program- Windows Live Writer-so I am checking it out. I hope it will make adding photos easier… let me try…I will add the bridesmaid dress- T-minus less than 6 months…

 bridesmaid dress

Ummm, yep, super easy to add photos! (only thing… I am not sure how to center the photo unless it does it by itself.)

Where I am right now...

And look – you can add maps!

Sorry, internets! This is fun!

Obviously I had a looong day today (been up since 3am cst and it is currently 10:52 est so I am punchy!)

OK, off to bed with me – though I am staying in a REALLY scary hotel room.

Like scary.

My normal hotel was booked (as was almost every other hotel in Atlanta this week I guess for some convention) so I am staying in a "formally-known-as-a-national-chain-but-not-anymore" kind of place (and I think it was because the national chain came in and saw how dirty and cheaply taken care of it is.)

I went into the fitness room and they had a broken treadmill and an oooold bike. That’s it. And I (single woman) was put in a first floor room that has an outside window.

I wanted a 2nd floor room (I have a thing about outside access and being on the 2nd or higher floor when I stay alone) but all the rooms are booked.

I walked into a "suite" (stove, microwave and refrige) but ONLY THE REFRIGE WORKS. And there are NO POTS PANS UTENSILS OR DINNERWARE. How the hell would I eat? With my hands on a towel? And the phone didn’t have a dial tone, And the door sticks open. I could go on but I need to sleep here tonight (they fixed the phone thank god).

Anyway, I am used to staying in a bit nicer room for the price my office is paying (same price as the Hilton, Sheraton and Courtyard but they are all SOOOOO much nicer).

Anyway, enough bitching. I went for a walk outdoors to get some fresh, humid air (62 degrees! In January! Chicago is snowing, sleeting and like 26 today)

But I realized something today— I really don’t want to move here. My new amazing job, jobXYZ, may include a move to Atlanta, our headquarters. We are still negotiating and I should know the final decision in a few months.

For 500 reasons, I really don’t want to move. O won’t bore you with all of them. Reasons #240 and 361 are having to buy a car and leaving my friends and family. Reason #21 is I pick up accents really easy, y’all.

Oh, and #12, ATT Mobile SUCKS here.

But reason #1 is that I am not a Southern Girl. I am totally a Northern Girl. Cubbies. Puffy winter coats. NO CAR. 3 hour drive from my grandparents. Good close friends. Berry Chill.

I mean, come on. 62 degrees in January? I am sweating through my tee shirt! My hair is a super frizz ball. It is snowing and pretty in Chicago today- and 26 isn’t that cold.

AJ

An update… and an early morning trip

update: I am still hating on the boys, but less hating today. I might be over hating boys tomorrow, but we shall see.

Onward and upward: I am leaving on a jet plane tomorrow at 6M and headed to ATL for a business trip.

But AJ, you say, a 6 AM flight? Doesn’t that mean since you live in a ginormous city that you might have to get up much earlier to make it on time??

Good question, internets. YES, I must get up at 3:20 AM to make my 3:50 AM cabride to O’Hare….. soooooo, I am headed to bed in live 5 minutes so I can get like 6 hours of sleep.

If I don’t post, I will atleast tweet, so check the left side of the page, if you will. :-)

AJ Out. :-)

last post…

is password protected as I am not sure I want it on the interweb for all to see. I am just venting and it is not really anthing all that important, but if you want to read it, just comment here and I will email you the pasword.

AJ

Protected: I hate boys today. All of them. (sorry boys)

This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

An IM draft to a “friend”… AKA the passive agressive way to get my frustration out…

AJLTL: I need to ask you for something but I don’t want to.

 

ATLTL: I have asked for it before and I really didn’t get what I needed when I needed it and now I am asking for it again

 

AJLTL: (Though maybe you just don’t want to do it, and that is fine too, just tell me and I wont ask again)

 

ATLTL: I need you to compliment me even when you think it is not the right time b/c I may have just paid you a complement.

 

AJLTL: Yes, it would be nice to get unsolicited feedback but with this IM I am pretty much throwing that right out the window, yes?

 

AJLTL: I don’t need complements every day or even every week.

 

AJLTL: Ok, maybe one a week would be nice.

 

ATLTL: I don’t do things or say things for/to others to get complements – I really don’t. I say them because I believe  they are good people and deserve to know that they are. And sometimes I think they need to hear it. Even if they don’t think they do.  I know you are in a bad place right now and need all the ego-boosting you can. And I give it to you. And will continue to give it to you. As long as you need it. Or as long as I think you need it.

 

AJLTL : Well, sometimes I need to hear it. Sometimes I am having a bad day and I need to hear that people care enough about me that they can sense I am in need of a good complement. Or 2. Or 15.

 

AJLTL: So, please, think it over. I really really would love for you to say you will do this for me after ALL THE THINGS I HAVE DONE FOR YOU FOR THE PAST 6 MONTHS THAT ARE WAY WAY WAY WAAAAAAAY more involved/costly/time wasting/brain wasting than this.

 

(PS: thanks internets for letting me get this off my chest.)

I’m dreaming of a gi-normous salad…

(the title of course sung to the tune of White Christmas…)

At 5:30 yesterday night my good friend/coworker SC txt’ed me to see if I had eaten dinner yet. I was actually in the process of heating up a small bowl of creamed corn (I know… extra healthy) for dinner so I covered the bowl with saran wrap and headed out into the cold to meet her.

SC recently moved in “next door” (the building next to mine) so it is really cool to have someone in the neighborhood to do stuff with (AND she has a car AND she loves to shop at Whole PaycheckWhole Foods. I freakin love Whole Foods and it is too far away for me to walk too).

We went to a restaurant near our apts – Leona’s. I love eating there because they have great food and a great atmosphere.

One thing I love about SC is that she is fun loving and she is also conscious of what she eats. She is a healthy person that likes to have fun. She has had health issues in the past, so she tries to eat as cleanly as possible and she also eats like a “normal” person-  indulges, but tries to eat as healthy as possible.

She is a great food role model.

Anyway, on the way to the restaurant, I already knew what I wanted: chicken strips in hot sauce (they are skinless breasts handmade- not breaded) and french fries. (Again, am I NOT trying to fit my fat ass into a BRIGHT YELLOW STRAPLESS BRIDESMAID DRESS in t-minus 6 months???)

When we get there, we are starving. We sit down, and start looking over the HUGE menu. everything looks amazing and fried and spectacular. SC says “I think I want a salad – do you want a salad?” And I say – “Yeah, I love their salads. I should get one too”. We look at the side salad which is not like other crappy side salads– it actually has tons of veggies and used romaine lettuce, not iceberg.

We settle on the same thing- chicken strip appetizer (so no fries), and side salad. At the last moment, I ordered a side of fries. I NEEDED them, you don’t understand. (well, maybe you do)

We start talking and the food comes out like right away. I dig into my salad and the chicken and she does too. After I eat my whole salad, I realize I don’t really need the fries. I had 3 of them, and they were severely undercooked so they were not good. We left most of them (pretty small order too) on the table AND I took home 1/2 of my chicken.

PROUD OF ME!!

(Full disclosure: we did get ice cream sundaes for desert but I left most of that too. Just needed a taste…) :-)

The place closed at 10 and we were still gabbing at 10:15. Oops. I had people who do that. BUT, there were about 15 other tables still there so I didn’t feel so bad about it. We just lost track of time.

I have to say I don’t think I could have had a better time on my first night of 2009. Even though she does not read my blog (only 1 person I know IRL knows about my blog, I hope think) I have to thank her for getting me out of the house yesterday. :-)

 THANK YOU SC!!!!

I actually ordered delivery from Leona’s tonight- I am super hungry and I have been dreaming about that damn salad. I MUST HAVE IT!! :-)

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! Be safe tonight!