Saturday, September 30, 2006

An irony of weight loss....

Have you ever seen a woman that has recently lost a LOT of weight? I mean at least 50 lbs?

Women (men seem to be exempt from this... at least to the degree women experience it) lose weight first in their upper body from about waist up. When they say "the boobs are the first to go", it's true LOL. Then the weight comes from the lower body from about mid-thigh down. Then finally, possibly mother nature's way of protecting the reproductive organs?, the bulk from waist to mid-thigh melts away. So what this means is a woman who is working out so hard, eating right, skipping the high calorie treats, and basically doing everything in her power to end up with an hour-glass figure actually ends up with a diamond shaped figure... the exact opposite of her goal. A very sad irony.

Friday, September 29, 2006

What's the difference?

Today I went to the Post Office to pick up something that arrived for me. When I handed her the notice that arrived in my mailbox, the young lady behind the counter asked if I was expecting a parcel... or a package?

I have always used these terms interchangably, yet this woman was asking if I was expecting to receive one OR the other... as if they were two different things. I was not aware of the differences between parcels and packages so I said "I don't know" and she went to the back to retrieve the item. She never did tell me if what I had received was a parcel or a package.

So does anyone know the difference? I could google it or wikipedia it but I just can't be bothered and I'm sure SOMEONE who reads my blog will care enough to look it up and let me know :)

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

My Knees Hurt - UPDATED

Okay, everyone with a dirty mind, I know what your first thought was! LOL.

It has been very strange... my knees have been causing me a surprisingly high amount of pain lately and I couldn't figure out why for the longest time. At first I thought it was because of the step classes at the gym so I made sure I was using a low step and using correct posture & stepping technique. But I discovered that not only was that not helping, in fact the pain was often worse after days when I wasn't even at the gym.

Then I thought maybe it was pain from the car accidents I was in a few years ago. But I eliminated that possibility pretty quickly because although I still suffer neck and upper back issues, the knee pain has been cleared up for a long time and it would be unlikely to come back all of a sudden.

But now I think I've solved the mystery... I suspect I am suffering from knee pain because of how I sit on my desk chair (since I'm working from home I don't have to worry about posture and appearances like I would in an office environment). I find it comfortable to sit on my chair either cross legged (like a child during story time LOL) or with one leg crossed under me. Long periods of sitting in this position loosely correspond with times when the knee pain has been the most severe. It also explains why the pain can be worse in one knee and then the next day switch knees. I didn't realize sitting that way could cause knee problems but if you think about it.... the knee is in an unnaturally bent position with most of the body weight keeping it there for extended periods of time.... well then it makes sense LOL. So now I have to sit like a grown up :P My feet are on the floor, my back is straight, and it is strangely uncomfortable... something to get used to I guess.

Check back this afternoon for my weigh in results. Given this week's activity level (pretty good but not fabulous) and eating habits (fast food TWICE but other than that not too bad), my suspicion is that I'll have a very small loss (less than 1/2 pound) or maintain.

UPDATE! I was ever so pleasantly surprised to learn that I had actually lost 1.2 lbs this week. Given the so-so nature of this past week, I was thrilled with that loss. I have 3.6 lbs to go to reach my Thanksgiving goal weight. Since I weigh in every Wednesday, I'm counting the weigh in on Oct 11 (2 days after Thanksgiving) as the official weigh in day for that goal. So I have 2 weeks to really get my butt in gear and lose those 3.6 lbs :) As always, here is the direct link to the weight loss page on my site.... http://members.shaw.ca/vicky.bennett/weight_loss.htm

Monday, September 25, 2006

Project "Social Life": steps 1 and 2 are done

Step one in the project for building a social life outside of dog shows was to get my profile on Lavalife.com to meet single people. I did that a couple of days ago.

Step two was to actually start interacting with those people. I admit that I haven't actually initiated any contact (my heart's not totally in it yet... hopefully soon), but today I replied to a man who smiled at me (the lavalife version of flirting). I don't know if it will go beyond an e-mail (that's scary enough to me LOL) but at least I "interacted" for the first time. Hopefully next time will be easier ;)

Step three will be to exchange more e-mails and/or chat with him/them online.
Step four... phone call
Step five... meet for drinks, coffee, whatever
Step six... dinner (or another "date" activity)

So, why is this a project, you ask? Well, since you asked so nicely (LOL), it is a project because I have a really tough time trusting people - so this is as much about building trust and confidence with people as it is about dating. When I meet someone, it takes me so long to get to know them enough that I feel comfortable going out with them, that by then we are just friends LOL. Hopefully this "project" will enable me to build enough confidence and trust in people that I will actually respond in the affirmative next time a nice man asks me out. :)

Sunday, September 24, 2006

Movie reviews and a TV tragedy

First, the tragedy. This past week has been filled with season premiers on NBC. So I set up my DVR to record everything so I could watch the shows later at my leisure. You see, this past week has also been insanely busy. I was out of the house every single evening and was unable to watch any TV at all. So yesterday I sat down to finally go through everything that had been recorded and decide if there were any new shows worth watching and, much to my shock and horror, I discovered that instead of recording everything on channel 16, NBC, I had instead recorded 20 hours of MuchMusic - channel 18, as that was the last channel I had been watching last weekend.

I blame the HD box from Shaw (remember the chaos in my life surrounding getting THAT set up???). The DVR will record whatever channel the HD box is on and I can't program it more than about 10 hours ahead of time to record a certain channel. It says I can record the same program daily or weekly but that can't be true or I'd have NBC shows to watch now (I had previously asked it to record The Office and Jay Leno on a regular basis). Maybe it resets itself for the new season? Who knows and who cares. All I can say is that this is another strike against Shaw. I honestly can't believe I give them money every month for service/products that I'm unhappy with.

And now for the movie reviews. Recently I have seen Crank, The Illusionist, and The Last Kiss.

Crank - 4 out of 5. Although I knew what the story was about before I went to see it, the tone of the movie was a surprise. I was expecting a Die Hard feel and I got a Pulp Fiction feel. There were some funny parts and overall I liked the story but it gets marks taken off for excessive violence (hey, it's my rating system. I can rate it based on whatever I want LOL).

The Illusionist - 5 out of 5. I was pleasantly surprised with this movie. I hadn't heard of it until Brad mentioned he wanted to see it. With Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti I expected good acting. But with Jessica Biel, who I had only seen as the oldest daughter in Seventh Heaven, I wasn't sure. However, I am happy to report that the acting was great throughout and the story was interesting. It won't change your life and you never learn how the illusionist does his tricks, but it's a good way to distract you from your everyday life for a couple of hours.

The Last Kiss - 4 out of 5. This is a powerful movie about relationships and the ups and downs within them. It was almost too real in its examination of the conflicts that can arise and the temptations to cheat. Definitely a good movie to see if you have cheated on your spouse as forgiveness is a big theme. There were a couple of stories with unclear endings and the director should have put a scene in at the beginning that showed the turmoil within Zach Braff's character instead of just saying he had turmoil. Blythe Danner's acting is outstanding... she stole the show for me.

Friday, September 22, 2006

Well, she's actually gone

Mercedes is with a handler in the states working on her US championship. I hope she isn't gone long. They have only entered her in one show so even if she wins all the available points it won't be enough to finish. It'll be weeks or possibly months before she comes home.

I never thought I'd miss Mercedes as much as I do. She really was the cutest mishchief maker.... I called her my munchkin for a reason LOL. I let her get away with so much. She LOVES other dogs and was always playful with any dogs that came over.... whether they were just there for an evening or forever. She's also the dog that put my kennel name on the map. No one knew who I was before I started showing Mercedes... I owe my reputation in the dog show world to her. :)

I miss her like crazy. I can't wait until she comes home again so she can race around the dog run like a wacko with Elton and Gilly while I'm standing there shivering, begging them to "just hurry up!!!" LOL.

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

I am a winner!

How is it possible to feel both thin (relatively) and fat on the same day? I've had a few days like that recently.... I'll look in the mirror in the morning and feel like a freakin' tank. Then I'll pass by a mirror or window later in the day and think "damn, I look fine today" LOL. Or it has gone the other way.... feeling fabulous in the morning and then later in the day feeling fat and frumpy. What bizarre cosmic phenomenon is causing this?

But today I'm feeling totally fabulous... I've lost 2.2 lbs this week. I am SOOOO happy with this loss... makes all the workouts and skipped desserts worthwhile. Unfortunately I strained my knee at the gym yesterday so I'm taking a day or two off from workouts. Will I make my first (Thanksgiving) goal? It'll be tough as that weigh in is only 2-3 weeks away and I have approx 5 lbs to lose... Here's the link to my weight loss chart. http://members.shaw.ca/vicky.bennett/weight_loss.htm

I haven't done much blog posting lately as I've had a lot of physical tasks and emotional strain associated with sending Mercedes to the US. I have phoned many people and shed a few tears over this.... I really should never has children as, based on this experience, I'll never let them out the door for their first day of school LOL.

Saturday, September 16, 2006

How to feel like a loser......

  1. Decide you want to see a movie
  2. Choose a movie that will appeal to many ages & genders
  3. Ask everyone you know if they are interested in seeing it with you
  4. As they each decline your invitation one by one, come to the realization that you must either go alone or not go at all
  5. Enjoy the losery feelings that come with rejection

Friday, September 15, 2006

ASC DVD's finally arrived

Remember I went to a dog show back in July in the US and Mercedes won her first 5 points there? Well, I finally got the DVD recording of it yesterday. Mercedes, for the most part, looks great. There was once or twice I wanted to yell at her handler (me) for doing such a bad job stacking her but overall I was very happy with how she looked.

I, on the other hand, did not look so good. I knew my suit was a wee bit on the tight side but I wore it anyways as it is such a good colour (light green) to wear with a black/white dog. But it doesn't look so good on the DVD with the fabric straining against the largesse of my large ass! And I really have to get a more supportive bra for dog shows. I didn't realize how "bouncy" I was when going around the ring LOL.

And that's not all... I watched the DVD with the BBQ on it. We had been celebrating before the BBQ with some wee (okay, not wee.... rather large) quantities of alcohol. And so you can see me almost falling off my chair while wearing the biggest, gummiest grin in the world. I'm such a loser!!!! LOL. Oh well! Some people will watch that DVD and roll their eyes at the drunk loser. However, I will watch that DVD and remember how much fun I had that night :)

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Did I give my neighbor a show?

The other day I was in my bedroom getting dressed. I had the blinds open because the overhead light is broken... kind of... long story. Anyways, I just finished getting dressed and when I turned around I happened to see a man on the back deck of the house across the alley. He was definitely looking in my direction but I'm not sure if he could actually see into my bedroom. It was a little unnerving that he might have been watching me get dressed.

I walked out of the bedroom and into the dining room (which also faces the back alley) and by the time I got there, he had gone back into his house. Coincidence? I'm not sure. It's bizarre for sure. If he did see me getting dressed and got a thrill out of it then good for him I guess LOL.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Why do I sabotage myself?

When it comes to controlling what I eat, evenings are BY FAR the weakest and most challenging times for me. It's the time of day when I finally get to relax, watch tv, play on the computer, whatever I want to do. But for some reason it's also the time when I feel like I HAVE to be eating something. Even if I'm not hungry I get the munchies.

But Tuesday evenings are the worst. No coincidence that I weigh in every Wednesday. It's like I eat extra on Tuesday nights just to sabotage the next day's weigh in. I just can't seem to ever get full on Tuesday evenings.

I wonder if subconciously I really don't want to lose weight and that's why I eat and eat and eat on Tuesday nights. Do I get some kind of sick comfort from being extra large? Or maybe I've been overweight for so long I'm afraid that I won't be comfortable being a more "normal" size? Who knows? I need therapy LOL.

UPDATE: I weighed in today and had a small loss (just under a pound). This is a huge relief after last week's slight (0.4 lbs) gain but I'm still kicking myself as I know I would be doing way better if not for those late night munchies! Oh well, I'll take any loss over a gain :)

Monday, September 11, 2006

Inappropriate Endearments

Last week I was talking to an Air Canada representative on the phone to rearrange my flight home from the ASC show in January. The woman, though kind and helpful, made me uncomfortable because she kept calling me "dear" and "honey". Because this was a business transaction I felt those endearments were inappropriate. Not to mention that I had never met this woman!

I call friends, family, loved ones, etc by endearments all the time. However, in business where we deal primarily with strangers, I just think calling people "dear" and "honey" can be not only inappropriate, but it could be seen as demeaning... like they are talking to a child. Am I wrong? Your thoughts?

Thursday, September 07, 2006

Oopsies! Had a bit of a setback.

The "weight loss journey" had a bit of a setback yesterday when I weighed in to find out that I had actually gained half a pound. Now half a pound isn't much to panic about... but it's frustrating nonetheless. I know I didn't eat perfectly last week so the gain wasn't a huge shock. But I worked out as much as possible and ate sensibly most of the time... so it's still very frustrating. Oh well. Nothing can be done about it except to learn from the mistakes and try to do better this week.

In other news, I had the hardest time trying to find a way to get Mercedes to a handler in the states but I think I finally got it all worked out. So Mercedes is going down on September 21st to pursue her American Championship. She is already 1/3 of the way there so I'm hoping she'll be home by Christmas. :)

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

What do our dreams tell us.... if anything?

Dreams are interesting. I've heard they contain our deepest fears and desires. I'm sure there is more to it than that though. I think real life has more impact on our dreams than fantasies do.

A couple of months ago I had a vivid dream that I was getting divorced! Having never been married I figured a therapist would have a field day with me over that one LOL. However, upon further reflection I think I had that dream because I had been talking to a friend earlier that day about the unhappy state of his marriage.

Then last night I had a dream, a very strange dream, in which I was a single mother with an infant son. The young nameless boy was only a couple of days old and in my dream I had fed him one meal (mushy cereal... he was advanced for his age LOL) but he had had nothing to drink and was getting dehydrated. It took me a few dream-days to realize that the young boy might be hungry and thirsty. He didn't cry or anything, just relied on me to be on the ball enough to give him food and water. But when I woke up I was very thirsty and dehydrated. So I'm thinking that my own real life thirst was projected onto my dream child.

I have no strong feelings about marriage or children as I have never experienced either. However, these are two of the most memorable dreams I have had in recent history. And in my dreams I was unsuccessful at both. So maybe I DO have a fear (failing at marriage, failing at child-rearing) that is being projected in my dreams. Who knows? Any theories?

Friday, September 01, 2006

How to make highway driving more bearable....

I don't think many could argue that highway driving on the prairies is soooooooo booooooriiiiiing! Not that the prairies aren't beautiful in their own way, but wheat field after wheat field is dull dull dull! So, how does one make the journey more bearable? Here are some ideas that have worked for me.....

  1. Have a passenger. Not only can they talk to you to keep you entertained but in case of an emergency it is always helpful to have an extra pair of hands.
  2. Play loud music. Doesn't matter what kind (as long as all people in the car agree or can compromise)... just play it loud and sing along :)
  3. Play a book on tape. Careful with this one as it can backfire. I have driven one of the most boring drives known to mankind (Lethbridge to Moose Jaw) with a book on tape that was even more boring than the scenery. But a good, entertaining book will get you to your destination very quickly
  4. Play a comedy CD. Is similar to the book on tape idea but is more likely to be entertaining. The biggest drawback is that it is likely to be short, usually less than one hour, which won't get you far on the prairies.
  5. Daydream. Seriously this one works and requires no investment at all. Unfortunately, this is tough to do with a passenger as they might think you are ignoring them. If you do this I advise you make sure you are wide awake so you don't actually drift off the road.
  6. Listen to the radio. This one is Valerie's idea but in my experience it only works near major cities. Once you are in true prairie land there are long stretches with very few stations to select from or maybe no radio at all.
Any other highway driving tips out there? :)