Friend or FIEND!?

It’s Sunday night, 10 p.m., and there’s a knock at the door. Or was it the doorbell? I don’t remember. But I do remember thinking, “What the…? Who drops by unannounced this late at night?!” Well, we’ll never know. But when I opened the door, I understood why they preferred to keep their anonymity.

THIS was on the doorstep:


Flikr.com (by Tizzie)

 An Amish Friendship Bread starter. I’m sure you’ve gotten one before. This glob of off-gassing goo in a plastic bag. There’s instructions that come with it, too. For about a week you mush/squeeze the bag. Every. Day. Then you add to it and mush it for a few days more. Eventually, you add to it again, separate it into four new starters, and out of the rest of the batter finally make the actual bread.

I must admit, it is yummy! And I hear other people love getting starters. But seriously, I think it’s more of a curse than a blessing! Am I the only one who does?

I mean, think of it as a bad mother-in-law (not mine, of course – she’s amazing and I like her). It REQUIRES your attention every day while it’s in your home, and guilts you into fulfilling its demands because it cares. Or rather, because someone who gave it to you cares.

OR, think of it as a disease, being passed from one person to another. It takes about a week to get over, and the poor unfortunate souls around you will probably get it after you do.

I’ve decided for this reason, I am renaming it “Amish Enemy Bread”. I can just picture my nemesis (whoever they may be) drumming their fingers together Mr.-Burns-style as they plot to drop off a starter, “Heh, heh, heh…”. The fiend!! Oo! Maybe I should call it “Amish FIENDship Bread” instead. What do you think?

Don’t get me wrong. If it was YOU who dropped off the starter, don’t feel too bad! I don’t consider you an enemy. In fact, you probably ARE my friend. And when I make the bread tomorrow, I will enjoy it considerably (after my weigh-in, of course). P.S. I won't be passing on starters. You can all relax now. Because really, I think the mark of true friendship would be seen less in dumping fermented dough off on a doorstep and more in making the bread oneself, inviting friends over to share, and laughing about it all together…

Want to come over for bread tomorrow?

Why I'm working to go from fluffy to fit.

I went jogging this morning. I feel so good! I came home and did the ab work out portion of a Pilates DVD. Good job, Jessie! Lately I've been thinking a lot about the benefits of exercise and eating right vs. the effects of being fat and staying that way. I know when I've been at my heaviest my knees hurt. I have less energy. I am not as happy. I'm more likely to feel depressed. Those aren't the only risks. I looked on womenshealth.gov and found a list that also includes high blood pressure, type two diabetes, certain cancers, and snoring. I don't want to snore! I love my sleep. When I worked at the hospital I worked in a department that dealt with a specific type of cancer. I'm guessing 90% of our patients were obese. That's incentive to drop the pounds. I want to feel pretty again. These are just a few of the reasons I'm eating better and moving more. Sure it's nice to see the numbers on the scale go down. But they won't always. There will be weeks I gain and weeks I maintain. What I need to remember is I'm doing this to feel better and be more fit. If I'm accomplishing that then the falling number is merely a bonus. Let's get out there and lose.

Tiny leggings. Very tiny leggings.

I used to have a small Strawberry Shortcake doll. I forgot about her till I found these teeny, tiny leggings in a box with various doll shoes (sized from Barbie to Cabbage Patch).


I don't think these will ever be used again. So they have been thrown away. Maybe some seagull will find them and put them to good use.

And to That I Say, "Ditto"

Like Jessie said, apparently it's Maintenance Monday. I thought for sure I would have a loss since I only ate one meal yesterday! (Don't worry - I'm not going anorexic or anything; I love food FAR too much for that! It was Fast Sunday.)

But no loss. The scale said the same thing it did on Friday. I guess that's better than going up, right?!

Maintenance Monday

No change in my number today. I'd be happier if I'd lost. I'd also be happier if I won the Mega Millions. But let's not digress. If you'll excuse me I'm going to clean my living room so I can do my re-acquired Pilates DVD. Let's get out there and lose.

The Wrong Direction

I've been watching my weight all week, just to make sure I'm going in the right direction. And I am! So when I stepped on the scale early this morning, I was pretty surprised / sad to see:

179.5

(That's right - I'm a coward and will always put my number in the smallest font!) I went up half a pound. Sure, it's only half a pound, but I had been down one more pound since Monday.

This week I discovered that in the time I wait for the bus to pick me up from work, I can actually walk home. So I have. Everyday but yesterday when it was raining and I didn't have an umbrella. I've only been over my caloric limit by 30 cal or so each day, too. Except for yesterday when I bought that homemade oreo from our work cafeteria. Curse that cookie! That must be the culprit. Oh wait, that cookie didn't jump down my throat. That was my bad. But it was SO good!

Baby steps.

The number today: 172.6. Another little loss. But it's in the right direction.

I've been doing better with Pilates. I've taken the dog for a walk/jog at least once a day. I'm moving more so my body is crying out for more food. It's hard to not give in. When I get that under better control I'll see bigger drops, I hope.

Let's get out there and loose! (Just for you, Wendy.)

Does anyone else see the similarity?

I was cutting carrots the other day and found a doppelgänger. Weird, isn't it?

I'm Pulling Out the Soapbox

The English Major in me can't TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!

I admit sometimes I fail to use the proper form of your (/you're) or their (/they're/there). I mean, there are multiple spellings and meanings and they all sound the same. But one misuse that I see everywhere - and I mean everywhere - is of lose and loose.

Aargh!! It drives me crazy! They don't even mean close to the same thing. They're not even pronounced the same way! And yet SO many people use them incorrectly.

Ok, so my friend used the wrong word in an email to me. No big deal. Alright, so one of the people I blog-stalk doesn't seem to know the difference either. Fine. How embarrassing, my classmate used the wrong version in a note the teacher posted to the whole class. Bummer. But when I'm reading lecture notes by my college professor and I see, "Have an emergency savings account in case you loose your job or have unexpected expenses."... I. Have. HAD IT!!

Let's go over this:

From good ol' Merriam Webster himself -

LOSE: (verb) to miss from one's possession or from a customary or supposed place; to part with especially in an unforeseen or accidental manner; to fail to keep in sight or in mind; to fail to use, win, gain, or obtain

LOOSE: (adjective not rigidly fastened or securely attached; not tight-fitting; free from a state of confinement, restraint, or obligation; being flexible or relaxed

The first one is a verb. Lose, lost, losing. As in, "I need to lose weight." Not loose. I doubt one's excess weight is any more attractive when it's free to move about.

The second is an adjective. Loose, looser, loosest. As in, "I can't wait to be thinner, so all my clothes will be loose." Funnily enough, no one ever uses this word for what it is. It takes twice as many 'o's to type and yet everyone prefers it to the word they're all looking for - which is lose.

I just had an epiphany. Maybe people don't use it because they've loosed it. I mean, lost it. ;)

*Disclaimer: I have most likely offended the two people who actually read this blog, and I’m sorry. It was nice having you here. But really – people need to know. And if you happen to be one who has made this mistake, “Go thy way, and sin no more”!*

I heart my awesome friends.

In March our amazing group of friends got together to celebrate me. I picked The Cheesecake Factory for lunch. The food is really good, the wait is insanely long even at 3:00 in the afternoon, the prices are even more insane.

The company was even better than the food. And more insane than the wait. Tee, hee. Melissa came, but on her lunch break. Sadly her entire time with us was spent while we were waiting for a table. She's such a good friend to come just to chat with us. She also had a fun story for us, some big news.

The pictures are (from top left, going clockwise) all of us with our food, note the table behind us; my lunch, it's a burger with an egg on top; Wendy's delicious chickeny thing; the bread we took from the table behind us when they left, it was delicious, thanks for asking; Jana's surprisingly delicate-looking salad; MeLynn's sensible soup, half sandwich, and tiny salad.




Of course we had to have cheesecake. We shared two slices, one red velvet the other key lime mango. Our server hadn't ever tried the key lime mango so he tried ours. We adored our server. Sadly he was not available for take out.

If only I had a vintage Coke to drink along with these snacks.

These were packed away in a box of books and odds and ends. I don't know why these got boxed up. But now we know that Handi-Snacks are not a good long-term food storage item. .

And nnnnnow we know.

Wendy's Weigh In #2

I was really nervous to post today! I ate mostly rubbish this weekend and didn't exercise at all; I was sure I'd have to post a higher number than on Friday. So I stepped on the scale this morning and saw:

179.0

Wait, what?!? I lost 3 pounds? How did that even happen? I'm sure I don't know...

This week I'm working on 1) eating 5 fruits/veg per day and 2) starting a new strength training/cardio routine. We'll see how it's going on Friday!

Monday weigh-in for Jessie

Today's number: 173.2. Not a large loss but I'll take it. I did better than I thought I would. The weekend was hectic and I didn't make great choices. I got up early today and took Oscar for a walk/jog. We were gone just ten minutes but it was nice to actually make it out. I haven't done a single Pilates move since I posted I wanted to do some each day. I'll put up a little note to remind me to do that. I forgot to mention Wendy and I have put tickers at the bottom of the blog to track our weight loss. Aren't they cute? Let's get out there and lose! Update: I'm a genius. I put the tickers at the top.

Weigh In #1

Today I'm wondering why I agreed to do this... Why would I want to admit my weight to you, my friends, or even perfect strangers? Isn't that one of those things women are never to admit? That, and their age?

Oh well, I am a woman of my word (when I remember what my word was). So... today, I am...

182.0 lbs

If I hadn't regained the pounds I lost early this year (and then some), I wouldn't feel so ashamed. But there you have it.

Hopefully this public humiliation will motivate me to exercise enough, and eat enough - but not too much! - so that the numbers will always be going down. Or at least never up. See you Monday.

First Friday weigh-in for Jessie

(Not my feet, socks, scale, or bathroom. But that is my weight.)

Yesterday I was really nervous about posting my weight. I'd like to think there are some people out there who still think of me as I looked on my wedding day. /sigh/ Alas, I do not look like that today. As of this morning I weigh 173.6. I have roughly 30 pounds to drop before I get to where I'd like to be. That is a few pounds over what my ideal weight but I think I'd be happy there. To reach my goal I'm going to

• cut down on the sweets. I've been contemplating going chocolate-free again.
• exercise more. I'd like to take Oscar (our little dog) for walks in the morning.
• stop eating when I'm bored. Yes, I do this. No, I don't know why.
• do some Pilates exercises each day. Jeremy is interested in doing them as well so that will make it easier.
• drink plenty of water and sleep enough when I can.
• eventually turn my walks with Oscars in to jogging with Oscar. I'm going to start running for 30 seconds at a time and build up. Another goal of mine is to do a half-marathon with my sister (that'll be a step down for her, she's more of a full-marathon runner). It'll be in ... wait for it ... Disneyland. Wahoo!

Wish us luck and determination. Now let's get out there lose!

Sisterhood of the Skinny Pants

You know those defining moments that cause you to really reflect and reevaluate your life? Lately I’ve had a few of those that I’d like to share:



1. On a recent weekend trip to Vegas I (Wendy) found the cutest dress! Dresses are hard to find, especially cute ones. It ended up losing its cuteness, however, as I searched the rack and found nothing bigger than a 10. (And we’re not talking prices.) Needless to say, I bought the only thing in the store that fit me – sunglasses.

2. I discovered the evil beginnings of a hole in my jeans, and not even the clearance rack purposely-paint-splattered ones. The only normal jeans I own will soon be unusable thanks to the proverbial rubbing together of my legs. TMI? Probably. (And sorry!) But chubby girls everywhere know what I mean.



I was chatting with Jessie today, and it turns out I am not alone in the sorry state of my recent weight-loss aspirations. We’ve both been munching too much and exercising too infrequently. Things have really gotten out of hand and, frankly, we need to be held accountable! Despite our best intentions we are awful at keeping ourselves in check. So unfortunately for… well, everyone (or at least for us and the two other people who read this blog), we need to be held accountable publicly.

GASP!!

So, starting this Friday, Jessie and I will be posting our weight, our exercise successes... and any other stats that help measure our progress and shortcomings. Our weigh-ins will be Mondays and Fridays for however long it takes us to truly be 'The Shrinking Betties' and be able to fit in new, smaller jeans.

And who knows? Maybe we can inspire those around us to follow our lead, if not in public, then on their own. Should you, dear reader, decide to join us please leave comments letting us know how you're doing. And don't forget to leave happy comments encouraging us.

Now that's ... creepy.

I saved this because it was creepy then. It's creepy now. The drawing of a hand pinching the ankle of a disembodied foot of a baby really clinches the 'eek!' of it all for me.

Seen at Work...

On a sign advertising employee benefits for local gym:

Sign up with Jeremy and receive kids free! Kids will be included on your membership free for as long as you remain a member.

When you end your membership, I guess you have to return the kids.

You're never full dressed until you have two bow ties.

This little guy, Hee Joe, was a gift from a fun roommate. I think she's living in Nebraska now or some place equally fascinating. (It's not Jeramie. I know where she lives. Plus we weren't roommates. She would have been more fun, less drama, and way more normal.)


Joe will be offered up in the yard sale. It won't be tough to see him go as I'd forgotten he existed.

My main question is why two bow ties? They're attached by little strings so one can be cut off and the other remains. But who is that picky about the color of a bow tie on a stuffed animal? Anyone?

Today. Is. A… Greeaat Day.

Do YOU know why?

I bet she thinks I’ve forgotten.

But how could I forget 3/3?

A day in history “so famous it’s infamous.”! At least among those who know her. Sure, it happens to be a day that the Austrian civil war ended. A day that Florida became a state. A day Elvis Presley made his first TV appearance. But no one really cares about that.

Most importantly, it is a day that brought a greater amount of wit to the world.

Today is Jessie’s birthday.
(Enjoy your devils food cake!)

*

Words and Things that remind me of Jessie:

R

U

Three
Yellow

Happy Daisy

come, may, love, shove
besty

The Tank

mushroom pizza

MST3K

Oliver Stone

Statler

Wedding Story

"Go to the Mattresses"

Mickey & Minnie

the yellow horse

Disneyland!

Oreo shakes

mozzarella sticks

Galaxy Diner

hand pimp

Animaniacs

death burger

rain

Ru

Paul

Marta Stewart

prom

Ken dolls

drive-by

80's

One time...


What reminds YOU of Jessie?

*Photo from janesaddiction.org