...and unto dust you shall return.

This may be what you hear today should you go to mass and partake in Ash Wednesday services. I have not done this to date, but I do reflect on what today means. It is to be a day where Roman Catholics (and others, I'm sure) fast, abstain from meat and contemplate one's transgressions. It is also to be used as a day of repentance.

You don't need to be Catholic in order to partake in today. I like to consider it more as a day of reflection than anything else. I hope to be able to take time today to reflect on my life, my challenges, my rights, my wrongs and look inside myself to find ways to overcome the challenges I still face.

Usually I take a more light-hearted approach to today, but I guess I cannot relive my famous Ash Wednesday story since I posted it here last year. But it will be on my mind as I go about my business today and every time I think of it, I will catch myself smiling! I don't think I will be able to top that one!

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 18, 20

Just getting started: 8, 14, 16, 17, 19

Needs attention: 7*, 11

*~~thinking about the fact that my draft of my statement of facts is due today @ 5pm, does that count to move this one up to the next list level?!? ;)

Happy Mardis Gras 2010!!!

Well, it is here! Fat Tuesday, Baby!!

My goal this year is to not eat a paczki at work today! It will be hard, trust me! I'm hopeful that all of the good ones are gone by the time I start feeling weak! LOL

Of course today leads to tomorrow...Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Which leads to the next question, "What are you giving up or taking on for Lent this year?" This usually is a pretty big conundrum for me. I like to hear what other people have decided to do for Lent and then weigh my options. ;) I also usually opt to take an easy choice and usually fail at that as well.

This year I'm going to attempt to give something up and take something on! I'm going double barrel this year y'all! LOL For Lent I'm going to try and give up swearing. I have noticed that my mouth has gotten worse here of late and I thought this would be quite a challenge for me! What the fuck have I got to lose?! Hey, I've got to get it all out in the next 24 hours!! As for what I'm going to take on...the gym! I've been doing fairly well with going Monday nights after work, but then that is it. I'm going to attempt to take on the gym on both Saturday and Sunday too! I figure I'll need the extra stress relief come Saturday and Sunday for my pent up hostility that I'm unable to release with tirades of colorful swear words.

Your turn...what are you giving up or taking on for Lent this year?*

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 18, 20

Just getting started: 8, 14, 16, 17, 19

Needs attention: 7, 11

*~~I wonder if Dani is gonna change it up this year...LOL Inquisitive minds want to know! ;)

Cupcakes

Because I knew you were dying to know! ;)

Mental Block~~The 20's

I knew it wasn't going to be good. I told myself I would be okay even if it went up by 5lbs. Yes, I lie to myself often! I hopped on the scale this morning and it read 322.6. I gained 1.4lbs this week. Ugh! It wasn't okay with me. I'm not okay with it. I do not accept the gain of 1.4lbs!!

I swear I ate everything in sight this week. I had tons of snack-cakes, which not only are horrible for my weight, but also horrible for my sugar. I never felt full all week...well, except after I skipped E&T Thursday night and we went to Logan's Roadhouse for dinner. OMG, I thought I was going to be sick when we left there. I didn't even eat all of my steak, but I munched on appetizers (chicken tenders, onion chips, & mushrooms), ate a salad with ranch dressing, had a loaded baked potato, most of my steak and gorged myself on their rolls and butter. Even while I was stuffing the rolls into my chubby little face they weren't tasting as good as I remembered, but I still stuffed, stuffed, and stuffed some more until I was miserable on the drive home. I felt so awful I had to take a gas pill to aid in the digestion process!

I think I know partially where I went wrong...two areas really. The first being that I didn't cook last weekend. I've been really trying to cook something that I like on the weekend so we have some left overs and I don't seek out other tasty food. I failed at this last weekend. The second area was that first snack cake. Once I have one I cannot stop myself. I lose total control. So last night, knowing today was not going to be pretty, I finished the snack cakes so they are no longer around.

I think I have a mental block with the 20's. I remember many, many years ago when I was a hundred pounds lighter than I am now I couldn't get out of the 220's. Now I'm in the same spot, but this time a hundred pounds heavier. So I swear to myself that I will get out of the 320's and it will happen very, very soon. I will not let this deter my ultimate goal. My new mini-goal is to be below 320lbs in the next 3 weeks! Damn it to hell!!

Another contributor to my gain this week, albeit minor, I got no exercise this week. I didn't make the gym Monday night because it was parent's night at CCD. I felt out of sorts all week and just felt lazy and icky about myself or about my progress or something...I just don't know what though. So...I ate crap almost all week. Hell, I barely consumed my water. I skipped some classes, took a snow day from work and accomplished nothing productive. Well, this shit is gonna change this week!

After my man woke me up at 8:40am this morning to wish me a Happy Valentine's Day (God, do I love that man~~he is so sweet!), I got out of the bed, did my weigh in, washed the grapes I picked up Friday night grocery shopping, made myself a western-style omelette with egg-beaters, and then started my dinner, sloppy joes in the crock-pot! It isn't the healthiest dinner, but it is tasty. I actually used my ex-mother-in-law's recipe and put extra green peppers and onions in it.

For the munchkin I made him chocolate cupcakes. I even used the ol' tried and true WWs cake recipe! This way if I do find myself tempted it won't be as horrible as the real deal. Plus, I've yet to find a single person who can tell the difference in a WWs cake and a regular cake! I haven't decided if I'm going to decorate them in white with red sprinkles or in red. Maybe a little of both...

So, #15...consider yourself checked & done! And as for you...#'s 14, 17 & 19, I've got you started and I'm about to check you too!

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 18, 20

Just getting started: 8, 14, 16, 17, 19

Needs attention: 7, 11

Happy Valentine's Day!

Not everyone celebrates today, but I still think it should be recognized. :)

As my man once told me...it is a day for children and people who are "just dating". I totally disagree, but I think that is because I'm a romantic at heart. I don't think it is a day to break the bank nor is it a day to get crazy with outrageous plans, but I do think it is a nice time to reflect on your love for one another, which can be accomplished with a simple card, a quiet dinner, or just spending time with one another.

Due to the current circumstances in our lives, I will not be spending the day with the loves of my life...I spent Friday night with my man for an early Valentine's Day celebration and when my aunt brings my munchkin home at the end of their weekend together, I will take a break from my studying and give him his presents. Heck, who knows...I may even surprise him with a homemade cake! Ha!

I hope you and yours took a few minutes out of your weekend to wish one another a Happy Valentine's Day and reflect on the love in your heart for that person...even if you aren't children and are no longer "just dating." ;)

Love to y'all & Happy Valentine's Day...

love,

~j'lynn~

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 12, 13, 18, 20

Just getting started: 6, 8

Needs attention: 7, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19

A Saturday in Review

I feel like I accomplished nothing.

I seemed to have gotten a lot of little things done, but outside of that I'm not sure what else I did all day!

I feel like one minute I was waking up and it was a little after 10am and the next minute I was racing out the door to get to the lab before 12:30pm! I arrived at 12:22pm...the tech wasn't happy, but whatever! Then the next minute it was 2pm and I was totally proud of myself for being totally done with my errands, being home with lunch ate and laundry started thinking about reading for school.

Then I looked at the clock again and it was 5:30pm!! I debated taking a nap or starting my reading for school...flash forward and it was 11:45pm. I didn't even take a damn nap! I am still debating, but now it is between going to bed at a decent hour, for me, or starting my reading for school.

What the hell did I do all day?!? Heck, my TV hasn't even been turned on since I went to bed Friday night @ 1:00am...

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 12, 13, 18, 20

Just getting started: 6, 8

Needs attention: 7, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19

The Week In Review

Exhausted, weak, and unmotivated. It was also snowy, cold, and dreary. Along with being busy, stressful, and long.

Monday~~very busy at work and then it was parent's night @ the munchkin's CCD class. I was so tired I was in the bed before midnight!

Tuesday~~very busy at work, class was canceled and we got the first half of what would be a foot of snow. Oh yeah, I also lost a quarter down my bathroom heat vent and was in the bed by 11pm.

Wednesday~~we woke up to a foot of snow and while taking my own snow day I accomplished nothing. I took a 3.5 hour nap and was in the bed by midnight.

Thursday~~made it to work for my usual 5 hours in the morning and became crazy busy. I don't understand why when my boss goes on vacation I become the go-to-gal. I don't want it! Ever! At all! WTF?! So now I'm playing catch up on my own stuff, plus bailing some of my other attorneys out of their holes before our jobs are stolen away and now I've added my boss' responsibilities to my list of crap to do. I'm feeling more than a little overwhelmed and it really sucked only being scheduled for 5 hours. I'm hopeful in the coming week I can get it together. I screwed myself during cross-examination, but I survived, which is a good thing! I had a killer sinus headache and opted to skip my 6pm class and go and do dinner with the munchkin and my aunt...of course I over ate and felt miserable...ugh. In the bed by 1:15am.

What a shitty week...hoping for a much, much, much better weekend! I hope y'all had a much better week than I.

My Friday To-Do List*:

1. Go & see my guy~~a pre-Valentine's Day visit since I can't see him on the real day!

2. Write out my grocery list

3. Go shopping

4. Do laundry

5. Pick up the house

6. Do all of my Trial Practice homework

7. Do all of my SADO homework

8. Do all of my E&T homework

9. Write out my bills

10. Balance my checkbook

11. Write my guy

12. File this week's papers

13. Get my lab tests done for my next appointment with my specialist

14. Get re-motivated

15. Get back on the WWs band-wagon

16. Get me some sleep

17. Refocus for next week

18. Plan out my week

19. Get my shit together

20. Start preparing for all of the things we have coming up in the next several months (the munchkin's first communion, first confession, boy scout banquet, boy scout pine wood derby, scout-a-rama, my parents' 25th wedding anniversary party, (apparently) my bro's wedding, the munchkin's birthday, etc...)

*~~I feel like I'm forgetting some things on my list, but I can always add them as needed...

Snow Day!!

Okay, so I suck and I made my own snow day since no one appeared to be cooperating with me here! Seriously people!?! I have a foot of snow out my front door...did anyone see me getting out in it today? Not!

These were my plans for my self-imposed snow day~~sleep in a bit, get up, shower, work on some homework with the hope of getting caught up in both E&T and my SADO clinic class, writing my man, maybe doing a load of laundry, and maybe watching a little TV, catching up on my emails and reading of my blogs.

What I actually did on my self-imposed snow day~~was up at 6am for the morning (thanks Mom for calling me 3 times to "chat"), no shower, no homework done, no writing, no laundry, watched more than a little TV (damn that addiction!), but I did catch up on my emails and reading of my blogs, plus at 12:30pm I laid down for a little nap...I dragged my ass out of bed at 4pm only to get ready to put dinner on the table for when the munchkin gets home.

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25

Just getting started: 7, 8, 24, 26

Needs attention: 12

Undercover Boss

Okay, so I was inadvertently sucked into the episode immediately following the Super Bowl. OMG~~I love this show. Or at least what I've seen so far. This is totally recommended. I now believe that every single boss needs to do this! It just goes to show that sometimes they (upper management) forget the policies they implement to get a better bottom line actually affects their employees. I'm a true believer that good morale will get you a better bottom line than tightening the belt and making your employees' morales sink lower and lower!

Kudos to you, Larry O'Donnell, Waste Management COO!! Now just stay in touch with those lower-level employees, because now that is reality...

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25

Just getting started: 7, 8, 24, 26

Needs attention: 12

Six inches and counting...

Well, the weather prediction was accurate. So far where I live we have around 6 inches of snow and it is still coming down. It is suppose to snow throughout the night into tomorrow morning, along with blowing and drifting. The munchkin's school was canceled for today and has been canceled for tomorrow. My class was canceled tonight and I am really hoping and praying that my office will be closed tomorrow morning (fat chance of that!) and that Prof. Fergie has a heart and cancels class tomorrow night too (not much better chance for this either)!

On a separate note, I've fallen off the WWs wagon! Yikes!! I have no idea what is going on with me, but last night and tonight I'm eating crap. It is like I cannot stop myself. As I'm shoving something in my mouth I'm saying to myself , "Stop it! You don't need it! You shouldn't be doing this! Why the F am I eating this?" Did I stop? Hell no! :( Last night I made myself go to bed, because I couldn't stop. Hell, I was in the bed before midnight last night. I haven't done nearly as much damage tonight, but it is only 10pm...

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25

Just getting started: 7, 8, 24, 26

Needs attention: 12

Weather Prediction

For today and tomorrow is between 5 & 11 inches of snow. Are you kidding me?!? All I wanted was a white Christmas, but now it looks like we will be having a white Valentine's Day... At least red goes nicely with white. If it happens, please be safe. But lets pray that it doesn't, shall we?

As for the folks that received over 2 feet last week, I'm sorry. And unfortunately it sounds like our round one will be your round two...

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 25

Just getting started: 7, 8, 24, 26

Needs attention: 12, 15, 22

happy birthday j'lynn's world!

One year ago today I started this blog. Back then no one read it, but me. It was all about me and it still is, but the one thing that has changed is the fact that you are here! Thank you for finding me, reading me, continuing to come back and for commenting! I wasn't sure how this was going to work and I will admit that it was a bit unnerving starting my blog and what was even scarier is when my girl, Dani, found me! But I'm glad she did, because she gave me the power and the confidence to continue! (Thanks Dani!!) Thank you for making it such a wonderful year and being with me (more importantly, helping me) through all of my ups and downs in the last year...

Here is to another year in j'lynn's world! I can't wait to spend it with you...

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 25

Just getting started: 7, 8, 24, 26

Needs attention: 12, 15, 22

Who Dat? The Super Bowl Champs~~New Orleans Saints. That's Who Dat!

Way to go guys!! What a great game. If anyone deserved this tonight, it was the New Orleans Saints!! You should be so proud...

Needless to say, I didn't get much reading and homework done during the game, but the sacrifice was worth it! :) One helluva game! I'm glad I took the time to watch it while folding laundry, attempting to read E&T, having my munchkin come home from my mom's, getting him ready for and into the bed, and scarfing down too many yummy treats my mom brought over to me when she brought the munchkin home. I think I gained the 1.2lbs I lost this morning!! Yikes!!

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23*, 25

Just getting started: 7, 8, 24**, 26***

Needs attention: 12, 15, 21, 22

*~~No naps this weekend; late night Friday night (3am); pseudo early morning Saturday morning (alarm set for 8:30am, got up around 9:30am); late night Saturday night (2am); thought maybe I'd sleep in today so just in case I had set the alarm for 12:30pm, but luckily my man called me around 9:40am and since I wanted to get lots done I hit the books as soon as we hung up!

**~~I need to get tons done at work this week and want to get the rest of my homework done so I'm really trying to focus for this upcoming week!

***~~Slowly but surely, I'm trying to get my shit together in all areas of my life!

Hopeful for More; Happy for Less

Down another 1.2lbs this week. Not where I was hoping to be this morning when I hoped on the scales and certainly not as much as I had felt like I lost this week. You know when you feel like you have lost gobs of weight and are sort of excited to hop up on those scales. I was feeling that for the last few days. Hell, I was feeling it so much that yesterday morning I almost weighed in a day early...oh well. Better than staying the same and way better than gaining. I just want to get out of the 320's. Gosh dang it to all!

I definitely had stepped it up at the gym Monday night with doing all of the upper body machines except one (thanks to the old guy who hogged the crunch machine until I was on the treadmill for a few minutes already) for 40 minutes and then I did 20 minutes on the treadmill.

I also only ate out twice this week...the whole damn week! Once was at my 2nd favorite chips & salsa joint with my LSBFF Wednesday night for dinner and then the second time was Thursday morning running through the McDonald's drive through for a sausage biscuit plus an extra piece of sausage.

I'm sure the fact that I had spaghetti this week and then burritos didn't help. I'm hopeful that next week I'll be weighing in less than where I currently am, 321.2.

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6*, 9, 10, 11, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25

Just getting started: 4, 7, 8

Needs attention: 12, 14, 15, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26

*~~finally, finally, finally...I'm finally caught up with my Trial Practice homework! Yay me!! Now I'm on to E&T...

Go Saints!!!

We're cheering for the New Orleans Saints tonight in j'lynn's world!!

Good luck guys! Bring it on home...

Who Dat!?!

Not what I was hoping for tonight

I was really hopeful that by tonight I would have a lot more of my homework done and several things checked off my to-do list, but alas that has not happened yet. All afternoon I've been pretty sleepy and had a sinus headache. At 8:37pm I even BBM'd mymormongirl and told her how sleepy I was. For several minutes I briefly considered a replay of last Saturday night, but I was able to hold off. Now I'm committed to being up for another hour and forty minutes since I just ate "dinner" about 20 mins ago and I need to check my blood sugar at the 2 hour mark...back to reading for Trial Practice I go.

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25

Just getting started: 4*, 6, 7, 8

Needs attention: 5**, 12, 14, 15***, 21****, 22, 23, 24, 26

*~~so close to being done...if only I would get out of my seat and fold those last 3 loads of laundry and put them away this would be completed!

**~~this week my picking up consists of emptying the dishwasher and putting the dirty dishes in, but I haven't done it yet...guess tomorrow is another day of possibilities

***~~this may very well get axed from the list since we are only 8 days away from V-Day

****~~does it count that I thought about doing this today and even got my planner out to scout out some good days for me, but after I got home from the salon and shopping my pampering salon was already closed??

Amen for the weekend...

After going to bed at 3:30am Wednesday night, thanks Trial Practice homework, I'm completely exhausted. I think I have 1500 pages to read this weekend for school and I suspect that all I will really want to do is sleep.

My Friday To-Do List:

1. Go & see my guy~~this depends on the weather, of course. Got to love a pending snowstorm.

2. Write out my grocery list

3. Go shopping

4. Do laundry

5. Pick up the house

6. Do all of my Trial Practice homework

7. Do all of my SADO homework

8. Do all of my E&T homework

9. Write out my bills

10. Balance my checkbook

11. Get my hair done

12. Write my guy

13. File this week's papers

14. Hang up the munchkin's 8x10 class picture

15. Get our Valentine's Day decorations up

16. Get my house cleaned

17. Send out an updated email to everyone with the munchkin's important dates

18. Pick up script refills

19. Catch up on my emails

20. Catch up on my TIVO

21. Schedule my next pampering appointment...Since I go monthly for my waxing and facial I'm trying to get it to fall outside of my mother nature time frame, but I haven't been successful yet. Just like I tried to do this past month...but you know what happened, mother nature showed up 10 days late and the day after I was pampered...go figure!

22. Replace my yard light light-bulb

23. Get me some sleep

24. Refocus for next week

25. Plan out my week

26. Get my shit together

All I Want For The Super Bowl

There are only two things:

#1) The Saints to Win!

~and~

#2) Hooter Wings!

The problem with this second item is that the closest Hooters is quite a distance from me just to run up and grab a take out order. So I was thinking of picking up an order Friday night on my way home and warming them up come Sunday. Any thoughts on this? Any opinions? Will they still be crazy yummy like they normally are? Will they still be any good? Is it worth the money to pick up an order Friday to eat Sunday night?

As for the other normal Super Bowl Party yummies...you can keep them this year. I'm only interested in getting me some Hooter Wings.

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17

Just getting started: 5, 6, 7, 16, 18

Bad Gift Choice if You Ask Me

I know I've been pretty bitchy lately...aunt flo popped in late Sunday night, finally. On top of that Sunday my aunt followed-up an email I sent to family and friends giving them significant dates for the munchkin in the coming months. He is a very busy boy making his first confession, his awards banquet for boy scouts, making his first communion, a piggy opera at school, and the pine wood derby. After talking to my mom and bringing my aunt into the fold, a decision was made to have a little party after the munchkin's first communion at my aunt's home. Her follow-up email was announcing the party. I didn't want to announce it yet.

On top of that, my aunt announces to me Monday night how she planned on getting the munchkin a Wii for his first communion. Are you frickin' kidding me?!? This is what I wanted to get him from Santa this last Christmas and kind of assumed I would get it this coming Christmas since I couldn't afford it this past one. Now she is talking about giving it to him for his first communion. I know my reaction wasn't nice when I said, "I guess I'll be buying him a car next Christmas instead." Then at some point I added, "That's an awfully big gift for a first communion." Of course, her being a catholic nun and all, she responded with "A first communion is an awfully big thing." Okay...I get that, but I just think a Wii is an inappropriate gift for a first communion, plus it screws with my plans for the remainder of the things I need to buy gifts for the munchkin this year. I figured she would be buying him a nice bible or something like that...

You would think my family would know by now that I'm a controlling bitch and that they need to run such things by me, because when they make their own decisions that affect me it never ends well...

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17

Just getting started: 5, 6, 7, 16, 18

Groundhog Day~50% chance that I'll love it!

Okay...last month my gas bill was over double what it was the month prior. My man suspects it is because I did not heed his advice and change the furnace filter like he told me to a couple months ago. I like to believe it was due to the frigid temps with highs in the single digits and teens for a little over a week during that month. Of course this last week the temps were back in the single digits and teens the most of each day. Have I expressed before how much I hate winter?!

Well, today is the day. The day we rely on a rodent, or is it a mammal...I don't pay attention to that in elementary school probably because I didn't care and honestly, still don't...to tell us what the future holds. The sad part is he is as reliable as the weathermen (and women).

Go Punxsutawney Phil!!!* I'm hopeful that he doesn't see his shadow, because I'm tired of winter already!

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 17

Just getting started: 5, 6, 10, 16

Needs attention: 7, 14, 18

*~~I don't know if this is the groundhog's name, but I seem to only remember this as the little guy/gal's name.

Reflecting on My Progress

As we enter month number two of the New Year, I want to take a moment and reflect on how I'm doing with my New Year's Resolutions:

Get healthier

~~continue to lose weight: Well, with the exception of this past week, I have continued to lose weight and since my net weight loss is 3.6lbs for the month of January I think I've been fairly successful with this one...

~~eat better/healthier: I've been eating out less, cooking more, and definitely eating more fruits and veggies. I could be doing better, but overall I give myself high props on this one too...

~~workout more: Failure here! I've made it to the gym once this year and it was only for 20 minutes. Yikes!

~~drink more water: I've been pretty darn successful with this one! :)

~~test my blood sugar more regularly: I've rocked this! Woo-hoo! I've only missed checking my numbers one night when I feel asleep too early... Yay me!!

~~get my skin under control: Slowly but surely my skin is getting better and better. :)

~~get more sleep with a better sleep pattern/schedule: Failure, again! If only I could get my stuff together maybe I could do better here.

Get my finances together

~~make a budget & stick to it: This one has been pretty slow to come around, but each day I'm doing better with this!

~~reduce my debt: I haven't made too much progress here, but I've made all my payments on time, so that is always good!

~~stop use of all credit cards: I've used my credit cards twice and that was at the beginning of January for books for school and one meal. Outside of these two things, I've been very successful here! :)

~~pay off BarBri & Kaplan: Failure. No payments made, yet.

Get more organized

~~at work: I have tons of piles and tons of stuff to do, but I'm organized. LOL

~~at/for school: Organized, but behind...go figure!

~~at home: I've been doing great here. Better than expected, so success is mine!

~~use better time management: Failure here. I need to stop letting things distract me or better yet, stop looking for things to distract me.

~~get things done: Slowly, but surely I'm getting things done. Hell, just check out my Friday To-Do list accomplishments! :)

~~stop putting things off till tomorrow (or next week): See above!

~~set a schedule and stick to it: Ups & downs here, but I keep aiming for total success here!

Communicate more...

~~with family, friends, my munchkin, my man, my blog & my blogging buddies: Doing better, but this is always a struggle for me

Enjoy life

~~laugh, cry, dance, and sing more: This has been hard to do in the last month as I've been very stressed, but I'm hopeful that as the days progress I'll have more time to work on this.

~~be a better mom: Oh, this is such a struggle...I try my hardest, but doing the hardest job in the world is tough

A work in progress

That is what my trial practice homework is, a work in progress. I swear I've been reading for trial practice for hours, days, weeks, years...okay, maybe just hours and two days, but seriously!?! I have read 280 pages between yesterday and today. I have 283 pages yet to go, plus I need to draft direct examination questions and prepare to perform a direct exam of our victim. I hate it when I get this far behind in reading for a class...ugh!

On top of this, I still need to do both my E&T reading and my SADO assignments for this week. Yikes!! I think it is gonna be one hell of a week...

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15

Just getting started: 5, 6, 10, 16, 17

Needs attention: 7, 14, 18

A mid-afternoon update...

I am happy to follow-up on this and report that the pieces have been recovered. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35091645) That makes me feel better, but I would have felt a whole lot better if someone would have came forward versus coming out with it after they were arrested.

Also in following-up, my morning silence was broken in less than five minutes of posting here by the sound of a car door slamming shut. Go figure...I knew it wasn't going to last, but thought maybe we would make it to at least 8am. Then the music started around 9:15am, but the player must have went to mass or work, because it stopped before 10am. Seriously, who gets up on a Sunday morning and blares their stereo at 9:15am?!?

I am not happy to report that according to the scales last week never happened. :( WTF? Up 2lbs this week. I guess that week before finally caught up to me. Boo-hiss. Oh well...I can't do anything except to change it for this coming week. Of course I'm sure it doesn't help that mother nature has not popped in yet and I wasn't all that great this week with consuming a lot of peanut butter (damn homemade chili!) and that Wendy's the other night or was it two nights, hell I cannot remember. I guess I'm back to here and need to step it up a notch this week. Needless to say, I will be hitting the gym again tomorrow night and apparently I need to do more than just 20 minutes on the treadmill!

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15

Just getting started: 5, 6, 10, 17

Needs attention: 7, 14, 16, 18

Early Sunday Mornings

I am not an early riser, ever. I love to sleep in and I'm not one of those people who say, "I slept in this morning till 9 o'clock!" Um, hello?!? That isn't sleeping in! When I say I slept in, I mean I slept in...like till noon or sometime there after.

Last night while trying to read the thousand pages I'm behind in Trial Practice (it isn't hard getting so far behind when he never goes over what he assigns and never calls on anyone!) I felt super sleepy around 8:30pm. I pushed and pushed myself to read more, but finally called it quits around 8:44pm. I decided to go and lay down for a bit and just get up whenever I woke up and get back to lovely Trial Practice. Heck, I didn't even shut off my lamp in the living room and I laid down in my jeans and sweatshirt. I figured I would be up around midnight or so to do some more reading. I was surprised when I woke up and saw that it was 7:00am, Sunday morning.

Needless to say, I made my way out to the living room and began reflecting on early Sunday mornings and realized how quiet it is. I'm totally amazed. It is never quiet in my neighborhood. There is always someone getting in their car, racing down the street, warming their car to leave at the butt crack of dawn or someone racing back in during in the dark wee hours. It is pleasantly nice to be up, look around outside and see everyone's house dark, no cars warming up and no one racing down the street. The other nice thing is...no one playing loud music already, which is a normal feature in these parts in the early morning hours. It must be a Sunday morning thang!

So wrapped in a blanket, I take a moment to enjoy this total solitude and then decide it is time to get back to that lovely Trial Practice homework.

Consider it done: 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15

Just getting started: 3, 5, 6, 10, 17

Needs attention: 7, 14, 16, 18

Free Movie Nights

About two weeks ago I received two envelopes from DirectTV, each containing a coupon for a free movie. Of course the coupon is set to expire January 31st. Nice, right? Thursday night I left the munchkin use one of the coupons to watch "Up." Last night I used the other coupon to watch one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time..."The Hangover." It was frickin' hilarious!!! I recommend everyone to watch it. It was 100% better than I expected.

Of course this movie watching began fairly late since I didn't get home from seeing my man and going grocery shopping until 11:30pm, plus as I waited for the movie to start at midnight I got sucked up in a long episode of "The Biggest Loser." I finally finished watching the movie a little after 4:30am. Opps... Another weekend, another period of time of me screwing up my internal clock, which isn't set properly to begin with. Double opps...

One great thing developed as a result of last night though, I'm feeling much much better mentally than I have been lately. Maybe it was the sunshine yesterday and the fact that I had to wear my sunglasses while driving or maybe it was the fantastic visit I had with my guy or maybe it was because I kept telling myself all day yesterday that I have to snap out of my moment...

Consider it done: 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13

Just getting started: 3, 5, 6, 10, 17

Needs attention: 7, 14, 15, 16, 18

Week #4 Down

As today begins, my 4th week of this semester comes to a close. It has already had many ups and downs, but I just keep remembering...in one more week I'm 33% done for the semester! I don't like time flying the majority of the time, but this semester I really am living just to get to my weekends. I guess I could say that this semester has been fairly stressful even though it really is just getting started.

You know what Friday brings...but you may notice that this week there are a few of my usual items missing. Well, that is only because I've already accomplished them for this week, so there isn't a need to put it on my to-do list! Yay!!

My Friday To-Do List:

1. Go & see my guy

2. Go shopping

3. Do laundry

4. Pick up the house

5. Do all of my Trial Practice homework

6. Do all of my SADO homework

7. Do all of my E&T homework

8. Write out my bills

9. Work on my February Budget

10. Get notes from a fellow student from the SADO class I missed this week

11. Get waxed

12. Get my facial

13. Make sure the munchkin's mad scientist cake and the munchkin get to his cake auction for boyscouts

14. Write my guy (Valentine's Day is right around the corner!)

15. Get me some sleep

16. Refocus for next week

17. Plan out my week

18. Get my shit together

I love shorter lists of crap to do! :) TGIF, y'all!!

Stupid Sausage

So the last few weeks I've been striving to cook more at home. So usually when I set out on shopping I try to come up with something I can make over the weekend that will have a few meals of leftovers to eat during the week. I also try and come up with something that I can put in the crock pot Monday morning to help my aunt out since she has to work all day, feed the munchkin and take him to religion class for 6:30pm. It makes for a pretty tight schedule.

So this past Sunday I made a chicken pot-pie. I usually make a turkey pot-pie after Thanksgiving and Christmas. Well, the holidays weren't totally kind to us with regards to being able to use the left over Turkey as I dreamed about. Also, I had picked up some Phyllo dough to use when I finally got around to making my pot-pie. Who knew Phyllo dough was so tough to work with and so darn time consuming? Well, I accomplished my pot-pie and it was uber delicious! Yay me! I had also picked up some (skinless) polish sausage and sauerkraut to stick in the crock pot for Monday. It was yummy and my aunt even left a note that night saying "Great Supper! Yummy!"

After going to the gym Monday night I ate the sausage (no sauerkraut for me, thank you!) for dinner. Last night in class I didn't get to eat my sandwich or my carrots or my apple, so I decided to eat some more of the sausage for dinner since I offered up the remaining left overs of my chicken pot-pie to my aunt to take to work with her for today's lunch. Well, this was a mistake! I woke up this morning with a horrible stomach ache and feeling just lousy. I was so nauseous I knew there was no way I was going to be able to make it to work and actually be okay. I felt so bad that I even had a bit of the shakes and felt chilled to the bone. So I decided to call-in.

I now think it wasn't just the stupid sausage at work, but the fact that I cursed myself last night! I had just said to my aunt last night while devouring my dinner, "Can you believe it is 26 days into the new year and I haven't even called in sick to work once!?" We reflected back onto the beginning of 2009 when I seemed to be calling into work about once a week because I felt horrible. I didn't know at the time, it was because of my impending diagnosis of diabetes that probably led to my feeling like shit for the first six months of 2009 and averaging missing a day of work a week.

So after doing this reflecting last night, I made a little goal in my head of trying to see how long I could go into the new year before I needed to take a day off for either being ill or because of needing to finish something for school...who knew that in less than 18 hours I would fail at that goal... Good grief.

I'm sure my level of exhaustion had nothing to do with feeling icky this morning even though I slept until 1:30pm this afternoon... So much for my message to my boss saying if I felt better when I woke up I would come in since by the time I would have showered, got ready and got to work it would have been time to leave for class (which I skipped tonight as well).

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28

Just getting started: 10, 27

So close, yet so far

Do you ever have that feeling? Like you are so close to getting what you want, yet you are still so far from accomplishing it. In my little head I set up goals for myself as I'm sure many others do too. One of my many goals this week was to complete my to-do list. Well, since it is hump day and I'll be posting a new list in approximately 48 hours it doesn't look like that goal will be accomplished. Better luck next week...

If I could just get up to date with my Trial Practice homework I would be so much better off. I don't know why, but I always put that off as to my last homework to tackle and then never get it all done. Maybe this weekend I'll put it first... Because if I could get that done, then I would consider that I had gotten my shit together and checked that off my list too and my list would be completely accomplished! C'est la vie!

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28

Just getting started: 10, 27

I Am Heartbroken Tonight

I've been sort of down lately, along with being stressed, exhausted and PMS'g, and things got worse today when I came upon this story, an apparent suicide of a 9-year-old boy (http://www.star-telegram.com/local/story/1915684.html). He did it at school. My heart sank, my eyes filled with tears and I went into total mommy fear mode. This is so horrific. I cannot even imagine. :( He, his family and friends are all in my thoughts and prayers. Please include them in yours tonight.

I then decided to write my guy a letter tonight before class and it was one of those letters where you put all of your concerns, fears, issues, etc. in it. I was deep into having a moment. I honestly felt better by the time I was in class and figure I must have needed to "share" my moment with someone and who better than him, right?

So feeling better I come home and then I come across this store, vandals sawed off pieces from a fallen soldier's memorial (http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/22350848/detail.html). What is this world coming to? This man, SGT Frank a decorated soldier, gave up his life for our freedom and some punks decide to steal parts of a statue dedicated to him. Are you kidding me? How sick must a person be to do this? This is just totally unacceptable. It makes me sick to my stomach and pissed off beyond words can express. WTF?!

Needless to say, I go to bed heartbroken and angry tonight...

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28

Just getting started: 10, 26, 27

Needs attention: 21

First Time in 2010

For the first time this year I made it to the gym. I didn't do a lot, did 20 minutes on the treadmill, but I'm exhausted and my legs hurt. Sad really. I guess 20 minutes is better than no minutes, right?

I accomplished very little from my list today, but I did bust my ass at work today (see work, I promised!) and I still have a ton of stuff to do...

I need mother nature to knock really, really soon. I just scarfed down 8 pieces of sugar-free chocolates, which totally defeats that 20 minutes on the treadmill. They make it sugar-free and still yummy, but why can't they make it calorie-free and still yummy?

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 23, 24, 25, 28

Just getting started: 10, 26, 27

Needs attention: 19, 21, 22

Not what I expected

This past week was hell for so many reasons. I felt bloated the entire week. I'm PMS'g and running late by 3 days. I've ate like crap. I've ate out a lot this week. I worked out none. I'm sure it will catch up with me sooner or later, but not today! I weighed in this morning @ 320.4lbs! Down another 2lbs baby!! That is a grand total of 42.6lbs lost. Can you believe it? If you saw what I ate this week, trust me, you wouldn't! I'm that much closer to my goal by 20.6lbs. I would like to hit my goal by May 1st since my parents are having their 25th anniversary party that day and the next day my munchkin makes his first communion. I think this is a moral realistic goal than what I set last time...

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 23*, 24, 25, 28

Just getting started: 9, 10, 11, 26, 27

Needs attention: 17, 19, 21, 22

*~~I'm thinking the nap I took yesterday from 3:30pm until 9:00pm qualifies as catching up on my sleep. However, I am also thinking the fact that I stayed up until 6am working on homework last night and I slept until almost noon, even though my alarm was set for 10:30am and my guy called at 8:40am and we talked for 15 minutes, I will have another crazy week of being exhausted and not sleeping correctly. Go figure...

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

The Good...

Well all of my grades are finally in! I rocked last semester!! I mean really rocked it! I have never done so well in law school ever!!!! I had the top grades in both my Litigation and Small Firm classes. Can you freaking believe that?!? I even rocked my PR grade!!!! I was disappointed in my Pre-Trial grade, but I'll survive. My grades ranged from a 3.3 to a 4.0!! I've never had a semester where all of my grades were in the 3.0 range and above. Hell, most of my grades sit in the range of mid-2.0's and with everything else I have going on in my life, I'm okay with that! Honestly, I make myself okay with it. But also, I have never had a 4.0 or a highest grade in a law school class in the 3.5 years I've been attending. I don't know if I will ever be able to repeat this; however, it would be great. I did discover with the knowledge of all of my grades...results help motivate me! I'm ready to kick ass again this semester. I may not be able to live up to last semester, but I'm ready to try my hardest...

The Bad...

Thursday night my brother called me about a situation he has with the receipt he received from their daycare and how to deal with it. During this conversation he told me how he and the wife owe over $3,000 to said daycare, no longer have a checking account because they bounced too many checks, they owe their former checking account bank over $800 and another bank $90. He is already talking about filing bankruptcy, which he can't do because he and his ex-wife filed in 2006 and his new wife filed on her own sometime before 2007. Planning a bankruptcy that cannot take place for another 3 or 4 years...damn!

An hour or so later I receive an email from his wife of her in a wedding dress asking us what we thought. I had a suspicion of what this means, but my response was "I'm confused." After a discussion via BBM my suspicions were confirmed. They are planning "a little ceremony for [their] wedding since it was just a court house thing." The base cost for this "little" thing is $3,000. Mind you, bro still owes me $425. The biggest kicker of this whole thing is the fact that they planned this for my munchkin's birthday weekend. When I brought this up, do you know what I was told?!? I was told to move my son's birthday. Seriously?!? You must be fucking kidding me with this shit!

Needless to say, I'm still fuming over this mess. Leave it to my brother and his wife to be so self-centered. UGH....

The Ugly...

**Be warned that not only is this ugly, but it is highly disgusting!!**

We have one sick puppy at my office. Actually demented might be a bit more appropriate here. The following incidents have happened on several occasions in the ladies room at my office: toilet paper with human excrement still on it on the floor; toilet paper with human excrement still on it on the toilet seat; pubic hairs left on the toilet seat; and urine all over the floor. Am I the only person that turns around and looks before she leaves the stall to make sure everything is where it is suppose to be and nothing is left behind or fell off? Seriously???? Not only is this disgusting, but it is also a health issue in my eyes. These incidents have happened enough and on a regular enough basis that it has to be an employee. I'm about to buy some latex gloves and a mask to work in!

Consider it done: 1*, 2**, 3, 12, 13, 18, 28

Just getting started: 4, 8, 9, 10, 11

Needs attention: 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

*~~Dear Work: I'm just not that into you. I'm sorry. I'll try harder next week. I just wasn't feeling it. But I'm willing to try it again Monday, if you are. Truly yours, j'lynn

**~~Apparently everybody decided to visit Friday night. It was packed and noisy. I was exhausted, feeling "off", and am definitely PMS'g. He was feeling feisty and was in one of those jokey, smart ass moods. Don't ya just hate it when you and your loved one is having an "off" night? It isn't bad, but it isn't great either. It is just blah.

TGIF

This has been one long week. It was a short work week, but it sure didn't feel that way. It was actually a pretty crazy week. But hey...it is the weekend, so let's get it started, shall we?


My Friday To-Do List:
1. Kick ass @ work for 8 hours
2. Go & see my guy
3. Write out my shopping list
4. Go shopping
5. Do laundry
6. Pick up the house
7. File this week's papers
8. Do all of my E&T homework
9. Do all of my SADO homework
10. Do all of my Trial Practice homework
11. Catch up on my emails
12. Call in the refill on my script

13. Drop off the munchkin's script

14. Pick up our scripts

15. Write out my bills

16. Balance my checkbook (don't worry...I've been balancing it everyday since this episode)

17. Forward soccer coach's email to the team

18. Catch up on my TIVO

19. Write a few personal business letters that I need to get out

20. Go to my PCP Saturday morning

21. Hang up my munchkin's 8x10 pics from school & his Christmas pictures

22. Write my guy

23. Get me some sleep

24. Refocus for next week

25. Plan out my week

26. Get organized

27. Get my shit together

28. Stay motivated

I Kicked Voir Dire Ass Today

This was the assignment this week in Trial Practice. I have fretted over this assignment for 7 days since it was assigned last Thursday. Preparing questions for potential jurors for our "case." The biggest stressor was the fact that there are 13 students in my class, myself included. Seven of us were prosecutors and six were defense counsel. We were originally broke into two groups. One of 3 and 3 and one consisting of 4 prosecutors and 3 defense counsel. Each person had to perform voir dire for five minutes and you couldn't repeat what anyone else asked in your group, so in my group the pressure was that you basically had to have up to 20 minutes of voir dire ready because what if you went last (#4) and the other three asked some of the same questions you had drafted.

I stayed up until 3am working on my voir dire last night. I still didn't have the good questions and felt like I was totally blocked. It was like I couldn't move forward with my questions. I had about five pages drafted and none of them were really powerful questions. I knew Prof. Arrogant was not going to be happy with what I had drafted. So about 11am at work I started working on it again today. Still feeling frozen, finally at 1:40pm I packed up my stuff and rushed out the door.

Class started at 2pm, I had to go to the bathroom, drive to school and get to the 3rd floor. Of course by the time I arrived at my car it was only to realize that it was blocked in. I finally got the attendant's attention (when I went to his little box and knocked on the window) and he moved the car. I texted my LSBFF and requested Prof. Arrogant's number and called and to tell him I might be a few minutes late because my car was blocked in. As the phone rang I contemplated telling him I wouldn't be there at all and that I was going to drop the class. (I guess I was even more freaked than I thought!) I actually arrived at 1:58pm!

When I sat down I still didn't have my shit together! I still didn't know what I was going to do...what I was going to ask in my five minutes and what happened if I was last of our group of four!?! I was mortified when I was told I would be the 3rd person to perform, i.e. the second prosecutor. OMG...I scribbled some notes down on page 1 of 5, got up and did my thing. I waited until after class to talk with the professor. I explained the freakout that I had been living on for 7 days because of this assignment and he said I did a great job and that I earned more points today than anyone else in the class! WTF?

I was amazed and living on cloud 9. Then I ran into one of the girls from class who paid me a huge compliment. She told me I did a great job and that I speak very well. WHAT?! She said something else but I can't remember word for word what she said, but I remember that it was fantastic! (This is probably due to the fact that I haven't been to bed before 2am any night this week!) Yay me!!!

With this wonderful experience I must declare I feel like I finally got my shit together this week! ;) Too bad I didn't get all of my reading done for this same class so I could say "Consider it all done." Oh well...maybe next week! :D

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22

Just getting started: 10

Organizing~~Starting Small

Maybe it is a chick thing, but I carry a lot of crap. Most mornings I exit the house with my school bag, my work bag, my lunch bag, and my purse. Some mornings I add the gym bag to my load. Unfortunately, that doesn't happen as often as I would like. In an effort to reduce my heavy load I decided to go through some of my bags and clean out what I really don't need.

The first thing I decided to clean out was my pencil case for school. Why am I carrying all of this stuff?

Writing instruments:

4 Pilot blue gel pens (2)

2 Pilot blue rolling ball pens

1 Sharpie blue permanent pen

1 Sharpie black permanent pen

1 Sharpie black ultra fine point permanent marker

1 Sharpie metallic silver permanent marker

1 Pilot pencil (plus I added one)

2 Sharpie Accent yellow highlighters

Post-It Flags-Nondurable:

1 Yellow (unopened)

1 Purple (unopened)

1 Lime Green (unopened)

1 Pink (opened)

2 Blue (one opened, one unopened)

Post-It Flags-Durable:

1 White/Red Stripe (opened)

1 Pink, Green, Orange Striped set of 3 (opened)

1 Pink, Green, Orange set of 3 (unopened)

1 Red, Yellow, Blue set of 3 (unopened)

Miscellaneous:

A poney tail holder

The small plug piece for my laptop

The tiny plastic cover for my laptop charger

A rubber finger to flip through pages

A set of pink ear plugs (mainly used for final exams)

Earbuds for my ipod

Staple remover

Seriously, do I need all of this crap?! Time to get organized and clean it out. What did I keep you ask? Look above...it is bolded. You would think it wouldn't make a difference, but it certainly does! Next time I'll clean out my work bag, which at times can weigh about 35lbs. YIKES!!

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9*, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22

Just getting started: 10, 15, 21

*~~I didn't finish this until almost 2:00am last night, but it is done regardless! Woo-hoo! Can you believe just three things left on my list to do this week? I frickin' rock! LOL

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Today we pay respect to such a wonderful man. A legend really. A life that was cut way too short. While so many of us enjoy the day away from our daily grind, I hope you will also take a moment to pay tribute to a legend.

Thank You Dr. King. We love you, your spirit, your heart and the legacy you left us to carry on...

Nothing Needs Attention

That's right folks...by Sunday night I have either completed or at least started everything on this week's to-do list. When you do it once, you want to do it again, but even better and faster the next time.

In other news...I sucked it up and weighed myself again this morning. I was very happy to see I lost another 1.6lbs! Yay me!! :D I'm so happy about this. I've lost a total of 40.6lbs! I have another 22.6lbs to hit the next goal I've set for myself! It has been a long road to hit this point and I have an even longer road to go, but baby I'm in this corner at 322.4lbs and I'm loving every minute of it!!!!

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17*, 19, 20

Just getting started: 8, 9, 10, 15, 18, 21, 22

*~~Even though I didn't go to bed until after 5am Saturday night/Sunday morning thanks to my neighbors who this time were really having a party, unlike last time, when I got home at 1am from Monster Jam, I slept till almost 1pm this afternoon. Plus counting that 1.5 hour nap yesterday afternoon before heading to Monster Jam I guess I should consider this done.

All Men Are Just Little Boys At Heart

This is something I've known for a very long time, but witnessed it again last night at Monster Jam. The munchkin described the night as "The best night of my life!" Isn't he a doll? I love my baby! :) I will admit, it was a blast. Getting there wasn't, but once we were there it was awesome!

The trip into the city was fine until we hit the city. Every single short cut was blocked, which took extra time for us to find out. At one point, we thought we found the way in only to be sent around in a circle by the idiots directing traffic. We finally made it there and made it inside to get to our seats 15 mins before the show started. Even though we were on the top level, we were only the second row in and our seats were great. The only problem we encountered were the two old fat assholes at the end of the row who gave you grief, dirty looks and blew their breath for making them get up so we could get to our seats. This lead to only one trip out in the 3 hours we were there and that was only to get munchies. Since there was only one way into the row we had to pass the fat old men each time. I wanted to say to them "sucks to be you, deal with it and consider it some exercise!"

The show was fantastic and all of the men were so into it it cracked my aunt and I up! Of course we had started laughing when we were looking for parking and I said to her, "Um, do you see the guy in the bib overalls? I don't think he has a shirt on." She agrees, laughing, and then she adds, "And he has dread-locks!" We bust out laughing and I declare, "Welcome to Redneck Country* at the D!"

During the freestyle portion of the night, which is my favorite part and I suspect everyone else's too, one guy flipped his truck early and the crowd went nuts! So what does every driver afterwards do? Flip their truck, of course!! It was so funny! The more they tore up their vehicles, the more men yelled, screamed and cheered!! It was great!!

Every January/February we have made it tradition to take the munchkin to see Elmo, but since my son declared this year he was too old for Elmo** I think we found its replacement.

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17

Just getting started: 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 15, 18, 22

Needs attention: 7, 19, 20, 21

*~~No offense intended here as my man declares himself as a redneck, so please don't take offense. I've actually picked up some redneck tendencies in the decade I've been with my guy! ;)

**~~Against my wishes, my munchkin is right. He was probably too old last year too, but I wasn't willing to make that jump to an older forum to carry out our yearly tradition yet. I wasn't really ready to make that jump this year either, but I did and I'm glad that I did it. Of course, this just makes my desire for more babies stronger...

Burrito Anyone?

So last night while grocery shopping I picked up some frozen burritos, which I love! I was weak at the moment since it was after 10 pm and I was starving. I decided instead of going through a drive thru at 11pm when I was leaving the store that I would just eat a couple of my yummy burritos when I got home instead. I guess I should have read the nutritional values first, because I almost passed out when I took my blood sugar last night (technically this morning around 2:44am~~2 hours after my "meal") and it was 182!! OMG!! My first instant thought was that at lunch yesterday the waitress refilled my diet coke with real coke and that that was the culprit, because it certainly couldn't be my wonderful, delicious frozen burrito! I was already very close to my bed and totally exhausted so I decided to figure it out this morning. Well, my numbers were back down to 102 when I tested it this morning and I came out and read the nutritional values and discovered that one burrito contained 47grams of carbs! YIKES!! So I guess it was probably my burritos and not the waitress attempting to "slip" me some real coke... Dang it, I love those burritos and I have 8 left...

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 12, 14, 16,

Just getting started: 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 22

Needs attention: 5, 6, 7, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21

One Strange Day...Is there a full moon?

Of course it started out with me oversleeping...go figure. I was about 30 mins late to work, which isn't unusual for me. I confess...I'm a slacker, especially this week. Of course now crap is piled up on my desk and to be honest when I signed out at 4:29pm I didn't care. I just needed to leave. I need these next 3 days off, badly. I made great time and went and saw my man, which was great! :) From there I went grocery shopping to get that out of the way, or at least the majority of it since it appears against the law for one store to carry everything I require. After I loaded the bags into the back end of my car I put the cart away and when I looked up I see two teenage girls sitting in their car smoking dope. Yes, I have issues with this for several reasons...

#1) It is illegal;

#2) If you choose to do something illegal, that is your choice; however, maybe you shouldn't do it in public;

#3) If you throw caution to the wind and do this in a public maybe you shouldn't do it in the Meijer parking lot;

#4) And if you choose to do this illegal act in the public parking lot of Meijer at least you picked night time to do it (Kudos to you for this smart decision);

#5) However, you lost the kudos above when you opted to park under one of the big-ass lights that illuminate everything you are doing in your car.

But young ladies, let me tell you this...had my 7 year-old son been with me I wouldn't have opted not to swing by the state police who had an unlucky speeder pulled over in the entrance to the store less than an acre away as I did tonight. Let that be your lesson this evening...pick a better, non-public place to commit an illegal act.

After deciding not to narc out the public pot-smoking teen girls to the state cop, I filled up with gas and headed home. That is when I was passed by another motorist. This happens from time to time. Not usually me since I have one hell of a lead foot, but it can happen. It is to be expected. What is not to be expected is to be passed when you are already going ten over the speed limit. What is also not to be expected is for the passer to pass the passee* using the turn lane on a bridge. Now that is safe, asshole!

Consider it done: 1**, 2, 3, 12, 16

Just getting started: 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 22

Needs attention: 5, 6, 7, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21

*~~this isn't a word, but it really seems to work. Don't ya think?

**~~this was not overly successful since I was totally exhausted Friday and was falling asleep at my desk while typing. But the one great thing about work is you get a re-do several times a week! Well...hopefully.

An Abbreviated Version

Since I accomplished so much in the last week (yay me!), I'm able to enter this weekend with an abbreviated version of my usual Friday entry. So...with the goal of being able to beat this, here we go.

My Friday To-Do List:

1. Play catch up @ work for 8 hours

2. Go & see my guy

3. Write out my shopping list

4. Go shopping

5. Do laundry

6. Pick up the house

7. File this week's papers

8. Do all of my E&T homework

9. Do all of my SADO homework

10. Do all of my Trial Practice homework

11. Catch up on my emails

12. Catch up on my TIVO

13. Take the munchkin to Monster Jam (hopefully we can get tickets!!)

14. Get an oil change

15. Get my hospital invoice paid

16. Finish putting up our winter theme decorations

17. Get me some sleep

18. Refocus for next week

19. Plan out my week

20. Get organized

21. Get my shit together

22. Stay motivated

Needs Attention: Nada

This likely will not happen often so I have to brag about it. I have nothing from my list in my "Needs Attention" column. Now if only I could blog tomorrow night saying everything on my list is considered done that would be a miracle! But since I can't get a return call from the hospital to pay my bill and I doubt I can get all of my E&T and Trial Practice homework for this week done in the next 24 hours. But I'll take what I can get, for now. :)

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36

Just getting started: 19, 23, 25, 30

Needs attention: Nada

Observations

Monday~~

• While standing outside the building, freezing my fingers and behind off while the temperatures hover in the high-teens, low-twenties I witness a man walking towards me. His gloves look vaguely familiar. When he passes me, I watch his hands sway next to him and as he passes I realize where I've seen those gloves before...in my son's baseball bag. Dude was wearing batting gloves. Now I know my hobo-gloves don't offer total warmth with the fingertips missing, but how warm could batting gloves be in Arctic temps?
• Motivation for me seems to come from actually doing. Strange how that works, isn't it? The more I did on my list this weekend and this week, the more I wanted to get done. If only I could continue to remember this and follow through on it maybe then I would get more and more done. Why is this such a hard lesson for me to learn and to remember? Don't you think this should be an easy lesson? Is this the way it always is? My goodness...the issue of motivation for me has raised a lot of questions, hasn't it? ;)

Tuesday~~

• When I'm feeling motivated in an area of my life, i.e. personal life, school life, work life I can only be motivated in one maybe two at a time. I can't be motivated in all areas of my life. This week I've been focused on motivation in my personal life first and in my school life second. You know what that means...my work life has suffered. Usually this would be cause for concern, but I can't do it all. So today I took for me and my personal things and some school things. Hey, a girl can only concentrate on so many things at once.
• Leaving my office at 5:55pm to get a Diet Coke and a quick smoke before you return to read before class only gets you one thing...locked off your floor. And when you ask security to let you back up there, they will ask you for the one thing you don't have on you...your ID. Why? Because you don't need it to smoke or to buy a $2 drink. Where is it? Um...in my office on that floor that y'all won't let me get up to. Security offers to call to verify I am who I claim to be, but they will be calling an office that is closed and goes to voice mail. Shocking that my office would be closed at 6:05pm, isn't it? Luckily one of our supervisors was still in the office and I actually had that person's cell phone number. More shocking is that when he answered the phone "Yo Yo Your Momma" I didn't even identify myself and just verified he was still where I needed him and that I needed him to come and get me! Who knew the "big guy" would be my knight in a shiny elevator tonight... Upon leaving my office at 7:30pm tonight, I swung by security to make sure he knew I did really belong there and was told that they were just trying to keep us safe. From who? Myself? Apparently me and my Diet Coke are quite dangerous. Who knew!

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36

Just getting started: 19*, 23, 24, 25, 30

Needs attention: 31

*~~Who knew this would take more than one call/transaction, but at least I have it started!

Pleasant Surprise

It has been a while since I've weighed in, 3 weeks tomorrow. WWs has not started back up at work and I don't know if it will be. I sent an email to the girl in the building who is the organizer of the meetings, but I haven't heard back from her yet. So I figured I better come up with another way to track my weight.

Since I'm below the 350 mark I thought maybe I would register on my own scale now. So this morning...er afternoon since I didn't get up until noon...I got on my own scale and was pleasantly surprised. I lost two more pounds!! I know that isn't much in three weeks, but when you factor in Christmas, this, the stress at work, New Year's, my snafu and starting back to school I think this is a bit of a miracle!

So now I'm down to 324, 39lbs down, and only 24.2lbs away from my goal of being down below 300!!! I haven't set a goal date since I didn't come any where near my last goal of 1/1/10, but I'm okay with it. I'm just delighted that I made it through the holiday season, the stress of the new year, and didn't gain. Well, maybe I did, but whatever I gained I lost within 10 days into the new year, plus some! Yay me!!

This even lead me to cooking this weekend instead of eating out...that is a whole other miracle since I much prefer eating out! LOL Now if only I could get motivated to do some homework...

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 21, 26, 27, 28, 32, 33, 34, 35

Just getting started: 6, 7, 29

Needs attention: 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 30, 31, 36

I Am Blessed Because of You, Thank You

I am truly blessed. I've been meaning to write this for some time, but after spending over two and a half hours chatting with Captain (thank you for tonight...I appreciate it and I really needed someone to listen to me, I feel so much better with all of it!) it reminded me that I am truly blessed with the friends I have. Whenever I need something, they are there for me. Even when I can't bring myself to reach out on my own, they reach into me and help me with whatever I am dealing with at that time.

My friends are always there when I need them. They help me with problems such as this one (thank you Blaez, Debbie & LSBFF) or that one (Blaez, LSBFF, SillyJilly & Captain). They are always supportive, especially here (Blaez & Dani) and here (Blaez, Dani & Debbie). And whenever I need to vent and they know about I'm talking about, they almost always answer their phones to listen to my crap, regardless if it is irrational or incoherent. (Blaez, Captain, Dani, Debbie, LSBFF, MyMormonGirl, & SillyJilly) My friends also give me wonderful advice with things like this (LSBFF).

Ladies, I thank you and I am so blessed to know you. I love you and I thank you all for allowing me to consider you a friend...

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3*, 4**, 5, 8, 9***, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 21, 28

Just getting started: 6, 7, 26, 29

Needs attention: 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36

*~~My prayers were not answered. :(

**~~Due to my man's concern for my safety, we opted for me to visit this morning. He called both Thursday & Friday to tell me to wait to come and see him. He didn't want me to brave the dangerous roads...isn't he sweet? ;)

***~~I have this all set up now and I'm tracking expenses daily. I think this will so help. I was going to buy lunch today, but decided against it because I not only didn't need it as I had a sandwich and didn't need the extra calories, plus I didn't want to enter the expense on my budget! LOL

Roll Tide!!

Way to go Alabama!!! The Crimson Tide won the BCS National Championship last night! That makes my man very happy! And I, as a crazy woman, stayed up till after midnight to watch the game & the win... I was pretty nervous in the early minutes of the game, but in the end 'Bama pulled it out and beat the Texas Longhorns 37-21!!!

Way to go 'Bama!!!!

My Friday To-Do List:

1. Bust my butt at work since I've kind of been slacking this week

2. Go to my dreaded meeting

3. Pray we get to leave early after our dreaded meeting

4. Go and see my guy either after work or for a few hours Saturday depending on road conditions

5. Write out shopping list

6. Go shopping

7. Do laundry

8. Pick up the house

9. Work on my budget

10. Write out bills

11. Balance my checkbook

12. Pick up the munchkin's Christmas pictures (finally!)

13. Write out the munchkin's Christmas pictures
14. Mail out our New Year's cards
15. File this week's papers
16. Make sure everything is ready to file my taxes and apply for financial aid when my 2009 papers arrive
17. Take the munchkin for his blood work
18. Pay pharamacy invoice in person from my diabetic supplies
19. Pay hospital invoice in person from my diabetic educational visits
20. Pay my catherine's bill in person
21. Pick up my suits from the drycleaners

22. Fax my blood sugar numbers to my specialist

23. Do all my E&T homework

24. Do all my SADO homework

25. Do all my Trial Practice homework

26. Catch up on my TIVO

27. Get me some sleep

28. Reschedule my pampering appointment because I think we may take the munchkin to Monster Jam that night

29. Take down our Christmas decorations

30. Put up our winter theme decorations

31. Get the munchkin's haircut

32. Refocus for next week

33. Plan out my week

34. Get organized

35. Get my shit together

36. Get motivated

Canceled

When the word "Canceled" is on a piece of paper or posted on TWEN next to a class you have on your schedule, almost everything in the world seems to be going in the right direction. So today after attending my early class, Trial Practice @ 2pm, while walking to the restroom I glanced at the door to my 6pm class to see if I could spend the next hour sitting in there waiting for class to start and instead I see "E&T tonight at 6pm Canceled" I wanted to weep with joy in the hallway! Of course it was after I tanked my bail hearing in TP and looking out at the 2 inches of fresh snow on the road, so it was even sweeter. So instead I headed home. My usual 45 minute drive turned into an hour and a half, but I didn't care, because I wasn't in class!! Woo-hoo!!

As for the tanking of my bail hearing...I had such a headache starting that 3 hour class, I know no one in the damn class, and I was (and still am) exhausted. I figure this way, Prof. Arrogant will see massive improvement! Yes, he spent tons of time telling us how our performance tonight would be our first impression on him and means so much and I blew it. To be honest, I didn't care. I was the last person out of 13 people to go and I was starving on top of my exhaustion and headache. The quicker I could finish so we could leave the better. No better way to do that than to tank the exercise. It is what it is and it is over.

I figure this was a great way to end my school week, especially since my whole week has sucked, tomorrow will suck and we are now buried in several inches of snow... C'est la vie!

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21*, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39

Just getting started: 5, 8, 9, 24, 30, 40, 41, 42

Needs attention: 23, 34

*~~apparently there is a hiccup in the new multi-million dollar system that my school purchased that isn't compatably with annoymous grading or the grading program that the profs use so there is a temporary, indefinite delay in getting grades. Of course, this is a rumor. Of course, this is a stressor. Of course, this is complete and total crap. Of course, to prevent from going postal I've marked my stalking completed...it just didn't produce anything yet. Blah!!

Recovering on hump day...

Today was a better day. I was exhausted though as I didn't sleep worth a crap last night. I didn't get to bed until a little after 2am and then I couldn't sleep and as soon as I started falling asleep I started hacking! Finally a little after 3am I got up, took an allergy pill and went back to bed. I feel asleep a little while later. That makes for a long day, tired on my ass.

The stress is rising by the minute at the office and I fear we won't know much on Friday. More than that, I fear we won't be allowed to leave early. :( With the fear of not knowing much more come Friday that just means that the stress, anxiety and fear will continue to increase, not decrease.

School stress is pretty high since two of my Profs didn't get a syllabus to us before class, but still had an assignment due that night. Seriously?!? So now I'm behind in all of my classes and will have double work this weekend. Ugh... The good thing is that I just have to make it through until 7:50pm tomorrow night and week #1 will be complete! Thank God!

Tomorrow is payday so that is such a plus...

One positive thing from this mess is that I have been really good with my money & my WWs! :D Trying to be positive here y'all...

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32, 33, 39

Just getting started: 5, 8, 9, 11, 20, 21, 24, 40, 41, 42

Needs attention: 10, 23, 30, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38

First Meltdown of 2010

Five days into the new year and I came unglued. Yes, my stress level is scary high right now for so many reasons. Well, one of my stressors burst open today, which lead me to my first meltdown of 2010. Tears, sobs, tissues, runny mascara...the whole bit. It all started with an email I received when I entered my car to go to work this morning. As soon as I saw it on the crackberry I knew things had boiled over and I had failed. I made it to work in record time, signed in and verified my fears from the email. Then I had to call for help. That call went out to my trusted and ever supportive aunt. I explained the problem and less than 4 words into my phone conversation is when the tears started. There was some name calling involved as well, along with the rhetorical question posed asking how stupid I could be. She promised to fix my problem a-sap, which she did within the matter of an hour. Before I could get it together my man called me. As soon as I said "hi" he asked what was wrong and the tears continued to flow and then the sobs started and some more name calling. He said all the right things and then made me laugh a bit. Our 15 minute phone call stopped the tears and made things better. I was grateful for that. Of course I spent the remainder of the day on verge of tears all day...

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32, 33, 39

Just getting started: 5, 8, 9, 11, 20, 21, 24, 40, 41, 42

Needs attention: 10*, 23, 30, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38,

*~~this is impossible when you get an email before 8am telling you your account is overdrawn by almost $500...it also will bring you to tears, make you sob and call yourself an idiot! Ugh...what a shitty day today...

Winner-Winner-Chicken Dinner

After working my new Monday schedule, I raced to the meat market to get supplies for my lunch to help me stay on track with WWs and my sugar numbers. As I stood at the deli counter I hear some man ask, "Have you eaten dinner yet?" I assumed he was talking to someone else as I was not looking in his direction. By the third time of him asking the same question I looked in his direction and realized he was talking to me! I let him ask a fourth time to make sure and then I confirmed with a question of my own, "Are you talking to me?" He looked at me like I was asking him if he was speaking Russian and then he answered affirmatively, so I responded with an astounded negative. He then asked if I wanted a cooked chicken, for free. Absolutely!! So I left the store with my carrots, lunch meat, syrup and a free broasted chicken. :) Of course dinner was already done at home, but there is always tomorrow!

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 25, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32, 39

Just getting started: 5, 20, 21, 24, 26, 40, 41, 42

Need to look at still: 10, 11, 23, 30, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38

Trying to start the New Year out right

Since I won't start to focus on my New Year's Resolutions until Monday, I am attempting to accomplish some things on my list of things to-do...

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 12, 13*, 14**, 16***, 18, 39

Just getting started: 5, 6, 7, 17, 20, 21, 25, 26, 31, 32, 40, 41

Need to look at still: 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 19, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 42

*~~So I attempted to return those damn jeans; however, when I went in I was advised that they could only give me $2.96 for them. Seriously?!? Of course the excuse being that this was the price they were on sale for, so I then asked her to point me to the rack of where the $2.96 jeans were at! She advised me that there weren't any. Imagine that! So I offered to exchange them for another pair of jeans and was promptly told that I would have to pay the difference in price. I then promptly told her I could sell them on ebay for more or better yet...I would rather give them to a homeless person then to allow them to put them on a discount rack to be purchased for $10 after they only give me $2.96 for them! Ugh. So I returned home with my too big jeans. Well, at least I tried!

**~~They are all wrote out, addressed and ready to go. I just need the munchkin's Christmas pictures to arrive (no later than 1/6/10) to insert them inside and stamp my cards and they will be ready for mailing! This year I'm only sending out 27 cards, which is a huge difference because back in my "hay-day" of mailing Christmas cards I would mail over a hundred!!

***~~I was behind by 12 envelopes when I finally wrote my man. That is the worst it has ever been! (This is an example of why one of my New Year's Resolutions was made!) I just need to stamp it and stick it in the mail! :)

Happy New Year!

As we all embark on this New Year and New Decade, many of us will set New Year's Resolutions. Some will call them goals and others will go with the traditional title of resolutions. Most will break them, but others will be able to keep them. There are the usual ones of lose weight, stop smoking and then some people have more unusual ones such as have less sexual relations with random women*. Some people will make one and others will make multiple resolutions.

I am fairly traditional with many things in my life so I make several traditional and some non-traditional New Year's Resolutions and without further ado...

j'lynn's new year's resolutions:

• Get healthier
• ~~continue to lose weight
• ~~eat better/healthier
• ~~workout more
• ~~drink more water
• ~~test my blood sugar more regularly
• ~~get my skin under control
• ~~get more sleep with a better sleep pattern/schedule
• Get my finances together
• ~~make a budget & stick to it
• ~~reduce my debt
• ~~stop use of all credit cards
• ~~pay off BarBri & Kaplan
• Get more organized
• ~~at work
• ~~at/for school
• ~~at home
• ~~use better time management
• ~~get things done
• ~~stop putting things off till tomorrow (or next week)
• ~~set a schedule and stick to it
• Communicate more in person, via email, calls, texts & letters
• ~~with family
• ~~with friends
• ~~with my munchkin
• ~~with my man
• ~~with my blog & my blogging buddies
• Enjoy life
• ~~laugh more
• ~~cry more
• ~~dance more
• ~~sing more
• ~~be a better mom

*~~courtesy of a caller into the radio station yesterday while I was driving to see my guy