Exhaustion Has Taken Over

I'm beyond exhausted this week. It has been one hell of a week and I had a bit of disappointment today when I thought I kicked butt on my opening statement in Trial Practice and after class Prof. Arrogance told me he was disappointed in my opening statement and expected more from me. :(

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

Needs attention: 18*

*~~sorry baby, apparently you were the only thing I couldn't get to this week, but on the other hand look at how I rocked it this week.

Today Brought a Few Bonuses

After going to bed after 2:00am last night, I overslept just a little this morning (like you didn't see that coming!) but woke up in the best mood ever. I don't know why. I felt like I was on speed the majority of the day! I jut wanted to get things accomplished. I rushed around, got ready and got into work (late, but whatever!). Then I was like a mad woman. I got so much stuff done, I amazed even myself! I cleaned up all of my outstanding voice mails, outstanding emails, and over due items on my calendar. I created three new files and closed out ten old files.

I was so impressed with myself that after I enjoyed the beautiful weather outside for fifteen minutes I invited my co-worker to do lunch at my favorite chips & salsa place! It was crazy yummy today too! I wasn't nearly as productive when we returned about 2:30pm, but I still got things done! Yay me! I even worked over by an hour to go towards Friday when I have to leave early to take the munchkin to the dentist and after that I forced myself to go to the gym.

After reading an article this weekend I decided to change up my workout a bit. I did 10 minutes on the treadmill (because it was already after 8pm) and then went on to the upper body machines. I increased my weights and decreased my reps. I'm already sore, but I'm hoping that it does what the article says that it will! Then I went back to the treadmill for another 10 minutes. After the gym I ran to the bank to deposit my bonus check! Oh, did I forget to mention that we received our bonuses today?!? That couldn't be the reason I was so geeked up today, could it? Nah.... ;)

Now it is time for bed again and of course it is much later than I hoped, but I am hopeful that tomorrow I will be equally energetic because I have lots of work stuff and school stuff to get done too. I'm also hopeful that I get up a little earlier in the morning, because I'll actually have to wash my hair tomorrow...

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

Just getting started: 8, 9

Needs attention: 18

Nothing Like A Lil' Spaghetti Sauce In Your Eye

After attending the munchkin's commitment mass and potluck this morning I headed over to the Hallmark store. I found much cheaper invitations and even found the thank you notes I wanted. In addition, I found the Precious Moments: Do this in Memory of Me-Boy figurine (http://www.preciousmoments.com/content.cfm/product/Do-This-In-Memory-Of-M-Boy). I was happy that it matched the thank you notes I bought! But I couldn't find matching invitations, so I picked a different invitation and called it good enough! From there I went to Wal-Green's to submit all of our pics to be developed. After looking over the 300+ pictures on mine and my aunt's memory cards, I headed to Wendy's for my large diet coke and booked it on home.

Knowing I'm running behind on time this weekend I tossed in a load of laundry, responded to a couple of emails and decided to throw dinner on the stove. While starting to fry up the two pounds of hamburger and getting the water over to boil our noodles, I started pouring my two jars of spaghetti sauce into a pan. That's when it hit me...a big ol' blob of spaghetti sauce splashed out of the pan and splashed right into my eye. Seriously?!? Wasn't trying to start myself on fire, being critiqued by a homeless man on my dirty car, doing homework for hours on end this week, and trying to cut off the tip of my middle finger while making breakfast yesterday enough?!? Seriously?!? We had to toss spaghetti sauce in my eye too?!? Come on already!!

Hoping I was done with the crazy mishaps, I finished getting everything together on the stove for dinner, so I began wiping down what I could on the stove before I left the water to come to a boil and the sauce simmering. Let me interject here for a moment and tell you I have a gas stove, which has black grates on it. In my ever wise attempt to wipe up the left side of the stove where I just finished frying the hamburger up I proceeded to grab the grate and lift it up to wipe underneath. Did I spill something? No. Instead I tried to brand the grate print into my finger and thumb, because apparently my mind forgot that those are metal and even though the flame is no longer on the metal retains the heat from the gas flame. I quit! I will say it, I'm yelling from the rooftops, "UNCLE!!!" I need no more crazy mishaps!

In other news around town, Wal-Green's called and apparently my 716 prints over taxed their machine as it went down. They've called a tech out, but my prints won't be ready until tomorrow night. Fine by me! :) I hadn't intended to go and pick them up today anyways. Also, I bit the bullet and weighed in this morning right after I showered and got dressed. I'm on the cusp of making my goal. I weighed in at exactly 320lbs. No .2 no nothing...320.0lbs exact. So, as God is my witness, I will bust out of this mental block by next week's weigh-in. So my stats for now are:

Starting weight (7/8/09): 363.0lbs

Current weight (today): 320.0lbs

Total weight lost: 43.0lbs

Not bad...could be, should be better, but it is what it is and I'm happy with that! I didn't make my goal, but whatev... I still lost 1lb this week and that is better than good!

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 19, 20, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28

Just getting started: 5, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 21, 24

Needs attention: 17, 18

Just Another Saturday

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, 19, 20, 23*, 25**, 26, 27, 28

Just getting started: 5, 7, 8, 9, 21***, 22****

Needs attention: 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 24

*~~I'm very nervous about tomorrow's weigh-in and making my goal. Since Thursday's dinner I have ate fast food. WTF?!? Thursday night was taco bell, Friday morning was McDonald's, Friday lunch was the greasy spoon in our building, Friday night was McDonald's again...ugh. Nothing like a little nervousness to get you motivated again!!

**~~I love NyQuil! That is the best sleep ever! I'm not sure if I've got the starting of a sinus infection but I wasn't feeling on top last night, so at 1:30am I opted to take a shot of NyQuil. Seven hours later I woke up to use the ladies room and then slept for an additional 3 hours after that. I still don't feel 100%, but I did feel better than I did last night and definitely more rested!!

***~~Hours and hours and hours I've spent looking on-line for ideas, scouring blogs and websites for recipes that would pop something different and final into my head. Thus far I've came down to this as a menu: ham, sloppy joes, hashbrown bake, deviled eggs, salad, rolls & butter. Of course there will be a cake too. I just feel like there is something missing or off about this list so far. Any advice, suggestions, ideas, or critiques would be deeply appreciated!

****~~After looking at the prices places want for invitations, I've pretty well decided we will likely make our own. Of course that is more work...go figure. My last option is to run by Hallmark's in the next day or so and see what they have to offer. This is turning into way more work than I anticipated.

Fridays Never Come Around Soon Enough Anymore!

OMG...just looking at the details of what I need to do in order to accomplish numbers 7, 8, & 9 brings tears to my eyes! I was hoping to get a jump start on my list last night, but I was just too exhausted to do a single thing other than eat and sit.

The bright spot other than the fact that it is Friday is that it is suppose to be close to 50 this whole weekend! Yippie!!

My Friday To-Do List:

1. Get my house cleaned

2. Go & see my guy

3. Write out my shopping list

4. Go shopping

5. Do laundry

6. Pick up the house

7. Do all of my E&T homework

8. Do all of my Trial Practice homework

9. Do all of my SADO homework

10. Write out my bills

11. Balance my checkbook

12. Get waxed

13. Get my facial

14. Get my pics developed

15. Get my aunt's pics developed

16. Attend the munchkin's commitment mass & potluck

17. Workout

18. Write my guy

19. File this week's papers

20. Catch up on my emails

21. Figure out a menu for the munchkin's first communion party

22. Look for invitations for the munchkin's first communion party

23. Remain focused with WWs

24. Remain focused for next week

25. Get me some serious sleep

26. Plan out my week

27. Get my car washed (obviously a must due to yesterday's incident!)

28. Start shopping for Easter (OMG, it is so close! Yikes!!)

Surviving More Than One Critique Today

This week has been exhausting. All I can think about is sleeping in Saturday morning! I feel like all I've done this week is homework, but I am happy to report that before classes started today I had completed all of my homework for the week! I'm pretty sure that this is the first time all semester I've accomplished this task! However, this has been exhausting, to say the least.

I had a headache that started this morning and didn't really go away until I finally thought about taking some Motrin. Of course this didn't happen until almost 5pm. I know, I know...so smart of me, huh?!?

I started my day at work irritated already for really no particular reason. Of course within just a couple hours I had several reasons to be even more irritated. We are finally starting to lose some of our files. I don't know how I feel about this. I'm partially upset that it is happening and what this could really mean for me. I'm also partially glad it is finally happening. I've been tired of the state of flux, that is for sure. Of course the fit will hit the shan for me and the two other gals in my position in my department. Ugh... Needless to say I will have no choice to bust my butt for the next several weeks! I'm up for the challenge, I hope...

Then onto class I fly, but not until I hit the parking snag. There were 7 cars waiting to get in the lot, so I drove around the block and parked on the street. So in addition to the $340 I pay for the school's parking lot I got to fork over $4.50 to park on the street today. Thank God I carry a pouch with me to stick quarters in through out the week for my Friday nights with my guy! Of course while I was getting myself together on the side walk and digging quarters out to feed the meter I almost ran into a homeless man. I was walking backwards onto the sidewalk while grabbing all of my stuff. The following conversation ensued:

j'lynn: Oh my, I am so sorry sir. (I was a good 3 feet from him, but still wanted to apologize because #1 I didn't see him, #2 if I wouldn't have noticed him when I did I would have knocked him down with my bag and/or my butt!)

HG: I'm okay.

j'lynn: Good. Again, my apologies.

HG: Honey, please do not apologize for almost walking into me. It happens.

j'lynn: Thank you.

HG: But please get that car washed! That you should apologize for.

j'lynn: Since it is suppose to be beautiful this weekend I had hoped to get it washed.

HG: Yes, it should be close to 50 this weekend. You really need to get your car washed.

j'lynn: (while feeding my quarters into the meter) I hope to, because I know I really need to.

HG: (while walking down the sidewalk away from me) What I really need is to find some work.

At this moment I decided to stop responding, because there isn't really much to say at that point. Plus I was just coming to realize that I was just admonished by a homeless man about the level of dirtiness of my car... Gosh, I didn't even think it was that bad!

I made it through another Trial Practice today and actually was proud of myself. My critiques from Prof Arrogance were all positive today! Yay me! I was nervous as hell, but so was everyone else. Each week I feel stronger and more confident! It makes me very excited about my future career in litigation! Then on to E&T I went!

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22

Just getting started: 12, 13

Needs attention: 14, 15

Up In Flames

In the past 48 hours I've gotten very little sleep. It isn't the smallest amount I've ever received, but it is still very little. Monday night I started working on the first issue in my brief, which is due today at 5pm, sometime after midnight. So does that technically make it Tuesday that I started on this piece of homework?!? It really doesn't matter! I crawled into bed that night/morning around 4am. I set my alarm for 9am, but my man was nice enough to call and wake me up at 8:50am Tuesday morning! I love it when he does that! It is such a nicer way to wake up than to an alarm clock! After our call ended, I hit the books!! Okay...maybe the interenet first but by 10:30am I was well under way with homework. I called it quits last night a little after 2am. I saved and printed what I'm going to turn in before 5pm this afternoon. I'll fix whatever mistakes next weekend when I tackle the rest of my issues!

Needless to say, even with a wake up call from my mother this morning~~I've gotten really good at faking 'no, I'm up!'~~I over slept. I'm rocking the dirty hair pony tail and hit the road after throwing everything in my numerous bags. Almost to work, cruising at approximately 82mph, looking for good tunes on my non-satellite radio (sorry, but the budget just doesn't allow me to pay for something I can get for free!), it happens...I burst into flames! Okay...maybe there was no 'bursting' and maybe no 'flames' either, but my frickin' arm felt like it was on fire!! Of course this would be my arm inside my winter coat, which is of course zipped up! The more I shook my arm, the further the burning sensation went up my arm. I don't know if the pain was worse than the fear of literally going up in flames, but without losing speed and looking like a total spaz I quickly unzipped my coat enough to pull my arm out of my coat. The process of the actual burning had ceased, but the pain remained...over an hour later it is still stinging.

Of course my first concern was that I was going to literally go up in flames, but once that subsided and I assured myself, which included some begging to God, that the actual "fire" was out I had to wait to get to work to inspect the full damages incurred. I'm very happy to report that my self-inflicted injuries appear to be very minor, but very painful. Some red skin, but no big blisters or anything like that and no read damage to my shirt or my coat, but I do suspect the pain will remain for some time.

Having survived my own stupidity (yes, I was flicking a butt out the window when this happened and thank God that it wasn't the butt that ended up in my coat sleeve) this morning I wanted to immediatly go back to bed. Once I was at work with some spray on my burn, and trying to get things together I picked up my purse only to realize that I had a pen in my hand without the cap on and just wrote with blue ink on my lime green top. Seriously?!? Wasn't the bright red mark on my arm enough to draw people's attention today. Come on people!!

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22

Just getting started: 6, 12, 13

Needs attention: 14, 15

A Big Step

Today I finally did it! Well, okay...thus far my progress has been getting the info (thank you Dani for lending me your "man"), making the call and leaving a message. I'm on the move to switch insurance companies!!

I've been with my current insurance company for years and they just happen to have employed me in one way or another since September 2003 (minus that 11 month hiatus from July 2006 to June 2007, which included my 9 months in hell or what I would like to think of as the closest I'll come to serving time in prison!!). However, my decision to move away from them started back here and continued here and was reconfirmed when I received my renewal for both my home and my auto in the last week and they both did what boss man said they would~~went up! So sorry dear insurance company, no raises this year, no promise (not even a fake blowing-smoke-up-my-ass one) of a raise next year and increased premiums equals j'lynn shopping for a new insurance company!!

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22

Just getting started: 6, 7, 12, 13

Needs attention: 14, 15

March Brings Sunshine...So Close Yet So Far Away

Today we were treated to lots of sunshine and weather in the 40's! It was lovely. Of course in this area we all know too well that winter isn't over and I do fear that today was just another tease. But I'll take it regardless.

After working today I joined my aunt and uncle for a free dinner at their neighborhood French Italian Bistro. Of course it entailed sitting through a two-hour presentation on Fire Safety. Boring you say? Actually it was quite nice and very informative. More importantly it was free!! And better yet, it was what I order every time I go there...Chicken Parmigiana! Yum Yum Yum

Of course we didn't get out of there until after 8:30pm, which meant no workout for me! I don't know if I will get one in this week as I have a very busy week ahead of me. This, of course, is my own fault. Last week was Spring Break and I had this master plan of all of the things I would get accomplished during my time off from class. And that plan, I failed!

I scheduled tomorrow off from work so I can write my appellate brief for SADO, which is due by 5pm Wednesday. Since this will likely take the entire day and then some, I will be skipping E&T tomorrow night as well. And since Prof Arrogance refused to give us Thursday's assignment until last night, I now have that to do too. If not for that I would have my Trial Practice homework done. Ugh! I'm 12 pages away from completing my E&T homework too. So close, yet so far away from being on top of this...

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22

Just getting started: 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 19, 20

Needs attention: 14, 15

The End of February Has Dawned Upon Us, Finally!

Well, I weighed in today. I knew I would go up a little for a couple reasons. One, today is Mother Nature's Appointment. Now if she will be on time is a totally different question, but I can tell she is in the ball park! Two, I was not nearly as diligent as I would have liked with my food intake or my exercise output this week. I'm sure it could have been a helluva lot worse this morning had it not been for getting to the gym both last Sunday & Monday. So I'm very happy to report that I gained 0.8lbs this week. Since Mother Nature can increase you anywhere between 2 & 5 pounds I'm very happy with this result. This is also why I gave myself 3 weeks for my mini-goal, due to her timing! I sit here today @ 321lbs...

I'm totally geeked for being able to break out of the 320's this next week and hopefully never to visit them again! Wish me luck...I'm gonna need it!

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22

Just getting started: 7, 12*, 13*, 19, 20

Needs attention: 5, 6, 14, 15

*~~last night I attempted to get both mine and my aunt's pictures developed, but was quickly advised that this would be a failure this week because our photo place is having technical difficulties. This totally blows! But hey...better luck next week, huh?!

Getting Some Things Done

It has certainly been a crazy weekend so far. Not what I expected at all, but that isn't a surprise! I swear it has snowed here every day, a lot. Especially Friday. Of course, because I'm completely nuts, I still decided to drive and see my honey Friday night after work. I probably shouldn't have, especially after witnessing several cars in various ditches on my way to work at 7:30am and I spent the rest of the day watching it continue to snow, but I did. I left my office at 4:30pm and what normally takes me normally an hour and 15 minutes took me over 2 hours to drive. I was there for less than 2 hours and then back on the road. I didn't get home until 11pm Friday night to realize that out of the last 6.5 hours I had spent 4 of them driving...

This morning I had to get up crazy early since my Direct TV service call was "scheduled" for anytime between 8am and 12pm. In my delusional mind I was hoping that he (or she) would get here in the 8 o'clock hour so I could go to the bank, post office, the munchkin's doctor's office to pick up his prescription, the pharmacy, and the gym so I could come home get some stuff done, do some homework and then head out to the munchkin's Blue & Gold Banquet for Cub Scouts in order to immediately return home and do more homework. Ha! This so didn't happen. The service guy didn't show up until 10:40am and didn't finish until around noon. The only thing that I had accomplished by the time I was finally able to do my running around was starting the laundry.

I met up with the munchkin and my aunt to attend his banquet for 3pm. That was a different experience to say the least. Talk about unorganized...not enough tables or paper plates. The kids were crazy and again the thought of having everyone eat before the ceremony was attempted. The first time I experienced such a thing was here and that too was a total bust. I've never understood the decision to do this. Is this something new or are just the crazies in my life trying to make this work?

While taking pictures during the ceremony I realized that a chunk of my camera was broken off. Ugh... Of course I had just finished complaining to my aunt about the pictures that it was taking. She thinks that maybe the camera didn't like my dissing of it so it told me off by a chunk of it falling off! LOL She mentioned that maybe we should go and look for a new camera after the ceremony ended. This has been something I've been wanting for some time. Every time I would see someone take out their nice camera I would immediately experience total jealously. So I treated myself tonight to a new camera, a Canon Power Shot SX20 IS Digital Camera. I haven't even taken it out of the box yet...I'm still in awe! This time I promise not to lose my cord so I can upload pictures here much quicker. I'm so excited to use it, but afraid that I will squander the remainder of my weekend away playing with my new toy.

One unexpected thing I did accomplish tonight though was reorganizing my freezers. I couldn't take it anymore!! Things were just haphazardly tossed in to fit it all in and get the doors closed. Plus I didn't cut my grocery or dining out expenses enough in February, so I thought maybe if I could see more of what we have in the freezer I'd be less apt to do what I did today~~eat fast food all frickin' day, because I couldn't think of anything to make. Of course after accomplishing this task I discovered about 8 things in my freezer that I could have made quickly at home, which would have saved me money and more importantly loads of calories. Just another step in what I started several weeks ago with this!

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 18, 22

Just getting started: 7, 12, 13, 17

Needs Attention: 5, 6, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21

Living for Fridays...

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 E&T homework

6. Do all of my Trial Practice homework

7. Do all of my SADO homework

8. Write out my bills

9. Balance my checkbook

10. Meet with the Direct TV Repair Guy & get my box fixed or replaced

11. Go to the munchkin's blue & gold banquet for boyscouts

12. Get my pics developed (there is gonna be tons!)

13. Get my aunt's pics developed

14. Workout

15. Write my guy

16. File this week's papers

17. Catch up on my emails

18. Work on my March budget

19. Remain focused with WWs

20. Remain focused for next week

21. Get me some serious sleep

22. Plan out my week

A Munchkin Inspired Week

After Tuesday's mishap, the remainder of my week revolved around the munchkin for the most part. Wednesday night his class, along with the 3rd graders, performed "The Three Piggy Opera." It was too cute!! He did really well too. He behaved himself and I was so proud!!

Of course that night I had to sign a disciplinary notice from the 2nd incident that occurred Tuesday where he was involved with two other boys in "throwing snowballs, kicking and punching one another at recess." Of course "They [were] reminded that this behavior is not acceptable." Further, "This behavior problem has occurred 2 times." We discussed it and hopefully this will not happen again. I was exhausted Wednesday night and was in the bed before 11:30pm.

And then this morning I couldn't seem to get out of bed! I had to attend another "townhall" meeting with our CEO. Don't worry...I didn't do anything like last time! It wasn't scheduled until 10am and I didn't need to report to the office today since Thursdays I only work till 1pm, so I didn't need to get up quite so early. Of course I planned to get up my normal time and "get things done." Ha! We all know how my planning goes, don't we?!? Then I thought I'd get up at 7:30am and still have an extra hour to do something worthwhile. Double Ha! I finally rolled out of bed around 8:40am and spent the next hour and twenty minutes getting ready and driving like a maniac! I walked in 4 minutes late...not bad!

After my town-hall meeting, I picked up an antipasto salad for dinner tonight and then came home for about 40 minutes to try and get some of my things done and then had to pick him up the munchkin early from school so he could go to the dentist for a filling. I was a bit nervous, because he kept asking me to make sure the dentist would put him to sleep. He came through with flying colors! I was so proud of him!! Yay Munchkin! Then we came home, I got dinner going and then the munchkin and my aunt went for an outing with the Boy Scouts to our local paper.

While I had some free time I decided it was time to get my taxes filed and get my FAFSA filed too! Two more things to be considered done!

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32

Just getting started: 9, 10, 11

Needs attention: 16, 18

It All Went South Quickly

This morning I went to see my specialist and it was all fantastic. She was impressed and very proud of how well I am doing. All of my blood work is going in the right direction and she (& I) are very pleased! I was a little disappointed when she told me I've only lost 10lbs since I was there in October. She was happy, but I was sadden. 10lbs in 4 months. :( That is so not good enough for me, but I'm the one responsible, the person to hold accountable and the only one who can change it. So watch out...because I feel like I need to make up for some lost time here! However, I was very excited when she told me that I don't need to come back for 6 months and I don't even need to send in my numbers either! Needless to say, I was flying very high!!

The other exciting development was the fact that I was out of my 9am appointment before 9:15am, so I went in search of the local Biggby Coffee there and found it. The best part of this is that I discovered that this location is not that far off the beaten path from my weekly trek to and from seeing my guy! :) Watch out Biggby...I've found you and I'm not letting you go! Woo-hoo! With drinks in hand, or better yet the cup holders, I made my way to the office.

I walked into work feeling like I had accomplished so much and was close to Cloud 9 status at 10:20am. I was ready to hit the ground running and kick some booty! Ten minutes later my day went south quickly when I received an email from the munchkin's teacher telling me how he has been misbehaving for a few weeks now. She has been trying to handle it directly with him within the classroom, but that seems to have failed. So from 10:30am on wards I felt defeated. Learning my son has been running around, talking non-stop, and distracting everyone in class, including the teacher, I was not happy.

I don't know about the other moms out there, but I must confess that when I'm told that my son is not behaving I start doubting myself as a parent. Thinking about what I'm doing wrong and what I need to change to get him on a better track. At these moments I feel like I have no answers...no words of wisdom to impart onto myself. I spent the rest of the day trying to recapture my earlier status of flying high, but was never able to recapture it.

Maybe I should be happy for my hour and a half of euphoria and call the day a success, but tonight I'm just not feeling it.

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32

Just getting started: 9, 10, 11

Needs attention: 16, 18, 24, 25

A Little Hodge-Podge for a Monday

This morning we woke up to a pile of snow outside our door! We had about 5.5 inches, which had fallen since 10pm last night. I'm so tired of the snow. Spring needs to hurry the heck up! I'm so sick of the cold weather, the snowy roads and having to wear a coat!

In an effort to keep challenging myself, not on purpose mind you, I went to the gym again tonight. That wasn't the challenging part! The real challenge tonight was the fact that I read Trial Practice while doing about 40 mins on the treadmill! Oh yeah...and I didn't fall off! I'm so proud of myself!! Of course my "highlighting" looks like I am a crack addict going through DTs, but beggars cannot be choosers! Of course now I am completely exhausted.

I picked up my test results tonight in order to take them to the specialist tomorrow morning and I'm happy to report that they keep going down. I was actually presently surprised with my A1C since this was after the holidays and my meltdown too. Then I start to wonder...how low could it have been if I wouldn't have had my meltdown just recently! I'm anxious to see what she has to say in the morning about these latest results. Since I'm not exactly sure if I will ever be able to get the Creatinine down to normal or even if it is a possibility for me anymore, but I keep hoping! Here are my test results for the last three times...

A1C:

6/20/09~~7.1

10/17/09~~5.9

2/13/10~~5.6

Creatinine:

8/1/09~~255.5, 529 & 2,070

10/17/09~~105.9, 37.9, & 358

2/13/10~~55, 9.08 & 165

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32

Just getting started: 9, 10, 11

Needs attention: 16, 18, 24, 25

More than the usual challenges to working out...

It is bad enough that I have to over come the challenge of actually going to the gym. I don't mind working out. Really, I don't. I'm just uber lazy! It is much easier to keep my butt sitting in my living room than it is to get up, get ready, drive to the gym, and actually work out. Once I'm there I'm actually fine. I don't complain, usually, once I'm there. I'm not one of those whiny gym people. I don't intrude on others while they are there. I mind my own business, do my thing, and then I leave. I don't treat the gym like a local hang-out and I don't even mind the people who do. I find it a bit strange, but each to their own. Maybe it is because if I want to "kill" a few hours in my day I'd rather do it by sleeping, reading a good book (not a law book mind you), writing my man or friends, watching a movie or just regular TV, than by spending hours at the gym chatting with other people.

So why in the last week the two times I've actually made it to the gym did it have to be so complicated for me? First on Monday when I made my way to the gym I get on the treadmill, get everything set, start and turn my ipod on the little battery up top is flashing red already. Seriously?!? Come on!! It didn't even make its way through my first 20 mins on the treadmill. Then today, I was so happy when I finally motivated myself to go to the gym instead of napping like I was inclined to do (mind you after the 13.5 hours I slept last night I had no business taking a nap at noon today!) I was totally bummed when I got everything together and realized that I had left my water bottle out in the car! Ugh!! Gosh darn it! I even put ice in it and filled it up just for the sole purpose of having it with me at the gym. Go figure! I refused to go out and get it, so I opted to buy a small water bottle from the vending machine there, which only cost me a $1, but it was the principle that I had taken the time to prepare mine at home!

I'm happy to report that both Monday and today I did 20 mins on the treadmill, all of the upper body machines which seems to take me about 30 mins to complete, and another 20 mins on the treadmill. I know I was suppose to go yesterday too, but I didn't make it. Why? Well probably because when I laid down yesterday for my nap at 6pm, I didn't wake up again until 7:30am this morning. Opps!

I'm also very, very happy to report that I weighed in this morning @ 320.2lbs!! I'm so close to my new mini-goal of being out of the 320's by March 7th I may be able to complete it a week early. Of course I need to figure in Mother Nature who is scheduled to knock one week from today. My god...those 28 days do seem to go by very fast. No wonder men complain about our constant mood swings! So this week I lost 2.4lbs!! Woo-hoo!! That is a total of 42.8lbs! Yay me!! Once I get this accomplished I'm back to my next goal, which really was my first goal, but was side-tracked due to...never mind, it doesn't matter...but back to the goal of being below 300 before May 1st! That would be a total of 63.2lbs. OMG, how exciting. It isn't that far off! Only 20.4lbs more than now! If I could do that, then I'd be willing to set the goal of losing 100lbs in a year by July 8th...but all of this is just future speculation and wishful thoughts! But it is still fun to consider as long as I keep going down on the scales!!

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 21, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29*, 30**, 31, 32

Just getting started: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 20, 22

Needs attention: 16***, 18, 19, 24, 25

*~~My weigh in today helps me to remain focused with WWs! So it is really a triple bonus because it also helped me push myself to go to the gym today!!

**~~Even though I spent the last 9 days at work playing dual roles (my boss was on vacay & I was in charge) I did get tons done and I'm hopeful this week will be a replay without the additional work! Plus being on Spring Break helps me stay focused too...it is so nice not to have to go to class!

***~~I'm going to try and replace this one with making an extra trip to the gym this week...either Tuesday or Thursday to make up for it!

Fearing His First Confession

Just like my Friday posts, my Friday night has became pretty predictable. I leave work, make the hour plus trip to spend time with my guy, and then head to the grocery store to do the majority of my weekly shopping. Last night I went about my typical Friday night, with the exception of getting off work early to return the page I "borrowed", but when I pulled into the Meijer's parking lot my cell phone rang. It was my aunt telling me that there was something seriously wrong with my TV...it wasn't working! I had been fearing for several days that my TV was taking a puke. So much so, I even commented about it over here! Of course this totally threw my exhausted brain into a frenzy, which lead to me going into the store without my reusable shopping bags*.

Upon leaving the grocery store, I decided to just run over to Wendy's for dinner as I was too tired and frustrated to even think about cooking something without meat when I would get home around 10:30pm. I got home, put away the perishables, verified that my TV wasn't working, shut off the power to my whole entertainment system for 30 seconds and then powered it back up. My TV seemed to be working or at least I had a picture while my Direct TV was repowering up. Hoping that I wouldn't be TV-less until I could get around to buying a new TV, I sat down to eat my dinner. I immediately discovered that McDonald's rules when it comes to fast-food fish sandwiches and after two horrible bites, I tossed my dinner out. My TV was back in business by then and I started to consider that it may be my satellite receiver taking a puke instead, so I called and arranged for a technician to come out next Saturday between the hours of 8am-12pm (there goes another Saturday of sleeping in!).

While playing Direct TV's little game of 'Did you do this? How about this? Is it working now?' my mom called, so I returned her call after I hung up with Direct TV. I also ordered "Julia & Julie" as my free movie for the month of February just in case my receiver gives out completely this week! As it was slated to start at 11pm and I was returning my mom's call at 11:10pm I figured I would start watching it within that half-hour so I could get to bed at an okay time to be up early for the munchkin's First Confession. Ha! An hour and a half later I hung up from my mom and began to watch the movie, which was pretty cute in my sleep deprived opinion.

I made my way to bed last night at 3:00am. So much for getting to bed at an okay time and being able to get up early to get some stuff done before I met my aunt and the munchkin at church. I still had high hopes so while I was trying to pack my stuff up to take care of while I was in town this morning my cell phone rang and it was my munchkin. He was crying and in a complete and total mental meltdown over going for his First Confession. He was scared to death!! I totally didn't expect this from him and it threw me for a loop! Even when I meet them at the church his eyes were still red and puffy from crying. I felt so bad for him! It appears he was not alone in his feelings as a classmate of his came in several minutes later and she was still crying, because she was so scared. I felt so bad for these little 7 & 8 year-olds who were so scared of making one of their sacraments. :( Fr. Bill was awesome with them, as usual, and seemed to calm most of their fears before he began hearing everyone's confession.

After the munchkin survived his First Confession it was time to meet up with the other aunt and uncle and grab lunch @ BW3's. Then I gave the munchkin his "present"/"reward"/"bribery money" when we left the restaurant for completing his First Confession. Then I was able to do some of my errands, come home and realize that the few hours of sleep I got last night was not nearly enough. So I'm off to take a nap and accomplish #31 on my to-do list!

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 12, 13, 14, 15, 21, 23, 26, 27, 28

Just getting started: 6**, 8, 9, 10, 11, 20***, 22

Needs attention: 7, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 24, 25, 29, 30, 31, 32

*~~today is not the day that Al Gore would be proud of me since I didn't even want to consider running back out to the car to get them!

**~~all I have left to pick up is bubble bath for the munchkin!

***~~apparently this can only be accomplished Monday-Friday 8a-8p. Too bad I didn't know this before! Guess I'll be completing this one Monday night after work, but before the gym. I don't understand why departments cannot be open on Saturday! I'm not saying all day, but hey...maybe 4 hours!

Spring Break Has Finally Arrived~~WooHoo!!

Yesterday I over-slept, which was just the start of my crazy day. While I was at work I remembered that I had told myself to get cash, but I couldn't remember why. So instead of paying $3.50 to withdraw money at our building's ATM I opted to save my $3.50 and leave for school. While gathering my books for school I realized I forgot all of my E&T books at home. Too late now, so I went on to TP and after we were released an hour early I realized why I thought I needed cash...to make copies @ the library! Dang-it to heck!!

I had enough on my card to copy some pages I needed for SADO, but I was $0.20 short to finish. Therefore, I couldn't even start on the copies I wanted for E&T, so I did something that I'm totally ashamed of...I took, er borrowed, the last two pages I needed for SADO. I am totally ashamed of myself and have the intention of taking them back (hopefully today if I get to leave work a little early). But I refused to take the chance of losing those two pages! Heck, there were already several pages I needed that were already missing. Needless to say...I picked up some cash tonight so I can get my E&T copies done and return the page I "borrowed."

Don't worry...I made my way through E&T without my books and I have now entered Spring Break and not a minute too soon.

My Friday To-Do List:

1. Leave work a little early

2. Return the pages I "borrowed"

3. Make the copies for E&T I need

4. Go & see my guy

5. Write out my grocery list

6. Go shopping

7. Do laundry

8. Pick up the house

9. Do all of my SADO homework

10. Do all of my Trial Practice homework

11. Do all of my E&T homework

12. Write out my bills

13. Balance my checkbook

14. Go to the munchkin's First Confession

15. Go out with the munchkin & family to celebrate his First Confession

16. Go to the gym Saturday

17. Go to the gym Sunday

18. Write my guy

19. File this week's papers

20. Pick up my lab results for my doctor's appointment

21. Pick up the receipt for paying my hospital co-pay to prove that I actually used my FSA card correctly

22. Catch up on my emails

23. Catch up on my TIVO backlog

24. File my taxes

25. Apply for financial aid for my last year in law school (Woo-hoo!)

26. Take down our Valentine's Day decorations

27. Put up our St. Patrick's Day decorations

28. Copy my sugar numbers to give to my doctor

29. Remain focused for WWs

30. Remain focused for next week

31. Get me some serious sleep

32. Plan out my week~~I already know it is going to be one busy week and I'm just happy I don't need to try and work around classes this week!!!

An Uncontrollable Swearing Lazy Student With Irreversible Bra Problems

Well, I made it to 9am before I swore yesterday. I think. What I mean is that I know I swore at 9am, but I don't think I swore before then, but I'm not sure! We had a meeting scheduled from 9am-1pm and two of my co-workers were able to get out of it, so on my way to the meeting I popped into one of the co-workers' offices and told her she was a lucky b! It came out so easily, of course! Then I told her, "Look at what you made me do!! I gave up swearing for Lent, so let me rephrase~you lucky girl!" We laughed, I went on to my meeting and suffered for the next 4 hours. It totally sucked!

Of course working on my SADO homework until 3am Tuesday night and not even touching the assignment I had to turn in by 5pm did not help me. I don't know if being uber tired or the fact that I had to draft my statement of facts before class was more distracting. So after the meeting I worked on getting through more of my client's 1,500 file and threw together something that had the title "Statement of Facts" on it. I emailed it at 4:30pm and off to class I went. I feel like I'm turning in stuff that isn't even worth of being printed out, let alone being a completed assignment.

After class while a couple of us remained a conversation started with Prof. Fergie. It revolved around a student who opted to drop the class the day before, but failed to let her know. She then went on to tell us how the thing she can't stand is a lazy student and continued to expound on her feelings about this...of course the entire time she was staring at me...perfect eye contact. Nothing like being subtle, huh?!? She did conclude how a lazy student really has to prove something to her and show her something spectacular to bail themselves out. Does anyone need to guess what I'll be doing next week? Yup, you've got it...doing something spectacular to bail myself out.

I guess I should have known yesterday was going to be a challenge when I was getting dressed and couldn't figure out why I was having such difficulty putting my bra on. Apparently they are not reversible...who knew!?! I do now...

Consider it done: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20

Just getting started: 7, 16

Needs attention: 11

...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?!? ;)