Two Days!

Saturday is the big race day! I picked up my race packet today! The t-shirt is HUGE but it's cute and it'll be fun to wear at the gym after the event! I'm getting excited and even though it's going to rain and I have to get up early as all get out I think it's going to be a great time!

This week has been very uneventful. I am ALL CAUGHT UP on my paperwork! A few things still linger over my head but all is good from where I am right now! Yay!

Toronto, Ontario.

I crammed a lot of stuff into this weekend! Now I'm paying for it because I'm sick! It was a fun, productive weekend though and I wouldn't trade it for anything. here are some pictures of me and Erica and a few freinds from New Orleans. Good times. Makes me want to go back NOW!

Mark, me, Neal, Erica and Jerry out on the town!

Erica and I

Me and the Fam.

Me and Erica AGAIN!

Emily and Erica before we went out on our walk! Getting my exercise in even on vacation!

Monday Motivation...

My Monday motivation was redoing my bathroom floor!

EVERY SINGLE BONE IN MY BODY IS ACHING RIGHT NOW!!!

I have not been in this much pain in all my life, I think! It was well worth it though. Look at the results! :)

We look like we know what we're doing!

Good bye UGLY old floor!

Nice for the first time and no power tools, huh?

Pretty! Lucky likes it too!

UUugh!

Since my post has somehow mysteriously disappeared I will copy Stacey and give you the highlights bullet style with lots of exclamation marks!!!

*Today I bought new Capri's and a top (on sale) in sizes smaller than I have worn in DECADES! I will be sure to get some pictures this weekend to add to the "Before and After" Gallery!
*Tomorrow I'm going to see The Color Purple!!
*This weekend I'm going to Toronto and excited to see my family and friends, especially my dear friend Erica!!
*This week I'm catching up on work related matters and it feels good!
*Today I finally got Jen Lancaster's new book Such a Pretty Fat and I can't wait to read it and laugh my stupid head off! Thanks for sending it to me, Lisa!! :D

Friendly reminder...

Hey! Where have y'all been? Don't forget I'm doing this race thing on May 31, 2008! Please visit my page and show me some support! Thanks!

The story of my life...for now.

Maybe I'm a hypocrite? Well, not MAYBE...YES, I AM! I think it's the guilt welling up inside of me? YES, IT IS! :/ I've been putting off work for weeks and weeks. I'm getting further and further behind. The more I read and reflect about motivation and getting things done the more I realize that subliminally I am telling myself to GET IT DONE! Here's just another reminder today:

Is procrastination curable?

Procrastination. Putting off until tomorrow what you could do today. Is there a more counterproductive habit? It causes more stress and anxiety than the Grinch in December. Procrastination solves nothing and usually makes things worse. It piles up unfinished business and preoccupies the dark corners of your brain. You hope the pile will disappear but for some reason it doesn't. The worst part is that once we put off things we'd rather not do, we start to delay the fun stuff as well. How many times have you said "no" to an opportunity because you had to take care of something you put off earlier? How many lost opportunities can you accept? Let's make action a habit instead. Tomorrow, focus on your toughest hurdle first. Get just that one thing out of the way and enjoy the rest of the day. Be firm and don't let yourself off the hook. After all, it's not going away. Follow that one strategy and you'll be surprised how the momentum carries through the rest of the day. Do it now!!

Lord willing, I am getting caught up today!!!

Monday Motivation!

"If we wait for the moment when everything is ready, we shall never begin."
– Ivan Turgenev

It's Monday again! The beginning of another week. What are you going to do this week? Besides going back to work? Make today the beginning of something new! Make it the beginning of anything you've been putting off whether it be exercising, quitting smoking, spring cleaning, reading a book, catching up at work or planting a garden! Life is too short to sit and think about doing something. Think it through, make a plan and get it done!!

Keeping the Faith.

I heard some crappy news about a friend today. Well, not just any friend but a dear friend that is very close to me. We've literally been sharing useless brain waves since 1991. She is the first and only person I have ever met that can make me piss myself laughing without saying a word. Man, my life would be so different if I'd never met her. I'm so happy to have her be a part of my life. She's having some major health issues right now and it's bringing me down. If you're reading this just do me a favor and take a minute to reflect on how precious your health and vitality is and promise me you'll never take it for granted. Then do something good for yourself. Thanks. :)

Tell it like it is, Montel!

Pardon my absence! I've been busy the past couple of days. In a quick effort to offer you your daily dose of "Jackie-isms" I'm passing this information along! I'm a junkie for inspiration and tid-bits of what-nots that offer me the chance to reflect on different points-of-view on how to live life to the fullest even if they are cliche. That's really what this blog is all about, right? On my quest for knowledge I look for unconventional wisdom that doesn't necessarily have a lot of confusing statistical data and research-based analysis. I dealt with that enough in grad school! I take a common-sense kind of approach to everyday living and I "think outside of the box" most of the time. These are some of the reasons I subscribe to a daily email from Montel Williams. I've read some of his stuff and he seems down to Earth. I like that he deals with people on both a logical and emotional level and doesn't sell-out (i.e. reality TV) with arrogance and opinionated views that put people down (i.e. "Dr.Phil"). Here is what he had to say today and I find it useful...

Wednesday May 14, 2008
Your Daily Tip from Living Well

A Pledge for Better Health
Once you make the decision to truly start Living Well, there's nothing you can't do and there's nothing in your life you can't change. You dedicate yourself to your job and to other people — why not dedicate yourself to making your life the best it can be?

Today, I want you to resolve for yourself why you want — why you need — to live well. Consider the benefits you are getting through this program:
*Living Well can reduce your risk for a host of killer diseases.
*Living Well can transform your life, extend your lifespan, and help you feel spectacular.
*Living Well can help you eat healthfully and take part in regular physical activity.
*Living Well can help you take charge of your own health and your family's health.

Now, consider the steps you will take to make Living Well a reality:
*I will base my diet on a rich variety of many vegetables and fruits.
*I will eat whole grains as a source of healthy energy and good carbohydrates.
*I will include fish, beans, and nuts in my diet.
*I will pay attention to nutrition labels.
*I will be mindful of the calories I take in and the calories I use up with the objective of achieving a healthy body weight.
*I will work toward the goal of enjoying at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week.
*I will look for health and nutrition information based on good evidence, not only on anecdotes.
*I will start Living Well for life by adopting healthy lifetime attitudes.

Are you ready? Pledge to put these steps into action today!

Viva la Montel!

Monday Motivation.

This past weekend was jam-packed with fun and seemed to go by way too quickly! Here's to another successful week!

Oops!

Funny story. Irv called me yesterday morning and informed me that he was on an airplane! Oops! I thought he was flying in today but I was WRONG! Luckily I was able to manage my schedule and fit a trip to the airport into my day...

We went to the Lager House last night to see King Mellow Man and his Mellow Runnings. What a GREAT time! Now I need a nap. Go figure. Heh.

The BEST news today?? I am down another couple of pounds which brings my grand total lost to 28 pounds! :) Only 6 to go to meet my "Birthday Goal" and 21 to reach my lifetime goal. I'm so happy about this you don't even KNOW! I have officially fit into a horrible pair of hot pink shorts that I wore in 1992 and have never been able to fit into again! Until NOW that is. YAY ME!

Here is a picture of me in a pair of shorts that were always my "fat" shorts. Meaning that I always wore them when I felt I was having a "fat" day. Last year I couldn't even BUTTON them because I was so freaking HUGE! Look at them now. I can't even wear them anymore! That's some real PROGRESS, People! Did I mention how happy I am about all of this?? Should I DARE post the picture of me in the horrible hot pink 90's Sasson shorts? Maybe when I reach my Birthday Goal! ;)

Maintaining.

I went to the doc today. I'm holding steady at 26 pounds gone! :) I'm right on target for my Birthday Goal and my next appointment is on my Birthday! How perfect its going to be! :)

It's almost the WEEKEND!

I have a LOT to do to prepare for the weekend. Most important is cleaning the house. Man, it's like I woke up this morning and it was a wreck! Hopefully I can get that done between today and tomorrow because tomorrow night I plan on seeing these guys!


Please meet me out at the Lager House to support these guys! They're a good time! :)

Then I have to wake early enough to get to the airport to pick up this guy...



Irv is one of my best friends. One of the ones I wish lived closer. I always look forward to him coming to town because we pack as many fun activities as we can into two or three days! Our favorite activities are bowling and going to Snooker's to play darts. He's the hottest dart competition I've got! Man, do we get competitive when it comes to playing darts! So much so that no one else wants to be around us when we go out to play! *heh* Good times ahead this weekend!

Life is an adventure!

There. That's your Monday Motivational and it's open for interpretation. I'm going to make you work as hard as I have been today! :P

Where have I been? Somewhere between busy and overwhelmed, that's where!! Nothing amusing or entertaining that's for sure. Catching up on work related matters, housework, enjoying the outdoors, working out. Same sh*t different day!

Oh, I almost forgot!! Today is Lucky Boots' birthday! HAPPY 5TH BIRTHDAY, LUCKY! yes, I AM a dork! :)


Little Lucky 2003


Lucky and Swede 2004.


Lucky 2008

Last night.

A little Friday night fun never hurt anybody! So, to prove it me and my fellow Eastside Girl went out on the town. First we stopped off at Lager House so Eastside Girl could get purdy. After a few libations we headed to our intended destination for the evening. The Detroit Opera House was hosting Bravo, Bravo! and we were invited! Fancy that? We were invited *pinky extended* Let me start by saying I felt severly under-dressed! The women at this event had to have spent all day at the salon getting gussied up! It was like Prom Night for adults. I saw enough stilettos and Boy Band hair-dos to last until they go out of style! Well, we had fun just being us. Thank goodness Eastside Girl is as down to earth as I am and we found pleasure in sipping, munching and people watching! Well worth the billion calories and carbs I am sure I consumed! Oh, and let me not forget the highlight of the night. We ran into a local celebrity and Eastside Girl finally found out why everyone thinks she's Carmen Harlan. Their business telephone lines are only different by a digit or two! *heh* Mystery solved! I guess you'll never know who you'll run into when you're hobnobbing with the bourgeoisie of Detroit. *snicker*

Here is a silly tele-photo of me indulging in the finer things in life!

Reminder...

Don't forget to visit my page for the Komen Detroit Race for the Cure! I've already received two donations and some encouraging email responses! Your contribution makes a world of difference. I appreciate every form of support!

Oxymoron.

Sluggish Optimist+Balanced Insanity=A Fine Mess.

Good Grief. This Indirect Communication of Journalistic Integrity is as Passive Agressive as a Mild Jalepeno!

I haven't been to the gym since Monday! Oy. No biggie. Enthusiastic Indifference. I'm a very busy woman and I had things to do. Controled Chaos. Tonight I'll go back. Calculated Spontenaity. I have to. Since not working out I'm having an irregular sleep pattern, feeling sluggish and flabby and I even have an eye infection! Not saying that the eye infection has anything to do with the gym but just that I'm feeling yucky overall.

I have been productive by catching up on work related things and a few other projects that I'm getting involved in. The first is this one. I mentioned it about a week ago and I have now officially registered for the 18th Annual Komen Detroit Race for the Cure and on May 31, 2008 I'll be participating in my very first marathon! Please visit my personal fundraising page and let me know what you think. Oh, and while you're there perhaps you could make a small donation in support of Breast Cancer Research? Hey, if you're in the area why not JOIN me!?! Lisa and I will be there. We can carpool and spend the morning doing something good for ourselves and others! Come ooooooooon? You know you want to do it!!

So much for feeling sluggish! I have so much to look forward to that I have no time to think about slowing down! I'll just take it one day at a time for now. Carpe Diem!