1-21-12 Saturday (Babies Make Me Sick)

It’s been a week since I last posted.  I guess with being back to work it’s the typical day.  Work, dinner, TV.  Maybe we need to get out of the house in the evenings just to be active or something? 

Last Sunday we went to see Twilight.  During any type of horror movie, I’m fine.  I like them.  I can separate fiction from non-fiction in my mind.   There was a birthing scene that made me feel ill.  The top of my head was covered in sweat and I got very nauseated.  The thought hadn’t crossed my mind to “think it through” to calm down and instead I was caught up in the moment.  The LONG scene was torture for me and eventually I was fine.  I told Jim about it afterward and we had a chuckle.  I’m not sure where all that came from.  Oh, and 2 large sodas, and a large popcorn was $18.75.  Holy shit!

We were supposed to go snow tubing on Sunday but with me having to work Saturday, we just had to much to do and figured we’d go this weekend.

On Monday, my second weigh in, I lost  2.8 pounds.  This weekend and next will be tough.  We’ll be enjoying Charlotte Restaurant Week once again.   Nom, nom, nom.  More details later after tonight’s visit!

Wednesday, I swapped schedules with a coworker and went in at 11:30.  I had a dentist appointment.  As usual, problems were spotted.  I’ll be undergoing yet another root planing (aka deep cleaning, aka scaling) which will be broken up into 2 visits.  I’m so sad by this.  About 2 years ago I added flossing to my daily routine.  Because I went a while between cleanings and my condition is marginal, my doctor felt it beneficial to get a good start.  I also have a couple of front teeth with a 2 millimeter movement so I’m gonna need to see a periodontist who maybe able to help with synthetic bone or something.  I was so distraught.  What am I doing wrong?  Jim and I only used ADA approved toothpaste and brushes.  We floss.  The hygienist swears by Sonicare.  Anyone care to give me advice?  It looks like there’s a few kinds.  I’m gonna see if I can get a prescription from the dentist (Dave) and maybe I can use my Health Care Spending Account on it?  I started looking/comparing the models on the Phillips website.  So many choices, so much money.

Work has been good.  I’m definitely enjoying my new position.  I’m doing a lot more Home Equity applications with my clients as well as improving their return on deposits.  I don’t know much at all about investments, brokerage, etc nor do I need to in my current role.  I deal with CD’s, checking, and savings as well as loans and lines of credit other than mortgages.  Some of it is so easy some of it is hard or complicated due to state and federal regulations combined with various scripts I have to remember to read during certain situations.  Oy.

I forgot to mention, a couple of weeks ago, Jim and I booked flights to Florida for the end of February.  Separately.  It was his idea for he and I to do separate long weekends for a couple of reasons.  Someone would be home for Dasher and Clea.  #2 is so we don’t have to split our time there with our families but rather spend the entire time with our individual families.  I’ll see my mom and dad, grandmother, aunt, cousin and perhaps some other family.  In addition I’ll visit with Mike and Dave. 

We met up with Deanna and Dave (my dentist) for dinner at Bonterra for Restaurant Week.  Below is the 3 course $30 menu we ordered from.  Jim had the mushroom salad, filet, and cheese cake.  It was OK.  I had the feta croquettes, pork tenderloin, and lava cake (I hate to think about how many points this was).  Jim and I split the meats so we could enjoy a variety.  When I cut into the pork it was raw.  I had to send it back.  It came back, mostly cooked.  There was a VERY pink area Jim didn’t eat.  It was not tender either.  We had a great time with friends but I’ll pass on the restaurant in the future.  We have one more restaurant to hit next weekend.  I’m so excited about it too.  Stay tuned.

And no, I didn’t ask Dave for a prescription for Sonicare.  Why ruin dinner with dental talk?  We did get to hear a few amusing stories from Deanna (The HR Lady).  I love her stories. 

Dr. Dave of University Dental

Deanna (The HR Lady) from Employers Advantage, LLC

 

2009: Bums, smoking, littering, and chicken bones in San Francisco. 2010: Failed gym attempts, cupcakes, laziness. 2011: Sexist calculators, Restaurant Week.

1-14-12 Saturday (Scary Cutting Things)

It's my last Saturday at work and then I'm on the Monday to Friday 9-5:30 dream hour schedule!  I've been on the new early hours for a few weeks and now with the addition of the weekends off, it will be great.

On Wednesday the carpet people, framers, and plumber came to the house to take care of a few things on our warranty list.  A major issue upstairs was that the hall floor squeaked and was sunken in a little.  It was actually a concern during the walk through and I convinced Jim to turn the other cheek... then it got worse.  So the carpet people pulled back the carpet, the framer - not farmer - pulled up the floor and had to shave down a truss or something so that the floor board could lay flat.  Using a noisy sawzall device, which scared the bejebus out of the cat and dog (and maybe me a little), they corrected the problem.  The carpet people came by a little later and all is back to normal.

2 spots in the master bathroom creaked very loudly.  I was worried they'd have to tear up the linoleum but it turns out that the floor to wall moldings were too tight causing the creaking when the floor flexed.  Not that we feel the floor flex but I guess it's just enough.  I'm so happy that it was a simple fix but still amazed such a "stupid" thing could cause a ruckus.

As for the plumbers... oy.  All leaks have been addressed but the master shower temp control had some play so they replaced the valve.  They also had to fix the flange behind the temp lever in the guest bath.  I'm still unhappy with their latest and not so greatest caulking attempt.  Look at the caulk.  It looked bad the next day.

Weight Watchers in going well; on my first week I lost 5.8 pounds.  Maybe water weight maybe fairy dust, I don’t care it’s an achievement and I’m happy.  It’s really not that hard.  A friend, Amy, is also on the diet and I was telling her about an Android app that you can scan barcodes and it calculates points.  It’s so awesome.  She immediately downloaded AN app and her and her husband went around the house playing with it.  Through conversation I found out she downloaded the “real” Weight Watchers app that allowed integration into the points tracker with her iPhone!  I searched the Android market and found the better app so Amy and I are grateful to one another.  What a find!

While I worked my last Saturday, Jim did a couple of projects around the house.  He installed a flexible track lighting in the kitchen over the bar area and a small chandelier over the dinette table.  The amber shades on the track lighting set such a warm tone.  I immediately loved it when I came home.  We have yet to find a dining room chandelier that we like for the price we want to pay.

Above: Chandelier-less dining room.  Well, there’s actually one that came with the house, isn’t centered and is pinned against the ceiling so we wouldn’t hit our heads on it during the move.

Above/below: Dinette light and ribbon track lighting.  Oh, and wonderful holes that will be patched in a couple of weeks, left over from the plumbing leaks.

 

Above: Jim buried the last speaker wire so we’ll sweet talk the drywall guy into patching it.

Above: The living room.

After running several errands (returns and what-nots) we went to the motor home to get our snow pants.  Snow tubing season is upon us!  We then went to a Red Robin for dinner.   It wasn’t our usual location and I’m glad for that.  Service sucked.  I went for a veggie burger on a whole grain bun with a side of steamed broccoli.  I thought the flavor to be, well flavorless.  The burger was way too thin.  I do admire Red Robin’s website.  The ability to build and customize your meal with nutritional info is fantastic:

 

I chose their gardenburger although they also offered a Boca burger.  I don’t like Boca burgers all that much.  I love the Morningstar Farms varieties, especially black bean.  I LOVED the black bean burger I ate a Ice House last weekend.  Oh well, a diet is about sacrificing. 

1-31-11 Monday (Gassy Meats)

Monday.  What’d I do Monday?  I went grocery shopping at Walmart!  I know, a surprise, right?  I did save about $10 with coupons!  Ever since we got a great deal on the weekend paper, I’ve been clipping and saving coupons.  Oh, I’ve been using them too!  How many coupons have you clipped and thrown out because they were expired?  Me?  Too many.

Aside from grocery shopping, I roasted a chicken in the rotisserie oven.  I love it.  A great meal now and then chicken salad the following days.  I use Hellmann’s low fat mayo, red onion, salt, and it comes out great and low in points!  Jim likes adding grapes to his sandwich.

As the chicken spun around, a saw smoke (steam) coming out of it’s ass.  I giggled like 5 year old.  When Jim came home, he noticed it too.  We laughed, like two 5 year olds.  It was funny, in a sophomoric sorta way.

Aside from the exciting video (feel free to play it several times), I started Weight Watchers back up again!

I worked on the budget for the new house we want to build.   I created a spreadsheet, I’m anal like that, with all the upgrades and changes.  As we find out pricing or think of stuff,we add it to the list and can see a constant cost.

I had gotten a little worried about my new job.  There was such confusion over the schedules available and such.  When I haven’t gotten an official welcome to the company letter or email along with first day instructions, I was a little concerned.  I emailed the recruiter and shortly after received an email from someone else within the company welcoming me.

“Your schedule while you are training will be: 12:30pm-9:00pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 11:30am-8:00pm

Your schedule after training will be: 9:30am-5:30pm Monday-Friday”

Well, that’s reversed.  So I replied, “I love the schedule however is it possible you swapped the training schedule with the regular hours in error?” and then they replied, “The schedule below is correct”.  I certainly didn’t want to argue with this person, especially not knowing who they are.  I then received an email from my recruiter asking if the schedule was OK.  Odd.  I told her about the schedule “change” and she said that it was indeed swapped in error and that she’d let the person know who then in turn emailed me with an apology and then another email to everyone with the revision.  Who knows what happened but I feel better that I got my first day instructions, the list of ID’s to bring, etc., etc.   I wished I had gotten the “wrong” schedule but I knew it was a mistake.

Earlier in the day, I called my NACA home counselor, Alex, and left voicemail for him.  Several days beforehand, Jim emailed him.  We’ve not received a response which is odd.  Is he out sick?  On vacation?  No longer employed there?  Whatever the case you’d think we’d know.  Toward the end of the day, we received an email congratulating us on being NACA qualified.  It came from someone other than our counselor.  In fact, I think it came from a different department.  It goes on to say that we’ll get our qualification letter after attending another workshop.

OK, no big deal but how much are we approved for?  We reply back to the sender, Gloria, asking.  She refers us to our counselor.  Jim mentions he’s not replied and asks if he’s in.  No reply.  Now all this information is current as of the date I’m typing this up (Wednesday).  So no call or email from Alex and no response from the email sender, Gloria.  Alex’s email box states a return call within 24 hours.

Frankly, I’m annoyed.  I know, what else is new?  Do I have a fucking sign on my forehead that requests terrible service?  AND if so, how did they read the sign when I wasn’t there?  Are there cameras somewhere I don’t know.  Sorry for the extreme curse words.  I can probably count the number of times on one hand that I’ve cursed in this blog.

So I guess we’ll be waiting until Thursday night to know if we can build this house or not. 

1-21-11 Friday (Compact Calculations)

Jim and I have been looking forward to Charlotte Restaurant Week for a long time.  The gist per their website:

Enjoy a culinary extravaganza during this 10-Day celebration of Charlotte's restaurant scene. From Friday, January 21, through Sunday, January 30, each participating upscale restaurant will offer a spectacular 3-course, prix fixe dinner menu for only $30 per person (not including tax and gratuity).

It's a royal opportunity to experience Charlotte's ever-expanding array of dining options and remarkable chefs, from popular favorites to new hot-spots.

We love food.  That combined with the fact that these are upscale (or just plain pricey) restaurants that we’d typically not spend the money on makes this entire deal an awesome one. 

I just stated, “We love food.”  I do.  When I decided to tackle Weight Watchers again, I thought about Restaurant Week and then even into the future for the Valentine’s Day Chocolate buffet (we went to last year) and decided not to let these things control my life, my goals.  I’ll use my weekly points where I need to and I’ll eat smaller portions and maybe just a bite of this or that and finally, maybe I’ll make smart choices like chicken instead of beef/pork.  There’s a lot I can do. 

I mentioned “pricey”.  This is a great deal but still expensive (in terms of just for a meal).  It’s $30 per person for 3 courses.  I’m not working.  We want to hit at least 3 restaurants.  That’s $30.00 * 2 of us ($60) and then 3 restaurants = $180 plus tips and drinks.  Ouch.  But it’s once a year.  We missed last years.  Before committing to this we also waited until we heard back about my potential employment.  With that falling into place, it’s time to spend some money. 

With much aggravation, I booked 3 reservations.  There wasn’t much available for Saturday night, naturally. 

131 Main Restaurant - Dilworth
Saturday, January 22, 2011
9:15 PM
Party of 4   

Ruth's Chris Steak House - Charlotte Uptown
Sunday, January 23, 2011
5:45 PM
Party of 4

Del Frisco's - Charlotte
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
8:15 PM
Party of 5

Going out to eat at 9:15 at night seems strange to me but it was the best I could do.

As you know, I’m back on Weight Watchers and I have a few complaints.  The new PointsPlus calculator sucks.  For several reasons. 

1. It’s sexist.  It’s shaped and made to look like a woman’s compact. 
2. While holding a package with one hand and the calculator with the other (while shopping), my thumb barely reaches the 0 key.  The +/- keys are really a stretch.  Ergonomically confortable, I think not.
3. Too many buttons to press to calculate points.  First the power button.  Then the PointsPlus button.  Then the stupid thing’s screen asks “calculate?”  As opposed to what?  Then hit enter.  But that’s being petty.

On the good side of things, it was cheap and includes a regular calculator whereas the prevous model did not have regulator calculator functions.

A little more about the calculator.  As I searched online for clip art I found this from Amazon:

Above: $45???????????   Wow, glad I stopped into a Weight Watchers center and got it for under $10!

That’s all I got.  I’ve got a chicken in the rotisserie.  Mmmmmmmmmm.

1-18-11 Tuesday (Benefits Of Recycling)

The other day Jim and I were out and about and stopped at a Panda Express for a beverage and egg roll.  Let me tell you first that I’ve tried several Panda Express foods and don’t like them.  The egg roll was OK, but just OK.  Anyway… Jim spotted a Weight Watchers office across the street.  I needed a new PointsPlus™ calculator.  It was under $10 and worth every penny.

So, if you’ve followed me since May you know that I joined Weight Watchers online (all online, no meetings!), lost 25 pounds in 3 months, and hence absolutely loved it.  You also know that I started working and grew lazy about tracking points.  I eventually let my online subscription expire and began to grow and grow.  What you may not know is that Weight Watchers reinvented itself with the all new PointsPlus™ system.  If you want to know about the program, read the blue text below.  When you’re done, I’ll continue after the article.

The PointsPlus™ Program: A Scientific Approach

Article By: WeightWatchers.com

There’s years of science behind the new Weight Watchers program. Our chief scientific officer, Karen Miller-Kovach, MBA, MS, RD, gives the scoop on why we changed an already successful program.

The story of the new PointsPlus program really begins four years ago. Karen Miller-Kovach and her team were looking at the pool of research on how calories from protein, carbs, fiber, and fat provide satisfaction and are processed by the body. Based on that data, Weight Watchers developed what became the PointsPlus program. The program was thoroughly tested in scientifically supervised trials — at various locations including Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) — starting in 2007. Here, Miller-Kovach answers our questions about the whole process.

Q: The POINTS® Weight-Loss System has helped many people. Why change it?
A: At the time we developed that Plan, in the mid-1990s, it reflected the latest scientific thinking. Since then, we’ve seen many advances in the science of weight management — the PointsPlus System reflects that.

Q: If you were confident the new eating plan would work, why go to the trouble of testing it?
A: Well, Weight Watchers is a science-based company, and we stand behind our claims. It’s very important to have the trust of our members, so we provide programs that are proven to work in a valid and reliable way.

Q: How did you create the MUSC study? Is there some scientific standard?
A: We designed what is called a “randomized clinical trial,” which is the gold standard. You test two different systems at the same time, under identical conditions, with participants randomly assigned to one or the other.

Q: What did you look for in choosing participants?
A: Healthy adults who wanted, and needed, to lose weight — though they couldn’t have been on a weight-loss program at the time or recently, nor could they be on medications that affected weight. They also agreed to attend a weekly meeting at the research center for the 12 weeks of the study.

Q: How did you ensure that the trial was truly independent and the results accurate?
A: The weight-management research team at MUSC is very experienced. They designed the trial, recruited participants, and analyzed the results. Weight Watchers had no access to participants or data at all during the trial.

Q: What were the results?
A: In addition to weight loss, we found an improvement in behaviors that help people maintain weight loss and a reduction in the desire to eat when there’s no physical hunger or need for food. So the PointsPlus program proved itself!

I’m here.  So basically, what I’ve found so far is the points run a little higher but they give me more points too.  Calories are no longer used in point calculations.  It used to be all about calories, fat and fiber.  Now it’s about fat, fiber, carbs and protein. 

Today I started Weight Watchers again.  Yesterday Jim and I grocery shopped.  I loaded up on snack cakes,pickles, healthy stuff, etc.  I plan to pretty much duplicate my previous weight loss tactics.  They worked. I have to get used to the new point calculations but I think that will be easy enough.  I signed up for the online plan once again. 

Above: Contents of my recycle bin.

I’m back.  I’m large.  I wanna be fit!  Fit.  Fitness.  Let’s talk about that.  I don’t plan to join a gym for a while.  I don’t plan to exercise.  I plan to do the same thing I did the last time.  As I said, it worked.  I don’t particularly like dieting and I truly hate exercise so why do both which may potentially discourage me?  I’ll worry about exercise later.

Blogging and Weight Watchers:  I’m not going to constantly recap my food intake for the day.  I certainly will brag about my milestones during the weight loss process.  Love ya but the screen shots are a lot of work. 

On the Weight Watchers site:

You have to buy 5 to save $1.00.  20 frickin’ cents per item is the best you can do?

Since I am talking about Weight Watchers, I finished the day perfectly.  I was left with 0 points and used none of my weekly.

8-27-10 Friday (Goal!)

It is Friday!  My day off!  Of course I have a list of things to do.  Some of which, Jim started asking of me.  I must admit, I was annoyed.  Can I go to the dry-cleaners?  Can I clean this or that?  Some I probably won’t do.  Dude, leave me alone!

Sometimes I feel a little guilt about this job thing I’m going through.  Some thoughts: I haven’t worked in 2 years.  That’s 8 months longer than Jim.  Wasn’t that enough rest?  60 hours?  Deal with it.  Get off the cross, someone needs the wood.  Then there’s the other hand… I won’t rehash it.  Just read the previous postings and there it is.  Why do I mentally argue with myself?  Maybe I’m just mental?

Some good news: 

I lost more weight.  I stand and walk a lot at work.  Perhaps that has helped.  I haven’t tracked points for weeks.  I’ve cheated here and there.  I’ve still done well.  I’m proud of myself!

As you know, Jim isn’t following any diet.  Unfortunately he’s been gaining, however, he’s utilizing the free gym at his new job!  He’s decided to do something about it so he works out a little after work. 

It’s already 5 pm.  I’ve done a lot today.  I steam-cleaned carpets and the couch.  I’ve went to Walmart, done laundry, etc, etc.  I should have went to work.  I’m leaving Jim a big basket of laundry to fold tomorrow.

Work tomorrow followed by Buzz trivia, chili and wine with Deanna and Beth tomorrow evening. 

8-7-10 Saturday (Too Tired For Witty Titles)

What a week.  At one point this week while at work, I had just finished up a customer when blood gushed out of my nose.  I’ve never had a nose bleed.  I was pretty freaked out.  I went into the bathroom, tilted my head back (what I’ve heard to do) for probably too short a time cause it still bled.  I felt light headed and wanted to lay down.  There’s no place to sit or lay down so I decided to go out out my car.  I barely made it.  I think nerves took over as I felt dizzy and had trouble breathing.  I made it to the car, sat in it and reclined the seat.  I got my breathing under control as I was sweating bullets.  I have no idea what all that was about.

The Group Manager had me and an the service writer work alone today.  One of the busiest days of the week (as I mentioned last week), and after we closed I had to do payroll.  I’m really not happy with the hours.  6 days this week, I can deal with but it was implied (by several people) that I should get used to that.  Later in the week my boss (the Group Manager) says I’ll be working 6 days until “we get you a service writer in and trained”.  Not happy at all.  I’ve already done 60 hours this week.  I had to stay late to do payroll.  We closed at 4, I was there till 4:45 balancing out the days work and doing payroll.  It’s killing me, and not softly either. 

I’m trying to be the model employee – I really am.  I fear that all I’m accomplishing is laying in front of a door with the word “welcome” stamped over me.  I voiced my concern, my dislike.  Manager boss dude says, “we’ll see what we can come up with.”  I’m thinking about asking to step down and to transfer to a location up the street from me where I’d be scheduled 40 hours only as a service writer. 

We had nothing planned for dinner tonight.  Jim wanted to use his free dinner meal coupon at a restaurant called Mert’s Heart & Soul.  Check out the website, there’s lots of recipes there!  Anyway, the place is in Uptown.  It was hard to get to because several streets were closed off.   We found out it was all for bicycle racing.  It was interesting to watch a ton of bicyclists whiz by.  On to Mert’s.  A small, down south kinda feel to the restaurant.  The service was friendly.  The food was pretty good.  Corn bread mmmmmm.  Fried chicken, mmmmmm.  The best?  Sweet potato cake with cream cheese icing.  Jim and I shared a piece.  It was delicious! 

Weight Watchers?  I haven’t logged anything in for a week.  I just don’t have time.  I’m probably OK since I eat a 3 point breakfast, 3 point lunch, eat a fairly healthy dinner with popcorn.  If anything, mid morning and mid afternoon snacks are pretty much gone.

Last Sunday Jim and I went to the Levine Museum of the New South.  It was interesting and free on Sunday’s or something.  Here’s some photos of us at/in various exhibits.

 

 

 

 

 

We also drove to Jim’s new job location so I could see where it is.  Then to Rock Hill, SC  to see my place.  I could only take pictures through the window since I didn’t have keys yet:

Above/Below: My desk is the one with the fabulous comfy looking wooden bar stool.  Livin’ large, livin’ large.

 

Above: Waiting room/counter all in one which I hate.  No privacy to talk about the customers.  Behind the counter up the hall is a bathroom.

The photo below is a few days later when I had keys.  This is the electrical closet in the shop.   Mini fridge and microwave.  To use the microwave, unplug a fan and reach in side ways.  Livin’ large, livin’ large.

7-30-10 Friday (Who Wears Short Shorts?)

I managed to sell that video game, inFAMOUS on eBay.  I was happy with the price I got.  I bought it for $30, sold it for $15.50 + shipping.  The fee to list it was 87 cents.   I also sold my Atkins book.  I certainly don’t need that anymore.

For those of you dieting, I wanted to show you a VERY low cal salad dressing.  No oil.  It’s pretty good and 0 points.  Most of the times the salad dressing totally kills the healthy   attempt.  Not this one:

I got my bottle at Walmart.  They also had raspberry vinaigrette and some other flavor.

I went grocery shopping (such as my life), returned those bones Dasher didn’t like and got him new ones.  He was pleased:

 

 

Clea approves:

Cover your eyes.  Here’s the front of a birthday card Jim received from his Dad:

Got fabric

Ugh.  Makes me wanna hurl so I thought I’d share it with you.

OK, get past that the gravy mix below is Walmart.  Look at the English to Spanish translation.  English: Mushroom Gravy Mix = 5 syllables.  Spanish = 18 frickin syllables.  Why didn’t they just make up a new word?