Howdy all:
Well I got one line written last night before I lost my uumph and retired for the night. Hopefully I can include more info tonight or actually finish the blog entry.
I'm pleased to say that the semester has started nicely. I've settled into my schedule. It's stressful teaching all my classes in one day but at the same token it's nice to have a lot of freedom on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I'm getting so much prep work done on those days and have been steadily working through my tasks on my whiteboard. Swim & Gym starts on September 13 so that will make Tuesdays and Thursdays busier but I've gotten a lot of the "before" work done. My employees are hired (background checks currently taking place) and plenty of advertising was initated weeks ago. I've also decided to promote a really strong PE major to be my "assistant" for the program. She's competent and I'll more comfortable leaving the gym if I know she's got everything under control.
I've slipped back into the groove and I'm not prioritizing my physical activity. I'm sitting on my butt a lot in my office at work. We actually have a treadmill set up in the mailroom if you want to walk while checking emails and working on a computer. I've signed up for it but haven't used it yet. I'm hoping I can sneak away and use it tomorrow. I've also been more impulsive with my eating too. I get a food in my head toward the end of the day and fixate on eating for a meal. It's typically not a healthy food either. I'm also snacking late at night too. Bleh. So many bad habits to fix! I really desire to start planning out menus for the week so my dinners (or even lunches) are pre-planned and more nutritous.
I'm hopeful for a doctor appointment I have on Friday for my back. I went in earlier this week and my back was fine that day. I had no pain and passed the movement tests with flying colors. I'm seeing a different doctor and sadly I hope I have a little pain on Friday so the doc can see my movement issues. I'm also hoping for some x-rays because I'm curious to see what's going on with my discs.
The first weeks of 6th grade have been interesting for Gavin and me. He's gotten a rude awakening in regards to homework and expectations. I've been frustrated because I want him taking his time and doing his work well. In my opinion, he rushes to get his work done. We had a unpleasant experience last night because I checked Gavin's math homework and found every problem to be done incorrectly. He's often reluctant to let me look things over and he gave that same attitude last night. I'm glad I was forceful because I'm sure it would shock him when he got his grade. He's going to quickly realize that doing things too quickly is going to affect his letter grade in math. The grading in 5th grade was pretty gentle and the transition to regular grading has been fast and furious. I'm also learning a lot about 6th grade math...years of statistics and a semester of college alegebra and I felt stupid when reviewing prime numbers and factors.
The upcoming months are busier than I'd like at times and my weekends are especially hectic. We are going to Illinois on September 16 to camp and attend a basset hound rescue fundraiser. They have a parade on the 18th that features over 1000 basset hounds. It will be fun to walk in with Jon's dog Memphis (she's a rescue basset hound).
I have professional development the first weekend of October (blah) in Cedar Rapids and we are going to Chicago for a hockey game on the 15th of October. I was telling LeAnn that I miss having consistent low key weekends but at the same time it's nice to get out and about to have fun.
It's been easier on some days to wake up early. Gavin is waking up at 6:45am to get ready for the bus and leaves the apartment at 7:15am. Around that time I'm finally stumbling around and getting my day started. It's been nice leaving the apartment before 8am because I'm getting errands done and more accomplished at work. I've actually been staying later at work too. Most days have been 8am-4pm if not 5pm. I know this shouldn't be a shocking announcement but I used to come to work late or leave early and try to do work at home. Bring work home sucks. I'm really trying to avoid it. I barely have my computer on at home and I love it. It's been nice to relax, help Gavin with homework, clean, etc. I should be exercising too.
Okay, that's enough for now!
Monday, August 29, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
I got my dress!!!
Here it is. It's too long and needs to be taken in in the bust but other than that it's perfect!!
Without flash...I was apparently doing something funny with my arms. I look like I'm flapping...
With flash. I think the color is more close to accurate in this one.
PLEASE HURRY AND GET HERE OCTOBER!!!
Without flash...I was apparently doing something funny with my arms. I look like I'm flapping...
With flash. I think the color is more close to accurate in this one.
PLEASE HURRY AND GET HERE OCTOBER!!!
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Recipe: thyme, pineapple and pork chop skillet
I recently decided to subscribe to Eating Well. I've been using the website for a while and thought it would be fun to start getting a magazine in the mail. There are lots of really good recipes in the the first issue I got and here is the first one that I'll share with you. I made this a while ago and can't wait to make it again. It calls for pork chops but I bet you could easily make it with chicken breast too and have a delicious meal. It was super easy and quick to make, inexpensive and really really good!
You will need:
3 Tbs. pineapple or apricot preserves (or orange marmalade)
3 Tbs. orange juice, plus more if needed
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. fresh ground ginger (it's cheaper and better than the dried)
1/2 tsp. curry powder
4 pineapple rings, plus 1/3 c. juice (add orange juice to equal 1/3 c. if you need)
2 tsp. butter
4 boneless pork loin chops, 1/2 inch thick
1 tbs. dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1. Combine preserves, orange juice, mustard, ginger and curry powder in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Heat butter in non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork chops, sprinkle with 1/2 Tbs. thyme and the salt and pepper. Turn immediately. Cook until the chops until browned (a few minutes on each side, 4-5 minutes total).
3. Add the pineapple juice to the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the the chops are cooked through (3 more minutes). Transfer to a plate.
4. Add pineapple, the reserved sauce and the remaining 1/2 Tbs. thyme to the pan. Cook, stirring until hot and bubbling. Add chops back in and cook for a few minutes longer, turning to coat. Serve each chop with 1 ring of pineapple and sauce spooned over.
You will need:
3 Tbs. pineapple or apricot preserves (or orange marmalade)
3 Tbs. orange juice, plus more if needed
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. fresh ground ginger (it's cheaper and better than the dried)
1/2 tsp. curry powder
4 pineapple rings, plus 1/3 c. juice (add orange juice to equal 1/3 c. if you need)
2 tsp. butter
4 boneless pork loin chops, 1/2 inch thick
1 tbs. dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1. Combine preserves, orange juice, mustard, ginger and curry powder in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Heat butter in non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork chops, sprinkle with 1/2 Tbs. thyme and the salt and pepper. Turn immediately. Cook until the chops until browned (a few minutes on each side, 4-5 minutes total).
3. Add the pineapple juice to the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the the chops are cooked through (3 more minutes). Transfer to a plate.
4. Add pineapple, the reserved sauce and the remaining 1/2 Tbs. thyme to the pan. Cook, stirring until hot and bubbling. Add chops back in and cook for a few minutes longer, turning to coat. Serve each chop with 1 ring of pineapple and sauce spooned over.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
New things...
First, we have a new baby in the family. My step-sister (on my dad's side) Crystal an her husband had their first baby. Logan Charles was born, via c-section yesterday morning. I don't know many of the specifics but I do know that mom and baby are both doing well.
Also, I got me new green coat in the mail and I love it. I took some really bad self-portraits so I could show you. I apologize for the weird pose (I'm terrible at self-portraits) and my dirty mirror. How come you never realize how dirty a mirror is until you see it in a picture?!?! Anyway, here it is. I really really like it and I'm happy to report that almost all of my scarves go well with it...yay!
Also, I got me new green coat in the mail and I love it. I took some really bad self-portraits so I could show you. I apologize for the weird pose (I'm terrible at self-portraits) and my dirty mirror. How come you never realize how dirty a mirror is until you see it in a picture?!?! Anyway, here it is. I really really like it and I'm happy to report that almost all of my scarves go well with it...yay!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
The Semester Quickly Approaches....
Howdy:
I'm taking some time for myself before I wander off to bed It's already after 11pm and I hope to be in a deep slumber before midnight. It's been a hectic week but things have gone well! I'm responsible for the orientation training for the new graduate students that are starting in the Kinesiology Department this fall. I'm sure Nicole has fond memories of that time...I remember feeling quite overwhelmed and stressed. I think the fact that I experienced orientation in 2006 has helped me plan things different so students aren't slammed with too much information each day. Luckily the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) too some work off my shoulders today (and tomorrow) and they are providing critical seminars about classroom issues, grading essentials, initiating student discussion, etc.
I've also gotten a considerable amount of work done too. I've taught three of my ISU classes before so that's comforting. I'm teaching a new class though (HS 110). It's a personal and consumer health class that all Kinesiology majors must take during their program of study. It's essentially the same class I teach at DMACC but different textbooks are utilized (sad). Oh well. I'm happy to say that my syllabi are done and ready for next week but I still need to plan for my first days of class. I also need to do more on the online parts of my class too.
Gavin starts school on Thursday. His bus picks him up at 7:18am each day! I'm wondering if I can utilized this mandatory change in our lives to fix my inability to be a "morning person". If Gavin and I can create a routine that starts at 6:30am each weekday, I could be at work by 7:30am each day and get more done. Or I could exercise in the morning and hopefully boost my energy prior to work. It's going to be tough because I really suck at getting up early. Perhaps I could fix my poor sleeping patterns if I institute this AM change. I could see myself being quite tired by 9pm at night if I start my day at 6:30am.
I'm actually worried about Gavin's start of 6th grade. We had an informational meeting tonight and I was not impressed by the preparedness of the teachers and administration. Questions weren't answered and parents don't seem very confident about the changes that have been made for sixth grade. A lot of responsibility is being placed on those kiddos and I hope the school and I hope the school is prepared to support and help them as the year starts. It seems like teachers are still scrambling to adjust to changes. Gavin better be prepared for his increaed workload.
That's all for now!
I'm taking some time for myself before I wander off to bed It's already after 11pm and I hope to be in a deep slumber before midnight. It's been a hectic week but things have gone well! I'm responsible for the orientation training for the new graduate students that are starting in the Kinesiology Department this fall. I'm sure Nicole has fond memories of that time...I remember feeling quite overwhelmed and stressed. I think the fact that I experienced orientation in 2006 has helped me plan things different so students aren't slammed with too much information each day. Luckily the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) too some work off my shoulders today (and tomorrow) and they are providing critical seminars about classroom issues, grading essentials, initiating student discussion, etc.
I've also gotten a considerable amount of work done too. I've taught three of my ISU classes before so that's comforting. I'm teaching a new class though (HS 110). It's a personal and consumer health class that all Kinesiology majors must take during their program of study. It's essentially the same class I teach at DMACC but different textbooks are utilized (sad). Oh well. I'm happy to say that my syllabi are done and ready for next week but I still need to plan for my first days of class. I also need to do more on the online parts of my class too.
Gavin starts school on Thursday. His bus picks him up at 7:18am each day! I'm wondering if I can utilized this mandatory change in our lives to fix my inability to be a "morning person". If Gavin and I can create a routine that starts at 6:30am each weekday, I could be at work by 7:30am each day and get more done. Or I could exercise in the morning and hopefully boost my energy prior to work. It's going to be tough because I really suck at getting up early. Perhaps I could fix my poor sleeping patterns if I institute this AM change. I could see myself being quite tired by 9pm at night if I start my day at 6:30am.
I'm actually worried about Gavin's start of 6th grade. We had an informational meeting tonight and I was not impressed by the preparedness of the teachers and administration. Questions weren't answered and parents don't seem very confident about the changes that have been made for sixth grade. A lot of responsibility is being placed on those kiddos and I hope the school and I hope the school is prepared to support and help them as the year starts. It seems like teachers are still scrambling to adjust to changes. Gavin better be prepared for his increaed workload.
That's all for now!
Monday, August 15, 2011
Wedding Pictures!!
The ladies if the wedding party (minus myself and Bobbie) all got together on Friday and made a road trip to St. Ansgar because the bridesmaid dresses are finally in!! I'm waiting patiently for mine to arrive, Karla put it in the mail today but I thought I'd share some of the pictures from the first fitting. I cannot wait to get my dress. Karla tried it on because she wanted to see what it looked like and she said it's going to be huge on me! Normally I wouldn't be happy about it being too large but I was afraid it wouldn't fit when I first ordered it. I actually just talked to Arta today, she is a custodian at the hospital, and she is the one who is going to do my alterations. She said she wouldn't take anything from me for it so I'm going to have to find a sneaky way to get her a little something for the work. I know she just likes to do it but I would feel bad about not giving her something for her time and effort. Anyway, here are just a few pictures. October can't get here soon enough!
This is Kayla and Kim being fit for alterations and Tasha looking less than amused. I love the look on Tasha's face...she looks evil!
This is Kim and the best full length picture of the dress I think. Her dress fit perfectly with the exception of length. Everybody else is going to need some serious work. I don't know how I feel about the lady who measured us. I'd say she just had issues with plus size measures but Kayla, who is itty bitty, has to have a lot done on her dress too.
Here is a pictured of Karla, Tasha and Hailee. These are all of the dresses. The color and angle are really weird in this picture but you get the idea. I think everything is going to look really nice together. p.s. Hailee and Reagan's dresses are cream with chocolate brown butterflies! They are going to be so adorable!
Anywho, I just wanted to share with you because I'm so excited and I'm not allowed to show anybody in the family. I can't wait to see my dress because that means I get to finally go shopping for wedding jewelry. Karla bought us bracelets but they took them on Friday and I guess they don't really work so we're completely on our own! I love buying fancy earrings so this is going to be fun.
OK, I should start getting ready for work. Have a lovely day ladies!
This is Kayla and Kim being fit for alterations and Tasha looking less than amused. I love the look on Tasha's face...she looks evil!
This is Kim and the best full length picture of the dress I think. Her dress fit perfectly with the exception of length. Everybody else is going to need some serious work. I don't know how I feel about the lady who measured us. I'd say she just had issues with plus size measures but Kayla, who is itty bitty, has to have a lot done on her dress too.
Here is a pictured of Karla, Tasha and Hailee. These are all of the dresses. The color and angle are really weird in this picture but you get the idea. I think everything is going to look really nice together. p.s. Hailee and Reagan's dresses are cream with chocolate brown butterflies! They are going to be so adorable!
Anywho, I just wanted to share with you because I'm so excited and I'm not allowed to show anybody in the family. I can't wait to see my dress because that means I get to finally go shopping for wedding jewelry. Karla bought us bracelets but they took them on Friday and I guess they don't really work so we're completely on our own! I love buying fancy earrings so this is going to be fun.
OK, I should start getting ready for work. Have a lovely day ladies!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Salvation Fail
So it's been a while since I've jotted anything of substance down in the blog but I haven't had much going on. The last few weeks have been pretty quiet here in Michigan. I've been occupied at work with my normal duties as well as my new management stuff. I have so many classes, online and in-class, to take to get access to all of the systems I'll be using I don't have much down time. I really like that aspect of my new role. I still feel like I'm herding cats some days with the gals I supervise but I don't see that changing any day soon so I need to adjust my expectations.
Last weekend I finally decided to do some shopping. I have needed pants for a really long time and I can always use new tops. My upper body is finally catching up with the lower and I've gotten near the end of my 'skinny' tops and need some new items for work. I hate rotating the 5 shirts every week. I'm constantly struggling to decide if I should buy new clothes or not. I hate buying new things knowing that if I stay on track I won't be able to wear them for more than a few months, tops. However, I can't keep wearing bags to work. After talking to my aunt and some friends I decided to hit up Salvation Army. I didn't have much hope for pants but I figured if nothing else I could find some cheap tops which would off-set the cost of having to buy Lane Bryant pants.
There is a Salvation Army in Ann Arbor but everybody here talks about the massive store in Brighton which is about a 25 mile drive. It's a brand new store and has the best selection around, from what I've been told. After a few wrong turns and some profanity I finally found the store. When I first walked in all I could see were rows and rows of women's clothing. I thought for sure I'd be able to find something. Boy was I wrong. While there might have been 20 long rows of women's clothes, 3 of them happened to be of the plus sized variety. I spend quite a bit of time looking through all of it to make sure I didn't miss the diamond in the rough but it was all bad. There were a lot of nice, name brand clothes but it was all geared towards patrons much older than myself.
Now, my trip to Brighton wasn't a wasted trip. On my way to Salvation Army I passed by a Dick's Sporting and Old Navy, both of which I'd been meaning to get to for quite some time. I was pleasantly surprised at Dick's when I went in and saw that they not only carried the sports bra I wanted to buy, they also had my size in stock. I wasn't thrilled with the price, I've never spent almost $50 on a bra before but let me tell you, it's worth every penny. I tried it on in the dressing room and was hopping around and there was no movement at all. I don't know how it happens but my boobs are literally gone. It's the only time in my life that my stomach has stuck out further than my chest. It's quite unnerving, but in a good way. I also hit up Old Navy and bought almost $100 worth of back to school clothes for the kids. I'm terrible at spending money on myself but I rock at spending for them! I can't wait to see them in their new outfits!
Anyway, my shopping escapades aren't over. I really do need new pants. I had to clip my pager to my underwear yesterday so that my pants would stay up...that's not good. I think I'll hit up LB this weekend. I have a coupon and there is a denim sale so hopefully it won't cost me an arm and a leg to cover my butt. I'm also looking for a new winter coat. I tried mine on last weekend and it's comically large. I've pretty much decided on this amazing Kelly green pea coat from Old Navy, I just have to convince myself that spending $80 on a coat that I'll only be able to wear for one year is OK.
Anyway, that's about it. I hope you all have a great weekend and are enjoying this amazing summer weather!
Last weekend I finally decided to do some shopping. I have needed pants for a really long time and I can always use new tops. My upper body is finally catching up with the lower and I've gotten near the end of my 'skinny' tops and need some new items for work. I hate rotating the 5 shirts every week. I'm constantly struggling to decide if I should buy new clothes or not. I hate buying new things knowing that if I stay on track I won't be able to wear them for more than a few months, tops. However, I can't keep wearing bags to work. After talking to my aunt and some friends I decided to hit up Salvation Army. I didn't have much hope for pants but I figured if nothing else I could find some cheap tops which would off-set the cost of having to buy Lane Bryant pants.
There is a Salvation Army in Ann Arbor but everybody here talks about the massive store in Brighton which is about a 25 mile drive. It's a brand new store and has the best selection around, from what I've been told. After a few wrong turns and some profanity I finally found the store. When I first walked in all I could see were rows and rows of women's clothing. I thought for sure I'd be able to find something. Boy was I wrong. While there might have been 20 long rows of women's clothes, 3 of them happened to be of the plus sized variety. I spend quite a bit of time looking through all of it to make sure I didn't miss the diamond in the rough but it was all bad. There were a lot of nice, name brand clothes but it was all geared towards patrons much older than myself.
Now, my trip to Brighton wasn't a wasted trip. On my way to Salvation Army I passed by a Dick's Sporting and Old Navy, both of which I'd been meaning to get to for quite some time. I was pleasantly surprised at Dick's when I went in and saw that they not only carried the sports bra I wanted to buy, they also had my size in stock. I wasn't thrilled with the price, I've never spent almost $50 on a bra before but let me tell you, it's worth every penny. I tried it on in the dressing room and was hopping around and there was no movement at all. I don't know how it happens but my boobs are literally gone. It's the only time in my life that my stomach has stuck out further than my chest. It's quite unnerving, but in a good way. I also hit up Old Navy and bought almost $100 worth of back to school clothes for the kids. I'm terrible at spending money on myself but I rock at spending for them! I can't wait to see them in their new outfits!
Anyway, my shopping escapades aren't over. I really do need new pants. I had to clip my pager to my underwear yesterday so that my pants would stay up...that's not good. I think I'll hit up LB this weekend. I have a coupon and there is a denim sale so hopefully it won't cost me an arm and a leg to cover my butt. I'm also looking for a new winter coat. I tried mine on last weekend and it's comically large. I've pretty much decided on this amazing Kelly green pea coat from Old Navy, I just have to convince myself that spending $80 on a coat that I'll only be able to wear for one year is OK.
Anyway, that's about it. I hope you all have a great weekend and are enjoying this amazing summer weather!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Back to the Real World
Hey all:
Well vacation time is over and I'm thrown back into piles of work. Actually I feel like I'm buried in work. I have a lot of prep work to do for all the orientation meetings next week. I still have prep work to do for my courses this fall too. I worked on my DMACC syllabus tonight and updated it to my liking. I was pissed about their lack of preparation each week so there will be pop quizzes some weeks to see if they actually read the corresponding chapter(s). Muahahahaha.
Adventureland was very fun despite my severe sunburn. I realized halfway down the interstate that I neglected to apply or bring sunscreen. I had some on my face due to my moisturizer but that wore off quickly. I really should have wandered to a shop and bought overpriced sunscreen at some point. I was reminded about my overweightness a few times during the day. My ride on The Tornado was horrible thanks to the way I had to fit into the seat. My hip still hurts from being jerked around on that ride of torture. I went on The Inverter for the first time and didn't enjoy it much the first time but it was better the second. I didn't have a funnel cake (usually a tradition) and I'm okay with that. At the time, I didn't want one and I regretted getting a pulled pork sandwich. It wasn't very good and it ruined my appetite for the day. Gavin's willingness to ride several new things impressed me. He really isn't fearful of many amusement park rides anymore....makes me feel like a pansy.
Our department is offering lap swim time on MWF over the noon hour for faculty and staff this semester. (We tried it for the first time in the spring semester.) I am going to pay for the lap swimming and give it a whirl. I'm hoping I can use the pool each MWF. I'm not the greatest swimmer but any type of movement back and forth in the pool will help burn calories.
My 10 year high school reunion is on Saturday. Jon has agreed to go with me. I'm a little nervous because I'm unsure about who will be attending. Many people seem to be on the fence. Sadly I'm sure it will be like high school itself...people will form similar social groups. I want to be social and chummy...and not just stand in a corner and talk to Jon. It would be nice to introduce him to friends from my group.
Okay, that's enough for now. I need to fold some laundry and hit the hay. My mission to be in bed before midnight has failed.
Well vacation time is over and I'm thrown back into piles of work. Actually I feel like I'm buried in work. I have a lot of prep work to do for all the orientation meetings next week. I still have prep work to do for my courses this fall too. I worked on my DMACC syllabus tonight and updated it to my liking. I was pissed about their lack of preparation each week so there will be pop quizzes some weeks to see if they actually read the corresponding chapter(s). Muahahahaha.
Adventureland was very fun despite my severe sunburn. I realized halfway down the interstate that I neglected to apply or bring sunscreen. I had some on my face due to my moisturizer but that wore off quickly. I really should have wandered to a shop and bought overpriced sunscreen at some point. I was reminded about my overweightness a few times during the day. My ride on The Tornado was horrible thanks to the way I had to fit into the seat. My hip still hurts from being jerked around on that ride of torture. I went on The Inverter for the first time and didn't enjoy it much the first time but it was better the second. I didn't have a funnel cake (usually a tradition) and I'm okay with that. At the time, I didn't want one and I regretted getting a pulled pork sandwich. It wasn't very good and it ruined my appetite for the day. Gavin's willingness to ride several new things impressed me. He really isn't fearful of many amusement park rides anymore....makes me feel like a pansy.
Our department is offering lap swim time on MWF over the noon hour for faculty and staff this semester. (We tried it for the first time in the spring semester.) I am going to pay for the lap swimming and give it a whirl. I'm hoping I can use the pool each MWF. I'm not the greatest swimmer but any type of movement back and forth in the pool will help burn calories.
My 10 year high school reunion is on Saturday. Jon has agreed to go with me. I'm a little nervous because I'm unsure about who will be attending. Many people seem to be on the fence. Sadly I'm sure it will be like high school itself...people will form similar social groups. I want to be social and chummy...and not just stand in a corner and talk to Jon. It would be nice to introduce him to friends from my group.
Okay, that's enough for now. I need to fold some laundry and hit the hay. My mission to be in bed before midnight has failed.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Addiction
Hey all:
Well like usual I cannot sleep so I'm up and about. I've been watching "Intervention" on the A & E channel and working on some DMACC materials. Hearing the show in the background and reading through some content from the addiction chapter in my DMACC textbook....it made me think about my eating habits. I've mentioned that I'm addicted to food but decided to look at the true symptoms of an addiction. All four symptoms have to be present for a behavior to be considered an addiction.
1)compulsion: excessive preoccupation with the behavior and/or an overwhelming need to perform it
I do have an overwhelming preoccupation with food. Especially when I'm stressed...I tend to think about a food I like or think about what food I can make when I get home. It stinks that I tend to think about the foods that make me feel good rather than the people I can talk to when stressed or other actions I can take to feel better.
2)loss of control: inability to reliably predict whether any isolated occurrence of the behavior will be healthy or damaging
I do have a hard time predicting if a bout of snacking will lead to overeating or not. Lately it seems that any evening or night eating will lead to a binge or severe overeating. If I trigger my hunger (or if my emotions make me think I'm hungry) it's hard to say if I will keep my eating under control.
3)negative consequences: physical damage, legal trouble, financial issues, academic failure, family problems, etc
The defintion is obviously geared more towards drug use. I haven't been arrested yet for ordering a #2 Extra Value meal at McDonalds yet. However, I do have other negative consequences. My weight and diet are affecting my health. My back would feel better if I weighed less. I'd sleep better if I weighed less. I'd have more energy if I weighed less. I can even tie our eating out frequency to financial inadequencies.
4)denial: cannot perceive the behavior is self-destructive
I'm obviously not in denial right now...I know I'm not leading a healthy lifestyle but for YEARS I would make excuses for myself. I'm overweight but I'm a "healthy" overweight. I'm built this way...I can't help being thicker built and heavier. I also kept telling myself I had plenty of time to fix it. I'm too close to 30 for comfort. My metabolism is slowing down due to aging. My bone density is naturally decreasing. Thanks to getting older, the path for change is becoming more uphill in nature. I wish I would have stuck with healthy habits in 2001 when I moved away from home. It was a slippery slope when I started living on my own.
Okay...that's all I have for now. (Two blog entries in 24 hours...holy smokes!)
Well like usual I cannot sleep so I'm up and about. I've been watching "Intervention" on the A & E channel and working on some DMACC materials. Hearing the show in the background and reading through some content from the addiction chapter in my DMACC textbook....it made me think about my eating habits. I've mentioned that I'm addicted to food but decided to look at the true symptoms of an addiction. All four symptoms have to be present for a behavior to be considered an addiction.
1)compulsion: excessive preoccupation with the behavior and/or an overwhelming need to perform it
I do have an overwhelming preoccupation with food. Especially when I'm stressed...I tend to think about a food I like or think about what food I can make when I get home. It stinks that I tend to think about the foods that make me feel good rather than the people I can talk to when stressed or other actions I can take to feel better.
2)loss of control: inability to reliably predict whether any isolated occurrence of the behavior will be healthy or damaging
I do have a hard time predicting if a bout of snacking will lead to overeating or not. Lately it seems that any evening or night eating will lead to a binge or severe overeating. If I trigger my hunger (or if my emotions make me think I'm hungry) it's hard to say if I will keep my eating under control.
3)negative consequences: physical damage, legal trouble, financial issues, academic failure, family problems, etc
The defintion is obviously geared more towards drug use. I haven't been arrested yet for ordering a #2 Extra Value meal at McDonalds yet. However, I do have other negative consequences. My weight and diet are affecting my health. My back would feel better if I weighed less. I'd sleep better if I weighed less. I'd have more energy if I weighed less. I can even tie our eating out frequency to financial inadequencies.
4)denial: cannot perceive the behavior is self-destructive
I'm obviously not in denial right now...I know I'm not leading a healthy lifestyle but for YEARS I would make excuses for myself. I'm overweight but I'm a "healthy" overweight. I'm built this way...I can't help being thicker built and heavier. I also kept telling myself I had plenty of time to fix it. I'm too close to 30 for comfort. My metabolism is slowing down due to aging. My bone density is naturally decreasing. Thanks to getting older, the path for change is becoming more uphill in nature. I wish I would have stuck with healthy habits in 2001 when I moved away from home. It was a slippery slope when I started living on my own.
Okay...that's all I have for now. (Two blog entries in 24 hours...holy smokes!)
Monday, August 1, 2011
August is Upon Us
A lot has happened so here we go:
- Summer Youth Fitness has finished! Halleuiah! It's been nice to not spend half of each day in the sauna (aka Forker Building). Sadly I thought I'd enjoy that job more. However, in my defense, the pool situation really threw me for a loop. And thanks to its age, I'm going to worry about its dependability next year too. Stupid cement hole filled with water. I had added stress with a few employees...one gentlemen should have been fired but I kept trying to fix him. I have this experience behind me though so hopefully I'll be better prepared for next year. There were a couple days that made me not want to direct the program in 2012 but let's face it...I'll need the money.
- Weight Watchers has proven to be difficult. It frustrates me but at the same time the negative feelings are also driving me to persist. I really don't like to track my points for the program. I'm still not a huge fan of the meetings either. I wish I could go to a different meeting so I could see if I jived better with a different leader. Jon and I also spoke about the frequency of our eating out. Not only is it unhealthy but it's costing a fortune. If all three of us eat out, it's typically over $50. Ouch. I have so much to say about my current health and overweight status but it needs to be a blog entry itself.
- I finished my Stephen King book (finally). "The Stand" was a good read. I checked out the extended version...Mr. King added in a ton of content that was removed years ago. I wasn't horribly thrilled by most of the ending but the beginning and the middle of the book were great. It's one of those truly scary books because it really could happen. I'm taking a break from Stephen King for a bit. I've read a lot of his books over the last year and none of his other books are really tripping my trigger at the moment. I started the book you sent with me Nicole ("Goodnight Irene"). It's a nice change a pace and an easy read. After I finish that book, I plan to finish some relgious books I've been working on.
- I bought a car on July 16. It's a metallic dark blue 2008 Ford Fusion. I have loved it so far. The fancy perks have been a treat. When I say fancy perks I mean: a trunk button, a remote, and a spedometer that works. The other actual fancy stuff is OK...not sure when I'll ever have 6 CDs in my CD changer and I rarely use the Sync system. It feels odd to talk on the phone in my car. I feel like I'm yelling and I probably don't need to. It's pretty cool though to have such a clean car. I do sometimes wonder about Bonnie though. I wonder if she's in pieces or being sold as a very used car.
- Mom, Alissa, LeAnn, and Ryan are coming down for a vacation this week. I'm excited to host people in my apartment and do some cooking. I'm trying to avoid eating out a bunch. A) Mom will want to pay all the time and B) it's more convenient to just hang around here and feast together. I'm excited to venture to Adventureland too. However, if it's beastly hot, my motivation and excitement will quickly disappear.
- Gavin started flag football today. Once again I said "no" to the tackle league that is taking place in Ames. I still cannot afford it and the practice schedule would be difficult to manage. Luckily Gavin's friend Thomas is also participating in flag football for one and final year. It was fun to watch them at evaluations today. Gavin's really improved as a player and his athleticism is encouraging.
- I found those veggie straws at Sam's Club Nicole. I had forgotten about them until I was wandering the aisles with Jon. They are a nice salty snack when I'm craving something awful like Cheetos
- I feel like I'm drowning in work again. I tried to work ahead during Summer Youth Fitness. It didn't work. I'm nervous to lead meetings prior to the start of the semester but fortunately I have the agenda created so I know exactly what I need to cover. I just need to create enthralling presentation...I remembered being bored during my orientation and I really want to change that. I want to have discussions and address the trainings in a more meaningful way.
Ok...that's enough for now! More to come...hopefully in a more timely manner.
- Summer Youth Fitness has finished! Halleuiah! It's been nice to not spend half of each day in the sauna (aka Forker Building). Sadly I thought I'd enjoy that job more. However, in my defense, the pool situation really threw me for a loop. And thanks to its age, I'm going to worry about its dependability next year too. Stupid cement hole filled with water. I had added stress with a few employees...one gentlemen should have been fired but I kept trying to fix him. I have this experience behind me though so hopefully I'll be better prepared for next year. There were a couple days that made me not want to direct the program in 2012 but let's face it...I'll need the money.
- Weight Watchers has proven to be difficult. It frustrates me but at the same time the negative feelings are also driving me to persist. I really don't like to track my points for the program. I'm still not a huge fan of the meetings either. I wish I could go to a different meeting so I could see if I jived better with a different leader. Jon and I also spoke about the frequency of our eating out. Not only is it unhealthy but it's costing a fortune. If all three of us eat out, it's typically over $50. Ouch. I have so much to say about my current health and overweight status but it needs to be a blog entry itself.
- I finished my Stephen King book (finally). "The Stand" was a good read. I checked out the extended version...Mr. King added in a ton of content that was removed years ago. I wasn't horribly thrilled by most of the ending but the beginning and the middle of the book were great. It's one of those truly scary books because it really could happen. I'm taking a break from Stephen King for a bit. I've read a lot of his books over the last year and none of his other books are really tripping my trigger at the moment. I started the book you sent with me Nicole ("Goodnight Irene"). It's a nice change a pace and an easy read. After I finish that book, I plan to finish some relgious books I've been working on.
- I bought a car on July 16. It's a metallic dark blue 2008 Ford Fusion. I have loved it so far. The fancy perks have been a treat. When I say fancy perks I mean: a trunk button, a remote, and a spedometer that works. The other actual fancy stuff is OK...not sure when I'll ever have 6 CDs in my CD changer and I rarely use the Sync system. It feels odd to talk on the phone in my car. I feel like I'm yelling and I probably don't need to. It's pretty cool though to have such a clean car. I do sometimes wonder about Bonnie though. I wonder if she's in pieces or being sold as a very used car.
- Mom, Alissa, LeAnn, and Ryan are coming down for a vacation this week. I'm excited to host people in my apartment and do some cooking. I'm trying to avoid eating out a bunch. A) Mom will want to pay all the time and B) it's more convenient to just hang around here and feast together. I'm excited to venture to Adventureland too. However, if it's beastly hot, my motivation and excitement will quickly disappear.
- Gavin started flag football today. Once again I said "no" to the tackle league that is taking place in Ames. I still cannot afford it and the practice schedule would be difficult to manage. Luckily Gavin's friend Thomas is also participating in flag football for one and final year. It was fun to watch them at evaluations today. Gavin's really improved as a player and his athleticism is encouraging.
- I found those veggie straws at Sam's Club Nicole. I had forgotten about them until I was wandering the aisles with Jon. They are a nice salty snack when I'm craving something awful like Cheetos
- I feel like I'm drowning in work again. I tried to work ahead during Summer Youth Fitness. It didn't work. I'm nervous to lead meetings prior to the start of the semester but fortunately I have the agenda created so I know exactly what I need to cover. I just need to create enthralling presentation...I remembered being bored during my orientation and I really want to change that. I want to have discussions and address the trainings in a more meaningful way.
Ok...that's enough for now! More to come...hopefully in a more timely manner.
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