Challenging Challenges

Bodies are strange … well, my body is strange.

About 10 days ago my sister-in-law challenged me to lose 2 lbs in 2 weeks, a challenge that I accepted with alacrity. And so I weighed myself at the start and posted the result – 126.8.
So, I worked my ass off (don’t I wish!!) at the gym and, for the most part, ate right and first the scale said 125.6 and then, on Monday 122.4. I couldn’t actually quite believe the 122.4 but it stayed there for 4 days straight so I figured that I could believe it (I even tried to check the scale by picking up a heavy book to see if the scale would move).

And then …

This morning …

128.8! 128.8!

What the hell????

How could I gain 6 lbs overnight?

I don’t even feel bloated. I admit that I have been sick all day but honestly 6 lbs? 6 lbs???

I can’t wait to see what it will be tomorrow.

Aggg!!!!

Ella

Caution: Grammar Police On Patrol Here

If I get on too much of a high horse today please let me know. In fact, I would be happy to have high horse alerts for any of my posts.

I don’t know why I’m back on words again today but I am. I think that it might be because I’m getting older and perhaps more persnickety but I get irritated when people (native English speakers) don’t have even the most rudimentary grasp of their own language.

Now before you say “Hey! You make some pretty glaring mistakes in this blog Missy!” just wait a second while I explain that usually forgive most things but there are a few language mistakes really bug me (don't even get me started on the whole "by accident" / "on accident" topic). Today’s “bug me” topic is the difference between “your” and “you’re”.

First, if you don’t know the difference “you’re” means “you are” and writing “your” in this case just isn’t right. Perhaps it is wrong or snobby or something else of me but it kind of disappoints me with a person who makes this mistake. I don’t assume that they just made a typo although this might be the nicer assumption to make. And, for right or wrong, it drops their IQ in my eyes just a little.

I know that I don’t have the best grammar and I know that I don’t use punctuation that follows the rules sometimes so I am sure that there are people that read my blog that just cringe at my mistakes as I do with the whole your / you’re thing. So, don’t get to thinking that I think that I am all that because I recognize the difference. I just thought that I would comment on it is all (did you like that use of Texas drawly vernacular with the is all?).

Perhaps next week I will blog about the use of sentence capitalization and punctuation in emails – another pet peeve of mine that shows my age!

Have a sunshiny day!

Ella

PS A note to Megara - 122.4lbs baby!!

Wii Tennis Elbow Anyone?

Okay, now this is a bit embarrassing but my arm is sore today from Wii Tennis. Really, that’s just a bit embarrassing, maybe more than a bit. I work out almost every day and today I was almost brought down by the Wii? Sad, Sad, Sad for multiple reasons including the fact that I'm not even very good at it.

Prince Charming and I (emphasis on the “I”) have been knee deep in contractors, public adjusters, etc. this week. We had some good news (some insurance money that we didn’t think that we were getting – big, big YEA!!) and some bad news (there is a huge, huge amount of the bedroom and laundry room walls that need replacing because of some ongoing leaking). We were given some hope (we love, love, love our public adjuster because he may be able to squeeze a few more bucks out of the flood / wind insurance companies) and had a little time to reflect on just how much still needs to be done. Overall though I would have to say that things are looking up and we are grateful.

While I am in the grateful department I want to put in a big plug for my lovely Pumpkin. I am soooooo soooooo sooooo lucky to have a daughter like her. Love you baby!!

I’m working out with Little John tomorrow. Wish me luck although I’m not going to push it by playing Wii Tennis tonight so I might just be okay.

Have a good one!

Ella

Word Woes

Isn’t it funny how one thing can happen and then another linking and then another all in the same subject realm and you keep getting hit on the head with examples until finally you give in and really, really start to think about a topic. In consequence all day today I have been thinking about the incredible power of words.

A friend of mine told me a story (true) about how an ill-thought, ill-spoken opinion comment made in someone’s hearing (they didn’t know that they were overheard but hadn’t tried to hide their comment) that recently lost that person their dream job a decade after the comment was made (one of the interviewers overheard the comment). The commenter will NEVER know that they lost the job because of that comment. All they know is that they won’t get the job. Hmm …

So let’s think about this for a minute. Think about all of the pronouncement-like, judgmental comments that we have made in our lifetime. How many of these comments have bitten us in the ass but we don’t even know it. It may not be as much of an ass biting as the poor schmuck in our example but then again, it may just. The point is … we won’t even know. Or maybe the point is that words are powerful and so guard the “bad” ones or the “bad” thoughts or the thoughtless ones. I don’t know.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am pretty forthcoming with an opinion if asked, and often if not asked. People are very fond of saying “Tell us how you really feel” after I have just “expressed myself” on a subject. I tell it like I see it. If I start guarding my words am I staying true to myself? If I don’t guard them am I willing to live with the consequences of those words? Is it enough to remember this cautionary tale and bide accordingly (whatever that accordingly means to you)?

If we go back to yesterday’s Golden rule discussion it might be good to bring that rule in the mix and add an addendum “Speak unto or around others as you would have others speak unto and around you”.

Would that have covered our commenter? I don’t know that it would have. The commenter was speaking an opinion, their opinion. They just didn’t realize how offensive their opinion was to the person that overheard it. Could the commenter even realize that their opinion in this instance might be offensive? Well, maybe.

Perhaps if we followed a rule that said “Speak unto others only as you would have those words broadcast to the world”. Yes, I think that this might just cover it. If you couldn’t say it to the world at large perhaps you better either keep those words to yourself or be prepared to live with the consequences of those words.

Note: I am not talking about private, in private, discussions with best friends, spouses, your children, siblings, or anyone else that you trust implicitly. I believe that we all need an outlet for unfettered and uncensored opinions. Although, it is also good to still remember the power of those words.

Here’s hoping that your words bring you nothing but joy,

Ella

Nice is Nice

Okay so Megara, my sister-in-law, is writing a bunch of smack talk about our 2lb challenge. Little does she know that all that smack is more likely to give me way more resolve. I’m already down 1lb so right on track … how about you Megara?

Oh oh! Now that I have written that I just know that I will instantly GAIN 2lbs maybe even more. It hasn’t been that long since the Step Class Hi-Five Ankle disaster which resulted in me wearing a brace (see below). Forget everything that I said and, hopefully, I won’t get the sudden and irresistible urge to scarf down gallons of ice cream.

I have been thinking a lot about religion lately, well, to be fair, more about Christianity and Christian-based religions. And, I suppose, to be fair again it isn’t the religions or Christianity that I object to it is the way that it has been practiced, the hypocrisy that I see amongst the practitioners and their leaders. No, that seems too much of a brush stroke. It isn’t everyone, it may not even be the majority, it just seems that way especially when you live in Texas.

I guess that I am tired of people acting all high and mighty wrapped up in their “Christianity” yet not acting in a “Christian” way. Perhaps what I expect is that people who profess to be Christians or be “religious” in whatever is their way be nice, be accepting of others, be accepting of others’ opinions, be tolerant … BE NICE!

This leads me to think about what I always thought that was a Commandment but I think is a Golden Rule instead: “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you”. I think that this is a biggie, if not the most important of all the biggies. A Golden Rule in fact. A tiny addition to this Golden Rule that might make it even more golden is if we changed it just a bit to read "Do unto others as you would like others to do unto you". How does this change everything? It makes it even nicer I think. If we all, no matter what religion, lived by either of these I think that the entire world would be a much, much, much better place.

So, if we can’t expect to change anyone but ourselves. We can’t expect to be able to control the behavior of anyone but ourselves. If these statements are true (which I believe they are) then how about each of us try to live by this “rule”. Let this guide our behavior, our actions, our words and then let’s see if it makes our world (even if it is just our immediate world) a better place.

This seems nice to me and I like nice.

Have a very nice day!

Ella

PS To any people actually truly practicing the good tenets of your religion I apologize for lumping you in with the rest. Keep up the good work! You are a rarity.

Project 365 – Ankles Away
This is the new ankle splint that I got today at the doctor’s. Note the sexy pedicure!

Career Change Anyone?

Did you realize that if you want to be a stripper that you have to pay the bar to strip there? Yes, you actually have to pay for the privilege to strip and have guys hoot and holler and drool all over you. You get to pay for the privilege to give some greasy loser with a hard on a lap dance. Boy, there’s the life!

Based on club fees from $40 to $400 per night sometimes you actually owe more money at the end of the night than you took in! And, according to my extensive research (I checked out a couple of websites) fellow strippers can be fairly vicious too – not teaching the newbies, stealing money, stealing lap dances, etc. Apparently, if you can make men think that they have a chance with you then you will probably make money. Pumpkin tells me that of the 60 cases of HIV in Princess Town 18 are strippers. Sounds like it’s a job where you pay and pay.

According to MSN.com more women are getting into stripping as the jobless rates increase. And, while the adult entertainment may not be recession-proof it is recession resistant. So, next time you are considering a career move …

Lotsa love,

Ella

Pick a Plan Any Plan

I have been a very neglectful blogger these past couple of weeks and I do apologize!

I heard something in a book the other day (I love audio books!) that said “Sometimes a plan can stop us from seeing all other options” and it got me to thinking. While this might be a true statement does it then imply that it is a worse solution than not planning?

Perhaps it is just reminding us that while we have made a plan it is a good idea to keep our minds open to options that might come up while we are implementing our plan. I think that it is a very good reminder actually because sometimes we really get locked into an idea that, as it becomes a worse and worse one, we sometimes get more and more stubborn about sticking to “the plan”. Our ownership of the plan gets all wrapped up with our pride and then our minds close down to options.

I admit that I am a consummate planner. Where I differ from many planners is that I come up with plans upon plans upon plans based on all the different contingencies that I can think of. Then I pick my favorite plan or the one that I think makes the most sense and I go with that one. If, even before I get to pick anything, things change I quickly revise all plans and then pick again. Normally, I do that all the way along the course of a plan so that I think that I do end up seeing other options or at least being very open to adapting to changes but sometimes I get ground in for sure. So, definitely, it is nice to have the reminder.

It might be a function of how open or resistant to change that we are. Some people are incredibly resistant to change and so I can see them getting quite stuck on a plan once that plan is in place. Others rejoice in change, sometimes too much, and so then options are all they see and plans never actually solidify into plans which has its own drawbacks for sure.

Whatever way that you are, I think that it is worth taking a few minutes to think about it.

Have a terrific day!

Ella

Project 365 Photo
I don’t even know why I took this picture. I think that it was the juxtaposition of these “animals” and vase that struck me as photo worthy. I love my Frog Prince and the little silly stuffed dog sitting there made me smile (again, don’t know why).