It Was A Dark and Restless Night ...

I love getting my hair washed at the hair dressers (Why does this word not have a possessive apostrophe?). I can almost fall asleep in a pleasant swoon when the hair washer does her job. It is heaven. If I were really, really rich I think that I would create a hair washing “station” somewhere in my humungo house and have someone come and wash my hair at least once a week (wouldn’t want it too often because it might not make it as special although that doesn’t seem to be the case with back rubs which I could get several times a day and they would still be special).

My scale didn’t budge an inch today (not that I really expected it to). I have been a good little eater (although last night I did have a few beers and a few lattes resulting in no sleep for me last night between the caffeine and having to pee every hour). I was incredibly good today and feel quite self-satisfied (although I still haven’t passed the dinner temptations). This week’s step routine is an absolute bitch and I am flailing around in class like I have never taken a class before. Big bummer especially after last week’s Hi Five (premature I guess).

I am a little down in the dumps about the house and dealing with the insurance people again. I will have to put my thinking cap on again to see how I can make it all better or at least better for me.

I am bone tired once again. I am not sure whether it is just that I didn’t get enough sleep last night or what but if this continues I am going to get some further blood work done to see it there is anything sillier happening that I should be aware of.

It is a glorious, albeit windy, day and I think that I need to be outside. I hope that you are also experiencing a glorious day!

Ella

Project 365 plus Challenge

Okay folks here is my weigh-in from yesterday the first day of the challenge. The proof will be in the puddin'.

It's A Brand New Week With A Brand New Attitude

I hate to start off a blog saying how tired I am but OMG I am soooo tired!

Prince Charming and I just watched last week’s Battlestar Galactica and are wondering how the heck they are going to be able to resolve everything in the 2 hour series ender on Friday. I still can’t believe that they canceled that show! When there are shows called Rock of Love Bus and I Love Money that are getting renewed. Sheesh!

I was a much better eater and exerciser today and I spent the better part of the afternoon cutting up veggies so that they would be ready for a quick snack or salad. I even cooked and cut up a package of chicken breast so that I would have some available for lunch this week. I have decided that having good food handy for those times when I just want to grab something will help.

I exercised 2 hours today: 1 hour of cardio and 1 hour of strength. I also walked a few miles in the park with Boop-a-do. Yea! Back on track! Although I was sooooo tired for the rest of the day. I guess that I must not have licked this anemia thing because it just wasn’t that much for how tired I ended up.

I ate great today too: Oatmeal for breakfast, a hearty salad for lunch and a nice sandwich for dinner.

All-in-all a good day! I hope that yours was also.

Ella

PS Megara, I have been taking pictures I just haven’t posted them yet. I will get them uploaded tomorrow.

My Confession

I have a confession to make. I have been eating like an idiot. I don’t think that I have eaten a salad in days. Vegetables? What are they?

Here I am telling Megara to get back on track and I am right down in the mud with her. What a hypocrite!

It is time to start food and exercise journaling again.

So, tomorrow, I will begin and I will post it too for the entire blogging world to see (or at least those of you that read it).

That’s all. I am going to go and clean the junk out of my fridge now.

Have a terrific day!

Ella

A Laugh A Day Makes The Ankle Pain Go Away?

OMG! Pumpkin just told me about the funniest site and I have to share it with you. It is called “F*** My Life” (www.fmylife.com) and is a series of two or three line vignettes where someone is telling you why their life is F***ed up right now. Be warned – this site is a time sink.

Here are a few examples from the site:

Today, I called up the boy I like to ask him on a date. He said “HaHa, that’s a pretty good impression Chris. Next time pick someone less ugly and maybe I’d think this is real.” He thought I was his friend prank calling him. FML

Today, my brother had his fiancé over to meet the whole family. We were having a great time with her, and my mother gushed to her that she was like the daughter she never had. I’m here daughter. FML

Today, I opened my birthday present from my grandfather. It was a map of the USA color coded by regional percentage of available men. FML

Today, I was writing an email to our entire company regarding a fundraiser we are taking part in for children and adults with disabilities. I was rushing to get the email out and hit send before I realized that instead of “Best Regards” I had typed “Best Retards” as the closing line. FML

Okay, you get the idea and hopefully a few laughs. I know that I did.

Today I am nursing my ankle. Karma is still after me. I can’t even Wii on it. Bummer!!

I hope that you have the type of day that doesn’t prompt you to place an entry on the FMYLIFE website,

Ella

Karma's a Bitch!

Okay Blog Readers here’s a funny karma story. Yesterday you might recall that I was bragging on myself just a little bit. Today I fell off the step during the Step class warm-up. At first I thought that I had done some real damage to my ankle but, luckily, it is only a bit hurt and I ended up being able to complete the class after all. It does make me think twice about any future blog bragging though.

“There’s Probably No God. Now Stop Worrying and Enjoy Your Life”. This is the content of a banner ad that a group promoting atheism has purchased to put on the sides of buses in Calgary. There is a response ad from someone that says “Heathens Walk Among You. Beware Calgary. God is Not Happy”.

I don’t know which ad makes me more irritated.

The atheists (The Free Thought Association of Canada … I have trouble with the name) say that they don’t want to insinuate that other people’s beliefs are wrong. They just want to make a case for their own beliefs. Why do they have to be so confrontational though? Where is their case? Why not a case for niceness? Why not a banner that reads “We Have One Life to Live. Let’s Live in Peace” or “Let’s Make Our One Life The Best it Can Be. Be Happy “ or “We Are All One People With One Life. Let’s Enjoy It and Each Other”?

And then there is the response ad which shows the petty meanness inherent in some “God”-based religions. Heathens? It sounds so middle ages. Does it show God’s love and care for all mankind? No it is some Old Testament- style warning crap about God’s potential wrath on Calgary. For a bus ad? Puleease! So GOD is going to rain locusts on Calgary because of an ad on the side of a bus? Wouldn’t it have been a little more Christian to have a bus ad that reads “God Agrees. Enjoy your Life!” or “God Begs to Differ. He is Here and Watching Over You” or “God Loves Everyone Regardless of Whether They Believe or Not … Yes That Means You Too Free Thought Association” or something else Nice (and a little tongue in cheek).

I am on the fence about religion mostly because I find that most organized religions have strayed so far from the original good message of whatever God or Prophet or Holy Teachings that that religion started from. Most religions have such an elitist and exclusionary attitude. It becomes such a “My Belief is Better Than Your Belief” nasty thing. It puts a very bad taste in my mouth about religion.

I would rather take the belief that we have one life to live and, therefore, it behooves us to live that life as best we can. I also believe that we should try to live a good life, a nice life, being nice to people, and respecting their thoughts about religion (whatever those thoughts are). Then, if when we die we find out that there is a Heaven, or reincarnation, or 58 virgins (I don’t know what I would do with mine) then all the better! I look at it as a win-win situation … and I’m all for that.

Have a win-win kind of day!

Ella

Hi Five's for Helga

WARNING! This post is going to be a big ol’ Wii testimonial.

When I ordered the Wii Fit I did it because I thought that just having it around and fun might encourage me to exercise just a little bit more, even if it was just 10 minutes extra a day. I thought that it might be fun but mostly it was just to squeeze out a little more exercise, a few more calories burned. Little did I know that it would help me with my brain – muscle coordination and help earn me a Hi-Five in step class.

Yes, you heard it here first I earned a Hi-Five from the instructor in Step Class! I actually have improved so much that I can make it through 1 segment of the routine without a mistake (maybe only once but it is once more than I used to)!

I think that I am the poster child for stick-to-it-ness at a step class. I have been floundering around in that class for over 6 months. When new folks come in and seem lost the instructor always points to me and basically says “look at her, she is still working at it after 6 months but she’s here”. Naturally, they all “get it” in a week or so and execute complicated routines like they were born to it.

Not I. Every new routine is like having to solve one of those math word problems we all hated in grade school. Every new sub-routine is like learning another language. Well, it was like that … Now, I have enough of the “steps” that I can do several in a row without completely being lost and, back to the testimonial, I thank the Wii Fit.

With Wii Fit you have all these “Balance” games that are really coordination games. I actually have graduated to the advanced level on one of them where just a few months ago my Mii hung her head in shame on every game.

My trainer, Little John, has also noticed a difference with my balance and core strength. I don’t know whether it is the Pilates, the Wii, Step Class or a combination. I’m just glad to say that it’s all working … and I am glad to get that Hi-Five! (Can you tell?)

Have a Wii Kind of Day,

Ella

Gimmie an "F"

I had a great discussion with one of my clients today. It was a discussion about fear. He lives with more fear than I think most people live with but we all have a certain level of fear that we deal with.

A super acronym that Tony Robbins and Jack Canfield use with fear is

False (or Fantasized)
Experiences
Appearing
Real

Think about that, and think about the last time you were fearful. What were the facts of the situation? If we look at the facts instead of the fear how does that change the situation? How does that change how you are able to cope with or handle the situation?

Some people, including my client, invent ways to scare themselves (even more) when they are scared to go for / ask for what they want. They scare themselves by imagining all sorts of “fantasized experiences that appear real” and then they don’t actually go for or ask for what they want. They don’t ask for a raise, they don’t leave a job they don’t like, they don’t delegate, they don’t ask someone out, they don’t, they don’t, they don’t.

How have they limited themselves? And why?

What could your life be like if, when you became fearful you acknowledged it and then looked at the facts instead? If you looked at the potential good outcomes and potential not so good outcomes from a less emotional point of view? How do you think that would feel? I can tell you ... it will be GREAT!!!!!

Have a terrific day!

Ella

PS Dorian update: I hired Little John to take me to our regular vet today. She actually laughed at the Cushing’s Diagnosis. It is a bacterial infection like I found online with my original research.

PPS For the life of me I can't get the formatting right today!