Falling Off the Wagon...And I Can't Get Up

So last year I decided to begin my get healthier kick about this time of year...well I think it was a few weeks before Thanksgiving. Crazy time to start, right? I don't know what it is about this time of year, but here it is almost November and I am starting to think about it again. I've done pretty well this year. Like anything else in my life, I kind of go through cycles. I do really well at it for weeks at a time, and then not so well for weeks at a time. Usually the not-so-hot periods last longer than the stick-to-it periods. I've decided to torture myself again, but with a bit of a Halloween reprieve. I don't usually go all crazy and rule out all sweets, sugar, junk etc., but I do try to limit them and amp up the exercise. Which for me means more about setting aside time to exercise, not just running around after T (which can take up most of the day some times!), and not so much limiting the junk. However if I know it's Thanksgiving and there will be pies and treats, then I'll make sure the day before I eat well and so on and so forth. Now we're not going for marathon results here or Biggest Loser poundage (although I really think if they'd let me on the show and stay for a week, maybe 2, I could reach my goal and they could kick me off), but small steps...sometimes they're the hardest!

The hardest thing might be getting Mark to jump on board with me. This coming month is pretty busy work wise for him, and he's going to be travelling almost 2 weeks out of the month and that's no good for trying to eat healthy, or exercising, right? We'll see. If I only give him broccoli and steamed chicken to eat at home, maybe we can offset the trips to Carl's Jr., Denny's and the sort, while he travels.

Anyway, I've never been very good at dieting, I don't have a strong willpower about it and when it comes right down to it, I'm pretty lazy, but we'll give it a shot. I think the most weight I've ever lost was during my third trimester, go figure!

I guess this means I need to cram all the junk down my gullet this weekend before I hit the grocery store for all things defined healthy. Any one have any great snack ideas for me? Ones that let you have a good quantity as well as taste? More so, ones that actually fill you up?

We'll see how this goes, exercising might be the trickiest thing to work in to the schedule when you have a husband who travels, works late and a 17 month old (and a gym membership to a place without childcare). Maybe I can force myself back on the treadmill downstairs and work off season two of Lost. I made it through season 1 last time I was on a positive roll...I just have to get back on the wagon. Keep your fingers crossed.

Midnight Writings

Last night, after almost an hour of trying to get someone to go back to sleep at 1:30AM, I laid in bed writing blogs in my head. They were good too. Well written, funny, witty, almost certain to bring about my impending blogosphere celebridom. I contemplated going out to the computer to post them, but my responsible side won out and told me to stop thinking so much and just go to bed. and of course, once I woke up this morning, did I remember any of these wickedly awesome blogs? No. Well, sort of, but not well enough to jot them down. Dang it! It was like literary magic flowing from my brain....blogary magic anyway. Perhaps sometime during the day I will remember them, but I doubt it. In the meantime I'll be working on my "ode" to Adam Lambert.

Readers Choice

I realize I've been in a blogging funk. I had high hopes for myself and my quest into blogosphere celebridom, but alas, I do not think this will be the year it happens.

Even as I sit here typing, I really don't have anything to blog about. Well, that's not true, it's more that I don't feel like blogging about:

• the current Miss California/Perez Hilton flap
• my utter disdain for drivers how refuse to use their turn signals, but ranting about it isn't going to change anything.
• my frustration with paypal and those who try to steal my money? Oh wait, I already did? Okay, we don't need to go there again.
• my thoughts as to why I can't seem to jump on the Adam Lambert train?
• the disappointment I had with the new John Grisham book
• why the Today show feels like it has to use 2.5 of it's 4 hour run to air commercials.
• why this child of mine doesn't seem to ever want to nap longer than 30 minutes even though she's been up for 7 hours
• the non excuses I have for not going to the gym last week

So, any one want to hear me spout off on any one of these pressing topics? Or do you have something you want me to ramble on, share my expertise on or just pretend to be an expert on?? Let me know, I'll whip you up a great blog that the blogosphere will be ever so envious with and will bring me that pseudo fame I am so craving!!

Excuse Me, Did You Step on a Cat?

It's been a devilishly cold start to January here in tropical Minnesota (still warmer than the old hometown though), so it's nice to know that with the cold a little bit of warmth has arrived.Yes, Idol is back on the tube in our household. And while I am sure I will get frustrated with it, like always, I will watch it to the bitter end. It's like a train wreck, you just can't pull your eyes away from it, it sucks you in with no apologies and spits you out sometime in May, demanding your return for the next season.
There will be quality, hilarity, head shaking and Paula... could you really ask for anything more from Fox?

1988 - All Over Again

Since it is very likely that Mark will take this blog political very soon, I thought I might get a word in before that happens. Not on politics though, I'm not going there. Mark would just think "his" blog had been hijacked by some radical socialist spouting crazy talk. Actually I would probably just complain about the whole US election process, the circus it is, how no one actually lays out the specifis of accomplishing all of their promises, just what they will do, and the most annoying part of all, how it just becomes about who can take the lowest swipe at their opponent without breaking the skin.
What I would like to talk about is the only other people who seem to be on TV as much, or more, than anyone/anything political. Who might this be you ask? One acronym - NKOTB. That's New Kids on the Block for those who might be too young to know who I am talking about. Probably the forerunner for the modern day boy band, only from the 80's (how much do you love Donnie's t-shirt?).

I know this dates me incredibly, and if my 17 year old niece was to read this, she probably has no idea who they are and any semblance of coolness I might have once had has now flown out the window, but yes, I was a New Kids fan, and will happily admit I still rock out to their tunes from back in the day. I had the t-shirt with the painted hand prints on the back (Thanks David!), the tapes, the pins... my friend and I would drive down Portage Ave with my mixed tape in the tape player blaring Step By Step - we were THAT cool.
I won't get in to why I think they finally got together...it does make me wonder though since vh1's Bands Reunited tried to get them back together a few years ago only to have Joey say no. Hmm, now he is suddenly all over it? His stint on Wicked is over, Dancing with the Stars flamed out... just sayin'.
Anyway, as they've lipsynched their way through The View and now the Today Show (for the 2nd time this summer), I wonder why I am pulled into watching them. Memories of days gone by? Rekindling the love of an old favourite group? Seeing if their new material can ever top Hangin' Tough or Step By Step?
No, it seems I watch them to try and gauge the level of uncomfortableness shown by Jon, the always painfully shy looking member of the group. He makes me wonder if he even wants to be there. Perhaps brother Jordan pressured him into it? It's not like he ever sung lead on a song or was their unofficial spokesman - they could reunite without him, it would be rude, but they could. It's quite interesting to watch him give a half effort to the outdated dance steps, sleepily lipsynch his way through the lyrics... he just looks like he doesn't care. When interviewed, I don't think he ever leaps to answer a question, and when questioned directly, it's always a nice 2 or 3 word answer. Funny. After 80 million albums sold and throngs of girls screaming for him (and the others), he just doesn't seem to care, or want to be back in the spotlight. I sit there and think, "Is this the song/dance routine he just finally gives up on wand walks off stage?" I doubt it would happen, but I think it would be hilarious if he did!!
I am saddened to say while many a poster of Joey adorned my bedroom walls growing up, I seem to have outgrown the crush. Is it just me or does he not come off as little mister arrogant? Just a thought. Donnie seems to be the most successful, in a non-arrogant sort of way. Remember him in the Sixth Sense?? Did you even know he was in it?
We always laughed at my little sister because she thought Danny was the hottest and we thought he looked like a monkey.
So, am I glad NKOTB has reunited? Meh...doesn't change my life the way it might have a decade ago...okay maybe more than a decade ago. Will I buy their new cd? Nope, but I might download a few old school tunes for my mp3 player though. Boy, will Mark be excited for that and this post since this is how he feels about most of what I write. Oh well, I'll let him rant about Obama, Biden, McCain, Palin and everything in between another day - someone has to be the voice of all things craptainment on here, right?

15 Minutes and Counting

In all of Mark's busy-ness (read: watching youtube videos instead of doing his actual work), why do I think it will be awhile before he actually posts one if his "blog ideas"? Perhaps these are all figments of his imagination playing around in his head when it is not overwhelmed with videos of monkeys, rabid Easter bunnies, police tasers and random Canadian comedy groups singing about Halifax.
I am sure he means well, but I don't think we'll be seeing anything from him in the near future (we better not unless he gets those calls made about getting Air Conditioning installed into my house - pronto - or he might not be heard from for a very long time indeed)!

Speaking of not hearing not hearing from someone for a long time...when exactly does someone's 15 minutes of fame end? I am guessing sooner than a lot of people want it to, so they do anything to keep it going, even if no one cares.

Example:
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1513658317/bctid1513326391
(how funny is it that there is a Chicken Soup for the Soul - American Idol edition?? I thought it was a gag that www.ew.com was to be credited for- but boy was I wrong!)

AND

http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695271435,00.html

I guess it's like all the other "reality" show "celebs" who just don't seem to go away (Flav, New York, Tia, Paris, I am talking to you!), they'll do anything to keep the public from forgetting them and extend their 15 minutes. I'm still waiting for my 15 minutes, so as soon as I achieve that, I will let you know how I plan on extending it!!

This Weeks Vocabulary Lesson

dis·ap·point·ment (from http://www.dictionary.com/)
–noun
1. the act or fact of disappointing: All of his efforts only led to the disappointment of his supporters.
2. the state or feeling of being disappointed: Her disappointment was very great when she didn't get the job.
3. a person or thing that disappoints: The play was a disappointment.
[Origin: 1605–15; disappoint + -ment]
—Synonyms 1. failure, defeat, frustration.

dis-ap-point-ment (from Melanie)

1. walking into DSW armed with 2 coupons, a gift card and birthday money; leaving DSW with a simple pair of keds and a pair of shoes for Mark (why do we always leave with a pair for him even if we entered strictly for the purpose of expanding my shoe collection??)

hope (from http://www.dictionary.com/)
–noun
1. the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best: to give up hope.
2. a particular instance of this feeling: the hope of winning.
3. grounds for this feeling in a particular instance: There is little or no hope of his recovery.
4. a person or thing in which expectations are centered: The medicine was her last hope.
5. something that is hoped for: Her forgiveness is my constant hope. –verb (used with object)
6. to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence.
7. to believe, desire, or trust: I hope that my work will be satisfactory. –verb (used without object)
8. to feel that something desired may happen: We hope for an early spring.
9. Archaic. to place trust; rely (usually fol. by in). —Idiom
10. hope against hope, to continue to hope, although the outlook does not warrant it: We are hoping against hope for a change in her condition.
[Origin: bef. 900; (n.) ME; OE hopa; c. D hoop, G Hoffe; (v.) ME hopen, OE hopian] —Related forms
hoper, noun
hop·ing·ly, adverb
—Synonyms 1. expectancy, longing. 8. See expect.

hope (from Melanie)

1. the knowledge that next week DSW will have received a new shipment of shoes that will allow me to find that ever ellusive perfect flat (but not totally flat), and that next pair of jealousy enducing perfect heels.

Fondue, Fun and Friends!

So, in the quest for discovering the perfect blog topic to rocket me into blogosphere celebrity, I have discovered that I am stumped. Not sure any of my topics would interest more than the handful of folks who peruse these ramblings every now and again.

With that in mind, here are the events of the last few weeks.

For our anniversary, Mark sent me a beautiful arrangement of roses and calla lillies (thank you!) and then we went to see The Simpsons movie for our anniversary... I know, I know ROMANTIC, you're all jealous. But we did have THE most fabulous dinner EVER.

Words can not describe the joy of a night filled with cheese, oil and chocolate fondue. Raspberry Chocolate fondue no less. We stuffed ourselves silly, and then Mark asked for some more bananas to scoop up the remaining chocolate - you can't let it go to waste no matter how much you feel like your stomach is about to explode! A good night all around.

Then bright and early Monday morning, I was off for a few days of girls only fun! I met up with my most awesomest friend Dana in San Francisco. My flight was only a little delayed, so once I got in, we met up and off we went for 4 days of fun, shopping, eating, and more shopping of course! Neither of us had been to San Fran before and we hadn't had a great girls trip since the infamous Winnipeg to Jacksonville Girls Trip of 2000, so this was long overdue! We were able to score a sweet hotel (too bad our room didn't portray that sweetness - I'll leave the sordid details out, but all I need to say is "thin walls") in a great location, so once we got checked in we were off... to the Cheesecake Factory for lunch!! How much better does it get than having a CF on top of a Macy's? So naturally, after eating, we shopped and shopped and shopped. Too bad we never went back to the hotel with any bags!

The next morning we narrowly made our boat out to Alcatraz (Dana and I are debating entering the next Speed Walkers Olympics!), and enjoyed a day on "The Rock", after which we wandered around the Wharf, ate some sourdough bread, Ghiradelli's hot fudge sundaes, watched the Sea Lions, and ripped every muscle in our calves from walking up and down cliff sized streets. A little old lady pushing a stroller passed by us as we rested our sorry butts on some stairs!! I don't know if I have ever seen a steeper street than on the way up to see the crooked part of Lombard Street (and I have climbed Bear's Hump!! You Canadians know what I mean!).

We saw the Golden Gate Bridge, walked part way across it (we didn't know what we would find on the other side!) encountered a man with diarrhea on the bus (NOT fun), killed the battery on my camera, shopped more, found this great little Italian place in North Beach with a hot waiter, and just had a ton o' fun! I highly recommend girl's only trips!

Since then it has been back to the grind, just working and shopping for appliances and furniture; Which I am happy to say, WE ARE DONE!! Well we need to get some curtains, but I think I know what I want. We've probably spent every weekend for the last month and a half going out every Saturday to "shop" for appliances, a table and a couch.

We are excited though, only a week and a half until we close and can get out of apartment living. The last nail in the coffin occurred Monday morning. Mark left for work about 6:45 and shortly after, he called to tell me to take the elevator down, not the stairs. Apparently two residence-challenged folk were camped out on our stairs. Not a huge deal, right? It is when they are sleeping INSIDE your interior staircase that does not open from the outside!! Mark had to step over both of them to get down the stairs. A little freaky, and you just hope no one wakes up as you are lifting your leg up over them!!

We are more than ready for all that comes with being a homeowner!

So, I guess my search for the blog topic to make me a household name continues -I'll take some suggestions if anyone has some.

And that brings you up to speed with the Smith's!

Until Next Year...

Another year come and gone.

And this year it goes to a team named after a Disney movie. Granted they aren't the same guys who played on the team in the movie... but who names a professional sports team after a Disney movie? Ottawa fought hard, and it would have been great to see them take home the cup, but it wasn't their year I guess. Anaheim outplayed and outscored them, so it's only fair they get to take home the big prize. It's a great reward for a great hockey player - Selanne congratulations, Winnipeg was rooting for you (even if they were cheering for Ottawa!).

Ottawa you fought the good fight, we'll be behind you next season! Enjoy the Cup Anaheim, it's coming home next year!