Work it baby!

So last night, the bf and I made it to the gym! That is right I sweated, I cursed, I burned calories and I am not in pain today! I think that is the best part.

Actually, I only did a 30 minute work out just to phase myself back into the whole workout thing. I wanted to take a class but got closed out of it. So I did the stairmaster and the rowing machine.

Afterwards we went to Whole foods to pick up some dinner. We got these really yum chicken apple maple breakfast sausages and made an egg on English muffin dinner and pooped out. We slept like logs!

So now that the momentum started I have to keep it going. I have a pair of jeans I want to fit back in!

"Memories are films about ghosts"

This is a lyric from one of my favorite Counting Crows song "Mrs. Potter's Lullaby"

Anyway, I was chatting with a friend of mine and we were going down a weird path on this so called "memory lane". It was so strange hearing what was being said because I never really thought that we shared the same viewpoint about that moment in time. Plus, we never really talked about it other than to make a few jokes here and there.

I know now more than I did back then but I am not sure if it would have changed the path I am on now.

Memories are always so bittersweet sometimes but they are just a shadow of who we are now. Maybe it is a film about ghosts....some memories haunt us, tickle us, amuse us, cause us pain, cause us joy but each fleeting moment is a memory too. I guess it is the history we each have that makes us who we are.

Water water everywhere and not a drop to drink

Well I am on a quest to buy sneakers for the Y. I have a cute pair of pumas but they are more for fashion than arch support.

So a few weeks we went to a large sport store and I was looking. I have small feet so I have to look in the kids section and it is so depressing. I am too old for hot pink and silver! I just wanted a pair of shoe that can support my arch so I don't get shin splints. Is that so hard to ask?

Well apparently at this store yes! So after dinner we went to a shoe warehouse and it was like shoe heaven for most except me. They did not have my size they did not even sell kid shoes. They had the cutes shoes that I wanted but could only look at or hold.

It is so fucking frustrating because they never have anything that I like as far as sneakers are concerned and for other shoes it cost me a fortune because I have to buy them on line or a posh department stores.

The crappy thing is that I think I may have a pair somewhere in the apartment but it is so disorganized. I swear I am feeling so overwhelmed with all the clutter. I can't find some shoes nor can I unpack the last boxes because we have no where to put them. I am getting aggita just thinking about it seriously.

I am just overwhelmed and pissed off!

Bongos, a baseball bat and two pineapples

Well this weekend for class no less, we went to Swap-O-Rama.

What is Swap O Rama you ask, well it is this huge flea market. In fact there are three in Chicago land and they are huge. We went there for my negations class. We (my team and the BF came because it was not in the safest of areas) had to spend ten dollars and not pay full price. So i started off and got a baseball bat that the BF wanted for $3.00, then we as a team were on this musical theme, got the bongos for $2.00 and two pineapples for $5.00. So then we had to each lug our purchases back to school and discuss.

I got the weirdest looks on the EL heading home...I wonder why!

It started with one....

And lead to a total of four. I am talking about books and Amazon. I love books and I used to be an avid reader. I lost that pleasure when I started to drive to work and when I started grad school. As I am done in three weeks, I am planning on devouring the books that I have started and not yet finished!

Anyway, I had to order a book on Amazon for school because the bookstore ran out. So I innocently went online. A few clicks later I ordered the book and a few other books. But I did it to save money I swear because the more you order you get free shipping. Free..so that was the reason I order the extra books. Yet, I really can't justify spending that much money to save 6 dollars.

Will the shame ever wash off?

Girls only!

So the past two nights I have had girls only nights!

Monday, Diana and I went to the chopping block for a dessert tasting. Basically, the chef created 4 desserts and showed us how to make them, tips of the trade and at the end we got to try them. She made this unbelievable Carmel pecan bread pudding that was so refreshing because it was not overly sweet. Since I am a sweet girl (in so many ways ) I think I may add some semi chocolate chips. I wonder if you can add dried fruit...hmmm that is an idea to!

She made homemade cream puffs. I always though you had to be on top of your game but the puffs were not that complicated. Plus you can add sweet or savory fillings. It may be nice with a cream cheese herb mix.

The chocolate mousse was heaven in a mousse! It was so yum but a bit too sweet. However, it is one I will try.

Finally, she made a coconut banana cream pie. The crust was chocolate and plain graham crackers but the filling was eh. She did not let it set long enough so it was soupy. But I am not much of a coconut person so it worked for me.

Overall, Diana got me hooked on the Chopping block. We have another event next month...Cooking with Wine!

Yesterday, I had dinner with my BF's brother's girlfriend. She is really cool and we haven't hung out without the boys so we decided to grab a bite. We really had a nice time.

The BF has had this horrible stomach bug so he has been out of commission for a while. He was really bad Monday night and yesterday morning. But he started to get better yesterday afternoon. Yukon and Chaplin were good nurses.

Which brings me to something that struck me the other day at the supermarket. We are feeding the cat dry food and he is okay with it. The adoption center did say we can give him wet food now and then. Well we are at Jewel and decided to get him some wet food, we decided on "Chicken medley souffle with garden greens". I was thinking what the hell? It is chicken and veggies! The power of marketing...anyway....the Chicken souffle made a repeat appearance this morning and thus there will be no more chicken medley souffle at our house!

An fast food observation

Have ya noticed that the items on dollar menus are getting smaller?

Yes I poisoned my body with crap....but no worries I will pay for it later!

Munchies

Ok, I am on a munchie fix lately...today besides my breakfast and lunch I munched on pretzles and goldfish crackers!

Tonight I am going dessert tasting with Diana. So more munchies

Dressing in the dark

Don't ya love how it is pitch black in the morning so you can't really see how you look?

Don't you love how you grab your white sweater and light blue bra?

Don't you love it when at 10 am you find out that your light blue bra can been seen under your white sweater!

What a fun day at work I am having!

Almost the one day weekend

It has been a relative slow week here in workville. Cousin it has been on sales calls so she has not the time to send me at least 15 emails an hour (yep she does this). Sadly, she is back tomorrow.

My new class begins on Saturday and I just have to remember that is is just 4 more weeks to go then I am done baby yep DONE!

Chaplin and Yukon are still getting used to each other. Yukon is fine but Chaplin gets brave the safer he knows he is. So when he is in bed he will hiss at Yukon likewise when he is in his room (the bathroom has been jerry rigged to allow the cat in but not the dog). We suspect he is more hissy when he knows Yukon won't get to him. But on the ground they can be within inches of each other without incident. I suppose it is a start!

Poop'ed

To say I am tired is an understatement. I am exhausted it has been a long and stressful week with work and with school. Part of the school thing was my own fault, I should have stated the paper a little while ago. But I did get all 21 pages as a draft done and frankly, I am tired of reading it!

We had some stress this week when we introduced the kids. Yukon has been peeing everywhere, part of it is that she drank all the toilet water the other day and part of it is aggression and territory. When the bf and I started to date and I would go to his apt. she would pee in front of me as if to say "I am the lady here!!" But it worked itself out. I am being a little prematurely paranoid because I want them to get along. But I know that it takes time.

There is still hissing and suspicion but I noticed that they are getting closer in proximity before the hissing begins. So I guess they may be buddies after all. Time I suppose but, I have always been a bit impatient.

On Thursday I hung out with Diana. OMG we have so much fun, she is a blast to hang out with and just talk. I swear we can close out a place if we could. We are going dessert tasting in a few weeks and I am so looking forward to that! She is one awesome chica!

Last night my former boss and friend and I went to support my bf's brother's girlfriend at an event for Spinal Bifida. It was a fashion show and was at this really cool venue. It was good to support here because she is so much fun, the two of us get along so well and I really enjoy hanging out and supporting her. The speaker Graham Webb was amazing and his daughters were the musical entertainment. The fashion show was amazing some of the clothes were just so well done.

Of course, it made me develop a complex! I have been having some body issues lately. I know it is normal but I am just not happy with myself. I know part of it is that I have not been taking good care of myself because of the stress of work and school. It is reeking havoc on my skin and this global warming fall is reeking havoc on my hair. I have been neglecting myself and it is showing and I am not pleased. I just don't feel pretty-ya know.

I am feeling soft in my body and need to firm up as well, But I am doing something about the softness on the belly, we joined the Y so this week will start our first sessions.

Plus to top it all off I got the photos from the wedding and I look like a ghost (as opposed to the orange fake baked bride). I am not a fan of photos of me, I really don't like them, I just don't photo well plus I am not a big fan of the nose. When I was 17 my mom wanted me to get a nose job! But I never did but it has made me so self conscious of my nose and myself in general.

I stopped reading the mags like glamour and cosmo more than 10 years ago because it really made me feel worse than I should have felt. So I am wondering why I care now

I don't know, maybe it is the PMS...

Wow this is a long post from someone who was tired...

Why does 24 hours never seem enough?

It is only Tuesday and I am ready for the weekend! The company just hired a person to worj in our department so she has been shadowing me. She comes to us from a competitor and so she knows the business and the lingo. It is the same team different uniform. But she has been by my side all day today. I like her and she has picked up on a few things already. I can't wait until she is fully functional and can help with the uneven distribution of work weight. I just have to be patient and let the learning curve run to the point of experience.

I am getting ready for my last (!) class on Saturday for Managing Cultural Diversity. It was an okay class and I am working on my final paper. It has to be at least 15 pages and I am up to 13 and still have to work on my final section. At least the prof is being reasonable and the draft is due Friday and the final paper next week. Whew!

On the home front, Chaplin Marcel (that is what the cat has been christened) is doing well. He has the place figured out and he and Yukon are getting to know each other. We have kept Yukon in her crate and let the cat out of the bathroom to wander. This has been day two where they saw each other. Chaplin has gone into the office where she was and hung out and before he was lying in the threshold and they were just looking at each other. Tomorrow we are planning on letting Yukon out and let them formally meet.

Anyway that is life in a nutshell but stay tuned I want to fill you in on some sales rep drama! Fun stuff, I know you are waiting with baited breath!