Pages

Saturday, February 23, 2013

The Slipped Disc Debacle

So I've been down since Valentine's day. Yes, my bloody back decided to throw a bitch-fit on the most romantic and loving holiday of the year. The first year in forever that I might have had a valentine to share it with. That's what I get for trying to make plans - life just laughs in my face! C'est la vie . . .

However, the good thing about being down is that it has allowed me to catch up on my shows (and read a couple of fantastic books)! And my nails and hair have never looked better. I've learned new braiding techniques and read all my favorite blogs. I've researched new products and I've got a shopping list a mile long! My dog is sufficiently more spoiled and I'm going out of my mind.

Now if only I could walk without looking like an 80 year old grandmother. I am slowly getting better though. Let's just hope it happens before I die from lack of human contact with the outside world. Oh, how I miss my friends and being able to put my pants on without wanting to cry! Looks like I might be wearing dresses for a while.

In other news, because of my back issues, I've had to take a break from the C25K training. I'm itching to get well and back into the groove of things that I had going before. I will probably be taking it pretty easy for a while and my doctor has mentioned to work with yoga or Pilates to help strengthen my lower back. I'm looking forward to that. And I've also been pondering the idea of investing in a fluidity bar. Ballet stretches are supposed to be amazing for the back. 

As for the Nutrisystem diet, I managed to last a week. It just wasn't right for me. I've given the rest of my product to my best friend and am hoping the best for her. I'll try to update her progress with her consent, of course. Instead, I'm going to start Weight Watchers as soon as I'm off the steroids my doctor has given me. Bloating and sodium retention does not make weight-loss easier, that's for sure.

I'm going to try to venture out in the world tomorrow. And to make a trip Ulta. What's better motivation than a new lip gloss and nail polish?! I can't think of one! I'm also in the process of researching male skincare. I just need a guinea pig to allow me to design a skincare routine for him. I have a few chaps in mind. I'm sure it'll come as quite a shock when I ask them to go along with my plans for the sake of research for my blog (that they likely have no idea exists). Here's hoping I've got some open-minded male friends!

Wish me luck and a quick recovery, readers! I could really use the positive and uplifting vibes!!


-xx-

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Humpday Update

So it's the middle of the week and I've officially been on Nutrisystem for 3 days. I want to gouge my eyes out and eat them. Honestly, I'm not sure that I've ever been on a diet as terrible as this one. Sadly, I'm not sure that I'll be able to continue on with it. This blows because I had such high hopes for it. 

It is, however, obscenely convenient. It's supremely easy to follow - if only it didn't leave me so damn hungry I could gnaw my own arm off. And to be completely honest, the little food you do get to eat is disgusting. Granted, I was not expecting gourmet meals or anything, but seriously this stuff is damn near inedible. But I expected this. Not for the food to be as barf-worthy as it is, but still. That wasn't the deal-breaker though. 

The deal-breaker for me comes from the fact that this food simply does not agree with me. I'm not sure what ingredient they pack into this food, but I'm intolerant of it. Add to this that you also have to eat dairy (I'm lactose intolerant) and this has made me a very unhappy girl. Had I known all this before hand, I never would have ordered it in the first place. 

But that's neither here nor there, I've ordered it and the deed is done. I'm going to hold out for as long as I can, but I can hear Weight Watchers calling my name already. My original plan was to get myself acclimated to this diet the first week and start C25K the next week. I'm still planning on C25K next week, but I'm not sure where I'll be with Nutrisystem. 

Wish me luck!

-xx-

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Nostalgic Morning Music!

This morning I had an interesting and entertaining text conversation about vivid dreams with a good girlfriend of mine. I can't help but believe that this start has set the tone for my day. I've been abundantly happy and bubbly - possibly even a little giggly. Hmm, perhaps I'm a touch sleep deprived? Regardless, as I popped my happy ass in the car to grab some grub this morning (yes, fast food. don't judge! i've said my new new year starts tomorrow) I turn on some tunes only to find:




I cannot begin to describe the joy this gave me. I'm sure passers-by had quite the show as they watched me unabashedly shake my ass to this song in my car. Betwixt the dancing there can be no doubt that my face held a gloriously cheesy smile as I basked in the memories of my childhood spent in the roller rink on skates. As the song was ending and just before the depression of seeing a familiar and warm childhood memory melt away kicked in the beginning chords of this next song kicked in.



I couldn't believe it! How lucky could one girl get? If you're anything like me, when I have the radio on I'll stop searching when I hear one good song and then groan loudly as some crap disguising itself as music comes on next. It's an endlessly frustrating cycle. I damn near worship the fact that I have an AUX input in my car. Unfortunately, my cable has a short in it. Hence the radio tunes. I digress.

Third Eye Blind takes me back to my earliest years in undergrad. And yes, I realize the song was released in 1997, but I was too young then to fully enjoy the meaning. My group of friends had dubbed this song as "ours". It spoke to us on the level that we were all young kids born in the mid to late 80s (just beginning our love affair with seedy bars and alcohol), most of whom had previous experience in recreational experimentation (to put it politely), missing 90s music. There was that and the fact that I had been in love with Stephan Jenkins since the band released their first album. Back when I had no idea what the song actually meant. Who cares? I still love this song and I rocked it like no other this morning - there's no room for shame in my game! 

An atrocious commercial about a dating website came on after Mr. Jenkins and I promptly changed the station only to hear the sweet, sweet sound of Sublime. 


 

Another fantastic song from 1997 - Damn, that was a good music year - that I couldn't appreciate until later in life. I discovered Sublime in high school and this song particularly takes me back to good times and memories of great friends! It's really such a shame that Bradley Nowell overdosed in '96. He was such a great talent. It makes me especially sad when I think of some of the stuff that passes for decent music now. That's neither here nor there, though! Obviously, I had a great morning filled with lovely music from my younger years and felt like sharing! Do you have any particular songs that just take you back to your childhood and adolescence?

-xx-

Saturday, February 2, 2013

My (late!) New Year

I began the new year with bright eyes and a head full of resolutions. This year I was going to be full on - no matter what, shit was going to get done. Unfortunately, my list of resolutions might have been too ambitious to accomplish all at once. Putting down the cigarettes, cutting down on the alcohol intake, starting a new diet, sticking to an intense beauty/skincare routine, beginning C25K, and getting back into a gym routine may have been a tad too much, too fast. 

These are all still my resolutions. I have no doubt that I can accomplish them. When I become determined to do something, I do it. That's how I've made my way through college and how I'm making my way through graduate school. However, I do have the tendency to get overwhelmed. That feeling you get when you have so much shit to do that you don't do any of it? That's what January 1st felt like to me. 

I awoke the morning of the new year still battling a wicked cold, hungover from imbibing too much the night before, and thought about my new resolution of thoroughly cleansing my face before I did anything else. I slowly trudged to my bathroom with a thick head and brushed my teeth. Realizing that my head pounded horribly as I leaned over the sink, I skipped the facial cleansing in favor of a cleansing cloth, made my way down the stairs to my coffee pot and promptly lit a cigarette. All thoughts of quitting, the new diet, the gym, and C25K went down the drain with that first delightful drag. 

I squandered away the first month of 2013 ashamed that I hadn't made a single dent in my list of things to do. Then it occurred to me that it doesn't matter when you decide to start something, as long as you start it! And that's what this blog will be about. My (slow) journey through all these resolutions. Slow and steady wins the race, right?

And because I'm a procrastinator and tomorrow is Downton Abbey (eep!) night, my new New Year will start on Monday!
Follow my blog with Bloglovin