Cruise Blues, take 5

Went into San Francisco today to pick up my passport. I've been praying so hard and so much the last couple of days.

They had my passport ready!

Not only that, but when I checked my P.O. Box, my new Visa check card was there, along with my new California ID, and an extra surprize - someone found my ID at Bay To Breakers and sent it back to me! I'm drowning in ID, lol! God has a sense of humor.

Back at work today, though still sick. It's my last day of work before vacation so I needed to come in and clean up some stuff before I go.

Anyway, the trip is a go! Yea!!!!!!!!! (c:

Cruise Blues, take 4

Even though I'm sick, I went to the passport office this morning and applied for an emergency passport. They said to come back Thursday after 11 a.m. The process was very easy - too easy.

I'm worried because she wrote down the expiration of my old expired ID card. I'm worried they'll deny my application because I don't have a current valid ID. She had no interest in my DMV receipt that says I applied for a new one. If they deny me I will be out of luck. Old Navy refused to exchange - not refund, EXCHANGE - a pair of jeans because I had no recepit and no current ID. Could the government be any better? Somehow I think they will be worse.

I called U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and they said I could get on the boat; I just might not be able to get into Canada. Somehow, I don't believe it.

At any rate, I'm home sick (have tomorrow off, too), and very worried. Please pray for this situation with me. This is a once on a lifetime chance. I don't want to miss it because some idiot steals my ID.

My sucky day

Well, I'm sick. Coming down with a cold. I managed to find someone to fill in for me tomorrow. I still have to run into the city and do all that (and get up really early to do that), but in the evening I should be able to stay home and relax (I hope!).

I thought I was supposed to do overtime, but it was changed and I somehow didn't hear. I'd bought groceries and was heading to work when I discovered this. So I took the groceries home and, since I was already quite awake, decided to go to the gym. I walked for 5 minutes on the treadmill, then found an empty elliptical machine and stayed on that for a whole hour. Walking felt so weird after that, lol. Then I headed to work.

Cruise Blues, take 3

And we're back to stressing again. Dad called me and said to call Princess Cruises and take to a specific person and ask them if I had enough documentation. They had no clue who the person was, so I told the lady who answered what was going on. She was gone a long while getting an answer and then told me to call the US Immagration and Naturalization service. They told me it might not be enough, so no promises of getting on the ship. I did so and they told me to go to the Website for US Customs and Border Protection. A Website! No phone number. On the Website I was able to get the phone number. They were closed. So I can't do anything but worry until tomorrow. And pray like hell. I am so not amused.

And I feel icky. I have a sore throat, runny nose, and have been sneezing like crazy. Looks like I caught a cold from all the stress.

Jane Austen Heroines Quiz

Take the Quiz here!

:: L I Z Z Y ::

You are Elizabeth Bennet of Pride & Prejudice! You are intelligent, witty, and tremendously attractive. You have a good head on your shoulders, and oftentimes find yourself the lone beacon of reason in a sea of silliness. You take great pleasure in many things. You are proficient in nearly all of them, though you will never own it. Lest you seem too perfect, you have a tendency toward prejudgement that serves you very ill indeed.

---

That totally doesn't fit me.

Cruise Blues, take 2

Ok, I have an appointment at the passport agency in San Francisco. But since even a really expidited passport takes 3 days, and I am leaving the morning of day 3, I doubt it will help.

The people at church prayed for me because I knew there was an old expired California ID in my closet. It might help to have that. Anyway, they prayed God would float it to the top of wherever it was hiding, like He did with the ax head in the Old Testament, and I went searching for it this afternoon. I found it! My social security card was with it, too, and a second certified copy of my birth certificate. My plan is to try to pass off the ID as a current ID; if someone catches it, I'll produce the receipt from the DVM. I know this will work at the airport because I did it last year (out of 4 total flights, only 1 person caught that it was expired and with the receipt they allowed me through). So pray that this will work and I'll be able to get on the ship!

Cruise Blues

The cruise is so shaky right now. Princess Cruises says I have to have a state issued ID card. Mine was stolen. I do have a photocopy of that card that 24 Hour Fitness made when I joined. They use the photocopy of it to identify me. I also have a school issued ID with my name and photo, and a certified birth certificate, and a receipt from the DVM saying that I applied for a new card.

They are still telling me it's not good enough for Princess. I bet it will be enough for the airlines. So now we are exploring getting an emergency passport. I had the photos taken today. I'll keep you all updated on what happens and whether the trip happens. Please pray for me.

Everything is so messed up now!

My first reaction was to want to binge on carbs. Somehow I held that off and decided that even with this bad news, I was going to the gym anyway. I was wearing lighter clothes than usual, but I was so happy to keep moving that small slider further and futher left and hit a new low - 151.75!

That motivated me to stick to my diet, and at the gym I did an hour on the cross training eliptical thingy. Then I did some sit-ups, and then jumped in the whirlpool. Finally I showered at the gym before heading home. I had dinner and am now working on my food journal.

Milestones

Today marks 15 months since I began working out and trying to lose weight. Woohoo! Go me! :)

Well, tomorrow I go back to the gym for the first time since the race. I know I'm going to weigh more. Bleh. I try so hard to lose weight. I hate seeing the scale climb and climb, but it always does.

I worked a half day Monday and Tuesday, and today is my first full shift since the race. I tried to get my ID card replaced on Monday, but surprize! that was the one Monday a month they are closed. Lucky me. So I had to go back again on Tuesday. A new ID card is now in the works.

At least I got my BART and bus tickets replaced Monday, and cashed a check from my Dad as well as my federal refund check, which I used to buy groceries. Tuesday I stopped at the store on my way home from the DMV and bought a bunch of different kinds of cat food. I had some coupons I wanted to use, and I saw a bag on Purina Indoor Formula which they love and I like to buy as a treat. I fed them the Whiskas last night and discovered they really like it. The ingredients are pretty horrible (corn meal is the first ingredient), but the cats love the taste. I try to give my babies mostly Eukanuba because I think it's the highest quality food on the market. Their coats seem softer when they are on it. However, I think they also like variety, so I feed them other foods sometimes.

I hope I can fly come next week. I managed (and it was a true miracle I found it) to find an old college ID card from 10 years ago that has my name and picture. I hope that the college ID along with the receipt from the DMV will get me through security. I can't find the spare ID I used last year, which was an expired California ID. I looked everywhere I could think to in my closet, but came up empty. I will not lose the college ID, too!

My pictures from the race are on Sport Photo, but will only be up for a limited time. To view them go here and enter bib number 4789.

Victory!, take 2

I am soooo sore today. I can deal with my legs and back, but my left shoulder has a kink and I can't turn my head very far. I hope it goes away.

I have to go out to the DMV, which is about a mile walk each way since no bus goes down that street. *sigh* Not looking forward to that, but it has to be done. I guess the excercise will be good for me, though.

Other than the extreme soreness I feel pretty good. I think I need to add more carbs to my diet. I like having that kind of energy.

Oh yeah, when I went to pick up my t-shirt yesterday, it felt so good to ask for a medium instead of a large. :)

Victory!

Ok, I have good news and bad news about the race I ran today. Which would you like first? Ok, the bad news it is then.

I had my ID card (I don't have a driver's liscense), my credit card (already cancelled it), and my bus and BART passes either lost or (more likely) stolen. I'm mostly upset about the BART pass. There was $55 of train fare on it. I'm soooo not happy about this.

Now for the good news.

I made my goals! I ran all the way to the bottom of the Hayes Street Hill - just over 2 miles in - before slowing to a walk. My other goal was to beat my previous time of about 1:37 to finish and I did come in at about 1:37:05. Well, my actual time. My real time was much more because it took me 10 minutes to get across the start line. Whoever was planning this event did it rotten.

At any rate, I made both my goals. I think I ran MOST of the 7.5 miles (12k). :) Don't know how I can improve on that.

The carb loading yesterday (and carbohydrate gel packs today) REALLY helped. I could feel a big difference over last year. I had sooo much energy. I binged on pizza yesterday. This morning I had a slice of leftover pizza for breakfast with my coffee. I took some off brand Gatorade to the race with me for the carbs, then had a carb gel pack a 1/2 hour before the race, like the pack said to do. I had the second one around mile 3. I could have used a third, lol.

At Footstock a dairy was giving away single servings of chocolate milk, so I had that. Then I got my t-shirt and headed to a bus to start home.

So I'm upset about the lost passes that were worth so much. A new ID card will cost $20. But I am pleased about how well I did. I didn't think I had it in me. :-)

Abby's found!

I called to her as I walked home from the bus and after four days of silence I got a response meow. It took me about a half hour to get her up the stairs (I think between my calling her and her meows, we probably woke half the people in the building), but I finally helped her navigate the building back to our apartment. So she's home. Thank God! I am never letting her outside again!!! Argh! Her and Xena are now getting reaquainted, and she's been stuffing her face with tons of both wet and dry food.

Thank You God!

Up about a pound and a half today, but I expected that. I lose water weight from my period and then gain most of it back. Tomorrow will be my last workout before the race so I'm thinking I should do the treadmill. Today I did 30 minutes on the stairmaster. I was dripping sweat all over the floor.

Once again my pants are looser and my weight is up. I can't wait for my pants to seem tighter again because my weight is always down then! I'll be into those goal size 8s very soon!

I have zippo in my checking account, but I had $27 in cash and used it to buy basics that I'm about to run out of - bread, lunchmeat, cheese, and wine. Yes, I do consider wine a basic, lol! I also bought no carb salad dressing and a sugar free energy drink. I think these sugar free ones are best - there's no blood sugar crash after the sugar rush.

I'll be binging this Saturday before the race. That means I can eat anything I want at the lunch potluck, and for dinner I'm thinking I'll order out PIZZA. Lots of carbs in regular pizza. I still have to buy Gatoraid to take to the race with me. Best hydrating stuff for massive physical activity.

Wish me luck that day and that I can run for a long ways before I have to slow to a walk.

I obviously won't be weighing myself for a couple days after the race - carbs make me retain water. I'm usually sore for three days afterward anyway, so I can't imagine that I'd even be thinking about the gym until at least Wednesday.

Do you take too many online quizzes?

Your Score: 70 / 310

YOUR SCORE
22.6%
70.0 points out of 310

AVG SCORE
44.0%
136.5 points out of 310

31907 have taken this test so far.
27944 people have scored higher than you.
2977 people have scored lower than you.
986 people made the same grade as you.

What does this mean?
70 points is in the 21 through 50 percent range

Everyone taking this test has a problem with online quizzes, but your problem isn't nearly as bad as it could be. You take more tests than you should, but it doesn't interrupt your life, at least not as much as the rest of your online habits probably do.

How did you do?

World's Smallest Political Quiz

ACCORDING TO YOUR ANSWERS,
The political description that fits you best is...

CENTRIST

CENTRISTS espouse a "middle ground" regarding government
control of the economy and personal behavior. Depending on
the issue, they sometimes favor government intervention
and sometimes support individual freedom of choice.
Centrists pride themselves on keeping an open mind,
tend to oppose "political extremes," and emphasize what
they describe as "practical" solutions to problems.

The RED DOT on the Chart shows where you fit on the political map.


Your PERSONAL issues Score is 40%.
Your ECONOMIC issues Score is 30%.
(Please note: Scores falling on the Centrist border are counted as Centrist.)

Well, that puts paid to Magnum's contention that I'm an ultra-conservative right-wing Republican, lol. Every political test I take puts me in a politically moderate catagory.

What's your score?

Bay To Breakers

Well, the big race is Sunday! I'm going to carb up the night before - low carb doesn't work when you have a 7.5 mile race ahead of you! Here goes (I hope) something! In the meantime, you can check out the pictures from 2003 and 2004. I hope to do a similar photo journal this year.

Me last year:

Abby, take 2

Just a note that there has been no sight or sound of Abby. :( I fear I will never see her again. Xena is lonely and having to play with her toys because she doesn't have Abby to tackle. She seems really happy when I come home so that she has at least my companionship.

Books

Haven't been too hungry today. After I got to work I got bored and wrapped up in the book "Till We Have Faces" by C.S. Lewis. And I saw the story in a whole new light, like seeing through new eyes, and so I wept and wrote and tried to put it all into words. So eating since lunch fell by the wayside. Now that that's all over, I'm getting hungry, lol.

Now that that book is done I can get into Jon Krakauer's "Under the Banner of Heaven" about a guy who kills a couple people because he thinks God told him to.

After THAT I need to read (and some re-reading of) the Narnia series. There's 7 short books; I've read 5; I understood 3. Now I have a book that helps explain Lewis' metaphors, so I am ready to attack the series yet again.

I've taken to staying up late to do my Bible reading, sitting in bed with a flashlight. Saturday I spent nearly an hour at it, catching up on the readings I'd fallen behind on.

Guestmap & counter added

Been doing more updating and created a guestmap. Please take time to stick your pin in. The guestmap can be found in the left hand column. I also added a counter that is at the bottom of the left hand column.

Till We Have Faces

I wanted to finish the book since so much more reading is piling up. As it is I stay up late doing my Bible reading by flashlight. So I just finished the book. I read the last half in about 2 days. I should know better than to do that. Reading deep stuff so quickly always makes me cry.

I found myself crying at the end, because it was my story, my prayer. The whole story, as I guess Lewis intended, and Orual's final prayer. "Long did I hate you, long did I fear you." Oh God, that was so me! Now, 10+ years after reading this the first time, I understand. I understand so clearly. It moves me to tears (I am crying now). How could I have been so blind for so many years?

I had always thought of Ungit as somehow good. Gods have to be good, right? I never saw that she was a metaphor for all that was ugly and sinful in us - a profane love that was not really love.

It is odd to read this book through new eyes. We are Psyche. What that means I do not know. But reading this book a second time I see many of the layers I missed the first time. This is not like the Narnia series where the metaphors or often easy. This is a hard, deep book, meant for adults. I see many Christian metaphors I missed the first time because my head was with HER instead of Him. It's like how I used to read the Bible and it never made sense. Then, after I became a Christian, it became the most wonderful book and I began to study it with new eyes, and saw many things I'd overlooked before.

And still I feel I've missed so many nuances in the book. Things just beyond my ability to speak them. I had difficulty enough putting anything into words and scribbling notes in the book where I could form the words. Many things, I think, have double meanings. Lewis was a master with words. It has a meaning in the book, and another, deeper, Christian meaning.

All of this went over my head the first time. I didn't understand a tenth of what Lewis was trying to convey. I guess I did not have a face then; I was not ready to listen to the truth, both the truth about me, and the truth about God (there's that double meaning again!).

I could go on forever. There's not time nor space enough to write everything Lewis wove into this story. All I know is I thank God for showing me my life in these pages. That the girl who was first handed the book was Orual, not able to hear the truth, not yet ready for the answer that would unmake her, change her. I know I'm not perfect. I won't truly have a face until the day I die and stand before God. But every day I die a little and become more the woman God wants me to be. "Long did I hate you, long did I fear you." But no more. No more.

Headcovering

As many of you know, I wear a headcovering in accordance with 1 Corinthians 11.

Anyway, my new coverings came today. My old ones cover all of my now-much-shorter hair and make it hard to show off the blue/green color. So I ordered two small triangles (about 1/4 of the way down the page), one pink and one white, and just for the heck of it, a versangle to play around with (top of page). I got the white peachskin.

[Edit: Here's another post on headcovering.]

Abby

Abby's missing. I had the door open Saturday so she could get some fresh air and I took Xena out on the leash. Evidentally, Abby got out, and I shut the door thinking she was in. She didn't come back last night; there were no mournful meows. She's never been gone more than 24 hours before so now I am really worried that something has happened or that she wandered off and got lost or something. :(

Father, please watch over and protect her and bring her back to me safe and sound. Amen.

Here's a picture of her I took a while back:



Please come home, dear one.

Popular baby names

Ever wonder how popular your name was the year you were born? How about today? Or the breakdown by state? Or when it reached its height of popularity? The government's Popular Baby Names page can answer all of these questions.

For example, for the year I was born (1971), my name ranked #98 in popularity. The #1 name that year was Jennifer. "Victoria" hit it's popluar height in 1998 and 1999 in 16th place.

Abortion and Mother's Day

Think these two ideas are opposites? After all, abortion keeps a woman from becoming a mother. That's the whole idea. But, thanks to the National Organization for Women (NOW), these two ideas have been brought together in a beautiful Mother's Day bracelet bearing a charm reading "Keep Abortion Legal."

Is this more or less tasteless than the "Choice on Earth" Christmas cards they introduced a few years ago?

Well, I did only so-so today because it's Sabbath. I started the day with coffee with flavored creamer, 4 low carb cookies, several ounces of berries, and some cheese. For snack I had several small handfuls of peanuts and just a few cheese crackers.

Lunch was Jane's salad, a small piece of fake chicken, peas and carrots, and a bunch of Keto fake sweet potatoes (my offering). Unsweetened iced tea to drink with a packet of Splenda. While everyone else munched on small packets of candy during the DNA class, I had a low carb candy bar.

At home I had a ham and cheese sandwich on low carb bread and sipped a couple glasses of wine over the course of the evening.

I took down the recycling, rinsed out the fishtank (2 gallons with just one fish), and prepared tomorrow's lunch for work - Dreamfield's pasta, chicken, veggies, and some Alfredo sauce. Also a ham and cheese sandwich (low carb bread), yogurt, and strawberries.

Before bed I had some low carb/low fat ice cream, and after this something else I don't recall at the moment.)

National Day of Prayer Prayer

Here's the prayer the Presidential Prayer Team suggested praying on the National Day of Prayer. They said to pray it at noon Eastern time, wherever you are. Well, those who know me know that I am usually barely awake at that time, and on this day, I was still fast asleep. So I just prayed it at noon my local time.

PRAYER FOR THE NATION
Written by Max Lucado

Dear God,

Not to us, O Lord, but to You goes all the glory.

We depend on you. You give birth and breath and determine our days. You make every nation and set every boundary. We exist by your power.

We exist for your glory. Showcase your power through this land. Display your justice in our courts, wisdom in our governments, guidance in our schools and love in our homes.

Have mercy upon our sins. We have disrespected Your word, disregarded your gifts, discarded your children. We are sorry. Forgive us, dear Father.

Grant strength to all our leaders. May they serve you first and honor you most. Remind us of the brevity of this life and the beauty of the next. Prepare our souls for the day we meet You in eternity.

This we pray in your holy name,

Amen

More Overtime Ahead, and Slowly Losing Weight

Have more overtime this week - Sunday and Monday I'm doing 12 hours. Yea for the money; blah for my energy level. Got in only 2 workouts this last week. Still, it was my one week a month that I lose weight, and I did hit a new low. Yea!!!

Here's my new ticker. I'll bounce up next week; let's just hope I don't bounce as high as I did last month.



I also made a ticket that will change over time, to track how long since I began this weight loss journey.



I'm making slow but sure progress! :)

National Day of Prayer

Today is not just Cinco de Mayo - Mexican independance, but also the National Day of Prayer, which happens the first Thursday of May. I urge you to pray for our country, our leaders (national/state/local), and our world. And especially you the safety of all our troops serving overseas. However you feel about the war, these men and women need our prayers for safety. More later when I have time.

Marine cleared in mosque shootings probe

A Marine corporal who was videotaped shooting an apparently injured and unarmed Iraqi in a Fallujah mosque last year will not face court-martial, the Marine Corps announced Wednesday.

---

I must say I am glad to hear this. I saw the video, and given the circumstances, this man made the decision to protect his life and the lives of his comrades, as well as the civiliar cameraman from NBC. The insergents could have easily hidden weapons under their clothes and figured, "We're going to die anyway; let's take some Americans with us."

Sorry folks, but as sad as any death is, this one was justified.

Books

So let's see. Forgot to take my meds and B vitamin this morning. I had a 16 oz. Rock Star and that helped perk me up and has the B vitamins that I've discovered my body craves.

Stopped at the bookstore to use the restroom (because of the drink, lol) and buy the book Under the Banner of Heaven about a couple guys that kill a couple people because God told them to. True story out of Mormon country by John Krakauer.

Still reading Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis, and trying to keep up on my Bible reading and in the DNA class at church. Also, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is coming out as a live action movie in December. It's currently in post-production. I am sooo much like Edmund so I need to get my butt in gear and read the whole series. So far I've read only five of the books and only understood the Christian themes in three. Now I have a book that explains the themes and I need to reread the series with that book in hand. So I have enough reading to last a very long time, lol.

Narnia Quiz, take 2

Our dear sweet Brian at CHR said the following. It was too good not to share and shows that I'm more like Edmund than I might think:

From: Pendell1 4:12 am
To: Stumbling To Bethlehem (Newbirth) (9 of 16)

Hmm .. Edmund bound himself to an evil goddess and from her partook of forbidden things that his friends never did.

Later, he repented, and She demanded his life of him. He was saved because Aslan sacrificed himself to save him, releasing him from his bondage to Her.

He later proved instrumental in Her defeat at the battle of the Fords of Bruinen, because he had the sense to smash her WAND, taking away her ability to turn people into stone, although he was grievously wounded in the process. He grew up to become a grave and thoughtful man, made deeper by his repentence then before.

Of course this bears no resemblence to you at all :).

Narnia quiz!

As Edmund, while you may be quick to lose your temper or appear unfriendly, you are known for doing the right thing in the end.

[Update: Brian interprets this quiz for me. He's so right on that it gives me shivers.]

New poll feature!

I added a poll to the sidebar today and made up several polls that should rotate. Everyone can vote once in each poll.

Enjoy! :)

What Kind of American English do you speak?

Your Linguistic Profile:

60% General American English

20% Upper Midwestern

10% Yankee

5% Dixie

0% Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

Happy birthday to me

Woohoo. I'll be nine tomorrow. No, not physically. ;) Physically I'm 34 and my b-day is in January. I'll be nine spiritually. Nine years since I crossed that line and decided to follow the God I find in the Bible rather than the goddess in the Craft. It seems like just yesterday that Charles was nine and I was the baby Christian being helped out. Now I'm older and wiser. I can't get away with the childish games I used the pull.

God expects more as you get older, just as any reasonable parent expects more from their child every year...from walking and talking to basic math to algebra, and all the way up to going to college. Sometimes I don't like getting older precisely for this reason - I don't WANT more responsibility.

Ahhhhh...it ain't all roses.

I'm just tired today due to the 12 hour shift I'm working. Don't mind me.

What Color is Your Heart?

The pictures at Quizzila appear to be down right now; hopefully they'll be back up later.

For now, I give you this:


Your Heart is Blue

What Color is Your Heart?
brought to you by Quizilla

Overtime

All this overtime has shot my workout program to hell. I was told today that they want me back in at 11 a.m. tomorrow to work until 11 p.m. Cool. I need the money. But that means that tomorrow's errands will have to be moved to Wednesday, my next free day, so I won't be able to work out that day. There goes one workout session.

God help me. I love the money, but I'm not getting as much excercise and I'm tired from getting up so dang early. I have to get up at 8:30, which to me is like 6 a.m. to you...way too early.

More gains

Well, I gained 1/4 pound over the weekend so I am 155.5 today, and that was with fewer clothes on that usual, so I was probably more. My low last month was 154.1 so for the first time ever I didn't make my goal of starting TOM at my old low weight. :( I lost only 2.3 pounds all last month. I am terrible. I am sticking to my diet. I think I need to lower my calories more.

Swam for over an hour. A guy struck up a conversation with me so we chatted and swam laps back and forth. It made the time go fast. I was just shooting for 1 hour of swimming and I did 1:10. I was actually starting to get chilled. The "warm" pool wasn't warm anymore. I was downright cold! Jumped into the whirlpool, although it wasn't as hot as it needed to be.

No trouble with TOM while swimming since this is day 1, but sure did start as soon as I got out!

Looks like I'll only make it to the gym twice this week. I got called in for overtime tomorrow. Then Tuesday I have an appointment, and Wednesday I have to check my mail (I was supposed to do it tomorrow). Thursday I can go to the gym and that's it. Friday's my day off and I prefer to stay home if possible. We'll see. Since TOM will be winding up I might go just to see the scale drop. LOL

I feel like I'll never make my goal losing 2 pounds on a good month, down from 3. Pretty soon I'll be lucky to lose a pound in a month.