I made my goal of 145 for September. Barely...but I made it! I ended July just over 147, so hopefully I am losing again. I'm using the diet pills to control my appetite and they seem to help. I can eat less without totally screaming for food. I know I gained in August - mostly water, but I gained a lot. Bleh. My ultimate goal is 140. I hope to make it by the end of the year. I ran out of Leptopril, but will be buying more on Sunday (when my Gold Card discount kicks in).

I have never weighed this little my entire adult life!

Oh, and I downloaded FireFox with Greasemonkey and a user script from WhiteMare on Delphi and now I can do fonts and colors on my Mac, both on Delphi and About (although it doesn't work perfect on About) without hand coding the HTML. I can't change my sig on About, though.

Going up...

Up to 145 today. Oh well.

I have a bottle of dessert wine in my cupboard that I am saving for goal.

2500 hits!

I just noticed that the hit counter has gone over 2500 hits! Thank you all for coming. :)

Christmas Gift Buying

aka There Goes Another Paycheck

I get paid every two weeks, which means that twice a year three pay periods fall in one month. Since the rent is paid out of the first two paychecks, this is a "free" check. One such paycheck was today.

First, I bought groceries so I can eat next week. Then I went on a bill paying orgy and got caught up on everything. After that, since there won't be another "free" check this year, I started buying Christmas gifts - Mom, Eleanor, and Cynthia are now bought for. I tried to call Mom to ask her what to get Bill, but her phone has been busy for a couple of hours. There will be nothing left when I'm done, and since some gifts have to wait, I need to try to save out some money.

Did I mention how much I hate the consumerism of Christmas?

I'm winning the battle of the bulge!

I hit a new low weight this morning - 142.8! Less than 3 more pounds to my goal!



I even exceded my goal for September:


Still have to get through the next few days and I expect I'll bounce back up, but 145 was my September goal, so as long as I don't bounce above that I'll be okay. :)

I can't believe I've lost 63 pounds. Who ever woulda thunk I could do it? ;)

What Kind of Soul Are You?

You Are a Seeker Soul

You are on a quest for knowledge and life challenges. You love to be curious and ask a ton of questions. Since you know so much, you make for an interesting conversationalist. Mentally alert, you can outwit almost anyone (and have fun doing it!). Very introspective, you can be silently critical of others. And your quiet nature makes it difficult for people to get to know you. You see yourself as a philosopher, and you take everything philosophically. Your main talent is expressing and communicating ideas. Souls you are most compatible with: Hunter Soul and Visionary Soul

What Kind of Soul Are You?

New Year's Resolutions check

Wondered how I was doing on my new year's resolutions, so I checked back in my blog to find the ones I made for this year.

http://stumblingtobethlehem.blogspot.com/2004/12/new-years-resolutions.html

And here's the text of the post, with my comments under each point.

To do one of two things:

1) Either get down to 155 pounds OR Get my body fat down into a "normal" range for my age.

Or both. :)

Exceded the first part by about 10 pounds, but it's hard to tell what I considered "normal" body fat. At last check it was 26%, and I probably was shooting for 23%, so I missed that.

2) Run the first two miles of the Bay To Breakers race before slowing down to a walk.

Ran all the way to the bottom of the Hayes Street Hill, just over 2 miles in.

3) Do more work with weights to increase muscle mass.

Nope. Definetly something to shoot for next year though.

4) Continue going to the gym at least 3 days a week.

As much as I can. When I have to work overtime this isn't possible, but I get to the gym when I can.

5) Continue eating low carb, but play with my carb and fat grams to better fuel my time at the gym.

I'm still eating very low carb. This is something else for me to attack when I reach my goal weight.

6) Let go of those who hurt me this past year and give them wholly over to God for HIM to deal with as He best sees fit, and not as human justice desires.

I wish. :-p

7) To read the Bible cover to cover this year. I have a "Bible in a year plan" already printed out.

Right on track. I'm even a little ahead. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and feel a sense of urgency to finish.

What Muppet are you?

You are Kermit the Frog.
You are reliable, responsible and caring. And you have a habit of waving your arms about maniacally.

FAVORITE EXPRESSIONS:
"Hi ho!" "Yaaay!" and
"Sheesh!"

FAVORITE MOVIE:
"How Green Was My Mother"

LAST BOOK READ:
"Surfin' the Webfoot: A Frog's Guide to the Internet"

HOBBIES:
Sitting in the swamp playing banjo.

QUOTE:
"Hmm, my banjo is wet."
What Muppet are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

5469 other people got this result!
This quiz has been taken 15475 times.
35% of people had this result.

Goal by the end of the year?

Dammit. I'm going to make it. All I need to do is cut calories and be strict. I want to be at goal by the end of the year. That's only 6 pounds. If I drastically cut calories I can do it. I want to enter the new year with a weight maintenance resolution, not weight loss for once! Damn. I want this so bad.

The Naughty Quiz

You are 49% Naughty

"You can be a little bit naughty but its nothing you should be worried about. Everyone should be a little bit naughty every once in a while, just remember to be nice as well"

http://www.quizarama.com/naughty_quiz.php

I Feel the Earth Move Under My Feet

But the sky isn't tumbling down. :)

Did everyone feel the earthquake at 4:25 a.m.? It woke me up, set off some neighborhood car alarms, and set the neighborhood dogs to barking. It was only 3.2, centered in or near Piedmont. Kind of exciting since I haven't felt a quake in a few years. It was a very short quake, just a jolt, possible on the Hayward fault.

Anyway, if you live here and your bed was rocking at 4:25 a.m. it wasn't the neighbors making whoopie! ;)

[Edit: Here's the USGS info. on it.]
http://pasadena.wr.usgs.gov/shake/ca/STORE/X40179595/ciim_display.html

Photos, The Exorcism of Anneliese Michel

My photos are up on Amazon, including the cover image for the book that *I* took. Check it out here. Click "See all 2 customer images" link beneath it to see the other picture I took of the inside of the book.

My first image on Amazon! :)

The Exorcism of Anneliese Michel, take 2

My book from Amazon came today. It's out of print, but the institute with the book right is selling photocopies for $20. Check it out.

The Exorcism of Anneliese Michel

"This is a book bound copy of the hard copy version of the book. As the Institute which owns the rights to Dr. Goodman's published works, we are offering these authorized copies for those interested in reading this true story, and are not concerned with the binding. This book is out of print and by most accounts unavailable in hardbook anywhere! These bound photocopies of the book come in black and white."

It's 8.5"x11" sheets, two pages per sheet, four if you count that they are double-sided. The front cover is situated normally, but to read the book you have to turn it sideways. The book is 251 pages. Because this gets four book pages per 8.5"x11" sheet, this "book" is not all that thick. Everything, including the cover, is black and white, and the cover has a picture of Anneliese on it.

I'll let everyone know how it is if I ever get around to reading it. I have so much other reading to finish before I can start this!

Weighty Matters, take 2

I'm 10 pounds down for September as of this morning. (I was retaining a bunch of water weight from August you will remember.) I just need to lose one more pound by the end of the month. I can do it. I'm even (and don't critisize me) taking diet pills to help me control my appetite, and that seems to be helping. I can get my calories lower without feeling hungry.

Sodium has been really high the last two weeks because of the pre-cooked meat I've been using that has tons of spices rubbed onto it. Hopefully I'm retaining water and I can get down a pound when I switch back to chicken next week. Of course, with my carbs so low it probably balances out.

Earlier I was craving chocolate and sweets, but I resisted even turning to my sugar free chocolate pudding. It was a craving, not real hunger, so I told myself I could have the pudding, but only when I'm hungry. I try not to let myself eat if I'm full and have a craving. I try to only eat when hungry.

There's cake in the corner from a birthday party earlier today at work, but it's white cake and so not too bad a temptation. Chocolate would be nearly impossible to resist and I'd probably get a clean fork and have a really big bite then. :)

How Do You Live Your Life?

How You Life Your Life

You tend to deprive yourself of things you crave, for your own good. You're laid back and chill, but sometimes you care too much about what others think. Your friends tend to be a as quirky as you are - which is saying a lot! Some of your past dreams have disappointed you, but you don't let it get you down.

How Do You Live Your Life?

Weighty Matters

I know. I shouldn't take diet pills, but after gaining in August, I rededicated myself to diet and excercise in September. And sometimes when I get desperate, I take pills. They do seem to help me control my appetite so that I have an easier time eating less.

This morning I was down to 145.6, but I doubt it will hold. If I can hold it for 2 days (or go down again) I'll be thrilled, but I'll probably be up.



I worked out on Sunday, but then overtime got in the way. I worked 12 hours on Monday and now it's Wednesday and Brad got sick again and so Jon asked me to come in early at noon, so 11 hours today. And due to my appointment yesterday I still haven't been able to do a mail run. It will have to wait until next week now. Tomorrow I have to buy groceries if I want food next week - just basic things I eat every day like meat and veggies and salad. Friday will be spent cooking and generally getting ready for Sabbath, and Saturday is Sabbath. So that means the only workout I'll get all week is the one I had Sunday. Oh well, it's not like overtime is the norm around here, though being shorthanded I will be working 12 hours on Mondays until we hire and train someone new.

Here's the link to to my FitDay food journal.

I know. I shouldn't take diet pills, but after gaining in August, I rededicated myself to diet and exercise in September. And sometimes when I get desperate, I take pills. They do seem to help me control my appetite so that I have an easier time eating less.

This morning I was down to 145.6, but I doubt it will hold. If I can hold it for 2 days (or go down again) I'll be thrilled, but I'll probably be up.

I worked out on Sunday, but then overtime got in the way. I worked 12 hours on Monday and now it's Wednesday and Brad got sick again and so Jon asked me to come in early at noon, so 11 hours today. And due to my appointment yesterday I still haven't been able to do a mail run. It will have to wait until next week now. Tomorrow I have to buy groceries if I want food next week - just basic things I eat every day like meat and veggies and salad. Friday will be spent cooking and generally getting ready for Sabbath, and Saturday is Sabbath. So that means the only workout I'll get all week is the one I had Sunday. Oh well, it's not like overtime is the norm around here, though being shorthanded I will be working 12 hours on Mondays until we hire and train someone new.

Wedding photos!

This will take some time to load on a slow connection. The original file size was 1.6 megs, and I think I managed to cut that in half, but it's still quite large. Anyway, I chose these pictures because I'm in most of them, even if just in the background. I also tossed in a few of people I know, and of course, one of the bride and the groom. They are arranged roughly in chronilogical order. There are 23 pictures ranging from 14k to 30k.


Me in my Maid of Honor dress sipping champaigne. Bogie, the Dog of Honor and Ring Bearer, is in the background.



This photo shows off my beautiful collar bones (now visible from the weight I've lost), and my beautiful Arwen necklace (elf princess from Lord of the Rings).



My sister gives me some of her eyeshadow to use.



What a special day for my sister! I'm so happy.



April and I pose for photographers.



More posing.



And even more. :)



My sister and my Dad.


April and her fiance. Isn't April the most beautiful bride? And she's so photogenic. There isn't one bad picture of her. I'm jealous!



From left to right: me, Dad, Mom, April, Renato, Renato's Dad, Renato's Mom, and two of Renato's sisters who were bridesmaids. Yes, Dad is missing a leg.




Mom, me, and 3 bridesmaids. Renato's Mom is on the stairs.



In the procession with Renato's Dad.



April and Renato exchange vows. I'm on the left.



Another picture of exchanging vows.



After the wedding each person is announced, including of course, me.



April and Renato share the first dance. Me, Dad, and Mom are in the background.



Still dancing.



Just people. I'm in the pink dress next to Dad. I think this was at the cake cutting.



I dance with my cousin Eric from San Francisco.



Eric and I laugh.



From left to right: Rob's wife Julie, Rob (my long lost brother), Mom, and Mom's husband Bill.



From left to right: Julie, April, Mom, Rob, me, and Bill



I ask Renato and April to intertwine their arms and drink champaigne.

Losing Kassie, take 2

April said that what I wrote sounded like Renato made her kill Kassie, and she says that's not the way it was at all. She wrote, "It was really for the best...she was not a happy camper...Just not herself and I hated watching her suffer like that, having trouble breathing, not sleeping at night, having to...put in a cage so I/we could sleep at night. She clawed at the cage till her feet or mouth bled. We got a muzzle for her just to protect her mouth while in the cage, so then she injured her leg trying to claw her way out...very sad for me and her... :("

The Shakespeare Character Test

Hamlet You scored 9 evilness, 36 romance, 45 tragic, and 27 comic!

Philosophical procrastinator, Hamlet is among the greatest tragic characters ever created. In dispair over his father's murder and his mother's marriage to his uncle, Hamlet discovers that his new stepfather and uncle is his father's killer. But Hamlet thinks about revenge too long, which costs him his life.

My test tracked 4 variables
How you compared to other people your age and gender:
You scored higher than 5% on evilness
You scored higher than 33% on romance
You scored higher than 79% on tragic
You scored higher than 7% on comic

Link: The Shakespeare Character Test
written by mandi_g on OkCupid Free Online Dating