LOL

Me, in middle school.*

*artist's rendering

Doctor's Need to Take Off the Blinders

This is true. When I was my heaviest, had I complained about having been pistol whipped, the doctor would brush it off and say I would feel better if I would just lose a few pounds. - Lisa

I'm down one pound, an acceptable result given a couple days I slipped and went carby. I still feel awful from that allergy attack, and was tempted to ask for an appointment when I weighed in at the doctor.

Weight Gain

I gained weight this week, and no excuses this time. Lots of food, lots of drinking at the party, lots of leftover alcohol that had to be drunk to clear room in the fridge. Empty calories galore. And my damn bike chain broke so my activity was down too. $%@#

I gained a couple pounds

I gained two pounds in the last week, and every ounce was well deserved. I ate like I was preparing for seven years of famine. No matter. Discipline resumed, and on we go.

A year ago today I walked into a doctor's office and asked to use their scale, because mine wasn't up to the job. I weighed 414.6 pounds - not even my lifetime high, sadly - and I was feeling every ounce. After a year of hard work, and even with losing a lot of time with the hip surgery, I have lost 84.4 pounds and am more than halfway to my goal. There's still a lot of sweat ahead, but I'm game.

I only lost a pound in the last week, which is pathetic. But considering that week included two loaves of rye bread, stollen, hot cross buns, kielbasa, and noodle salad, I guess I should consider myself lucky. On the positive side, that lone pound pushes me past a milestone: 75 pounds lost in the last year.

Weight Update

Wow there's a lot to talk about.

There's two family trips to detail, a newly clapping baby (circa last Monday), a new VP pick, some movies and a book to review, the return to school, the local Harley Davidson rally, and the sad conclusion to the sale of the house I grew up in.

Let's start small, with some positive news.

A few days ago I stepped on the scale and for the first time in many a moon crossed the 350# mark - and going in the right direction, for all the wise-a**es out there.

Yup, 348 pounds. Roughly the scale weight of Guam, if I recall correctly, but a lot better than the ~360 I weighed a month or so ago and a whole heck of a lot better than the '450+' that a doc wrote on my employee physical back in '93.

I'm still taking a lot of stairs at work, eating right, popping fish oil and a multivitamin each morning, and riding the bike. I've also spent the last few days moving my folks, so I ache from head to toe but I'm sure it was good for the ticker.

350 was a big hurdle for me. Now if I can cross the 300 mark by my birthday [in March] I'll be happy.

Misc Boring Schtuff

Well, I didn't gain 10 pounds on the trip.

I gained sixteen.

Yikes.

Other than that - oh, and the paralyzing distaste for my everyday life as I compare everything to the trip - there were no negatives to the vacation.

The Sunday after we got back I took YaYa to see Pirates of the Caribbean II at the local second run theater. A little old for her, obviously, but she's become obsessed with pirates. She talked a little during the show, just essential questions about the action, and she came away loving pirates (and Jack Sparrow) all the more.

Often heard around my house nowadays:

"Yo Ho Yo Ho"

answered by:

 "A pirate's life for me!"

And we've determined the pecking order on our Pirate ship. I'm the Captain, natch, Lis is the Navigator, Lu is the Gunnery Mate ("Gun nee May"), YaYa is the Pilot, and Parker is the lowly deck-hand.

That started a string of Sunday excursions with YaYa. The next week it was she and I at 3 or 4 stores and a baptism, and this past Sunday she went out with her Mom.

The day of the baptism we also watched Irwin Allen's Alice in Wonderland, which YaYa loved, save for the Jabberwocky that scared her to death. [Lu, btw, was overnight at Grandma's that weekend]

The next weekend both girls watched the 1981 version of Annie, which I grudginly loved as a kid. The girls are used to the late '90's Disney version, but quickly grew fond of my fave.

I also spent a lovely afternoon with Lu going to different libraries and some stores. She's a doll.

* *  *                     

Have I ever mentioned that Lu has a paralyzing fear of rewinding a videotape? It's true - just mention the word 'rewind' and she freaks. I have no idea what her little mind thinks it means, but it's right up there with the JabberWocky.

* * *                

As I write this YaYa is fighting going to sleep and I'm at my wit's end and increasingly angry, but usually Monday nights are very relaxing for me.

At 5:15 Lis and the girls leave for dance class. At 7 I go and pick up the girls with Parker, switching cars and then putting all the kids to bed while Lis goes to her class. By this time I've usually - usually - had a good hour or 90 minutes alone to do whatever. I look forward to it.

* * *
Nothing annoys me - nay, disgusts me - more than the richy rich folks in the Lexus Holiday Event commercials.

 Not that I'm anything close to a Socialist, and folks are entitled to spend their money on anything from foodstuffs to million dollar paintings, but . . .

hmmm, in the spirit of, oh, Christmas, how 'bout you forego the $50,000 gift you're rubbing in your neighbor's face and use just a smidge of that money to make the world a better place.

Or not, you obnoxious ****.

* * *            

On Wednesday the Falk Corporation here in Milwaukee suffered an explosion that killed three workers. The force of the blast could be felt as far away as Oak Creek, and at the time I was driving within 12 blocks of it (we live close by).

I didn't feel a thing.

How's this for an (unintenional) joke in bad taste:

I told my landlord "I don't know how I didn't feel it. I guess I'm so used to my shit*y shocks I just assumed the road got bumpy"

* * *

Six Feet Under on Bravo - the show has become a ritual in this house on Monday's. Not as enjoyable for me as Dead Like Me, but a great show even so.          

* * *         

On November 7th, 5 weeks ago tomorrow, I had my last cigarette. Sure, I advertised that I quit month's back. But I reached the 5 week mark, caved and returned to form.

Unlike that time I haven't so much as held a cig in those five weeks, much less dragged or bummed off someone else.

Not to say I don't miss it - 'tis a lovely/stinky/life stealing/expensive habit - but I hope/pray I have the strength to keep going.

 I'm sure it hasn't helped in that sixteen pounds category either . .