Little Art

I love getting stamps at the post office. Every month they issue new pieces of little art. And they cost no more than the flag or the Forever stamp. Here's this month's batch:

Almost makes it hard to use them...

Let's hear it for the Underdogs

Well, well, well. My sweet determined Spartans did it. Michigan State routed Louisville quite handily and are heading to the Final Four. Unfortunately, I did not think about the other underdog. The one that beat my predicted NCAA champ and number one ranked Pittsburgh with a last nanosecond layup and pretty much sacked all my chances of winning money and glory.

Oh, Villanova, I can't stay mad at you. I've always had a soft spot for the underdog.

I, ironically in a very cruel way, am currently sitting pretty at #2 in my March Madness pool because of my MSU pick, though my best possible score is sitting in ghastly zone of less than 400 points.

Needless to say since I'm out of the big picture, I'm free to root for the Underdogs. Let's go Spartans and 'Nova!

Come on Pitt

I'm currently at #12 (out of 28) in my March Madness pool. Stay in the game, Pitt!

I'm also looking at you, Michigan State. I need you to go to the Final Four and I believe you can do it. To quote that six-packed King in the speedo in "300", Spartans! Prepare for Glory!

Keeping my fingers crossed...

Another rental

When I lived in New York City, there was a speedboat tour called The Beast, with painted-on jaws of spiky teeth. I never rode it, as it had a modicum of ridicule that was best left to the tourists.

Anyhoo, I briefly drove this Jeep SUV rental tonight and gracious, I thought I was driving an ark. I picked up dinner locally between meetings so I didn't get to drive it on the highway.

But if I had...I think I would have felt like I was driving a land version of The Beast.

Hand over the chips

And no one gets hurt.

This 2-lb bag from Costco is just about empty and was opened less than 48 hours ago. And I've been to a baby shower in between. Are there such things as potato chip interventions? Of course, I'm joking because I don't have a problem, dammit!

On the plus side, I did go to the gym both days this weekend. In my head, there is an internal voice weakly cheering hooray. It's something, right?

Getting back in the saddle

I decided that I'm going to start my WW log again to watch what I eat. I have gained weight in these past dozen weeks and I'm really feeling it--my energy, my clothes, my skin, my mindset.

I haven't really been regularly exercising except for a few perfunctory rounds on the elliptical. But last night, I exercised at one of my favorite classes and it felt like I was exercising with about four annoying purses slung on my body. I felt both excessively flabby and weighted down with all the jumping and push-ups--it was like struggling in a net to club music. This experience, thankfully, did not discourage me and I am vowing, mark my words, to exercise both days this weekend.

You heard right.

Go Pitt

Made my March Madness picks: Go Pittsburgh!

March Madness

Yikes. Anybody do their March Madness picks yet? I totally zoned out until right about now.

The day the picks are due.

excuses

It probably comes to no surprise that by the fact that I haven't mentioned Weight Watchers since 2008 that I haven't gone back to the program since then. It got really busy at work for me and, of course, I rationalized that something had to give, and gave myself license to eat whatever I wanted. I also forewent exercise. I know the diehards out there say that this all is not a good excuse. And frankly, I agree. The brief joy I had eating an entire family bag of potato chips in one night is marred by the stress induced by the set of back b00bs I developed in the meantime.

Unfortunately, I'm still busy and somewhat stressed (still haven't done our tax return!) so I'm still not psyched up to get back on the WW wagon, despite the alarming sign of developing Alfred Hitchcock's jowls . Figuring out points can be really time-consuming, especially when cooking a family-size meal with a lot of ingredients that aren't really measured. But I realize I have to do something. So I'm at least trying to get back to the gym on a regular 3-4 times a week basis. Also I'm trying to resist finding my joy in stuffing my face. Or at least downgrade--instead of ice cream for dessert last night I enjoyed tea and a cookie.

I aim to get back on track soon...

Updated to add that "back b00bs" are those lumps that squish out of the bra in the back.

Toasted Buns

We have two cars. One is a '98 Honda and the other is a '92 Honda. Every once a while I have an opportunity to drive a car made in this century by driving a rental car. And I have to confess, I get a little taste of heaven from the luxuries of the 21st century.

Last week I got to drive a Buick Lucerne on a trip for work. Sure there were the expected niceties like windows that roll up all the way, drink cup holders for people in the backseat, a windshield without cracks, and seats without crayons melted on them. But there was also an info button that advised the title and artist of songs playing on the radio, climate control by temperature, and the top bonus: seat warmers.

I chose bottom and back cushions to be heated and I was cradled in a soft leather nest of warmth. I can't express how nice it was to have my rear end so toasty, and I think it eased some of the tension in my back and neck. Now that's luxury. I would drive all night if I could drive in a car like that. Is that job anywhere?

When I arrive

I, I bring the fire.

I have no idea if this song is new or a couple of years old but I just discovered Kevin Rudolf's Let It Rock and I'm hooked. It's ridiculously catchy. I picture myself jumping slo-mo in the strobe light of some club to this song in some music video, whenever I hear it. Of course in the picture in my mind it's me 20 years younger and 20 pounds lighter. Meh, who cares. This song has officially replaced "When the Saints Come Marching In" as my funeral song. For now.

Weekend Fail

Though I want to blame Daylight Savings Time, unfortunately my weekend fail is all on me. This was my first weekend I hadn't gone into office in a while and I had glorious plans to declutter and organize. Starting with the Flea Market at the Oasis, I was hoping to de-stash a lot of scrap stuff I wasn't using. Well, despite some sales on my part, I managed to come home with more than I started due to some amazing deals.

And we also managed to get sucked into 1000 Ways to Die on SpikeTV. Have you seen this show? Don't. It is re-enactments of purportedly true, yet very bizarre (with a dose of salaciousness) ways people have died. It's a train wreck. The words, this is ridiculous, change the channel, I cannot believe we're watching this, were coming out of my mouth but my eyes were glued. We saw the stories of how a peeping tom and a furry bizarrely (and can I say ridiculously?) died. It was like getting one of those insanely large, cheesy nacho plates with fried beef and sour cream where you're disgusted you're eating it yet you keep shoveling the greasy crap in your mouth anyway because it's in front of you. That was definitely a time eater.

On top of everything else, we got sucked into watching Star Wars on tv. Twice!

If being lazy and having our brains rot to tv while watching a house get messier was the goal, this would have been a weekend win. Unfortunately, it was not the goal at all.

Weekend Fail.

Did it sneak up on anyone else?

Holy cow. I didn't realize this was the weekend we were changing to Daylight Savings Time until Saturday night. Man, it totally snuck up on me. And of course, it totally sucked to lose an hour. What's weird is the clock on our cable box hasn't automatically set forward. So all the shows are an hour behind--it's playing 6pm shows at what is now supposed to be 7pm. Isn't that weird? I thought it was all controlled by satellite or something.

I remember a couple of falls ago, we had a temp who just started at our office on a Friday. She was late by 40 minutes, claiming she had gotten a flat tire. A little suspect, because one would think that it would take a lot longer than that to get a service to come out in rush hour traffic to replace a flat tire. And if she had changed it herself with her manicured hands and skirt--she managed to clean up miraculously nice and quick. Her second day was the Monday after the weekend we turned the clocks back, and a lady from the temp agency called telling us that the temp called her and was running behind because she forgot to set her clock back. When I pointed out that she would have been here an hour early it that was true, the lady at the agency sighed, yeah. Needless to say, we didn't have her back.

Anyhoo, I hope that setting the clock forward this weekend hasn't thrown anyone else off.

tgif

Man, yesterday ended crappy. I didn't get to exercise and I was doing stuff I didn't expect to do that took a LOT of time and energy. Won't bother with the details but it was pretty much the opposite of a cookie-eating evening.

Thank goodness it's Friday. Which leaves me one night to prepare my stuff to sell at the Flea Market at the Scrapbook Oasis tomorrow morning. I'm excited to de-clutter my stash. Of course it means I aim to earn credit to add back to my stash but that's another point altogether.

Wish me luck. And if you're at the Oasis tomorrow, say hi!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

You ever have one of those days where you have longest yet most unproductive and frustrating day at work only to come home to your cat peeing in a basket of your clean clothes?

Anyhoo, at 9pm the night of such a day, the doorbell rings. At first I'm annoyed at whoever is ringing a doorbell at 9pm and as I approach my mind visualizes who could be at the door to make this day much, much worse because hey, I've seen commercials for The Strangers or Funny Games and in a cruel way, it would be the icing on the cake.

Fortunately I'd been given a reprieve from the heavens or more accurately, gifts from the gods. I open the front door to the Girl Scout I had placed an order with weeks ago. And she was delivering the 9 boxes of sweet manna I really needed to balance out a crappy day. Sure there's winning the lottery, but realistically, the day couldn't have ended on a better up note. I wrote out the check and thanked our Girl Scout and clutched our haul inside.

I told Velina to pour glasses of milk and I raced upstairs to change out of work clothes into appropriate cookie-eating attire. I came back downstairs in sweats and engaged in the most blissful gluttony with my family.

The next morning, we saw the remains of a Girl Scout cookie version of a hedonistic rock star's night of debauchery--open boxes strewn about various flat surfaces, the freshness wrappers on floor, nearly stepping on or kicking the empty plastic cookie trays. I believe the next morning the thought, whoa, what were we thinking last night? literally went through my mind.

At this point, we have 3 unopened boxes left. Sigh. Even Christmas morning has to end.

there's another word for it

After reading yesterday's post of my blogging mentor/scrapper/freecycle buddy, where she shared how her son reflexively referred to a crib as a "baby cage", it reminded me of a party that Paul and I went to years ago.

Paul came up to me and said that a cookie tray was just put out and they had a huge assortment including "oh, what do you call those...whiteys?" And before I could advise him, it came to him what brownies made without cocoa are generally called..."no, wait, blondies."

March already?

Is it just me or was February a blur? I can't believe it's March already.

Yeesh, I hope I get to enjoy March a lot more than the month that just flew by...

Well at least there's the March Madness to look forward to. And hopefully I have an iota of winning the pool this year...

Alright March, bring it.