Yesterday was another normal Wednesday. After work, I walked the bike down to the coffee shop and sat outside enjoying an ice tea and a book. At the appointed hour I headed across the street to the Square and signed on in for my beer pouring duties. As I was doing so I was asked by the Volunteer Coordinator if I would mind selling merch for the opening band. I said "Sure! Why not?" I love helping out bands, I really do. Granted I had no clue who the first band was. As I was talking to my fellow beer pouring folks (pourers?) one of them asked me who the first band was. Um I remember seeing their name on the website and posted today that they will be playing however I don't remember the name. I made my way up to the stage area and secured by spot behind the barrier with an empty table in front of me. I was in the sun, directly in the sun and it was hot. I am standing there, dripping in sweat listening to this band do their sound check. And you know what? They didn't sound that bad. In fact they were kinda good. After the sound check a few of the members came over with some of the CDs and a few tshirts and told me the prices. CDs were going to be pay as you want and tshirts were $10, all money was to be donated to the YLC (the group putting on the concert series) Pretty easy. It wasn't until probably half way through their set that I realized why one of their guitar players looked so familiar. It was Edward Burns. You know, actor, director, writer, producer and now musician. (if you don't know from that, he was just recently in 27 Dresses, the boss) The band is from the East Coast, and are called The Blue Jackets. They are opening for Cold Play next week at the Madison Square Garden. I know some people are going to think/say, oh great another actor trying to be a musician. But the band? It was good. Straight out rock-n-roll. I was digging a few of their tunes. I did get a chance to talk to a couple of the guys when the evening was over, and they are all very nice. They pretty much paid for their own way down here because they wanted to help the city rebuild. No, I didn't have my camera with me yesterday. I know I should always carry it. I have one more chance tomorrow night! They are playing the Volunteer party. All the guys did sign the CD and I did manage to plug Bonerama and Porter Batiste Stoltz.

On my way home, on my bike there was a crash. nothing too serious and I was able to ride the bike home. I have scraps on the palms of my hands that don't feel pleasant but are so not life threatening. It sucks that some cars aren't courteous to bike riders, but what can you do? I survived, the bike survived it is all good. I didn't ride it today however, once again I was too tired. Some allergens in the air are kicking my ass. Tomorrow, I will ride again. 3 days this week isn't bad at all!

The fat lady is about to sing. If you have been saying to yourself all spring that you want to get out to Wednesday at the Square? This is it. Last one. Tonight it is Bag of Donuts, a cover band. It is going to be a HOT afternoon here in the Crescent City, the beer will be flowing, people will be dancing, it will be a great time. Don't forget it happens rain or shine. I will be pouring beer once again hoping that the taps don't die out like last week. Don't worry it got fixed right away, but still that little trickle for a few seconds? It wasn't fun. I have no idea if the YLC will be doing a fall series like they did last year, so gets your booty down here!! And if you don't live here? Sorry man....but maybe one day you can experience the fun that is living in New Orleans!

On the bike riding front, yes I did ride it again today. I thought I was going to die the whole way here. I don't know why really, could be couple of things. There was a slight breeze and of course I was riding straight into it. I left the house about 5 minutes later than normal, and as I tried to push myself a bit more, I seemed to slow down. Could be because even though I took a Tylenol PM last night I was still exhausted? Who knows, in the end I did ride the bike and I made it in one piece. My muscles aren't pleased with me right now but tough.

I didn't ride my bike to work at all last week. Monday I was too tired, Tuesday same thing. Wednesday, I used Wednesday in the Square excuse. Thursday I really couldn't, I had to bring a bunch of the new Bonerama shirts with me to work so the boys could pick them up on the way out of town. Friday? Yeah I think I woke up late. All just excuses. Yesterday I didn't, but today I said NO MORE! And I rode the bike to work. I figured out that it is 5.6 miles one way. The first week I did this it took me about 40 mins to get to work. This morning it took 35 mins. Today it is suppose to be pretty warm about the time I will be leaving work. I tend to go slower on the way home because of the heat. I am making sure that I am re- hydrating good today. I also have this feeling that it will start raining about the time I am leaving, as long as there is no lighting I am cool. I am hoping that I can keep this up for the rest of the week. I can't use the Square as an excuse tomorrow! I have some really cute summer dresses that I would like to break out of the moth balls before the end of the summer!

* I have had sneeze building all morning long. Every once in awhile I get an awful tickle, so much it almost burns, but so far the sneeze hasn't happened. When it does? It will be colossal. (it happened, and it was)
* Don't forget that Paul Sanchez and the Rolling Road show featuring Craig Klein, Matt Perrine, Eric Bolivar (all from Bonerama) and Shamarr Allen are playing a free show at Tips tonight! If you aren't in town and want to catch it, try the webcast!
*Bonerama will be at Tips tomorrow, same deal except not free. But check out the webcast if you get the chance.
* I didn't ride my bike to work on Wednesday or Thursday but I did today. So for the first week of this? I have rode 3 times, which isn't bad. I kinda wish I had all week. But there is next week!
* I spent all last night reading this blog. Nanette had it linked on hers. Don't read it if you don't want to cry. Seriously. I started reading from the first post, and seriously cried the rest of the night away. It is such a sweet blog, Matt and his wife had a baby a few months early, and as his wife was on her way to see the baby for the first time? She passed out, and they were unable to revive her. So Matt is going through first time parenting alone and dealing with the death of his wife.

I did rest a lot this weekend and am feeling quite awake. It could have something to do with riding the bike to work this morning. Which means riding the bike home. I hope to make this a daily thing, so wish me luck on that!

As for the weekend, well it all started on Thursday. After work I met up with Lisa at her hotel where we sat by the pool and chatted for a bit. We then had a lovely dinner with her boss then made our way out to Frenchmen Street. Yes it was another evening of fantastic music with Paul Sanchez. This time he had Shamarr Allen sitting in with him. Paul has also offered me a small job with him, which I am going to do. I am going to hope this works out really well for the both of us! After Paul's sets ended, Lisa and I made our way over to Snug Harbor where the Pfister Sister's were celebrating their CD release. I love seeing those ladies live. They are so super talented and funny. I don't get to see them that often even though they have a weekly gig at the Spotted Cat on Wednesdays. I am usually either babysitting for Debbie and Matt or working the Wednesday in the Square. The ladies will be going overseas for most of the summer, so chances of seeing them again soon are pretty slim.

I took Friday off, mainly for a mental health break. As some of you know my job is relocating in the next few months. I am however, not relocating with them. In between training a new person and worrying about finding a new job for myself, I needed a day. I met up with Lisa, had a small lunch then I said goodbye to her and went on over to Canal Place to catch a viewing of Sex and the City. I loved it. I cried. I laughed. I did both at the same time. The only weak part in the whole movie? Jennifer Hudson. Which I found gratifying since she was so mean when I worked with her. No that didn't color my opinion, it was a very weak performance, I went in giving her the benefit of the doubt. After the movie was over I made my way home. Perused the job boards a bit, and took a nap and watched the Lost season finale. OH MY WORD. I did make my way to the Maple Leaf. Of course. I wanted to see Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes. They always put on a good show. They didn't disappoint this weekend. I got to hang out with some new friends and we all danced our butts off.

Saturday I caught up on some Tivo, a movie and cleaned up the house a bit. I then made my way downtown and met up with my friend Katja. We had grand plans to go either to Preservation Hall or to Palm Court, possibly both. We made it to neither. We sat outside in their backyard and ate food, drank wine and just talked. It was the most enjoyable relaxing evening and I was so glad to get caught up with Katja. Since she is on the road so much, we don't get to do that that often.

Yesterday was more job searching, another movie, a few errands and trying to cheer up a friend. I don't think I did that so well but will keep trying. I also have a potential great job lead that I hope comes to be. We will see.

This week looks to be pretty quiet as well. Other than some amazing shows happening this weekend. Paul Sanchez and the Rolling Road show will be playing a FREE show at Tipitina's this Friday. That is right. FREE! He is having sit in with him Shamarr Allen, and three of my boys from Bonerama: Craig, Eric and Matt. It is looking to be a great show. Again, if you haven't experienced a Paul show yet, this should be the one!! If you don't live here, there is the potential of a webcast at www.tipitinas.com. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. The next night Bonerama is playing at Tipitina's. It is a benefit show for Sweet Home New Orleans and Pot Luck Con I believe. Tickets are only $15.

Remember a few months back when I mentioned that Kristen and I were going to participate in the Mardi Gras Marathon? That we had started running/walking in preparation for this event? Notice that I haven't said a word about it since? Yeah. Well the truth is for about a week we did really good. Maybe it was 2 weeks. Things started popping up here and there and we would miss a day. Then the next day. And the next, so on and so forth until here we are today and we haven't done any running or walking in oh I don't know a month and a half? Not even the motivational email hanging on the fridge from a very inspirational person has helped much. Other than make us laugh. Laughing is good for you. In all I am a little disappointed in myself since we started out so good and then plunged off so fast and hard. I would really like to participate however I know that there is no way we could get in the proper condition to do a good job in enough time. We both keep saying that we need to get back out there and workout, myself especially since I am so adamant against buying new clothes unless absolutely necessary (thankfully I still fit in a jean size though I don't know how...considering how much I have eaten lately)

We came to the determination that to get us really working out that we needed an "event" to get us going. This was the second event that we tried for. The first one is also about to roll around, and today I was reminded of it as a call has once again been made extra people to help out. Last year about this time I made mention of it to Kristen and we kind of talked about joining then after Mardi Gras Kristen became gung ho about it. This is coming from someone who doesn't really get into the whole costume thing, and doesn't want to be seen doing anything "indecent" so her students/parents could see. Not that it is indecent. Much. That and it is for the most part anonymous. I was talking to a friend one day and she is part of it. She asked randomly if I could hula hoop. Not so well, though its making a big comeback. They are trying to incorporate it this year into the "Bearded Oysters". A walking krewe that is part of Krewe of Oak and Muses. So there are at least 3 parades they participate in. If you go to the website and see the outfits, you will see why you need to be in reasonably good shape. It looks like a lot of fun and maybe one year I will get to join. This year will not be one of them.

Maybe I don't need an event. I think I just need an extremely good kick in the ass and need someone that will constantly push me.

Kristen and I have decided to participate in the Mardi Gras Marathon on Feb 24th, 2008. By placing this information here, I am hoping it will force me to continue and to actually make it to the marathon and to complete it. We will either be doing the 5k, running the whole time or the half marathon in a run/walk manner. We will figure that out after a few weeks training. We started training last night. We did 1.7 miles in a run/walk combo. I frickin hurt today. I think I am too old for this....

We rode our bikes past the K-Ville set yesterday evening. They changed the name of the Maple Leaf for the filming. It was something like Spreaders or Shakers or something along that line. I do know it started with an "S". That is how observant I am. On the way back from the bike ride we got stopped from crossing a road so they could film a car parking on Dante. Kristen thought it was a car chase. Nope just a car parking.
Our bike ride was much more pleasant and easy to handle yesterday. We rode along the levee to the Huey P. Long Bridge. It had a few hills that really got the legs burning, but the ride was so smooth. As you know the streets here in NOLA aren't the "best".
Britney Spears song is stuck in my head. You know the one that was on the VMAs? Regardless of what most people think of her right now and that whole situation, something was done right. People are STILL talking about it, about her, about everything. She is in the spotlight nice and bright. I feel sorry for the girl. She needs some help but doesn't obviously want it right now.....
In hopes to get that song out of my head, tonight I am heading to d.b.a. If you are a local and you read this, come out tonight or one of the next few Thursdays this month. My friend Paul Sanchez is playing from 7-10 and it one of the most fun, relaxing and enjoyable evenings of music you will have. You never know who will stop in to join him on stage, you never when you might get to hear a new song. (He starts recording next month I believe) You do know when you will hear an old fav cuz he loves taking requests. :)

Last week when my friend Annette came to town to help with the cleaning of the old apartment, she brought me a present. Her bike. That she hadn't really ever rode. So it is in pretty darn good shape. Unlike it's new owner.

Kristen really wanted to take a bike ride on Saturday, and I had the hair brain idea that it would be a good idea to ride out to Washington Park. Right on Frenchmen St. From our house. I have no idea how long of a ride it is. Round trip it was 3 hours. My body really really really hurts today. We also took a bike ride yesterday. It was just an hour long ride. Holy hell what has gotten into me?? I have known and been saying for awhile that it was time to get back into some type of shape. To lose weight. I mean I am now 32 and it is just going to get harder and harder to lose it. I blame the insanity of Saturday's ride on the fact that I had 3 hours of sleep and/or was still possibly drunk when I suggested it. I mean who suggests that when the last time they were on a bike was probably 5 years ago??

Yeah me. I am hoping it gets easier on the bike, cuz right now? There are moments when I just want to cry it hurts so bad. It will get better right?

Yesterday afternoon after work, I decided to walk home. I work in the area of Lee Circle so I walked all the way down St. Charles to Carrollton to home. It was 5.9 miles. I thought it was going to take me 2.5 hours but only took me an hour and 50 mins. I hauled ass. I was so proud of myself. Of course I was totally wiped out for the rest of the evening and it was all I could do to keep my eyes open during Lost. I did actually fall asleep right after it was over. I woke up an hour later with an ear ache. This morning, getting out of bed was the hugest chore. Now? I am dizzy, felt so nauseous that I almost threw up. I actually got up to go and do that and felt better just by standing and walking that I didn't. (no you crazies I am not pregnant. You have to have sex for that to happen, and that ain't happenin.) My sinuses started bugging me yesterday morning so I think its because of that. I should feel awesome after my walk right???

For the past 8 days I have been doing this special "diet". I know the fad diets don't really work and once you are done...the weight comes back on. So I am not really looking at this one as a diet, just a change in eating habits. It cuts out all carbs and sweets. For breakfast I have 2 eggs and 2 slices of bacon. I am usually running late so I make my breakfast here at work, crack open the eggs in a coffee mug, zap them for a minute, stir em, and then zap them again for a minute. No salt/pepper, no butter. I also have 6 oz of grapefruit juice (unsweetened). For lunch I have the 6 oz of grapefruit juice, a salad and a meat. Usually chicken. For dinner it is a green or red vegtable and again a meat and again the 6 oz of grapefruit juice. You can cook these things anyway. Use what ever dressing, butter, salt/pepper. I usually don't add much...especially to the veggies. If I do add any seasoning it is to the meat and is usually some Tony's or some blackened seasonings. (all the meat is cooked on a George Foreman grill) You shouldn't be drinking sodas, and if you do they should be diet and caffine free. I still have my cup of coffee each morning. For a bedtime snack they suggest skim milk or tomato juices. I haven't had a need for any of that. I find that I am not that hungry in between meals at all. You do this meal plan for 12 days, then for 2 days have whatever, then go back on for 12 days. I have found that I am not craving the snacks as much. There are a few times, I have of course, but then I think "its just 12 days I can go that long without a potato chip" I do have to say I am really looking forward to having a slice of pizza in a few days. ;) But other than that? I don't have many cravings. My calorie intake has been cut down about 200 calories a day...I am keeping the intake between 1200 and just over 1500 now. However? I don't seem to be losing the weight. Yeah in the past week I think I have lost 4 lbs. Today? I feel like I am a giant and I haven't lost any at all. Since I have been doing a healthier lifestyle I have lost 15 lbs. My clothes still fit the same however. That I don't get. We did a great work out yesterday that included some jogging. We really go our heart rates up. Hopefully we will be able to do more today. It is a slow process and I am such an impatient person. I want to see results RIGHT NOW!! ;)

On a totally unrelated note....my sister heard the baby's heartbeat yesterday for the first time!! :) :) :)

I have a few things...and since I am so "great" at forming one rational thought. (HA) I am doing this once again bullet style.

Yesterday afternoon I got a bug bite. I have no idea from what. It formed almost like a blister and itched like mad. Later in the evening, right next to the bite, a bruise formed. Not a purple and blue bruise, more like a black bruise. The blister like form is gone, rather its not as bubbly. It is still slightly raised and red. I wonder what the hell it was and if I should worry about it at all. It doesn't itch anymore, it's really not even bothering me. Other than being SERIOUSLY UGLY.
Project Runway last night was highly amusing. I had been looking forward to the reunion show. After hearing Jeffery talk about the Angela/Angela's mom situation? I don't feel that bad about it anymore. Not that he should have talked to her mom that way, however I wonder if ANY of the designers would have been nice to her, the way she was complaining. Now that I think about it? Jeffery totally didn't chose her but was stuck with her because everyone else got to chose first. They didn't want to get stuck with her. Like Laura said, Angela's mom gave Jeffery a hard time, when the other family members were all laid back and cool with what the designers were doing. I loved the Tim-isms, the word count on Kayne, Laura's serious ugly moments and that weird guy's laugh!! The guy that was kicked off? Still annoys me. OH OH and let's not forget Vincent's tirade over the laundered clothes!! Classic reality TV moment.
Lost. WHAT the hell?? That is pretty much on that.
I am really enjoying this not riding the bus in the morning. I don't have to deal with stinky perfume lady any more, getting harrassed in Lee Circle, being squished in the bus, waiting over 40 mins for a bus, oh the list could go on and on. So far in the afternoons riding the bus home has been quite pleasent! Maybe I shouldn't say that....I may have just jinxed it!
Walked again last night around the park. It is so nice here in the evenings, that the park is just FULL of people! It makes it a little intimidating to stop at the fitness stops because everyone STARES at you doing it. Like they didn't realize it was there!

My roomies and I have decided to all lose a little weight before the holidays. My creative/teacher roomie made up little posters which are on the fridge. One for each of us. It has a candy cane on it and we can color a portion in each time we lose a pound. Her goal is to lose 10 lbs by the holiday. I would love to lose alot more.

Remember "Freshman 15?" yeah..we have "Katrina 15" or 20. or 50. Okay not that much but it sure as hell feels like that.

We have done so well the first 2 days of this week. We have walked in Audubon Park both days. 1.7 miles each day. We also stopped at every other fitness stop on Monday. Yesterday we hit the ones we didn't do on Monday. Between gutting the house on Saturday and then this? I can barely move my muscles. It is a great tension release however. Monday night I crashed hard. best night sleep I have had in months. However last night? It didn't happen as much. I fell asleep a little after 10. Woke up at midnight. At 2, at 4, at 4:30, when the alarm went off at 5, then I reset the alarm for 5:45. In the that time period? I woke up every 4 mins. I am going to be so AWESOME to be around later today! I can not fall asleep during Lost OR Project Runway tonight. Won't make me happy if I do!

4 years ago or so, I weighed alot. I mean ALOT. I think I was at my heaviest 265-285. (I honestly can't remember. Maybe I don't want to remember) I didn't feel good about myself. I mean would you?? With the help of some friends I started walking more, I was keeping a food journal. Once a week I sent the journal to a friend (who is a personal trainer) and she would tell me if I was doing good or bad, give me tips and what not. I made myself put EVERYTHING in that journal. Every day I would walk up Queen Anne Hill. Pretty soon the hike up got easier and easier. I will never forget the day when a co-worker walked up to me and whispered in my ear "girl, you need to get some new clothes, what you are wearing is just HANGING on you" I found that I could fit into smaller sizes. For about 2 years I did really really good. I was watching what I ate. Nothing too serious and never denied myself. I would do good everyday but one. That one day I was allowed to enjoy whatever I wanted. I was taking spin classes. I went to the gym everyday. I didn't see a HUGE change in myself other than fitting into smaller clothes. In my mind? I still looked the same, but I felt so much better. I didn't really notice a change until comparing pictures of myself from years previous. All in all in that 2 year time frame? I pretty much lost between 75-100 lbs. At my lowest? I was 185. Maybe it was 180. Still not the lightest girl on the block but I was happy. Really happy. Then? I lost motivation. I don't know what one thing it was....when it happened....I couldn't tell you. However in the past 2 years, I have put back on about 55 lbs. That isn't good. I am feeling it. I am getting older. I need to take better care of myself. Especially with all the wrecking and what not I do. I have hurt myself twice this summer and I am 99.9% sure my weight was a pretty big factor in that. I have gone walking a few times this summer but nothing serious. That will change. While I can not afford at this time to join a gym again, that doesn't mean I can't go walking. There are other exercises I can do on my own as well. I started up my food journal again. It is from a great website called fitday.com. I made the journal public so if you want to see mine, leave a comment. It will be a way to keep me honest. I have a goal. I want to be back where I was a few years ago. I know I will never be a super skinny girl, that is not my goal. I want to be happy with myself again. So here we go!!!

We got it to work!! Finally!! After having the darn thing for just about 3 months, we got it to finally work with our wireless. That meant that I didn't have to stay up to watch one of my boyfriends, Matthew on Conan last night, and that when I get home from work? I can watch his yumminess. Tomorrow the movie that he is in, Failure to Launch, is released, a lot of it was filmed here in NOLA, in fact they finished up like 3 weeks before "the thing" I can't wait to see it.

I am so frustrated right now. I joined this ediets thingy and they started sending me some vitamins. I am no longer really following this diet. Okay I am not at all. I can't find a way to discontinue the service, and they are charging me $74 for the vitamins!!! I don't want them anymore, and I can't find anyway to stop the services!!! that is a lot of damn money for me right now. I didn't even authorize for them to send me vitamins!! UGH. Off to go and look some more.

Over at Zoot's site, she has been talking about the dreaded "d" word. You know, diet. Lacking will power. I hear ya sistah. At the beginning of Jan, I joined ediets.com. I got some vitiamns sent to me (which I have been taking for 3 weeks now) ediets could really work. If I stuck to it. I get a menu for each day including recipes. The 2 weeks I was on it, I lost 5 lbs. It could have been more, if for one week of it, I wasn't all bloated (that TOM) and well if I gave up drinking diet coke and drank more water. Several years ago I weighed ALOT. I mean ALOT. I decided enough was enough and I wasn't happy. I started walking in the mornings before going to work. I would get up a half hour before I normally would and walk for that half hour. At the time I was living in Seattle on Queen Anne. Which meant hills. Lots of hills. I also started watching what I was eating and would eat between 1200-1500 calories a day. Like I said earlier, I have no willpower so this was extremly hard for me to do. If I got a craving for something, like thai food, I would think about it for HOURS. People say drink water, eat a piece of fruit or some veggies. Um yeah, didn't work for me! Still doesn't. Take this past Monday. I was really full when I got home from work. I had a fairly big lunch. I had drank a ton of water. I started thinking about the half of my sandwich left over from lunch. And I wanted it. I wanted it BAD. I made myself lie on my bed and realize how miserable I would be if I ate it. I wasn't hungry and I didn't need to eat it. I am happy to say its still in the fridge. Going back to Seattle, I started to lose weight. I dropped about 20 lbs before I started to venture back to the gym. I had joined the gym across the street from work when I started there. Like 2 years previous and had gone like 10 times. Now not only was the gym across the street from work, but I only lived 3 blocks from work. I really had no excuses. I started just walking on the treadmill, then came classes, weights and pretty soon I was going to spin classes. I loved spin. I would sometimes go to the gym 2 times a day. Before work/at lunch, or at lunch/after work. I found a co-worker that would go with me. I went to the gym 5-6 days a week. I still watched what I was eating, but upped the intake of calories a bit. I was feeling good, and looking good. I will never be a super skinny girl, but for the first time in my life, I felt good about myself. I lost 70 lbs in about a year. Then something happened. I moved. I moved down south. To a city known for some really really really good food and everything is fried. I haven't joined a gym, not in the year and a half I have been here. I have gained back 20 lbs of the 70 I have lost. I feel like I did before I started the big weight loss. Sluggish and gross. I have been walking a bit more, however there aren't that many hills here. I won't get back up that high in weight again and really do need to cut waaaaay back on the food intake (not the beer intake, that's not gonna happen just yet) start my walking. Its going to get real hot here soon, walking will suck. But I will do it. Right?? Right??? Someone said to me right after I moved here "in the winter you get fat on all the food, and in the summer you sweat all the grease out." yeah. well here's to wearing those cute summer dresses that haven't seen the light of day since moving down here. Moderation....allowing a little indulgence from time to time, lots more water, and yes excersising. I can do this. It will give me something positive to focus on right now.

So I had a good morning. It all started when I stepped on the scale. I was a little worried, as well, I have been eating much much better, no beer has been consumed in a week, and I have had only 2 sodas. Usually its one a day in the soda department. However the grand plan to go walking....either first thing in the morning or in the evening just hasn't happened. I have managed to lose 2 lbs though. WHOO HOO. Its a step in the right direction, now just imagine if I actually started my walking!!

I also decided this morning, that well I need to get out more. I know some of you are thinking...WHAT?? no you don't. Well...I always just tend to go out on the weekends...and to the same places. Not that that is a bad thing at all, I enjoy those places. But this whole "woe is me gonna be alone forever" attitude isn't going to change if I don't get out more, and meet some more people. Sitting at home and reading isn't helping. So tonight, I am going out. I don't know where, or with who, or any of those things...I am just going.

We are playing Biggest Loser here at work. No I don't mean who has the worse life kinda deal...but who can lose the most weight in 6 weeks. We weighed in today, and paid $10. When the 6 weeks is up, the person who has lost the most...wins the $$$. We should be ending it at the end of July. This is perfect timing. I have been meaning to get my ass in shape again. Since losing 70 lbs a few years back....I have put some back on. Of course living in New Orleans hasn't helped much at all. Fried food and lots of beer. However, I have been getting that bug to lose the weight again. I needed some extra motivation. I mean, I knew I wanted to lose the weight before my 30th. Cuz I want to wear a really cute dress, that I have yet to find. So if I can win this challenge, I will get the $$$ from it, which in turn will buy me the cute dress. See how that all works out? I honestly don't think the eating better will be the problem. I can get my butt out walking and other various workout regiments (without having a gym membership that should be fun) Its the drinking beer part that will be hard. Really. Your out in New Orleans...listening to some great music...and you have a few. A nice cold beer on a really hot summer steamy day? That is just awesome. When I lost my weight before..I had a great support system. It was with a bunch of girls on connick.com But after awhile? I couldn't handle it anymore. There are several girls (all very nice) who are skinny, who are in shape, who are obssessed with this whole thing. I mean if they aren't within their "goal" weight (which they were/are) yet still working so hard....it was discouraging to me. Here I was working hard...losing the weight, but the feeling I got was "your never fully happy with your weight" It was depressing. If they weren't ever happy...how could I be? I know it was all in my head, and still is. But the positive support I got, all of a sudden seemed discouraging to me. So I stopped participating in it. And wouldn't you know? Even though some of the weight came back on, I wasn't as depressed anymore. So I am gonna kick some ass on this. Lose the added back on weight, and win.

awww its Wed already. I love short work weeks. It also helps that Matt will be out the next two days!! sweet. Its sunny and the day is almost over. I was good today...walked to work. Took 40 mins. I will walk home as well. Tomorrow I have to hit the gym and start back up with the serious cardio/weights.

I had a great night last night. We had the read thru of the play I am doing for the Mae West Fest in July. We don't go into rehearsals until the 22nd of this month. One month to put up a 25 min show is no prob. I haven't done a show in a year so this will be nice. Even better?? We have a fantastic cast. Including the fantastic and wonderful John Murray. I haven't worked with him for about a year and half. Last show we did together was "True West" He is a fantastic actor. One of my local faves. The lady who wrote the play is also in it....she was funny last night, "Will this be a hard show to Stage Manage? Easy? somewhere in between?" I said I thought it would be somewhere in between. Mary Beth is a wonderful director to work with...now its time for me to make the contact sheet and the rehearsal schedule.....

excersise=good. I have had 3 days of working out after about 4 months of not doing it. I had been walking a lot, but this is the good kind of working out when your muscles burn, you get all sweaty, hot and gross. I LOVE IT. I can already tell during the day that I have more energy. Its the mornings that I am dead to the world and don't want to wake up. I am really looking forward to Saturday so I can sleep in. I think my body needs sleep at this point.

In one week, I will be flying to see my sister in Phoenix. I am very excited I haven't seen her since last christmas. Way too long. We are going to just hang out....oh yeah and go to a Cowboy Mouth show!!! WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE