Corporate toady?

Huh? Sorry, I just heard that on TV in a context that was really weird. Kind of like saying Sponge Bob and Fidel Castro in the same sentence. Just weird. Anyway!

The gals did not take a single picture in Vegas (uh huh sure) - not even somebody sleeping with their mouth open or coming out of the bathroom wearing a towel and brushing their teeth. Hmmm. They were all very tired and apparently the magic date of 7/7/07 didn't bring any of them that intangible special something that would have allowed them to win big and race home to retire. Sigh-h-h. Maybe next time.

One thing came out of it though - and I'm not saying it was a positive thing. Joan discovered gambling. Joan has lived in a few different countries, has had several different jobs and been all over this country - but had never touched a slot machine. It is my understanding that when she did - she immediately became hyp-mo-tized. Ysabel and Linda could barely pull her away. Somehow her germ phobia slipped away as she pushed those dirty buttons touched by scads of people before her - some whom I'm sure didn't wash their hands after going to the bathroom - and she remained seated - fixated on the blinking lights and spinning symbols in front of her.

Me thinks it's good she doesn't live close to any major gambling territory - or she would quickly become a regular at the local pawn shop! :) Almost scary. Joan - step away from the machine. Don't. drink. the. kool-aid!

So. Nutrisystem. I am having a lot of trouble facing all those salads. I am not doing bad on the fruit, and thank God I am allowed to have V-8 instead of a vegetable serving, but that salad twice a day is killing me. The idea is to keep eating all day, small portions of healthy foods. I get that. But a salad at lunch and a salad at dinner for someone who doesn't really like salad that much is pretty hard.

There have been days lately where I have been getting my lunch ready for the next day and just cannot bear making another salad. So I skip it. But it is a filling part of my lunch and without it I am not satisfied. I didn't realize how much you need to contribute yourself in terms of fresh fruit and salads and the like. Call me lazy but I thought it was - pre-packaged foods - take it out of my hands for a while - eat what we tell you and you will lose weight.

Well. I am going to do it for a second month - only because now that I have sampled a lot of the different meals - I have a much greater idea of what meals I will choose which will make things a heck of a lot easier. I cannot keep looking into that box and seeing split pea soup which I hate and did not want - thinking that I am going to have to eat it. Because I won't. It's that simple.

I do want to tell anyone who is thinking of doing this diet plan, DO NOT TRY THE CHOCOLATE CAKE!!!! That was the dessert I chose the most of and it is simply awful. Awful. Tonight I thought I would try to make it a bit palatable by sinking a nice Hershey's kiss in the middle of the batter before sticking it in the microwave. Not even that helped. I was expecting a nice melted bit of real chocolate gooey goodness in the center to be the redeeming quality but somehow the cake ruined the kiss. Amazing. Don't bother.

I will say though that even if the food is not great for the most part, I am getting into the habit of eating meals on a more regular basis as well as trying to get the rest of the food groups in there. I have always been bad about the fruit and veggies - carbs are my lifeblood. But I am learning better habits so if I get some lasting changes out of this it will have been worth it. I was in a bad habit spiral, and it was getting worse. I needed something extreme to snap me out of it. Along with starting to walk again - I think I will continue the process on my own when this is done. This has been a slo-o-o-w-w process for me, I haven't lost tons of weight but I just need to keep at it. Especially the walking.

And I need to go here. Bermuda. I just need to go where the sun shines and the clear water laps at my toes and where I don't have to think beyond SPF 30 for a while. Ah-h-h-h - the sand is as fine as sugar and almost as white .....

It IS July!

I guess I missed it! I have been off work for a few days - and I can't keep track of the dates when I'm at home. But I know it's the 3rd because tomorrow is the 4th and by all accounts - it's a holiday! Stuff blows up in the sky and everybody oooooh's and ahhhhhhh's over it. Okay, I do too. Who isn't a little kid when watching fireworks?!??

I should mention that "day dreamer" over there at Candid Yammering nominated me for Rockin' Girl Blogger! Thanks so much! I STILL have to find out what that is - but it sounds good - I can't imagine it's secretly the geekiest bloggers ever award - so I am happy for the nomination!

One thing that has come out of blogging - is being able to take that peek into other people's lives, make new friends and have some laughs together. I think most people think they are a bit weird, their family is the wackiest or most dysfunctional. But everybody has something. So we write and let other people in and they respond - "oh I know what you mean" or "been there done that" - and it makes you feel a bit more normal. On the other hand - it might make you feel like everybody is just freakin' crazy!!!!! :) But whatever it does for you - it doesn't do anything bad. It's a good thing.

I was going to introduce one of the cats tonight, but I really think I need to throw a load of laundry in and then head to the bead room. Spent yesterday afternoon and then today too - out at the picnic table in the backyard taking pictures of jewelry. Did you know there are things that fly and crawl around out there? And things that bite sometimes? Ee-e-e-w-w!

When I came in today I went through all my pictures and updated some of my older listings with better pictures, but the job of sorting, sizing, cropping etc - all of those pics got a bit overwhelming so I have pushed it aside for the moment. I tell you what though - the digital camera and memory card are things of beauty! Add to that a laptop, a wireless connection and an awesome printer too - and you have all I need to list all the jewelry in the world in my shop! Now I just have to make it!

The pictures here are all from older listings - pics I took today in the backyard, and then updated in my shop. There is just something about that natural light to bring out the beautiful colors in stone! None of these have had the color altered at all - and if you click on them you will see how beautiful the colors really are. And if you notice - they are all necklaces and they are all being modeled by Roberta. She is here, lower left. What a wonderful investment she has been! She doesn't usually wear glasses but I was just showing that if you're beautiful - you're beautiful with glasses or without! Okay, I was really just trying to show that Roberta is one of us - not glamorous at all when she's not working!

OH! How could I forget an update on the diet! Dani and I have been following the Nutrisystem diet, eating out of the massive boxes of food sitting right in the living room, and I can't speak for her but - what the hell? You've seen the commercials - "I'm a size TWO!" she says in that most annoying really thin person voice. "All I did was eat the food!" I can almost feel her finger poking deeply into her cheek. Well I've been eating the food! I've been eating the salads and the fruit and the freeze dried concoctions I am paying about 10 dollars a day for - and I don't think I've lost a pound! Of course I was prementrual last week so that was hard to judge, and still menstrual this week, but still!!

This has not been incredibly fun.

It might be different if before you started the diet you already knew what foods you would like and which foods you wouldn't. Everything you order would be something you know you will like. Not knowing ahead of time makes it a real crap shoot. Really, just because it says tuna cassarole - who says it will really taste like tuna cassarole? Plus - you get a week of food for free - but THEY pick the food for that week. I figured though, they would know that if I didn't order any split pea soup - it would be because I don't like split pea soup! Or black beans and rice! Yuk! Okay, so I'm a picky eater. But - still!!!

There is one food that is exceptionally good - and that is the lowfat granola. I mixed it into my lowfat yogurt this morning and didn't even feel like I was dieting! Num! The chocolate chip pudding is okay, the chips save it. The reconstituted all beef patty I had for dinner this evening was quite interesting - a science experiment in rehydration you might say! The texture was a little weird but it tasted okay. Most of the food is just that, okay, and a lot is Chef Boy-Ar-De-like too. All in all it has been difficult to eat this food day after day - I feel I have been on it a lot longer than I actually have. My daughter and I both agree that lunch is our least favorite meal of the day. The whole thing would be easier to tolerate if I felt I was getting some return for my effort. Hmm. Well - maybe tomorrow I will weigh myself and get a good surprise.

But then again - maybe not.

**********************

Maybe I should have just introduced one of the cats. God knows that will be a show stopper! :) One thing I haven't done for a while is close with a pretty picture. I am going to do that tonight. It's raining outside, there is a cool breeze and I can hear distant thunder. It's gonna be good sleeping tonight!!!

Okey Doky

Is there a proper way to spell that?

So. My daughter and I both recommend the Nutrisystem sloppy joes. Dani HATED the apple toaster pastry while I thought the strawberry was okay. She thought the texture of the cranberry orange pastry was "spongy" - I really enjoyed it. I think she is more sensitive to texture than I am. The food as a whole so far has been a bit disappointing. I guess I was expecting it to be at least as good as Lean Cuisine or something, but on the other hand it was important to me that it not need to be refrigerated or frozen because I simply don't have the space. So I suppose there is a trade-off there. I particularly DID enjoy the chicken fettuccine I had last night, as well as the meatloaf I had tonight. The mashed potatoes were pretty weird though. Dani gave the mushroom risotto a high rating as well. I've been holding off on weighing myself - I don't feel any different I don't think. Hmmmm.


On an entirely different note - I managed to get some nice pieces made tonight. I finally used the agate slab beads I had, made a really nice necklace. Got about 5 pairs of earrings done, a couple necklaces and bracelets. I like to get several pieces done and then do all the picture taking together, etc. I'd like to get a few more things made before I move on to that step this week.

Made a sale tonight, sold one of my favorite necklaces. One of those things that I would look at and think - why hasn't that sold yet? It's so pretty. But - obviously - to each his own, there's something out there for everyone but it's not necessarily in my shop!

Oh! I almost forgot! HerRoyalMajestyBags posted in the ETC section of Etsy's forums - that her neighbors are giving her a hard time because they don't like that she hangs her laundry out to dry in her own backyard. Well, HerRoyalMajestyBags got fed up and posted a request for underwear! She wants to make some kind of prayer flag made of undies - although I think it's gotten bigger than that at this point. I got my contribution ready and it will go out tomorrow. She has promised to post pictures - so hopefully all of us who have donated to the cause will get to see the results! What a hoot! :)

I guess I never realized that it was considered "trashy" to hang your laundry out to dry. Have people gotten so far away from their childhoods - or did these people grow up in the city? I don't know. I remember having to go into the backyard to hang clothes for my Mom (probably not very often) or to take stuff down. The only equipment needed - a clothesline, laundry basket, and clothes pins. Such a simple thing. But is it not an acceptable practice now? Boggles MY mind! Women,menopause,peri-menopause,osteoporosis,feminism,complexion,shoes,hair,
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Revelations and disappointment

Last night in Etsy forums a thread was started called Opalite is not a gemstone. At least I believe that's the name. http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5135256 It was all about the trend toward gemstones (or not) being misidentified. It is something that started to disturb me not too long ago when I started to realize I did not know enough about the stones themselves - that I was using. This thread really brought home how you cannot just believe someone because they sell it as say - pineapple quartz. That's not quartz - it's glass! There is no such thing as pineapple quartz. I did not know this. When I started to make jewelry I bought my beads based on how pretty they were, how unusual, etc. But now I kind of feel like the dumb blond with her finger in her cheek and vacant look in her eyes!

The result of the whole thread - which last time I looked had over 400 posts and was still on the first page under Buying and Selling - is that I have decided I must educate myself to a greater degree. There isn't anything wrong with using synthetic stones. There is nothing wrong with glass or acrylic or whatever people choose to use. But if you don't identify them accurately you are misrepresenting what you are selling. Oh I hate the thought! I identify the beads in my jewelry as what they were represented as to me when I bought them. But I need to know what I'm buying - not just what people TELL me I am buying. I am glad that I do not charge in the upper ranges for my jewelry, I think I DO charge what it is worth. But my goal has been to get more skilled at what I am doing and this is just one more aspect of that. I need to educate myself and have ordered the books that were recommended last night. I guess I'm going to get an edumication!!! :) By choice. :)

Quick note on the diet - I did fine today - there are enough different things you eat during the day to keep most people satisfied I would think. I missed my afternoon snack, but I will make sure I get all of it in tomorrow. I will say that I am heartily disappointed in my dessert option tonight though. And unfortunately it is the option I ordered the most of. :( It is the chocolate cake. It wasn't nearly as chocolaty (is that a word?) as I was expecting, and the texture was kind of mushy. Icky. I will have to cook it a bit longer next time, but my microwave is one that you generally don't go over a normal cook time with so we will see. I have a huge sweet tooth so I was really counting on that dessert option to be good. Still - everything else I ate today was good - and tomorrow I have planned a bit better since Dani and I ran to the store and stocked up on produce and the like. I know what I am having for breakfast, lunch, and snack because those are all during work hours.

It's good to have a plan. :) Disappointed in the chocolate cake but not discouraged. Onward! Search for women's issues like menopause, peri-menopause, osteoporosis, feminism, complexion, shoes, hair, makeup, manicure, motherhood, pregnancy, breastfeeding, hormones, daycare, health, and everyday concerns.

It's here!

My daughter called me at work today - left a message in my voicemail saying "giant boxes of food have arrived!" Nutrisystem is here. We opened the boxes and started sorting. I don't think my daughter really needs to lose any weight, but this is pretty healthy and balanced so when she wanted to do it I thought it would be nice to do it together.

Oh my gosh - we pulled out dinners, lunches, breakfasts and desserts in all their cardboard and foil packet goodness! It appears that a lot of my lunches are cylindrical - and most of my breakfasts are flat. :) Interesting. I'm finding out that besides what is in all those packages, I can also have a few servings of fruit and vegetables and or salad a day, as well as dessert. Mmmm, yogu-u-u-r-r-t! Does cherry jell-o count as fruit?

So - this promises to be quite interesting. I keep looking at these portion sizes saying - have I gotten that far away from eating in a healthy way? One thing I can have is my tea, I have 2 mugs every morning. I said to Dani that I was going to have to fudge those a bit, yes I can use artificial sweetener but I NEED some real sugar as well. Dani proceeded to tell me that this is supposed to be about changing habits - starting new - and man - how come a 21 year old is right????

I guess we will be going through the fridge and cabinets and purging some things from the house. Andy will be happy because we drink all the pop he buys - that will have to stop. :( I think more than anything it will be the portion sizes that will be hard to get used to. I have been so used to just eating what I want - when I want lately - that sticking to these portion sizes may be hard. I'm not a big fruit eater, definitely not a big vegetable or salad eater, but since those are some things I am allowed and encouraged to eat every day - I need to make the effort. Heck - this is way too expensive to NOT follow it the way I'm supposed to.

A half a banana is one fruit portion, but then - so is TWO plums! I'm going for the plums! Oh - must go - Dani has started the grocery list and I need to contribute to that. Well - here we go! I will be taking my "before" pictures - but I'll be darned if I will post them here, at least - not until I don't look like that anymore!!! Vanity. It's terrible, isn't it? :)

No problems!

I listed 5 items in my Etsy shop tonight. Uploaded my pictures - went through the process without a hitch. Unless of course you count my inability to type or choose which order to upload the pictures in! I am getting views - no trouble at all. Only looked in the forums early today, did not post.

AccentsByDave added me to another of his Treasuries - what a guy! He has been absolutely wonderful to the people who have hearted his shop - and I was the first one. But seeing the first necklace he listed - I knew he would do well - he's got a great eye for jewelry and combining stones in just the right way. Plus he has a tendency to use big focal beads which of course, I love! You can find his shop by clicking on the link in the right sidebar. Great stuff!

That's his necklace in the upper right - where did he find that picture jasper heart? It's beautiful! And the stones he used to make up the rest of the necklace are just gorgeous too. I hope you check out his shop! Oh! Dave just opened a second store called Bling 4 Less. Check out that shop too - great quality jewelry for less!

So. On a completely different note - I ordered my food from NutriSystem today. Since I have started spending so much time on this computer, and at my beading table, I have gained a lot of weight. Probably 25 pounds in the last 2 years. WAY more than my 5'4" frame can hold gracefully. And so far - I simply have not been able to get a handle on things. I have been looking for a way to get some discipline and organization into my meals - but have been totally unsuccessful on my own.

So in looking at all the different options I decided on something that just takes the decisions out of my hands for a while so I can get jump started. I need to get used to eating smaller portions and to eating the right foods. I was really good at this a while back, but I have have gotten so far away from it - it isn't funny.

Thought about Slim Fast and those types of things, but I can't do meal replacement stuff, I need to eat real food or I will have a huge rebound when I go off this program. I plan on doing it for about 2 months, can't really afford to do it much longer anyway. There is a work out plan which for me will be key, I need to make some time for that. Kind of excited about it - so of course I had a chocolate concrete with M&M's from Culvers last night!! That last treat kind of thing. I just have to try not to eat that way the whole time while waiting for the food to arrive! Search for women's issues like menopause, peri-menopause, osteoporosis, feminism, complexion, shoes, hair, makeup, manicure, motherhood, pregnancy, breastfeeding, hormones, daycare, health, and everyday concerns.