Nothing Too Exciting...

Ok, so there's nothing too exciting to report. Sometimes my life can be so busy that I take it for granted. At times when I have nothing planned I am bored out of my mind, although there are plenty of things that I could be doing, like housework. Sorting out all of the family photos that I've been meaning to get to, exercising, sorting out the finances....you know the stuff regular people need to do. Yeah, I prefer to keep myself so busy on projects and outings that I don't have to get to that regular people stuff.

So this weekend when I had absolutely nothing planned - I thought I would keel over from the sheer boredom! Fortunately, a couple of friends saved me from the boredom. First I received a phone call from a friend who was running a holiday event on the greenway in East Boston. It seems that they had planned a lighting of the walkway/greenspace that consisted of placing over 800 luminaries along the path. The festivities also included 2 choral groups, and an offering of cocoa and cookies that was generously donated by a local hotel. Here's where I come in. My friend called me because although the cocoa was being donated - the provider did not have a thermal unit hold the cocoa. I - being the event management diva that I am, sprang to the rescue by calling one of my contacts who gladly donated the cambros for the cocoa. Ultimately, when we arrived at the hotel to pick up the cocoa and cookies, we were surprised to see that the donation consisted of packets of cocoa - not prepared cocoa. We handed over the cambros and requested that they be filled with hot water. Flash to us standing on the greenway in freezing weather whisking the cocoa.

Meanwhile- Dad called for a Santarpio's run, which I had to decline due to the whole cocoa whisking engagement. Then a close friend called for a Kelley's run - which I gladly accepted. (Pizza - not on the diet. Bud light - can be worked in.)

I spent yesterday chilling and contemplating my holiday decoration placement. Tonight we'll do the whole tree set-up thing. Luckily I already put my wreaths and kissing ball in the hallway earlier in the week so it's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas already.

On Fish, Crabs, Tranny Boots and Shopping...

So – I have been on a mission to get this grab gift for the office. The theme is ‘In the News’ so I thought that a fish themed gift basked of sorts would be very funny. Considering that one of the biggest insults you can give to a newspaper is to call it fishwrap and considering the current financial reporting and the nature of the business I’m in I thought it would be funny to wrap these fish items with the stock reports etc.

Did I anticipate what a giant P in the A finding fish themed items would be?? Heck no!! Allie and Kevin started last night and it was a challenge. I continued the mission today during my lunch break with these giant patent vinyl tranny boots.

Also – did I mention – as if you all don’t know what a crab I’ve been??? Again, in keeping with the fish theme… : )

So, Imagine my surprise when I headed out with the tranny boots, crabby attitude and no clue what to get… that I would actually have a nice shopping experience. When I came up empty at TJ Maxx ( I was seeking fish shaped plates to go with the goldfish crackers, pretzels and Swedish fish) I headed toward CVS and the book store and saw Copley Flair, a cute little gift store that was packed with people. As soon as I walked in, Judy helped me dig out anything she could find that was fish-shaped. Then as I headed back to her register as I was wrapping up my selection, feeling a bit better about my task, still not completely done, she purposefully stopped me to tell me that I look good. It was a very pointed “girl – you look good”. I was stunned. My hair is not quite done - but up in a clip, and I’m wearing my glasses instead of contacts. I am wearing the tranny boots a grey dress and a black overcoat – so maybe that was it. I thanked her as I stood in line and she rang up the 3 customers in front of me. She said no really – the glasses everything – you need to take me shopping. I laughed and told her how she had no idea what a bad day I’d been having. She went on to say – I’d love to see what you look like on a good day then! At that point I was grinning from ear to ear. I didn’t even lose my smile when I presented my ATM card which was not accepted because I didn’t have my ID and it wasn’t signed. I had almost enough money – except for 25 cents. I was just about ready to run to the ATM and the woman behind me offered up the quarter. I had such a pleasant experience with the sales person and the store, I asked her who I could contact to give some feedback. It just so happened that the owner was on sight so I walked over to him and told him about my positive experience and how his store was like a “beacon” to me on this grab mission. He was thrilled and said that it made his day to hear that and provided me with his business card. As I headed toward the door he stopped me to take his card back and scrawl a note on it that instructed whoever I displayed it to on my next visit – to give me 20% off.

Pretty girl for a crabby chic on a fool’s mission with some tranny boots huh? I thought so!

Singing at the Hard Rock Cafe

Now, I'm going with the assumption that pretty much everyone reading this - doesn't know me. So, that being said, let me give you some grounding. I tend to lean slightly to the impulsive side in that - I am game for pretty much anything. At least I'll try almost anything once. I also LOVE to sing. I wouldn't say that I'm terribly great at it - however I love it. I do it anywhere, any time, any song. So - imagine my reaction when, while trolling Craig's List for opportunities for my event management sideline, I stumbled across an opportunity to sing back-up at the Hard Rock Cafe. Naturally, I shot out an e-mail and was thrilled to get an almost immediate response. This all started a week ago Friday. By Monday, I found myself during my coffee break scrambling for a vacant foyer in which to audition via cell phone. Tuesday morning found me rehearsing in the back of a rental car and Wednesday night had me singing back-up at the Hard Rock Cafe for a wonderful performer by the name of Viola Kurari. It was her Boston area CD release party and one of her tracks had multiple background components which was why she needed to beef up her ranks a bit. I'm not so sure I have a future as a back-up singer, however it was a truly amazing experience!! Scary, exciting, exhilirating - and amazing!!

Back...Again!!! (Again) And the whole liquid diet thing.

Ok, so it's been two months and let's just say - the liquid diet - not so much. I continued on it for another 6 weeks or so but not very religiously - particularly toward the end there. I'm thinking weight watchers is the way to go. Every time I have been on the plan - the pounds have stayed off. That and the gym. Since I am broke and already have a membership being deducted monthly - I might as well immerse myself in that as a form of entertainment.

So - the final tally was 15 lbs lost. God knows how much I have gained back but - looks like I'm heading out to Weight Watchers to give that another try. I really need to get healthy, fit and slim. God knows I'm super-sized hotness - but I'd really like to know what it's like to be average or even large-sized hotness. Any tips are greatly appreciated!

Big loss....huge gains!!!

I made it through my first week of the liquid diet, albeit a little bit shakey. When I left the initial meeting, I was adamant that I would only do the shakes and keep the program very rigid. (They now have all kinds of options that are part of the 'decision free' plan including bars and entrees. What kind of tough diet program is this?) Then I went home and tried the multigrain cereal sample they gave me. OMG! In a sea of shakes, this stuff is awesome! It's like really high fiber oatmeal with bits of apples, cranberries and currants. And filling??? So, for this week, I took home a box of those babies and they have really taken the edge off of the hunger. I have 4 shakes each day at 100 calories each and then 1 cereal which is like 250 and I am perfectly content.

The only time that I am challenged is when I am around really, really, good food! Like when the hubby, who hasn't cooked a meal in months that hasn't involved vegetables and/or tofu or some other non-meat entree, decides to cook a boiled dinner. WTF?????????? I was absolutely starving the other night when I cam home to the smells of that delicous melange of smoked shoulder, potatoes, vegetables and (for the Portuguese side) linguica and chourico. I wanted to cry!!

Really, I wanted to sit down and pile my plate high with cabbage, potatoes and carrots, cover them in butter and salt and pepper and mash them up just like I did when I was a kid and have every boiled dinner since. I wanted to spear a giant chunk of linguica and chourico and carve a slab of smoked shoulder and pile those bad boys on my plate and just chow!!!

Instead I pulled out a packet of cereal and poured it into a bowl heated it up with some water in the microwave. Scrumptious!!!

Oh, I forgot to say - I lost 10 lbs.!!!! My tighetst jeans or as I refer to them 'my spleen bruising jeans' are already getting loose!! I'm going to have to take some pics to chart my progress. The befores will be gross but it will definitely make the impact of how amazing the afters will be.

Ok, gotta go. Will check in again on Tuesday after the next weigh in. Unlesss I stop in to post pics.

Back...Again!!!

Ok, I'm back again and am vowing to keep up with posting at least twice a week. I do have lots of exciting and interesting things going on and my family is sick of hearing about it.

Since my last post I got a new tattoo, sang with a Neil Diamond tribute band, saw Neil Diamond live at Fenway, by myself, with an awesome ticket I scored for 50 bucks right outside the park, started a new liquid diet and much more.

I'm at work now, so I cant' really go on and on, but I will be keeping the site up to date with all kinds of interesting tidbits as well as weekly updates on the diet status. Knowing that I'm currently super-sized hotness, I'm hoping to be zeroing in on average-sized hotness by December and by Spring to be the very vision of hotness.

K - gotta run! Will keep you posted!

I'm Back

Not that I have any readership to keep up with but, I've been spending most of my blog time on my other blog titled "Family Style". We (my siblings, their spouses, etc. and I) created it about a month and a half ago as a means to communicate about and inspire one another on our missions to get in shape and lose weight. It is a private blog, so unfortunately, unless you're related, you won't get to read the insanity that we can often come up with. I'm a big fat exhibitionist (not literally) and really don't care who reads my stuff, but many of my family members are a lot more shy than I am.

At any rate - I am a little bit peeved with them because NO ONE has been blogging lately. Seems like everyone has fallen off the wagon or off the face of the earth. I've been blogging my chubby little heart out and no responses. Soo... I 'm working on distributing my blog time a little more evenly so that I make time for my mid-life progress.

I'm at work now, but wanted to drop a quick note in the event any new visitors stopped by and noted the March date from my last post. I'll be back tonight!

- MLP