***Snips and snaps of a thirty plus year old***

• I have been at the coffeeshop every day this week. I wish I could say I was working on my novels but I can't. Instead, I've been distracted by the Internet or paying bills.

• No workouts this week due to back problems.
  

• Eating out a lot, much of it with family and friends. Good stuff.

• We finally reciprocated dinner with another couple friend of ours on Wednesday. Being with them was like looking in a mirror: we're both interracial couples (Filipino and caucasian); one's tall and the other is shorter; one works in the medical field while the other works in administration; we indulge in PDA (public displays of affection.)
  

***I go, I go, it's to an interview I go....***

Interview for a temp to (possible) perm job today. Wish me luck!

***In the mood***

I'm going to indulge something I rarely do in my blog. I'm going to rant. If this is not your type of post, leave NOW.

Still around? Okay, I warned you.

• What is with people who can't recognize how attractive they are? I know one friend who attracts suitors like flies to honey yet constantly bitches how they can't find The ONE? Well, may be if they weren't so fuckin' picky and would make their personality more interesting they'd find that special someone. SHEESH.

• Why are people so scared to write? He-LLO. No one's expecting perfection on the first draft. So stop thinking you can't come up with an idea to sustain a book or it's not lookin' like Shakespeare on the first draft. Oh, and stop calling it WRITER'S BLOCK. I know I haven't finished my stuff because of procrastination, being lazy, and I like researching cars/having sex more than writing a lot. Just say you're scared and be done with it.
  

• Don't give me the excuse that you don't have time to work out to lose weight. If you have time to join your friends and stand in line for several hours to wait for a store to open for some special deal/spend hours to arrange time with said friends (or lovers) to spend more hours, you can make time to hit the gym.

And going on with weight-loss:

• If you're making time to spend with your child, make time to work out. Do you want weight-related issues kill you and leave your child an orphan?

• Stop expecting to date a model if you're homely-looking and not rich. Or, worse, don't have a personality.

• Stop expecting me to act like your go-between/nurse/admin ESPECIALLY if you cause the issue in the FRIGGIN', FUCKIN', FIRST PLACE. I had no prob with the latest design; why do YOU want me to call the contractor to change it?

• I HATE piles. Yet instead of helping me pick up YOUR piles, you complain how tired you are. Then I see you jump at the opportunity to check out a bookfair/new houses/etc., for several hours. You really don't expect me to seethe?
  

• You say you can't understand fantasy/romance/science-fiction/etc., finding you can't relate to them. Yet you read books or see movies exploring involving supernatural/exploring one's vagina/penis or discuss interpretations of Shakespeare and because the subjects deal more with reality?

• You drool over gorgeous folks but expect such folks to be attracted to you for your "sparkling" personality when you're standing in the shadowed corner of a party? Here's a fact for you: studies show the vast majority of couples marry folks of similar attractiveness. If you want that gorgeous thing over there, start workin' on your own looks, honey. And, no, new hairstyles/outfits/reading (and not practicing) on how to attract attractive people is not going to help.
  

• Stop bitchin' about the world's probs if your not willing to help solve it. And don't EVEN try to accuse me of the same: I devoted time and money for years as a volunteer and I know I've withdrawn from the world at the moment. And do you hear me bitchin' about the world constantly? I didn't think so.

• You want that cute twink to adapt to your culture but see no need to try to understand their viewpoint or adapt to their culture because you're an individual and see no need to change. And you wonder why you're still single, Mr./Ms co-dependent?

• Do you really expect me to be sympathetic when your lover leaves you for the person they were seeing behind your back when that's how you both met (i.e., you were cheatin' on your spouse)?

Ah. I feel much better. Now back to my sweet posts....

***Food, food, everywhere there's food...***

This week has been a foodfest. Monday and Tuesday I joined my sister for lunch. Tuesday evening, I indulged in two breakfast meals with my friends. Wednesday night R., myself, and another couple had a massive three course, seven dish dinner with lots of leftovers.

My sister remarked at one of the lunches that, after seeing my meal (appetizer, salad, entree, followed by dessert) how I stayed so skinny. Now, I'm not skinny by any stretch of the imagination (at six feet tall, I should weigh between 186 to 200 pounds. I currently weigh 213). She then paused, then said, "Oh, that's right. You work out."

She was quite correct. My cardio efforts kept my weight in check. More interestingly, the effort helped reduce my weight when I doubled the weekly workouts from two to four. I had lost three pounds from July following such a schedule.

Thus I was a bit surprised at my dramatically increased hunger when I had to stop working out last week. I know I'll be gaining weight as my body adjusted to the enforced inactivity. But I had not reckoned on my appetite.

I was hungry. Eating two breakfast meals (pancakes and omelet) sated me, not made me feel full or, even better, stuffed.

I then remembered another side-effect of working out: appetite suppression. The workouts tended to temporarily blunt my appetite. When I did feel hungry, I usually was able to sate it with lots of fluid. (I had read somewhere that thirst can feel very similar to hunger pangs.) This explained (partially) the weight loss since water (my normal drink) has no calories.

But that suppression is now gone. Now I have to figure out, like most folks, how to decrease my intake without working out. I've already increased my fluid intake. Same with drinking tea and coffee (both have appetite-suppressing ingredients.) I have to admit, though, it's much harder than it looks. There's no enjoyment in reminding oneself constantly not to eat.

I get that "high" working out, feeling myself just being a physical being, an animal. Dieting is suppression, something my body screams is "unnatural".

Grrr.



"The bear was hungry, the bear was ravenous, the bear's mouth was cruel and cavernous."

***The doctor ordered bedrest***

As long-time readers of this blog (all seven of you) know, my spouse is a physician. I recently confirmed that I pulled some lower back muscles from working out and asked R. if I could continued exercising.

"Uh, no," was the feared response.

"How long?" I replied, trying to keep the plaintive tone out of my voice.

"Between two to six weeks."

"What? You know how fat I'll get?"

"I love you no matter what."


Grrr. What can I say to that?

***Weekend Words***

Writing and fitness went out the proverbial window over the weekend. Saturday I babysat both my nephews while my sister and brother-n-law enjoyed couple time. R. and enjoyed our own time alone Sunday. We visited Laguna Beach, checked out the numerous cars over at the Carfaire, then dined at our favorite restaurant before going to sleep after midnight.