Weigh In Wednesday

Ugh. Slow and steady really seems to be the pace of my weight loss. Nevertheless - I am down 1 pound from last Wednesday, 5.8 pounds overall, AND I am in ONEDERLAND!!!! Oh, and even though I stink at math, I think this means I've already lost 10% of my goal :)

I really do have to consider this a win (even though I was 198.6 last Friday...). Not only am I in the 100's, but Joe and I did a two part date night on Friday and Saturday nights. So even with those two nights of drinking and exceeding my food calories (though not by too much), I dropped a pound. Not too shabby when I think of it like that.

I am getting so flipping sick of the Shred. I just want it done! But I have three more days of Level 2 and then 10 days of Level 3, so I've got quite a bit of time left with Jillian. It does seem to be doing it's job, though, as my clothes are fitting looser and I am down 1.5 inches each in my hips, waist, and bust.

Also awesome is that I'm starting to get excited to get dressed in the morning. For the past couple of years, it's been a source of anxiety as I wondered what else wasn't going to fit as my weight was shooting up. Now, it's fun to see what is starting to fit again :) And this is only after 5.8 pounds!

What a Difference a Day Makes

Given Philly's dismal job market and the fact that I have heard nothing but silence and bad news since I started looking, I decided this morning to apply for a couple of nanny positions.

I had been debating the idea for a few weeks and even signed up for two websites where parents can connect with potential nannies. I had considered nannying the last time I looked for a job, but the difference in pay between a "regular" job and a nanny job in California was pretty large. In Philly? Not so much. Not that nannies make a lot, it's just that every one else seems to make so little.

Since the pay would be roughly the same, and I'd likely enjoy nannying a whole heck of a lot more than an office job, I threw caution to the wind and applied for two positions this morning that seemed like good fits. One was a temporary position (figured it might be a good chance to get experience and a reference) and the other was a full-time position for a family that lives pretty close to us.

Less than 20 minutes later I had responses from both requesting interviews with me!

I met with the mother who advertised the full time position today, and I think the interview went well. If anything, maybe I sounded like I like kids too much. She seemed a little worried that I might get pregnant soon (nope, not happening) and she wants to make sure I can commit for at least 1 year (which I get). She said that she'd like me to meet her son and husband next week, so my fingers are crossed. It seems like a great family to work for, and I can't wait to meet the little guy.

After the interview, I decided not to pursue the temporary position. That position would start immediately, isn't full-time hours, and would only be for two months. Since I have to wait until sometime next week to know about the full time position from today, I don't want to get myself in a situation where I accept the temporary job and lose the full time one.

Joe made the point that if I got such a quick response from both families after applying, I'd probably be able to find another full time position if the one from today falls through. Since we haven't run out of savings (yet) and I really liked the family from today, I went with his recommendation.

Of course, I still have dozens and dozens of resumes for non-nanny jobs floating around out there, and it's possible that I may get called for an interview for something else. I'm not officially going the nanny-route, but if it works out I really do think that it would be a job that would bring me a lot of happiness and purpose.

After all, nannying must be awful nice if these ladies did it twice ;)

***Side Note*** Okay, okay. Fran Drescher was technically a teacher in The Beautician and the Beast, but come on. She was essentially a nanny. ***End of Side Note***
 

Maybe I Should Apply for Detective Jobs...

Another day, another job rejection. The Philly job market is NOT friendly, a fact confirmed by our tablemates Saturday night.

"Tablemates? Were you on a cruise?" You ask.

No. I wish. But we were at the next best thing: a murder mystery dinner!

Just to back up for a sec, last week Joe and I finally reached the Saved By The Bell episode where the gang goes to the murder mystery mansion. Remember?

It's an utterly fantastic episode.

It's also entirely to blame thank for my obsession with murder mystery dinners/parties/shows etc. I've thrown two murder mystery parties of my own, and my family took me to a dinner theater show for my birthday a few years ago. I seriously can't get enough and can't wait to make friends in Philly so I can throw another party. For anyone who has a similar love of murder and mystery ;) I highly recommend doing checking out www.nightofmystery.com.

This was my costume for Murder at the Juice Joint. We took mug shots of everyone at the party. It was mobster-themed. It.Was.AWESOME!!!

During the Saved By The Bell episode, I kept staring wistfully at the TV and saying how much I'd love to go to a murder mystery mansion myself.

Well Joe, being the super awesome husband he is, took note and began searching the Philly area for anything remotely similar. He came across a restaurant that does murder mystery dinners every Friday and Saturday night and told me that we could go for July's date night!

I WAS SO PUMPED.

The dinner was upstairs in the banquet hall of an old Italian restaurant (the ambiance was perfect!) and the actors performed in the center of the room so we were up close for the action. It was a really cute performance and at the end we were all supposed to fill out a card stating who we thought the killer was and why we thought so.

To be honest, the script really wasn't helpful in determining the killer, but I put my best detective face on and told Joe that I was pretty sure the nun did it! Not only was I right, but apparently they do a drawing with the cards of people who guessed the killer and the winner gets a $50 gift card to the restaurant.

JOE WAS THE WINNER!
WINNER WINNER ITALIAN DINNER!

Maybe I should pursue a career in law enforcement... ;)

Repli-Kate: Quinoa Pizza Bites

Lately, the only thing going on in my life (besides job hunting) is dieting. And, by default, it's become pretty much the only thing I've been writing about on my blog.

Sure, for people trying to lose weight it's interesting to read about another person's journey. But I am sure there are plenty of you who just don't care, so I want to mix things up a bit. Yesterday, I posted a movie review - which I will continue to write from time to time. Today, I am introducing another new segment: Repli-Kate!

Repli-Kate posts will be where I take something I find online (why lie, it'll almost certainly be from Pinterest) and try to replicate it myself (get it?!). I love crafting and desperately need to broaden my cooking horizons beyond the microwave - so this will be fun :)

And now, for my first edition of Repli-Kate:

Quinoa Pizza Bites

 Click here for the original link

Joe convinced me to try quinoa about a year ago, and I love it. What's not to love? It's a superfood that is a great substitute for rice or potatoes as a side dish (Joe makes an excellent quinoa pilaf!) and you can actually use it to make a ton of foods from pizza crust to burgers to chocolate cake! (Recipes for said foods can be found in this awesome cookbook).

So when I found a pin for quinoa pizza bites, I knew I'd have to give them a try. Since my diet started, I've been seriously jonesing for pizza. With just 265 calories in 12 bites, this seemed like a great compromise! Plus, I got to experiment with quinoa, which is always fun :) 

Ingredients for 24 pizza bites:

 

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa

1 large egg

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup fat free shredded mozzarella

1 teaspoon minced garlic

4 teaspoons Italian seasoning

pinch of salt

pizza sauce for dipping (not included in calorie count)

Directions:

• Cook your quinoa! Add 1/2 cup of quinoa and 1 cup of water to a medium pot. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes. Do not remove the lid until you think the quinoa is done. You'll know the quinoa is ready when the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender

• Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees

• Combine cooked quinoa with the rest of the ingredients (except sauce) in a mixing bowl and mix well 

• Lightly spray the bottom of 2 mini-muffin tins with olive oil spray and scoop 1 tablespoon of the quinoa mixture into each cup

• Bake for 15-20 minutes and let cool. Serve with pizza sauce for dipping!

Nutritional Info (per 12 bites):

265 Calories

6 grams Fat

33 grams Carbs

18 grams Protein

Kate's Notes:

Although the recipe specifically states to use mini-muffin tins, we don't have any and I wasn't about to drive 35 minutes to Target (yes, that's how far our closest Target is, pity me) to get new tins just to try out a recipe. Instead, I used regular muffin tins and tried two different approaches that worked:

Approach 1: The Packed Tablespoon Approach

My first attempt at baking the quinoa bites in the too-big muffin tin was to dump a tablespoon into each cup. I quickly realized that if I did that the bite would just fall apart (see bottom left cup in the picture on the right - not pretty). So instead, I packed the tablespoon like I was packing brown sugar - see the picture on the left.

This worked pretty well. The bites held together enough to get them to the plate (see below). They did break up a little bit when dipping, so I wanted to try to find a way to make them stick together more without adding more calories or changing the flavor by adding another egg or some other kind of binding agent.

Approach 2: The Flattened Disc Approach 

This was an attempt to get them to bind together better, and to have more crustiness. Yes, the word "crustiness" isn't very appetizing sounding, but I don't know how better to describe what I was going for ;) On the original bites, the bottoms were deliciously crusty and I wanted more surface area of the bite to have that quality, so I decided to pack the cups of the muffin tins and make discs.

This worked well, and they stayed bound together better. The crustiness was also awesome ;) They were almost like chips or crackers. See that picture above on my hand? That's the bottom of the bite and it's the best part.

Kate's Final Thoughts

Overall, will these help with your pizza cravings? Yep. I think so. The flavor is definitely there. They weren't as amazingly delicious as I expected, but they are definitely a solid snack or can even be a side dish in lieu of potatoes. Neither Joe nor I could taste the mozzarella cheese, so next time I am going to try making them without. Why not save those calories?

If you have anything you'd like to see on Repli-Kate or if you try this recipe and have ideas to make it even better, feel free to comment :)

Movie Review: The Conjuring

I absolutely flat out hate most movie critics. I hate that they are so out of touch with what most people enjoy. And I REALLY hate when they don't view movies as they were intended to be viewed. South Park: Bigger, Longer, & Uncut is certainly no Casablanca, but it's not trying to be. I feel like a lot of critics don't get this, and so would never give South Park the same number of stars as Casablanca because the latter is a cinematic treasure while the former is full of gross-out jokes and politically incorrect. When, in fact, the South Park movie is hilarious and (FOR WHAT IT IS) is very well done.

So, I decided that I am going to do my own movie reviews from time to time on this here blog. The movie theater by our house does $5 Thursdays, so I am already seeing plenty of movies (how can I turn down a $5 movie ticket?!). And when Joe starts school, I'll probably be seeing a lot more because I'll be lonely and bored. Womp, womp. At least this way I can justify the $5 a week habit ;)

A couple of notes before I begin:

1.) Since new movies come out on Fridays and the day our theater charges $5 is Thursday, my reviews for new movies will be about a week (or more) late. Deal with it ;)

2.) It doesn't take a whole lot to impress me. You may want to automatically subtract one or two stars from my reviews because I am easily amused.

3.) I really hate action movies, so you're unlikely to ever see a review of an action flick.

4.) I really love horror movies, and therefore they will probably be favorably and often reviewed.

Alrighty, with that business taken care of, I'll launch into my first movie review.

The Conjuring 
9 stars out of 10

Okay, so I already admitted to being a horror movie buff. But I have a confession to make. Lately, they haven't really been doing it for me.

Maybe I'm just a little burnt out on the genre, or maybe it's because I've been watching them at home and I never pay attention at home the way I do in the theater.

Whatever the case, I wasn't excited about The Conjuring coming out. It was barely a blip on my radar. Despite it having the dude from Office Space, I had relegated it in my mind to future Redbox rental.

But then Wednesday came, and I realized that the next day was $5 Thursday so I had to see SOMETHING. I looked at what was playing, and checked IMDB to learn a bit more.

That's when I saw that The Conjuring had an 8.1 out of 10 on IMDB. Say what?! Modern day horror movies NEVER get 8's (at least, none that I can remember). It's the classic case of people not viewing them AS THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE VIEWED and thinking they are supposed to be cinematic masterpieces.

I was highly intrigued, and my Thursday flick was picked. Joe, of course, did not come with me (he hates horror movies about as much as I love them) so I was solo. Which, to be frank, kind of enhances the spookiness of going to a scary movie. When I got home today and shut the front door of our 100-year-old+ apartment building behind me, I definitely got the chills and rushed up the stairs to Joe and Buster.

But I digress.

The Conjuring is one of the better horror movies I've seen. Like, ever.

It's like Amityville Horror meets Exorcist.

With The Conjuring you have a family who moves into an old farmhouse and creepy things start to happen to them. You also have a demonic force that wants to possess someone and can only be stopped by an expert in exorcism.

Despite the fact that both haunted house and possession stories have been done to death (pun intended), The Conjuring built excellent suspense and delivered serious scares. I really didn't think at this point I could be scared of a haunted house movie (possession, on the other hand, always freaks me out - I am Catholic after all), but I was definitely wrong.

***Side Note*** So wrong, that I'm wishing I waited until daylight to write this post, because I will certainly NOT be able to leave the safety of my bed now that I am replaying scenes from the film in my head. Guess my bladder will have to stretch. ***End of Side Note***

I do think this could be a cheesy movie if you weren't in the right mood for it, since basically every single horror movie trope is present. But it's just done really well. I also particularly liked the amount of time spent on scares/suspense - I'd say for about 60-70% of the movie there was SOMETHING creepy on screen (or about to be). Too many scary movies nowadays are 75% exposition and then there are a few scares and an anti-climatic climax and then the movie is over. Definitely not the case here.

My recommendation - go see it! It's a fun movie theater movie especially if you have an audience like mine (a lot of screams). Or, wait for Redbox and watch it at home in the dark. If you can, you are braver than me.

Weigh-In Wednesday

Um, ya. Pedicure didn't happen haha.

Going down!

Last Wednesday I was at 202.2, so that is a 1.4 pound loss from last Wednesday. Which is good, except when you consider the fact that 8 days ago I was 201 and figured that increase last Wednesday was due to my TOM. Guess not?

I'll just have to wait until next Wednesday to drop below 200. Oh, how sweet that will be. For all I know, today was the last time I'll ever see 200 on the scale again. MAYBE when I am pregnant I'll creep back up here, but since I am aiming to lose 55 pounds total and Joe and I aren't going to try to get pregnant until I do, no pregnancy should bring my weight over 200 unless I'm the next Octomom.

***Side Note*** No, I won't be celebrating 55 pounds lost by trying to make a baby. What I mean is that I'm not even going to consider it until I get my body down to a healthy weight. Because of dental school, it's likely going to be at least 2 years before we can consider trying ***End of Side Note***

As much as I wanted to be in "Onederland" this week, I've got to look on the bright side: I'm down a total 4.8 pounds down in the 15 days since I started trying to lose weight.

That's really good.

Plus, Joe keeps commenting that my face is looking thinner and my clothes look looser. Yesterday I put on a dress that I wore on the 4th of July and I could absolutely tell that it was bigger on me. I have to remember that The 30 Day Shred doesn't necessarily shred pounds, but it does shred inches. I can't wait until I can do my halfway measurements on Sunday morning!

Post #100!

Well, I can't believe it.

The girl who started a blog (for the millionth time) and thought there wasn't a snowball's chance in Hell she'd ever keep it going, has officially reached her 100th post.

*Cue the applause*

Since I can't just write any ole' post for the big 1-0-0, I thought it would be fun to jump back in time and see how much my life has changed since the first time I pressed "Publish" -

On November 29, 2012:
 
1.) We still didn't know if Joe would be going to dental school this fall

2.) Joe and I were living in California

3.) I was working a job I didn't like, but didn't realize how good I had it

4.) I was 9 pounds less than I was at the beginning of this month

5.) Buster was still living with his previous family

6.) I had never watched an episode of The Walking Dead or Downton Abbey

Now, on July 23, 2013:

1.) We have less than a month to go before Joe's dental school orientation at his top choice school - UPenn

2.) We are living in Philadelphia, PA and took a 6 week road-trip from California to get here. We visited the following states after moving out of our apartment: Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania

3.) I'm unemployed and applying to a ton of jobs. I'm hearing no good news. I'm also realizing I'll make 40-50% less and have worse benefits than my last job even though the cost of living is not much different

4.) I am two weeks into my second weight-loss journey chronicled on this blog. The first lasted a month and I lost 8 pounds, bringing my weight at the beginning of January to 17 pounds less than I was at the beginning of this month. I'm weighing in tomorrow to see how much I've lost in these first two weeks. Stay tuned!

5.) We have an amazingly adorable, smart, and very loving dog named Buster. We couldn't imagine life without him

6.) I am addicted to both Downton Abbey and The Walking Dead and have convinced several people to try one or the other (or both!). I am also counting down the days until their seasons start again and wishing I could find another fun show to get into (any recommendations out there?)


Overall, things have improved :) Well, except for the weight (which I am tackling!) and the whole being unemployed thing.

The truth is, as absolutely frustrated as I am about not finding a job yet, picturing where I was just 100 blog posts ago is very eye-opening. You couldn't pay me enough to make me go back to November 29 - the stress of my job and of not knowing where (or even IF) Joe would get accepted was weighing on me so much that I honestly felt like I was losing my mind. Fits of hysterical crying were quite common in the Brier household around that time (and, heck, I'll be honest - for several months before that as well).

But now, I actually feel like a different (better!) person. I am so proud of myself for sticking to this blog. I never in a million years thought I'd make it to 100 posts. But I wanted to, and I made it happen. There was something that just clicked, and I accepted as fact that I was going to blog instead of questioning when I would stop. The same thing is happening with my weight loss. And for that reason, I can't wait to see where I am 100 posts from now!

Level 1 DONE

I did it! Level 1 of 30DS is complete, and tomorrow I begin level 2.

Crossing off day 10. Only 20 more to go!

I am so excited about finishing Level 1, but dreading Level 2. As boring as Level 1 got, I did like knowing what to expect. Not sure WHAT tomorrow will bring...

Actually, I take that back, I know what most of tomorrow will bring. Job hunting. Ugh.

There are a lot of frustrating things about job hunting, but one of the biggest is that places want specific industry experience. For example, an administrative assistant position at a college doesn't just want an applicant with administrative assistant experience, they require the administrative assistant experience to be in a university setting. Because of this, I think I'm going to have to start looking at entry-level positions.

Since entry-level jobs pay even less than the jobs I have been looking at this month, I'm seriously considering becoming a nanny. After all, my dream job is to be a stay-at-home mom, and this seems like the next best thing. Believe it or not, nanny jobs are very comparable in pay to jobs I have a shot at around here. If I have to start from scratch in an entry level position anyway, why NOT nanny. It could be fun!

So... Joe Confiscated My Laptop

What happens when you are constantly looking up jobs and getting stressed over the lack of opportunities, angry about getting no response from jobs you have applied for, and (for a "break") you play the same level of Candy Crush over and over and get more frustrated because you can't seem to beat it? (Oh, and it's your TOM so you aren't the sweetest soul with this stress, anger, and frustration.)

Your husband hides your laptop.

But I have it back now, with the strict instruction that I can't look for jobs again until Monday. I think I can handle that.

Yesterday was the one month mark until Joe starts dental school. We're getting really excited - especially him. Though, if I were in his shoes and knew all the work I was in store for, I don't think I could muster up much excitement. I guess it is a testament to how much Joe wants this.

The closer we get to school starting, the more nervous we are getting about loans. Attending dental school (especially an Ivy League one) is not going to be cheap, and Joe already has a ton of student loans from undergrad and his post-bac program. We are hoping beyond hope for the NHSC scholarship, but the odds are pretty slim.

With this growing concern over loans and my realization that I will be lucky to make half of what I did in San Francisco (even though the cost of living isn't much of a difference), I had a diet slip on Thursday.

I didn't work out (though I decided that I will allow myself one day off per level of The Shred to let my body recover and hadn't taken one yet) and I drank.

However, this slip brought to light how serious I actually am about changing my life and losing weight. The biggest illustrations:

(Exhibit A)

When I slip, I usually REALLY slip. As in, I eat a ton and really take advantage of the diet "break." But on Thursday, I still stayed in my calorie limit (if you don't count the alcohol). I did seek out some kind of food to make me "feel better" - which was a small handful of chocolate chips. Usually I'd go to the store and buy a pint of Ben and Jerry's (especially since we saw them on sale earlier in the day). For an all-or-nothing personality like me, I consider this a win.

(Exhibit B)

When I woke up the next morning with a hangover, I still pushed myself and did The Shred. This is something I NEVER would have done in the past. Like, ever. Not only did I still do it with a headache, but a lot of times when I take one day off of exercising (as I did Thursday), it is a domino effect and I take multiple days off. So, another win.

Speaking of food, it's lunchtime and I am starved. Plus I still have to do The Shred today. Only 2 more days at level 1 and then I move on to level 2. I am both excited (because the repetition is so boring to me) and scared (because when I did The Shred in the past, I did level 1 for 30 days and only tried levels 2 & 3 a couple times. I remember them being harder...). 

Weigh-In Wednesday

Note to self: with these weekly pics of my feet, I should to do a home pedi every Tuesday night ;)

And there we have it. Down 1.2 pounds this week, 3.4 pounds total.

Not the happiest camper around. A 1.2 pound drop in one week is okay, but I'm aiming for 2. Given that this is week 1 and I haven't missed a workout or gone over my calorie limit, I expected a better number. I always lose quick in the beginning and then it slows down. If I am only losing 1.2 now... I'm starting to worry about how long this quest to 150 is going to be. 

***Side Note*** Full disclosure: yesterday I weighed myself and was 201, and I am supposed to start my TOM today or tomorrow, so that could account for the less than impressive number. But it's still not fun to see...***End of Side Note***

Oh, that's right, I decided last night that my official goal weight is going to be 150 (which will be a 55.6 pound weight loss). I think that is entirely possible, given that I got down to 145 at the end of my sophomore year of college (after a semester of healthy eating and daily workouts). To be in the 140's again would be great, but I don't want to aim for a number my body may not be able to get to anymore. I worked out with a personal trainer 4 or 5 years ago when I was in the 160's and could never get into the 150's (probably because I worked at a school and the number of calories in the teachers' lounge rivaled Willy Wonka's factory), so it'll be hard enough to get to 150.

Speaking of weights I've been, I got pretty bummed yesterday when this popped up when I submitted my food/exercise diary on MyFitnessPal last night:

While I can't wait to be in the 180's and 5 weeks doesn't seem TOO far off, the thing that bummed me out is that 188 was the weight I got to when I dieted for all of December (I dropped 8 pounds total, not an easy feat for Christmastime!). I cannot believe that I gained nearly 20 pounds in 6 months, and that it's going to take at least 6 weeks of healthy eating and exercise just to get back to where I was when I gave up last time.

I guess this is a good reminder that even if I am not losing at the rate I want, at least the number is going DOWN and not up.

This Gal Needs a Glass of Wine

I'm feeling very antsy lately, full of nervous energy and I hate it.

The unknowing as to what job I'll have, how many interviews I'll have to do, when I'll start, etc. is not pleasant for a control freak like me. I should be enjoying my free-from-work time, but instead I am constantly refreshing my inbox.

I really wish I could have some booze to get me through this, but I am on a diet and can't trust myself with a glass of wine (since it will undoubtedly turn into multiple glasses of wine).

Oh don't I wish

So, instead, Joe and I have been watching a ton of Saved By The Bell. It's actually pretty therapeutic to watch the antics at Bayside again. A few things I've noticed now that I am older:

1.) Mr. Belding is the world's creepiest principal (click here for proof from Buzzfeed)

2.) Alan (the "fat nerd") probably has a lower BMI than most high school students nowadays

3.) The teachers aren't shy about throwing shade at their students

4.) I'm pretty sure Jessie did more harm than good to the feminist movement. Ever heard the phrase, "Catch more flies with honey?" - she clearly hadn't 

5.) Does Bayside provide adult education classes? What else would explain the (obviously) 30-year-old extras trolling the halls 

6.) They could show episodes to today's youth as anti-bullying videos - the gang can say some pretty hurtful stuff

7.) I feel really sorry for the guy who played Max. First a regular, then reduced to a "guest star", and then suddenly MIA. As Joe put it, "I guess they decided to go a different direction than a restaurant owner/waiter who did magic"

8.) On the topic of magician waiters, how annoying would this be to the average person? Stop playing around and give me my darn food!

9.) It's still fun to sing along to the theme song (and impossible NOT to)

10.) Zach is still a hottie

Not a Gym Member... Yet

So... I didn't join the gym yet.

I know, I know. But hear me out.

The 30 Day Shred has basically been killing me. I feel pathetic saying that, since it's only 25 minutes, but facts are facts.

It's not that I can't make it through the workout. I can. (I may be sweat-drenched and cursing Jillian, but I can do it.) It's the fact that my legs are aching not just while I am Shredding, but every waking hour of the day.

I don't blame Jillian entirely. I blame our stairs too. I HATE stairs, and we live in a two story apartment on the third floor of a building without an elevator. Now that we have Buster, I'm hiking up and down the stairs several times a day. Plus, Joe and I are trying to walk him at least 30 minutes a day and I've made stupid shoe choices for each excursion.

***Side Note*** Joe has been doing most of the taking-Buster-out duty, bless his heart, so I definitely want to give him credit. I think he senses I am about to cry every time I approach a stair ***End of Side Note***

So, long story short, I've been less than motivated to add more exercise to my day until I get a bit more acclimated to this new, active lifestyle of mine. Perhaps tomorrow or Wednesday (Zumba day!) the motivation will be there. We shall see. I don't want to injure myself or get burnt out.

Today I certainly wasn't going to make it to the gym for the first time, because I spent hours applying for jobs.

Ugh, job-hunting is truly awful. I applied for a few things last week, and only heard back from one: an e-mail that people more qualified than me applied, so they were passing (ouch). I know the job market isn't great, but this is the first time I've experienced that firsthand. I was absolutely qualified for the job, so the fact that they had better candidates freaks me out a bit. Jobs in Philly don't pay well, and the cost-of-living isn't that much better than San Francisco. If I have to shoot for lower positions that means I may be looking at a $30k drop from my previous job.

The whole thing is freaking me out.

Today I cast a wider net, applied for twice the jobs I did last week, and re-jiggered my cover letter (I customize for different jobs, but the basic skeleton is the same). Hopefully I get some news soon. My fingers are definitely crossed.

Any advice out there? Or, better yet, job leads in Philly ;)

Quote of the Day

"You've lost weight in your face." - Joe

BOOM! Yes! Victory! Woot Woot!

I'm Joining a Gym!

Now that we are getting more settled and I've started taking weight loss seriously, I decided it was the perfect time to join a gym.

Joe and I walked over to one nearby (yes, within walking distance!) and checked out the pricing, facilities, classes, etc.

I'm really excited, the gym has a ton of machines and classes are included for free. This is a huge difference from the gyms I am used to in California, where classes for members could be as much as $10 per class, and non members would pay closer to $15.

That means I'll finally get to try Zumba! Which, unfortunately, is at 5 p.m. so once I get a job I won't be able to continue.

***Side Note*** Why the heck does a gym have classes at 5 when most people get off work at 5. Why not 5:30? Even 5:15? They do have a few 6 p.m. classes, but they don't sound as fun. Boo. ***End of Side Note***

I'm going to do a 3 month trial because it is at a great rate and, before I make a longer commitment, I want to make sure that it's something I'll realistically be able to keep up with when I start working.

I originally planned to wait until I was hired somewhere and knew where it was located and what the hours were, but since the job hunt hasn't been going spectacularly well, I decided not to wait around and see what happens. Who knows, between applying for jobs, interviewing, waiting for a start date, etc, it may be 3 months before I even start something. Though I hope not - we don't have unlimited savings.

I still plan to do 30DS every day, but given that I am unemployed and don't have anything else going on, I can certainly fit in more than 25 minutes of exercise.

Tomorrow I MIGHT wake up early and go to a spin class. Though the thought petrifies me - especially since these tend to be common sentiments:

Bringing Up Buster

It's been a little less than two weeks, but Buster has absolutely stolen our hearts.

I mean, look at his face, wouldn't he steal yours too?

The little guy loves us too, I've nicknamed him "my shadow" because wherever mommy goes, Buster follows. We think it has to do with being abandoned by his previous family and spending so long at the shelter. It's cute, but we don't want him to have anxiety and we've had serious trouble crate training him because the second we leave the room our quiet little guy starts barking and crying.

We went to the vet yesterday for a check-up, and got some great ideas to help with the separation anxiety and crate trouble. *Whew* not sure how much longer I can stand being holed up in this apartment. And every time he cries I feel like my heart is ripping out.

Speaking of heart ripping out, poor Buster was petrified at the vet. He shook like a leaf almost the entire time, and when the vet tried to take him he jumped into my arms, threw his front paws around my neck, and grabbed on for dear life. Good thing he's still a young guy (3) and in good health, because I don't want him to have to go to the vet again for a long time.

Knock on wood.

We are still trying to figure out his likes and dislikes. He sometimes has fun with his toys, but the only one he's really latched onto is a stuffed squirrel my mom and brother sent. He has annihilated that thing and loves to prance around the house with the squirrel in his mouth. It's too cute.

We tried taking him to the dog park the other day, but he was unimpressed. He just peed on or smelled everything.

Maybe this is a good place to pee.

This looks good too.

Dad - let me go so I can pee some more.

The one thing we are sure he loves (besides us) is being a total and complete couch potato. The vet said that comes from having some kind of sight hound in him (whippet or Italian greyhound are the most likely candidates).

He certainly doesn't love having his picture taken. I wanted a good picture of Buster and me, and that was just not in the cards...

Mom - don't you dare try to take pictures of me

I'll clean out your nostrils if you promise to stop

You think you have a big mouth?

That's nothing. Check this out.

I get worn out being so handsome