You get what you need…

Have you ever had the experience of something you hear on the radio or TV just hitting smack in the face? I was driving back from visiting my parents earlier this evening jamming to the radio, but they started talking which I generally hate. After scanning the radio, I stopped when I heard them talking about American Idol (I’m sort of addicted to this show. I thought they were probably talking about the new Top 24, but they were actually talking about Mandisa from way back in season 8. The DJ reminded everyone that Simon had made several terribly hurtful and rude comments about her size/weight, but that Mandisa had forgiven him later in the show. They then reported that over the past few years Mandisa has lost 100 pounds through diet and exercise. This was something I needed to hear for two reasons; one I have trouble forgiving people and I hold onto things for a very long time and two I am on my own weight-loss/health plan and it is often a struggle to make good choices. I had been considering stopping for ice cream when I got back to Tampa, but decided against it after hearing this radio segment tonight.
=)

Saturday Fun

I’m visiting my family for the weekend. It’s been a very relaxing weekend so far. We did some thrift store-ing, had lunch, hung around the house, went to dinner at Carrabba’s (Yum!), and watched the movie RED (which was surprisingly good). I also made pretty good progress in my current book, The Help. I’m really enjoying the book so far and would highly recommend it.
=)

The Halfway Point

I am so very glad it’s Friday and that the weekend is now here. I could definitely use the break and some time to recharge. This week was super stressful at work and I had several really difficult cases that have left me feeling especially mentally/emotionally depleted. Obviously I can’t say much more about it than that, but it was a tough week.
But there is good news on the blogging front: today, February 25, is my one hundred and eighty third post. I know this seems like an odd and totally post to make a big deal about…or it would if I hadn’t mentioned it a few days ago, but this post is the official halfway point in my year of blogging. Most of you know that I stated this blogging project to complete and item from my “Bucket List.” I thought that today would be a good time to share that list with you all.
I started my list back in my sophomore year of college and I’ve been tinkering with it ever since. There have been a few changes to the goals over the years, but not many; seeing the Yankees play in Yankee Stadium was dropped from the list after the original ball field was torn down a few years ago and hiking the trail to Macchu Picchu became just visit (because I’d probably die if I tried to hike at that elevation, yay sea level!). Some of the goals I’ve accomplished already, some of them are silly, some serious, some clearly came from a college student (lol). Here’s my list, with the completed goals in bold:

100 Things to do in Life

1.    Skydive
2.    Be in two places at once
3.    Climb a mountain
4.    See Paris at night
5.    Drive coast to coast, don’t take interstates
6.    Attend at least one major sporting event: Olympics, Super Bowl, World Cup
7.    Runaway to Fiji, at least for a few days
8.    Learn to ballroom dance
9.    Watch every Disney movie. Ever.
10.    Sleep under the stars
11.    Go to Mardi Gras or Carnival
12.    Visit all 7 continents, well maybe not Antarctica
13.    Spend Christmas in the Tropics
14.    Ride in a hot-air balloon
15.    Graduate with my bachelor’s degree
16.    Swim with sting rays
17.    Parasail
18.    Bungee Jump
19.    Spend a day at a concentration camp, say a prayer, and never forget
20.    See Sunset in Key West
21.    Learn to speak a foreign language
22.    Find my soul mate
23.    Stop. Smell the Roses.
24.    Dance in the Rain.
25.    Visit Macchu Picchu
26.    Get a tattoo
27.    Go to an Italian opera. In Italy.
28.    Visit every Disney Park in the world.
29.    Bet $100 on one color in Roulette while in Las Vegas
30.    Go to the top of the Space Needle
31.    Go to the Top of The Empire State Building
32.    Go to the Top of the Sears Tower
33.    Visit Pearl Harbor
34.    Be influential
35.    Memorize a poem. Pass it on to someone else.
36.    Swim with a dolphin
37.    Forgive someone
38.    Write ‘The Great American Novel’, even if no one ever reads it.
39.    Become a published author
40.    Smile as often as possible
41.    Visit the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World.
42.    Ice Skate in Rockefeller Center
43.    Make a wish on a shooting star
44.    Send a message in a bottle
45.    Don’t take things too seriously
46.    Throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain
47.    See the remains of the Berlin wall
48.    Beat my Dad at Trivial Pursuit
49.    See the London Symphony Orchestra perform live
50.    Keep a journal for a year, and actually record my thoughts every day
51.    Learn to fly an airplane
52.    See a Steelers game. In Pittsburgh
53.    Pay off my student loan
54.    Go to Oktoberfest in Munich
55.    See the Northern Lights
56.    Get my Master’s Degree
57.    Go to Graceland
58.    Visit the Grand Ole Opry
59.    Go Scuba Diving- I have sort of half done this
60.    Become a parent
61.    Get married
62.    Be in a food fight
63.    Spend an entire day watching black and white movies
64.    Do something creative
65.    Visit the Lourve
66.    Be happy
67.    Drive on Route 66
68.    Plant a tree
69.    Stand up for something I believe in
70.    Learn to play the violin
71.    Read all 7 Harry Potter books back to back. No interruptions please!
72.    Scuba dive in a sunken pirate ship
73.    Own a house
74.    Live abroad
75.    Go white water rafting
76.    See a play/musical/show on Broadway
77.    See the Red Soxs play at Fenway
78.    Say I love you
79.    Have faith
80.    Open a bakery
81.    Visit Spain
82.    See myself through someone else’s eyes
83.    Visit Tulum, Mexico
84.    Make a difference
85.    Travel to Southeast Asia
86.    Be a Bridesmaid
87.    See my parents reach their 50th anniversary
88.    Visit the French Riviera
89.    Go to the California Wine country
90.    Visit New York  City
91.    Build a snowman
92.    Fulfill a child’s wish
93.    Never really grow up
94.    Be successful, in the way that best suits me
95.    Touch the Grinch Who Stole Christmas with a 39 ½  ft pole
96.    See the world from someone else’s perspective
97.    Invent something
98.    Be self-actualized
99.    Celebrate! Just because I can.

100.    Be Thankful

=)

untitiled

I’m trying to write my weekly Things I Love post and I keep drifting off to sleep…

So Sleepy

This has been a rough work week; both physically and emotionally draining. I’m glad it’s almost the weekend. In other news, Friday will be my 183 post. That will put me officially halfway through my year of blogging everyday.
=)

Tuesday: Weight Watchers Day

Starting Weight: 247.4
Weight Last Week: 236.6
Weight This Week: 235.6

Last week I gained a pound, this week I lost it. I’m glad about that. This week was still pretty challenging in terms of making better choices and I seemed to eat out way more than usual. But now that I’m fully recovered from my sinus infection (or mostly fully recovered) I’m back in the kitchen which definitely improves my food choices. Hopefully I can stay on track and keep with the downward trend.
=)

Ouch!

I burned the crap out of my finger tonight. It’s totally my fault; I was trying to clean the stove top while the burner was still hot. It doesn’t hurt that badly, but it’s right on the tip of my finger and I keep bumping into things (then it really hurts.)

Reasons Today was Awesome

Today was awesome for a number of reasons:
1. It was one of those awesome equally productive and lazy days.
2. Perfect weather, beautiful days are made of awesome.
3. I got all my laundry done. Woohoo!
4. Greek Turkey Burgers for dinner. Ohmigosh Yum.
5. BFFMandy showed me how to make my iTunes songs into ringtones.
=)

Saturday Night Fever

Today was mostly lazy; spent in recovery after last nights Ybor adventure. But I am going out with some friends from my book club later tonight to a restaurant/bar/club near the my house. It’s always a fun time with this group of ladies.
=)

A Night on the Town

It’s girl’s night out tonight. I’m going to Acropolis (for yummy Greek Food) and then to dance the night away. A group of us are celebrating a friend’s birthday. So HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BENTLEY!
=)