Singing all day, singing 'bout nothing

[llcoolvad]

The blur of days is a little ridiculous, lately. I know I've worked some. Took most of last week off, however. Work does a floating holiday per year, and this year it was the day after the 4th; since I work from home Wednesday and took Saturday off, I got a nice long span of not going into the city. Which is really good, considering how hot it's been. Subway is gross in the heat. No really! I'm sure that's a shocker.

I went to Patrick's as usual on the 4th, and as usual it was fun. No parade this year (I guess the Wakefield denizens didn't get their collective acts together), so we didn't have our usual alone time with the pool, but I went in anyway. Too hot not to! So swimming was had, food was eaten, and hanging out was done. Always fun to spend time with the fam. Was thinking about going in to town to see the fireworks from my office, since the view would be totally awesome, but was pretty fried from the day and just couldn't bestir myself. Spent Friday doing not much. So hot! Couldn't bear to leave the air conditioning, but did a little shopping and errand running.

Saturday Patrick, Peter (Patrick's BF, who officially has won the Most Patient Boyfriend EVAR title), and I went to Marlboro for a gem and jewelry trade show, because yes, we are officially crazy. The event said cash only, so I took out a specific amount and spent all but $30 of that amount. And it was only my relative newbie-ness and lack of real skill that kept me from hitting the ATM and getting ALL THE THINGS. Several of the vendors were selling good quality semi-precious gems and stones, and man, as much as I love costume jewelry and beads, I could totally see myself getting into the good stuff. Every single time I was really drooling over a string of something it was inevitably over $100. Good move bringing a flat amount and not breaking it, Laurie! But of course, maybe by next year I will have upped my skill level and design capabilities and will talk myself into real stuff. AIEEEE!

Sunday was again low-key. I went out briefly to pick up some storage containers for my bead hoard, and was able to effectively utilize Joann's Fabrics sale price matching to get the sale price they offered online only. Got four many-compartmented storage bins for $12 total, instead of the non-sale $24, so I felt better about at least some of the spending the day before. I spent the rest of the afternoon in blissful air conditioning cataloging and putting away the hoard. I feel compelled to track the cost of everything in a very detailed spreadsheet, so when I wear a necklace or something I can think to myself "self, these earrings took an hour to make and $4 worth of beads, and you look fab!". Also so if I ever decide that I am crazy and want to sell stuff I'll know how to price it. Also so I can say, "Hobby, you've cost me $xxx.xx so far, and I think you're worth it, maybe."

Monday was Visit the Elderly Auntie day, and it was unexpectedly fun this time. She's normally a little professorial and a bit detached, but I think because she was still very sad about her brother's recent death and her own inability to make it to the memorial, this time she was extremely gossipy! Lots of interesting chatter about the family. My family doesn't have any REAL dirt, however. They're all pretty nice people. So this was more how she felt about so-and-so and who was kind of snobby, and like that. My main takeaway from this (and really from life in general) is that it doesn't matter how old you get: most people never really change much from when they're kids.

Work has been extremely frustrating this last few weeks, and I'm still waiting to hear back to see if I make it to the next round in the interview process at the potential new place. P assures me that he believes I am one of the front runners and also assures me that the process is always extremely lengthy at this company. It's fine. I JUST HATE MY JOB AND WANT TO LEAVE NOW NOW NOW KTHXBAI.

I visited my doctor last week, finally. First time since October. And I have gained 25ish pounds since October. Which I knew. Still, harsh to see. My numbers were all still good, and despite my many aches and such he didn't find anything in particular going on. He had my knee xrayed and had nothing to report beyond some osteoarthritis, which, duh. I probably need some other test, MRI or something. Because it still fucking hurts and I am pissed about it.

But going to see him seems to have snapped me out of my eating obsession, somehow. I told myself that after the 4th I'd start up with my food tracking and see if I could knock back off some of these pounds, and I did start back and already I'm down three pounds. And, irritatingly, I feel a bit better. I hate it when I have to keep relearning this shit. I also picked up a new FitBit, because I totally lost my old one, and I've been trying to increase my numbers there, too. It looks like an average commuting day is about 6500 steps, which is not enough! And my home days are WAY too sedentary. Ow. My poor knee.

I really need to see the eye doctor next, and I suppose I should pursue the knee thing further but the whole idea is exhausting. We'll see how much progress I make there, I guess.

Comments

[livingdeb.livejournal.com]

Actually, I might have guessed that subways were okay in the heat because they are underground, in the shade. (It was never warm in Boston when I lived there--because I always came home in the summer.)

For the next show, I recommend getting only things for particular projects like "a necklace for my black dress." And then maybe allow yourself one or two exeptions for things that are just too cool to pass up because sometimes those work out. We have a gem and mineral show every year and I don't go anymore because I already seem to have a lifetime supply of beads that I'm not using. All the other people I know who go to that show have a much larger stash than I do.

I've heard that fishing tackle boxes are good for beads and also generally cheaper than sewing boxes.

Huh, I always thought most people change into more boring, lazy people than when they were kids.

My commuting days also average about 6500 steps and my home days are way less. I started pacing at the bus stop and walking during the lunch hour, which helps some. I also need hobbies that require walking.

I am also pissed about your knee!

Thanks for the update. Good luck with your knee, your eye, and your heat.

[llcoolvad.livejournal.com]

The trains themselves are generally air conditioned and ok, Generally. But the platforms are never air conditioned, and over half of my trip has above-ground outside platforms. Which means when the doors open (and sometimes they sit there with them open) the heat billows right in. And then there's the bus part of my daily trip. Again, the buses themselves are air conditioned (pretty much to the point of refrigerated, which makes me exceedingly happy), but there's the waiting and the walking. Bleah. It's been SO HUMID this summer I feel like I spend my commute wading through soup.

Re: people. Yeah, they probably get lazier and do less, but their interpersonal relationships seem locked in stone from childhood onward, especially about their relatives. Like my mother and her sisters have the same complaints about each other that they've had since they were kids. It makes me laugh, because we all think that we mature so much, but as I get older it seems more like a gloss than a reality.

[livingdeb.livejournal.com]

Ugh, waiting for mass transit. I did so much of that yesterday that I once again decided I never want to work again. (Except that I really should.) Yesterday was the worst ever--it took me 1.5 hours to get home. I should have walked, but I feared I had already pushed my almost-completely-healed heel. Normally it takes me 35 - 60 minutes for that commute of less than four miles.

I haven't noticed so much about the same interfamily complaints. My dad is financially unreliable, so now none of us rely on him. Mom talks too much so some of us also talk too much (it's a competition!) and some of us have given up on talking much. My sister having a baby changed a few things. Still, there is enough consistency that we kids can point out or clarify some of each other's defects by saying, "You're turning into Mom" or "You're turning into Dad." The impact of those statements is powerful!

[p-j-cleary.livejournal.com]

My aunts act exactly like I expect they had at age 5, and they're both in their 80s, so I agree with you about people never really growing up.

I'm often surprised at how low some handmade jewelry on Etsy and other sites is priced, but I've sold enough at my comfortable price point to be okay with what I charge for my own stuff.

I told you that you seem much happier when you're on your eating plan. I know that's a pain to hear, but it's true. You just seem more focused and enjoy things more when you're eating well. The nutritionists are right! They were right all along!!

[lizarde.livejournal.com]

What is your eating plan? I've gained a bunch of weight. It's kind of freaking me out.

[llcoolvad.livejournal.com]

Ugh, mine isn't working very well, because I keep cheating and eating M&Ms at the movies. Among other things. This dumb commute has really thrown me off my game because I can't take the time in the morning to eat, so I've been eating a bagel once I get to work. And those are just little calorie bombs. Apparently they're going to start stocking milk as next week, so I can go back to leaving cereal at work. That will make life easier.

According to LoseIt!, to lose a pound and a half a week at my current weight I need to eat slightly under 2,000 calories. Ideally, I have a lightish breakfast, around 300-400 calories, so either eggs, a bit of low fat cheese, and a piece of toast, or cereal, milk, and some fruit. Lunch I try to shoot for 600 calories or less, but that's harder, so sometimes it's 700 calories. Then dinner I keep to around 600-700 cals, and use whatever calories I have left over I use for snacks throughout the day. Which is hard to anticipate if I don't know what I'm having for dinner. Another goal is to stop eating entirely before 10pm, but I fail there a lot.

I've also been trying to chew a lot of sugar free gum, to give me the sweet hit I crave but not take in calories.

I'm thinking I might need to take a complete break from sugar altogether. It's a gateway drug for me, and clearly I can't handle it lately.