Nine Short Weeks

In nine short weeks...

...I will be walking across the stage towards a very special piece of paper.

...I will be done writing checks with phrases like "Tuition" or "Books" or "Parking Pass" in the memo line.

...I will be working. Just working.

...I will be going to bed at 9:30, or 8:30 if I want to!

...I will be missing the smell of new textbooks.

...I will be slowly forgetting how taking tests feels.

...I will be writing. For fun. And myself.

...I will be relieved. At peace. And done.

Who I Am

Competitive
- sometimes to a fault.

Talented
- and now not afraid to say it.

Responsible
- to the point of exhaustion.

Needing Encouragement
- never realized this one, until five months went by without it.

Strong
- I will stand up for others and now - finally - myself.

Adaptable
- until I realize I no longer should be in certain circumstances.

Valuable
- to those who can see past the ends of their own noses.

Accomplisher
- as I cross off item, after item, after item, after item...

Perfectionist
- dust must go and laundry must not pile...unless homework incapacitates me.

Trainer
- of myself, others, dogs...

Tough
- I will not let others treat me like I wouldn't treat them.

Just
- I give people a chance...sometimes too much of one...

Creative
- I need time to mull over an idea, but when I do - Amazing!

Particular / Anal
- what an asset! Unless the paper is due right now.

Loyal
- until you prove yourself unworthy of that loyalty.

Loved
- by God, my husband, my families and my friends. (Oh - and two dogs!)

Is this Ok?

Can I write an entire blog post using only questions? Not a single answer? Will you get sick and click that "x" or keep reading?

How do we spend more time with those we've chosen to have in our lives? How do we get beyond the "should'ves and gottas" to spend quality moments - and lots of them - with the people we claim to care about?

How do the responsibilities grow so large that they block the sun, the light, any hope for a peaceful future?

How do I just STOP it all and take a peaceful moment? And find the time for healthy choices, healthy activities and healthy relationships?

How do we move beyond the stress of work and find the joy?

Does it ever get easier?

(Aren't you glad you encouraged me to get back on the blogging wagon?)

The Sound of Silence

I've been pretty quiet lately...and was chastised for it last night! So, to keep my extensive readership happy and knowledgeable, here's what I haven't blogged about over the last couple/many weeks:

1. I did not lose my job! However, a guy in my dept. did. This leads to me taking over all of his responsibilities after his final day on Sept. 27 and making my crazy life just that much more insane.

2. I nearly lost the tip of my finger to a my dogs teeth: While breaking up a fight between Sadie and another dog, my right-hand index finger got in Sadie's mouth (don't even ask - it happened too fast. All I DO know is I remember the moment when her teeth cut through my flesh. Not a fun memory.) I got five stitches from edge to edge. Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch and ouch. I've since discovered the great sensitivity of finger tips.

3. My final semester of school has begun. I feel like there should be an exclamation point behind that sentence, but I'm waiting for the elation to set it - it hasn't yet...

4. I'm still pondering the diet thing - we'll see.

5. I would love to post some great pictures of our amazingly redone kitchen. However, I'm NEVER home during the day for good light. So, try to be patient. Maybe this weekend?

6. I had a great weekend with my newly-turned-11-year-old sister! We did a spa day, went to see UP (a great movie! I cried. Twice.), went shopping and had some good chats. Happy (belated) birthday Janna girl!

And that's what's happened while I've been inaudible here. More audibility to come. Promise.

Perfect Timing

I made the decision about which job I was going to keep. (Job #1)

I had my farewell lunch with co-workers from my former job yesterday.

After that lunch, I went to my new job for the afternoon.

Where I found out that next Thursday, 9 or 10 people from the new place will be laid off.

Do you see the irony here?

Trip Down Energy Lane

(I promise to get back to the three words - and please don't think scantily-clad women! Chemicals, people, chemicals!)

I'm thinking about embarking on a quest. This is a lingering idea that always formulates in the back of my head when I get particularly run-down, stressed and lose all energy and time for exercise. A few years ago (ok, it's been more than a few - closer to five!), I was "diagnosed" with chronic fatigue syndrome. I say "diagnosed" because, after finding a low level of the mononucleosis virus in my system, assuming it has always been there - and will always be there - and having no other good ideas, the doctor said I probably had chronic fatigue.

Since then, I found some things that mask this "thorn in my side": Coffee (a lot, first thing in the morning), running (which I hate and don't think I could be paid enough to start up again), and 10 hours of sleep a night, plus a 1-hour nap in the afternoon (this is a completely unrealistic option - no one has this kind of time).

So, after rotating through these options, and doing some research, I've come across two other remedies that dovetail nicely and could bring about a measure of relief. Both involve food. Duh, duh duuuuuuh. (ominous strings).

I'm not a little girl, all petite and cute and I'm not obese, but like most Americans, I could stand to lose a few. The main reason: I am a carb-oholic. I love bread, pastries, milk, casseroles, pasta, rice, etc... The problem with these very delicious foods is that they wreck havoc on my body. (Or so I'm coming to think...) I just finished reading the book "The Metabolism Miracle" and watching the documentary "The Future of Food" on Hulu (most amazing site ever). While devoted to two completely different subjects, both got me thinking. Maybe this horrible lack of energy and bleariness all day long is due to something I'm eating! (A novel idea, no?)

When you hear that 75 percent of the things we eat are made from corn products (a very simple carb) and are processed to the Nth degree, it makes you think. When you read about the way some people's bodies react to carbs (insulin spiking then falling dramactially / crashing, causing huge energy swings), it makes you wonder. Then when you realize you have been eating processed food and loving them for most of your life, you wonder why you aren't more exhausted and have even bigger problems!

So, I'm thinking about beginning a journey. Perhaps slowly, at first, but as I look towards the future, I can see the possibilities of a life-long change. I've decided there are a few things that could make a huge difference:

- Cut out sugars - completely
- Move away from milk (have you ever looked at the carb count for a serving of milk? HUGE!)
- Get rid of the breads (tearing up a little on this one)
- Really get on the bandwagon for veggies at every meal (even breakfast - yikes!)

So, this plan would involve recipe research - almost every recipe I own contains carbs; very intentional grocery shopping; willpower in the store to resist the "good-tasting-but bad-for-you" stuff and a little extra time in the kitchen (one of our special words for this week!).

There's my quest idea. When I tried to make a drastic diet change a few weeks ago, this happened. And while I don't relish another such episode, maybe I need to buck up and get serious about this stuff. My body may revolt, but like a child (or naughty dog), I need to train it for its own sake.

Three Words

Stripper. Kitchen. Decision.



If that won't bring you back here tomorrow, I don't know what will!

Small Stuff

How interested are you in hearing about my day? I mean, really. It's been tough today. I woke up at 5:15 (per usual), fell asleep while picking out clothes (honestly: sat down on my bed for two seconds and OUT), ate a tiny cereal bar for breakfast (good, but tiny) on my way to work. I've had two mugs of coffee with French Vanilla creamer, finished up a couple of projects at work, and am waiting for the free food to be available after a meeting. My stomach is growling and I'm a little down.

I have a huge decision to make. For most, this situation/decision wouldn't be hard. I have two jobs on my schedule at the moment. Because it's summer, I'm working both. But, in less than a month, classes begin. Then, one job must be chucked. Job #1, I make more per hour, but feel completely unstimulated. Job #2 has two amazing coworkers with whom I've made a great connection, but is very "political" - a game I don't like to play. Job #1 is at a place to which I am and will continue to be very connected. Job #1 is further from home, but a comfortable environment. Both Jobs are unreliable in that I don't know if/when they would develop into full-time after I graduate and it's starting to wear at me.

So, there's my day. And my decision.

Tension-Free and Me

I live in a very "high" state of being: stressed, motivated, competative. I rarely relax - even after sleeping I wake up with a stiff neck or jaw from what I can only assume are tense dreams? This wrecks havoc on my sleeping schedule, my health and I have discovered, my dogs. (I'm assuming also my husband, but that's a post for another day!) My brain was still foggy at 5:30 this morning and I sat down with my granola (YUM!) and my laptop for some internet browsing. After landing on hulu.com, I watched one of the FREE (yay for free!) episodes of The Dog Whisperer. It was a great reminder for me that dogs are perceptive to their humans' emotions, body language and tone. (Sidenote: If dogs are this perceptive, what about the people we're in contact with every day?) I was inspired to hit the pavement. Before I tell you what happened this morning, let me relate the normal dog-walking routine:

1. Eric or I say in an excited tone: "Do you want to go for a WALK?" Of course, the W-A-L-K word is well-known around our house and once spoken, produces frenzies, jumping, play fights, etc.

2. We try to corral Sadie (the older and supposedly calmer one) and make her hold still long enough to lasso the harness around her neck and buckle at lightning speed. Nala will sit, lift the correct paw that goes through the harness and then lean to one side for buckling. She's amazing. I trained her.

3. Sadie picks up the middle of her leash with her teeth and swings her head violently from side to side. Yes, she whips herself in the face. Nala usually stands (semi) quietly while weound up the house key and doggie poo bags.

4. They tear out the door and down the stairs with us in tow. We then tramp back upstairs to shut the door that we were unable to shut in the mad dash for outside.

5. The walk itself consists of leaps after rabbits, straining against harnesses, lunging toward other dogs (that are across the street and three houses down) and a general shoulder stiffness (in my shoulder) when we return home.

We know we need to walk these beasts and usually have limited time to do it in. So, we've let ourselves be bullied into submission by 60-pound, four-legged creatures with less intelligence than a kindergartner.

However, this morning I had the energy to try the calm, assertive demeanor that my dogs really do need. After releasing my tension and stress, I calmly walked to the leash basket. Although both dogs saw me, they continued to sit. (I must admit, I was VERY surprised.) I then lifted out Sadie's leash. Remember, this is the one that won't sit long enough to buckle and whips herself. I only employed the trademark "sstt" once and she stayed! I slipped on the harness, buckled it and she didn't even touch the lease itself! Nala's "harness dressing" went as normal.

One of Cesar's BIG rules is: always cross the threshhold of your door BEFORE the dog(s). This establishes dominance before you even leave the house and encourages obedience from the start. A little tough to accomplish trying to hold two leashes and pull the door shut at the same time. However, I did it! And they were calm! (This is still a little surreal to think about - our dogs: calm!)

I wound one leash around each hand so that we would all be walking together and set off. On a normal day, this is what happens (note the outstreached arms and yelling):

(And no, I don't wear a skirt to walk the dogs, but stick-figure girls always have skirts, right?)

Today, miracle of miracles, this happened (Aerial view. Eric, check out Sadie's side! For everyone else, we make Sadie carry her own waste, of which there is a copious amount every walk.) :

It worked! By being calm and relaxed, I had the most enjoyable walkI've had in a long time! We passed rabbits, cats and other dogs. No lunging, pulling or crazed jumping. If a little calm can make this big of a difference in walking my dogs, just think what else could be impacted! And now, because I know you enjoyed this rare glimpse into my freehand artwork, one more for the road:

...with unhealthiness and taxes for all.

I watched a little bit of Super Size Me while I woofed down my drive-through burger (not McDonalds, but still...) and was as thoroughly grossed out as I remembered being the first time I watched.

Now, I'm cooking my VERY healthy spinach and mushroom lasagna (as a result of SuperSize Me), and am watching hearings from the House Ways & Means Committee on passing the America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009.

Both my burger and these hearings are making my blood pressure rise.
Burger: bad for my body by increasing fat and salt. Hearing: bad for our country by increasing taxes, limiting freedom and replacing a competitive industry with a government program.

Is there a solution? Yes! Stop eating burgers and replace with nutritious food that may take just a little longer to prepare, but will ensure a longer life. And, yes! Take a step back and make sure we're doing the right thing that Americans NEED (not want as a result of overhyped "crisis" reporting! I want a burger, but I need a salad!).

Even those who oppose many portions of the Act are going to pass because "the country needs this now!" Really? Really?!

About as much as I need another burger...

So, we went camping

To celebrate my husband's TWENTY-NINTH birthday (he's so old!), we took a trip to a family friend's farm pond for the weekend. When you think farm pond, do you think of cows in a dirty ditch in the middle of a corn field? Me too! I had vague grandiose memories of this particular farm pond, but things are always cooler at the age of eight. I wasn't sure if this pond would live up to my childhood expectations, but it delivered!



Look at all the trees! And not a single cow was seen the entire trip! (Although we did hear a few off in the distance - it was a farm pond after all.)


It was quaint, quiet and just what we needed this weekend! Especially Eric - he has been working way too many hours every week and was in dire need of a getaway! We fished (Eric caught four delicious bass, I caught three - pictured below!), napped, ate (lots of s'mores!) boated, and swam. It was the perfect way to spend a summer weekend.

The Way I Start a Meeting...

It's always better to begin with a cartoon!

Work Out, Smooth Out, Cook Out

Today, I'll be doing one of my favorite workout videos with one of my not-so-favorite titles.

While I'm still "glowing" from that workout, I'll then head to the kitchen. After attaching the Shop-Vac to the orbital sander (Love the orbital!), I'll smooth out the walls I spackled on Thursday, throw on a second coat of mud, and then SHOWER!

After cleansing my skin, I'll hop in the car and head to the homestead for a Father's Day Celebration, complete with BBQ chicken, salads and strawberry shortcake - I'm bringing the shortcake!

Off to do my working, smoothing and cooking!

And...That's All I Have to Say About That

Not eating sugar, wheat, caffeine and dairy - all at once - does not agree with me. After three days of being sick in three different ways, I decided this elimination is not for me. While the theory of eliminating potentially bad things from my diet is sound, the actual execution proved a little less than ideal for me.

---------------------------

My Tuesday interview was flawless! I had a great connection with the interviewer and was informally offered the job. I should be getting the formal offer at the beginning of next week!

--------------------------

I'm working in the kitchen (well, not at this moment...). I will skim-coat the walls (twice), sand them smooth (twice), paint (two coats), scuff sand the trim, paint and we'll see what happens after that! I'd love to upgrade the hardware, but what's there is original and will be difficult to replace. We'll see...

That's my week in a nutshell. What three things made your week unforgettable?

Vegetables Make Me Sick

I started my elimination diet at midnight. This meant, no milk, no grains, no caffeine and no meats except for deep-water fish and fresh game. I had a great breakfast for fruit: pineapple, banana, grapes, cherries, strawberries and peaches. YUM! I threw in a few almonds for good measure (and for protein). About two hours after eating my lovely fruit, my stomach was actually growling - I think fruit is fast-tracked through - and I opened up my giant plastic bowl of veggies. That means plain veggies - no dip, no dressing, no nothing. I munched my way through that bowl, had a few pistachios and continued on with my day.
About two hours later, a strange feeling hit me. I chalked it up to having been without coffee (which causes those lovely deprivation headaches) and continued working. After a few more hours, the feeling was not to be ignored. I packed up my stuff, drove the 7.5 minutes home and rolled right into bed. (Don't judge - keep reading!)
I woke up an hour later feeling ok...until I stood up. My mouth started watering extensively and the room was spinning. I lay back down quickly and when Eric got home an hour later, I though I'd be ok (HA!). I got up to prove my victory over the feeling and...

...didn't make it to the porcelain bowl in time. Never in my life have I wretched like this! Never! I'll spare you the specifics, but, Eric and I spent a good 20 minutes wiping down the bathroom after the deed was over.

Herein lies my dilemma:
Because I had eaten nothing but veggies yesterday, guess what revisited my senses during that tumultuous event? Now the very thought of anything green and good-for-me turns my stomach just a little. I don't want to prove a failure after one day of eliminating, but what's a girl to do?

-----------------------------

I have an interview today. I like my job, I really do, but another opportunity has presented itself and I'd be silly not to give it a shot. I don't have enough specifics yet to make an educated decision, but am praying the right choice will be obvious once the interviews are over. Wish me luck!

Post 200

I think I'm finally an adult.

For the past month or so, I've been waking up between 5 and 530 am and staying up. I honestly am not at all interested in falling back asleep. I make the bed, make my coffee and maybe even do a load of laundry - all before 6 am.

At first, I thought this strange anti-sleeping pattern was due to my upcoming trip. Which has been and is gone. The last two days (minus my first day home where I slept until *gasp* 730) my body has decided that the wee small hours of the morning are awesome and not to be ignored. This may have something to do that if I were still on the other side of the Atlantic, it would be 11 am, but I'm not entirely sure.

My list is long today - and exciting. Ready? Here goes:

1. Fill out application and call for interview. Oh yes - interesting things are a-brewing!

2. Go to the library and Photoshop, Photoshop, Photoshop. I love my MacBook, but for picture editing, I need the biggest screen possible. Two screens? Even better!

3. Finish the final bits of my unpacking like putting the big suitcase back under the stairs, finding homes for the bits and pieces I brought back with me and folding the laundry I have washed and dried from the trip.

4. Walk my dogs and hopefully lose the last of their summer coats on the way. Could have made a fur coat with the fluff I got off Sadie yesterday. If I get really bored, I may just have to wash, dry and brush the beasts again.

5. Really should do some exercising of some sort. Although I did lose 6 lbs while in the UK - all that running to catch the tube!

6. Post some of my great pictures with stories and anecdotes that I didn't have time to post while traveling.

My real life is back and busier than ever. Although I had a great time, it (of course) is fabulous to be back in my own bed (even though I'm to stuffed up in the head to enjoy it), with my free computer (well, at least not 1 BPS for 20 minutes), and with only myself to take care of (I was a little bit of a parent to the kids on the trip).

This is Post 200 of Married with 2 Dogs! Promise of Post 201 coming soon!

The Places I Went, The People I Saw

I thought if anyone was really bored, they'd like to check out the places I've visited for academic reasons here. Some of the places gave us great presentations, tours and information. Others were either at the wrong time of day or just slightly boring (they produced lots of yawns). However, I tried really hard to act interested and find some aspect of their business to ask questions about. Sometimes a little tough, but I learned a lot throughout the whole experience!

1. Advertising Standards Authority - saw examples of ads that were complained about in UK
2. Press Complaints Commission - a little dry, but great contrast to freedom of the press in the US
3. Reuters - a lot of walking
4. Schawk - amazing!!!
5. The Islam Channel - had a hard time with, for many reasons. But they did provide a great lunch and were mostly gracious
6. The Telegraph - only publisher with direct info for the top UK story!
7. Weber-Shandwick - fun and interactive PR presentation.
8. McCann - Erickson - look into the advertising world!

Enjoy! I certainly did!

Parts V-VIII: Many Visits

More Paris information and photos to come. This is quick catch-up of the past few days. After arriving back in London around midnight on Sunday, we started bright and early Monday morning heading to the Press Complaints Commission. A regulatory body quite different from anything seen in the U.S. The PCC deals with any legitimate complaints given against printed / online journalism. The Commission looks into each and every complaint and, if necessary, rules on the matter if a consensus cannot be reached by the paper and complainant. No pictures allowed.

Then off to the Advertising Standards Authority, another regulatory body for - you guessed it - advertising in the UK. The closest thing we have in the US is the FCC, which is highly reactive and not so proactive (think "wardrobe malfunction"). Again, no pictures allowed.

Best part of the day? Dinner with a good friend from high school. We went to a great organic cafe - my first green veggies of the trip! - and saw a few sights and areas of the city. I was also introduced to Cider and Black. YUM! It was so great to catch up and see a familiar face in an unfamiliar place! Thanks again for a great evening Dan!Tuesday was the day of Reuters and Schawk. Reuters was interesting, but Schawk? Such an incredible operation! The type of work they do is branding, which means, putting a certain, tailored idea about a company/product in the minds of consumers on sight. SO COOL! The entire process appealed to my sense of analness - and I loved the quality control measure they had in place. Amazing!

The London Eye, Houses of Parliament, and Westminister. Photos below. So fun!

Today we visited the Islam Channel - felt like discussing religion, not communication - and The Telegraph - largest newsroom in the world!

And now, off to tour London at night. Cheerio!

Part Va: Breezing Through Paris

I feel repetitive, but, what a day Friday was! The day began with a 4:30am alarm, a 5:15am lobby-meeting, and a half hour wait for the Tube to open.

Then, passport control, boarding the Eurostar and zooming through England, under the Channel and through France. It was early and I was tired, but couldn't sleep - we were going to Paris! Then, a bus through the city (it was stinky and crowded - no pictures) and luggage into lockers. The rain seemed a good excuse to start our Paris adventure at the Louvre.

It goes without saying that the art was amazing. The size of the place was mind-boggling and after our VERY short tour, we were exhausted. We covered MAYBE about 10 percent of the building! We spent the majority of our time in the Egyptian antiquities (one of our group is also majoring in art and loves Egyptian art - a good thing b/c we would have wandered aimlessly otherwise!) and touched on a few other areas as well.

The glass pyramid in the foyer/courtyard of the building. Quite a juxtaposition to the classical architecture.

An Egyptian antiquity (all descriptions were in French - of course!)

The hall of paintings - this is from the middle looking one direction. It felt like a mile!

More antiquities of Egypt.

The actual, honest-to-goodness Mona Lisa.

A huge statue - my art friend is nowhere near to give me the name. Any guesses?

My contemplation of a rock with inscriptions. Again, all descriptions in French.

A quick nap in the hotel and back out to see the Tour Eiffel at night. A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. We got our first taste of the souvenir hawkers that night - I perfected my "non" and stern Parisian look after a few tries and wasn't approached again.


My french was/is of a classroom variety and two years rusty. However, I was the "expert" of the group and the spokesperson for ordering, buying, directions, etc. Fun to try and make myself understood, but a little stressful. You don't realize how difficult the simple act of eating is in a foreign country. Deciphering a menu when your stomach is protesting in hunger is hard! The nice thing is that most shop attendants and restaurant workers know enough English to get tourists through. That was a huge help!

It was surreal and exciting to see such famed landmarks, monuments and museums. Although, the city was dirty, crowded and - due to the language barrier - very tiring; the food was great, the cramming of sightseeing and having a great time with my classmates was worth it! Keep checking back! I have two more days of Paris to post about!

Mini Part IV - PARIS!!!

It takes too long to blog with a French keyboard - but it is amazing here!