Descending Further Into Addiction

I am addicted to caffeine. I am not the worst one I know, he drinks coffee by the pot. I still measure my addiction by the cup.

I have some sort of bad coffee maker mojo. I have killed at least four. It's pretty frustrating when all you need in the morning to get going is a cup of coffee and the coffee maker is D.O.A. So, after about a week of opening the lid of my now dead coffee maker, putting in the filter and coffee then heating water in the tea kettle and pouring it in while muttering profanities, Nick insisted I get a new coffee maker.

He shops around for one. Preferably with training wheels. He crunches methods and numbers and comes up with the Aeropress. There's one moving part, no heating elements, none of that. Just pour and press. We walked into the little shop that had it and Nick explains to the woman that I need a simple coffee maker I cannot break.

So we get that, some filters, and some coffee and tea for Nick. We get home and bust out the toys. Holy crap, is that "aeropressed" coffee good. So far, it is worth every penny. I can't comment on the durability but the flavor is incredible.

Catching up

Since my last post, I've done several things. I got a promotion to a full time job that I usually love. I did the Walt Disney World Half marathon and finished it. The financial situation bounced all over the place. I discovered the joys of the Wii. I also got into a fight with my sciatic nerve, it won.

I'm learning the various aspects of being a manager. It's hard sometimes, I don't want to come off as too harsh but I want my department to improve and function well. I do have a couple of great sources of advice and support in the whole thing.

Still trying to gear up for my boyfriend's sister's wedding. All the dresses I tried on make me look fat and dumpy. Yuck. Also the cost of the dress. Why are they so dang expensive? I'm also worried about the assorted problem areas and walking down the aisle as a bridesmaid with my tattoo blazing. She does know about it already so I guess it isn't a problem, but I never thought I'd be asked to be a bridesmaid when I got it.

In the battle of the bulge department, Nick was given WiiFit for his birthday. I've actually been pretty dedicated to using it. Yoga and I isn't a good match, since I have no sense of balance. But it's actually very fun and works you pretty hard. The hula hoop game is great and the boxing. Maybe I have a bit too much anger pent up inside of me. I also started walking to or from work again. Hopefully it will pay off for the wedding and I don't look fat, frumpy, or dumpy.

Blood, sweat, and Bruce Springsteen

Today, I ran the Footrace for the Fallen 5k. I actually surprised myself on how well I did.

I was able to run the entire time (minus the water stop) and put in a 38 minute run. I almost caught Nicholas, Mr. Never on the Tredmill. If I caught him, I was going to goose him. I also discovered that listening to Bruce Springsteen's music is a great help while running.

This race had the best stuff though, we got two t-shirts (long sleeved!!) and a bag of stuff. The post-race ceremony had donuts, cookies, pizza, and more! I guess the PD here really knows how to pull it off.

Official results: 37:51 with a 12:11 split

First it rains, then it pours, then the monsoon hits...

Ever have those days that start out bad, then get worse, and then just goes off the deep end? I'm having one.

I found out that due to a communication error, I lost out on a great job opportunity. That was pretty harsh to deal with, but it was partially my fault. Just have to wait longer for the opportunity to arise again.

Then, I get the message, the car will not start. Our wonderful, dependable car is now a very big paper weight. So, Nick's dad comes over to look at the car and play with it. Nothing. We now are getting around with their truck. I have no idea what the problem is, but it will probably be expensive. It tries to start but it just doesn't have whatever it needs to fully turn over. At our apartment complex, we have assigned parking, so I spent the night fretting about the truck getting towed. Nick called them, explained the situation, and they were extremely understanding. Still need to get the big, green paperweight fixed.

Then, Nick's phone dies on us, but it was kind of expected. It's been on the fritz for awhile. This is the number he has on his resume to get a spiffy new job so we can have fun at Disney and pay bills. So, off to the cell phone place to get it fixed. This actually worked out for us, we got both of our phones upgraded for free and straightened out our text messaging package.

I also find out that a very dear friend of mine has a potentially serious medical issue. She's going through all sorts of testing and stuff to figure out what it is, and how serious it is. I was extremely upset when she told me, so much for being the strong supportive friend. Hopefully I can pull together some good mojo for her and she'll be ok.

Jack Daniel's was invented for days like this.

Why I love Victoria and her Secret

I hate shopping for underwear. The only thing I hate shopping for more is bathing suits.

My underwear is showing some wear and tear. I can't tell you the last time I really shopped for it. But when I do shop for it, I go to Victoria's Secret. I can walk in, get my size, and have a wide variety of choices. I know that the 38Cs will fit me, instead of me squishing my girls into what another manufacturer claims to be 38Cs. Nick convinced me to go the cheap route to replace my dwindling underwear stash.

Big mistake.

I tried five bras and a set of panties. Three of the five bras were nowhere near big enough for my chest. I looked like I was squishing two tons of shit into a one ton truck. They fit horribly. So that turned into a big waste of time. The panties were a whole different batch of fun. I read the size chart and got what should have been a slightly smaller size. I'm not quite a 12/14. I'm sort of a big 14. I took one pair out and unfolded it. Holy granny panties! I sort of hold them over my body while Nick watches and they are HUGE. So I try them on over my underwear. I can seriously hike them up to my tits. I was so pissed. I needed underwear, not five circus tents.

On the bright side, at least I got socks and two work bras.

The Impossible Dream

The boyfriend's family and I are training for the Disney Half-marathon in January. I've actually made progress. I'm stronger and feel better. Fortune smiled upon me and got my plane ticket for me since we're in a rather dicey financial situation.

I had a job interview recently, and I wore a suit that I haven't been slim enough to wear for 6 years. That was a huge ego trip. I was talking to some coworkers about how just about every woman I know has an "Impossible Dream" section of their closet which has some outfits from a more slender time. It's so nice to be able to put it on. It doesn't quite fit the way it did, but I can zip up the pants.

We're also signed up for our first race in August, so I'm getting nervous. It's a 5k, so nothing too challenging. I want to do well to use this as a moral springboard. I know it's a no pressure situation, but I still want to use it to build on. In November, we have the annual Half and Full Marathons here in the city we are thinking of doing. That is more to do a time trial to see where we stand and if we need to speed up in order not to be swept in Disney World.

It still amazes me to see how far I've come with this challenge. If you would've asked me a year ago if I would ever consider running a sport for me, I would've said no. But it has been amazing. I have a great support system in Nick and his family since they're doing it right along with me.