My Grilled Cheese Party went awesome! So awesome, in fact, that a friend created an event for a Mac ‘n Cheese party not even 24 hours later. Several people joked that I should send a cease and desist letter. Haha.
HOWEVER, after such an awesome week last week, I crashed hard. Partly hormone related, partly the same negative people who have been putting me down a lot lately. I’m not dealing well with the shift in emotions. I watched two hours of TV while sitting on the couch tonight. These days, that’s a bad sign.
Oh crap, I have to think of a new goal for February, don’t I? UUUGGGHHHH WHY IS LIFE SO HAAAARD
This must be what people feel like the day after they take E – totally leveled after a serotonin explosion.
I guess my point is, I’ll write about the party later. Tonight I drink beer and eat leftover cheese and cry a lot, sometimes for angry stuff, sometimes for no reason.
After I wrote yesterday, the day just kept getting better and better – to the point where I bought a scratcher card with the full belief that I would win.
So let’s review the last week of my twenties so far:
Sunday
Awesome breakfast sandwich from The London Tea Room, which is quickly becoming our Sunday tradition. Justin and I alternate who picks up the food each week so the other person can eat in their pajamas.
THEN, Justin worked that night so I got to be home alone … and when I’m home alone, I turn it into an event. Stinky Parmesan popcorn, red wine, cheesy teen shows, a good book, etc. Heaven.
Monday
I moved my desk out of the dark copy cave and into the light, surrounded by people and windows:
See that birthday party? More on that in a second.
Tuesday
A friend gave me a heads up about an awesome writing opportunity that I couldn’t pass up … but so many other opportunities are in the works too that if I don’t get it, I’m okay with it. Either scenario is awesome, which is about the peachiest place to be.
PLUS, Justin had TV Time and I skipped it to work on a project so: another night home alone. Watching Hellcats! Woo! (P.S. Next week’s TV Time theme is “Pills”, featuring my favorite Punky Brewster episode of all time, the one with the Chiclets.)
Edited to Add: I found out that my favorite actor John Hawkes was nominated for an Oscar for his role in Winter’s Bone!
Fun 2-degrees facts: John Hawkes starred in Harold Buttleman, Daredevil Stuntman, a film written and directed by my friend Francis Stokes, co-starring all-around funny dude Stephen Falk.
Pretty sure the entire movie is still on YouTube. Also, my coworker Mike’s cousin is in Winter’s Bone – he plays the best friend’s husband.
Wednesday
Oh mah god. Where do I start? Well, I wrote yesterday so you know that I’ve lost 10 pounds. I got tons of awesome feedback on different projects at work, and with the new view, things have been much happier overall.
THEN I had even more good news in the writing opportunity department – news I couldn’t believe. Also, in addition to being the copywriter at my work, apparently I have a new title of “Public Relations Coordinator”? Cool.
THEN HR passed out our w-2 forms, so now I can join the Y and get my sweet-ass tax return soon.
THEN I went to my moms so Justin and I could do laundry, and my Rolling Stone 90’s book had arrived. Also waiting for me? A super sweet “just because” card from my sister-in-law, which was totally unexpected and touching. Oh, and my mom was cleaning out CDs, so I got to inherit the Jimi Hendrix Experience CD that I used to steal from my dad all the time – this was how we started bonding over groovy music.
THEN I went looking for a knick knack of my dads and rummaged though his sock drawer – something I did all the time as a kid because he kept cool stuff in there. Instead of the knick knack (which my mom found later), you know what I found? A teeny tiny pair of pink knitted mittens. They were mine, which means he kept them nearby for almost 30 years. That made me feel really loved, and it was so sudden and overwhelming that I cried for a second (but as usual, Justin had perfect timing and pulled up right when I needed a hug).
THEEEEEN my mom gave me my birthday present from her – cash for Anthropologie clothes (woo!) and 5 bottles of Sweet Pea shower gel! (woo x 5!) Then we all watched a movie together.
THEN I realized I had eaten so few calories and burned so many that I didn’t even need to use the hula hoop I had brought with me. Hooray for relaxation!
Thursday
ZOMG today is the shit. For some reason, when I weighed myself this morning I had lost another 6 pounds?? (I weigh myself at the same time every day, so it’s usually pretty consistent.) I know it must be some sort of fluke but hey, I’m going with it – with all the birthday food, I’ll need a buffer zone in the pounds department.
I walked into work and my cube was covered with streamers and balloons! Sweet!
My company donated a bunch of sewing machines to a local high school, and I went along to write the press release. So: good deed and a field trip!
Everyone in my department secretly brought in food so we had chili, cornbread, cupcakes and virgin margaritas for lunch.
AND I have tomorrow off so today is my Friday!
I found out that the London Tea Room is adding 3 new breakfast sandwiches to their menu. AM I DREAMING OR WHAT YOU GUYS
Thursday night = good TV during my workout. Whee!
Friday
Tomorrow I’ll be doing a lot of cleaning, which sucks, but I will also be CHEESE SHOPPING.
I will absolutely not be weighing myself, but maybe I can get in a good run at the Y or my mom’s house.
THEN I’m going to Kendra’s house for a movie marathon! (With a Healthy Snacks Only rule – awesome.) I love hanging out with Kendra and Jane.
Saturday
GRILLED CHEESE PARTY. Need I say more?
Next week I’ll have to kick off my thirties with more cleaning, a hangover, and hella fiber, but this week makes it worth it.
I’ve lost 10 pounds! Haaay! That’s 25% of my goal! Five more pounds and I’ll be at a weight that I haven’t seen since my dad’s heart surgery three years ago.
My Grilled Cheese Party may be a deterrent, though. Oh, did I mention I’m having a Grilled Cheese Party for my 30th Birthday? All kinds of cheese, bread, bacon, onions, jalapenos and other fixins. Justin is whipping up a batch of Bloody Marys (Maries?), too. My loft doesn’t have an exhaust fan in the kitchen so it’s bound to get hot and smokey, but it’s totally worth it. I plan on putting a block of Collier’s Welsh Cheddar in between two slices of honey wheat and going to town.
It’s my thirties, y’all. Time to take all those parties I dreamed about as a kid and make them happen. I’m trying to lose at least one more pound by Saturday so I can immediately gain it back.
So far, the last week of my twenties has been one of the best weeks of this entire past year. In addition to waking up with a gorgeous bearded man every day instead of a psychotic dachshund, my desk moved at work. I’m out of the copy cave and I can see people and, more importantly, windows! All my locales are working in my favor. Plus, I’ve been working on projects with the more positive and encouraging teams, which always keeps me motivated and upbeat. So, no tears or stress or nervous breakdowns this week.
Someone on tumblr – I want to say Doree but I’ve looked through her archives and I can’t find it – once had this theory that your mental stability is like a table, and the legs are your home, job, health and relationships. If all four of those areas are solid then so are you. If one leg is broken, you can manage, but once two break then everything goes to hell.
Whenever my broken leg is my relationship, health, or home, I can write about it here with no problem. But when I’m upset about work, I get cryptic and vague and quiet. Writing negative things about your job online is pretty stupid, and no matter how bad it gets, I’m only comfortable saying so much. It gets boring here, I know. I’ve missed you guys.
Also, I think one reason I’m focusing my energy on work issues is because for the longest time, my broken legs included being terminally single or dealing with my dad – so I wasn’t paying attention to this other leg that was wobbly, but not as bad as the other two. I just didn’t have the energy to deal with it at the time.
When other areas of your life start to get happy (or in the case of my dad, when the hardest part is over), it makes you focus on the negative aspects of other parts of your life. It never stops.
My brother asked Justin for ideas for a bigger-than-normal special present. Justin couldn’t really think of anything, given how anti-stuff I am right now.
I told him literally everything I want: gift cards to Anthropologie and Gap, and some Sweet Pea bodywash from Bath and Body Works. He doesn’t think those are special enough. So now Justin is pacing around the loft, sighing dramatically, trying to think of something to text my brother even though I just told him.
Should I steal his phone while he’s in the bathroom and text my brother with “Gap Green Space Patent City Flats Size 7-1/2”? I’m thisclose.
I worked from home today, so I finally got to put my corner to good use!
I also bought this for the wall; it’s getting framed right now. I may throw a corkboard up there, too.
Chauncey is all, “Beats by Dr. Dre headphones with the Mac again? Is that a Polaroid of you two kissing? And do those bookends match your eco grocery bag? Well look at this f*#%ing hipster.”
I have never seen a cat look more bershon in my life.
You can’t tell from the first picture, but to my right is an 8′ x 17′ wall of windows. Outside is a massive neon champagne bottle that pops repeatedly when lit up. I can take the freight elevator downstairs and hit up like 3 sushi bars, 4 nightclubs, a tea room, a hippie bodega and a hookah bar. Not to mention this nonsense. If my ex-boyfriend moves to the loft next door to stir up trouble, my life will finally be just like a show on the CW.
I should work from home more often; I just worked hard for 8 hours and I still sound like I love my life!
I WAS all excited to tell you that I’ve lost 8 pounds in 3 weeks (that’s 20% of my goal!) but then Erin decided to have a belated festivus party and served up all sorts of mouthwatering bullcrap like bacon-wrapped dates and Amish blue cheese. And then Graham wouldn’t let me leave without a fresh-from-the-oven cookie. Dagnammit, you delicious-food-cooking assholes.
So … I’ve lost 7 pounds in 3 weeks. Not bad.
To make up for all the weekend parties and celebrations – Justin and I realized we’re booked until mid-March – I’ve added in some of the shorter Insanity workouts along with my free weights. I forgot how much I love those! I can’t join the Y until I get my W-2 but I toured it the other day – it’s such a gorgeous old building. My mom told me she used to go to that Y decades ago when she worked downtown!
I finished Skins season 4. Booooo. If you plan on watching it, I only recommend it through Season 3. Good thing it was only 8 episodes.
I’ve pushed past the depression regarding certain aspects of my life and have summoned up enough energy to turn this into something positive. That’s all I can really say, but I’m excited for everything I have planned for the next few weeks. Even my shrink was like, “Damn, girl.”
I’m going to try really hard to lose 3 more pounds by next week … or at least before my Grilled Cheese Party (where I’m guaranteed to gain it all back).
Cohabitation is still amazing … I love Justin so much and I can’t believe I get to wake up with him every day. Between domestic bliss, a change of scenery and all the endorphins, I feel like a new person.
Living with Justin is awesome so far. Though, I’m really sad that I had to break this up:
Chauncey can’t sleep in the room with us because I’m allergic, so he comes to the door and whines a lot throughout the night. Justin is planning on sleeping in the treehouse every now and then to appease him, but it’s still heartbreaking.
Does anyone know any tricks to ease cats into a transition like this?
For that matter, anyone know how I can ease Justin into this? Right now he blocks out the noise with his iPad and Beats by Dr. Dre headphones, which always makes me laugh really hard for some reason.
“Oh, look at that,” he retorts as he slips them on, “I can’t hear you anymore, either.”
We haven’t had any major “Man, I Hate That Thing You Do” moments yet, but I’m bracing myself. While we’re throwing out cat weaning tips, got any tips for living with your significant other? (We’ve already established designated nights where one of us goes out so the other person can be home alone.)
The place is coming along nicely. I’ll show you pictures after I have my Grilled Cheese Birthday Party!
Other Stuff:
I paid off a credit card today!
I’ve managed to work out every day, though not as much as I would like. I miss the treadmill. Hopefully we’ll make it to the Y soon.
No more weight loss yet, though I just had 2 sugar cookies for brunch so it’s kind of my fault.
My job is really depressing me and while it’s never a great idea to write about work, you should know that it’s consuming most of my thoughts and energy these days and that’s why I haven’t been very chatty here. I’m just … sad. It takes a lot of effort to snap myself out of it, but I’m trying.
In Buffy/Wire Club news, we finished Season 5 of Buffy and have just started the last season of The Wire. *sniffle*
I finished Season 3 of Skins and am slowly making my way through Season 4. I have become a Freffy fanatic. I’ve decided I much prefer watching seasons of television all at once online; this way I become immersed in a world the same way I do with books.
Somewhat related, I’ve worked out 7 days in a row … for at least a half hour at a time, but usually an hour if you count hula-hooping. Easy peasy.
I’m thisclose to changing my religious views on Facebook to “BodyBugg”, because I’ve lost 5 pounds in 2-1/2 weeks! That’s 12.5% toward my goal! (I like to use the most impressive-sounding stats.) Greatest invention ever? I think totally.
2011 is going to be this year of huge changes in my life (living with my boyfriend, traveling for the first time in ages, new career goals, new hang out buddies, possible physical fitness, life without Dad) and it made me realize that my thirties are going to be completely different than my twenties, and it’s starting right away – a few weeks early, in fact. I thought I could ease into this stuff?
Anyway, I had a late-night panic attack about it and I took one Ativan. I don’t count that as a sleeping pill because I take one Ativan for rare panic attacks and two if I’m taking it to sleep.
It’s weird how I had said that the one resolution I would love to keep last year was figuring out how to sleep, but that would never happen so I’d try 12 other ones. Then out of the 12 resolutions, only one had a major lasting effect on me (and it was the no drinking one, for crying out loud), and then I managed to get a handle on my sleep habits out of nowhere. Next week will mark 5 months without prescription sleeping pills. I’ve only had trouble sleeping on two nights since then. I’m more proud of this than quitting smoking.
2011 is going to be interesting. I have no idea what’s going to happen. I’ve spent so much time and energy worrying about my dad, drinking beers, crushing on boys and pontificating about heartbreak that I’m sort of at a loss. How am I supposed to spend my braintime now? What do I do with my life? Who am I? WHAT IS HAPPENING?
I know, I know, not original, especially since this was my goal last year.
But dudes! This BodyBugg is SO FUN! I managed to lose 4 POUNDS over the holidays, amidst several lunch dates, a pizza party, actual parties, a weekend of London Tea Room breakfasts and the consumption of at least 3 bottles of wine and 2 port wine cheeseballs.* Yup.
In addition to squeezing in some sort of fitness every day, I’m going to the Y with Justin next week to check it out and, unless I hate it, join.
I’m moving this week, so that’s a workout in itself. I might even try to carry all my boxes up several flights of stairs.
ALSO I joined the Biggest Loser competition at my work so I can keep myself accountable AND possibly win cash money.
Last month I managed to work out 24 out of 31 days, so this shouldn’t be hard.
~~~*~~~
I started watching Skins yesterday and I love it! What is it with me and British teens (or shows about teens in general)?
I haven’t heard too much about the show, aside from the fact that people love it, so I didn’t know what to expect. I was afraid it would be like a British Undressed which, surprisingly, even I couldn’t stomach. But it turns out that Skins is really sweet. Ironically my favorite character so far is the anorexic girl. UK seasons are really short so I’ll probably finish Season 1 tonight. Hell, I’ll probably finish the whole series this month, and then it’s on to new Gossip Girl and 90210 eee eee eee. It should be noted that I’m always working out while I watch this crap. I’m practically in my thirties, people.
(I should add that I am READING like an ADULT too – just finished The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (loved it) and I’m starting The Girl Who Played With Fire tonight.)
*I’m glad I can eat better this week – soon I will be as happy as these ladies!
Secretly Stephie 