Uncharted Randomnimity

I'm feeling completely random today, so here's what you get...

1) I'm thinking of coloring my hair. The options that are fighting in my head are jet black or more red. Everyone I know says "EW!" when I say I want black, but I'm feeling so Rock-N-Roll Rockstar lately. I want dark hair and dark makeup and a tatt. I want to play that role for a while. I'm going shopping down the hair color aisle on my break. *big grin* If I could afford the salon time I'd probably get it relaxed, jet black with a blond streak in the front, LONG layers and thinned. Yes, that's how I'm feeling lately. There's a power, and yet a vulnerability, behind all the women I've seen with this coloring and I want that for me.

2) Speaking of tattoos, I have always wanted one and now I've put it on my list for this year. I actually went to get it years ago but the tattoo artist looked at me crazy when I told him what I wanted, asked me to give him a few days, and then NEVER called me back. I have to admit, I was sure it was because he didn't want to tattoo a fat chick that looks like a good little Christian girl. *shrug* A friend in Columbus, however, recommended me using her guy and it sounds like a great idea. I actually finding a really good idea for a (small) second tattoo as well, so I may get the small one first. (Cuz I'm a baby! *lol*)

3) The wifi I use at work is so spotty it is driving me NUTS! I've been trying for days to start an online blog and to write articles for my husband's news site and I keep getting blocked from doing anything by connectivity issues. GRRRR!

4) Oh, the stuff you actually want to hear -- I did work out last night. I set the treadmill to the cardio mode (20 minutes) at level 1. I had no CLUE why I was breathing hard and hurting so much at a 3.2 speed when I do that or above all the time...until I realized it was making my walk UPHILL with the incline setting. *lol* The 3.5 literally felt like nearly running downhill it was so much quicker to me than the uphill. I'm going to try to fit this into my routine and see if I can work up in the levels. After the treadmill, I did a bunch of ST. Much of what I did on Monday, so I won't repeat it here. I pushed myself to do a few extra sets and actually ended up doing about 45 minutes of ST. I then hopped on the elliptical to finish my 30 minutes, actually doing 15 minutes to round out the routine. I stretched a lot in between everything because the soreness has been a bit overwhelming. I'm doing fine, just remembering now what it feels like to work yourself sore.

5) My head quote for the day..."My boobs are getting bigger and my waist is getting smaller...Holy inconceivable proportions, Batman! I'm turning into Barbie!" ;)

6) The struggle over finances is taking a toll on my "Year of Adventures" plan. I haven't planned a single race yet because money is so tight. I'm actually up for promotion, have been approved internally and everything, we're just in holding pattern waiting for the state to get it's hind in gear and put it through. So glad I saved my Vegas winnings, because that will be used Sunday for my private boxing lesson. Still, we're going to have to think "outside the box" to find some things which aren't so pricey and yet still allow me to have the adventures I want this year... This is especially true considering my friend's wedding has gone from "a couple days in Utah" to a day or two in Vegas, followed by a few days in Utah, followed by a couple possible more days in Vegas...plus two plane tickets for Hubs and I (the boys are going to be SO angry they aren't going, yet again...but I can't take an 11-year-old and a (then) 9-year-old to Vegas! WTF?! Mommy wants to have a LITTLE fun! I never had a bachelorette party, so I'm living vicariously through others.). Don't worry...I'm looking into creative ways to make more money at home in the evenings or on the weekends. I'll figure it out...

7) Tomorrow is round 2 of Family Game Night. I don't know when it came about or how, but I suggested it and everyone grabbed on to the idea. Even Hubs is looking forward to it! (I'm bribing him every Friday with pizza and beer! *lol*) We turn off the TV and computer and iPhone and we all sit around the coffee table in the living room and play a board game (we may actually add in Kinect family games too) and eat pizza and drink beer (for the adults) and soda (for the kids) and forget about every other obligation in the world for just one moment. I can't tell you how much I've been looking forward to this all week. For just one night I spend uninterrupted time with all 3 of my boys, we have a great time, have family stories to share later, and everyone gets something out of it. Last week we played Monopoly, which Hubs won evenhandedly once he began owning the entire board. The deal is - winner picks the next week's game. I was so scared, but then Hubs picked Scrabble! Serious love for Scrabble from this English graduate! :) I hope to beat all 3 of my boys with my eyes shut and my hands tied behind my back! (Oh, yeah...trash talking began LAST Friday, immediately following the announcement of this week's game.) Slight issue right now is that we only have those 2 games, a set of dice for Farkel (sp?) and a deck of playing cards (if Ethan hasn't lost any)...so besides the Kinect we'll be out of choices VERY soon. I've added a few more family board games to the Amazon Wishlist, and, if necessary, can pick some up for not too much at Wal-Mart.

8) Speaking of family game night and beer... *lol* Last week I went shopping for wine at The Wine Shop near my work. It's in the farmer's market building where I go to get my homemade fresh chicken salad and veggie salads and granola and other yummies. Since my friend was late (as usual), I started wandering around the place and found a whole beer section. I picked up a mixed 6-pack for the Hubs and I. The idea of doing a wine tasting with Hubs has always fit into my mind, but never his...but a beer tasting? Now THAT is something he can get behind! I got him 3 heavier beers, including one from South Africa, and got me 2 pale ales and a Blueberry Beer! NOM! We were supposed to drink them last Friday but we both totally forgot! *lol* This week, however, it's ON! I'll let you know how it goes...

9) A girl at work has begun calling me "the Incredible Shrinking Woman." I appreciate the compliment, but incredible has nothing to do with all the hard work I've put in the past 8 months! *lol* I have to say, I've been having a serious case of fathead lately. This is really odd for me, because I never used to see myself as as fat as I was. If anything, I had skinny-head syndrome for the longest time. There were times when I couldn't understand why people looked at me the way they did and other times when I'd say, "Now she's bigger than me, right?!" and point to someone across the room. (I have to say that Hubs was starting to have a difficult time answering me on that one...sad...) I just didn't SEE myself the way others did. Now that I've taken stock of my body and started taking full-length pictures of myself for posterity and what not, I'm starting to understand how fat-head syndrome works.

The other day I was watching an episode of Heavy with Hubs. I pointed to the woman on the screen and said, "That's how big I look still." Hubs had to disagree with me immediately. Maybe it was the way I USED to look, but not anymore. I wasn't that big anymore. Still, this belly gets me EVERY time, and I'm having a huge problem not seeing myself as HUGE just because the belly isn't gone yet. (And by belly, I don't mean a bit of pudge...I mean the huge stomach apron that still graces the front of my body...sometimes I feel like I'm carrying a toddler around my waist, no lie.)

I am proud to report, however, that this morning I was in the bathroom at work and I had to take stock in how slim I look from the side now. I know that next Tuesday I'll be taking pictures again for the first of February, and I'm really hoping that will help break some of the fat-head out of me. I'm not skinny. HELL NO! But I'm not as fat as I think I am. I no longer weigh 466 pounds...lately, that's been hard to believe. Not sure why...

Mmkay, I'm going to leave you with that then. Gonna go grab a Lean Pocket and some Healthy Choice Soup. Yes, I have been eating prepared foods in an effort to cut down on money spent on fresh food. It sucks, but I'm biting that bullet and hoping that with the large amount I still have to lose, I will continue to see results even with the added sodium intake.

Ooh, one final thing. It makes it an even 10, so that helps the Monk part of me feel better...

10) Honey Garlic Pork Chops. Seriously, search for these in Spark Recipe and MAKE THEM! They are AMAZING and only have 4 ingredients! My youngest son (the pickiest eater) was the first to taste them and in his words, "Oh my gosh! These are AMAZING! I want these to go on the list. We can make them once a week!!" *lol* Everyone loved them, although clean-up is a bit of a pain as the honey, when cooked, can become like glue. Still, soak the pan and you'll be good to go no problem. SO good. Highly recommend. I'm pretty sure I had dreams of Honey Garlic Pork Chops last night.

=D

Plan for tonight:
Leave work at 3:30pm (YAYAYAYAYAYAY!!)
Eye doctor appointment at 4:30pm (yes, it takes that long to get there)
Then a workout at the gym before heading home to catch up on MASS amounts of laundry overflowing since the pipes were clogged when I got back from Vegas (Hubs finally fixed it on Saturday, but I was out of town for the weekend. Can't WAIT to have clean underwear again! ;) ...totally kidding, people. I've got tons of underwear so I've been good in that department.)
Might see if there are any movies at the Redbox or just watch TV like a slob because I haven't seen more than an hour of TV all week. *lol*

Tomorrow:
Breakfast with the Hubs, our own special, private time. (I swear, if they cancel school I WILL hurt someone...we need our time!)
Grocery shopping (ooh, menu planning - something else I need to get done tonight)
45m Cardio and 45m ST
And then Family Game Night that night with the boys

Saturday:
60m Cardio workout and then nothing planned.
OMG, that sounds great to hear me say!!!!

Sunday:
Private boxing lesson in Charleston at 3pm with AM!! I CAN'T WAIT!!