January 2011 Challenge/Happy New Year!

Okay, so most of the suggestions I got on Facebook were P90X but this is a 30 day challenge, not a 90 day challenge, and I don't want to have to buy a whole bunch of equipment and DVD's. I also know my body isn't ready to do both C25K AND P90X together. That would be crazy. I can barely do C25K without hurting myself every other week. So, here's what I did. I made up a calendar for January, with a workout schedule for every day. There is really only one true "off" day, because I plan on doing my Wii Fit as an easy recovery thing on Sundays. So, here it is:

I have decided to throw ZUMBA into the mix on Thursday evenings, since there is one very close to me. There are other diet goals (not dieting, just guidelines for me to follow) to keep me accountable in that department. Alcohol will be cut way back, which is a good move financially as well as physically. I should finish C25K if all goes according to plan. I also included some rewards to keep me motivated, as well as a few meals to have some fun. I didn't want to give up my Sunday lunches with the husband, and I don't want to have to be limited on those days.

I will weigh and measure myself on day 1, and on the last day of the month, but no more. In fact, after tomorrow morning, I'm putting the scale in a place that will make it less desirable to get it out to weigh myself. Maybe the garage...

I will keep you updated every day with what I eat, how I move, and how this all affects me. I don't plan on seeing drastic differences but I hope to see some improvements, especially in the running department.

When February rolls around, I'll start a new challenge! I'm hoping to start Insanity again some time so look to see that as a future challenge.

Happy New Year to everyone--stay safe and have fun!

Not last minute or anything...

So, I decided this afternoon that I would like to do some sort of challenge in January. So, that gives me a whole day to figure it out :/ Shoulda come up with this sooner...

So, I'm asking you, lovely readers, what could I do? I would like to not spend a ton of money on DVD's or workout equipment. I plan to finish C25K this coming month, ending right before the end of January. I won't need any running goals or challenges. I could, however, use some help in the strength and cross-training departments.

I have several weights of varying sizes, 3 levels of bands (easy, medium, hard), and I wouldn't mind investing in a medicine ball. I also have access to Zumba classes nearby, and Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus. I also own Turbo Jam and Hip Hop Abs.

Thanks in advance!

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I met my friend and her sister in-law at the lake today and I did about three miles. Yesterday, I tweaked an abdominal muscle and I thought it would be better today, but it was nagging me pretty early in the run. By the time I got home, it wasn't nagging me; it was SCREAMING in agony. Lesson learned. I won't do that again.

I'm not dead, I promise

My time the past few days has been spent alternating between scraping wallpaper and cursing the previous owner who put it there in the first place. I have managed to find someone who knows what they are doing with wallpaper stripping, drywall repair, texturing and painting, to help me with this project and to get it over with.

I have managed to complete other smaller projects, like defragmenting my hard drive and getting rid of programs and games I don't use. I managed to burn dinner (it was probably going to be good, too) and I did some score study, which was nice. I do love the pieces the band will be working on for contest.

In fact, here's a link so you can hear one of them, because it's so pretty! Ammerland

Today I plan to go running at the lake with an old college friend. I haven't had a running buddy before so it could be fun!

Holiday cleanup

I spent two hours cleaning out the closet in my office, reorganizing it and taking care of holiday things like ornaments, wrapping paper, and bags. I'm glad to say, that project is DONE!

Yesterday I filled out a membership form for the Oklahoma Food Cooperative. I'm kind of excited! I look forward to farm-fresh organic eggs and occasional grass-fed beef. It's only $50 one-time with no annual renewal. Some co-ops deliver a basket of vegetables that you don't choose and you have to figure out what to do with them. The OK Food Co-op allows you to order specifically what you want, which I really like from which farmer or rancher you want to support! I'm really excited. H of course is ambivalent, but he just doesn't care about much in the food world. As long as he's fed, he's happy. He doesn't really care where it comes from. I'm happy to support Oklahoma agriculture.

I realized something the other day. You know how I was having all of that foot pain/plantar fasciitis? Well, it's gone! I don't even think about it anymore. I never have foot pain. Ever. I think getting active really helped make that problem go away. It's funny how you can have a problem that is so pronounced slowly go away and you don't even notice.

Currently, I'm trying to psych myself up for a run but it's so windy out I might stay in and do Hip Hop Abs. I haven't done it in forever and a little dancing around might do me some good!

Ready and rarin' to go

Is that how you spell rarin'? Evidently if I add the "g" it is, but, I am from Oklahoma, after all. I've never heard anyone say "ready and rarING to go." Never, ever.

I was all ready to go running, but it's 17 outside. 17. I decided I can run this afternoon! At least there's no wind today.

I'm also all ready to start back up again with healthy eating and consistent working out. The holidays always have a way of pushing into your life in a very intrusive (but delicious) sort of way. I've put a couple of pounds back on, and I can feel it, and I'm ready to drop those and the rest.

I've been doing some reading on Primal/Paleo eating styles and find them to be interesting. It's a low-carb style of eating, but mostly just staying away from grains. You eat a lot of veggies, leafy greens, and protein. You can still use olive oil and butter. Sounds like a plan I can deal with. They also advocate 80% of the time eating that way, but you can have some time to eat other things, like a cookie now and then. So, here's my "Primal" dinner menu for the week:

Beef w/snow peas (PW recipe)
Pork tenderloin w/mustard cream sauce and brussels sprouts
Parm-crusted chicken breast with roasted asparagus and tomatoes
Chili-rubbed chicken w/avocado salad (w/ tomatoes and red onion) and grilled squash and zucchini
Roasted chicken with spicy swiss chard (new!) and a baked potato (not totally Primal but I have two in the pantry)
Cream cheese chicken w/mushrooms and roasted carrots
One night out for whatever.

Breakfasts will include yogurt with berries and almonds and a little honey, poached egg over asparagus (been meaning to try this, anyway), and maybe leftovers or scrambled eggs. Lunches will be leftovers or chili.

So, today I need to clean out the fridge and freezer (need to do that, anyway) while I wait for the temps to warm up to something more sane, and get the groceries.

I was looking at personal trainers in the area, but I think I'm going to hold off a little while and see how I do on my own. I plan on making a calendar that I can use to plan my workouts, and the days are going to start getting longer so I can do outside workouts in the evening. I don't like running in the evening in the dark because there are far more people out. If I could sleep until 5:45 every day, instead of 5:10, I would be much happier. I plan on incorporating much more strength training in, as well. I have seven basketball games to deal with, but not much in the way of evening events or weekend events for awhile, so I should have an easier time of dealing with it all.

All right, I have to go look at the Panera menu and see what they have. Both H and I have gift cards and that's where he wants to go for lunch today. I plan to let me have Sunday lunches as a freebie because I love exploring new places then when we can be relaxed about it.

C25K W5D2 Repeat

No allergic reactions today! It was nice and cool and misty while I was out this morning. Those 8 minute runs weren't as easy the first time I did them, however. But, I've got to keep getting through! I thought I was going to be attacked by a bull terrier down the street, but he has one of those electric invisible collar things and though he was fast out of the garage (where was the owner?!?) he stopped short of the curb. I started thinking fast as to what I could do--hop in the back of someone's pick up?--and was ready to hit the gas if necessary, even though I was feeling a bit fatigued at the moment. Fear is a great motivator. Then I remembered that dog from another time before where the same thing happened. I was glad I could think on my feet, at least.

I spent the rest of the morning scanning my computer for a trojan that I guess Quicktime put on here after its update this morning. And the computer won't read my iPhone. I don't know what the heck is wrong with it.

I had a very late breakfast at IHOP with H and my sis and had some nice conversation. FIL called H while we were there and H laid it out pretty simple that I don't like steak oscar, that I didn't want it, and that we were tired of baked potatoes and that I would be happy to bring something. So now, I'm bringing some sort of au gratin potato (have ingredients, will cook) and an apple crisp with ice cream, that they don't know about. I wasn't in the mood for pumpkin pie. I'm not normally in the mood for pumpkin pie, anyway. So, thanks H, for standing up for me. But I told FIL yesterday that I didn't like steak oscar and that I would be happy to bring something besides a salad or baked potato. H said I wasn't direct enough. Whatever. I offer to bring food and you said plain asparagus, you asshat. I love the word asshat.

So, off to the salt mines, I guess.

Happy Freaking Holidays, people

I posted this on a board that I visit, and I didn't feel like re-typing it, so I'm just copying and pasting here. Good news is, I'm done with shopping and wrapping. I also got some things for myself, like 2 pairs of gloves for a buck fifty at Target that I can wear when running. I also got cute work socks, as I am sure that wearing work shoes with white crew socks is somehow a faux pas.

Here we go.

Yet again, I am completely miffed by my FIL. We decided that since H and I are going to my family's Christmas day celebration, that we would do Christmas Eve with H's parents. They were surprised we weren't going to be down with my family, but we never stay there. Never.

FIL decided he wants to grill steaks (fine). I offer to bring something and I was told "salad, or you could bring baked potatoes!" We eat effing salad and baked potatoes every single gdamn time we eat at their house. Pork chops, salad, baked potato. Cornish hens, salad, baked potato. It goes on and on. And not real baked potatoes...from the microwave. I find them disgusting and gluey.

So, I suggested I bring a hot vegetable: asparagus. I wanted to roast it. Roasted asparagus and steak are divine together. FIL said he was already going to steam asparagus and have steaks "Oscar" style with hollandaise and crab meat (I find this disgusting). He suggested I could bring the uncooked, unadorned asparagus.

I am an effing good cook. I think it is effing stupid to bring uncooked asparagus to Christmas Eve dinner. I think it's stupid to have the same damn thing we eat every time we go over there. It's a holiday, people. Let me bake, let me do something! I am 30, not a child, and a damn good cook. Better than any of you, which is why I think you won't let me bring anything anymore.

Also, I was pissed at lunch because FIL took out the whole office and they invited me, and I was essentially ignored the entire lunch while FIL fawned all over the administrative assistant (college-age girl) and her ability to eat soup properly and all the amazing etiquette she has and blah blah blah. I'm not asking for anyone to fawn all over me, but it would have been nice to have been included in the conversation for more than a comment that I should bring uncooked asparagus tomorrow night.

I have been in a holly jolly mood up until today. I'm pissed.

Vacation, day 3

Can you believe that I actually got my husband to put clothes away for donation?!?!?! That almost never happens. And he was so authoritative about his decisions. I'm so proud. I got home today and he showed me some kind of customizable closet thing he wants to do now. I think I might be in love.

Yesterday, I got lots of lounging done. And sorting of things. I'm starting to appreciate the value of relaxation. I've realized that I don't really relax enough. I think I do, but now I realize, I don't. Hours of not thinking about work, or cleaning, or work, or school, or work...that's what I've needed. Too bad I've had two teaching dreams so far. Bah humbug.

Last night, I decided to take H to an impromptu fancy-ish dinner out at a local establishment for a holiday present. I haven't actually gotten him anything, save for a small gift under the tree, and felt I should do, you know, something. He paid off my damn credit card and I am now able to say I have my credit in order due to him helping me, so I felt I should give him something. I should have just made a nice dinner for us. It would have been cheaper and we probably wouldn't have been in pain! I got the dessert to go, but I guess it was too much for both of us, seeing as we were both complaining of GI discomfort overnight and this morning. I felt like I had a damn brick in my gut all night. I wanted to burp so loudly...I even entertained the idea of making myself throw up in an effort to alleviate the pain. I felt like we were in that episode of Sex and the City where Charlotte and Harry go out for a fancy French dinner and end up with food poisoning. In case you don't know what I'm talking about, here's the scene:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N36QT0xTp7Q

Today, after dragging my butt out of bed (I get so lazy after just a couple of days), I went to the IL's to watch my mother-in-law. She had surgery two days ago to have a piece of her hip bone placed into a vertebrae in her neck.

Yes, you just read that. Ouch.

Despite what sounds like copious amounts of pain, MIL was doing quite well. We watched Dead Like Me on Netflix, Life as a House (great movie), and I took Callie for a walk around the neighborhood. I came home and H had brought me a bottle of wine. Score for me!

I think tomorrow it might rain, which makes me want to run in it. I love the rain, and it has been so dry here lately. The lake I pass over on the way to my in-laws' house is almost a series of islands, given the amount of drought we've had. The dry weather cracks in the backyard hurt my feet. My pansies are screaming for water and I've been too lazy to water the poor things much. I also found a "mud run" event in the spring I want to sign up for. Rolling around in mud sounds like way too much fun to pass up. So does running in the rain.

I love Vacation

Yesterday, I took advantage of the warm day and took Callie to the lake and Petsmart, bought stocking stuffers for all the pets, cleared out clothes for donation and cleaned up the bedroom. I also took some valuable time to watch more episodes of Dead Like Me and to play a little Fable III.

I caught myself in the mirror yesterday and realized I looked rested. What a difference a couple nights of good sleep will make.

My body is SORE today, though. Wooooo. I think I stretched this morning and realized the upper body soreness, and I brought my leg up under me on the couch and felt my quad streeeeettttccchhhh. Ouchies.

Today's plan is to put up all the laundry (since H seems hell-bent on not putting his up!), go through his part of the closet and put a bunch of stuff on the bed for him to sort through for donation (again, hell-bent on not doing it), deep-clean my bathroom, clean the cat room, go to Target for a few things, and that should be it. I'm sure there will be plenty of breaks in there, as well, for tv and video games and reading.

So, for now, I'm out.

C25K W5D1 Repeat and the return of an old arch enemy

I decided that break was a perfect time to get back into my running habit. I set out this morning, in the light for a change, and in weather that was around 50 (instead of 25). It seemed perfect. Even the wind seemed to die down after awhile. But, I was visited by an old arch enemy: Cholinergic urticaria. Holy shit.

It's like an exercise-induced allergy. My whole body turned red and I was on fire. I almost called my H to have him come pick me up halfway through so I could get a Zyrtec. I pushed through, though, and only skipped part of the cool down because I was at my driveway. I came in and freaked him out a little bit by how red I was. He suggested I take a hot shower. That was funny. Seeing as it is started with a rise in body temperature, I think a hot shower would be a bad idea.

But, I got through it. I can feel my body cooling off now. I'm almost cold. Other plans for today include taking Callie to the lake, cleaning the house, hopefully finding a missing shirt that I will probably want for Christmas day, and playing some video games or watching more episodes of Dead Like Me.

Dinner plans are a crockpot roast, so I should probably get that going now, as well. I might take Callie to Petsmart to get stocking stuffers. I love not having any real plans.

Kelli's 31 for 31

Like last year, I have decided to post 31 goals to reach for my 31st year of life. These goals reflect changes I feel I should make, adventures I should try, and current trends I should continue.

1. Stop being a lazy cook and get in the kitchen, even when I'm tired. I usually enjoy what I cook more than what I would get out.

2. Make H clean the kitchen more with me after dinner.

3. Be a more engaged and engaging piano instructor.

4. Stop being afraid to hurt certain peoples' feelings and tell them what I really think when they ask. No one spares my feelings.

5. Read more books. Fiction, non-fiction, educational, whatever. I don't read nearly enough.

6. Go to some concerts at the local universities. There are all these great performances and I hardly ever go. I have a DVR for a reason.

7. Finish C25K and do speedwork, then move to Bridge to 10K.

8. Sign up for and race at least 3 5K's this year.

9. Sign up for and race at least 1 10K this year. (Either 8 or 9 can be in a relay)

10. Continue my journey to enjoying the smaller things in life that bring joy, i.e. sunrises/sunsets, caring for flowers, little things like that. I have noticed that I feel pure joy when taking in these very subtle but amazing things.

11. Learn a new instrument. I should get my clarinet fixed and work on that (when I say "my" clarinet I mean my sister's old clarinet from high school. Yamahas last forever and they ROCK!).

12. Quit being such a nag.

13. Continue to foster my new friendships at work. I have this amazing lunch group and I fear we will be separated next year. Very rarely have I been able to be in the company of other women near my age, who feel the same way I do about so many things, and who genuinely laugh at my lame attempts at humor. One of these women has surprised me so much and another I feel is a long lost sister. A third is one of the smartest people I have ever been in the presence of in my life. A fourth has the ability to make me laugh. I feel honored to eat lunch and attend happy hours with such wonderful women.

14. Be more supportive of my husband's efforts to continue to improve his alma mater fraternity. He is the chapter adviser and though sometimes I feel like we are back in college when I never saw him on Sunday and Monday nights, it is important to him, and so it should be important to me.

15. Become a more savvy shopper.

16. Save up and buy another lens for my camera (perhaps a more snazzy general zoom lens? I think so.).

17. Stop breaking my wedding ring.

18. Prove once and for all that my school building is haunted (okay, okay, I know I can't do this but dammit, I believe!)

19. Receive a glowing review when the assistant principal reviews my journalism class. (I got a glowing review on my band rehearsal first semester so I'd like to continue that pattern).

20. Continue trying a new recipe every month.

21. Be more open to trying new cuisines. I will not, however, force myself to eat organ meats or sushi. Other than that, I should try it.

(at this point I asked H for help in coming up with goals. His answer? "31lbs for 31! Each pound could be a goal!). Thanks, H. While I would love to lose 31lbs, I don't really want to set that kind of goals for myself. I'm afraid of what the disappointment would do to me.

22. Continue working to be a more stable person, and to keep a hold of my struggle with depression. (someday I might actually write a post on all of that...)

23. Continue to delight in the triumphs and successes of my students. Can you believe that students I taught my first year ever are already in college? That my first editor ever graduates this month? (December 2010). I feel so lucky to get to work with such amazing students...or rather, people. There was a day at the end of the fall semester when I realized that I am loved and appreciated by my students (at least some of them), and it was the most minuscule of things they did to make me realize it. However, it means the world to me that they seek me out in the hallway to talk to me, and make it a point to stand next to me, and want me to stay and talk with them after school. The world.

24. Do more to take care of myself. Get more massages, or haircuts, or take care of my feet more than I normally do. I'm terrible about all of this.

25. Take a vacation, even if it is just a small weekend trip to Dallas. No vacation in 2010 at all sucked!!!

26. Re-invest myself in strength training. I don't know why I quit, really. I was enjoying seeing the strength gains I had made.

27. Actively save money. We don't save nearly enough.

28. Keep a cleaner house, especially my office, which is a mess at the moment.

29. Be less hypercritical of others. I know I said in #4 that I was going to stop coddling people, but sometimes I find that I am overly critical of others, especially my husband. I am also overly critical of myself.

30. Finish the little projects around the house--curtains, hanging things, photos in frames, etc.

31. Continue to enjoy my new found outlook on life. I've noticed in the last year or so that I approach a lot of situations differently, and that I remain more calm about stressful situations, and that I am generally more accepting of my life. I think part of this is that my brain finally grew up (I read an interesting article the other day about brain maturity and how long it really takes...you'd be surprised), and so I have finally become the person that I am meant to be. I like this person. I like the no-nonsense, no sugar-coating, honest person that I have become. I like that I don't stress out to the point of anxiety attacks and illness anymore. I think I'm going to like this.

Christmas shopping is like running

Either you're a marathon runner, or a 5K kind of person.

I'm a 5Ker. I like to shop in short spurts. Yesterday, we hit up WalMart for $10 worth of gift bags and tissue (had a gift card...I spent $9.75 ha), Kohls for wrapping paper, a doggie stocking for Callie, and two gifts for an aunt (all on deep discount plus a 15% card that I got to keep for today if I want to go back), and Borders for books for several people. We also made a couple other stops that weren't Christmas-related and had lunch in under 3.5 hours. More time was spent navigating traffic than anything, I think.

Today, I'm going to head out again and get a small gift for H, and then to the mall for gifts and some stuff for me. I managed to redeem $50 toward the balance on my credit card and I'm waiting for a reimbursement for most of the rest. I only spent about $50 yesterday! I've got birthday money to burn, as it is, anyway. So I'm going to take advantage of the sales and buy myself a belt.

Why a belt, you ask? Well, I'm wearing one of H's right now and it's so nice to have my jeans stay in place. I'm constantly yanking them up and it annoys me. When I first got them, they fit great. It appears they have stretched (dang jeans and their stretch these days) and now I'm a jeans-yanker.

I had thought about going running this morning, until I saw the wind chill was 8. Holy shit.

Is it break yet?

Only two more class days, and 3 half days of finals. I'm excited for break! I have got to start Christmas shopping, though. I only have three presents and basically no wrapping paper or bags. Sheesh. I love Christmas but I kind of suck at the whole planning thing.

Concert was a success. We were able to get a bass clarinet to borrow and the injured one is fixed, amazingly. There were some things about the concert that seriously pissed me off, but I've hashed that out so many times already that I think I can move on! Suffice it to say that my band parents are AWESOME and I'm glad I have them and not the parents from certain other groups.

I haven't been running yet. My left knee has been giving me trouble, especially on stairs. I tweaked it Wednesday somehow but I have no clue what I did. I'm still having shoulder/back problems and still need to get a massage! School has just kept me so busy. It looks like this coming week will be warmer, and with the stress of everything gone (except Monday's yearbook deadline which we are NOT prepared for), I think I'll be all right.

I am so looking forward to break. I have to take care of a couple of different family members who are having surgery for different things, but other than that I'm free!!!!! Time to get my office back in order. Time to deep clean my bathroom. Time to try some of those time-consuming recipes I've been wanting to try forever. Time to get a haircut. Time time time. I love it.

Today, we have got to get some Christmas shopping done. I think I'll take H out to lunch as an incentive! He took me out to a favorite place of mine after the concert Thursday night (just a totally spontaneous thing, very sweet) so I thought I could return the favor. Other than that, I have nothing planned today, either. I'm starving right now, though, so I think it's time for some breakfast.

Disappointing myself

I can't seem to drag my ass out of bed! I know I shouldn't be too disappointed in myself, but I can't help it. I was doing so well! It got cold so, so fast. It seems like there's no gradual change into seasons anymore. It's as if someone flips a switch and we're in winter. Right now the weather says 19 on Saturday morning with a high of 55. While I have a hard time believing it's going to be a nearly 40 degree difference from morning to daytime high, it's still going to be cold. I need more long-sleeved wicking shirts. I just have one.

My shoulder is slowly getting better. Someday I'll have the opportunity to go to the bank and cash out my birthday gift money from my MIL and GMIL and can use that to go get my much-needed massage. I think after concert would be great.

Yesterday was not the best of days for me. I had to put up with some silly requests from a director borrowing our auditorium for a concert. They wanted to piano dusted. I don't know what that was about. I had a dentist appointment that didn't go so great. My student's bass clarinet might be irreparable and I don't even know anyone that I can call for a loaner. I can't finish my promotional video because the last kid I have to shoot has laryngitis. I had all kinds of technical computer problems yesterday at the end of the day. Yearbook spreads aren't coming together fast enough. We have no money to print a newspaper. I have a band student that acts like being in rehearsal is literally killing them. And I'm PMSing, hard-core. Which also makes me not want to run.

So, at this point, I'm just trying to hold my head up high and get through this. Things always have a way of working out, it seems. I just hope that it continues working out for me.

What's my motivation?

Or rather, where is my motivation? This cold weather has me retreating back to bed each morning. I have the mental desire to go out and run, but I feel like my body is pulling me back to the warm, cozy comfort of slumber. I have got to get back out there. I still have a few episodes of vertigo upon standing after sleeping, but mostly, it's gone. I still have that nagging shoulder issue but I hope to get a massage very soon now that I'm no longer on medication. I sure would like to have that knot out!!!

It's concert week for me, and therefore, a little stressful. Not too bad. Even if we're terrible, the world will keep revolving around the sun and I won't melt into a puddle of goo. We just have to get through it. I wish I had a more positive attitude but there are some issues that just aren't resolving (rushing tempos, slacking on articulations, flutes not getting their part right 50% of the time). I can't go practice for them. I feel like individual achievement for band students is no longer a priority because they are all spread so thin. Well, some. Many of my band kids are only involved in band...what the hell is their excuse? I have those that diligently practice and get everything right, though. I try to make sure they know that I appreciate their efforts. Sigh.

I don't have much else to say. Since I haven't been running there isn't much to talk about. Work is busy, I have to find time somehow to shop for holiday presents, and I'm not home nearly enough. Such is life, I suppose. Sometimes I feel like Charlotte from Sex and the City: "Sometimes I think how nice it would be to spend an afternoon glazing a bowl." A sad existence, yes. But I would like to know the ability to relax and not think about anything except the one task at hand. My brain is constantly going a mile a minute, thinking about all the little things I have to do at work and at home, and I can't make it stop. I can sleep, though! I can shut it off then, at least. I'd be screwed otherwise!

I'm alive, I swear!

Yeah, it's been a long week. Yesterday was crazy-busy, too. I'm still getting over the dizzies, and until I feel confident enough, I'm not running.

Yesterday, after going to judge All-State prelims (so organized, so fast!) I went to see HP7 part 1 with H and my sister. SO GOOD. I was holding back tears at the end. And at the beginning. I forget how Rowling just kind of offed her characters without a lot of fanfare in that last book. I'll have to re-read it, I guess. Anyway, when the movie was over, and we stood up to leave, I was standing just fine. Totally still. Next thing I know, I'm falling over left and H caught me. I have no idea what happened! Pretty funny, though. Not nearly as embarrassing as the time I fell up the stairs behind my sister while going to our seats. She didn't even stop. Which is better because when you draw attention to it, it's just worse. She just kind of yelled over her shoulder, "You all right?" and kept moving. Hahahahaha. I saw some teenager do that a couple months ago so I can at least say I'm not the only one!

Food this week has been TERRIBLE. I didn't even cook dinner until Thursday night. I didn't have anything for lunch and everything tasted "off" from my meds so I kept getting stuff out in an effort to get something I could taste! So, I felt pretty gross. And medicated. And not up for much.

I did, however, win a ticket to the Thunder game tonight. I will be going with some students, the counselors, and a couple of administrators. It's going to be so much fun! The kids get to meet a player, they get shirts, all this cool stuff. I'm going to be there to take pictures, as well. I feel the need to legitimatize my being there. Silly me.

So, this week I am going to make more dinners, except Thursday night, which is our concert. I hope that all goes well. It's always so crazy! Here's my meals for the week:

Chicken sandwiches on whole wheat buns w/homemade honey mustard, sweet potato fries
Pork chops, long grain and wild rice, green beans
Salsa chicken on low-carb tortillas, spicy pinto beans
Beef stew and crescent rolls
Grilled chicken w/pan sauce, mashed potatoes and brussels sprouts

Sidelined....yet again.

Inner ear infection. That's why I kept getting dizzy! It all started to be eerily reminiscent of an inner ear infection I had a couple of years ago or so. The PA at the clinic was a little confused by me because I don't have any pain, though my ear was (and probably still is) quite red. I was prescribed amoxicillin (gentle antibiotics) which were only $3! And decongestants. They were supposed to be 2x a day, but all I have is 24 hour Claritin-D so that'll have to do. I think if I take it in the morning I'll be able to sleep. I hope.

So, until I get this balance thing under control, no running. I'm doing my best to not run into things just walking around. I noticed yesterday I can't park my car straight! It looks straight to me, then I see it in the lines. Whoops.

Last night was the last home bball game of the semester! W00t! Tonight I'm meeting some ladies at a Mediterranean place for dinner. I might try falafal. Anywho, it's getting late so I need to start my day. Yay.