Processing and Prose

Had a good day food wise.  No extra activity but had a decent deficit. Sushi and Sashimi for dinner :-D  If you are looking for WL related topics, today is not your day. Otherwise, you may want to grab a cup of coffee and sit a spell...

So as most of you know I was adopted. Last summer, I was searching for some medical history and nationality information and I discovered a WHOLE lot more.  I learned that I had siblings I never knew existed. I also learned my bio mother died 14 years earlier.  It is very similar to what Oprah is going through.  When I watched the show where Oprah meets her half sister I could totally relate. One thing that really hit home as I was watching the show was Oprah saying "I am still processing it all" I realized that I too am still trying to process all this information. Especially in light of the fact that Bruce (bio-father) died the day after Christmas and I have been asked to make decisions in that regard. Speaking of, he has finally been cremated and hopefully he can be placed in the niche next week. More on that later...

The whole time these discoveries were developing, I was limiting how much information I would relay to my mom. She basically knew that I had found out I had siblings and some small details but I was hesitant to tell her too much because I did not want to hurt her feelings. It wasn't that I did not want share. I happened to be talking to my boss about it yesterday and he said he thought it would be good if I told her, that she would want to know and I thought it was a good idea so I planned on telling her about Bruce at a bare minimum

Well last night, we went to have dinner at the Fish Market and I started telling her by bringing up the Oprah story. I told her about finding Bruce and that he died two month later and now I am being asked to make decisions about his final resting place. Her words (and I quote) "You should write a book!" I almost screamed! Here my very private mother is giving me the go ahead. I had told her that the only reason why I did not want to write one is because I respect her and her privacy and feelings. Her response was "Well, it is your life and you are an adult" As I am sitting here writing up this post, I am still in shock that she said that!

Once we got to the Fish Market, it all kind of spewed out of me. I have been basically holding 6 months of emotion in about this situation (other then sharing here) and I shared virtually everything with her. She did not know that I met my Uncle Steve in August, my siblings (2/3) in September, Bruce in October or any of the details. I kept telling her that I never intended on finding anyone, I just wanted the non-identifying information. I also profusely thanked her and told her how very blessed I was to have been adopted by such loving and wonderful people.

After we got back to her house, I did a few things for her around the house and then got ready to go and told her I felt like a huge weight had been lifted and that I was so glad I finally was able to share this information with her. She said she wished I had told her sooner but she was glad that I shared with her. Gave her a BIG hug and kiss and I was on my way.

When I arrived home, there was an ambulance at my friend Lu's. One of her friends, Sarah, had a medical issue and they had to call 911. They revived her and took her to the hospital. Her 10 year old daughter was there too and her grandmother came and got her. Needless to say it was a pretty emotional night. I had had a Latte with dinner and with all the emotion/excitement I did not get to bed until midnight so I am a little slow moving today but as I said, I feel like a weight has been lifted so that helps. Thank you so much for reading if you made it this far! Until next time...

P.S. Don't forget to enter the giveaway, if you haven't already!

Rootin Tootin Tuesday Giveaway!

The lovely folks over at CSN have contacted me again to do a Giveaway!!! Have you heard of CSN? They have just about everything under the sun including swing sets to ceiling fans. They have great customer service and great prices! I am very impressed with their company.

 The prize for this giveaway is $65 gift certificate (does not cover any shipping costs but you can use it on ANY product from ANY one of their sites)  In order to enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post telling me in 5 words or less, how you would describe yourself to someone new?  If you would like an additional entry you can post the giveaway on Facebook or Twitter. The giveaway is open to US and Canada only. I will select a winner on Friday, January 28th. Good luck to you!! Until next time...



P.S. I have ANOTHER Giveaway planned after this one so stay tuned for that! SO excited!

Blue Skies Smiling at Me!

Helllllllo! How are you guys doing today? I am feeling pretty darn good for a Monday! How was your weekend? I hope you had a good one. I had the best one I have had in awhile. Saturday, I tried out the Yoga DVD from Bethanny and did about 20 mins of that. I will review it once I have done the whole thing.  Had some sushi for lunch and did some grocery shopping and then went for a bike ride. It was SO NICE outside! This is a picture of the blue sky. Isn't that lovely!  This is why I love living in California! 70 Degrees and sunny on the third weekend of January!!
 

I also spent some time working on my Dreamboard. I am glad you guys liked that post! I am excited about doing it and look forward to seeing some of your own boards. I got more supplies for it yesterday including some glitter glue and ribbon. I need to cut out more pictures and less words now.

Yesterday I spent most of the day with my neighbors LuLu and Joe and their family.  When we pulled up to their house, this is what the temperature gage said.  Again, this is why I love living in California! Can you blame me?

I wanted to tell you about a project that I am participating in. It is called the Walk-It 52 Project Each week I will posting a picture from one of my walks and posting it here. I will let you know when I add a picture to it. They will all be labeled with a name and date as well. Isn't that a fun idea! Miss Molly Marie put it together and I really liked the concept. There are some professional photographers that are participating it so I am a little intimidated but maybe I will expand my limited photography skills ;-) Until next time...

Creating A Dream Board

Sample Board (Mine is a WIP)

Create Your First Dream Board (Dream It, Create It, Become It)

Summary: First you have a dream or idea. Then you make a plan. A dream board is a creative and fun part of a plan. Then you go to it! Go on your adventure and take your dreams and move towards action. Get the whole family involved by having each of them create a dream board or create a family board!

Have you ever heard of "Dream Boards" or "Treasure Maps", too? Lately, they've been called "Treasure Maps", A Dream Board is a visual picture of the dreams you have for your life that you want to come true. The concept is that we attract to us what we think. And if we put good things in front of us, those things we've always wanted, those things we've always thought about having in our lives, then we will attract what we think.

I've watched clients want something but not write it down and not visualize or affirm it. One said that his business wasn't what he envisioned and he wanted that vision to become his reality. In other words, if your vision is in your head, that's not where it needs to be. It needs to be out in the world for all to see.
Some of my clients also use this concept to visualize their businesses, too! It's their first business plan. One thing though...don't "get stuck" on your dream boards. We all have plans for our future, however it's important to watch the universe for signs of it's plans for us. Otherwise we might miss out on some great opportunities!

How To Create Your first Board

• Purchase a large piece of paper such as "oak tag" or "poster board" in whatever color you like!
• You now have the beginnings of your Dream Board.
• In the center of your board put a picture of you that you really enjoy viewing.
• Whatever your dreams, goals, etc., start cutting out pictures that symbolize your dreams and paste them on your board.
• Or draw the pictures. Can't draw perfectly? Draw it anyway! (If I can, you can.)
• Put captions under the pictures.
• What are some of your dreams? Remember to include all areas of your life on your board... Career/Business, Relationships (self-others), Money, Recreation/Play, Health/Well Being.. Get specific.... real specific and descriptive!
• Go for it!! Enjoy it!! Have fun with it!!
• Tack it on the wall.
• As your dreams continue to grow (or change), keep adding to it.
• Make it the last thing you look at before you go to sleep.
• Spend a few moments in front of it before you start your day!

Supplies You May Need

1. Poster board/oak tag
2. 4 thumbtacks
3. Elmer's glue
4. Scotch tape
5. Glitter
6. A photo or photos of you
7. Magazines
8. Ribbons
9. Pens, markers
10. Shells, leaves, or something else from nature
11. Scissors: straight edge or your favorite border design
12. Crayons
13. Few pieces of thick 8 1/2 x 11 paper
14. Favorite rubber stamps
15. Your Ideas here

Sections Of Your Board

Life Vision Board: Personal Growth, Religious/Spiritual Growth, Relationships Family, Romance, Friends, Career & Business, Finance & Money, Play & Recreation, Health & Fitness, Physical Environment, etc.

Business Vision Board: Your Office, Staff, Bank Account, Client Results, Products, Retirement, Accolades, Philanthropy Efforts, etc.Special thanks to my first coach Edie Peirera-Hulbert, author Susan Ban Breathnach and the 4T Prosperity Program at Unity Church for teaching about these concepts and helping me put them into good use.

Note to parents: Create dream boards with your children. Create a family dream board. Learn more here
This article was published in 2000. Since then (2004 I think) Mark Victor Hansen has done a PBS special and it included information on Vision Boards -- same thing. If you're a business owner and prefer creating a small version of a dream board, small enough to carry around, then check out this software for Business Owners/Professionals Version For MLM's

© 2011Maria Marsala. An irrepressible entrepreneur, Maria Marsala sold AVON at age 14 and landed on Wall Street three years later. She became a bond trader at a time when female executives were as rare as pink diamonds. In 1998, brimming with over 25 years of business experience, Maria founded Elevating Your Business, a business development company dedicated to helping high-achieving financial sector women CEO's, presidents and executives shift into extreme succe$$. Maria customizes solutions to detect and overcome each client's unique obstacles, helping them create the business and lifestyle they only imagined possible. It starts at www.CoachMaria.com

Stir It Up!

I just love this song :-D

Hope you are having a great weekend! Until next time...

Finally Friday!

Happy Friday! Woot Woot!

Had a great night with my niece Candace. She came over to watch her mom (Tess) on the Discovery ID show. I had not watched it all the way through and yikes it was a creepy story. I will elaborate on the story another time. After we watched it, I wanted to show her the Zumba Wii game. We did that for about 10 mins and then I put in the Zumba DVD I have and we did the 20 minute routine. After that we played Frisbee and Archery. It was a great night! We had a lot of catching up to do! I loaned her the Zumba game because the belt does not quite fit my waist (yet!) so she can get some use out of it. I miss the Wii Sport games, specifically boxing so she will bring that back for me soon.

Since it is Friday, I got on the scale this morning and the results are:

Last week: 254
This week: 253
Total Loss: 62

Oh it feels so go to see the scale moving again!! For those of you who are newer on your weight loss journeys just remember to keep pushing forward. It can be very disconcerting to not see the scale move but that does not mean you get to quit or give up. Those are NOT options. By the way, I don't remember the last time I weighed in the 250s and now I am only 3 lbs. from the 240s! So excited!

Not sure what the plan is for the weekend. I am thinking it would be nice to go swimming at the gym. Going to see if they have an Aqua fit class available. I have Eat, Pray, Love from Netflix that I want to watch too. I also want to read some of the book Reinventing Your Life. If it is nice enough, I would like to ride my bike too but we will see. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Until next time...

Sense of Renewal

I had a good day yesterday. During my lunch hour I decided to go on a walk. There is a trail that has an entrance at the end of our building's parking lot. It is called the Los Gatos Creek Trail and it spans about 9.2 miles along the creek. I put my iPod on and took off. I walked about 1.3 miles. I even slogged a small portion of it.  It was about 60 degrees so it was nice and breezy. I listened to the soundtrack of Confessions of a Shopaholic. Came back and had time to eat my lunch and read the paper for a few minutes.

For dinner we had steak and sauteed mushrooms and shallots. We also had broccoli with cheese sauce. It was a Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamer. We love fresh veggies but these sure come in handy in a pinch and they taste great and are easy to prepare. You just pop it in the microwave for 5-7 minutes and voila! There are all sorts of options even for the pickier veggie eater.

After dinner I did do 10 lunges and 20 crunches with my balance ball. I recently bought a Yoga DVD by Bethenny Frankel. I am a Bethenny fan (RH:NY)and it was a reasonable price so I want to check it out. I will certainly let you know what I think. My plan is to do it in the morning before showering for work.

I am feeling a shift in my attitude lately. Taking time out just for me is really making me feel better. I am investing in myself which I have neglected to do for a long time. For example, the last few weeks or so I have picked out what I was going to wear the next day including accessories. That is NOT how I usually do it. I usually wait until the very last second and grab something that matches and forget the accessories. It makes me feel good to look good. Another example is painting my nails. I have just been using a clear coat but it sure makes my hands look much better. I am feeling renewed :-) Until next time...

Full Moon Wendesday

Had a good deficit as I didn't eat much during the day yesterday. Dave and I had a good long talk when I got home from work and we have a plan of action so I am feeling a lot better about things. I made chicken with Crusting Blends (French Onion) with some pasta and spinach. I really want to try the Crusting Blends with Ahi Tuna. I think it would be super yummy and I will be sure to let you know how that is.

I was really tired last night but wanted to get in some activity so I pulled out my balance ball and did 20 crunches and 10 pushups. Then, I used my little two pound weights from my Wii and did 60 reps of arms while sitting on the balance ball. I went to bed before 9:00 p.m.

I have always been a fan of Loreal products. Most of them are excellent (IMHO) but some FAIL like the True Match Roller LOL!  They recently came out with a new product called Studio Secrets Face Primer. It smooths your skin and minimizes the look of large pores and fine lines. I apply it after my moisturizer and before my makeup and it really does make a difference in how smooth my skin looks and how long my makeup remains looking fresh.  I have mentioned it before but as I have lost my weight, I have noticed more wrinkles and fine lines so this really helps me feel better about how I look. The only drawback is the container is tiny and it is $12.99. You really don't need much at all but I would like to see a bigger container.

A few people said I should post my Dear Future Katie J letter so I can refer to it so I added it as a permanent page above. Thanks for the suggestion ladies.  Hope you are all having a good week! Until next time...

Stylish & Stuff

Had a decent Monday night. We had tacos with rice and beans for dinner. Did not get any extra activity in the evening hence the minuscule deficit.

Dave and I had big blow out fight this morning (lovely way to start the day) so we will see what happens tonight I guess. Any of you that have been here for awhile know our relationship has had its major ups and downs. Not sure where we will go from here but that is for another post. So onward with the post...

ALS at Dancing Toward Myself gave me this Stylish Blogger Award. The rules of this award are to link to and thank the blogger that gave it to you.  Then you list 7 things you don't know about me and then pass it on to 15 new blogs that you have discovered. Wow, coming up with things you don't know is not that easy after blogging for all this time... 

1. I swear like a sailor sometimes. Usually around Dave or my friends but I catch myself sometimes before it slips out in public or at work. Definitely need to curb this bad habit.
2. I am allergic to citric acids: Oranges, pineapples, tomatoes, etc. I eat tomatoes all the time but oranges only on occasion. Can't have pineapple at all.
3. I L-O-V-E Coffee! I will never, ever quit drinking it (I have one large cup a day)
4. I did not wear a dress, skirt or shorts in 2010. I miss wearing dresses/skirts but I am paranoid someone will comment on my NLD and I don't want to have to explain what it is. Although I will say that since I have lost weight, my legs have lightened some and that may continue. Maybe I will post pictures of my legs here someday. It might help someone who has NLD and has not had it diagnosed. They don't know what causes it and there is no cure for it.
5. I love to swim in light of the fact that I don't want to wear a swimsuit (see #4) I am working on this though (mentally) because I don't want to hide anymore because of it.
6. I never consider myself a writer although I have ALWAYS had a lot to say. I have been entertaining the thought of writing a book about my adoption story (finding bio family) and/or weight loss story.
7. I have actually been thinking about quitting smoking. I have never really said that out loud!

Now, I need to pass it on to 15 bloggers that I recently discovered:

1. Steph at Thoughts from Cali
2. Roxie-Girl at My Inner Pin-up
3. Emmie at Skinny Emmie
4. Heather at Counting down Pounds and days til I say I do
5. Darla at My Winning Year
6. Ellen at Fat Girl Wearing Thin
7. Pauline at Win Lose or Blog: Pauline
8. Lucy at Diminishing Lucy
9. Kat at Tenaciously Yours
10. Bella at Bella in Lapbandland
11. Misty at Striving for Thriving
12. Mrs. D at In Pursuit
13. Ann at Ann is Living Large No More
14. Ariel at Ramblings in the Circle of Nine
15. Stephanie at She's in there Somewhere

When you have a chance, go say hello to one of these lovely gals! I noticed a lot of people passed them on to ALL their readers so in addition to the ones I chose above, please feel free to grab the award for yourself. Every blogger is stylish in their own way in my opinion! Until next time..

MLK Monday Mix

Hello! Ladies and Gents! How are you this morning? Doing well I hope! I imagine some of you are enjoying the day off for Martin Luther King Day. Even though I work for a school, we are working in the office today. Such is life... At least it will be a fairly quiet day. I prefer it busy but...

Hope you had a good weekend. Mine was good. I got to hang out with Danielle on Saturday. She made stuffed chicken breast, sweet potatoes and artichokes.  We chatted and drank wine and caught up. It had been months since I had a nice glass of Cabernet so I enjoyed it immensely. As for Sunday, I took it pretty easy. I was really congested so I played Wii for a half hour but I did not go to the gym.  We picked up some saline rinse and it seems to be helping with the congestion.

I received the Stylish Blogger Award from Dancing Towards Myself over the weekend. I wanted to acknowledge it and will post the details later. I have been poking around some new blogs (Twitter) so I will link to those when I post the award and recipients :-)

I really enjoyed putting together the post Dear Future Katie J and in the comments, Lisa suggested writing a Success story which is a wonderful idea too so I am going to put that together. I had thought about doing that for the bodybugg website but wanted to wait until I was closer to goal but I have already lost more then the people they have posted on their site so I think it would be fun. Until next time...

Must Read!!!

Please go here to read one of the best posts I have EVER read!

How to Lose 100 lbs. Cheap and Easy written by Chris at A Deliberate Life

Until next time...

Dear Future Me

Dear Future Katie J:

Look lady you made it!!! You finally decided to put yourself first and follow through on your Weight Loss goal. You have travelled quite a long road to get here and should be very proud of yourself.  I knew you could do it! I just wish you hadn’t waited so long to get going but no regrets.

You can take the knowledge you have learned over the last 2 years and pass it on to others. Let them know that  a large weight reduction is achievable (100+ lbs) and that with perseverance it can be done with or without surgery.  You could speak to others about how you did it and encourage them to make the changes in their lives. You could also speak to children and help them avoid the pitfalls of obesity.

You have a world of new experiences waiting for you. Zip lining is one of the first things I am going to sign you up for! Oh and go to an amusement park (S.C. Boardwalk!) and ride the Giant Dipper. Do all the things I couldn’t do when I was morbidly obese. Take professional pictures. BE in pictures. What a concept!

Take care of yourself, future Katie J. Remember where you came from so you will never, ever, ever go back there again.

Love you,

Fantastic Friday!

Happy Friday! I am soooo glad it is Friday! It has been a long week for me.

So did Katie J go to the gym as planned? YES I DID! I survived it and actually enjoyed it! Who woulda thunk it! LOL! I did 20 mins on the treadmill and then did some upper body machines.

I'm not sure if anyone noticed, but I did not post my weigh in on Wednesday. I did not like the number I saw and waited until today and I am so glad I did... I lost 2 lbs. this week and I am now at the lowest I have been on this journey!! 254 or 61 lbs total!

Dave had cooked dinner already when I got home. I recently got a subscription to Cooking Light Magazine and he picked out a recipe to try out of this month's issue. It was Sauteed Chicken with Sage Browned Butter. You can find the recipe and the nutritional facts here. It was very tasty! I really liked it and will definitely have it again. There are all sorts of great healthy recipes on their website. You should check it out when you have a chance.

No big plans for the weekend except going to the GYM! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Until next time...

Thank You Thursday

Thank You to all of you who commented here and on Facebook about the prices on gym memberships.  I am going to keep it AND I am going to use it! What a concept! Maybe I could even learn to like it!! Stranger things have happened! 

Actually, I have a gym bag packed (shocker!) and ready to go so I can go after work today. How about you Sue?  Over the weekend, I did some retail therapy and spent a gift card I received on a pink workout top and pants so I will be sporting those tonight. I even have my lunch packed today too! Who is this woman?!?!

Had a decent night last night. We had salmon for dinner with broccoli and rice. I did the Wii for a few minutes and it felt good. I miss it actually. Now that the creeping crud is dissipating I can be more active again. I want to include my little friend Nikki too. She is looking to shed a few pounds and it is fun with someone else to do it with.

A couple of years ago, one of my friends told me about being a Secret Shopper and referred me to the company that she did projects for. It is a great way to earn a little extra income AND it is fun to do (IMHO) They have different types of assignments that you can do such as movie theatre audits, banks, grocery stores, etc.  The company is called Marketforce and they have jobs throughout the United States. Check it out if you are interested. You can tell them I sent you. Until next time...

Gym or No Gym?

Well calories were pretty high for the day. I got snacky in the evening and ended up eating some extras so hence the low deficit. I am just glad to have a deficit at all.

Did you know that 4 bottles of water (16.9 oz) equals 5 lbs. on the scale? I was surpised to say the least! We actually put them on the scale and confirmed it! I did really well with my water yesterday. I think that drinking one right off the bat in the morning (with pills) is what helped the most and then I just sipped the rest of the day and managed to get all my water in :-) Yay! Now if I can just keep it up. Wish this wasn't such a battle and came naturally.

I have been thinking about my gym membership and if I should keep it. I signed up for Linda Evans Fitness Center back in 1997 when I was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. They were eventually bought by 24hr Fitness and my membership was grandfathered in at $19/mo.  About two years ago, they opened some Super Sport locations and also added $10 to my membership if I wanted to go there. They really are state of the art locations and I think worth it IF I was going. So for $29/month I can go to any and all of their locations. It has been a few MONTHS since I have gone. I have had a few conversations with some of my friends/collegues who say they pay upwards of $50-$75 and I am getting a good deal. Well, it would be a good deal IF I was going. So my question to you is: Do you have a membership and if so, how much do you pay per month?

It isn't as if I did not have resources to work out at home. I have a balance ball, resistance bands, light weights (2 and 3 lbs.) the Wii and all the games, an assortement of workout DVDs plus I have Phoebe and walking.  Plenty of options right?

Part of going to the gym is being prepared which is part of my problem. I need to pack a gym bag and have it ready at ALL times. That way I can leave from work and head straight there. At this point, I don't think I could get there before work. Working out at home in the morning would be feasible but I doubt I could make it during the week. Until next time...

P.S. They reached their goal for Chickadee's (Evalyn) Therapy Dog. Go here for details.

Best Laid Plans

Well yesterday did not go as planned. I did not end up meeting up with Michael and Candace. As the day went by the plans became more complicated and they did not want to meet until 7:00 p.m. I am used to eating at 6:00 p.m. so I started getting low blood sugar and had to eat. By the time they called me to tell me where to meet them it was already close to 7:00 p.m. so I said I was going to pass on meeting up with them. He was a little upset but I explained and he understood. When he meets the doctor today, they will be making a follow up appt. and we can plan a little better for another visit so we can spend some quality time together. I ended up grazing and exceeded my usual calories. I am thankful there was a deficit at all.

In an effort to drink more water, I have taken a suggestion from another blogger and drank one bottle with my morning meds and then brough the bottle with me to work.  Since we have bottled water here at work, I can refill my bottle 3 more times to get my daily amount.  

Most likely will go to my mom's tonight. I got her a desk lamp for Christmas and she wants to use it now. We will go to Fish Market first which is always yummy. Until next time...

P.S. Please consider donating to Chickadee's Therapy Dog Fund They are really close to goal!

Mish Mash Monday

How was your weekend? Mine was fairly productive and fairly lazy. I am still battling the dregs of this cold/flu and it is downright annoying. It would help for sure if I didn't smoke.  I got our holiday decorations packed away and did some major cleaning. It felt good but it looks kinda boring now without all the sparkle LOL

I met up with my friend for coffee and all is well now. It really was a misunderstanding that never should have happened but what can you do? I feel world's better though since I got some resolution with that sitation. They have been my friends for over 25 years and I did not want to lose them as friends.

We made the lasagna as planned and it turned out good! Since I am sensitive with italian sausage, I only put a few pieces in ours and we also used cottage cheese vs. ricotta which helped with the calories and you really can't tell the difference taste wise. I brought some for lunch today and will most likely freeze the rest for another day. Here is a picture of it. Don't you just love the brown range top (NOT!)

As far as the rest of the weekend, I did okay eating wise. I was fairly active throughout the weekend but never made it to the gym. I did end up going to bed before 10:00 p.m. both nights so I was up way early in the a.m. each day. I think it would be good for me to exercise in the a.m. and I am already up so it would not be a big adjustment to my schedule. More on that tomorrow.

Tonight I am meeting Michael (bio brother) for dinner. He is down here (from Eureka) to see a hand surgeon and since he is close, we are going to meet up. I decided to call him my brother from the same mother vs. my brother Bob who is a brother from another mother. Speaking of siblings, my sister, Tess (Teresa) was on Discovery ID channel On the Case with Paula Zahn -- Sins of the Father last night at 10:00 p.m. I did not stay up to watch it but I did set my DVR to record it so I am anxious to see it. She had a friend that was murdered and they solved the case right before I met them in September.

It is going to be a weird week, I can tell already. Wednesday or Thursday we will put Bruce to rest and then on Saturday, I am going with my mom to a funeral for one of her neighbors. Two funerals in one week. Ughhh... I will do my best to keep my chin up :-) Until next time...

P.S. Please consider donating to Chickadee's Therapy Dog Fund 

Twitter 101

Here is my profile on Twitter: Katiejsonherway

Twitter 101: How should I get started using Twitter?

If you've signed up to Twitter and are wondering how to get started or why you're here, this page is for you. This guide is designed to help you dive into Twitter’s wealth of information and find what matters most to you. First things first, you might be wondering:

What's Twitter Anyway?

Twitter is an information network made up of 140-character messages called Tweets. It's a new and easy way to discover the latest news (“what’s happening”) related to subjects you care about.

How is it Useful?

Twitter contains information you will find valuable. Messages from users you choose to follow will show up on your homepage for you to read. It’s like being delivered a newspaper whose headlines you’ll always find interesting – you can discover news as it’s happening, learn more about topics that are important to you, and get the inside scoop in real time.

How to Start Using Twitter:

If you remember one thing after perusing this page, it should be this: reading Tweets and discovering new information whenever you check in on your Twitter timeline is where you’ll find the most value on Twitter. Some people find it useful to contribute their own Tweets, but the real magic of Twitter lies in absorbing real-time information that matters to you.

1. DISCOVER SOURCES: find and follow others

It’s best to begin your journey by finding and following other interesting Twitter accounts. Look for businesses you love, public service accounts, people you know, celebrities, or news sources you read. (Click here for help finding interesting accounts.) Tip: One great way to find more interesting accounts is see who those you know or admire are following.

2. CHECK IT OFTEN: pay attention to what’s happening

Messages from others you follow will show up in a readable stream on your homepage timeline. Once you've followed a few people, you'll have a new page of information to read each time you log in. Click links in others' Tweets to view: photos and videos they have posted, the profiles of users mentioned in their message, or Tweets related to a hashtag (#) keyword they used. Tip: Try hovering your mouse over a user's name anywhere on your homepage. You'll see a pop-up box called a "hovercard" containing information about that user.

3. TAKE IT WITH YOU: connect your mobile

One of the best things about Twitter is that it’s portable. Connect your account to your mobile phone (see below for instructions) or download a Twitter application to begin reading Tweets on the go. Now you can get updates about traffic problems in the middle of your commute, find out what the players are saying while you’re at the game, or catch up on the buzz about an event you’re about to attend. The possibilities are endless! Tip: Using Twitter via SMS allows you to pick and choose which updates you want from those you follow, so you can get mobile updates from the accounts that matter most to your life on-the-go.

How to Start Tweeting:

Many users find it fun or exciting to contribute their own content to Twitter (we call this “tweeting”). If you’re one of them, here are some good ways to get started posting your own Tweets. People you know and people you are interested in what you have to say may follow you and they’ll see all the Tweets you share with them.

1. BUILD A VOICE: retweet, reply, react

Use existing information (other people's Tweets) on Twitter to find your own voice and show others what you care about. Retweet messages you've found and love, or reply with your reaction to a Tweet you find interesting. Tip: If you're a new user, others are more likely to find your messages if they are retweets or replies.

2. MENTION: include others in your content

Once you're ready to begin authoring your own messages, consider mentioning other users by their Twitter username (preceded by the @ sign) in your Tweets. This can help you think of what to write, will draw more eyes to your message, and can even start a new conversation. Try posting a message mentioning a celebrity or person you admire – they often respond to fans. You’ll see their response on your Mentions tab. Tip: Can’t think of anything to write? Don’t worry! Like I said, the real magic lies in locating and reading content on Twitter.

3. GET FANCY: explore advanced features

As you become more engaged on Twitter, others will begin to find and follow you. Once you're familiar with Twitter basics, consider exploring the site’s more advanced features: lists, direct messages, and favorites. Learn how to include photos or videos in your Tweets, or consider connecting your Twitter account to your your blog, Facebook, or website to show off your updates across the web. Tip: The best way to gain followers on Twitter is to regularly engage and contribute in a meaningful way.

Tips and Tricks:

Need help finding interesting accounts?

Click the “Find People” tab at the top of your Twitter page. You can find and follow other accounts in these three ways: 1) browse accounts by subject, 2) import your address book contacts to find out which friends are already on Twitter, 3) search one-by-one for people or groups of interest.

Need help using Twitter on your mobile phone?

By linking your Twitter account to your mobile phone number, you can receive and write Tweets via text message. Learn how to get started by clicking here. Or, visit our Mobile Help section of articles.

Confused by our lingo?

Check out the Twitter Glossary containing definitions for a ton of Twitter terms used on our website.

Want help setting up your Twitter profile?

Click here to learn about adding a photo, bio, and more to customize your Twitter profile.

PB2 and CSN Review

Yay! We made it to Friday! Woohoo!!! Had a decent day food wise. Had sushi for lunch (my fave!) For dinner I basically winged it. My belly was funky so I stuck with blander foods like toast and cheese and crackers with 7-up. It is fine this morning. Hard to know what caused it. Could be stress...

Quite awhile ago, I won a Giveaway from Leslie at Something Brilliant is Brewing. One of the prizes was a jar of PB2. Have you ever heard of it? I hadn't until I started blogging and saw it mentioned on quite a few foodie blogs. It is Powdered Peanut Butter. As you can see by the label, it has 85% fewer Fat calories then regular peanut butter. Well, it has been sitting in the cabinet at work for forever and I decided to try it for breakfast on Thursday. In order to make it you just take 2 Tablespoons of the powder and 1 Tablespoon of water and stir well. I spread it on a piece of wheat toast and put sliced banana on top. The verdict? It was good. It was not my Jiff Super Chunk but for the calories it saves, it is a suitable substitute. I think it would be great in recipes and plan on trying it with some Pad Thai noodles.  You can get it online through Bell Plantation or at specialty grocery stores. There is a search tool on their website to determine where you can get it in your neck of the woods. They also have Peanut Oil and Chocolate Peanut Butter as well.


Dawne over at Fixing Myself Thinner had a giveaway for a CSN Stores Gift Certificate that I won. They have just about everything you could want and then some but I was looking for a glass/ceramic baking dish and this is what I got.  It is a 2.5 Quart Lasagna Dish. The manufacturer is Emile Henry This is not the first time I have ordered something from CSN. They have a great website, lots and lots to choose from and really great prices. My neighbor Lu and I are going to make a lasagna in it this weekend. I will let you know how it turns out. (Pretty color huh?)

Well I am going to meet my friend tomorrow for coffee at 10:00 a.m. I am hoping for the best. I need to remember to have an open mind and TRY not to get defensive. That is usually where the problems happen is that I get defensive and then I start getting mean.  I know it is a character flaw but I really am trying to be aware of it when it is happening.  Apparently the husband has issues with me too and he won't be coming. I still don't know what I did!?!?!

Bruce is finally going to be interned in Santa Clara at the Mission Cemetery which makes me happy.  One day next week (like Wednesday or Thursday) I will meet the Public Administrator there and have a little ceremony during my lunch hour and have him placed in the niche. Not sure if I will do it alone or not...

My goals for the weekend are to put away the Christmas stuff and to get to the gym on one of the days. I need to go to my moms and work on her filing but I am not sure if I am up to it. It requires patience and I am not sure if I have any right now LOL. Plus Dave and I had a spiff this morning before I came to work... joy of joys.  Until next time...

Thinking Thursday

Had another good day food wise. I am really not shooting for such high deficits but it's working so I won't knock it. We had salmon for dinner which is always good :-) I love me some salmon!  I am getting much better from the flu but there are still remnants of the coughing and lethargy. I am hoping to go to the gym this weekend and don't want to hack up a lung while I'm in class or on the equipment.

I have been doing A LOT of thinking and I have decided to let the County of San Mateo bury Bruce as discussed and then someday in the future when Fred, Tess and Michael are down here we can conduct a Memorial of our own. I would just like him to be at rest sooner rather then later.

I also need to make some calls and reach out to some of my friends that I have lost touch with over the last 6 months.  I haven't been the best at keeping in touch with people lately and been pretty flaky and I need to work on that. I have also upset someone and I am not sure what I did.  To me, indifference is more painful then being angry. At least if someone expresses anger then you know the person cares but if they just stop contacting you then it appears they don't, know what I mean? Anyways, I just hope things can be mended with them. Until next time...

Weigh Day Wednesday

Had a good day eating wise. Ended up on the low end of calories consumed because I had a small lunch yesterday. I just have not been very hungry lately. Not that I am complaining about it!

I weighed myself this morning and I am down to 256 which is a 3 lb. loss since last Friday. I want to switch to Wednesday Weigh days now so I am going to lock in this weight for the week. It is also one lb. from my lowest thus far which has really sparked some excitement and motivation again. Anything I lose from here on out is new territory! Yipee!!!

Tonight I will hopefully be getting together with Danielle. It has been since the Christmas party since I have hung out with her. I miss being next door but not the hell we went through being there.  We will most likely go get a bite to eat at Su's Mongolian. It is one of those places where you choose the meats and veggies for you and they cook it up on a big circular grill.  I use mostly chicken and just a titch of the beef for flavor.

I am going to...

I received an email late last week about this Conference and I decided I want to go. It is in the summer (a few days after my birthday) AND it is in Boulder, CO which is where my brother Bob lives. You can find all of the information on the conference here. Since it is in Boulder, I won’t have to pay for accommodations which will help a lot. I will get to see my family and also get to meet Mizfit, Ryan  and Roni in addition to others in the health/fitness blogger realm. There are some great activities scheduled as well and Boulder is a lovely city. It is actually one of the healthiest cities in the nation!

I am going to use this as my motivation to get to 100 lbs. lost by conference time. When I started out my blog/WL journey, I used the impending cruise (Alaska) to motivate me, which it did, and I was able to drop 45 lbs. I am uber excited about and already starting to save my money for it.

Last night was fairly typical. Calories were a little low because I wasn't all that hungry.  Had a BBQ chicken sandwich for dinner. I want to be active but also don't want to relapse with this horrendous flu so I am going to do a little more every day until I get better. Until next time...

Messy Monday

Good morning ladies and gents! How are you doing today? I am on the mend. I am not 100% yet. According to the nurse I spoke with, she said it can hang in as long as 10 days and I am on day 6 so we shall see how it goes. I am dressed warm and will continue to drink lots of fluids. I am armed with my bodybugg and water too :-)

Seems like everything is a mess today. Maybe because it is post-Christmas and I still have to put decos away at work AND at home. Everything seems sparse and boring now LOL!

I just learned that one of my co-workers was let go on Thursday. He was a contractor so it was bound to happen but I had grown rather fond of him so work won't be the same for awhile. He is a smart cookie though and I have faith he will find something right away.

I got on the scale this morning and I am at 259 so I will consider that my starting point for the year. I am going to keep the current program that I have plugged into my bodybugg which is:

This is entirely doable. I want to do this as a minimum so anything above and beyond that will be icing on the cake (no pun intended) I would love love love to be in Onderland by my 45th birthday (June 21st) so we will see how it goes. No more lollygagging! I do have some incentive which I will reveal tomorrow. I know I said that last week but I am going to try again.  I will give you a hint: It includes bacon, mizchief and travel. Until next time...

Hot 100 Update #14 & Bye 2010

I am still not feeling well but I wanted to pop in and say hello and Happy New Year!!!
Here is my final lame update for the Hot 100:

1. I will lose 2 lbs. per week. I lost 2 lbs. (260)<--- which is where I started :-(
2. I will wear my bodybugg from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. daily. I wore it 0/7 days
3. I will exercise a min. of 30 mins - 5 days per week. I did 0 days this week 

Pretty pitiful but it is what it is. Am I bummed about it? Yes. Will my being bummed about it do any good? Well I could wallow in the negative but I choose to move ahead and once I kick this virus to the curb I plan on being a force to reckon with! Hope you have a safe and sane New Year's. Thanks for being here and sharing the ride! Until next year...

Feeling Crappy...

I am home sick today - Be back soon...

Closure

I had an entirely different post for today but I am preempting it for this one:

Last week I got a message on my cell phone from Lani at the Long Term Care Facility where Bruce lived. She said there was an "incident" and I should call when I could and talk to the Station 4 nurse. I got the message on Thursday so I called and they told me that Bruce was in the hospital due to burns that he incurred while smoking. They told me he was stable and I figured they were short staffed on Christmas and that I would call to today. Well, they called me this morning to tell me he "expired" yesterday at 11:32 a.m. I was just getting ready to leave work to meet with my mom and extended family when I got the call. I called the Medical Examiner and they told me that the final cause of death is to be determined. They are short staffed due to some of the doctors being trapped on the East coast due to the weather so it will be a few days before I know exactly what happened. I did cry when I heard and told my coworkers what happened. It helped calm me to talk to them which was good - I ended up laughing as I explained to Molly what a sap I am. So they asked me if I would be willing to make the arrangements for his remains and I told them I would. Now I have to decide whether to bury him or cremate him and then what to do with the ashes. He did not have a will and there were no personal requests regarding his final wishes in his file.  I personally think that this happened for a reason. There was a divine plan for me to enter into his life, albeit briefly, at the time I did.  I got closure and I think he did too and that at least he is not being buried by the state. 

Did fine with food today. I had brunch and then dinner so calories were pretty low but so was the activity. I am fighting some kind of bronchial thing and hoping it doesn't get any worse. Oh and I weighed this morning and I was 260.  Until next time...