Mar 12, 2009

Still Working at It

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Since the last time I posted an update a little over two weeks ago, I’ve lost 3.6 pounds. This puts my total weight loss according to the first scale I used at 10.6 pounds, or according to the scale I use more consistently at 6.8 pounds (I feel this is the more accurate one).  I think I’m progressing well and I’ve now been living my new lifestyle for six weeks.

To my delight, a few people have started to notice and have asked if I’ve lost weight.  I’ve also had a few people tell me that I look really good.  I’m very excited I’m not the only one noticing the difference anymore.

This week has been a killer with getting up early and exercising.  Like I said in the post Daylight Saving Time, time changes and I don’t mix well.  When I wake up, I’m finally starting to feel less tired than I first did on Monday.  But, I don’t know how I’m going to deal with waking up an hour early to exercise. My goal is to do it by Monday!

Filed Under: Getting Healthy, Weight Loss · 7 Comments
Mar 9, 2009

My Take on Daylight Saving Time

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Time changes and I don’t mix very well.  I have a hard time adjusting because I usually go to bed and wake up at such specific times and my body doesn’t want to cooperate with the change very well.  (When I used to travel for work, this was always hard to deal with when I traveled east.  It’s not such an ordeal when I traveled west because I just went to bed and woke up earlier.)  The spring Daylight Saving Time change affects me the same way traveling east does.  It’s probably not hard for you to imagine that I hate Daylight Saving Time.

Frankly, I don’t see the point of Daylight Saving Time and I really wish Utah (or the U.S.) would follow Arizona’s and Hawaii’s lead and do away with it completely.  In fact, there are several countries that have never used Daylight Saving Time or don’t use it anymore.

I realize Daylight Saving Time gives us less light during the mornings and more light during the afternoons when we’re actually awake and doing something.  But, it seems to me, that this just makes winter seem longer once Daylight Saving Time ends in November.  I’d think that we’d want more light during the winter when the days are shorter.  Why don’t we just “spring ahead” and never “fall back?”  That way, we have the benefits of Daylight Saving Time in the afternoon during the summer and our days will seem longer during the winter too.  It seems like a win/win situation to me and it won’t disrupt our sleep schedule, except the one time!

Update: Poll closed.

Filed Under: Polls · 5 Comments
Mar 8, 2009

The Deadwood Saloon Welcomes SLTA

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Yesterday, I went to my first “Murder Mystery” party with my friends.  Since we get together almost every month, we thought it might be fun to do one of these parties.  I was really excited to dress up.

Through the Looking Glass Jenni aka Sheriff Sam

My friends Nancy, Lori, and Shauna put together a great party.  They bought tin plates and bowls to eat off of.  Speaking of which, we ate yummy chili taco salads.  The decorations were awesome!  It looked like we were in a real “fake” saloon and everyone looked great in their costume. We had so much fun that we want to do it again next year.

The Group The Group

An excerpt from the October 20, 1874 issue of the Deadwood Gazette:

With the 1st Annual Poker Tournament in town here, there has been a sweltering of visitors and residents milling around town this week.  As the tournament dwindles down, the anticipation for the celebration party only grows.  The party is planned to take place tonight at the Deadwood Saloon, Friday, October 20, 1874.  The party is planned to reward the prize money to the winner and to celebrate the success of the tournament.  Many of the visitors as well as the locals will be in attendance.

Little did we know, there would be much more than a party!  The winner of the tournament, Mitch Maverick, was in for a very rude awakening sleeping.

The cast of characters:

Harry and Henrietta High-Stakes (Owners of Deadwood Saloon) Sally Star and Taffy Garrett (Saloon Girls) Montgomery, Elizabeth, and Minnie Money

Banker Bob and Bonnie Gambling Jack and Anna Belle The Murderer and the Victim

Holly Hickok, Clay Coldwell, Mitch Maverick, and Gambling Jack (Poker Tournament Players) Marshal Dalton, Black Barbara, Jesse Wales, and Sheriff Sam

When we posed for pictures, we realized the two outlaws (Black Barbara and Jesse Wales) were both pregnant.  We thought this was rather funny.

Christie (aka Harry High-Stakes) was the only one who guessed the murderer, other than the murderer himself.  Kimberly (aka Sally Star) got the award for being best dressed.  Cami (aka Taffy Garrett) got the award for best actress and Rachel (aka Gambling Jack) got the award for best actor.  Jamie (aka Jesse Wales) got the award for richest character, meaning she blackmailed, swindled, stole, and bribed the most people during the party.

Filed Under: Friends, Parties, SLTA · 7 Comments
Mar 5, 2009

Review: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

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Graceling CoverTitle: Graceling
Author: Kristin Cashore
Series: The Seven Kingdoms #1
Genre: Fantasy Romance (YA)
Buy on Amazon · Add to Shelfari · Add to Goodreads

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight–she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po’s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away … a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

One of my friends recommended this book to me because I liked The Hunger Games so much.  I’m really glad she did recommend it because Graceling has been added to my Favorites shelf.

I started reading Graceling on Tuesday, but I only got a few chapters in, so I wasn’t completely hooked yet.  However, yesterday, I was sick and stayed home from work.  I couldn’t put the book down.  The story was so captivating and the characters are extremely likable.

I loved the concept of Gracelings and Graces.  As I read the story, I found myself wishing I had a Grace.  Some of them are extreme, like Katsa’s and Po’s.  Others are simple like being able to swim like a fish.  I think it would be fun to have a more simple Grace.

The story also has a very sweet romance that draws you in.  I loved seeing this romance develop, being on the outside and seeing things evolve before the characters even realized what was going on.

This is Kristin Cashore’s first book and it’s so well written.  Her use of words, foreshadowing, and humor is incredible.  A prequel-ish book, called Fire, is being released in October 2009 and I can’t wait to read it because I know it’ll captivate me just as much as Graceling did.  She’s also writing a sequel-ish book, called Bitterblue.  There’s no release date planned.

Filed Under: Book Reviews ·  Tagged: , , , · 5 Comments
Mar 3, 2009

“I Can See Clearly Now”

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I had my eyes examined yesterday.  It’s been about four years since I last had them checked.  I know I’m supposed to go every year, but new glasses are expensive and, honestly, I just kept forgetting to make an appointment.  I’m notorious for doing that with other yearly checkups too.

However, as of late, I’ve had a really hard time focusing on things because I get a really bad headache or get dizzy.  This usually happened when a room was extremely dim (a movie theater during the “First Look” ads) or when the sun was way too bright (usually in the car).  The headaches and dizziness have been more frequent in the last month so I decided it was time to make that appointment and use part of our tax refund to pay for it.

In the last four years, one eye has gone from a -1.50 to a -2.75 and the other has gone from a -2.25 to a -3.00.  There’s quite a difference. The doctor was worried about the huge change, except he said that it was more tolerable since it’s been four years.  He’s having me try contacts first before I order new glasses.  He wants to make sure I won’t get headaches from the huge change in prescription before I spend $200+ on glasses.

I’ve wanted to get contacts for awhile so I can have real sunglasses.  They’re not much of a change since I’ve had them before.  I just haven’t had them for almost three years because I forgot to order more.  And, I knew my prescription had changed so there was no point ordering the old prescription.

The New Me

It’s amazing how much you don’t realize you’re missing until you’re at the doctor’s having an eye exam or you have the right prescription.  For the first time since I started wearing glasses (at 14 years old), I couldn’t see the top line on the eye chart when I stood behind the line.  Now that I have my new prescription, everything is so clear, clean, and crisp.  It’s a little dizzying because I’m not used to it.

Anyway, I’m glad I finally made an appointment.  Hopefully, I won’t have anymore headaches.  And, I’ll be able to enjoy going to the movies more because I won’t have to deal with the effects of the dim lights in the theater before the movie starts.

Filed Under: Life · 6 Comments
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