Battle of the bulge - an intriguing challenge

A few weeks ago, the gym at work posted an interesting challenge. They noted that the average American gains seven pounds over the holiday season (from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day). Their challenge: Fork over $10 to a jar and weigh in the week of 11/13. Weigh in once a week through the week of 1/2. As long as you gain no more than three pounds, you get your $10 back. If you are the one who loses the most weight over the holidays you get the money forfeited by the other participants for going over the three pounds. You get disqualified if you lose more than twenty pounds, so that they don't appear to promote rapid starvation weight loss. I signed up, of course.

My first weigh in was ok. I lost two tenths of a pound. Yesterday probably put a massive crimp in that, along with some leftovers today. However, I went to the gym this morning, and plan on going Saturday, Sunday, and Monday as well. Hopefully, I'll behave on the food intake the rest of this weekend.

I'm not too concerned about food intake during December. I don't really feel the need to cook for December holidays. And, I tend to steer clear of most holiday parties in December. So, if I can maintain an even keel/keester come my Monday weigh in, I may have a shot at getting my ten bucks back. Who knows, maybe my competitiveness will kick in and I'll even lose some weight. (HA!)

You can't make this stuff up

"Adult educator wins city's citzen of the year award"

The above WAS an exact quote from the Nashua Telegraph. Perhaps she should work with the newsroom staff on their spelling?

Too little, too late?

I just read that Rumsfeld resigned as Secretary of Defense today. While it's way past "about time", don't you think this action might have had a more positive effect for Republicans had it occured, say, at least a few days ago??? Duh!

I was happy to wake up to the news that the House will now be in the hands of the Democrats. NH sent two democrats to the House for the first time in twelve years. That's a definite indicator that people are tired of the current administration.

Will the Democrats turn things around? Will they get us out of Iraq? Will they reduce the deficit?

Ya know, I don't have high hopes for any of that. They're walking into a pretty big mess to clean up. I agree with the Republican pundits that the Democrats don't really have a plan on how to fix any of that stuff. I didn't really vote FOR the Democrats. As sick and sad as it may seem, I voted AGAINST the Republicans.

I really need to get around to reading Barak Obama's "Audacity of Hope". Maybe then I'll feel like I can believe IN something instead of just disliking what's going on in politics.

Why ask?

Pet peeve #100 (it's not #1, but it does deserve a distinct number): People who ask "How Are You?" when they are passing you in the hall way.

OK. You pass someone that you know in the hall way. You make eye contact. You each say "Hello", and then one of you says "How are you?" Typically, as you pass the person asked has time to say "Good" or "Fine" or some other meaningless short answer. The respondent usually doesn't have time to return the inquiry, because the parties have passed each other.

The question really is meaningless. Usually the person asking doesn't REALLY want to know. The respondent both knows this and doesn't want to create an awkward social situation by giving a longer, if more truthful, answer (by offering perhaps, "I've been sick all week." or "Fantastic! I got laid last night.")

When I actually speak to a friend that I haven't talked to in a while, if one of us asked the other "How are you" we do so because we actually care about the answer. The respondent usually gives an answer more closely approximating reality.

I wish people would not casually throw out the question "How are you?" when they really don't care, and they really don't feel like taking the time to stop to find out.

Next up: Those statements people make at someone who has just sneezed.

Out of touch, but not without things on my mind

I really intend to post more often, but life gets in the way. I don't want it to. I want to have time to write what's on my mind. Maybe I'll just make a sprint down the list of things and see if anything comes of it:

1. Halloween used to be my favorite holiday. However, I didn't enjoy it as much this year because I was too distracted with other commitments and goings on in my life.
   
2. It's national novel writing month, and I'm depressed that I'm not doing something with that.
   
3. My college counselor contacted me to find out if I still wanted to pursue my degree in Applied Health Care Technology. I do. Unfortunately I have two things standing in my way right now. First, money. A number of other financial commitments have come up since I first became interested in the program (family related). Second, I'm having a hard time keeping pace with all the intellectual demands of my new job, so I don't feel like I can spare the brain cells on school right now.
   
4. I'm trying to figure out a long standing family issue. I took the first step, but I don't know where I want to go next. Uncertainty has never been a friend of mine.
   
5. After getting on a plane for the second time (fourth if you count both directions) this year, I'm starting to feel better about air travel again. I'm beginning to revisit some long standing desires to see other countries. High on my list is Iceland. The juxtaposition of glaciers and volcanos fascinates me.
   
6. I'm really looking forward to a big party that I'm throwing for some former coworkers. I'm also nervous as all get out about hosting such an event and all that could possibly go wrong. Me? Type A? YUP!
   
7. Physical therapy for my back is moving VERY slowly. I worry that I'm not really making any real progress. I don't think I could stand to live with this pain for another twenty to forty years.
   
8. I've lost a total of about 55 pounds since the first of the year. While that is very cool, I would really like to drop another 15. I don't know if I have it in me to do it. At least not permanently. I also worry that I could gain all the weight back.
   
9. I really don't like the way the world is going. I plan on voting on Tuesday, if only to vote against the status quo. I don't know that it'll make any difference, but it's got to be more effective than screaming into the wind or sitting in the dark and getting drunk.
   

Hopefully I'll be able to devote some more focused attention to a posting soon. However, this month is EXTREMELY busy for my household. At the very least, maybe I'll make some short glib posts during the chaos.