Just. Breathe.

I came across this quote in the lovely notebook I told you about here . I'm not sure how much time I've spent cherishing my visions and ideals -- maybe sometimes I do a bit more cherishing of other people's  visions and ideals for me. Something I need to think about. Have you seen this video yet? [Maybe someday I'll figure out how to actually embed it...] A Silent Message for All of Us Talk about convicting. I'm still trying to find the right balance of all the things I should do and all the things I want to do...oh, and all the things I should want to do. Thoughtful week ahead.  Do you find yourself on certain days just becoming more introspective? Mondays seem to be that day for me.

Just stuff running through my increasingly taxed brain: 1. I'm trying to find a dress/outfit for our cruise, for the formal dinner night. I do not want to go to the mall, but shopping for clothes by mail is scary. I also have those 10 pounds I really want to lose. I'm sort of between sizes, so I may just have to shop in January to get something that fits right. 2. At work, the goal setting part of annual reviews is going on right now. It somehow seems unprofessional to write "win the lottery" as a goal. 3. Christmas shopping is hard this year. No one needs anything, and most of the wants are not things I want to buy! Shop for yourself, people, and just put my name on it. 4. Speaking of Christmas, what am I supposed to do for all those people who would usually get baked goods from me? Do I just suck it up and do it anyway, knowing that it'll just make me want junk food I really shouldn't have? And for that matter, giving away stuff that really doesn...

There must be something in the water. I've got at least four blogging friends who have complained lately about not having anything to say/write, and now I've caught the affliction. I'm doing fine on the weight loss front, so I think maybe I'm just bored with talking about it for the moment. I'm staying off the scale for another couple of weeks, so nothing to report there. Let's talk about something completely different. 1. I'm beginning to think I have an unhealthy obsession with the Harry Potter series. As I type this, Sorceror's Stone is playing on TV. I read the entire series over the summer for about the 8th time. I like the movies okay, but the books transport me to a completely different place. And this never fails to make me giggle: 2. I'm very annoyed with the availability (or lack) of classic movies on subscription services like Amazon and Huluplus. Seriously, what is the point of having those accounts if you can't get movies lik...

I've been in a bit of a funk today. Not anything to do with food or exercise, just more about life and work and what I'd like to change. A couple of things happened that started my brain swirling and it's just been downhill from there. About three minutes ago, I opened a box of cards sent to me by a friend for Christmas. They're called self-care cards, and the author says she "created these cards to serve as a daily reminder to take special care of your precious Self" and she suggests just picking out a random message every day. The one I pulled out was "Achievement." Hm. Great, on a day when I'm not sure I've achieved anything, this is what I get. Fine, I'll see what it says..."Chase your dreams. You may be surprised by where they lead you." Chase my dreams. I feel like my brain's been pushing me there all day...and now I see it in writing. There are no coincidences, there is only an invisible plan. An hour ago, I'd...

I am about to embark on an adventure. Not a new adventure, and at times, not even a fun adventure. I am sure it will alienate me from some people and draw me to others, make me stop doing some things I love and find other things instead. I am beginning the process to lose 60 pounds for what I plan to be the last time in my life. I've been on a diet ever since I can remember. I have joined Weight Watchers so many times they don't have to give me the welcome packet - I always already have one. I can tell you the calorie count and/or WW point value of pretty much any food out there. I know serving sizes, and I know how many calories 30 minutes of most exercises will burn. I am NOT a fan of exercise. Never have been. I don't find it fun, I don't get that elusive "high" those crackheads people talk about. I am an expert at finding excuses to avoid it. I am also a realist - I need to grow up and just do this. It's not a diet, it's got to be the ...