I wish somebody would do something ...

I'm just not seeing it. Exercise still sucks.

No matter how hard I work, how far I run, how many I crunch, how I count the calories, and how much taste I sacrifice, I’m just not seeing the results I want from my weight loss program. I’ve been dedicated (if not obsessed) with the exercise and healthy diet for five months now, and I’m just not seeing the results I had hoped for.

OK, so my clothes are fitting a little better. Some of the sizes on the label are down by as much as 2 sizes; although my old clothes still seem to fit just fine. So, my clothes span three sizes, all fitting pretty much the same. For men, a 34" waist is ... a 34" waist. There's no variation of that number. 34 inches equal 34 inches, not 35, not 36. Men can look for the numbers, and there you have it. We (women) know that sizes are not true among all designers and manufacturers. In fact, some designers are actually making clothes are little big bigger, giving some women a false sense of smallness. So, am I getting smaller? Or are the clothing manufacturers just making the clothes bigger??

Yes, I’ve dropped a few pounds. At the beginning, I was pretty happy to lose a pound every two weeks, even though my husband was losing 10 pounds every two weeks. (Yeah, yeah, I know, the man thing.) Still at the end of five month, I’m not happy with the number. In fact, I haven’t lost anything in the past month. And I don’t want to hear about the “you’re losing fat and gaining muscle” crap. That worked 3 months ago, and I’m tired of hearing the same old story. I don’t care. I want the number on the scale to get smaller!

Yet, I still persist. I’m still up around 5:30am (the Taz now gets the 5:00am slot) to run on the treadmill. I don’t always do the full 2 miles I used to, but I still get in 1.25 miles and over the 200 calories my trainer wants. I try to do that again after work, though I don’t get that sense of accomplishment I did when I first started this program. I do this every day, even though I’m told that 3 times a week is enough. Running on the treadmill, I’m told, burns calories and increases the cardio, which I’m still not 100% certain what that means, but I'm burning calories!! And sometimes I'll run one more time after dinner/before bed.

So, I figure I’m burning between 450-600 calories per day …just on the treadmill. I have no idea what extra calories I’m burning by swinging the 2 lb weights in each hand or doing those crunches or lunges "with weights." I’m sure that’s worth something.

At work, I have been taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Employees enter at the 3rd floor and I work on the 7th floor. Meeting rooms are on the 2nd floor, and I have a meeting there at least once a day. I’m told that stair-walking is REALLY good exercise. It’s hard. It’s tough. But I do it. I think that's worth at least another 200 calories

Tonight I counted my days worth of calories. For my age and height, my allotment of calories is 2,000. By the time I finished dinner, I was barely over 1,000. This is not unusual for me. I don’t eat a ton of snacks; and when I do, they are specially selected protein items or carefully counted calories with the fewest of calories. ARRGGHHH! It’s so frustrating.

It’s frustrating because I love to eat good food … good tasting food. One thing that really annoys me is when fitness people (who are usually vegetarians) try to tell me that granola is so good, or eating “nutrition” bar tastes great, or drinking one of those protein shakes can replace a meal. Don’t believe them for a second. For me, they are excellent weight loss aids, because I would rather eat nothing than any of those boring nasty tasting things, which in itself can help with weight loss … except that I’m now starving. Oh, yeah, I don’t like yogurt either.

The problem with this “life changing” choice is that I have to give up all the really great kinds of foods that I love. Who eats one potato chip, or a half of a Dick’s burger, or just a bite of a Cinnabon, or a half plate of Pollo Valtellina at Marcello’s (boneless chicken sauteed with prosciutto, mushrooms, sliced almonds, drenched in a rich cream sauce of provolone, accompanied with perfectly grilled potatoes and spinach *slurp*slurp*)?? OK, maybe I don’t have to give it up for life. But the more I can’t have it now, the more I want it … now.

So I exercise, and exercise, and exercise more … just so that I can eat, but not what I want. I'm told there's a difference in me. I'm just not seeing it.

I’m fine, thanks. And you?

Why do people say “how are you?” and keep walking pass before giving you a chance to answer. I might say “I’m fine,thanks. And you?” Or “Terrible. I have the flu.” Or “None of your effin’ business.”

If you don’t really care how I am, why ask? I’d rather you just not say anything than ask an empty question that proves that you don’t care enough to hear a response. Doesn’t anyone have any manners anymore?

Good manners have become an increasingly archaic school of thought. They just aren’t what they used to be. In fact, people can be downright rude for no reason at all. What good are good manners anyway? What do they have to do with me or you? Is there a benefit?

Here are some reasons that I stole off someone’s website:

• Good manners make people feel comfortable. People who feel relaxed will most likely agree to your requests.
  
• Good manners are impressive. Those who are impressed by you will treat you with more respect.
  
• Good manners make other people feel good. You can help make the world a better, more harmonious place to live.
  

OK, so it may seem a little too much of a good thing to suddenly become Miss Manners, but I don’t think I’m the only who becomes a little (or a lot) annoyed with some behaviors.

• Look people in the eye when you talk to them. (Except at Medusa, of course) Are you with me or somewhere else?? Am I that boring; or is something going on in your life that you would like to share with me because you cannot concentrate of what I’m saying; or is there some naked guy standing over there because I wanna see him too.


• Clean up after yourself. No one wants to pick up your nasty tissues or coffee cups. In case you didn’t think about it, I’m a little grossed out with the thought of getting some of your bodily fluids on my hand. Ewww!


• Don’t interrupt. This one really chaps my hide. Was the funny little dog really more important than hearing about my big promotion?? I’m not saying that I’m 100% innocent of this offense, but it still bothers me. (BTW, for those of you who work with me, I didn't get a promotion. It's just an example. Geez! But you didn't know because you interrupted me because of your little dog.)
  


• Respect your elders. I like this one, because I’m an elder to a lot of people; and I want the royal treatment. Old people like this, and most of them probably deserve it.


• Treat people as you would like to be treated. This is a no-brainer. Isn’t it? Is it? Hello?


• Use good table manners, like chew with your mouth closed; don’t take up the whole side of the table with your elbows spread out; use your fork; use the serving spoons; use your napkin … I think you get the picture.


• Acknowledge people when they speak to you. Uh-hm. I think I mentioned something similar to this already.

OK, so some of those tips may seem to be a little too persnickety, but they can’t hurt … can they? I plan on working on myself to improve my manners.

In the meantime, if you pass me in the hall, on the street, at the gym, and you ask me “How you doin’?”, could you please wait for a response. I just might say “Well, I’m having a tough time giving away an all-expense paid vacation for two to Jamaica. Can you help me out, Pal?”

I have friends ... I think.

I think I’m a pretty nice person. I get along with most people I meet. There are some people who I like more than others; but for the most part, I like most people.

Most people like me too. I’m a friendly person, who tries not to judge people, will help where I can, and tries to fit in (when it doesn’t require too much effort). I share my toys, try to play nice with others, and usually mind my own business. Yeah, people generally like me. That is, until they piss me off. Then I have to be a mean bitch. Then they don’t like me anymore. But that’s usually okay because by the time I have to be a bitch, I don’t like them either. (That’s another blog story, which I look forward to writing sometime in the future.)

"To me, a true friend can go long periods of time without speaking and never question their friendship." (I found that on Facebook, but I would have said it myself anyway.)

Any relationship is already tough enough to sustain, so high expectations usually cause a friendship to eventually dissolve. A true friend never judges me simply because I don’t always have the same interests they do nor do they have any expectations for me to be like them. They know when to tell me the harsh truth, and they know when to button up and listen. They accept me for who I am, no matter what. They look at my weaknesses as endearing and my strengths as amazing. My friends are very special to me, and vice versa.

I don’t surround myself with a large number of friends. I don’t use the word “friend” very lightly, so I don’t have a lot of friends, by virtue of my own definition. There are people who have LOTS of friends, hundreds of friends; every person they meet becomes their friend. It’s not that I don’t have any friends. I just reserve that label for a few special people.

To be fair, maybe I can break friendship up into categories, as they relate to me:

• Family - My largest most precious group of friends. We do not necessarily have everything in common, although as we get older, we seem to be having more fun together. But we are family, and there is a bond that is unexplainable. They are a lot of fun to be around, and people want to be us.


• BFF's - These people are caring, generous, smart, and funny. They always seem to agree with me, even if they don't agree with me. But that's when I'm saying I'm fat, they say I'm not. So, I guess a BFF gets to lie to me sometimes and still be my friend. I have only a few friends in this category, and I am very lucky to have them.
  


• Co-workers - I don't often mix co-workers into my personal life, since I have to spend 5 days/week with them. But there are some people (you know who you are) who I have work in common with, can talk shop in a fun way, and are just plain fun to be around. We have a mutual respect for each other, and I enjoy their company.


• Old College Pals - We meet once a year (or so) for lunch or dinner. There are no expectations or reprimands. We simply enjoy each other"s company, catch up on our lives, and reminisce about the good old days.

• Other Categories - There are peeps who are just plain good friends, who I've known through past jobs, business ventures, casual acquaintances ... which have grown into some pretty good friendships. They stick with me, stay in consistent contact, and always have a friendly word. They are so special to me.
  

Gee, I guess I have more friends than I thought. That makes me a very blessed person.

I'm Chinese, and he's not.

I am Chinese, and my husband is not.

So, I wonder why people, who send event invites to my husband and me, don’t bother trying to find out what my husband’s name is. They just address them to Mr. and Mrs. “MDub.” I think that’s lazy and a little bit rude. And it kind of bugs me.

When I married the Taz, I made a decision to not change my last name. I know that it's pretty common for women to keep their own name, so I didn't feel weird about it. And my new hubs didn't care. I just wanted to stay me. I like being Chinese, and I like my Chinese name. That’s pretty simple, eh?

The thing is that my husband is not Chinese; he doesn’t look Chinese; and he would never be mistaken for Chinese. I'm pretty sure that he's happy who he is too, which is French-Swiss-Canadian, or something like that. To date, everyone I know, who has ever met him, can tell that he is not Chinese. So, I’m fairly confident that no one thinks he’s an MDub. And since it is NOT common for a man to change his last name to his new wife's name, don't you think people should ask? So, why would someone address the invite to Mr. And Mrs. MDub? Why wouldn’t someone take the 60 seconds to make a call to find out what his name is … especially if they want us to attend their event?

Like I said, it kind of bugs me.

I am afraid.

Today, I joined Toastmasters at work, and boy am I scared.

Many of my friends and family peeps would not guess how uneasy and afraid I am in front of large groups, but I am. All through junior and senior high school, I have been horrified and petrified to speak about anything in front of a large group, which is any number larger than 4 people. Plus, anything that I was not 100% passionate or experienced in, add another gallon of fear and apprehension. In college, I took some speech and drama classes, which seemed to cure me of this affliction. But it has apparently worn off.

Over the past few years, friends and co-workers have been encouraging me to join Toastmasters, because they had this illusion that I am a strong and confident speaker in front of a large audience. No one suspected that I'm just a big chicken!! I attended a few meetings, just to see what it’s about and support my co-workers who are giving speeches. Every time I attend, someone assumes that I’m ready to join. Although I never am, I always leave thinking about it. But I do not join. Just the thought of standing up in front of 20, 10, even 6 people, scares the beejeebies out of me.

I started thinking more about Toastmasters a couple of weeks ago, when I decided to start this blog. I read lots of blogs. Some because they are interesting, funny, or engaging. Some because I’m just curious. So, I decided that I wanted a blog, but what can I write about? Then I began to compare the differences between blogging and speaking.

In my blog, I can write anything I want and not be afraid of seeing the puzzled faces of the reader, wondering what the heck I’m trying to say, or “why is she saying that?” The good part is that I don’t have to know if someone thinks I am insane, boring, or absurd. The negative side is that I wouldn’t know if they experienced enjoyment, delight, laughter, engagement from my words.

In public speaking, I can also say anything I want. My fear is to instantly see the puzzled faces of the audience, wondering what the heck I’m trying to say, or “why is she saying that?” I would have that immediate disappointment of knowing someone thinking I’m insane, boring, or absurd. The positive side is that I would know at once if they experienced enjoyment, delight, laughter, and engagement from my words.

With all of that insightful thinking, I decided to take the plunge. Why not? Let’s give it a try. If I can take a pole dancing class, learn aikido, or try rock climbing and trapeze flying, why not something a little less dangerous. Or is it more dangerous? I’m checking things off my bucket list that were never there in the first place, and I’m having fun. I guess I’m not afraid to be a little scared.

Today I joined Toastmasters. Wish me luck!

I'm Not Irish

Can anyone tell that I’m not Irish?? I’m not in grade school anymore, so I don’t have to wear green on March 17. And if you try to pinch me, I’m going to pinch you back, really hard, even if you’re wearing green.

Today was a big stretch for me to wear green at work … a bright green sweater with green sequins. It’s not really in celebration for St. Paddy’s Day, because, as I mentioned, I’m not Irish. I just like that sweater and wanted to wear it. I’m trying to play nice. As much as I love the color green, I usually do NOT wear green on March 17 on purpose because I’m not Irish and don’t have a desire to celebrate the day. I don’t drink green beer. I don’t go to the St. Paddy’s Day parade, which incidentally was four days ago. I don’t make cupcakes with green frosting to bring to work or make shamrock-shaped sugar cookies. (But I'll eat them.)

I’m particularly annoyed when people stare at me, looking for the green. WAH-CHU LOOKIN’ AT?? Yes, I have green on, and I wear it every freakin’ day. It’s called a jade pendant that I received from my mother. My Chinese mother.

Did you know that St. Patrick was actually born in Great Britain, kidnapped by Irish raiders as a teenager, and dragged to Ireland as a slave? And St Patrick probably did NOT drive Ireland’s snakes into the sea, since Ireland emerged from the Ice Age too cold for any snake colonization. And why do we wear green anyway? Resources show that blue was the first color associated with this day, but it changed in the 17th century. Are we supposed to change history like that? And isn’t St. Patrick’s Day about church … not Guiness?

Why doesn’t anyone around here celebrate Chinese New Year? The Lunar New Year? The Year of the Tiger?? That’s a big holiday for the enormously large Asian community in this country and it’s a week long celebration. People of all ethnicities love to look at their lunar horoscopes and take pride in the characteristics of that animal. Then, there’s the “red package”??? Kids love that! And they can buy their own danged cookie.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t have anything against any ethnic group. I love everyone. OK, not everyone, but it’s not because of their ethnic background (but that's another blog). Being the melting pot that America is supposed to be, I think there are hundreds of ethnic holidays that could be recognized to honor the people of this world and this country.

And by the way, if you hadn’t noticed … I’m not Irish. And leprechauns are kinda creepy.

Exercising Sucks!!

I've been slacking off on the treadmill, especially since I've learned different exercises (involving weights) from our trainer. Sometimes the treadmill is easier. Sometimes it's hard to keep moving. I guess it depends on my mood. It's all good, but I feel a little guilty not running those 2-3 miles every day. And although the results are good, exercising still sucks.

I seem to be more conscientious about seeing other people at work, in stores and restaurants, on the street, who seem to struggle with their movement and might be healthier if they lost a little bit of weight. So, I'm more motivated to get myself in shape. And although my clothes fit better, I don't see much of a difference when I look in the mirror. Tazman is melting away, and it's very obvious to those who know him. I KNOW. I KNOW. Men lose weight faster than women. And he did have a bit more to lose than me. But putting him and his success aside, I need to find ways to stay sparked to work harder and get myself to where I want to be.

Two weeks ago, I started walking the stairs at work (trekking between 4-5 flights each way times 2-4 times, depending on the day). I just stopped taking the elevator (except when I had to cart large boxes to a meeting or to my car). I was quite proud of myself, and decided that was a great way to get my cardio going if I didn't run the treadmill in the morning. I felt really good about it. This morning, I did nothing. *sigh* That means double-stairs this afternoon. Or if the sun stays out, I might take the dogs out for a walk. That might be fun ... for them.

I miss the joy of eating things that taste good. The thing is ... everything that tastes good to me are very fattening. My favorites are Dick's Deluxe Burgers, Cinnabons, Pollo Valtellina @ Marcello, pizza with lots of pepperoni, really creamy scalloped potatoes, Minnie Beasley almond lace cookies, J-Dawg's pecan tarts, my own peanut butter cookies, english muffins and bagels dripping with butter, bacon, bacon, and a little bacon. Get my point? I think I just gained 10 pounds writing this.

OK, yes, we have been enjoying the Dine Around Seattle restaurants and have a couple of Seattle Restaurant Week reservations. But we're still mindful of the delicious foods on the menu without forgetting about calories. So don't give me any crap for that!! That's only an extra 2-5 miles before I go to bed.

I know that at some point, I'll be able to indulge in those favorites, though in moderation. But it still sucks that I can't them them now. Right now. This very minute! Every time I eat anything other than a salad, I feel the need to run 3 miles on the treadmill. I guess what they say about weigh gain being a mental issue is sorta true.

So, to keep myself from picking up Sandy's special cake from the cafeteria, or scouring the building looking for Girl Scout cookies (I know they're around here!), I'm blogging during lunch. The salad was pretty good and big. And I did walk down and back up the stairs. Yippee for me. *blech*

Maybe with the good weather on the horizon, running around Greenlake won't seem so laborious. (I can stop by Spud's for some fish and chips on my round.)

Groovin' on a Sunday Morning

OK, so our Sunday mornings normally start with our usual visit to the Gym. Not this week. The end of this week (or beginning, depending on how you look at it) began differently … at least for us.

Our Sunday actually started on Saturday night at the Off-Jackson Theatre (formerly the Wing Luke Museum) for the Monologue Slam comedy improv show. It was a vewy vewy stwange, but hilarious experience. Starting pretty late (10:00pm), there normally would be no way that I would even consider leaving my house and starting my evening that late, but since the show was hosted by Kevin Kent … we decided to check it out. The show started late, and Kevin Kent didn’t show until after 11:00pm (probably because of his gig at Teatro Zinzanni). But the other host was oddly hilarious, and we were definitely entertained by her and the pre-show stand-ups.

Once Kent arrived and the improv competition started, it was laughter the rest of the night. Most of the improv competitors were so creative and funny!! ending around 12:30am. We had a great time and plan to attend another one. Tazman is actually thinking of competing. You should go, if you can stay awake that late. Might be worth it for you to take a nap, set your alarm to 10pm, and show up with your support.

We also had the insane idea that if we were still awake after the show, we would go to the gym for a workout (and sleep in on Sunday morning). IT’S ALREADY SUNDAY MORNING!!!! Well, we had our clothes in the car, we were wide awake, and it was sorta on the way home. OHHHH-KAAAYY!! So, there we are at the gym, running, lifting, pumping, pressing … until 2:00am. It was kinda cool to have the gym to ourselves and no waiting for any of the equipment or machines. But I’m not sure I’m interested in making this a habit. As secure as it is, it’s also kinda creepy to be there alone. So, with Dayight Savings Time, we got home at 3:05am … in time to settle down, take a shower and get to bed by 4:00am.

Groovin’ …. Groovin on a Sunday Morning!!

NOW … for my restaurant review: My new favorite eatery!! I love Barolo Ristorante on Westlake Ave!! The food was amazing. Again, I ordered off the regular menu, while Robert stuck with DAS and something with Wild Boar in it. I started with Cuore di Romana Grigliata (grilled romaine heart with fresh made Caesar dressing, shaved reggiano). Grilled Caesar Salad?!!! Yowza. It was soooo good. I couldn’t eat it fast enough. Next, I loved loved loved the Gnocconi di Spinaci (house-made spinach gnocchi with Alaska smoked salmon). OMG … it just melted in my mouth and so creamy. I want more!! But wait … the blood orange sorbet was so icy delicious and I coulda kept ‘em coming. I’ll take 3 more, please!! (Well, that’s what I wanted to say.) We both walked out totally satisfied, with just enough food in our bellies, and very happy. (Oh, so THAT’s what walking out happy is like, instead of waddling out with a stomach ache … a good stomach ache … yet still often painful!) We arrived at 6:20pm on Wednesday, and the place was totally packed with a 45-60 minute wait. Luckily, we had reservations for 6:30pm and our table was waiting for us. Yeah, that’s right!! We got a table, and you don’t!! One of the best meals we’ve ever experienced.

FareStart

This month, we've been exploring Seattle through food, and last night was another adventure. Although we are no stranger to food, we seem to be eating better and a little healthier by fine dining. And it's a lot more fun than suffering through some low cal delight at home, or living it up at Dick’s with one of those naughty Deluxe burgers and seriously devilish french fries. *slurp*

I absolutely love and support the FareStart Restaurant. Last night’s Guest Chef Night was menued by Canlis Chef Jason Franey. I figured that the only way I can eat Canlis food is at FareStart … or when Canlis participates in Seattle Restaurant Week next month. (Yes, I've already made my reservation!)

We met up with my sister and bro-in-law there, who lives in Seattle but who we hardly ever see except through food and entertainment. So, it was a really nice evening of “how have you been” and “what have you been doing?” Turns out, through Groupon and LivingSocial, we are doing the same things but at different times. It was a lot of fun.

Anyway, back to the food … I loved the fresh Canlis salad, the Beef Tenderloin with carrots, cumin and potato purée, and the Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée with market fruit. Well, I didn’t eat the dessert, but it looked really good, and everyone else seemed to enjoy it. The wait staff, as usual, was almost all volunteer. Everyone was very pleasant and friendly, and 100% of the bill and tips goes back to the FareStart organization.

I’ve been supporting the FareStart organization for a while now, through volunteering in their kitchens to supporting and eating at their restaurant. Guest Chef Night is always so special, and this meal was no exception. You should eat there. But make reservations. This night was sold out 2 months in advance.

(Side note on Guest Chef Night: For FareStart students, it is a unique opportunity to work with Seattle's premier chefs. For FareStart supporters, it's a great opportunity to enjoy an excellent meal. 3-course meal for $25. Check out the FareStart website.)

Out of Office

I’m currently in a somewhat uneventful business meeting, so it kinda makes sense that I name this category "Out of Office." (OMG, I have a CATEGORY! I must be a real blogger now.) Anyhooooo, my mind is drifting to “what can I write next in my new blog?” Since I had decided that the focus of my blog was to just be me, unplugged and unfocused, I will continue to share my random thoughts. So, here we go again:

• Caffeine is a psychoactive stimulant drug, often found in coffee, tea and soft drinks, which, in humans, has the effect of temporarily warding off drowsiness and restoring alertness, except in business meetings.

• Why is it that, when ordering food for a meeting or event, and I painstakingly insure that there is a good selection for the vegetarians, the meat eaters eat all the vegetarian food??

• Jillian and Bob were right. Chewing a stick of Extra gum not only helps fight cavities by strengthening teeth, its long-lasting flavor is keeping me from eating all day!! And it’s only 5 calories. And it helps keep me awake.

• If you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead to anywhere. (This isn’t an original random thought of mine, but it seems semi-profound. I copied it off the wall of another meeting next door. I bet they didn't make it up either.)

I love my Google calendar!!! My husband and I can share our calendars, and I just think it’s the coolest thing. I never seem to know what’s going on, once I leave the office. But now, we can plan all sorts of activities just by checking “the calendar” and we are having lots of fun … away from our TV. And I can check “the calendar” from my iPhone. Woo-hoo! Technology!! I love it! I also gave my daughter visibility of the calendar. She commented, “Sure. OK. Why would I need to see your calendar?” My answer is “so that when you call me or can’t find me, you don’t have to ask ‘where have you been?’ or ‘what are you doing?’ or ‘are you at home?’ (Remember looking all over town for our Mom, CB?) I think initially it seemed a little silly and unnecessary, but she’s finding a little value in it now. Now she says “are you going to a play or something tonight? I noticed Mamma Melina on your calendar.” Cool, huh??

Speaking of Mamma Melina Ristorante, we had dinner there earlier this week, and let me tell you what I think. It's a family-owned Italian restaurant located in the Roosevelt-University area. YUM! YUM! YUMMY!! Not only is it a fabulously quaint, unassuming restaurant, but the food is heavenly, delicious, scrumptious, abundant, and did I say yummy?? We thought we knew what we wanted to order because we saw the DAS (Dine Around Seattle) menu. But after we saw the full menu, we wanted everything. We ended up ordering off the DAS menu. I figured the Pollo al Marsala was a can’t-miss dish, and I was right (as usual). The chicken was so tender that I cut it with a fork, and the sauce was …*sigh* plate-licking yummers. The regular menu prices are very reasonable, and we ended up spending less than we planned. The atmosphere is a very friendly and welcoming. We made our reservations for 5:30pm on Sunday, and within 30 minutes, the restaurant was completely full. So I recommend that you make reservations. Also, they’re moving to the University Village in May. So, try to make it to this location for that Old World feeling.

Randomly yours,
MDub

Here I am.

I've read lots of blogs by people I know, and some I don't. I thought … how interesting that these people would want to share their thoughts about .... whatever they are thinking or doing. And frankly, I think their blogs are interesting, funny, engaging, educational, and worth reading. I admire their abilities to write, express who they are, and to publish it. I really enjoy reading these blogs and look forward to each new entry.

So, I want to have a blog. But what can I write about? I don’t have any single focus of interest. I’m not a traveler, a culinary guru, a technology geek. I’m just someone with a mish-mash of things that I like doing, would like doing, and might do. I have a wide range of people (family and friends) in my life, who I love, who I like, and some who I don’t like so much, but nothing specific. How interesting could that be?

Last summer, I volunteered as an advisor at a teen camp for Washington Business Week. I was really nervous, being surrounded by people I didn’t know, spending a week with a campus full of teenagers, doing something I’ve never done before. Each night of that week, I spent a few minutes writing about my experiences of the day … on FaceBook. I knew my friends and fellow volunteers (from other campuses) might be interested in how I was doing and would enjoy these entries. I was right. They read them, sometimes offering words of encouragement. But most of all, it was pretty good therapy for me, writing down my experiences of Heaven and Hell. Wow! I sure had fun.

Then I thought … hmmm. That’s kind of a blog, isn’t it? So, here I am, making a formal attempt at a blog. I have no idea what will become of this, or if it’s my first and last entry. But I’m into trying new things out lately; so, why not a blog?

OK, so this first one may not be interesting or funny or educational; but it’s me. This year, I am making time to better myself, do good things, and have fun.

• Been trying to get healthier and lose weight by exercising every day (yuk) and eating properly. Joined a freaking gym and have a personal trainer. Workout was brutal this weekend, and I can hardly walk today!! But it’s working and I’m losing weight … but it’s not a lot of fun. Will this ever end? Only 20 more lbs before I get another Dick's Deluxe or Cinnabon. OK, make it 10 lbs.
• Doing a lot of volunteering here and there, and feeling really good about it.
• Addicted to Groupon.com and LivingSocial.com, enjoying fun new things to do around Seattle.
• Took a pole dancing class, with some co-worker friends. It was hilarious and a blast, discovering our inner sex-kitten. Thinking of planning a private party at the studio, so stay tuned on that one. Sorry guys – ladies only.
• Currently in an Aikido class. And after only 2 classes, I can escape from my husband’s grasp, twist his arm around his back, kick him in the butt, and run away screaming. Hey! These classes work. OK, I didn't kick him in the butt, but I coulda!!
• Have plans for classes in rock climbing, trapeze flying and wine tasting. It's scary but yes, I might try wine tasting.
• Going on a helicopter tour of Seattle with my bro-in-law. Shhhh! He doesn't know it yet. It's a birthday present for both of us in July.
• Enjoying stage productions in little hole-in-the-wall theaters around the city. Stwange. Vewy vewy stwange.
  

What are you doing? Oh, wait. This is about me!