This Crap-cake journey with Awesome-sauce on it...

Hello everyone!

Once again, I'll start out with deepest apologies for my calloused neglect in blogging, updating and being present here. Life has been super busy the last few months (and will continue through October,) but... I'm here. I'm sitting in my Aunt's office while she finishes some work and I have a bit of time to chat.

I have so many thoughts running through my brain right now... this might sound / read / feel sporadic but I have no other way to get it out.

I feel like I've been really brought face to face with a lot of things going on in the Blogger world right now, as well as in my personal world regarding weight loss. Today I read the Marie Claire article on the "Big 6" bloggers, and I'm battling between being frustrated and offended, to being unsure if it's really all that bad. I personally don't read any of the blogs mentioned in that article. Let me clarify by saying that it's not because I don't want to... it's just that I didn't even know those blogs existed. (Okay, I've totally heard of Carrots N Cake, but I haven't subscribed or taken the time to delve in.) SO. After reading the article that so many of you (and others) were vehemently pissed about... I now want to go through those blogs, read and get to know those ladies. Funny, Marie Claire's article (it seems,) has garnered a new reader for all of those blogs. But then again, I also have a sneaking feeling in the back of my mind that maybe the author of the article wasn't all wrong. (Or was she!) -- Yes, most likely, she was. I spent a good amount of time this afternoon reading through hundreds and hundreds of comments from loyal readers and folks who were flat-out pissed off, sickened and saddened by the article. I can't get in line with those comments personally because I don't know that to be true. But as far as I'm concerned, that's a frack-load of evidence for their side.

/phew.

Okay, in other blog-related news... I read The Anti-Jared's blog post today. It immediately freaked me out, making me think, "Fuck, am I a Paper Tiger?" ... I feel like (particularly compared to our honest, amazing and inspiring Jewlia Goulia,) I have been lately.

I've been conveniently leaving out of my blog my cake-binge episode from about six weeks ago. (Yes, MizFit says there's a difference between a planned indulgence and a binge, but...) This started out as "planned" the day of, and turned into six...SIX pieces of cake. It subsequently turned into the shakeyshakes, the in-my-mouth-bad-taste, and the "I can't sleep because my mind is going 2304980239 miles an hour, holy crap!"

I also let you all believe that I don't eat sugar (98% of the time this is true, but...), when Dan and I both had a piece of cake to celebrate our engagement on Sunday, I decided you didn't really need to know.  I admitted that to him, but not to you.  I also am pretty sure I don't tell you about the intense food-guilt I experience... all...the...time.

I used to talk about my food addiction, overeating, carb attacks and scale obsession. These days I quietly hide in my busy-assed-schedule, and while my good friends go through horrible bouts with food issues, I'm quiet in the corner, telling them I love them. I don't really relate out loud, and I certainly can't offer up any gems of advice on how to get through it.

The only way I know how to lose weight is to categorically and strictly monitor my food intake.  The level at which I do this, particularly compared to some more balanced eaters, could very well seem a bit extreme.  I make sure to put it out there to you that I don't like working out, and I don't go to a gym or ride a bike or jump rope (though those last two things I still want to start because they sort of sound fun, though the cold is almost here, so just like this guy is waiting for winter to start getting his shit together, I'm gonna conveniently wait for next spring.)

So where does that leave me? When people I know and love are struggling with weight loss, or more committed to their losing weight, and I watch the things they eat and feel superior to them? That my Mother makes healthy choices in her diet, but when she says she had a peach for a snack or a sweet potato (as Beth does all the time, and she's amazing,) -- I can still hear the little bitchy voice inside my head say, "I would NEVER do that."  That when I'm spending time with Wes, and I watch him eat chips and salsa and a piece of pizza, I glare at him, or scold him?  (We've had the type of relationship where this behavior from either of us would garner that type of response, and it's not a bad or mean thing between us,) - but still.. why do I feel the need to be his keeper?  Why do I feel like it's my job to wag my finger at his little eating indiscretions, and yet if a different friend is going through a full-on, multi-day binge, I can calmly and sweetly tell her that it'll get better?  Is it because Wes is my low-carb eating buddy?  That we've (somewhat silently but have nevertheless) made a friendly agreement to be each others accountability partner?  So, should that make me support him, or kick him in the ass with stern looks and disappointed sighs?

I know, KNOW that different plans work for different people. I know that others are successful while eating more than I eat and being more active than I am.  So, maybe it's fear that I really don't do this the right way. That maybe not today or tomorrow, but in a few weeks or months I could easily binge for a week because my body has had it with me. Or my mind will become totally sick of lean meat and spinach hand over fist.  Could it be the fear that all the kudos and "Wow's" and "You look great's" that I've gotten over the last few months will only require further and further dedication?  That I'm terrified of losing ground?  That the very, very last thing I want is to ever be fat again?  That I'd rather struggle against food the way I do...forever?

I don't really know where all of this is going, or what I am trying to say. Basically, I'm trying to be a little more transparent. I want you to know that I'm not doing this or working through the Ex Hot Girl blog to be an example, but I feel more like I am part of a community. Like... we're all a big family, and we screw up and live life and breathe and fall and succeed together.

I value and respect each one of you, even though I don't always have time or make time to read/comment/email you. With that, I leave you my pledge:

I, Jennifer Brindley, hereby make the commitment to blog more often, be balls-to-the-wall honest, and stop being a pansy-ass Paper Tiger.

Love,
Jenn

TMI Thursday: I was scared by a naked furniture mover.

I have discovered the mecca of humiliation, and decidedly... must take part. Get ready for the first ever Ex Hot Girl installment of TMI Thursday.




It's kind of a shame to start with something that didn't actually happen this week, but I haven't been humiliated or had anything crazy, weird, drunk or gross happen... so I'm gonna start with an oldie but a goodie.

My boyfriend Dan moved to Colorado to be with me back in May of 2005. (We've since moved back here to Milwaukee.)


From what we can remember this happened a few months after he moved in.

It was a normal night, and I was sleeping sweetly in the bed with him after a fun night of drinking with our friends. All of a sudden I found myself torn from my sleep by the sound of scraping. Scrrrrrrrrrrrrrape. Scrrrrrrrrrrrrape. *Grunt* Scrrrrrrrrape. *Grunt!*

I sat up and looked around the room trying to figure out what the crap was going on, and reached over to the spot Dan sleeps in to wake him up. He wasn't there.

Just to share, this is what I'm used to seeing:


Sccrrrrrrrrrrrrape!!! ...again and it was to my left, sort of behind me. I turned around and saw Dan moving the giant bookshelf by our bed. These bookshelves are huge, and basically weigh the same as a normal dresser would. You'd think the most surprising thing about this would be that he was moving a bookshelf in the middle of the night, but in fact I was totally confused by something else. He was butt-ass-birthday suit - swingin' in the fan breeze naked.

Now, Dan doesn't sleep naked. I have no idea why he was naked. I normally enjoy it when he's naked, but this was odd and creepy, and I didn't know why he was moving the bookshelf.

I asked, "Honey?"

"Grumble, grumble, grumble, Scrrrrrrrape, *Grunt!*"

"Dan? Sweetie?" (I was shrinking into a freaked out ball at the foot of the bed, as far opposite from him as possible by this point...)

"Huh."

"What are you doing?"

"Moving this."

"Why?"

And with a really, really serious, 'Imeanbusiness,dammit' kind of tone, he said,"It needed to be done."

I was really freaked out by this point. He didn't sound like himself, and I was maybe not quite totally awake, but I started to get scared of him. How I found myself feeling intimidated by him, in all his naked vulnerable glory, I have no idea.

I got up and tiptoed to the guest bedroom while he was focusing on the dresser. I shut the door and locked it behind me. I laid down on the guest bed (wayyyy less comfortable than our bed, in case you're ever planning to visit,) and I just waited. I don't know what I was waiting for, but something in me felt like he was gonna come chase me. Sure enough I hear the door knob twist. It stopped and hit the "clack" of a lock. "Clackclackclackclack!" He shook the door knob and rattled the door. I was actually terrified at this point.

I have no idea why I was scared, or what I thought was going to happen, like he'd bust the door down and slap me in the face with his frank and beans and say, "It needed to be done!" over and over, but I was totally tripping balls. (And no, I hadn't been smoking pot or doing drugs or anything like that. I was needlessly paranoid.)

He didn't say anything while trying to get into the room. He didn't call my name or say "What's going on?" or anything like that. I am pretty sure he was still asleep when he was trying to get in.

It didn't take long before he gave up and went back to bed. The next morning I woke up to him knocking on the door. I let him in and he came and laid down on the guest bed with me.

He asked, "Why are you sleeping in here? Was I snoring?"

...
...
...

So... I told him the story and we laughed and laughed until we cried. To this day, "It needed to be done" is our answer to everything.

"Why did you eat the last of my yogurts?"
"Why did you park the car out front instead of in the garage?"
Why did I share this too-much-information story with you all?
"It needed to be done."

And just for fun, I'll share some photos that totally describe our relationship and how damn cute he is:



And my favorite one, cause I was so skinny. ;)


~Jenn

Mind blowing arm hair giveaway

You guys have all blown my mind over the last 24 hours. Seriously! Thank you so much for your comments, support, questions and general kickassness.

I have to give super kudos to Trooper Thorn for the best question comment of the day:

Congrats on the featured posting. But why did you bury the tidbit about you shaving your arms in the list of other characteristics. That is something that should be featured. Are you really that hairy? Or is it some weird fetish?

So, I'm not really that hairy. (Although, what qualifies as "that hairy"?) I don't have ape-arms, and my hair is light enough in color for it to not actually be a problem. And though I have several fetishes, shaving arm hair isn't one of them. It started one day with my looking down at these arms of mine (which were of course, thinner at the time...) and thinking "do girls even HAVE hair on their arms? Eww! I don't like having hair on my arms." Of course I had the images of models, actresses and so on in my mind, and I couldn't think of one single sexy lady who had hair on her arms. So I was in the shower and decided to shave 'em. I was probably around 17 at the time, and it's been going on ever since. So sometimes I have wicked smooth arms, and sometimes they're stubbly. That's just the way it goes. I guess it's just one more reason I'm like my gay friends.


And now it's time for some link love. I've simply got to share some kick-ass blogs that I love with you guys because you've all shared your blogs with me!

If you're a gay guy, gay girl, or like things gay, or like photos of hot guys, check out my friend Wes at Swish Embassy.

If you dig good writing, good humor, and general quirkiness, you should visit my new pal Sandra over at Right Out Loud Writing. She sorta reminds me of me, which means you might like her too.

My friend Rob has a great blog called Rob in Gallup, sharing his experiences in the small town of Gallup, NM. His writing is fantastic, and though his entries are not daily, the content is always thought provoking and high quality.

I'm not a Fat Rights Activist, but this chick is a brilliant writer.

I've noticed lots of new friends in the chubbosphere (I mean people with weighty issues who relate to the battle of the bulge,) so you need to check out all the links I have on the right hand side of my blog, over there in the column on the right. Go to the right. Do it. There are way too many awesome bloggers to mention all of them individually, so you just need to go through 'em. But, I'll have to give a spotlight to a few of my favorites:

The ever popular Jack Sh*t, Gettin' Fit for a regular dose of humor infused weight loss encouragement.

Fat Bridesmaid for her honesty and The Biggest Loser Liveblog, which is the best thing, ever. Well, next to Diet Coke, John Mayer and Orgasms. It's pretty close though.

My friend Monica over at Confessions of a + Sized Girl for her continuous and relentless support, and a fabulous super smily face every time you open up her blog.

The badass Bitch Cakes. Do I even need to explain why you need to go there, NOW?

Okay, seriously I could go on for awhile, so I'll stop now. And now for a big drumroll! Or... a Cinnamon Roll! (Oooh, cinnamon rolls...) I'm doing a little book giveaway! :)

The Ultimate Metabolism Diet

I did a review of this book HERE, so check that out if you're interested in finding out more about the book, what it is, etc. :)

You HAVE to fill out this little box thing to be entered!

*Sorry, US and Canada residents only!

Entering a comment on the blog does NOT enter you for the drawing. See, this nifty box thing keeps it completely random and chooses the winner in a computerized sort of way, instead of me choosing one personally. It keeps it nice and fair and happy. :)

The contest ends on 10/2/09 at 5pm.


Thanks again for stopping by and I hope to see you again real soon-like. :)

~Jenn

Oh, Crap. In my DREAMS!

So, I just checked out my horoscope for today (actually, for tomorrow, August 3rd, but it's 1:03 AM, so technically it's today, okay?) and this is what it said:

You are incredibly enthusiastic about something new in your life -- maybe a new love, maybe a new fitness regimen. Whatever it is, try to keep your conversations balanced so you don't bore your friends!

So... apparently I need to tone things down a bit. I'm sorry if I've been talking too much about any particular subject. I think every time I talk to my friends we discuss my weight loss, and I am realizing now that it must be incredibly annoying for them. Come on, Jenn... they know your weight loss schniblets are on your blog, so just let them read the blog if they're dying to know your exact weight or caloric intake. Or at least wait until they ask, "So, how's the fat doing?"

I apologize.

So, I'll just shut it from now on and talk about bugs instead. Or bowling, that's a good one. Or maybe we can go back to talking about John Mayer. I always like talking about him. Except for the fact that recently I've been having dreams about him. And it's not like the good old days where I'd have sexy dreams about him and wake up feeling all happy and guilty at the same time. Lately it's been like this:

Scene: Me somewhere. John Mayer is there. John Mayer is making fun of me behind my back. I don't know precisely what he says, but the way I feel makes me think it's something along the lines of, "Yeah. I mean, does she actually think we WANT her here? She should just go home. She bugs my ass, and I hate her face," or something. And then he laughs. He either doesn't realize I can hear him or knows I can hear him but doesn't give a crap. I then feel like total crap.


So, it's not like he's saying to his (faceless, non identifiable) friend, "See, when she's near me, my soul takes flight, and I feel SO in love that my heart gets this big!"





He's saying the aforementioned craptastic things about me, and this look is on his face:




That's a pretty ucky dream to have. Especially for me. It kind of makes me want to squirt out a little tear of pathetic celebrity loving sadness. And it's sort of psychotic, but (please tell me if you do this too) I wake up from these dreams actually feeling kind of pissed off at him.

As in, I think to myself, "Yeah, that John Mayer IS kind of an asshole."


You know, I used to keep a dream journal. I would wake up in the morning, reach over and grab my dream journal and a pen, and record my dreams in as much detail as I could. Now when I read those dreams, I REMEMBER them like they are MEMORIES. That kind of freaks me out.

Maybe I should share some of them with you guys sometime. You can help me decode them. I've really wanted to start writing down my dreams again. I can't think of any reason why I shouldn't start. Do any of you write your dreams down? I think there are a lot of subconscious things that are revealed in our dreams. Sometimes it might just be how weird and strange we all are... but sometimes it might actually help us figure out a thing or two about ourselves.


~J

I am a Sexy Biatch.

I don't know why I'm making such a big fuss. I clearly already have a body like Britney Spears.

Happy Earth Day!

If you don't recycle, now is the time to start.

A lot of people say, "Well, my condo/apartment/home association/etc doesn't offer a recycling program." I have great news for you. You don't have to rely on a service being provided where you live. All you need to do is collect your own recyclables, and drive them down to a local place that offers a collection of recycling. A few ideas:

Grocery Stores
Fire Department
Police Department
Recycling Centers

Most of these locations have recycling drop-offs. My favorite option is the grocery store. Most have recycling bins in the parking lot. You can just park right next to it and drop off your recycling in the large bins.

It's easy to do your part in keeping the earth clean and recycling our resources. :)

Also, if you don't use energy saving light bulbs, go buy some.


They last a lot longer than regular light bulbs and use a fraction of the energy. Help save our energy, and cut your energy bill in the process! :)

~J

Bad News...

Caffeine, Cigarettes, Soy, Trans Fats, Fried Foods.

All of these things mess with hormonal balance and can inhibit a woman's ability to orgasm, orgasm quickly and frequently.

I'm a regular consumer of caffeine, cigarettes and soy. I'm in serious trouble.

Ooh, and speaking of sex:

The Conversation in my Fat, Lazy Head.

"There's Zumba Tonight."

"Yeah, but I went yesterday."

"So?"

"Well, I was just gonna do a different workout at home today."

"You just woke up and you haven't done anything all day."

"Yeah, but it's at five. It's already 4:30 and I don't have makeup on my pimply face."

"So go put on some powder or something, it's just the gym anyway."

"I did Zumba yesterday and I'm going tomorrow, why don't we just do 30 day shred tonight?"

"You know you should go do Zumba - besides you don't like the way the jumping jacks rumble the shelves of candles and stuff."

"Nah, it's okay, I am not really awake yet, so I don't wanna go."

"GET OFF OF YOUR FAT LAZY ASS AND GO!"


...

...


I'm off to Zumba.

~J

My Top Three.

So, Dan and I, like a lot of couples, allow a top three celebrity list. What that means, is if either of us is presented with the opportunity to do the funky monkey dance with someone on the list, we get a free pass.

Yeah.

Here are the sexy, talented guys in my top three:

#1. John Mayer


#2. Keanu Reeves (a recent rank climber...)


#3. Ryan Gosling




And a few others I'd add to the list if I was allowed to:

#4. Jeffrey Donovan


#5. Josh Hartnett


#6. Justin Long




I've realized I have a crazy thing going on here with brunettes.

So... who's on your top three list?


~J

Umumumumumummmm!!!!!!

So, I was just going through key word searches for my blog, and found out someone came through here trying to get my brother's digits.

Yeah, dude. He's a cutie, and apparently all the chicks are all over trying to get some.





Well, all I can say is "WATCH OUT" to any chick trying her luck. His girlfriend Mischa might kill you with an axe.

~J

Orange Hair

Dan would LOVE for me to dye my hair orange. Though he'd settle for this:



He really wants this:



I say I have to wait until at least November, so I'm as close as possible to having Mila Jovavich's body. Which will be never, but at least I won't feel like this:

I Freakin' HEART Diet Coke!

I saw this display at the Pick and Save, and had to get a snap of it with my cell phone. Thank-you to Wes over at Swish Embassy for uploading it for me! :)

The Studio Coming Alongs

So, by request I'm posting some pictures of the mid-way point of my studio. It's actually probably more like 3/4's of the way. I have put in here some super high quality drawings of what it will be like, to give you a visual.

Trust me, I'll post photos when it's all said and done! :)

The backdrop paper is mounted and up! Note the future "guy in tophat" posing for photos.


The weird things on both sides are supposed to be room dividers. These (3-panel):


That's to separate my studio from the rest of the house. (There's a separate entrance to the studio.) You can see that door on the right of this photo behind the dividers. Oh yeah, the curtains (visible in other photos) will be this really pretty deep purple/maroon color. ...It's not this color that I painted in, but hey, I did this pretty fast.:


Oh yeah, the white x's are stuff that won't be there.


So this one shows the (red representations) of those framed images that will actually on the wall, and the black thing next to it is going to be a permanent strip of black paper for quick headshots.


Yeah, boy!



And since this has nothing much to do with weight, I'll leave you with this deep thought:



Coming tomorrow... the long lost photo of my total ex hotness. I have been digging for it since we moved, and particularly since I started this blog. Get your burritos ready, 'cause it's gonna be hot.

~J

Things You've Done

I've seen this list on several blogs, and decided to do it myself. :)

I saw this one on Why The Weight? and thought I'd do it. :)~ The ones I've done are in bold.


1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars (Does in a tent count?)
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/DisneyWorld
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo (only in the shower)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept overnight on a train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden a gondola in Switzerland (I've been to Switzerland but not done the gondola thing.)
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen Amish country
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi concentration camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy (Does a book count?)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book (Working on it.)
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life (Jesse says I did when I gave him the heimlich.) :)~
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (Lyle Lovett and Jake Jabs. Does Jake Jabs count?)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. One cavity or less

Weight Simulator

Yeah, it's about right. Except my thighs touch. And I don't think, and really hope, my chin isn't double.



~J

Feels like -11.

That's why it's really hard to get off the couch, out of the warm house, and into the freezing crappy cold to go to the gym.

You wanna know what I was wearing to go to the gym? THREE pairs of pants, three shirts, hat, hood, scarf, gloves and thinsulate boots.

Yeah, dude.

World's the Word

This is totally awesome. My tracker has a feature that shows a world map of the location of the people who have recently visited my blog. Dude.



~J

Crankdified.

Yeah, I've been SUPER cranky today. It's funny because my girl over at Diet Naked just posted a blog exactly like this. I think crankiness is going around right now.

I went to the gym, and had a great workout, pushed myself and expect to be nice and sore tomorrow... I cooked a yummy dinner... everything should be good.

I don't know why I'm so grumpy. I was sitting here editing a photo book and poor Dan was sitting on the couch next to me, innocently eating some potato chips and all I could hear was this "CRUNCH" "CRUNCH" "CRUNCH" and it was driving me insane. I didn't yell at him or anything, but I started to laugh at myself because I'm so crazy. Seriously. The crunching made me NUTS.

And then after dinner, Dan was sitting on the couch with me and he looked over and said, "You know what I would love? If you would go get my donut for me." (He had a donut in the kitchen.) -- I looked at him with a really dirty look. He said, "What? It would be really nice..." and I said, "Do you know what that's like? That's like asking a crack addict if they'd go get your crack for you." He laughed and said, "No it's not like that!" I said, "Yes it is, it's like if I was in AA and you said," -- and he interrupted me and said, "Will you go get me a drink?" I said, "Yes, it's like that." And then he just gave me cute puppy dog eyes and said, "Please???" -- I said, "Fine." and got up, grabbed the donut (in a bag) and threw it at him on the couch. Apparently I hit the cat on his lap in the head, and the cat jumped up and ran away, scratching Dan's leg in the process.

I suck.

Is there a cure to unexplainable crabbiness?

Double Bubble Butt

Okay. This post will probably bring up some things that will piss people off, so I'm gonna get that statement out right away.

I must have been out of the waking world of news when this came out, but I recently discovered that the Canadian Supreme Court passed a law that airlines are required to provide two seats to obese passengers who need them for the price of one seat.

Now, I've never been so heavy as to not fit into an airline seat. I've been somewhat uncomfortable in the seat, I've been awkwardly elbowing the person next to me or fighting with myself to not use the arm rest because they might want it. But... seriously, if I was to ever get to the point where I needed two seats to fly... I would FULLY expect to PAY for both seats. I think if someone truly had a medical condition which caused their weight to be so high that they couldn't fit into a standard seat, and they had medical proof from a Doctor, that would be a different story. But eating yourself to 600 pounds does NOT qualify for me.

I go back to remembering the flight back from Denver where the plane was delayed from leaving on time because of weight restrictions for the aircraft. We sat there as they burned off roughly 200 pounds of fuel. I probably blushed or something because I knew they could have just kicked me (and my buddy pass stand by ticket) off of the plane and it would have been just fine.

Are we, as Americans, really at the point where we are all so fat that the airplanes we fly in can't even take off without burning fuel from the tank? We can't fly with a full tank because we're so chunky.

Gah.

So anyway, if it hasn't become clear, though I'm not morbidly obese, and am just "plain ol" obese... I do NOT think this law should pass here in America, if it ever gets to that point. I think it's ridiculous, and now open myself up for people to agree with me, hate me, or yell at me, or whatever.

~J

Meringue Hour

Okay. Can anybody tell me what "Meringue Hour" is? I went to the gym tonight like a good, faithful, weight losing lady, and I was greeted by a big sign at the front desk that said "Gym Closed Tonight From 6-8pm - Meringue Hour!" Does this mean that the whole gym staff decided to close the gym and eat meringue pies for a few hours? And isn't 6-8pm two hours, not just one fun-filled meringue hour?

So. I drove down there and didn't get to work out. Unfortunately this gym closes at 9pm, and I got there at 7 - I just couldn't wait around. It's the most awesome gym... just not 24 hours, or late hours, which kind of sucks. I also brought my camera because I wanted to take photos of the gym to show you guys. That will have to wait until next time. But, I got to brush 50 lbs of snow off of my car, so maybe that counts for something. :)~ I also returned "Righteous Kill" to the Blockbuster on my way back. So, I accomplished two things. :)

By the way, has anyone seen this movie yet? I love the cast in it (John Leguizamo, anyone?!??!!?) -- but it was a bit odd. I liked it, in general, but it's definitely not one of those movies I'd freak out to go buy.

And I'll apologize in advance... no fancy recipe blogging tonight. We're doing leftovers, and I'm trading out the Chicken Breast Florentine recipe I was supposed to do tonight for the Tuna Salad recipe next week that Dan would never eat. :)

Muah!
~J