Monday, January 30, 2012

Hello!!!

First, I would like to thank everyone who commented on my previous post, "What Would You Do?".  I feel now that I have done the right  and to date, no more calls!  Yay!

I have been very busy!  I just completed a 4 day convention (Thursday through Sunday).  While it went off perfectly in the eyes of the participants, behind the scenes was another story!  I have done this convention 5 times before.  I'm not new to it.  The bossman thought he would be "nice" and get me some help.  The "help" caused most of the chaos!  I ended up having to do double the work because I was straightening out the mistakes.  But i is over and now I am on to planning another convention which will be the first weekend in March.  Yep, right around the corner!  It never ends!

I have snuck in some fun time.  One night the girls and I went to dinner and then a movie, Beauty and the Beast 3D.  It was great!  Loved it!  Made me believe in romance and love again!  Sigh!

Reading a new book again (yes, to me that it is fun!).  I am currently reading "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo."  Not my typical genre but I am enjoying it!  I had it with me at the convention and I had several registrants rave about how great the book is!  I'm probably about halfway through!

I am happy to report that after 3 weeks of exercising and eating better, I have lost 4.2 pounds!  Yay!!!!  I can't believe it.  I never thought I would be able to do this but I have managed to maintain a work out schedule and watch what I eat without very many pitfalls (I do live in South Louisiana, a plethora of good food surrounds us all the time). I am actually looking forward these days to exercising and seeing what the results are!

I've done some stitching too!  Continuing to work on Dragon Knot 2.  Slowly but surely I am making progress.  I am going to keep plugging away at it!  My plan is this weekend to sit down and spend some quality time with my stitching.


I hope that everyone has a great week!  I have a short one as I have been now working 8 staight and counting.  So I am taking off Friday!  And I cannot wait!!!  It is some much needed time off! 

Thursday, January 19, 2012

What Would You Do?

Ok, here is a question that I hope to get some comments on.

To me, this situation is hilarious.  Quite annoying but hilarious.

I've been getting prank called by a woman.  I don't know this woman at all but to me, she is a little off her rocker, obsessive, and a lot possessive.  She varies the calls over time.  Consistently blocks her number. Never happens at a particular time of day.

Typical conversation is:
Her  - "May I speak to (insert guy's name)?" [Yes, I know the guy she is asking for.  He is an acquaintance. Who lives about 1500 miles away.]
Me - "There's no one at this number by that name." (hangup)

This morning there were several calls of this nature back to back.  Finally, by the last call, I was over the humor of the call and decided to mess with her and make my own humor!  This time when she asked for (insert guy's name), I told her that he was in the shower and I'd give him the message when he got out.  Now this time she hung up on me!

Yes, I had quite a chuckle about this.  I know it was wrong but I was so over it.  It wasn't even 8 am yet!!!

How wrong was I?



Monday, January 16, 2012

A Brand New Week

I am so thankful that last week is over!  It was one that I hope to just forget!

Why you ask?  Where shall I begin?

Let's see, Monday.  Monday is always a good place to start.  It was the day of the National Championhip Game.  My boys, LSU, were in the game!  What a dream come true!  Well, that dream quickly came to an end!

Thank goodness I enjoyed the company I was with.  We had a great time together prior to watching the game.  Lots of good food.  Lots of good friends.  Just a good time.  Here are a few pictures from BEFORE the game:

Our anti-Saban cookies.  I knew we should have gotten the gingerbread men cookies that were decorated as a voodoo doll of Nick Saban!

Entertaining the kids before the game.

Wants to be just like Mike the Tiger!

Kati's homemade #1 King Cake

Kati and Kelly

Phil and Grace decked out in their purple and gold.

At halftime, to help ease our pain, we had HoneyBadgers.  I'm not sure what it is.  I think it was a shot of whiskey that was put in the mug of pale ale.  Whatever it was, I clearly out of practice with chugging!! I had to stop and take a breath halfway through the mug.  But I have to admit, it was pretty tasty and quite the headrush! 


Needless to say, our fun night ended in tears, depression, misery, etc. etc. etc. 

Let's see, another good reason for the week to be over.  Friday the 13th!  What a day that was!  I was trying to get all the materials together for 2 board meetings that were being held the next day.  One was a 2 day board meeting and the other was the annual budget meeting.  I had so much to accomplish in an 8 hour day!  I had woken up in a bad mood and it didn't lift at all till the next day.  Add to that a wicked fight with an acquaintance (I'm not sure of our status as friends) and the last episode of One Life to Live and let's call it a day.  Sigh.

Shall I proceed to Saturday?  Saturday started off pretty good.  It was a beautiful day for a drive.  I had a 2 hour drive to one of the board meetings.  Which happened to be held in the middle of nowhere Louisiana.  Luckily it is pretty scenic.  Board meeting was over fairly early, 3ish.  I then proceeded to break many speed limits trying to get home in time for the second half of the Saints game. Yeah, well, as many of you know, there wasn't really any point in me doing that. I won't go into details but to say that they gave it a heck of a fight there at the end!!!

So now it is Monday, the start of a new week.  Eh, it is going so so.  Started the day off by getting no sleep last night. I was up every hour on the hour with my poor puppy.  He had one heck of a stomach ache or something.  At least he told me when he had to go outside!!  But I am hopeful the rest of the week will be good!

I am looking forward to a visit with my good friend Jake sometime this week.  A girls' night out on Thursday for dinner and to see Beauty and the Beast 3D (yippee!).  Then a whole weekend to myself.  No work.  No plans.  Just me and the dog!!!  Can't wait!!!

Good news is that I am still working out!  I am already seeing a difference in my clothes! That makes me very excited!  And I am slowly building up the amount of time I am working out and the amount of calories I burn.  I am loving my Wii!!! Hopefully at the end of this week I will have some real progress to report!

Now for an update on the project I am working on.  I have been working on Dragon Knot and will continue to do so until I am bored with it.  Let's hope I make some significant progress on it before that happens!


Here's to hoping for a better week!

Sunday, January 08, 2012

As If I Didn't Know...

Fitness Band Wagon
As part of my Christmas present, my parents bought me the Zumba Fitness and the Wii Fit Plus.  They hope that this will help me in my goals to get back into shape.  According to my nephew Parker, the Wii Fit Plus is "super fun".  He was very excited when he found out I had gotten it. So this past week I tried them both out. 

The Zumba was fun??  Yeah, the jury is still out on that one.  I started with the 20 minute easy level.  I was dying pretty much by the end!  I've got the booty shaking (as I have quite a lot of booty to shake) part down quite well, but the other steps?  Well, let's just say it is more of my body just flaying around than actual dancing!!! 

Today I tried out the Wii Fit.  So, when you first start it you do some testing.  It is supposed to get your BMI, weight, center of balance, posture, etc.  Ok, well it told me what I already knew.  I'm fat.  When you start out, you pick an avatar.  Well I already had one from another game so it picked that one.  When it finds out how fat you are, it makes your avatar swell up!!!  I have to say that just adds insult to injury!!! But was kind of funny to watch!

Then the "game" proceeded to tell me that according to its calculations I am 43 years old.  I have to admit, I didn't think that was quite that bad considering I am 36 years old and well, exercising is not my friend!!!  I figured I would be in the 70s or 80s in age.  Then it told me that I had a pretty good center of balance and good posture!  Ha!!!  Any one who knows me that I can literally fall down by just standing up I am so clumsy! Also, my Dad is constantly telling me to sit up straight and stop slouching.  I'm not sure how accurate this thing is!!!  It can obviously be duped pretty easily!  Anyway, I did a few of the exercises and it was ok.  I like that you can set up goals and it has a calendar which marks your progress.  I hope to keep up with it and be able to see some progress!

Projects to be finished in 2012
Ok, so I thought I would pull out all the projects that I've started and see what I had.  Not such a good idea!  LOL  I obviously have a severe case of ADD when it comes to stitching!  But I hope to finish some if not most of these projects.  They are all in various degrees of incompleteness! (Sorry for the photos, for some reason I just couldn't get very clearn pictures of some of them)


HAED Dragon Knot 2.  This has been one I've been working on for ___ years.  I can't quite remember.  I have about 6 pages to complete, some of those are just 1/4 pages. 


HAED Queen of Hearts.  I started her last year I believe.  This is 2 pages completed.  I have a goal of completing another 2 pages this year.  So this is not one that I am necessarily looking to finish.

I started this one in 2011.  It is Thomas Kinkade's Tinker Bell/Peter Pan.  This one is for my sister because she saw this and just had to have.  What Sissy wants, Sissy usally gets.  (Yes, I am quite guilty of spoiling her!)

Mirabilia's The Kiss.  This has never been a "hard" stitch.  In fact it is quite easy.  I've been working on this one off and on for about 2 to 3 years.  I usually put it aside because I run out of a thread and forget to pick it back up when I get the threads in.  Hopefully this will be the year to finish!

Disney's Snow White.  This one is for my little niece Cassady Hope.  Also another easy one.  Don't know why it isn't finished.

HAED Emerald Hearts.  This was a freebie from HAED in 2011.  It is all kitted up and ready to go.  Just never started it.

A stocking for my sister.  I haven't consistently stitched on this one because it is Aida cloth and I don't like it.  But I need to finish it since I've gotten so far!

My niece Cassady Hope's baby blanket.  Well she isn't a baby anymore.  She'll be 3 this year.  I don't have much to go.  I just find stamped cross stitch tedious.  You would think it is easier than counted, but not really.

Another one for my sister.  I can't remember the name but it is the night fairy to match the day fairy I've already completed for her many years ago.
HAED's Mad Tea Party.  This one is for my niece Marly Grace.  My goal for the year is 2 pages.  This is a really big one!  This picture reflects about 2 1/2 pages completed.

This is 10 projects. I'm sure I hav more "hidden" under my bed in storage but I'll just go with this list for now!! 10 seems manageable, doesn't it? 

This week I've been working on Dragon Knot 2. Here's a close up of the section that I've been working on .  To see the last time I posted a progress pic click here. It seems that the last time I worked on Dragon Knot was back in June of 2011.


Ok, it is time to get ready for the week!  Lunches to be planned.  Laundry to do.  And of course, the most important thing to get ready for: the National Championship game between LSU and Alabama.  I've already go the corn, black bean salsa made for tomorrow night's party!  Geaux Tigers!!!  Beat Bama AGAIN!


Monday, January 02, 2012

Happy New Year!

Hello all!  I hope that everyone had a great Christmas and New Year's!  I was very lucky to spend Christmas with my sister and parents.  I received so many presents!  More than I ever expected.  I got a sewing maching (yippee! now to learn how to use it), a Wii Fit, Zumba Fitness for Wii, a Kindle, and a bunch of other little knick knacks and stuff.  I keep reminding myself that I was blessed to receive so much but there were a few non-material items that I wish I had received this year.  Maybe 2012 I will get these non-material items!


Isn't this cute?  One of those Russian dolls that has the doll within the doll...etc.  But these are measuring cups!  Too adorable!

My new sewing machine!  Still in the box.  I will learn how to use this machine this year!


Even Duke racked up this year!  He has toys everywhere! 


 I had a quiet New Year's Eve at home.  I was tired and sick from having too much fun with my sister the two days before.  One night out at a smokey bar, then a full day outside in New Orleans, yep, I now have a nasty sinus infection!  Coupled with not sleeping well the last few days, I am feeling awesome!!!

But it is that time of year, the start of a brand new year.  Clean slate.  Time to get things in order.  Let's review last year:
Life Goals:

1. Become more fiscally responsible! That means continue to pay off my debts and put money away in savings. - Umm yeah, not so good.  I did bring down a few percentages on debt but nothing was eliminated.
2. Get a passport. This is a carry over from last year BUT I hope that as long as I keep it on my list I will eventually get it done! Still haven't gotten it done.  No plans on leaving the country.
3. Find a new place to live. Depending upon the job situation, this may occur in April. The job situation did get better but still in my sweet little apartment.
4. Be open to new things. Be it love, a career change, a move to a new city/state. Whatever it is, I want to be more open to the change! Definitely a carry over from 2010! But one that should always be worked on. I'm hoping this year to make progress in determining "what I want to be when I grow up" and I think change is key to that! I tried the career change.  Didn't go over so well.  It was just the wrong path.  And the rest, didn't happen. 
5. Spend more time with family and friends. Which definitely means a trip to Nebraska! Didn't make it to Nebraska but I definitely did spend more time with family and friends.

Stitching goals:
1. Finish Cassady's baby quilt. Nope
2. Finish Brendan's baby quilt. Gave up.  Gave it to Goodwill.
3. Finish HAED's Dragon Knot Can't even recall if I touched it.
4. Finish 2 pages of HAED's Mad Tea Party Yes!
5. Finish 2 pages of HAED's Queen of Hearts Yes!
6. Finish Lisa's Christmas stocking - Dimensions Kit Nope
7. Complete Nora Corbett's 'M'  - Didn't even kit it up!

2012 Goals:
Life Goals:
1. Always good to keep the fiscal responsibility one. I want to eliminate more debt, increase my savings!!!
2. Continue to work on myself.  I have some bad habits.  Like being very reactionary to people.  I need to learn to be calmer, less on the crazy train. 
3. Be open to new things.  That is always hard for me.  I tend to like my routines.  But it is good to shake things up every once in a while.
4. Make it to Nebraska. There are a few life events happening this year, weddings, graduations, etc.  I hope to make it home for one of those events!
5. Use my Wii Fit and Zumba Fitness.  See how that helps me out in the fitness department!
6. Learn to control my stress!  Work is so hectic right now.  I could see how I will burn out soon if I don't get control over it!
There are others but that's for me to know!  :)

Stitching Goals, this is the year to complete projects!
1. Finish Dragon Knot
2. Finish 2 more pages of Mad Tea Party
3. Finish 2 more pages of Queen of Hearts
4. Finish Lisa's Christmas Stocking
5. Finish The Kiss
6. Finish Lisa's Tinker Bell
7. Finish as many as I can if they aren't listed here!  (Isn't that sad?  I don't know how many other unfinished projects I have going on!  I get bored easily.)

First Finish of the Year
Ta da!!!  I do have the first finish of the year already though!  I just need to pick up a little frame for it. It ws pretty quick to stitch up and it appealed to me for some reason.  It was a freebie from one of the many magazines I recently picked up!


I do hope that everyone's year is starting off on the right foot.  I've unfortunately already had a few unpleasant blips but I am going to keep it positive.  I've kept myself productive!  Today I installed wireless internet for my apartment!  Yay!  That gets my Kindle up and running and once I get the right attachment I can have my Wii on it too! Finished up the laundry.  Baking a blueberry cake casserole right now.  Not sure how that is going to come out but hopefully it will taste better than it looks. And of course there is football on the tv!  The rest of the day will be used to work on some of those unfinished projects!