Laurie's journal - Atkins plan (comments welcome)

[Strings]

Hi Laurie,

I hope you are feeling better from all that sun, but the gardening does count as exercise. Good luck with Comcast. Sounds like you get to do something you enjoy for a few days. I hope you enjoy your class.

Have a good Monday.
Beth

 

[DoeWDW]

Popping in to say hi !! I hope your week is starting off on a good note.

Will cross my fingers for Jeff - I do hope the right opportunity comes along for him soon!

 

[Strings]

Just wanted to say hi. Hear anything about the contact for Jeff? Praying for you.
Beth

 

[LAinSEA]

Missed my walk this morning (did walk both Wednesday and Thursday). I'm fighting a cold and I'm not sleeping very well and was quite tired when the alarm went off this morning...Now I'm feeling guilty that I didn't get out of bed.

Meals - mostly on plan (still stopping for a breve on the way to work)

DH got a call at 2:30pm yesterday for a Boeing interview at 4:30pm! He was at his father's at the time and had to fight traffic home, clean up and fight traffic to the Boeing job fair. He said it was a mad house and they did not get to him for his appointment until almost 5:30pm. He felt like he was there for the interview for them to "check the box". We'll see. If he does get a job back at Boeing it will be the managers that he talked with over last week and their efforts. He also got a call from Shoreline school district to let him know about another technology position and ask if he wanted to be considered for it. I really hope he can get something soon (I want to start doing my student teaching in January and I won't be able to afford it unless he's working.)

School is looking managable for now. I do have to do another observation and unfortunately schools don't start here until week 5 of my 6 week class (the paper is due in week 5). Summer school is now out. I've contacted the instructor about getting a week delay on the assignment - no answer yet.

We are finally getting our new front door installed today. (It was ordered back in May and they messed it up the first time - stained it too dark.) I'm looking forward to seeing it when I get home.

It has been quite hot for us again - my kitties have turned into black and white puddles of goo! Someday - when we have money - air conditioning is high on the to do list. Niko and Tilda like to lay in the shower (not with it running, but right after we've used it.)

Doe and Beth, thank you so much for your support and prayers.

 

[Strings]

Hi Laurie,

I hope one of those leads pans out for DH. I'll be saying prayers. I have a question. Would preschools work for yor observation? I know that many follow a year round schedule r/t work schedules. You coulld also check your local catholic schools. Many of them also do a year round schedule.

Don't feel guilty. It is more imprtatant for you to get better than it is to walk when you are fatigued. I hope you can sleep tonight.

Feel Better.
Beth

 

[LAinSEA]

Beth:

I'm having to find an "interdisiplinary" secondary teacher(s) to observe. That means (I think) junior high/high school and team teaching or teaching two subjects simultaenously. Another student posted that they are having a similar problem with the start of schools and teacher availability. Most teachers do not want to be observed in the first couple of weeks of the school year.

Beyond that - interesting posts by this instructor now make me think that she's going to be difficult on us - we have to re-post our discussion questions - going more in depth and adding references. She's also posted a bunch of info on how things have to be formatted. Good to have the info up front, but with my work schedule and her assignment schedule this is going to be a tough six weeks.

 

[DoeWDW]

Laurie, I'm sending good vibes for Jeff!

You know, schools in Florida have started already - if you had lots of $$ you could fly to WDW and observe in a local school! Seriously, though, there may be opportunities further south of you. Sounds like you'll be more than ready for that vacation to close up the cabin!

Best wishes for your class and all the work that goes with it.

 

[DoeWDW]

I bet you're swamped with classwork!! I hope it's going well!!

I'm sending good thoughts your way!!

 

[LAinSEA]

I'd volunteer to do clean up of hurricane debris and do my teacher observation for a quick trip to WDW!

Yes, as you guessed, I'm up to my chin in school stuff AND designing the graphics package for Comcast. It has been so long since I've put together a unique graphics package that I've been fighting creative block. I'm on a roll now (ofcourse it happed yesterday and now I'm back on the job and can't spend enough time on it until this weekend.)

I was not the only classmember who was a little more than miffed at having to re-do discussion questions. Now we know that we have to discuss our thoughts about the answers the questions first and post final thoughts on Saturday. Nice to know the expectations - but I really like the way the other two classes handled the discussion question thing. When you are busy with a fulltime job - it's nice to get the school work over and done with. We begin team project meetings tomorrow.

I've had a few too many carbs in recent days - cravings for sushi and then for chinese food yesterday. DH hid the scale - don't know where he's put it. I have missed two days of walking out of 7 - and I don't feel too bad about that.

My clothes are fitting the same. My hair stylists commented that she thought I'd lost weight between this visit and last.

I promise to check into journals tomorrow.

 

[LAinSEA]

Eating mostly on plan...eating on days off is actually more difficult than the days I go to work. I either don't eat enough...skipping meals or I taste things I should have (chocolate...must be stress)

Exercise...I've been fighting a summer cold and with the Rain! Yes, Rain! I've skipped a few more days walking than I should. I need to break that firm DVD out of its wrapper and give it a try as an alternative to going outside for my walks.

School is somewhat under control by today... I did something I shouldn't do, I stepped up and wrote our first team paper all by my lonesome...I was quite nervous that no one else was coming up with a plan and so I had an idea and ran with it. The team seems to be taking it well, I hope that they don't think I will write the rest of the papers too. These team projects are really the worst - we are all very busy people and getting our own individual assignments completed it hard enough than coordinating 4 lives too. (And then I am a control freak, and am a bit of an overachiever too...DH says) My eyes are so tired from working on the computer straight now without much time off. I know I should just back away from it and the graphics package project for a few hours. My cold is making my eyes scratchy and dry also.

DH took me downtown Tacoma to get fingerprinted for my education background checks - one for Washington and one for Arizona (U. of Phoenix). The cost is a little over $50 a piece also. They will go into the mail tomorrow. I understand the need for the background checks, it is just a hassle to have to comply.

No word on any of the job interviews DH had last week. He's got a few more resumes to send out to a job shopper this afternoon. He also has a few more home clients with PC problems to solve next week. Word of mouth is our only advertising right now but it seems to be working.

The scale is still in hiding...I'm not sure how I'm going to convince DH to put it back in the bathroom. I do have a final check for my medication study the first week of September and will be weighed there. (Doctor's scales are never fun though.)

 

[Strings]

Hi Laurie,

Ugh, summer colds are the worst. Try to get lots of rest {yeah, right} and drink lots of fluids. Don't worry about missing the walks. Right now you need rest. I'm sure that your teammates don't mind you doing all the work. Just don't get suckered in to all the work for other projects. I'm keeping you and Jeff in my prayers. Take care of each other.
Beth

 

[DoeWDW]

Laurie, I'm hoping your cold is better by now! You're soon halfway through this class - heading into the homestretch! You can do it!! Make sure you delegate the work to your team members, preferably with a deadline that will allow for some leeway in case they don't come through.

I'm keeping you and Jeff in my prayers!

 

[Strings]

Hi Laurie,

I'm just checking on you. I hope you are feeling better.
Beth

 

[LAinSEA]

Doe and Beth, thanks for checking up on me and your warm thoughts and prayers. We certainly need them.

Now I admit that after I've worked late that I stay up even later, usually doing a little reading before falling asleep. The Olympics have changed all that - and I'm watching rowing or triathlons. Last night on late night NBC they were replaying the men's triathlon (what the heck?) from the night before and I actually turned off the TV! Unfortunately I slept, or didn't sleep, fitfully most of the night.

Finally I just said the heck with it around 7am and got up and went for a walk (it wasn't raining!) First walk this week, bad me!

I had sent over some sample graphics to Comcast and now they want changes. I'm glad I didn't design the entire package! I have a great deal of work do to accomplish on them this weekend. School is somewhat under control. Still it is a huge amount of work - more than I'd expected (only 2 weeks down, Doreen, and 4 to go!). I promise not to jump in and write more team papers except for the 2nd one I'm supposed to co-write with a volunteer, any volunteer? I have an individual paper due on Monday and still am having trouble arranging a teacher observation. I put my mother on the problem.

Food has been on plan. It's just that I've been skipping eating and that is not a good thing for me. When I get busy, I forget to take time to eat. DH says it severely affects my mood! Wait till I'm off study meds next month!

No contacts on Jeff's job search. It is very difficult to be patient and I'm afraid that I got a little upset last night. When I got home I found a "shutoff notice" on the ground on the front porch for City Water! Oh, I can't say I reacted with calm. Poor Jeff! He went down first thing this morning to find out what the problem is. Turned out he forgot to sign the check before he sent it in the mail. You'd think that someone would pick up the phone and call about that kind of thing, but no, they send someone out to put "shutoff notices" on your doornob! We went over the finances last night and we still have cash in the savings and checking and are not going into red each month...but we are not adding to the totals either. Its cash in, cash out - better off than most families and I should be greatful.

My cold is still hanging on and getting a little worse. Tylenol cold is my best friend right now.

 

[wilderness01]

Hope you are feeling better soon.

 

[Strings]

Laurie,

I hope you are feeling better. I hope you found a class to obseve. Otherwise, make it up. I think you and Jeff are doing an amazing job staying within your budget. You will ba able to increase your savings when he finds a job, and he will eventually. Try not to get too frustrated. I know, easy for me to say.

I'm thinking about you.
Beth

 

[LAinSEA]

Right now I'm feeling very tired but good about what I've accomplished so far on my "weekend".

Yesterday, I re-did the graphics for Comcast according to their suggestions and created new team specific lower thirds and sent more samples for approval. I still have a great deal of work to finish for this project but it is now in the managible range. I am still fighting with the logo - its not high enough in resultion and needs a drop shadow to make it "pop" but they are reluctant to let me add even a slight shadow.

I also finished my 2nd large individual paper for my class on Adolescent Development. Let me tell you mothers out there raising teenagers that I have all the theory to back you up in any argument with your son or daughter. Just try me. I'm also glad that I will only be teaching your teens and not living with them!

DH got my scale out of hiding yesterday and I feared for the worst. To my surprise I'm down 2 lbs to 161 (a pound away from getting a 20 lbs clippie). I'm now down 28 lbs total from when I started this whole journey last November.

I have been primarily on plan diet-wise and got my walk in Sunday. I will walk tonight to help relax this old body that is tired of typing!

Our neighbors to the South are wanting Jeff to take a look at their computer system. One of his other clients lost a mother-board on their computer during a power outage. Jeff will help them install the new board after they order it from HP. Please don't underestimate the importance of a surge protector - it would have saved the computer. He will be working on car breaks tomorrow. He is really getting quite good at playing automechanic as well as computer technician.

I'm looking forward to a slower day tomorrow - I will still have my freelance graphics project to work on as well as school - but I also hope to have more time for myself too.

My mother found me a teacher to observe on Sept. 13. I got permission to move my observation paper's due date to the 15th. I will be observing a junior high block of science, social studies and language arts classes. The teacher used to work with my mom in elementary school and has taught Head Start, 2nd, 6th and now 8th graders. She should be wonderful to give me a unique perspective on development for my class.

 

[Strings]

Hi Laurie,

Congrats on losing those 2 pounds. You have come so far since November, and not just weight wise. i am really proud of you.

Try to get some rest in here somewhere, I hope Comcast will wise up and listen to you soon. Good Luck on the observation/paper.

I'm sending prayers and

Beth

 

[LAinSEA]

I have been on this birth control pill study for a year now to see if it makes a difference with PMS/PMDD. Not that my "PMS" was severe - but the study folks caught me on a particularly bad cycle and I signed up.

The difference taking these meds has made in my life has been incredible. I highly recommend this therapy for anyone who has emotional, mood, depression problems that are tied to your cycle.

However, my last pill on the study was Saturday night and now I'm feeling very funky waiting for my first period in over 11 months. I'm getting really bad feet and leg cramps, mid-section is not cramping up yet but feels like it really really wants to . I've taken a handful of Advil and I'm keeping up on my water. But I can certain say that I have not missed having a monthly cycle at all! The doctor will prescribe something similar after I see him for the final study visit next week.

Got my walk in this morning - extra long! DH went with me last night and it was an abreviated one. Eating is on plan - BUT - I don't know if I've be able to avoid the chocolat or other comfort foods for a few days. The cravings for something sweet are terrible right now.

Jeff went to pick up the rotors to finish the brakes. I just got the newer Comcast logo and probably should get to work...not wanting to do anything but curl up in a ball.

 

[Strings]

Laurie,

The whole hormonal thing is pretty crappy. I hope the docs are able to give you meds that work well for you. Congrats on your extra long walk. How is Jeff feeling, are his legs still bothering him?

Take care,
Beth