I've Been Hijacked

This morning I read that a man used his own pay stub to write a bank robbery note on. This guy must be brilliant.

I did not go to the gym today, but I did workout at home. It was kinda hard because the rug I was standing on kept slipping. I guess I'll have to do something about that.

My computer at home has been hijacked by some sort of Trojan. A friend of mine is going to try to fix it tomorrow. But until then, I can only check e-mail and such at work.

I signed up for an adult piano class at WVU. It starts January 21 if they get enough people.

Not much else is going on. So TTFN.

Hi, Ho, Hi, Ho, It's Off to Work I Go

I read today that the oldest man is the U.S. died at 112. I hope I don't have to live that long.

I'm trying to get back into the groove of working. It hasn't been easy.

I did not workout this morning. But I will tomorrow. Next week, I have no choice. I have to get back to my regular schedule. Please remind me that I have to do this. Please.

I'm having surgery on my finger on January 8.

Well, I need to get back to it, I guess.

Chance and Caleb

Thanks Kate. That's what I was trying to do.

My Try at a Slide Show

OK. I'm working on this whole slide-show thing. I'll get better at it.

Happy Christmas

Since I Got This New Piano. . . .

Since the piano came along, I've been pretty lax in my posting. The nice thing about learning piano is that when I'm practicing, I'm not even thinking about eating. I'm concentrating on the song I'm trying to play. And believe me, at this point it's trying to play. But it's turned into such a wonderful experience. I didn't know it would be this satisfying. And to say something satisfies me besides food is a definite endorsement for learning something new. No matter your age or even your talent, give it a shot. You might be surprised. For the first time in my life, I can read music.

Also if you if take up music at an older age, it may prevent dementia. And if you have a family history of dementia--like an Uncle Joe who started peeing in the refrigerator after he turned 70 or an Aunt Bessie who started wondering around the neighborhood naked--and you're, oh, I don't know, say 50, you might want to consider taking up music.

I have been to the gym, and I'm watching what I'm eating. I haven't weighed myself in a while. But I will in good time. Probably after Christmas. Then I'll check the real damage.

I have to go to an orthopedic surgeon today to have the cyst on finger checked. I don't know if he'll actually do anything about it today or not. I suppose not. He'll probably set up another appointment to do that. I hope he can just drain it rather than an actual surgery.

It just occurred to me that I've actually used the word actual too many times in that last paragraph. But who really cares? I suppose if there's some copy editor out there reading this--M--she might be tempted to edit my post.

Last night I had the old "naked in public" dream. But it was combined with the "having to take a test that you're not prepared for" dream. So I feel exposed and unprepared for it I guess. I did run across this really nice guy who helped me find some clothes, though. So I guess it's not all bad. I was tyring to hide in the dark, and he said, "You're going to have to come out of there." And then I said, "But I'm naked. I don't have any clothes." At first he said, "I don't care. You've got to get out of there." But I begged him to help me, I said, "Can't you find me a big shirt or something to wear? Please." And he did. He actually found me a shirt and some underwear. Who said chivalry is dead? At least it isn't in my dreams.

OK. That's the most I've had to say in a while. I hope whatever happens today with my finger doesn't affect my typing too much. If not, I'll try to let you what happens. TTFN.

Lose Weight Sitting Down

I saw this on Vicki's post and had to share. it. I laughed until I cried.

Merry Christmas

FaceBook

Hey Check out My FaceBook page.

New Pics of the Boys

They still sleep together.

Physical Reason for Stuffing Myself

I was going to get some new photos of the boys, but they would not cooperate. I'll try again tonight.

I made it to the gym again this morning. Wow. That's two days in a row. I'm going for four.

My stomach still feels much better—although I'm more tired today than yesterday. I felt so good yesterday, I think I wore myself out.

Still pounding away on the piano. Right now, I'm still really confused over the notes. I know the keys, but when it comes to actually playing a song, suddenly I'm a klutz—well, that may not be sudden. I feel like I have flippers instead of fingers. Anyway, I'm practicing. I'm also looking into some piano software. I think that would be cool. A friend of mine is supposed to help me figure all of that out.

I ate breakfast before I went to the gym today, and now I'm hungry again. My stomach is growling—and it feels like actual hunger pangs and not that feeling that I need to stuff myself to make my stomach feel better.

We're having a Christmas lunch at work today. I think I can make it through without over doing it. Like I said, I no longer feel like I have a need to stuff myself. You know, sometimes our downfalls actually have a physical explanation.

Pain in the Gut

Wow. I've been gone for a while.

I have an ulcer. I was getting to the point where I felt nauseated all of the time. I'm taking something called Protonix. I haven't felt as well as I feel right now for a very long time. I had no idea that an ulcer could make you feel so bad.

What else have I been doing? Learning to play the piano. I can sort of play Jungle Bells now. And I can sort of read music.

I made it to the gym today, and my leg feels better. I mean really better. Can an ulcer cause muscle cramps in muscles other than your stomach? Let me know if you have that one figured out.

I'll try to post more later.

I Wish I Could Hibernate

OK. I've had a few questions about resveratrol and soy. They did not work for me. The only things that have worked are reducing the amount I eat and lots of exercise. Sorry. I have not found any miracles. 

Not much else has changed in my life. I'm still stressed. Sticking to any kind of healthy program has been really tough. I wish I could hibernate. I'm working on finding my motivation. But it is not where I left it. 

I was supposed to write seven weird things about myself, but never got around to it. I will try to get to that soon. 

In the mean time, here's an old post with eight weird things:

Over the weekend, I was tagged by Jimmy Moore —that stinker—to play a game in which I have to list eight interesting or peculiar things about myself. So here goes:

1. I was born at home. Not too peculiar, but considering it was in southern West Virginia in the '50s, it's a bit of a tale. My mother did not go to a doctor throughout her entire pregnancy with me. In spite of that, I was born as a healthy nine-pound baby. A midwife named Garnett Farley delivered me. I was born in my parents’ bed. After I was born, my father took me to the “company store” and weighed me on the meat scale. How’s that for a beginning in life? Hmmm. Maybe it was indication of how I would spend my life. On a scale. And in the vicinity of food.

2. You know how people can do that “Live Long and Prosper” thing with their fingers? Well, I can do that with my toes. Now there’s a skill that will come in handy in the future.

3. I did not start college until I was 27 years old. And then I paid my own way through school. It was so exciting buying my books and getting off to school. There is no way I could go back to school now. I’ve tried, but it’s just too much. My hat is off to anyone who could.

4. I’m completely creeped out by root cellars. Those dirt walls and the roots sticking out—can you tell I grew up in the country? Anyway, one of my worst nightmares is being locked in one.

5. I’ve traveled to more than 25 U.S. states, including Vermont, Delaware, New York, New Hampshire, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Wyoming, Colorado, California, Utah, Missouri, Nevada, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. I can’t remember if there were any others or not. Most of my travels have been for work, but some for pleasure. I also have been to Canada and Mexico. Woo hoo.

6. I was bitten by a six-foot black snake when I was 18 months old. And I can remember it as if it had happened yesterday. It happened in my grandparents’ front yard. I saw the snake, and thought it was a rope. I wondered about it a little bit, and then I went up and kicked it. The snake bit me on my right knee. I started screaming. My grandfather, who had been in the tub, came running out of his house wrapped in a towel. My mother came screaming from some other direction—armed with a hoe. The snake didn’t live another five minutes. Don’t mess with a child when its mother is nearby. Now, I kind of feel sorry for the snake. But, needless to say, the experience left me scared to death of snakes. One time, I completely froze in my tracks, I couldn’t move, because one of those little green garden snakes slithered across my path.

7. I prefer Diet Coke to Diet Pepsi any day of the week. I don’t think I have to say anything more than that.

8. I have had trouble sleeping ever since I was born. My mother told me that when I was baby, the only way I could go to sleep was to put my head under her arm. Now, I can’t sleep if I’m even slightly stimulated. But I love to dream. I have tried to remember my dreams over the years. I think that dreaming helps me make sense of my life. The book, Our Dreaming Mind, by Robert Van de Castle is one of my favorites.

And that’s it for my list. Nothing great. Now, I'm supposed to tag eight people. But I don't have any idea who to tag. Does it count if I don't tag anyone?

My Mistakes are My Mistakes, But Yours are Yours

It's taken me a while to write another post for my blog. I've been trying to figure out what I want to say. First, I'll say that I did make it back to the gym. My legs feel like I'm really going to be able to tell that I worked out this morning later. But the most important thing is that I did it.

Next, this is something I really want to say: I am more than willing to take ownership of my own mistakes. I will not, however, take ownership of yours. That's all I have to say about it.

I made a Facebook page. Check it out if you'd like. 

So I don't have much else to say today. 

You Traded in My Car? Seriously?

Last night dreamed that Al came back and traded in my car for another one that turned out to be a piece of junk. Apparently these people flew in from Washington, D.C. to buy my car, so there was no way I could get my car back. I was pissed.

"You sold my car?!" I screamed. "You sold my car?! And you sold me a piece of junk that you knew needed shocks?"

"I said it needed bearings," this little B says to me.

"Oh, so that makes all the difference?" I yelled.

I was pissed because my Toyota—even though it had more than 100,000 miles—was a far better car than the one I was now stuck with—some sort of old, gray Buick. Not only was I stuck with a car that I didn't want and wasn't mechanically sound, I had to make payments on it. WTF.

I went to the gym this morning. I'm trying to work back up to my 90-minute workouts. I'll get there. My leg is feeling remarkably better. Yea.

The diet is getting better. I still need to work on it. 

I'm going home for lunch and to spend time with my boys. 

Life is so weird. 

All Good Plans Get Sidetracked

I made it to the gym yesterday morning and the day seemed to be starting out well. But by 10 a.m. my stomach was cramping--bad. I was home in bed by noon. Even after I slept for a couple of hours, my stomach was still cramping. Then I got nauseated. I hadn't eaten anything, so I didn't have anything to throw up. I had bad cramps on the left side of my abdomen that felt like I was being stabbed. Today I still feel light-headed and a little nauseated. So I'm staying home.

I feel like such a loser. I have been sick, in one way or another, for more than a month. My job sucks. I have too many things to do around my house with no money and little help. Into that i brought a new puppy that's still trying to get acclimated to a schedule. I am stressed all of the time. So I am sick all of the time.

I used to work for this guy a long time ago who said, "My mother always told me, 'Cheer up. It could be worse.' And you know what? It got worse." Cheery words, eh?

So I'm working on getting back into the swing of things. It will take a little longer than I planned. But when did anything I plan work out on the first try anyway?