Anxious

I am incredibly happy to be visiting my relatives after several years. It's nice to see the little ones all grown up and see how they've all changed. I'm enjoying my time with them before I have to return and get back to reality.... But as much as I love to be with them, I'm anxious to return just because of the pollution and filth in general. I can't step outside without coughing profusely.

Anyway, I shall post some pictures as soon as I get back...

Muy Bueno!

Okay, so I'm going to Pakistan and India this summer, insha'Allah. One thing that I look forward to (hopefully) see is this candybar! It is my absolute favorite (Toblerone cannot even compare). It's light, with subtle flavors and hazelnut! Who doesn't like hazelnut?!

The first time I saw it, I was in Malaysia. I couldn't stop eating it! When I returned home, I saw it a few more times in an Arab grocery store, and then they stopped carrying them, and started carrying a cheaper brand of the same type of thing (wafer, chocolate, and cream filling). I was sorely disappointed...and I found out something scary about myself afterward. Apparently, I only shopped at that particular store because of the candybar; when they stopped carrying it, I stopped shopping there! I didn't realize that it would have such an impact on my life.

Anyway, I am leaving in less than a week! I have so many things to do besides dream about chocolate, and yet that's what I've chosen to do on my lunch break. Smart!

Oh yes, and I finished my pajama pants in my last sewing class at Sew Crafty this past weekend. I will try to post some pictures of them before I jet-set outta here.

Awesome Clothing Line

Convenient Condo

Looking for a place to rent is easy as beans. Buy? Nightmare. I found one place that I really like. I would post pictures, but that would probably be invasion of privacy...seeing as how someone is currently living there. But it's a really nice condo...built in 2005, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bath...and a GORGEOUS kitchen! Small backyard, perfect for a garden...and dare I say it...ambara ki bhaji (Indian spinach)!!! Insha'Allah. Anyway, it's conveniently located to just about everything. It's also only about a mile from where we are living right now. Of course, the best part of all is that it's within our budget. We're planning on putting a bid down tomorrow, so insha'Allah, they will accept it!!! I'm so nervous!

Sew Cool

I've been sewing a lot more and I'm going to post some pictures of my projects. Starting from the bottom is a tote I made...without a pattern, so I'm proud of it!
The next is a pillowcase I made in my first sewing class. The third is a pillowcase I made the same night when I got home. They're fun and easy!! So, if you know me, be expecting a pillow.

Twitter is taking over my life.

I am twittering...tweeting? I tweet. I twited. Am I a twit? Eh.

Purely Fit

I joined. I should have been wary of the slick tactics they use to sucker people in, but I guess I was already sold when I walked in the door. It's spacious, clean and has everything I could ask for in a gym.

So, since I joined almost two weeks ago, I've been there several times. I can feel a difference in the amount of energy I feel now, as compared to before when I was nodding off after doing simple tasks. I haven't tried the swimming pool yet because they have a lot of classes that are scheduled, but I plan on going swimming this weekend. I did, however, try the sauna yesterday and a line from Seinfeld came to mind: "It's like a sauna in here!" Uttered, of course, by Kramer.

Anyway, I'm sure the boost of energy can also be attributed to my diet lately. I have cut out all soft drinks from my diet. I was never a fan of soft drinks to begin with, but I was finding myself drinking them for the energy they provided. I am sticking to water and juices (no, not Tampico or Sunny D). I don't think I really lost any weight, but that bloated feeling is gone, so it's a definite plus!

Also, instead of snacking on random things in the house, I've been avoiding them like the plague. Well, the plague really isn't a concern, I should say that I've been avoiding them like plaque. That's probably a better reason, anyway. We have a LOT of chocolate in the house, little pieces of "fun size" or "mini" candies, and kisses and hugs and drops that really are not very kind when you eat them in abundance! Of course, you don't realize you're eating them in abundance because you figure you can eat at least 2-5 because they're just so tiny and cute! It's misleading!!!

I suppose it would have been easier to just get rid of the candy, but that's not helping me in the long run. If I know if I can look at it and turn it down all the time, then I can do it anywhere. If I just put it out of my line of sight, then I'll constantly be thinking about it. Absence, as they say, makes the heart grow fonder. So, I figure if it's continuously in my face, I'll get sick of it and not want to eat it! It's worked so far. I'd be interested to see if that works for other people.

30 Day Free Trial!

The sweetest words I've heard in a long time!! I'm going to try going to Pure Fitness and see how it is. I saw the pictures on their website and I am impressed! Again, it seems like it might be kind of busy, but we'll see how many people I run into on my first day...

Mission

I have several missions for this new year, but today I am focusing on embarking upon one particular mission: EXERCISE!

Normally, I go to Curves, but their hours are starting to feel somewhat restrictive. It's definitely conveneice that got me to go to that particular gym because they are less than .25 mile from my house and it takes only about 30 minutes to workout, so I don't feel like I have to set aside a lot of time for it. Also, no one I know goes to that gym!! However, I'm thinking about going to another womens' gym a little further from my house. I heard about it through a co-worker and she said that they offer a lot of classes along with the standard exercise equipment. I am sorely tempted to switch gyms, but I'm afraid I will feel discouraged about going there because:

A. It's further away and the traffic going that way can sometimes be horrendous
B. People I know go there (I don't like to converse at the gym! It's not social hour.)
C. If I drive all the way out there, I might feel obligated to stay for an extended period of time, and then not show up for another week because of the memory of the traffic.

So...switch or not? I had plans to stop at Curves today after work, but I'm thinking about giving the other gym a trial run. They might even be cheaper! That's always a plus. I'm going to try to google the other gym and see if I can take a look at their plans...

Regardless of which gym I choose, I definitely need to drop at least 10 pounds to get back to my normal weight. I want to stay in shape and feel healthier. Right now I've noticed that I tend to stay away from junk food and then indulge in it when I have it around. So instead of eliminating it completely, I think I'm going to buy some and just keep it around so I can have in moderation. Usually Dove milk chocolates with the caramel filling is satisfying.