Two things

But first: So for this post title I was gonna try and find a good song with "Two" in the title (there are approximately 8 billion) so I searched "Two" in iTunes. Of course they give results for Two in the song, artist, album, etc. You know what song came up that I completely forgot about but totally love?? "Hoochie Mama" by 2 Live Crew. Remember that song?? "You ain't nothin' but a hoochie mama, HOOD RAT HOOD RAT HOOCHIE MA-MA". Haha, I sat here laughing at my computer for a solid 10 minutes. Good times.

Okay. On to the two things I was going to tell you.

One: EHarmony update. If you didn't see my Twitter feed on the side, I sent a message to a guy. This is a big deal for me and so far I seem to be handling it well. Maybe he won't write back, maybe he will and turn me down, who knows. But right now what's important is that I took that chance.

The other EH thing I did: I responded to a message from a guy that contacted me. Not only is it important to me to try putting myself out there, but I wanted to try giving someone a chance that I normally wouldn't. In the past, I haven't felt a connection with any of the guys that have shown interest in me. And yeah, either there really wasn't one or I wasn't willing to explore it. So I took a chance and responded to this guy. We'll see what happens with that.

So regardless of the outcomes of both of these moves, I'm happy that I did them at all.

Two: This is way overdue, but here's my pink $7.50 Target coat!

(it can close around me more but I usually just leave it open like that. and I am SO GLAD you guys backed me up on their weird sizing. Erg!)

(oh and I know I'm showing my face now and everything, but it's a lazy Saturday and my hair and face are totally gross. Just because I let you see who I am doesn't mean I'm not totally vein and need to be all done up to take a picture or video. Eeee!)

Back from Katmandfood

Today was a pretty great day! Lots of successes.

First of all, I found out I scored a new temp gig! It starts next Thursday and it’s going to be full time and last for at least two weeks – it’s with a nonprofit in DC and I’ll be doing fundraising/development assistance type stuff. I’m really excited. It’s a step closer to the type of career I want and I can’t wait to get my feet wet.

This was all set up through a recruiter that I have been working with who has been an absolute angel. She really makes me feel like she’s paying attention to me, and invested in finding me work; whether she actually is or she cares enough to make me think she is doesn’t really matter – if I’m on this end, either works! And it clearly does since I’m gonna be working!

The best part of all this? I had to interview for it, and I wasn’t the only candidate. I was CHOSEN.

Can I…can I just repeat that?

I WAS CHOSEN.

I interviewed for something, was competing against others, and for once, came out on top.

That makes me feel so good. It’s definitely been a confidence booster for me.

The other successes for me:

Pretty decent eating! Had some greek yogurt/honey/Kashi Honey Sunshine Cereal mix for breakfast, along with a cup of coffee.

I did more light snacking throughout the day versus one bigger meal – had some strawberries, then some turkey pepperoni and string cheese, and then an arnold’s thin with almond butter.

For dinner I had some veggie crunchers (I need to take a break from these, I think. Step. Away!) and a ridiculous sandwich. I had a Weight Watchers bagel with 2 slices of American cheese, a little bit of mayo, and some bread and butter pickles. It’s actually one of my favorite sandwiches. I have the palate of a seven year old.

I also had a Diet Coke. I think there are about 5 or so Diet Cokes left in the fridge. Once they’re gone I am not going to buy any more.

So as I tell you about what I did this evening, I’m going to tell you something good, and something kind of shameful.

The shameful thing is that I have a treadmill in the basement. To use whenever I want and I don’t think I’ve stepped on it in…maybe around a year? I cannot remember the last time I was on it. But I feel guilty that it’s down there in our basement collecting dust while I pay for a gym membership.

The GOOD thing is that I actually used it tonight!

I was on it for a little over 20 minutes I think. I was maybe running for 3? The reason I’m not sure on times (or speed or incline, for that matter) is because the display is broken. And the way to change speeds is to push up this little lever. And it’s one of those old models that folds up, but when you rest it down it sits at an incline that can’t really be adjusted. Okay so really I hate this fucking treadmill but at least I got on it.

Between the combination of the incline and not running for four weeks, that little spurt of running just about killed me. It’s so sad how quickly you lose that kind of momentum, isn’t it? Yeesh.

Maybe the reminder of how much I hate my treadmill at home will be enough of a kick in the butt to get me back to the gym!

PS: Post title brought to you by a song off of OK Go's new album. Love them. And the video for one of their other new songs is GREAT.


OK Go - This Too Shall Pass from OK Go on Vimeo.

I'm a band geek at heart (Clarinet! Holler!) and did marching band all four years and everything. Love it.

Connect Four

(Pretty Sneaky Sis!)

So, I ate really well today. I scored a temp gig and took a bunch of little snacks along with me. Throughout the morning and afternoon I had an arnold’s thin with almond butter, string cheese, turkey pepperoni, baby carrots, coffee, water, and garlic and herb all-bran crackers. When I got home I had a BIIIIIIG wrap, consisting of “Buffalo Style” chicken sausage, romaine lettuce, light ranch dressing, shredded carrots, and hot sauce wrapped in a tomato basil wrap.

(I know the tomato basil and the zingy-buffalo flavors don’t mix, but it actually tasted good – the wrap wasn’t at all basil-y so it was fine. Just so you don’t think I’m a total weirdo. Even though you think so anyway.)

Oh and I also had some veggie crunchers, maybe a little over a cup? And a Diet Coke.

So all in all, I ate healthfully. I made good choices.

But somehow, it doesn’t feel like it. I feel guilty, and there’s really no reason for it. Has anyone else experienced similar phantom guilt? It’s bonkers.

***

So I did it. I took the plunge. I signed up for 3 months of EHarmony. I’m terrified. My palms were literally sweaty after I did it and I felt my chest tighten. I’m so terrified of rejection – it’s not something I want to face. But I’m trying to do things outside of my comfort zone, in the name of change and evolution and what not. Maybe it will ultimately be good for me, in the long run.

Now the question is: Pursue or be pursued.

ComfortLaura says: Be Pursued! (After she finished screaming “RUN RUN RUN AWAY NOW GO HIDE IN YOUR VIDEO GAMES! LUIGI IS ALL THE MAN YOU’LL EVER NEED!”)

NewYearDynamoLaura says: Be Pursued!

Ha! See what I did there? Did you not read the part about me being terrified of rejection?

So stay tuned for EHarmony shenanigans.

***

My First Giveaway! (They Like Me! They Really Like Me! …no they don’t.)

So Progresso Soup is doing a Souper You Debut, an essay contest – the winner of which gets a really cool makeover trip/experience in NYC. You can read about it here: http://www.progressosoup.com/souperyou

In the next few weeks I’ll be trying some new flavors and telling you good lookin’ folk allll about ‘em. I already LURVE their French Onion flavor and a big fan of their Minestrone so I’m excited to try some new ones. I’ll be throwin’ some Progresso Knowledge your way soon.

Also in the next few weeks I get to giveaway a Progresso Prize Pack! It’s got soup, a mug, and a digital jump rope:

Sweetness. I’m gonna set that up soon – just as soon as I figure out how to do it. It’ll be in the next couple of weeks, I promise.

And because of some FTC guidelines I really don’t understand, I have to tell you that Progresso provided me with the soup, gift pack, information and the giveaway, basically everything. I provided the sass. That’s what I’m bringing to the table.

So in the meantime, you can go to http://www.progressosoup.com/souperyou and submit your essay for a chance to win a sweet trip to NYC. You can also print out some coupons! Why haven't you gone there yet?! .....wait, finish reading my post first (I'm important!) and then go.

My unofficial rule is that if you win that contest as a result of hearing about it from me, you have to bring me as your Plus One. (This Is A Joke. Repeat: I Don’t Mean This*)

***

Thanks ladies! 266 at 266, Becca at (Boston) Marathoner in Training and Kat at Low Fat Kat passed on this award to me! I have to share 7 things about myself and then pass it on to 7 bloggers.

7 things about me:

1. I am scared of mouthwash. I was at the dentist when I was about 5, before I was old enough to get the fluoride treatment thing – and they give you mouthwash instead. I swallowed some and then got violently ill. I’m still gun-shy about mouthwash to this day. I use it, because, I’m a freaking adult, but I hate it. I’m afraid of it.

2. I really want a Craigslist Missed Connection to be written about me. A friend of mine has had THREE about her. I want!

3. I was in band in high school, and we had our own superlatives. I was voted Coolest Sophomore, Coolest Junior, and in my senior year was voted Coolest Senior, Best Eyes and Most Fun to Be Around. It makes me laugh to wonder if such titles mean I’m the biggest geek in context with the rest of the world :-)

4. Until about a year and a half ago, I thought the phrase was “for all intensive purposes”. …it isn’t.

5. When I was 16, I was in love with a DC United player named Bobby Convey. He was exactly my age (same birthday down to the year) and living in the town over from me with the family of a friend of a friend of a friend. One of my best guy friends agreed to go on a date with this girl basically in order to get information on Bobby Convey’s whereabouts one Friday evening – at our high school rival’s soccer game. It was this huge ordeal, and so I went to the game with three of my friends. Sure enough, Bobby Convey showed up. I took one look at him and said “I want to go home”. I was terrified. My friend had to drag him over to us and carry the conversation as I stood there staring. I’ve never been good around guys OR famous people – this was a terrible combo. (I may or may not still carry a torch for him. Bobby, holler at me, forget about that EHarmony stuff I mentioned earlier, I was totally kidding)

6. I loathe tomatoes but I love ketchup and tomato soup.

7. I was the reason two of my dearest friends (the ones with the new condo!) got together. Six years ago we were having a big party, and they had been timidly flirting… So the night ends and we all passed out because…well, we were all shit-canned. So I was snoring, as I do and as one does when schwasted, and my guy friend was in the same room as me. He couldn’t take the snoring, and the next available room was that of his future girlfriend! That was the first night they got together, and the rest is history. They probably would have gotten together anyway, but I like to take credit, because that’s just the kind of Snoring Friend I am. I hope someone tells this story at their wedding, ‘cause it’s classy.

And I will pass it along to:

Jenny at Keep Me Accountable
Allison at Operation 365
Greta at Big Bottom Blogger
Doug at Beer and Cheese to the Beach (okay I know it's kind of a girly award, but honestly you can't get a better blog title. for realsies.)
Foodie Girl at For Me
Shannon/Chai at We Kin Get Thin
Kristina at Life Won't Weight

and I'm BREAKIN' THE RULES and doing another one because I really like her blog:

Kaitlin at Everyday Grace



(*I totally do mean it.)

She Moves in Secret Weighs

Heeyyooooo! Back with the pun-ny post titles. How do you like that. I'm not making any promises, because it's actually really tough to come up with one for "meal" and "food" every day. I'm running out of ideas. If you have any ideas for those, send them my way! I'll even credit you :-)

Okay, so you'll notice my cheerful disposition and excessive use of smiley emoticons and exclamation marks. I...LOST WEIGHT.

I literally don't know how this is possible. In fact I kind of think it's unfair given the week that I've had even if I did sort of get my head together the past few days. I'm not about to give the lost weight back to the scale, but...I dunno, it feels different when you know you didn't earn it, right?

This is what Taylizzle told me this morning:

217

That's a 1.8 pounds from last week. I am dumbfounded and happy and weirded out but I'm gonna roll with it and have a better week this week.

(and thanks for your comments on the vlog. it made coming out of the blogset much easier, hehe! I guess the reason I stayed anonymous at first was because I was afraid if my friends ever stumbled upon this blog, they would see my weight and I would be embarrassed. But at this point, I should be proud to show off what I've accomplished, rather than ashamed of what I haven't yet, right? That's how I should feel, now I just have to get there!)

(oh and Rebecca, let me know when you're in Baltimore! We're totally hanging out. Done deal.)

(I'm just gonna keep going with this whole parenthetical post, and tell you that I just got a new winter coat - because I have great timing and all - from Target on clearance. It was $7.50! It's a cute salmon-pink pea coat. It's an XXL and I can button it but it's not comfortable. And yet I have an XXL dress of theirs that is big on me now...their sizing confuses me. But anyway, this coat is on the "Must Lose Weight To Wear" list!)