Motivation to Diet

John and I are on a diet.  We're spending this month focusing on diet and exercise - with the hopes of losing weight, being healthier, and saving money.

Now me?  I've been trying to lose weight for at least two years now - ever since I started taking birth control pills and jumped 50 lbs in 6 months.  I don't have to be the same size I was in college, but I'd like to not be in the "overweight" category! 

On the other hand, John seems to have no real trouble with his weight.  When he's busy or stressed or happy, he sometimes forgets to eat, and loses weight no problem.  But he's a big guy, and it wouldn't hurt him to lose a bit of weight as well.  His motivation right now is China.

See, he's working in a lab that is full of Chinese people.  The primarily language of the lab is Mandarin, and John is loving it.  We both had Asian roommates in college, so we're much more familiar with the culture than most Americans (I think).  Both of us are interested in the possibility of moving to China or Taiwan or someplace someday.

And Chinese people (for the most part) are much smaller than Americans.  They don't weigh as much, and there is a greater emphasis on appearances there.  If we are working towards being able to move there and be a part of that culture, the best thing for us to do is to work on trying to "fit in" - as much as we can, of course.

And while my short-term motivation happens to be my brother's wedding (he still hasn't asked her yet - but it's supposed to be this summer!), I will admit that I'd certainly feel better moving to China if I were about 30-40 lbs lighter ...

Challenges and Pirates!

Last night I made John take me to see The Pirates of Penzance.  I've wanted to see it for years, and a professional traveling Gilbert & Sullivan group was performing in town.  John got in free with his student ID, and I got a discount because I'm staff at the university, ... so we got to see a professional opera performance for $10!

Totally worth it!

If you don't know anything about the show, Pirates is just a goofy, silly opera (in English) with a crazy storyline that is written to make you laugh.  You know it's silly when the largest real conflict of the performance depends entirely on the question "How old are you if you are born on February 29th?"

The singing and dancing were lively and enthusiastic.  John and I laughed throughout the entire thing, and a good time was had by all.


Yesterday John and I started a month-long diet and exercise program.  I've been trying to lose weight for about two years now, which honestly has been difficult because John keeps bringing home ice cream.  And asking me to make cookies and cheesecake, etc.  And the fact that I love bread.

Anyway, this time we're doing it together.  We've decided that we're going to eat simply (meat, veggie/salad) for dinners, and go to the gym at least 4 days a week.  As a reward for not cheating and meeting our goals for the week, we're treating ourselves to something on either Friday or Saturday.  That treat can be ice cream or dessert, or whatever. 

We're not doing a fancy exercise program or hiring a trainer or taking a class, but we're being very professional about it.  We weighed ourselves yesterday, and then took each other's measurements, and we're going to see where we are after four weeks.

So, this is Day Two.  Here's hoping for success!

And this is why I want a new job ...

For the past three and a half years, I've worked in a job that I love - mostly.  I love the people I work with; they are friendly, intelligent, and responsible.  They've put up with my mistakes, and pushed me to be a better worker each day.  I've loved the responsibilities; they've been varied to the point where I'm rarely doing the same thing two weeks in a row (if even two days in a row).  This job has allowed me to be creative and learn new skills - and forced me to do things I never would have dreamed I could do.  I love my boss; he's pushed me, supported me, encouraged me, and expected me to do my best.  He's broadened the way that I think and the way that I view things, to make me a better employee and a better person.

And now it is time for me to move on.  For quite a few reasons, actually.  Some more important than others, but all of them have played a part in my decision to leave.

• My responsibilities have changed.  The company I'm with has undergone a consolidation, or merger, this past year.  Most of my responsibilities have been parceled out to people "better designated" to do them.  And it makes sense, it really does.  Why should I plan the annual career fair, when we're gaining an entire Career Services department with the consolidation?  Why should I create all the event flyers when we're paying a graphic designer to do that?  It's all been whittled away; leaving me with only about 1-2 things that are mine.  I've done hardly 2 days work in the past two weeks - not because I'm lazy or because I don't want to.  Because there is nothing for me to do.  
• There's a lack of communication and promises being broken.  I had a promising job opportunity come up in December (it fell through), and I mentioned it to my boss to give him a heads up.  With the consolidation, he's no longer my boss, and has agreed to be a reference for me.  Next thing I know, my new boss (old boss's old boss) came in with promises that they are rearranging the organizational chart and moving me to a department-wide position.  The job title and pay would be the same, but I'd be reporting directly to the VP - giving me a nice boost on my resume.  The job fell through, but I didn't keep searching for another one, planning to give out the new position a try.  Two weeks ago a memo hit my desk (which is odd itself because our office never uses memos) with the new organizational chart.  Not only did they not put me where they promised, they actually moved me lower, so that I am on par with the temporary and student workers.  After not seeing or hearing from anyone for almost two months, I got that news through a memo.
• Essentially in the next few months I'll be moving offices, changing job responsibilities (to a glorified student worker), and changing co-workers.  It's a new job.  One that I didn't choose, and that I honestly don't want.
•  The hours are going to be ridiculous.  It's a student-oriented job; which means that I need to be available for the students.  Potentially, I could be expected to come in as early as 6 AM, and not expected to leave until midnight.  The position is salaried just so they don't have to pay extra for extra-long work weeks. 
• There is absolutely no room for growth.  The company has come out and said no raises or bonuses for the next 5-10 years.  There haven't been raises or bonuses in the 4 years I've worked here.  And with the consolidation, a new "pay scale" is being put in place.  You get paid based off your education.  There is a maximum that I can be paid with only a bachelor's degree.  If I got a masters, even if nothing else changed, I'd automatically in the system get bumped up the the next level of paygrade.  Which means it is actually impossible for me to move up in the office unless I go back to school.  While working salaried crazy hours.

I've reached a weird point in my job that if I stay any longer, it will actually be detrimental to me and any future job I might have.

So yes, I'm seriously looking for another job.  I'd leave tomorrow if I could.  (I'd actually quit if I could, but A. it's harder to find a job when you're unemployed, and B. I'm pretty sure you don't get unemployment if you quit - and we can't afford that right now.)

I've applied several places, and I'm still looking.  Hopefully I'll hear back from some of them and start going on interviews.  I'd like to have a new job by the summer.

Has it really been so long?

So the good news is that I'd thought I hadn't posted anything since December, when in actuality I posted in January, making this post NOT the first post of 2013.  YES!

The bad news is that this is the first post since January ... well, it's not quite March, so I at least I'm not skipping months?

Anyways ...

Here's a brief update of life to get everything caught up before I start posting regularly again (which I will! I (almost) promise!)

In bullet points - since otherwise I'll talk forever.

• John has spent the past two months working in the lab - and he's been loving it!  One of his classmates has been in the same lab for the past 6-7 weeks, and at the end of that time, she'd done 2 experiments, and he'd done 11.  Yeah ... the PI in the lab told John last week that he'd earned a spot in the lab.  I'm just thrilled that John is happy with what he's doing!
• My job has gone completely insane - and not really in a good way.  I'll probably do a whole post about it, but let's just say that I am actively looking for a new job right now.  
• Honey has had some drama of her own - we discovered that she has a stress allergy (she gets stressed - her skin turns black), and last Friday we had to rush her to the vet for emergency surgery because she was completely full of bladder stones.  Seriously - she had about 20 of them, all about the size of peas or larger.  
• Sorry if that's TMI
• I was asked to be maid of honor (although technically it's matron (which sounds so old)) at my brother's wedding!!!  Even though he hasn't technically asked her yet, because all his elaborate planning completely fell apart.  They'll get it all sorted out eventually.  Maybe he'll never actually ask her, and they'll get married, and that will be a great story to tell their kids someday.
• And I SO need to lose some weight before the wedding.

Sooo ... that's that.  Back to a normal, regular posting schedule.

Not much is going on ... if I weren't so sleepy I'd try to get some excitement in my life ...

John has a cold. 

Which meant that we had a quiet weekend and didn't really get anything done that we wanted to.  I spent the weekend in the spare bedroom since I didn't want to get sick, which made my body ache.  The bed is comfortable, but it's a twin, and Honey would rather join me and share the twin bed with me than John and the queen bed.  She's heavy enough that I can't move her without some major effort when she's asleep and doesn't want to be moved, so I end up sleeping in the weirdest positions because she's pushed me out of her way.

She's so spoiled.

Now we've started another week.  One bit of exciting news - I've been invited to be an Honorary Member of the Golden Key Honor Society.  Only students can be members, and since I'm not a student I don't qualify.  But I'm really excited about this - it's the first time this type of thing has happened to me!

John is enjoying his lab - he's so pleased at how much work he can get done in the lab.  As sick as he was, he still got up and went in and did some work in the lab on Saturday.  Seeing him so happy is wonderful.

Well, I'm hoping this is a slow week, but the only way that's going to happen is if I actually go get some work done.

Ready for the weekend

We were planning on doing so much this weekend.

Helping some friends move.

Driving to the next town over to shop at Aldi's.

Spend some time on the phone with John's school bill company and talk about finances.

That may all be changing, though.  John's feeling poorly today, and will more than likely be out for the count with a bad cold all weekend.  I'll spend the time trying not to get sick and nursing him back to health.

Still, it's been a super stressful week, and I'm so glad we're almost to the weekend!

Starting up the new year - and some movie reviews!

So, I've been back at work for a week now ... John started classes on Monday ... and we're picking up our normal lives again after a perfectly wonderful break!

Seriously, I think this was the best vacation I've ever had.  We all (John, Honey, and I) went to John's parents house for Christmas.  We visited family, ate amazing food, visited Ikea, opened presents, played games, and watched the birth of a baby cow.  John's parents keep cows - and most of them were expecting babies while we were there.  One of them came right up near the house, and we were able to watch her give birth from the window - it was amazing!  Since then, they've had 12 baby cows born, and 8 more coming any day now.

We came back home the day after Christmas, and perhaps 2-3 hours after we got home a couple from church dropped their dog off at our house for us to take care of for the week.  "Ice" was a small little white terrier dog (I don't know the actual breed), and she and Honey did not immediately care for each other.  John and I spent the week just relaxing and doing things around the house, while the dogs kept each other occupied.

Honey was so stressed out - she hated having to share John and I.  She didn't mind if Ice played with her toys or went in her bed, or anything.  But if Ice got in our laps to be petted, Honey got upset and paced and whined and barked.  Thankfully though, by the time it came for Ice to go home, the two of them were getting along much better.  Of course, Honey was still over-the-moon happy when Ice went home.  She was bouncing and happy and playful and on her very best behavior!

John got a lot of really good work done on the house over the break.  He completely re-did my pantry!  and it is totally amazing! I am so loving my pantry now.  I'll have to get some pictures off my phone to put on here.  He also painted most of the garage - with a stinky acylic paint that permeated the entire house with that awful paint smell.  Still, the garage looks much better.

We also went to see both "The Hobbit" and "Les Miserables" in theaters.  They were brilliant.  Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins was spot-on.  My favorite parts of "The Hobbit"?  When Smaug destroyed the city at the beginning, and when the dwarves were showing up at Bilbo's house.  I also loved that they added scenes that were not necessarily from the book, but explained the back story.  John did some research, and apparently Peter Jackson, the director, was given access to Tolkien's writings that were never published.  My personal feeling is that Jackson and his crew have immersed themselves in Tolkien's world for almost 10 years now - I have every faith in them that if they do add something, it will be an enhancement, not a detractor from the world.

Unfortunately, "Les Miserables" did not live up to my expectations.  I've seen the stage musical twice before on stage, and have been in love with the musical since high school.  Anne Hathaway as Fantine was perfect.  She was by far the best part of that movie.  Overall, it was a good movie.  I just had two problems with it:  Hugh Jackman as Valjean, and the music.

Now, it was clear that Hugh Jackman put all he had into this role - he worked at it, and his acting was stellar.  My only complaint with his is that he doesn't have the voice to carry that role.  Valjean is the backbone of the entire musical - he has multiple solos and dramatic pieces to sing.  Honestly, I probably would have been happy if they had dubbed over Jackman's voice.  He's not a bad singer - not at all.  But he didn't have the authority in his voice to carry that particular role.  (Side note - I've heard very similar arguments about Russell Crowe, who played Javert.  Yes, you can say exactly the same thing about him - stellar acting, not as good singing voice - but this didn't bother me so much, because Javert does not sing as much as Valjean.)

My next criticism is with whoever did the soundtrack for the film.  Because that's what it is - a soundtrack.  When you see the play in person, the music is a powerful, driving force that envelopes you.  In the movie, the music is toned down to background music - an aside.  By doing they, they lost the impact that the music gave.

Anyway, it was a wonderful break, and John and I enjoyed it so very much.  We're (maybe) ready for this next semester?  We certainly jumped into it feet-first!