Happy New Years Eve!

If people start looking like this:

You may want to put down the booze and drink some water. Just sayin.

Note to anyone who reads this, please don't tell me I look tired or ask if I have a black eye because I am neither tired nor do have I been punched in the face. I get 8 hours of sleep every night and sometimes the make up wears off by the end of the day which makes my dark cicles more noticeable. I hate this more than celulite because it makes me feel old so yes I am sensitive so just please do me a favor and keep it to yourself. When you are aware of your own flaws it is one thing but when other people point them out to you, it means something entirely different. It means that I am not blowing it out of proportion in my mind and it is noticeble and unattratctive and there is nothing I can do about it, believe me I have tried. So as much as I try to not let it other me it does and it makes me feel bad and sadly ruins my day. And if anyone knows how to fix t, I am open to suggestions Bah, I hate that it bothers me this much.

One done and one more to go...

As much fun as the holidays can be, and I had a great Christmas this year, I am ready for them to be over.

For one thing holidays mean a lot of forced socializing. Sometimes that can be good, like catching up with relatives, but sometimes it just drains me off all of my energy. Since I am pretty big introvert, constantly being around people feels like it sucks the life out of me and I need alone time to re-group and re-energize. Last week was a whirlwind of activity and I look forward to a few evenings at home alone at the beginning of this week.

I also don't like getting off of my regular eating schedule. Turns out that eating 5 small meals a day, helps my IBS considerably and prevents my stomach from getting upset. When I eat big meals is when it flares up. After a few days of going too long between meals and then attempting to make up for it by eating larger meals and eating foods that arent very healthy, my stomach has startd to rebel. I think the popcorn I had for dinner last night was the tipping point, bad idea.

In conjunction with the food, it has been difficult to hit the gym like I usually do. I only missed 2 days last week but I have had to cram my workouts which means I havent been able to enjoy them and spend the time exercising that I want to. It is unbelievable how much my workouts effect me mentally. If I even go a few days without physical activity I notice I get crabby and grumpy and start feeling depressed. As soon as I get a workout in though I feel happier and considerably less stressed. I should be able to get back on track most of this week and now that I have Wii Fit when I can't make it to the gym at least I can do something.

And finally I really do like the idea of a fresh start with the new year approaching. Even though it really is an arbitrary date in regard to making changes in your life, I always take the time to assess what I like about my life and what I dont and decide to make changes. As cheesy as it is, the start of the new year gives me a little hope that something big and exciting will happen for me this year. My focus this year is on getting my finances straight, pay off the rest of my debt, and start saving money myself instead of relying exclusively on my IRA for my retirement. I don't want to be 40 and have nothing to show for it and I dont want to be 85 and still working so I would also like to learn more about investing my money.

So thats whats been on my mind, I have been a bit melancholy lately but thats ok, I have a lot to be grateful for.

The Real Peter Griffin

Source: Holy Taco

You know whats a bad way to start your Monday morning after a long holiday weekend? Falling down your stairs when you leave for work in the morning. I locked my door, turned to take a step and it was still pretty dark and I was stll pretty sleepy so I couldn't see very well and missed a stair or something because before I knew it I was falling forward and my left shin slammed into the stairs. While I was toppling over I grabbed the railing with my left arm to keep me from doing somersaults down the rest of the staircase, which jerked my shoulder back pretty hard. So I sort of slid down a few more stairs and then stood up.

My shin has a nice bump on it and it shook me up a bit but I am fine. I am certainly glad there was no one around to witness my graceful start to the morning.

Speaking of falling, Saturday I went up to Sierra Summit to try snowboarding for the first time. I have a lot more respect for skiers and snowboarders now because that shit is hard. I felt completely out of my element but my friend Melissa geared me up and told me what to do so I wasn't as lost. I luckily had really great conditions for my first time as well. The sun was bright and it was warm and the snow was pretty recent so it wasnt hard. Unfortunately there were a bunch of people there and since I was on the bunny hill I was with a bunch of kids. I didnt care that 6 year olds were making me look bad, but I was paranoid that would take them out because I had absoultely no control. So because of that I purposely fell most of the time instead of riding it out and seeing what I could do.

It wasnt nearly as miserable as everyone made it sound. Falling didnt really hurt (thank you budunkadunk) and I wasnt sore the next day either. It was really hard though and I would get freaked out when I started to pick up speed. I dont think I will be picking this up as a regular sport but I am glad I tried it.

It was absolutely beautiful up there too. There was a ton of snow and all of the trees were covered in it. Unfortunately the cabin is out of the question for the weekend though. We would have to get it plowed to even get to the cabin and then spend another hour or so digging our way to access the door and we wouldnt even be able to park at the cabin so we would have to hike in. It would just be a pain in the ass so we will have to do it another time. Besides I could use a few days at home without a lot to do, I havent stopped since last week and I am pooped and my apartment needs some TLC.

Anyone have any ideas for New Years Eve?

These are the worst lyrics I have heard in a long time. Lady GaGa, who I assume is a drag queen with a name like that, has this little number playing on the radio these days called "Just Dance". I know everyone who reads this blog is probably too good for the radio so they have not been subjected to it, but I still listen to the radio so I have unfortunately had to experience it a time or two. Basically it is about a drunk chick dancing at a club, a great song for any teenage girl to emulate. My favorite lines are:
"Can't find a drink, oh man Where are my keys? I lost my phone"
"I love this record baby but I can't see straight anymore"
"How'd I turn my shirt inside out?"
"And we're all getting hosed tonight"

Sadly, we have all met this girl but let's not praise this behavior by writing a dance song about it. If I were to set foot into a club (screaming and kicking) I imagine I would see a bunch of girls yelling "woooo!!!" when this song comes on, taking another shot, running out on the dance floor and saying things like "oh my god I love this song! I ALWAYS lose my phone and keys when I get drunk too!". *sigh*

Anyway here are all the lyrics and the video below if you can stomach it.

From LYRICSMODE.COM lyrics archive

Lyrics | Lady GaGa lyrics - Just Dance lyrics

Lady GaGa - Just Dance lyrics

[Feat. Colby O'Donis & Akon]

RedOne, Konvict
GaGa, oh-oh, eh

I've had a little bit too much, much
All of the people start to rush, start to rush by
How does he twist the dance? Can't find a drink, oh man
Where are my keys? I lost my phone, phone

What's going on on the floor?
I love this record baby but I can't see straight anymore
Keep it cool, what's the name of this club?
I can't remember but it's alright, a-alright

Just dance, gonna be okay, da da doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, spin that record babe, da da doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, gonna be okay, d-d-d-dance
Dance, dance, just, j-j-just dance

Wish I could shut my playboy mouth, oh oh oh-oh
How'd I turn my shirt inside out? Inside outright
Control your poison babe, roses have thorns they say
And we're all getting hosed tonight, oh oh oh-oh

What's going on on the floor?
I love this record baby but I can't see straight anymore
Keep it cool, what's the name of this club?
I can't remember but it's alright, a-alright

Just dance, gonna be okay, da da doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, spin that record babe, da da doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, gonna be okay, d-d-d-dance
Dance, dance, just, j-j-just

When I come through on the dance floor checkin' out that catalog
Can't believe my eyes, so many women without a flaw
And I ain't gon' give it up, steady tryin' to pick it up like a car
I'ma hit it, I'ma hit it and flex and do it until tomorr' yeah

Shawty I can see that you got so much energy
The way you're twirlin' up them hips 'round and 'round
And now there's no reason at all why you can't leave here with me
In the meantime stay and let me watch you break it down

And dance, gonna be okay, da da doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, spin that record babe, da da doo-doo-mmm

Just dance, gonna be okay, da da doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, spin that record babe, da da doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, gonna be okay, d-d-d-dance
Dance, dance, just, j-j-just dance

Woo! Let's go!

Half psychotic, sick, hypnotic
Got my blueprint, it's symphonic
Half psychotic, sick, hypnotic
Got my blueprint electronic

Half psychotic, sick, hypnotic
Got my blueprint, it's symphonic
Half psychotic, sick, hypnotic
Got my blueprint electronic

Go! Use your muscle, carve it out, work it, hustle
I got it, just stay close enough to get it
Don't slow! Drive it, clean it, lights out, bleed it
Spend the lasto
(I got it)
In your pocko
(I got it)

Just dance, gonna be okay, da da doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, spin that record babe, da da doo-doo-mmm

Just dance, gonna be okay, da da doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, spin that record babe, da da doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, gonna be okay, d-d-d-dance
Dance, dance, just, j-j-just dance



Lyrics | Lady GaGa lyrics - Just Dance lyrics

I may one of the very few people working today judging by the lack of traffic on the road and at Starbucks but it's cool because I have a couple of good incentives.

First, I only have to work a half day, woo hoo! I also won't have many interruptions since not many other people are working so I will be able to get a lot done.

Second, for our employee Christmas party we are going to go to QN4U this afternoon. Everyone raves about this place and I looooove BBQ so I am excited to get my eat on. Hopefully the bloat will go away by then or I will have to just bring a lot home with me and eat smaller portions throughout the rest of the day. I really just want to pig out but my digestive system punishes me when I do.

Third, I am just happy I have a job to go to, even if it is on Christmas Eve.

Feliz Navidad!

I feel I must warn you...

I may be bad luck. Yesterday as I am walking up to the gym an ambulance pulls up and takes someone away that was on a raquetball court. I didn't see who it was or in what condition he or she was in, but it warranted a stretcher.

Today I come home and there are 2 cop cars and an ambulance outside of my apartment. My first thought was the lady downstairs must have died. As I drove closer I could see the door to her apartment open and 4 cops standing outside with my landlord. A week ago my landlord had asked if I had seen Betty recently but I hadnt, I have seen her only a handful of times since I moved in here. According to my landlord her son will call her every once in awhile when Betty stops answering the phone. Bob couldnt get Betty to answer the door so he called the cops to make sure she was ok.

Bob was talking to the cops and looked busy so I didnt want to interrupt so I went to my apartment without talking to anyone. While walking up the stairs I got a whiff of her apartment though and it was putrid, the same smell I get up the heater every once in awhile. It smelled like a bunch of cats had been locked in there for months with no litter box. So I stood at the window to see if she was coming out on the stretcher and in what condition she was in.

A few minutes later Betty comes out on the stretcher looking incredibly frail but she was talking and more importantly alive. I always thought of her as a mean lady because the few times I did she her she was always scowling, but in the stretcher she looked like a sad little old lady, not mean at all.

I dont know if she is going to be ok or if she is coming back, but I hope she is getting the help that she needs now. No one should die alone in their own apartment surrounded by filth.

And that is why I felt the need to warn you. Wherever I go lately there seems to be an ambulance whisking someone away so you may not want to invite me over anytime soon.

Argg, The Bloat is Back

So this IBS thing is really annoying. I have been a lot better since the marathon and just yesterday I was thinking that I hadn't had the bloat in awhile, by far the worst symptom. Well I spoke too soon. My stomach has felt full the whole day and just about an hour ago the bloat returned, mking me look 6 months pregnant. It is incredibly uncomfortable. On the inside it feels like my intestines are all twisted up and knotted so nothing can get through. On the outside my stomach is all stretched out and I cant suck it in at all, or even stand up straight.

It is really difficult because it literally puts a cramp in my day. I just want to lay down on my stomach which must stretch it out or something because it is the only position I feel relief. I however have things to do and dont have the time to spend laying around. It also makes me feel gross and disgusting and I cannot figure out what causes it. When this happens there is no common food that I have eaten, it is different everytime.

Bah IBS, bah!

To The State of California

We are all sick and tired of your inability to do your jobs and pass a budget. Stop making excuses and stop pointing fingers. In fact don't open your mouths unless it is to talk about passing a budget. Businesses are suffering, people are suffering and a lot of employees that actually do their jobs are getting laid off. In fact the guilt of how much trouble you are causing should prevent you from getting a good nights sleep, but I predict you sleep quite soundly in a nice big bed in a nice big warm house and you dont have to think about where you are going to get money to pay your bills. See it is serious concerns like that which prevent people from sleeping soundly, serious concerns that you are causing. Figure it out and do your job before you cause more damage to the people of this state.

Oh yeah, one more thing. You totally suck and I kinda want to throw eggs at you.

Diesel came by to visit today!



Diesel is the Anatolian Sheppherd that is ginormous, the picture really doesnt do justice to the size of this dog. He outweighs me by 30 pounds and if were to stand up he would easily pass 6 feet. When he is next to me his head is past my waist. He is also incredibly sweet and someday when his dad finds him a girlfriend and fathers some pups I am so getting one.

More Gym Woes

I generally avoid talking to most people at the gym. There are a few people that I will say hello to and chat with briefly and then there are those that I avoid eye contact with because I know they will not keep things brief if I get stuck in a conversation with them.

There is one old man that I have been seeing with more regularity that is on my avoid making eye contact list. He wears the old school sweats with the hooded sweatshirt with a beanie and he always wears the hood up while he rides the bike. One day I was on the bike next to him and although I had my ipod on, he kept asking me questions. Each time I had to say "hold on" while I fumbled with my ipod to pause it and then asked him to repeat the question. This is how he got on my avoid eye contact list, he obviously doesnt care that I am listening to something so if I make eye contact he is likely to start talking.

Sunday I was doing my ab work and I knew he was walking by me so I made sure not to look up. He however stopped and leaned over and started talking, which is really hard to pretend to ignore. So I stopped, told him to hold on while I paused my ipod and then asked him top repeat himself. He then starts telling me that he hopes I am not trying to lose weight because he thinks I am a little too skinny. Well thank you for that sir, to think if I lost weight I might not have a chance to be with you, that would have been devestating. I did not say that of course, he wouldnt have picked up on my sarcasm, but I told him that no, I was not trying to lose weight I just like to be in good shape and went back to my ab work. As a matter of fact, I have gaind 5 pounds since the marathon which I suspect is mostly muscle growth since I have been hitting the weights really hard and can see more muscle, especially in my upper body. I love having muscle and seeing definition and I realize that not everyone likes that look on a woman but I could care less. I feel sexy when I feel strong and I love how athletic women look. Why some people feel compelled to tell other people what they find attractive without any prompting is beyond me. Believe it or not women are not always tring to please men, crazy I know.

There is always something interesting going on at the gym. I should start live blogging.

Um Ew

Just because you are labeled as a celebrity doesnt mean we want to hear the details of your sex life, Pete wentz. For the love your wife just had your first child, show a little respect and keep your trap shut instead of saying things like this:

On his first time with Ashlee: "It was the single best sexual encounter I've ever had. We were in the Soho Grand Hotel, and there was a mirror, and I was like, 'Oh my God, you're banging the girl of your dreams and you're watching it right now.' "

On comparing his lovers: "My wife will murder me if I go on the scale," Wentz said when asked by Stern to rate Trachtenberg's prowess. "I will say that Michelle was a blast. My wife is the ultimate, though."

*Sigh* Maybe someday I can meet a guy, fall in love and if I am really lucky he will go on the Howard Stern show and talk about banging me. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Is it just me or does Jennifer Connelly look like a mannequin?

And On a Brighter Note...

This always makes me happy:



And here is the backstory of the Peanuts dancers if you want a more in depth description of their dances.

People Really Piss Me Off Sometimes

Last week at one of our jobs a piece of machinery was parked overnight in one of the empty parking stalls. It was not a huge piece of equipment, about 5 feet in length and 5 feet high and had cones around it, but it fit within the confines of the stall. The next morning some stupid lady ran right into it. She didnt back into it, she literally ran into with the front of her new car and moved it back 18 inches. Her husband brought her car into the shop to get an estimate and the damage to her car was around $800, and for some reason he expects us to pay it.

My dad of course thinks that is a bit absurd so he involved the insurance company. The guy calls the office and tries to get my dad to just pay without going through the insurance company, which he declines. The guy then sends an email to another company that is one the job that we are working on (we were actually a sub to a General in this case) about the incident. The email gets forwarded to us and in it this guy whose wife ran into our machinery calls my dad a "chicken shit motherfucker" for going through the insurance company.

People like that piss me off beyond belief. First of all if I would have done that I would have been really embarassed that I ran into a parked piece of equipment and wouldnt even think of trying to get money from someone else for it. I ran into it, its my fault it is as simple as that. Personal responsibility however is a concept that apparently is lost on these people. Getting the quick pay off is obviously their goal but how can you not just feel like a jerk for doing that? This needs to go through our insurance because it was an accident on the job and not going through the proper channels can turn into a big problem. And really, chicken shit mother fucker? My dad is always more fair than he even should be in my opinion, he is not out to screw anyone over ever and calling someone a chicken shit motherfucker makes him sound like a ignorant hillbilly, which he probably is.

My dad of course remains calm and finds the humor in it, but he better hope he doesnt cross my path (or my moms path) anytime soon. What an asshole.

It's TUESDAY and I have nothing of interest to speak of so it is link time biatches!

Fuck You, Penguin - It's kinda like and angry version of Adam's Wednesday smile and it uses the word "fuck" like a lot.

Santa Vibe - Yup it is pretty much what you think it is, a santa vibrator. It is only $5 though and anyone who has ever bought a vibrator knows that is really cheap so it probably wont last long...

Sloths are scary when they arent sleeping in trees, dont let that cute face fool you!

No cake for Little Adolph Hitler? Yeah, some people just need to be sterilized, against their will if neccesary.

If you or anyone you know is thinking that a combover isnt that obvious, send them to this gallery. Just be bald, don't add you look like an idiot in the mix.

If you missed it last week, here is the UFC fighter breaking his leg. Definitely not for the faint of heart.

I need to read my receipts a little more closely from now on.

It's Monday, I thought everyone could use a giggle:

It's Friday Bitches!

Yup Kid, I Can Relate.

Let it be the weekend

My week has been unusually annoying and frustrating. Work has been chaotic and he theme of thwe week has been people are unbelievably stupid. Every little thing that could go wrong has. Of course I realize they are little minor things but I react more strongly when the little annoying things happen rather than the big major ones. It is the little things that make life great and it is also the little things that make life annoying. Keeping it in perspective though I am lucky to live the life that I do, even if I do complain about it.

What really set me over the edge though was finding out I have moths in my closet. I have at least 4 sweaters and 1 dress that are ruined and I havent had the opportunity to look at every piece of clothing yet plus I am also scared to look. I plan to do some research today about what the best method to get rid of them. The smell of moth balls makes me sick to my stomach though so I hope there are other solutions. This is seriously upsetting. Clothes are expensive and it is not like I have all this extra money to go shopping with to make up for the ruined clothes. And naturally the moths hit my favorite sweaters and my purple sweater dress that I loved. I have never even seen an effing moth in that closet. I hope they all die slow and painful deaths.

So to say I am looking forward to this weekend is an understatament. So what is going on?

Hiding Fail

Thanks for trying UPS.

So How Much Did You Drink Last Night?

We are all aware that alcohol has calories but have you ever really thought about how many calories you are consuming on a night out? BBC Radios Alcohol Experiment will tell you and also convert it into its caloric food equivilant. Seeing those calories in terms of food makes if more tangible for me at least.

For example if you have 4 beers you will be consuming approximately 715 calories. In terms of food that is equivilant to eating (1) hot dog, (1) burger, (1) slize of pizza and (1) Jaffa Cake (whatever the hell that is, it looked like a donut of some kind-crazy Brits). Thats a lot of food. And in case you were wondering you would have to run approximately 7 miles to burn that off.

So dont underestimate your boozin calories, they definitely add up.

Still peeved that Prop 8 passed like I am? If you havent done so already read the article that came out in Newsweek that makes an argument against the religious argument to ban same sex marriage a lot more articuately than I have previously read. Here is a passage:

"Religious objections to gay marriage are rooted not in the Bible at all, then, but in custom and tradition (and, to talk turkey for a minute, a personal discomfort with gay sex that transcends theological argument). Common prayers and rituals reflect our common practice: the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer describes the participants in a marriage as "the man and the woman." But common practice changes—and for the better, as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "The arc of history is long, but it bends toward justice." The Bible endorses slavery, a practice that Americans now universally consider shameful and barbaric. It recommends the death penalty for adulterers (and in Leviticus, for men who have sex with men, for that matter). It provides conceptual shelter for anti-Semites. A mature view of scriptural authority requires us, as we have in the past, to move beyond literalism. The Bible was written for a world so unlike our own, it's impossible to apply its rules, at face value, to ours."

They had to turn off the comment section because there was so much controversy about this article but it is an interesting perspective that I wish had come out before Prop 8 was passed. It may not change the mind of anyone who is extremely religious, but I think it does help add clarity to the religious mindset when it comes to same sex marriage. Many people reflexively state the Bible is why they oppose gay marriage but cant always be very specific if they are pressed. I think it is those people (my parents, ahem)that may benefit from reading it.

Long Work Rant

I have been completely slammed at work for about a month now and it is starting to wear on me. I like to be busy but it gets very frustrating when it seems like half of my time is spent fixing other peoples mistakes and a smaller portion of my time is spent dealing with computers or scanners that dont want to work properly.

Yesterday I had a stack of submittals to get through which are all time sensitive and even though I send a fax at the beginning of the project telling the subs how many copies they need and it is in their spec book, they cant seem to get that I need 8 copies. So I either waste my time making copies or I have to set it aside to wait for them to bring in the neccesary copies.

The best moment of yesterday though came when I got to one of the submittals and it was a mess. There were (4) concrete mix designs that were all mixed up unorganized and naturally there were not enough copies. So I make all the copies, organize it so there are 8 copies of each mix design that are clearly labeled with a cover page on each submittal as well as a review sheet the Architect requests each submittal have. It took me about 45 minutes to get it together and when I go to enter it in the log I see that this particular sub has already submitted their concrete mix design 2 months ago and it was already approved. Yes I could have checked the log before putting it together but why would a sub re-submit the same previously approved submittal? They were completely done with the process and since I am doing submittals for 5 projects I cant remember what was submitted 2 months ago and what the status of that submittal was. There are 80 separate submittals for that project alone. To spend 45 minutes fixing something that didnt even need to be submitted in the first place is incredibly annoying.

And since I have already ranted this muh, lets talk about Close Out Documents and what idiots people are. When a project is done we have to collect warranty and maintenance information to give to the Owner. The spec book is a huge document about 3 inches thick that gives detailed information for what documents are required for each area. So I go through this damn book page by page and write down what each sub is responsible for. This takes a half a day at least but because the subs are too lazy to look themselves and if I dont tell them what they need to submit they will just throw a vague warranty at me. If all of the close out documents are not recieved by the Owner exactly as requested, they will not pay us and we cant pay pur subs so it is crucial this is acurate.

So I type a fax to each sub individually telling them exactly what I need from them per the spec book. Seems pretty easy for them to just read an effing fax and do what it says but it isnt. One sub sent in their close outs and completely neglected half of what was requested (this is very common). I faxed them back and told them thank you for the warranties but I also need and requested maintenance instructions and I spelled out (again) what exactly I needed and in what format. What do they send, the same damn warranties they already sent again. WTF!! I cannot be more clear just follow the effing instructions.

This is why I am so slammed because idiots cant follow directions. I am doing all the hard work for them and they still cant get it right. You can only put up with morons making things difficult for so long without it just getting to you.

I So Know What I am Going To Be Doing Tonight...

My dad is the king of random gifts. Every Christmas I get the "Dad" gift that is usually a little off in some way. One year it was a leg lamp from the movie A Christmas Story and last year he got me a really cool down vest but it was a size Extra Large because he thought I would want something bigger to keep me warmer when I ran (I said nothing because its little thoughtful things like that - however off - that endear me to people).

Today he went to the store during work and came back with this for me:


He said the office needed a Gingerbread House so I get to do it. Sweet, I love projects like these. I havent made a Gingerbread House since elementary school so it should be fun. I will take a picture of the result. Hmmm I suddenly have the craving for hot chocolate...

Hangin' with Mr. Cooper

I saw this on animal planet and thought it was pretty cool. A couple wanted to know what their cat did all day and put a camera on his collar that took a picture every 2minutes.
This is what they developed, the world from a cats perspective.

Pizza Makeover

One of my favorite foods to eat is pizza. It is also one of the easiest foods to make which is good for me because cooking isnt something I am too motivated to do. Gourmet style pizzas are my favorite so like California Pizza Kitchen and will attempt to re-create their recipes at home, with a healthier twist. Last night I decided to do a version of a mexican pizza that is a combo of CPK southwestern pizza and that mexican pizza Me & Eds has and it turned out really good! So here is my recipe for anyone who wants to make a healtheir mexican pizza (oh yeah and since there is only one of me, I dont measure things but eyeball everything):

Ingredients
-ground turkey
-taco seasoning packet
-individual pizza shell such as Boboli's
-black beans
- 1 can rotel (or salsa)
-reduced fat mexican cheese
-pre-shredded iceburg lettuce
-fat free plain yogurt (or reduced fat sour cream)
-cilantro
-1 small avacado
-tortilla chips (mostly to snack on while you are making the pizza)

Directions
-pre-heat oven to whatever the pizza crust says, usually about 450
-brown turkey w/ taco seasoning in small pan (if you use 1/2 the package it is more than enough for 2 people or for 1 with leftovers the next day)
-when the turkey is almost browned, add 1 can of Rotel or salsa. Heat and stir and then set to the side to cool for about 5 minutes
-Put a small layer of black beans on the botom of pizza shell, smash with a fork or spoon so they are mashed together in a rough paste
-add a layer of the ground turkey
-top with a thin layer of cheese
-put in oven for 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted and crust is cooked yada, yada you know when pizza is ready
-take out of oven add lettuce to top of pizza, sprinkle on some crushed tortilla chips, dollop of yogurt or sour cream (Note: plain yogurt is a great substitute for sour cream since sour cream doesnt have much of a taste anyway), cilantro and diced avacado and eat.

I was going to take a picture because it looked really pretty too but I wanted to eat it more. There is a lower calorie version of everything and you seriously dont have to loose any taste. In fact I think this tastes better because it isnt so heavy on your stomach and ground turkey has a lot of flavor. You can add and subtract ingredients based on taste really easily too.

I know how crappy it is to cook for 1 person, it is really hard to get motivated to do all the work and the clean up for one meal and since I dont have a dishwasher I hate making meals that have a lot of dishes. This recipe had very few dishes and I have leftovers to have the same thing tonight with no dishes except my plate. Dish score, healthy score & flavor score.

Tales From The Gym

When I went to the gym today I was suprised to see the parking lot was full since it is usually pretty empty on the weekends. After I walked in I found out that Centerpoint was hosting a weight lighting competition. I have never seen a weight lifting competition so I was curious and ended up discovering just why weight lifters walk around looking like they cant put their arms down, which I will get into a little later.

They were doing the competition at the basketball court which is a closed off area so I didnt watch them doing their lifts but they were all hanging out in the weight room so I got to see them warming up and getting ready. The first odd thing I encountered when I turned down the hallway was a large man standing up in a tight little shorts with another guy on his knees in front of him with his hand up his shorts. He looked like he was trying to get them to fit appropriately and was pulling them down while he pushed the skin up in them. I mumbled an excuse me and walked past them. When I got into the weight room I was bombarded by more meaty man in tight little outfits that looked like this:

Unfortunately most of them looked like the guy in the blue and not so muich like this guy:

But I digress.
So these little outfits have got to be one of the most ridiculous looking uniforms of any sport. If you are as ripped as the guy above then yes I approve but the funny thing about weight lifters is that they are not always very cut but just big and burly. In fact a lot of these guys just looked fat and had big ol beer guts, but they are quite strong so it is a strange dichotomy.

They arent shy either, treating the weight room like a locker room. I saw at least 5 guys in their tightie whities when they were changing. But again since they didnt look like the guy above, not something that could get me very excited. Then there was the guy that needed 3 people and 10 minutes to get his tight undershirt on - I am not exaggerating. I will call him rolly polly since he looked about 7 months pregnant. He managed to get the shirt on his arms and over his chest but it was not wanting to be stretched over his belly. One guy was pulling and yanking for 5 minutes to no avail. Then a female weightlifter came over to try to help and it still took another 5 minutes before was finally pulled down. That wasnt the funny part though. The funny part came when they got it on and he was literally unable to put his arms down. He was walking around like a zombie with his arms out in front and his shoulders hunched over. Thats when I noticed a few other people walking around like that too. The only explanation I could come up with is that tight clothes like that around the arms offer some support during the lifts. Perhaps they act like a splint would so it is harder to fail, I really dont know but it was extremely funny to see.

And to continue with my strange day at the gym, I was on a mat doing ab work when all of the sudden there was a pitt bull right in my face. I was completely thrown off since obviously I was not expecting to see a dog while I was at the gym, let alone a pit but there it was giving me a friendly hello! I guess it was one of the guys dogs and it ran in through an open door to check everything out. His owner called him back over and the lady who was on the machine next to me thought it was the funniest thing in the world.

I always find it interesting to observe groups of people in cultures I am not all that familair with. Sure I lift weights but these guys are hard core and comptition mode is something I know nothing about. There were guys and girls of all sizes, some looked athletic, others did not. I wish I could have stayed and watched a bit of the lifts but I was starving so I left. All in all though, an interesting day at the gym.

Thurday Night Wrap Up

After somewhat reluctantly going to the Post ArtHop Show at Tokyo last night I have to say I had a great time. I got there a couple songs into Death To Anders and I really dug their music, kind of rock sound with a little bit of a twang, I say with about as much confidence as when I try to describe wine. Bottom line, I liked them.

Then I got to catch my first Sleepover Disatser show which also sounded great, although distinctly different from Death to Anders. It was a good contrast but I was a little jealous that everyone around me seemed to know the words and I didnt, cant blame anyone but myself for that though. I also felt their set was a bit short and I could have asily listened to more.

Unfortunately I had to get my old lady ass home and did not stay for Radamacher but I am sure they were stellar as well, as usual.

Another bonus, no one was burned or trampeled to death, woo hoo! And the place wasnt completely packed so I had enough personal space to not feel claustrophobic. I dont know if I will go out much more during the week than I usually do but I am glad I went and will definitely do it again.

How To (And Not To) Annoy People At The Gym

Found this "How to annoy people at the gym" video and found it amusing. Some people really are completely clueless as to what is appropriate gym behavior which this video humorously demonstrates.

I also found this post on pet peeves at the gym yesterday that was commented on by virtually all females and the most commonly reported pet peeves were:

1. Guys who stare at and oggle girls, especially when you are doing some sort of suggestive looking exercise that you are uncomfortable doing in public anyway (ie the butt blaster type machines)- and as a side note old men in my experience are the ogglers

2. People who do not wipe the sweat off the equipment, particularly the cardio machines (or just flick their sweat on you). All gyms provide anti bacterial spray or wipes of some kind for that specific purpose. It is truly disgusting to touch someone elses sweat.

3. Guys who grunt and loudly slam their weights - stupid meatheads

4. Women who come to the gym to socialize and dont do much working out or even break a sweat

5. People who do not put their equipment or weights away when they are done with them (Monday I had to take off (10) 45 pound weights from a leg press because some jack ass thought leaving them after he was done was appropriate, wtf?)

So if you find yourself at the gym sometime soon, just keep that in mind so you wont find yourself annoying everyone.

Soooo Tired

Even though I did not have one drop of alcohol last night, I am totally dragging ass today. Even a triple venti latte has not helped my hazy state. I am not stating this as an attempt to get out of tonight, I promised twice and apparantly Brian is going to run 6 miles with me(?) if I go so I will be there, but it is just ridiculous how tired I feel. I am obviously one of those people who need 8 hours of sleep every night.

I wonder if Tokyo would mind if I brought coffee in tonight...

I did however have a pretty cool dream last night which I suspect I only remember because I only got 5 hours of sleep and I was probably woken up during a REM cycle. Myself and all of us won a contest and the prize was this ginormous cabin in the woods that had 3 stories, a separate girls and boys wing that had multiple bedrooms and they were all completely furnished and decorated. It even had a pool that was heated in the winter and everyone had their own bathroom. But then I woke up and it was dark and cold and I had no swimming pool and I had to drag my ass to work.

For Monti

I found a Tyra clip that doesnt make Tyra look bad or annoying (just look past the teal painsuit).

Tyra was having a model search contest with past losers of American Top Model and the winner was announced with this really pitiful reaction rom the runner up who felt very sorry for herself for not winning. Apparantly being gracious in defeat is not something she has learned how to do just yet. And although Tyra's reaction was great when she told her "we don't have pity parties" that was basically thrown out the window when they ended up giving her some sort of consolation prize contract too.

I have some sympathy for the runner up, no one likes to be close to their dream and not get it, especially on national television but c'mon pull it together, be gracious and save the outburst for off stage because that is just embarassing.

I think I Will Keep Sleeping In On Sundays...

These Church Signs are definitely not going to get me on a pew but will most likely send me running in the opposite direction as quickly as possible. Some are funny (see below) but the majority are just disturbing. Anyway, take a look at a collection of effed up church signs from Holy Taco (btw Holy Taco has now made it to my sidebar).

Not Having a Remote is Going to Make Me Fat

I know I complained about my remote not working awhile ago and yet I still havent done anything to rectify the sitution. Instead I am going to complain about an unanticipated consequence of not being able to channel surf, eating more.

Before the remote failed I would happily watch 2-3 programs at once, never having to watch a single commercial. I always thought I had just been missing those awful, annoying and uncreative gems of commercials that marketing departments get paid way too much money to create, like this terrible, terrible milk commercial. Turns out though, I had also been missing all of the food commercials that makes things I have no desire to eat look absolutely irresistable. For example the Quiznos Flat Bread Sandwhich commercials make my mouth water and dont get me started on pizza commercials. There is something about the power of suggestion and even though I havent gone out to get the exact thing I saw a commercial for, I have definitely gotten a snack when I am not at all hungry just because it looked good and I was bored. It is much easier to say no to temptation when you dont actually see the temptation because I am not going to sit at home and daydream about cookies all on my own. Show me a Peppridge Farm Commercial and it is all over though.

This is a whole new level of will power I need to conjure up. Night is my time of weakness anyway so I may be in trouble. I am really good about eating healthy during the day and have virtually no cravings for high caloric/unhealthy food. When the sun goes down though and I am sitting at home, hungry from working out and I want to eat anything and everything that has sugar or salt. I may actually need to go down to Comcast and wait in line for 30 minutes to get a replacement remote. Either that or continue doing what I have been trying to do which is read during commercial breaks.

Oh lets be honest, I am not getting a new remote anytime soon. I am really quite bad at doing those little things that are so easy to procrastinate doing. If my pants start getting tight though, drastic action will have to be taken.

I am not a big product gal. I shop at Target and Avon for all of my hair, skin and make up products. Maybe if I had more money it would be something I would spend more on but as it is I shop for a bargain. In the process I have come across some really worthless products and occasionally really good ones. Recently I have found a few that I feel obligated to tell peole about (boys if you are still reading you may want to stop reading now, girl stuff).

Ok first, Avon Magic Skin Prefector. It is an air-light gel-powder colorless formula that is supposed to impove the appearance of your skin tone and you can wear it alone or under foundation. What I like best about this product is that it makes your skin feel flawless and really really soft. I just want to keep touching my face. I have freckles and uneven skin tone anyway so I didnt see a huge improvement there but my foundation go on better. It also has sn SPF of 20 so you are covered from at least some sun damage. Cost: $10.00

Second, Avon Clinincal Advance Wrinkle Corrector. I dont have too many wrinkles or fine lines but they are definitely there and this product really does seem to lessen their appearance quite a bit, especially around my eyes. Overall my face feels very moisturized as well and it smells good. Cost: $32 (this is a splurge for me)

Third, Pixi Eye Brightener. I looked at the price of another product when I got this otherwise I wouldnt have spent that much money but I am glad I did. You put this under your eyes to hide dark circles which I often get and it makes a HUGE difference. I have really thin light skin around my eyes so I tend to have a bluish tone but it is hardly noticable when I wear this, even when I dont wear concealer over it. I have tried many products to hide my circles but this is by far the best one I ever tried and no one has said I look tired in awhile.
Cost: $24.00 (Find it at Target)

Third, Loreal Sublime Bronze ProPerfect Airbrush self Tanning Mist. I love tan skin not so much skin cancer so I am a big fan of slelf tanners. This spray goes on really easily and you dont have to rub it in and get tan palms. It smells ok and doesnt last a long time but it is great to use if you want to show a little leg and not blind people. Cost: $10.00

Finally, Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Leave-In Conditioning Cream. I almost chopped off my hair a few weeks ago because it was really dry and tangled really easily. I have tried multiple products to deal with this problem including expensive salon products, but this product is far and away better than those. My hair is a lot softer and it doesnt feel or look dry anymore so now I can keep growing it out, wee! It also smells really good. Cost: $4.00

Ahh beauty products, one of the joys of being a woman.

Ramblings By Kasey

As I was having lunch with my friend this weekend, we started talking about getting older and all that comes with it. We werent talking about it in terms of wrinkles or things starting to sag or the physical aspects of aging though. Our conversation happily centered around how we feel more secure and confident with ourselves then we ever have before. It is the confidence that comes when you are aware of your own faults and willing to admit to them. It is the security that we may not be very cool or hip or enjoy cool and hip things but we also dont feel the need to try to be something that we are not. I am also considerably less concerned with what people think of me. It is an overall feeling of contentment that in my early 20s I didnt experience much.

It is also funny how we picture our lives will be when we are young. In high school my idea of my future was to have a high paying and exciting job, married to a successful man and we would be traveling the world right now until we started having children when I was 30. Well that didnt so much work out and but it is funny how life doesnt allow you to plan everything and thank goodness for that because life would be completely boring otherwise. I like not knowing what is next and not knowing what or who could walk around the corner at any moment and my life could take me in a different direction. When I am feeling down or lonely, which will happen from time to time, I no longer see it as some sort of punishment because there is something wrong with me. It is just life and everyone, even people in relationships, experience it and without it we wouldnt be able to appreciate the good things as much when they happen.

We also talked about the guys that we used to date or want to date. If I think about the kind of person I was interested in during my early 20s (think rocker bad boy) and what would have happened if I did marry someone like that, all signs would point to disaster. Not that I have ever really been close to being engaged or anything, but I have a much better idea now of what qualities and characteristics suit me and I have also evolved a lot as a person. I dont think I could have sustained a long term relationship because I have changed too much in the past 10 years.

I used to think that when women in their 30s would say how much better their lives are than when they were in their 20s, I thought they were full of shit. But as I continue to live this little life of mine and make both good and bad decisions I have realized that despite the events that occur in your life as you get older, it is the way you feel about them that changes. I am not yet 30 and I wont have everything figured out by then either but I know I will be ok with that. When I decided not to go back to finish my doctorate I struggled immensely with feeling like a failure because I didnt follow through. That was a turning point for me. That is when I decided that even if people didnt think I was smart enough or good enough then that was fine because I knew it was the best decision for me.

I dont always say or do the right thing and thats ok with me. The myth of life is that once you reach a certain age you will have figured it out. Realizing that will probably never happen it makes me see life as not something to be conquered but something to experience so I relax and try to just be happy.

Damn You Auto Format, Damn You

Dear Microsoft Word,

When I use numbers sometimes I am not numbering a list but am listing quantities so when your stupid autoformat comes on and keeps changing the numbers so they are sequential it really pisses me off. And when I change it back to the number I actually want 5 or more times, take a hint and let me do it. When you keep arguing with me about it I get even more pissed!

Thank you,
Annoyed Customer

Just Me, Myself And I

The Monday after having four days off is always a little rough so I am posting a video from waaaay back in the day that I came across in order to distract from the fact that it is Monday and we have a whole work week ahead of us, bah.

I remember this song as a kid, probably because I related to it since even back then I was a bit of a loner oh and lets be honest it rings true today as well. It has a catchy little beat that makes me want to groove a bit and De La Soul is one of those great old school hip hop groups. Oh and the fashion is awesomely bad, just reeks of the 80s from neon to kid n'play hair cuts.

Please to enjoy!