Only The Good Friday - Let's talk Berries

It's time for ONLY THE GOOD FRIDAY again!!! Visit Shelly for the official rules etc.



This is me being very excited to share some good around the blogosphere!



Today we'll talk about berries of all kinds.



We'll start with Strawberries, the lovely red and juicy berries that were my nighttime snack last night and reminded me how easy it is to eat healthy and thoroughly enjoy a food anyway. Fantastic, right? Next time you're craving something you JUST KNOW is bad for you, try a strawberry instead. OR maybe raspberries, or blackberries? I love those as well.



What are your favorite kinds of berries?



We can also talk about last night's Ugly Betty episode which was titled "Ugly Berry" and was all about these Brazilian "Tico Berries", which Victoria's Secret model Adriana Lima credits with giving her her beauty. Now, don't run out and go searching for these berries, they don't exist, it's just a television show. I think...hey, maybe they do exist, you never know! ;-) Mythical berries that can make you look like a supermodel? I'm in!



Or, we could talk about Halle Berry. Halle Berry and Leonardo DiCaprio and a ton of other celebrities who got together to create this amazing public service announcement about getting out there and VOTING on November 4th. Ladies and gentlemen, the presidential election, the most talked about presidential election in recent history (if not all of history), the one that will break boundaries regardless of which way it goes, is only FOUR DAYS AWAY. You must make your voice heard...go vote.



I really wanted to post the video here, but I'm doing this from work (shhh) and I can't access youtube from work, so go to youtube and search for "Don't Vote 2 - The Sequel" to see the video. Trust me, it's worth it, if for nothing else, to see all those pretty celebrities (and I'm talking about the men, ladies). Or, you can come back here later tonight, and I'll have posted the video once I get home from work and the gym.

Moving on, let's talk about my favorite BERRY of the week. My new Pink Blackberry Curve, which shall from this point forward be known as the PinkBerry! I LOVE me my PinkBerry!

Of course, I got this phone for work, so I won't be using it for ALL my personal stuff, I still have my lovely LG Fusic for that, but, I will be using it for some of my own things as well, and although I've only had it 3 days I'm already madly deeply in love.

Really, how could you NOT love this thing? Look how pretty it is! I love new toys!

And that's it, that's all my good for today folks. Hope you gets lots of berries of all sorts coming your way. Happy Halloween!!!

Battle of The Bulge - 3/4 of the way there!

Yeah yeah, I know, I know...I've been a very bad blogger, haven't posted anything ALL WEEK long and didn't even post my Battle of the Bulge post last week. I'm sorry about that, but well, things have been a bit hectic.

Anyway, I won't waste your time on my lame excuses, I'll just get right to the post.

Last week, Week 8 on Jenny Craig, I didn't have the most fantastic week. Lost 0.6 lbs. Still a loss, but not a major one. This week, week 9, was a bit of a crazy week for me schedule wise so I was feeling that I'd probably reached a sort of plateau with my weight, and wouldn't see a change when I stepped on the scale.

Well, color me surprised when I stepped on that scale, because I lost 1.6 lbs. this week. In case you haven't been keeping track (because, really, why would you?) that brings yours truly to a 15 lb. weight loss in 9 weeks. HOLY CRAP! That's crazy insane goodness if you ask me. I'm doing a little happy dance even as I type this.

Also, we took measurements. Now, as much as I love you all, I'm not about to put my measurements out there for the whole world to see. Sorry, just won't do it. But I will tell you this, I've dropped two inches off my bust, 4 inches off both my abs and hips and 6 inches off my waist...SIX FREAKIN' INCHES!!! Can you stand it?

I'm now 5 lbs from my initial goal, which means 10 from what I've decided is my final goal. I now officially weigh almost what I did in my mid 20's. I can't be 100% sure on all that because back then I was skinny so I didn't believe in scales, but I'm pretty sure I'm almost there.

BUT I've taken an additional step and joined a gym yesterday. I start my workouts tomorrow night, so get ready to hear me complain about pain...uh, I mean to hear me talk about how great I feel physically. Yeah, that's it, that's what I meant.

Check in next week to see how I did at the gym, and what the scales have to say about that.

Only The Good Friday #2 - My Girls

IT'S FRIDAY!!!

Know what that means? It means its time to post only good things. I joined Shelly last week when she decided to spread a "GOOD" virus for a change, in the midst of all the negativity we are constantly bombarded with, and I'm ready to do it again.

So, what good do I have to share with you today? Well, today's post is all about my girls. Or your girls, maybe...it's about the girls anyway.

I could do something silly, and tell you that by "girls" I mean breasts, and the fact that a study has come out that if a woman drinks more than 3 cups of coffee a day, her breasts will shrink. See, this may not be a good thing for some women, but for someone like me? GOOD NEWS! I'll tell you what else too...since I've been on Jenny, I've started drinking a whole lot more coffee, and the girls? Yes siree, they are a shrinkin'. And I'm lovin' it. BRING ON THE COFFEE, I say!

But that's not the girls I was thinking of when I started this post.

What girls then, you ask?

I want to talk about girlfriends.

I don’t mean the romantic buying flowers, falling in love, wanting to get married kind of girlfriends.

I mean girl friends.

The women in our lives who make each day just a little bit brighter by being a part of it.

The ones we have fun with, the ones we cry with, the ones we laugh with, the ones we might even fight with now and then.

Our shopping buddies, our travel buddies, our pseudo therapists and motivators.

The shoulders we cry on, the mirrors we use to reflect our own faults off of, the understanding smiles and the forgiving embraces.

The phone calls at 3 in the morning, the late night conversations over martinis, the crack of dawn trips to early bird sales.

The hand holding in a doctor’s office, the slight push toward the man we’re eyeing, the holding back from the punch we wanted to throw.

The perfect meal at the end of a long day, the “let’s go for a walk” when you need it most, the thoughtful email at just the right moment.

The prayers, even when they don’t know what they’re praying for, the inspiration they provide just by being, the lessons they’ve taught you without even trying.

The giggles, the unspoken language, the knowing looks, the mischievous grins.

The history you share, the present you enjoy, the future you’ll experience.

The incriminating photographs, the blackmail stories, the nostalgia, the songs that only you know the alternate words to.

The life lessons, the heartbreaks, the “first times”, the milestones.

The jealousies, the bitterness, the drifting apart.

The cheerleading, the support, the unbridled happiness at each other’s successes.

The ones who’ve come and gone, but left an imprint never to be forgotten.

The ones who’ve always been, will always be, no matter what.

The ones you’ve yet to meet, who’ll make their mark, do their part.

The young, the old, the in between.

The shy, the bold, the beauty queens.

The ones you loved, the ones you liked, the ones you merely tolerated.

The ones you led, those who walked by your side, and those you emulated.

Your sisters, your mothers, your cousins, your soulmates.

Your pen pals, your email buddies, your high school friends.

The ones who lived next door to you, the ones who live across the world.

The ones you’ve known all of your life, the ones you’ve never met face to face.

THOSE girls. Let’s talk about girlfriends. Because without them, there would be no you. There would be no me.

That's my good for this Friday. Want to participate? Head on over to Shelly's and join in. Or just share here in comments some good thoughts for this Friday!

It's Just a Novel!!

Yes, I may have entirely lost my mind. Let’s be honest here, I don’t exactly have a whole lot of free time on my hands. Between working a full time job, running a youth group practically on my own, teaching ccd classes every few weeks, preparing for an upcoming retreat, trying to keep a household running, figuring out how to work in an exercise routine, having a serious television addiction and attempting to have a social life…it’s no wonder I barely have time to blog lately. Notice I didn’t even mention shoe shopping? Who has time for shoe shopping?

WAIT…WHAT? Scratch that, there’s always time for shoe shopping.

But I digress.

I’m well aware that my blogging has suffered the last several months. I have neglected all three of my blogs, not to mention the various other blogs I make “guest” appearances on here and there, and even worse, I have seriously neglected the blogs I love to visit and read. But, not only have I been entirely too busy, but this new job, as much as I love it, makes blogging a bit difficult. What with all the firewalls and other things, I’m weary of spending too much time online on my work computer.

This is not actually a bad thing, as we’re supposed to WORK at work, right? So, that only leaves my evenings for blog stuff and well…my evenings are pretty crowded lately.

The thing is, that in this new job, I actually have quite a bit of free time. I have my busy moments, but then I do have other times when I literally search for busy work.
It is actually during those times that blog posts such as this one are created, then copy pasted into my blog when I am at home. SHHH…don’t tell.

So then, I decided I would do something productive with my downtimes.

I signed up for NaNoWriMo again this year. Writing a 50,000 word Novel in the month of November.

Again, yes, I may have entirely lost my mind. But I’m doing it anyway.

Last year I signed up, and I was all gung-ho and excited about it. That is until the big “meltdown” happened and I lost precious hours…nay…days trying to recover my manuscript. By the time I managed to do so, I had lost my momentum, my motivation and my muse. So, I quit.

I also broke rule #1 of NaNoWriMo last year anyway, because I tried to revive an old manuscript, instead of starting from scratch, which is the entire point behind NaNoWriMo.

So, I’m doing things right this year, and I’m starting from scratch, with a brand new story. One I have yet to dream up, but there are ideas floating around in my head already, pumping themselves up to compete to be the winning entry.

And heck, why not, I’m going to give it a try. What’s the worst that can happen? I don’t reach 50,000 words? Well, at least I’ll have a great start to what could be the next great American novel. Or…whatever.

So, are you doing it? Do you NaNoWriMo?? If so, BUDDY me, let’s keep each other motivated.

That Other Me

Allow me some self-indulgence in this post, won't you?

It seems that lately I’m re-inventing myself. It was not a conscious decision, this “becoming someone new” thing, but there it is. I’m shedding my old skin (along with a few pounds and a ton of insecurities) and re-emerging as the star I know I was meant to be.

It’s funny how that’s happened more than once in my life, and funnier yet how I don’t notice that I’ve climbed back into my cocoon until I’ve re-emerged from it.

When I was younger, growing up in Portugal, I was a pretty popular kid. In every memory I have as a kid, I was always surrounded by friends, holding court, the leader of the pack. It was my show, everyone else was just lucky to get a bit part in it.

However, moving to the United States in the middle of 4th grade threw a bit of a ratchet into my plans of becoming queen of the world. Suddenly I was in a strange land, speaking a strange language, trying to fit into a world that had been revolving without me for a long time.

It didn’t take me too long, however, to find my place, and once again, establish myself as the “go to” person amongst my friends. That is, until, I was thrust into a brand new school year after year, as my parents attempted to figure out their life in this new country.

By the 8th grade, I’d lost my place all over again, and was feeling about as beat down as a kid can get when they are completely out of their element. No longer was I the star of the show, at this point, I didn’t even make the cast. In fact, I’m not sure I felt I was even qualified to paint the set pieces.

My high school years were NOT the best years of my life by any means, and I struggled to find my footing. It was during this time that the timid, insecure part of my personality truly took form. The girl I became in high school would haunt me for years to come, the insecurities heavy on my heart and mind more often than not.

In college, however, I did it again. Re-invent myself, I mean. This time, it was a conscious effort, as I pushed aside the shy, insecure girl, and let the vivacious, flirtatious, and ambitious ME come out to play. I had a great time in college, and have mostly memories of being free to be the “real” me. This new me, the confident, strong, independent me, lived on after college as well. She took a few unscheduled sabbaticals, mostly during the two or three destructive relationships I allowed myself to be in, but never failed to reappear before it was too late. Before I was too lost.

But something happened in the last few years. Although by all appearances, anyone would tell you that I was still representing that college girl, that strong, confident woman on the outside, the truth was that she was gone on sabbatical again. Only this time, she didn’t tell me she left.

I hadn’t realized what a beating my self-esteem had taken until very recently. Until I started to work on bettering myself again.

So, it brings me to this moment. Over the last several months, I’ve been re-inventing myself again. At first, sub-consciously, reconnecting with old friends, and with God, and finding an inner strength, and inner peace I hadn’t realized I’d lost. Then, more consciously, on a slightly more “superficial” level, by taking back my social life, and taking back my body from the complacent place I’d let it settle (heavily) upon.

Now, I walk down the street with my head held high again, no more watching my feet as they land step by step. I make eye contact with strangers, and I smile at passersby. I feel worthy once again of the attention I’m receiving from the opposite sex, and am not afraid to return it, as I have been for so long. I now look forward to heading out to social events, dressing up, getting all girly to show off what God gave me, and enjoy my existence in this world.

Always a bit of a fashionista, I’d let even that side of me slack recently, but I am again taking pride in my wardrobe, pulling together outfits, creating trendy, unique looks that only THIS ME can pull off. THIS me. Because that other me? She didn’t believe she could do it, she didn’t have the guts. She didn’t want to be seen, she wanted to just coast by unnoticed. THIS me, however? I want it all, the attention, the intrigue, even the disapproving or misunderstanding looks. Not everyone will get me, and THIS me is okay with that. You don’t have to like me, but you will notice me. That’s the me I’ve always so enjoyed being. The “unafraid to raise eyebrows” me. The “look at the bounce in her step” me. The “that girl could rule the world” me.

See, you can’t be a star if you don’t allow yourself to shine, and stand out there all alone at times, and me? I’m ready for my moment in the spotlight once again.

Don’t worry though, I promise to use my powers only for good.