Every now and again, I'll go onto my blog and click the Next Blog>> button to see what Blogger will return to me. I figure it's a way to potentially find new blogs to follow and it's interested to see the type of blogs Google aligns with mine.
Today I clicked the Next Blog>> button and was presented with a blog about quilting and furniture restoration. Hmmm...quilting? Maybe you could justify furniture restoration as I can have a crafty side to me, but quilting? I made one quilt square in my life for cute little Silas's baby quilt, but that came out crooked and I was a bit embarrassed by it.
So I clicked Next Blog>> again and was presented with a blog on "The Perfect Wife's Guide". I'm not married and when I was, or if I ever am again, I very much doubt that I would fall into the Perfect Wife category simply b/c I would never read a Perfect Wife's guide.
I'm not sure how Google does the blog alignments, but I suspect it's based on whatever is put into the labels of the blogs. I generally don't label my blogs which may be the problem. So, over the next few blogs, I'm going to start putting crazy labels in to see if makes any difference.
I'd love for you to visit my blog and then click the Next Blog>> button to see what's returned to you.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Why are we doing this??
Last August for HA's birthday, I bought him a gift certificate from RedBalloons.com.au. Red Balloon allows people to purchase experiences rather than things. I bought him this gift certificate with the anticipation that he would use it to do the V8 Driving experience (similar to the Nascar driving experience). I knew it was something he wanted to do but would never buy for himself. Unfortunately, we were never able to coordinate a weekend in Sydney or Brisbane when they were having that particular experience.
So back in May, HA realized he needed to use these gift certificates before they expired (it's still legal for them to expire in Australia). So, he went through their website to figure out which experience he wanted to do. He settled on skydiving in Wollongong over the pacific and landing on the beach. This was something else he had always wanted to do so he was super excited about it. He asked me if I was interested and I said "Yeah sure, I'll call tomorrow to book in".
As work would distract me during the day and the office was closed after 5pm (as everything is in Australia), I never got around to booking in - not that I was too terribly upset about that. In the meantime, HA had talked our friend MayDay into joining him. So now, I was being badgered to book in on two fronts.
The weekend of the jump came and HA, MayDay, and some other friends all went to Sydney for the weekend (Wollongong is a short drive from Sydney). On Saturday morning, I made the mistake of saying "It's too bad I never was able to book in to join you" to which HA responds "well, give them a call and see if they still have space". Dang it - bad move on my part. So because I'm sitting right next to him, i have to call, and wouldn't you know it - they have an opening and I sign up.
The next day we wake up bright and early to drive out to Wollongong and we're hungover, of course. We get to the drop zone on the beach go in to let them know we're there. The first thing we do is weigh in. If you're more than 88 kg's, there's a surcharge and they have to match you with a person that can manage the weight. Then they take us out and have us put on parachute pants and a harness. They quickly give us a safety lesson which consists of: get on your knees, arms crossed, head back, and do everything your partner says! Ok, sounds easy enough. Then I meet my partner. She's about 5ft (if that) and about 90 lbs. Really, this woman is going to carry me and jump out of a plane with me?? I'm twice her size..maybe even three times her size. We will NEVER stop falling through the sky - I'm going to weigh us down! I take a deep breathe and remind myself that they do this for a living and know what they're doing.
They quickly bus us out to the air field and load us up into the plane. HA and I were able to be next to each other but MayDay was a few people in front of us. The plane takes off and we slowly circle up to our drop altitude. At five minutes before the drop, we all start harnessing to our partners and they roll open the door.
This is where things get interesting.
The guy closest to the door starts scooting over and then they are suddenly gone. It's as if they were sucked right out of the plane. It suddenly dawns on me that I'M JUMPING OUT OF A PLANE. I sub-consciously start to dig my feet in so we can't move. All of the people on the plane are one-by-one being sucked out and my stomach is doing flip flops. Next, I watch MayDay scoot up to the door. He's on his knees looking down and he looks absolutely terrified. I start screaming his name but he can't hear me and then he's gone.
My partner is slowly pushing me towards the door. She's half my size but she's able to maneuver me. I start screaming "Why are we doing this?? Do we really want to do this?? I don't think we should do this!" No one can hear me though. I look back at HA and he's smiling and laughing like we're at the carnival. I knew I was going to get no help from him.
The next thing I know, she's pushing my head back onto her shoulder and we are falling through the sky. After a few seconds, she screams at me that I can move my head and gives me a thumbs up sign. I know I need to signal to her that I haven't passed out so I give a thumbs up back. But I truly believe that i have stopped breathing. I don't know if i was saying it out loud or just thinking it in my head but I just kept saying "make it stop, I want this to stop, make it stop". In order to focus, I started taking deep breathes and trying to focus on one spot. I had stopped screaming, and I think breathing, but my partner kept tapping me on the shoulder and giving me an OK sign to make sure I was ok.
I'm beginning to think that I really am going to plummet to my death. I'm thinking my parents are going to kill me for not telling them that I did this. And who's going to call them? Does HA have my parents phone number? How will my body get back to the US or will they just bury me in Australia? Will there BE a body to bury?? And just when I've resigned myself, the chute is pulled and we start floating - literally floating.
Suddenly, this is ok. It's so peaceful and quiet. My partner takes off my goggles, that I now realize is wet on the inside - presumable from crying. If I was crying from fear or from the wind rushing onto my face, I'm not sure. But I'm suddenly having alot of fun. We do some spiraling with the chute and I get to see forever across the ocean. I realize THIS is why people skydive. Well maybe not - but this is why I skydived.
We slowly make our way to the drop zone. I can see that MayDay has already landed and is waiting for HA and I. I pull my legs up and land on my bum. As I'm sitting there getting disentangled from my partner, my body is fully shaking - my hands, my legs, my stomach. I'm afraid to stand up for fear that my legs will give out. MayDay joins me and he looks like I feel. We both agree that we don't ever want to do this again.
About this time HA comes bouncing up to us "Hey guys, wanna do it again?? Let's do it again!!" MayDay and I look at him like he's growing a second head and walk off. We capped off the day with a couple pitchers of beer and lunch on the water.
Skydiving was an experience that I'm glad I've done. I faced a fear and I made it through it. However, I don't think I'll ever do it again. I'm fairly certain I stopped breathing and my heart may have stopped beating at one point.
I didn't get any pictures done, which I now regret, but this may be what I looked like.
So back in May, HA realized he needed to use these gift certificates before they expired (it's still legal for them to expire in Australia). So, he went through their website to figure out which experience he wanted to do. He settled on skydiving in Wollongong over the pacific and landing on the beach. This was something else he had always wanted to do so he was super excited about it. He asked me if I was interested and I said "Yeah sure, I'll call tomorrow to book in".
As work would distract me during the day and the office was closed after 5pm (as everything is in Australia), I never got around to booking in - not that I was too terribly upset about that. In the meantime, HA had talked our friend MayDay into joining him. So now, I was being badgered to book in on two fronts.
The weekend of the jump came and HA, MayDay, and some other friends all went to Sydney for the weekend (Wollongong is a short drive from Sydney). On Saturday morning, I made the mistake of saying "It's too bad I never was able to book in to join you" to which HA responds "well, give them a call and see if they still have space". Dang it - bad move on my part. So because I'm sitting right next to him, i have to call, and wouldn't you know it - they have an opening and I sign up.
The next day we wake up bright and early to drive out to Wollongong and we're hungover, of course. We get to the drop zone on the beach go in to let them know we're there. The first thing we do is weigh in. If you're more than 88 kg's, there's a surcharge and they have to match you with a person that can manage the weight. Then they take us out and have us put on parachute pants and a harness. They quickly give us a safety lesson which consists of: get on your knees, arms crossed, head back, and do everything your partner says! Ok, sounds easy enough. Then I meet my partner. She's about 5ft (if that) and about 90 lbs. Really, this woman is going to carry me and jump out of a plane with me?? I'm twice her size..maybe even three times her size. We will NEVER stop falling through the sky - I'm going to weigh us down! I take a deep breathe and remind myself that they do this for a living and know what they're doing.
They quickly bus us out to the air field and load us up into the plane. HA and I were able to be next to each other but MayDay was a few people in front of us. The plane takes off and we slowly circle up to our drop altitude. At five minutes before the drop, we all start harnessing to our partners and they roll open the door.
This is where things get interesting.
The guy closest to the door starts scooting over and then they are suddenly gone. It's as if they were sucked right out of the plane. It suddenly dawns on me that I'M JUMPING OUT OF A PLANE. I sub-consciously start to dig my feet in so we can't move. All of the people on the plane are one-by-one being sucked out and my stomach is doing flip flops. Next, I watch MayDay scoot up to the door. He's on his knees looking down and he looks absolutely terrified. I start screaming his name but he can't hear me and then he's gone.
My partner is slowly pushing me towards the door. She's half my size but she's able to maneuver me. I start screaming "Why are we doing this?? Do we really want to do this?? I don't think we should do this!" No one can hear me though. I look back at HA and he's smiling and laughing like we're at the carnival. I knew I was going to get no help from him.
The next thing I know, she's pushing my head back onto her shoulder and we are falling through the sky. After a few seconds, she screams at me that I can move my head and gives me a thumbs up sign. I know I need to signal to her that I haven't passed out so I give a thumbs up back. But I truly believe that i have stopped breathing. I don't know if i was saying it out loud or just thinking it in my head but I just kept saying "make it stop, I want this to stop, make it stop". In order to focus, I started taking deep breathes and trying to focus on one spot. I had stopped screaming, and I think breathing, but my partner kept tapping me on the shoulder and giving me an OK sign to make sure I was ok.
I'm beginning to think that I really am going to plummet to my death. I'm thinking my parents are going to kill me for not telling them that I did this. And who's going to call them? Does HA have my parents phone number? How will my body get back to the US or will they just bury me in Australia? Will there BE a body to bury?? And just when I've resigned myself, the chute is pulled and we start floating - literally floating.
Suddenly, this is ok. It's so peaceful and quiet. My partner takes off my goggles, that I now realize is wet on the inside - presumable from crying. If I was crying from fear or from the wind rushing onto my face, I'm not sure. But I'm suddenly having alot of fun. We do some spiraling with the chute and I get to see forever across the ocean. I realize THIS is why people skydive. Well maybe not - but this is why I skydived.
We slowly make our way to the drop zone. I can see that MayDay has already landed and is waiting for HA and I. I pull my legs up and land on my bum. As I'm sitting there getting disentangled from my partner, my body is fully shaking - my hands, my legs, my stomach. I'm afraid to stand up for fear that my legs will give out. MayDay joins me and he looks like I feel. We both agree that we don't ever want to do this again.
About this time HA comes bouncing up to us "Hey guys, wanna do it again?? Let's do it again!!" MayDay and I look at him like he's growing a second head and walk off. We capped off the day with a couple pitchers of beer and lunch on the water.
Skydiving was an experience that I'm glad I've done. I faced a fear and I made it through it. However, I don't think I'll ever do it again. I'm fairly certain I stopped breathing and my heart may have stopped beating at one point.
I didn't get any pictures done, which I now regret, but this may be what I looked like.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Ten Things that Frustrate me about Australia...
I do love Australia..very much so. But I feel a bit guilty about my last post. I love it here and would love to stay but there are some things that really frustrate me. Sometimes I get so frustrated to the point of crying. So, to balance the scales and alleviate my guilt, here are my top ten things that frustrate me about Australia..in no particular order...
1. Shopping Hours - To this day, I hate the fact that I can't go shopping after 5:30pm on a week night. The only night where the stores are open longer than 5:30 is Friday night. Who goes shopping on a Friday night? I'm too busy getting drinks in the pub. Though..after the last couple of weekends, I'm not sure my knees and ankles can keep up with me on the drinking...but that's for another blog.
2. The grocery store - now, to be fair, I should let everyone know that in general, I hate grocery shopping. Always have and I imagine that I always will. BUT the grocery shopping in Oz just makes it so much worse. My very first breakdown from homesickness occurred in the butter aisle at the grocery store. I had been in Australia, and while homesick, I had been dealing with it relatively well. But then one day I was looking for butter and I just wanted Country Crock and wouldn't you know it, they didn't have it. I had to checkout and leave right then b/c I was nearly crying.
3. No free refills - that's right, no free refills even on post-mix (aka fountain sodas). Instead, when you go to a restaurant and you order a soda, they pour it into your glass directly from a bottle. On a positive note, Hungary Jacks (aka Burger King) in Sydney does offer free refills.
4. Qantas - yes, I said I loved Qantas but why do you have to be so expensive?? Getting to Cairns should not cost me $1000 return!!
5. Roundabouts - have they ever heard of a four way stop? The roundabouts terrify me. I never know what lane I need to be in to get off at the right exit. The first time I drove with Max, she had to keep yelling at me "left lane!" to make sure I knew where to go.
6. $1/$2 coins - they're sooo heavy. At least bills won't weigh down my purse!
7. Service - The service in this country is awful. Australia is not a tip-focused economy so this means that anyone in a service-oriented industry feels absolutely no need to actually provide a service. You can sit at a table in a restaurant for half an hour before someone notices you. And if you want any sort of help after you've been served your food - you can forget about it!
8. Yutes - Really? The El Camino? It's not a car, it's not a truck - they're made specifically for people that can't make up their minds and are stuck in the 70's.
9. You can't pay at the pump - You have a car and you want to fill up with gas. In Australia - you still have to go inside the station to pay. This country is great at letting you use your debit card just about everywhere (including cabs - its great) but yet, you still can't use it at the pump when you're filling up with gas!
10. No Mexican Restaurants - There are no good Mexican restaurants in Oz. We've found a couple that suffice a craving but nothing as good as you get in Phoenix. And when it comes to margaritas - don't even think about it. Very few places have tequila and if they do, it's generally the nasty Jose Cuervo stuff.
1. Shopping Hours - To this day, I hate the fact that I can't go shopping after 5:30pm on a week night. The only night where the stores are open longer than 5:30 is Friday night. Who goes shopping on a Friday night? I'm too busy getting drinks in the pub. Though..after the last couple of weekends, I'm not sure my knees and ankles can keep up with me on the drinking...but that's for another blog.
2. The grocery store - now, to be fair, I should let everyone know that in general, I hate grocery shopping. Always have and I imagine that I always will. BUT the grocery shopping in Oz just makes it so much worse. My very first breakdown from homesickness occurred in the butter aisle at the grocery store. I had been in Australia, and while homesick, I had been dealing with it relatively well. But then one day I was looking for butter and I just wanted Country Crock and wouldn't you know it, they didn't have it. I had to checkout and leave right then b/c I was nearly crying.
3. No free refills - that's right, no free refills even on post-mix (aka fountain sodas). Instead, when you go to a restaurant and you order a soda, they pour it into your glass directly from a bottle. On a positive note, Hungary Jacks (aka Burger King) in Sydney does offer free refills.
4. Qantas - yes, I said I loved Qantas but why do you have to be so expensive?? Getting to Cairns should not cost me $1000 return!!
5. Roundabouts - have they ever heard of a four way stop? The roundabouts terrify me. I never know what lane I need to be in to get off at the right exit. The first time I drove with Max, she had to keep yelling at me "left lane!" to make sure I knew where to go.
6. $1/$2 coins - they're sooo heavy. At least bills won't weigh down my purse!
7. Service - The service in this country is awful. Australia is not a tip-focused economy so this means that anyone in a service-oriented industry feels absolutely no need to actually provide a service. You can sit at a table in a restaurant for half an hour before someone notices you. And if you want any sort of help after you've been served your food - you can forget about it!
8. Yutes - Really? The El Camino? It's not a car, it's not a truck - they're made specifically for people that can't make up their minds and are stuck in the 70's.
9. You can't pay at the pump - You have a car and you want to fill up with gas. In Australia - you still have to go inside the station to pay. This country is great at letting you use your debit card just about everywhere (including cabs - its great) but yet, you still can't use it at the pump when you're filling up with gas!
10. No Mexican Restaurants - There are no good Mexican restaurants in Oz. We've found a couple that suffice a craving but nothing as good as you get in Phoenix. And when it comes to margaritas - don't even think about it. Very few places have tequila and if they do, it's generally the nasty Jose Cuervo stuff.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Ten Things I love about Australia...
I was reading a blog yesterday that's being written by some friends as they drive across Australia. One of her blogs talks about how she loves Australia, but can't quite put her finger on WHY she loves Australia. So I thought I would try. Here are my top ten things I love about Australia..in no particular order:
1. Sydney - I know it's a whole city and it probably shouldn't count but i love Sydney. I think it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Granted, I haven't done that much traveling but I've been to a fair few and Sydney is just beautiful. Alot of people don't like Sydney b/c of she's overally beautiful but not me. She's sunny and the water glistens and who can say that the Opera House and the Bridge aren't breath taking?
2. Red Rock Deli chips - They have the best combination of flavors. My newest favortie is Sea Salt & Balsamic. So yummy!
3. Qantas - Qantas is the national airline for Australia. If you've flown anywhere domestically in Oz, you've most likely flown Qantas. Granted, they are usually the most expensive airline but I think they're generally worth it. I'm currently Platinum with Qantas - one of their highest frequent flyer levels and let me tell you - it is totally worth it. If you ever get the chance to enjoy the First Class lounge at the Sydney International Terminal, I highly suggest it.
4. Coffee - I'll never be able to go back to Starbucks. If i have to move home, I'm thinking of marrying my barista so he can go with me.
5. New Years Eve - Ok, so maybe this should sit in the Sydney bucket, but I love that they take New Years so seriously here. Sydney is one of the first major cities to tick over to the new year and boy do they know how to put on a show. The NYE that spent in Sydney is one of the best I've ever experienced and I would happily go back every year.
6. The Wine - they have really great wine here. I recently shared a bottle of California wine with HA and I could definitely tell the difference. Though I do love the Australian wine, I do feel like I need to admit that I prefer the white wine from the Marlbough region in NZ.
7. Banana Bread - Much like coffee, the banana bread is a staple in this country. I was never a big fan before I came here, but now I love a little blueberry/banana bread in the morning.
8. Weetbix - Weetbix is a cereal here in Australia. I grew to love it on my very early morning flights from Canberra to Adelaide. Now whenever the Weetbix commercials come on, HA likes to call me a Weetbix kid.
9. Diet Coke - Yes, I know you can get this in the US but I'm telling you, the formula is different here. It's less sweet. I'm addicted and if I have to move home, I'm going to need to get this imported into the US.
10. Finally - the people. Just as Kangaroo Chronicles says in her blog, the people here are very very friendly. Sometimes, it seems unreal to me how friendly they can be. And, I'd say that 95% of them really like Americans and always want to know where I'm from and why I could come here.
11. Just because I can - The Politics - I mean, come on, in a matter of hours, they had a new primer minister! You'd never get that kind of excitement in the US!
1. Sydney - I know it's a whole city and it probably shouldn't count but i love Sydney. I think it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Granted, I haven't done that much traveling but I've been to a fair few and Sydney is just beautiful. Alot of people don't like Sydney b/c of she's overally beautiful but not me. She's sunny and the water glistens and who can say that the Opera House and the Bridge aren't breath taking?
2. Red Rock Deli chips - They have the best combination of flavors. My newest favortie is Sea Salt & Balsamic. So yummy!
3. Qantas - Qantas is the national airline for Australia. If you've flown anywhere domestically in Oz, you've most likely flown Qantas. Granted, they are usually the most expensive airline but I think they're generally worth it. I'm currently Platinum with Qantas - one of their highest frequent flyer levels and let me tell you - it is totally worth it. If you ever get the chance to enjoy the First Class lounge at the Sydney International Terminal, I highly suggest it.
4. Coffee - I'll never be able to go back to Starbucks. If i have to move home, I'm thinking of marrying my barista so he can go with me.
5. New Years Eve - Ok, so maybe this should sit in the Sydney bucket, but I love that they take New Years so seriously here. Sydney is one of the first major cities to tick over to the new year and boy do they know how to put on a show. The NYE that spent in Sydney is one of the best I've ever experienced and I would happily go back every year.
6. The Wine - they have really great wine here. I recently shared a bottle of California wine with HA and I could definitely tell the difference. Though I do love the Australian wine, I do feel like I need to admit that I prefer the white wine from the Marlbough region in NZ.
7. Banana Bread - Much like coffee, the banana bread is a staple in this country. I was never a big fan before I came here, but now I love a little blueberry/banana bread in the morning.
8. Weetbix - Weetbix is a cereal here in Australia. I grew to love it on my very early morning flights from Canberra to Adelaide. Now whenever the Weetbix commercials come on, HA likes to call me a Weetbix kid.
9. Diet Coke - Yes, I know you can get this in the US but I'm telling you, the formula is different here. It's less sweet. I'm addicted and if I have to move home, I'm going to need to get this imported into the US.
10. Finally - the people. Just as Kangaroo Chronicles says in her blog, the people here are very very friendly. Sometimes, it seems unreal to me how friendly they can be. And, I'd say that 95% of them really like Americans and always want to know where I'm from and why I could come here.
11. Just because I can - The Politics - I mean, come on, in a matter of hours, they had a new primer minister! You'd never get that kind of excitement in the US!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Negative Gearing and Australia
HA and I have friends here in Oz that have been investing in properties throughout Canberra in the last couple of years. HA really wants to get into the invest property business and has asked me if I'd be interested in going in on a property together.
I've thought about it and I do think that buying a property in the CBD of Canberra would be a good idea. With so many government officials here and contractors for government agencies and the university, I doubt there's ever a shortage of people looking for properties.
My general issue with it is that the price of property in this country is OUTRAGEOUS. I couldn't afford to own my own home in this country. The apartment I live in, which about a third the size of my house in Phoenix, runs, easily, for mid-six figures. That's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom. What makes it even crazier is that salaries aren't adjusted for this higher cost of living. So given that, I'm not sure how my friends, who make realitively the same amount of money as I do, can afford their own rent, plus the mortgages of their multiple investment properties.
In theory, the investment properties should pay for themselves. Or at least I would think that's how it's supposed to work. But no so in Australia. In Australia, they do this thing called Negative Gearing. Here's how it works as I understand it - You buy a property that you plan on utilizing as an investment. The weekly mortgage is $750 but they're renting it out at $650 a week. Clearly there's already a $100/week loss. Then when they do their taxes, these losses are fully deductible and depreciation is taking into account. This will typically provide the owner with a much larger refund which then offsets the losses of the property.
So my question is - how is this a good idea?? I feel like I must be missing something about this whole scheme. If you read about this on Wikipedia, it doesn't sound like a good idea at all and apparently, this is illegal in most other countries. Am I missing something? Could I be an Australian real estate mogul but I'm too dense to realize it?
I've thought about it and I do think that buying a property in the CBD of Canberra would be a good idea. With so many government officials here and contractors for government agencies and the university, I doubt there's ever a shortage of people looking for properties.
My general issue with it is that the price of property in this country is OUTRAGEOUS. I couldn't afford to own my own home in this country. The apartment I live in, which about a third the size of my house in Phoenix, runs, easily, for mid-six figures. That's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom. What makes it even crazier is that salaries aren't adjusted for this higher cost of living. So given that, I'm not sure how my friends, who make realitively the same amount of money as I do, can afford their own rent, plus the mortgages of their multiple investment properties.
In theory, the investment properties should pay for themselves. Or at least I would think that's how it's supposed to work. But no so in Australia. In Australia, they do this thing called Negative Gearing. Here's how it works as I understand it - You buy a property that you plan on utilizing as an investment. The weekly mortgage is $750 but they're renting it out at $650 a week. Clearly there's already a $100/week loss. Then when they do their taxes, these losses are fully deductible and depreciation is taking into account. This will typically provide the owner with a much larger refund which then offsets the losses of the property.
So my question is - how is this a good idea?? I feel like I must be missing something about this whole scheme. If you read about this on Wikipedia, it doesn't sound like a good idea at all and apparently, this is illegal in most other countries. Am I missing something? Could I be an Australian real estate mogul but I'm too dense to realize it?
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Running, running and gettinng no where...
So two weeks ago, I told everyone that I wanted to start running to help lose some weight. It started off pretty well. For the first couple of weeks, I was running three times a week and going to the gym. But then over the last two weeks or so, I've been slacking off. I've got plenty of excuses but well, if I were really motivated, I'd find a way to make it work. I'm going to get back on the band wagon in the morning by going running with HA and Snowie.
I'm not sure how people do this running thing on a regular basis. I work late so by the time I'm done, the gym is close to being closed and it's too dark to run. So this leaves me with running in the morning. But as any of ou that know me know, I hate getting up in the morning. I'm so not good at it. But I'm gonna give it a try.
Just for the record, I have lost 2 pounds so far. Not exactly the pace at which I need to be, but at least it's something. Stay tuned..
I'm not sure how people do this running thing on a regular basis. I work late so by the time I'm done, the gym is close to being closed and it's too dark to run. So this leaves me with running in the morning. But as any of ou that know me know, I hate getting up in the morning. I'm so not good at it. But I'm gonna give it a try.
Just for the record, I have lost 2 pounds so far. Not exactly the pace at which I need to be, but at least it's something. Stay tuned..
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Thoughts come clearly while one walks
When I first moved to Australia, I dropped a bunch of weight. This was primarily due to the fact that I was walking EVERYWHERE. I love walking everywhere. I love not having to worry about filling the car with gas or scheduling oil changes. I love being able to leave whenever I want to without having to worry about traffic. It’s a lifestyle I quite enjoy.
There are some things that make all the walking really suck though. The biggest one is the winter. It really SUCKS to have to walk home when it’s cold outside. I wear a lot of dresses to work so during the winter, just to make it to and from work, have the choice of either a) walking in the freezing code or b) wear tights. Tights. Every time I wear them, I feel like I’m five years old again. What grown women wears tights? But its unbelievable how warm the tights are. And it helps that a good portion of the grown female population in Canberra wear tights as well. But it’s such a pain. This is definitely one of the reasons I live in Phoenix. No one wears tights in Phoenix. It’s too bloody hot!
One of the perks though of walking everywhere is that I lost a ton of weight. I got here and the weight just fell off. I was back to my early college weight and a size 10. I loved it. I felt so good about myself. But over the last few…five….months I’ve slowly put on weight. I partially blame HA. When I lived by myself, dinners consisted of a PB&J and a diet coke. Now, HA likes to have a full on dinner whenever we’re home. Sometimes we even have an appetizers. I eat so much more! So when my pants don’t fit anymore, I fully blame HA. :)
But to combat this, I’ve decided to start running. Urgh…I hate running but it’s a quick (or quickish) way to lose some weight. I decided it would do me well to post my goal up here so it’s out there for the world to see. I’m going to lose 15 pounds by July 15. Stay tuned people!
There are some things that make all the walking really suck though. The biggest one is the winter. It really SUCKS to have to walk home when it’s cold outside. I wear a lot of dresses to work so during the winter, just to make it to and from work, have the choice of either a) walking in the freezing code or b) wear tights. Tights. Every time I wear them, I feel like I’m five years old again. What grown women wears tights? But its unbelievable how warm the tights are. And it helps that a good portion of the grown female population in Canberra wear tights as well. But it’s such a pain. This is definitely one of the reasons I live in Phoenix. No one wears tights in Phoenix. It’s too bloody hot!
One of the perks though of walking everywhere is that I lost a ton of weight. I got here and the weight just fell off. I was back to my early college weight and a size 10. I loved it. I felt so good about myself. But over the last few…five….months I’ve slowly put on weight. I partially blame HA. When I lived by myself, dinners consisted of a PB&J and a diet coke. Now, HA likes to have a full on dinner whenever we’re home. Sometimes we even have an appetizers. I eat so much more! So when my pants don’t fit anymore, I fully blame HA. :)
But to combat this, I’ve decided to start running. Urgh…I hate running but it’s a quick (or quickish) way to lose some weight. I decided it would do me well to post my goal up here so it’s out there for the world to see. I’m going to lose 15 pounds by July 15. Stay tuned people!
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