Perhaps 260 is my ideal weight. That is the only explanation left for why my scale refuses to move. I have walked a total of 10 miles this week and watched my portion sizes. I've stuck to the Splenda in my coffee and gone down to one cup a day. What gives?
Some women start dieting in their teens. Although I've always been a big gal, dieting was the last thing on my mind until I became 100 pounds overweight. Yep, folks, I am officially obese and I don't want to stay this way. Now I feel like I am jumping from diet to diet, trying to find something that will work and hitting a brick wall in every direction. It occurs to me that perhaps I am not ready to make that final commitment. To truly change the way I eat and improve my health, I must either commit my time or my money. I keep jumping because each plan I've tried seems to be too much work, and I can't afford convenience foods over the long haul.
In another leap, I am considering Weight Watchers. NotMissy did WW before and is convinced that it will work for her again, but she hates to go to meetings alone. I wouldn't mind going but I am loathe to pay the membership fees. The money I paid for eDiets several months ago is still bothering me. On the other hand, having the extra support of a buddy and weekly check-ins might be what I need to keep me accountable and encourage me that the work is worth it.
30 July 2005
29 July 2005
I'm still not sure if this is me
In my mind, I'm still a beginner when it comes to knitting. There are so many items I have never knit and techniques that I have never attempted. I shy away from the intermediate patterns. Still, this is what the survey says:
You appear to be a Knitting Adventurer.
You are through those knitting growing pains and
feeling more adventurous. You can follow a
standard pattern if it's not too complicated
and know where to go to get help. Maybe you've
started to experiment with different fibers and
you might be eyeing a book with a cool
technique you've never tried. Perhaps you
prefer to stick to other people's patterns but
you are trying to challenge yourself more.
Regardless of your preference, you are
continually trying to grow as a knitter, and as
well you should since your non-knitting friends
are probably dropping some serious hints, these
days.
http://marniemaclean.com
What Kind of Knitter Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
You appear to be a Knitting Adventurer.
You are through those knitting growing pains and
feeling more adventurous. You can follow a
standard pattern if it's not too complicated
and know where to go to get help. Maybe you've
started to experiment with different fibers and
you might be eyeing a book with a cool
technique you've never tried. Perhaps you
prefer to stick to other people's patterns but
you are trying to challenge yourself more.
Regardless of your preference, you are
continually trying to grow as a knitter, and as
well you should since your non-knitting friends
are probably dropping some serious hints, these
days.
http://marniemaclean.com
What Kind of Knitter Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
28 July 2005
Remember that meme I got tagged for last week? I thought about it again yesterday. Although I can't claim an expansive affection for one group like my friend Gina, there are certain pieces that are stuck in my brain. On the way to work, I pulled out an old cassette of "Bette Midler: Live at Last". I've had it longer than I've had my husband, but it has been a few years since I've listened to it since I never use the cassette player any more. Even after all this time, I still know all the words to all the songs. I also know all the banter and the timing. How crazy is that? If you gave me a running start, I could probably do the whole act. I've never been one to buy a lot of music, but I got a lot of play out of the few albums I did buy.
27 July 2005
Podcast Talk: Claybourne
This week, I didn't have time to check out any homegrown podcasts because I have been listening to Claybourne. The guys over at Geek Speak Radio mentioned it and now I am hooked. It is an audio drama that originally aired on New Zealand radio in the late 1990s and is now available in podcast form. The story is a mixture of soap opera and sci-fi. An American businessman is on vacation in NZ when he is asked by his company to take a short side trip and check on a satellite station owned by his company because there have been reports of strange goings-on.
The first few episodes sound a bit stilted, but both the acting and the writing seem to get better by episode 12. The short ten-minute segments make it easier for me to pick up where I left off when I get interrupted. My only complaint is that I wish they would post one episode a day, at least on the weekdays. Waiting for the latest episode of a talk show podcast is one thing; it is difficult to be left hanging in the middle of a story!
The first few episodes sound a bit stilted, but both the acting and the writing seem to get better by episode 12. The short ten-minute segments make it easier for me to pick up where I left off when I get interrupted. My only complaint is that I wish they would post one episode a day, at least on the weekdays. Waiting for the latest episode of a talk show podcast is one thing; it is difficult to be left hanging in the middle of a story!
25 July 2005
Why was I so worried?
Whenever ABM makes a comment about my lack of style (which is not too often so don't send him hate mail), I alway wriggle out from under it by reminding him of the high-maintenance women that many of his friends have married. "Would you want me spending the light bill on hair appointments and leg waxes?", I ask sweetly, knowing that his answer will be "no."
Well, one day his answer wasn't "no." Although our budget is tight, he felt that we could squeeze out the money for a little eyeshadow and such. I wasn't convinced. I was sure that once he saw me making repeated beauty item purchases, he would start complaining abour the cost.
I have to admit that I was wrong. Today, I scolded him for using my $5 body lotion (I hear you laughing, but $5 for lotion is a splurge to me). He was using it every day, and I told him that I was trying to make it last because it was expensive. His response? "Your cosmetic purchases haven't even registered on my budget radar." Wow! I guess having an attractive wife is worth the expense to him. Mind you, the expense is at Avon prices and not MAC, but I was still afraid it was too much. I'll get over this fear of spending one day.
Well, one day his answer wasn't "no." Although our budget is tight, he felt that we could squeeze out the money for a little eyeshadow and such. I wasn't convinced. I was sure that once he saw me making repeated beauty item purchases, he would start complaining abour the cost.
I have to admit that I was wrong. Today, I scolded him for using my $5 body lotion (I hear you laughing, but $5 for lotion is a splurge to me). He was using it every day, and I told him that I was trying to make it last because it was expensive. His response? "Your cosmetic purchases haven't even registered on my budget radar." Wow! I guess having an attractive wife is worth the expense to him. Mind you, the expense is at Avon prices and not MAC, but I was still afraid it was too much. I'll get over this fear of spending one day.
There are those who would disagree
| You Are 40% Weird |
 Normal enough to know that you're weird... But too damn weird to do anything about it! |
I guess Spanish isn't the language for me
| You Should Learn Portuguese |
 Muito legal! For you, learning a language is all about the lifestyle that comes with it. And Brazilian beaches, hotties, parties, and soccer matches are just your style. |
24 July 2005
Changes, changes
I just wanted to give my readers a warning (all ten of you). I will be experimenting with the layout of my blog a bit this week. There are lots of great templates available for free out there, but I have been avoiding them because I am uncomfortable with the tweaking that is required. Well, I am going to step out of my comfort zone and make some changes. In addition to changing the template, I am going to figure out how to add buttons. So if you see my blog change several times this week, don't think you've clicked the wrong link -- it's just me trying on new blog-clothes!
Another change that I am considering is the title. My original idea was to pick a different title each year based on my knitting goals. Now I feel that the title doesn't fit my blog at all. Although I am a knitter, there is very little knitting on this blog. Knitters who stumble across my blog are probably very disappointed. So I will be racking my brain to come up with a title that captures the true flavor of my blog.
Another change that I am considering is the title. My original idea was to pick a different title each year based on my knitting goals. Now I feel that the title doesn't fit my blog at all. Although I am a knitter, there is very little knitting on this blog. Knitters who stumble across my blog are probably very disappointed. So I will be racking my brain to come up with a title that captures the true flavor of my blog.
23 July 2005
Health Update
Low-carb dieting is not for me, at least not as low-carb as Atkins and South Beach. I stuck to South Beach Phase 1 for four days and my scale did not move a bit. ABM stuck to it for two weeks and only lost four pounds. That is a great weight loss on any other plan, but when the book claims that you will lose 8 - 13 pounds in the first two weeks it is a little disappointing. I expected to at least lose at least two pounds but I didn't lose a thing.
I'm not ready to throw in the towel, though. There were a few changes I made this week that I think will stick. As much as I have badmouthed artificial sweeteners in the past, drinking my coffee with Splenda isn't so bad. I gave up adding hot chocolate and flavored creamer to my coffee a while back, so my cup is now down to about 50 calories. Late-night snacking has also been eliminated. I chafed against the strictness of South Beach earlier in the week, but I think that giving myself a simple guideline like "No sugar, period!" is easier for me than allowing myself to have two cookies. I have to eat my words here because I said that I would never be able to cut sugar completely out of my life but perhaps I can do it "for a season" (as we say in church circles).
On the exercise front, I've done pretty well this week. My lunch buddy NotMissy suggested that we start walking on our AM and PM breaks. Our facility has a beautiful walking trail but it has been much too hot and humid to walk outside. NotMissy came up with the idea of walking the perimeter of our dining hall which is huge. So I got an hour and 45 minutes of exercise this week, which equaled out to about five miles. This was a great idea because I can get my 30 minutes of exercise each day in small increments without aggravating my back.
I'm not ready to throw in the towel, though. There were a few changes I made this week that I think will stick. As much as I have badmouthed artificial sweeteners in the past, drinking my coffee with Splenda isn't so bad. I gave up adding hot chocolate and flavored creamer to my coffee a while back, so my cup is now down to about 50 calories. Late-night snacking has also been eliminated. I chafed against the strictness of South Beach earlier in the week, but I think that giving myself a simple guideline like "No sugar, period!" is easier for me than allowing myself to have two cookies. I have to eat my words here because I said that I would never be able to cut sugar completely out of my life but perhaps I can do it "for a season" (as we say in church circles).
On the exercise front, I've done pretty well this week. My lunch buddy NotMissy suggested that we start walking on our AM and PM breaks. Our facility has a beautiful walking trail but it has been much too hot and humid to walk outside. NotMissy came up with the idea of walking the perimeter of our dining hall which is huge. So I got an hour and 45 minutes of exercise this week, which equaled out to about five miles. This was a great idea because I can get my 30 minutes of exercise each day in small increments without aggravating my back.
22 July 2005
I miss my kids
Yeah, I said it and I'll say it again. I miss my kids. They have been with their grandmother all week. This is also ABM's first week on night shift, so I have been home alone every night. Pining for my husband and kids has never been my thing. I've always made fun of those women who do everything with their families. "Get a life!", I'd say. I usually cherish every moment that I get to myself. Right now, though, I would be lying if I didn't admit that I am a bit lonely. I don't know what to do. I have a full Tivo list and plenty of reading material, but nothing is grabbing my interest. It won't be any better next week, either, because the kids are all going to sleep-away camp. I guess I'll go to bed early :-(.
21 July 2005
Quick HP6 observations; Habla espanol?
I finally finished reading HP6 on Tuesday night. It felt like it was taking me forever because my local friends who are into the book are childless and single so they could sit up all night and devour it in one gulp. I am not going to do a review because I have discovered after several weeks of writing podcast reviews that I suck at it. There are a few comments I wanted to make but they are spoiler-free.
As Pink commented, once you read the book you will wonder why that title was used. It reminds me a bit of getting an album and wondering why there isn't a song on the album that matches the album's title. It is just something that is expected.
The book seems to plod along until the last five chapters. Until I got to that point, I kept wondering when the story was going to get darker. J. K. Rowling noted that each book would get progressively darker, but I didn't really see it. The tone of this book made it seem like it should have been the third or fourth one instead of the sixth.
One good thing about the new book is that Harry doesn't seem to be having as many growing pains as he did in HP5. I've read that one twice and both times I felt very annoyed with him because he was getting mad at everybody for very little reason. His bratty behavior almost made him unsympathetic.
-----------------------------------------------------------
I've mentioned on the blog before that I rarely make goals because many of the things I want to do seem totally impossible. One goal that I keep trying to reach despite the magnitude of the task is to learn Spanish. It is more of a dream than a goal because I would like to read and speak it fluently. I want to watch telenovelas without subtitles and read Spanish-language novels without a dictionary by my side. Crazy, huh? This desire comes around every spring along with the urge to plant a garden. So I checked out the newest Berlitz CDs and a copy of Como agua por chocolat from the library to give it another shot. At the very least, C1 (who is dying to learn also) will pick up a few words and it will be a refresher for M before she goes back to school in four weeks.
As Pink commented, once you read the book you will wonder why that title was used. It reminds me a bit of getting an album and wondering why there isn't a song on the album that matches the album's title. It is just something that is expected.
The book seems to plod along until the last five chapters. Until I got to that point, I kept wondering when the story was going to get darker. J. K. Rowling noted that each book would get progressively darker, but I didn't really see it. The tone of this book made it seem like it should have been the third or fourth one instead of the sixth.
One good thing about the new book is that Harry doesn't seem to be having as many growing pains as he did in HP5. I've read that one twice and both times I felt very annoyed with him because he was getting mad at everybody for very little reason. His bratty behavior almost made him unsympathetic.
-----------------------------------------------------------
I've mentioned on the blog before that I rarely make goals because many of the things I want to do seem totally impossible. One goal that I keep trying to reach despite the magnitude of the task is to learn Spanish. It is more of a dream than a goal because I would like to read and speak it fluently. I want to watch telenovelas without subtitles and read Spanish-language novels without a dictionary by my side. Crazy, huh? This desire comes around every spring along with the urge to plant a garden. So I checked out the newest Berlitz CDs and a copy of Como agua por chocolat from the library to give it another shot. At the very least, C1 (who is dying to learn also) will pick up a few words and it will be a refresher for M before she goes back to school in four weeks.
20 July 2005
Podcast Talk: Podcast Awards
Even if you've only followed a couple of my podcast suggestions, then you have heard pleas to vote for your favorite shows on directories/ranking sites such as Podcast Pickle and Podcast Alley. With the advent of iTunes 4.9, many listeners are being asked to sign up for all their favorite podcasts again through iTunes to help them place on the top 100. I suppose this is part of the hobby's growing pains. No one knows which ranking site will come out on top as most respected so podcasters are scrambling to get top exposure on every new site that comes along. Hopefully, the Podcast Awards will help to change all of that.
The Podcast Awards are sponsored by Podcast Connect, a company created to sell production services to podcasters. This is a people's choice award, meaning that the nominations were made by listeners and the winners will be chosen by listeners. There are 20 categories, and some of the big names like Dawn and Drew have shown up in more than one category. The voting is set up so that you can vote repeatedly through the month of July by returning to the site once a day. That sounds like an invitation for people to "stuff the ballot box", but it is nice for someone like me who can't make up her mind between two great shows. So vote now and vote often!
The Podcast Awards are sponsored by Podcast Connect, a company created to sell production services to podcasters. This is a people's choice award, meaning that the nominations were made by listeners and the winners will be chosen by listeners. There are 20 categories, and some of the big names like Dawn and Drew have shown up in more than one category. The voting is set up so that you can vote repeatedly through the month of July by returning to the site once a day. That sounds like an invitation for people to "stuff the ballot box", but it is nice for someone like me who can't make up her mind between two great shows. So vote now and vote often!
19 July 2005
Time for another meme
I've already proven that I am lousy at answering meme questions, but my pal Gina tagged me so I will do my best to make this entertaining.
10 years ago: I was working at the local health department, and M was two years old. I realize now that I was probably happier there than on any other job, although I still was desperate to be a SAHM.
5 years ago: I was working in a call center. I was under a lot of stress but I made more money than I ever had before or will again, and I met people there that I still think about every day. ABM and I became homeowners. I was still homeschooling M while working.
1 year ago: I was unemployed, having been fired from the call center. It was the most peaceful period I have ever experienced. For the first time in my married life, I felt like I had the time to be a good wife and mother. It was so good to be caught up on everything for a change.
Yesterday: I started the South Beach diet.
Today: I am on day 2 of the South Beach diet and very cranky.
Tomorrow: I will probably be even more cranky and drown my sorrows in stupid TV shows or whatever is left of the Harry Potter book.
5 snacks I enjoy: cinnamon raisin bagels, pizza rolls, Twizzlers, cereal, Mike and Ikes
5 bands/singers that I know the lyrics of MOST of their songs: I don't stay loyal to one band or another; it is all about the songs.
Things I would do with $100,000,000: Pay off my bills and quit my job! I would probably go back to homeschooling my kids.
5 locations I'd like to run away to: I honestly only have two places in mind -- Australia and Jamaica.
5 bad habits I have: Procrastination, yelling at the kids from across the house, mindless snacking, not picking out my clothes the night before, and spending time on the computer to avoid other stuff.
5 things I like doing: Knitting, reading, playing board games, watching TV, and listening to podcasts.
5 things I would never wear: My wardrobe is so pitiful that I can't say that there is anything that I wouldn't wear!
5 TV shows I like: I have so many shows that I like because I am a TV junkie! These five are really random -- Dead Zone, The 4400, Medium, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Degrassi: The Next Generation.
5 movies I like: Again, these aren't my favorites, just a sampling -- Overboard, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Grease, What's Cooking, Bollywood Queen.
5 famous people I'd like to meet: There is a certain cache in being able to say, "I met George Clooney" or whoever, but I can't think of anyone famous that I really want to meet for the purpose of carrying on a conversation. There are a few lesser-known people I would like to talk to in person, such as Betsy of Croncast or Mur of Geek Fu Action Grip.
5 biggest joys at the moment: sleeping late, having an extra day off, reading a long-awaited novel, seeing my son read, and finishing a knitting project (or any project for that matter!)
5 favorite toys: My MP3 player and my computer -- do I need anything else?
10 years ago: I was working at the local health department, and M was two years old. I realize now that I was probably happier there than on any other job, although I still was desperate to be a SAHM.
5 years ago: I was working in a call center. I was under a lot of stress but I made more money than I ever had before or will again, and I met people there that I still think about every day. ABM and I became homeowners. I was still homeschooling M while working.
1 year ago: I was unemployed, having been fired from the call center. It was the most peaceful period I have ever experienced. For the first time in my married life, I felt like I had the time to be a good wife and mother. It was so good to be caught up on everything for a change.
Yesterday: I started the South Beach diet.
Today: I am on day 2 of the South Beach diet and very cranky.
Tomorrow: I will probably be even more cranky and drown my sorrows in stupid TV shows or whatever is left of the Harry Potter book.
5 snacks I enjoy: cinnamon raisin bagels, pizza rolls, Twizzlers, cereal, Mike and Ikes
5 bands/singers that I know the lyrics of MOST of their songs: I don't stay loyal to one band or another; it is all about the songs.
Things I would do with $100,000,000: Pay off my bills and quit my job! I would probably go back to homeschooling my kids.
5 locations I'd like to run away to: I honestly only have two places in mind -- Australia and Jamaica.
5 bad habits I have: Procrastination, yelling at the kids from across the house, mindless snacking, not picking out my clothes the night before, and spending time on the computer to avoid other stuff.
5 things I like doing: Knitting, reading, playing board games, watching TV, and listening to podcasts.
5 things I would never wear: My wardrobe is so pitiful that I can't say that there is anything that I wouldn't wear!
5 TV shows I like: I have so many shows that I like because I am a TV junkie! These five are really random -- Dead Zone, The 4400, Medium, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Degrassi: The Next Generation.
5 movies I like: Again, these aren't my favorites, just a sampling -- Overboard, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Grease, What's Cooking, Bollywood Queen.
5 famous people I'd like to meet: There is a certain cache in being able to say, "I met George Clooney" or whoever, but I can't think of anyone famous that I really want to meet for the purpose of carrying on a conversation. There are a few lesser-known people I would like to talk to in person, such as Betsy of Croncast or Mur of Geek Fu Action Grip.
5 biggest joys at the moment: sleeping late, having an extra day off, reading a long-awaited novel, seeing my son read, and finishing a knitting project (or any project for that matter!)
5 favorite toys: My MP3 player and my computer -- do I need anything else?
I don't have anything new to show, knitting-wise. I'm almost done knitting the body of the mosaic bag but it doesn't look much different than it did a week ago, so I am not going to post a photo. There is at least five hours of stuff saved on my Tivo which would facilitate more knitting, but I want to finish HP6 first.
In other news, this is my second day on the South Beach diet and I am trying not to be miserable. I already know that I hate low-carb but I am trying to stick it out until Friday. My hope is that doing this will force me into the habit of eating more meat and vegetables instead of filling out my meals with bread and pasta. I am a BIG baby when it comes to diets. Right now, I feel like I want to cry. I drank so much water today that I feel bloated, yet I still have the taste of Splenda in my mouth from my morning coffee. I hate salads, I'm tired of green beans, and the sight of meat is making me ill. Still, ABM and my friend at work are both being very encouraging so I don't want to wimp out.
In other news, this is my second day on the South Beach diet and I am trying not to be miserable. I already know that I hate low-carb but I am trying to stick it out until Friday. My hope is that doing this will force me into the habit of eating more meat and vegetables instead of filling out my meals with bread and pasta. I am a BIG baby when it comes to diets. Right now, I feel like I want to cry. I drank so much water today that I feel bloated, yet I still have the taste of Splenda in my mouth from my morning coffee. I hate salads, I'm tired of green beans, and the sight of meat is making me ill. Still, ABM and my friend at work are both being very encouraging so I don't want to wimp out.
18 July 2005
Fun little family competition
The GameBlast trial turned out to be fun for the whole family this weekend. The big surprise was ABM. He has barely glanced at a video game since the SNES era, despite my efforts to entice him. For some reason, however, he is drawn to Tumblebugs. Once the kids found out that he was playing, my computer chair turned into a hot seat as they all tried to beat his score. Most games these days are geared more toward completing levels or beating an end game, so watching them get such joy out of seeing their names on the high score table felt like a flashback to the 1980s. Of course, my name holds the top two spots on the chart because I am Queen of Computer Time-Wasters :-). Everyone had such fun that I am almost tempted to pay for a couple months of the service.
17 July 2005
This happens to be my favorite color
| Your Power Color Is Lime Green |
 At Your Highest: You are adventurous, witty, and a visionary. At Your Lowest: You feel misunderstood, like you don't fit in. In Love: You have a tough exterior, but can be very dedicated. How You're Attractive: Your self-awareness and confidence lights up a room. Your Eternal Question: "What else do I need in my life?" |
16 July 2005
Free GameBlast Weekend
Remember a few months' ago when I mentioned one of my favorite time-wasters called Subway Scramble? If you haven't tried it yet, you can give the full version a try this weekend. GameBlast, which is the premium game service over at Shockwave.com, is having a free three-day trial this weekend sponsored by Sony. Because these aren't little Flash games, they are too large to play directly from the site. You download the game, install it, and then sign into the game with your username and password. It seems a little weird to download a single-player game but still have to be online to play it, but it's free so I am not complaining.
Besides Subway Scramble, I would also recommend Diner Dash and TumbleBugs. C1, who doesn't usually jockey for computer time with the other kids, likes TumbleBugs a lot. You also get access to those addictive Inlay games like Puzzle Inlay and Magic Inlay. If you have downloaded free 60-minute trials from Shockwave before and you still have them on your computer (who hasn't played Lemondade Tycoon?), this will give you a little extra playing time.
Unlike similar offers, you don't need to put in a credit card number so that they can start charging you as soon as your 72 hours has expired. I didn't see a way to access this particular offer from the front page, so try the link I provided above and see if it works for you.
Besides Subway Scramble, I would also recommend Diner Dash and TumbleBugs. C1, who doesn't usually jockey for computer time with the other kids, likes TumbleBugs a lot. You also get access to those addictive Inlay games like Puzzle Inlay and Magic Inlay. If you have downloaded free 60-minute trials from Shockwave before and you still have them on your computer (who hasn't played Lemondade Tycoon?), this will give you a little extra playing time.
Unlike similar offers, you don't need to put in a credit card number so that they can start charging you as soon as your 72 hours has expired. I didn't see a way to access this particular offer from the front page, so try the link I provided above and see if it works for you.
Health Update; HP6
I'm breaking my HP6 radio silence for a moment just to give a quick update. I'm holding steady at 260 lbs. but I am going to join ABM on the South Beach diet starting Monday. Those of you who know are probably scoffing right now because I usually last about 12 hours on any diet. I believe I am in the right frame of mind to do this right now, though. Even if I only last a week, that could be enough to help me get out of the sugar trap that I am in. My sugar consumption starts early in the day with my two cups of coffee, but I found an instant chai latte with Splenda that isn't too bad.
As for exercise, I'm going to give it another shot next week despite the sciatic pain. I don't like working out in front of ABM, but he starts a night shift on Monday so I no longer have an excuse not to exercise when I get home from work. Hopefully 15 minutes a night will be enough to make a difference.
--------------------------------------------
My book is now in my hand! The mailman delivered Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at 11:08a. Many people criticize Amazon, but I have never had any problems with them. They always get my books to me quickly. They do make it difficult to hide the book from M, though, because the HP6 pre-orders get their own box with the title printed on the outside. Luckily, M was sleeping late this morning so she didn't see me sneak it in the house.
Now that I have the book, I'm hesitant to open it. There is something perverse in me that likes to delay gratification. Knowing that it is here for me to open any time I want, I am not so anxious any more. Perhaps I'm waiting to read it without M breathing down my neck and asking when I am going to finish it so she can have her turn!
As for exercise, I'm going to give it another shot next week despite the sciatic pain. I don't like working out in front of ABM, but he starts a night shift on Monday so I no longer have an excuse not to exercise when I get home from work. Hopefully 15 minutes a night will be enough to make a difference.
--------------------------------------------
My book is now in my hand! The mailman delivered Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at 11:08a. Many people criticize Amazon, but I have never had any problems with them. They always get my books to me quickly. They do make it difficult to hide the book from M, though, because the HP6 pre-orders get their own box with the title printed on the outside. Luckily, M was sleeping late this morning so she didn't see me sneak it in the house.
Now that I have the book, I'm hesitant to open it. There is something perverse in me that likes to delay gratification. Knowing that it is here for me to open any time I want, I am not so anxious any more. Perhaps I'm waiting to read it without M breathing down my neck and asking when I am going to finish it so she can have her turn!
13 July 2005
Podcast Talk: Odeo
Odeo is now done with beta and has been released into the wild. From my brief glance I see a lot to recommend it, starting with the website which is not cluttered with ad banners (although that may change). There are other little things about the site that appeal to me even though they don't affect the functionality much. For instance, I like the color scheme. It seems very soothing. I also like the way items glide into place when you make changes instead of refreshing the whole page. My knowledge of html is very limited, but I know that I have seen something similar added to the NetFlix site. It isn't necessary, but it gives the experience a futuristic feel.
As far as I can tell, Odeo is trying to set itself apart from other directories by creating a community of podcast listeners. Each podcast has its own channel, and listeners can leave comments on the channel or on a particular show. You can listen to shows directly from the site or you can install the Odeo Syncr (available for Windows and Mac) to download shows to your computer. Your queue is accessible on the site which is a useful addition if you listen to podcasts from work; you can delete the ones you've already listed to from your queue so you don't download them again when you get home.
Does this site have the content to keep you hanging around? As usual, that depends on what you are looking for. The Top 40 list only included five familiar names and "Dawn and Drew" weren't even in the Top 10, so you'll definitely see something different in this directory. If you don't see any of your favorites, then the Help Odeo Grow link will be your friend. Anyone can add a podcast to the site, as long as you know the address of the feed. This adds to the community aspect because Odeo members can introduce each other to shows. There is also the Zeitgeist which tells you what others have subscribed to in the last few minutes.
All of this sounds great, but I have been experiencing some problems. It can be difficult to find a certain channel, resulting in it being added more than once. For instance, I found two channels for Geek Fu Action Grip. They both have the same episodes but different subscribers. Some podcasts will not stream at work and I thought I would be able to use this site to get around that, but if a file is not encoded a certain way the Flash player on the site can't handle it. If I get sound at all, it sounds like Alvin and the Chipmunks. The files also seem to download a bit more slowly with the Syncr than with iPodder or iTunes.
Since Odeo is still new, it should get better with a little time. I have a soft spot for people who are just starting out, so I'll keep giving them constructive feedback to help them refine the site. You know I can't keep my mouth shut!
As far as I can tell, Odeo is trying to set itself apart from other directories by creating a community of podcast listeners. Each podcast has its own channel, and listeners can leave comments on the channel or on a particular show. You can listen to shows directly from the site or you can install the Odeo Syncr (available for Windows and Mac) to download shows to your computer. Your queue is accessible on the site which is a useful addition if you listen to podcasts from work; you can delete the ones you've already listed to from your queue so you don't download them again when you get home.
Does this site have the content to keep you hanging around? As usual, that depends on what you are looking for. The Top 40 list only included five familiar names and "Dawn and Drew" weren't even in the Top 10, so you'll definitely see something different in this directory. If you don't see any of your favorites, then the Help Odeo Grow link will be your friend. Anyone can add a podcast to the site, as long as you know the address of the feed. This adds to the community aspect because Odeo members can introduce each other to shows. There is also the Zeitgeist which tells you what others have subscribed to in the last few minutes.
All of this sounds great, but I have been experiencing some problems. It can be difficult to find a certain channel, resulting in it being added more than once. For instance, I found two channels for Geek Fu Action Grip. They both have the same episodes but different subscribers. Some podcasts will not stream at work and I thought I would be able to use this site to get around that, but if a file is not encoded a certain way the Flash player on the site can't handle it. If I get sound at all, it sounds like Alvin and the Chipmunks. The files also seem to download a bit more slowly with the Syncr than with iPodder or iTunes.
Since Odeo is still new, it should get better with a little time. I have a soft spot for people who are just starting out, so I'll keep giving them constructive feedback to help them refine the site. You know I can't keep my mouth shut!
12 July 2005
Our mini-knitalong
As I mentioned a few days' ago, C1 and I are both knitting the SpunMag mosaic bag. We haven't knit very much, but I promised pictures so here we go.
This is the beginning of C1's bag. On her bag, you can see more clearly the difference between doing the slip-stitch incorrectly (bottom inch) and doing it correctly. If you don't pull the yarn forward when you *slip as if to purl*, then you end up with a fabric that looks like scrunched-up garter stitch with muddy color. When you do it the right way, you get nice lines every third stitch.
My piece is a bit bigger and it makes another point. If you use one variegated yarn and one solid yarn (as we both did), you may still get the pooling effect that many people dislike. I don't mind the pooling, but I may try this pattern again with all variegated yarn.
That's it for today. I am reading the fifth Harry Potter book again in preparation for the new book that is coming out this week, so I don't know if I will get much knitting done. Reading has a way of blocking out everything else in my life!
This is the beginning of C1's bag. On her bag, you can see more clearly the difference between doing the slip-stitch incorrectly (bottom inch) and doing it correctly. If you don't pull the yarn forward when you *slip as if to purl*, then you end up with a fabric that looks like scrunched-up garter stitch with muddy color. When you do it the right way, you get nice lines every third stitch.
My piece is a bit bigger and it makes another point. If you use one variegated yarn and one solid yarn (as we both did), you may still get the pooling effect that many people dislike. I don't mind the pooling, but I may try this pattern again with all variegated yarn.
That's it for today. I am reading the fifth Harry Potter book again in preparation for the new book that is coming out this week, so I don't know if I will get much knitting done. Reading has a way of blocking out everything else in my life!
10 July 2005
Going around in circles
As we are all reminded by the name of this blog, my goal for this year was to knit afghans. The thought of knitting afghans immediately drove me to knit baby stuff. So I set myself a mini-goal to use up my cotton oddballs and make baby stuff. After two baby sweaters, I was lured away from baby knitting by variegated yarn and slip-stitch knitting. I haven't even gotten halfway through this slip-stitch purse that I am knitting and what do I want to work on? An afghan! Sometimes I have the attention span of a gnat.
09 July 2005
Health Update
If you have read my recent entries, you may have noticed that I only exercised once this week. It has become very frustrating to try to exercise because of the sciatic pain I am experiencing on my right side. Generally, I don't talk about my health concerns because I don't want to hear the inevitable comment: "You really should see a doctor about that." I am uninsured so that isn't an option. Anyway, I am pretty sure that this pain is weight-related because the only other time I had it was when I was pregnant. So now I am caught in a depressing cycle. I need to lose weight to get rid of the pain. I need to exercise to lose weight, but if I exercise longer than 15 minutes the pain gets worse. Grumbling is for old folks, so I'll stop.
In other health news, ABM had a false start with South Beach last week so he is going to start over on Monday. I'm not a big fan of low-carb diets, but in my current mood I think that I could stick it out for at least a week to jump-start my weight loss. I can't see giving up bread and potatoes forever, but I do recognize that currently my diet is very high on carbs. This is an average day for me:
Breakfast--1 packet of instant oatmeal followed by two cups of coffee (lots of sugar and cream!)
Lunch-- Six ounces of meat and two vegetables at the caf (usually fried or covered with some sort of sauce; one of the veggies is usually a starchy one like potatoes or corn)
Dinner-- This is where it goes downhill. I eat whatever is available that doesn't involve cooking (the kids eat dinner with the MIL). Rarely is there any meat involved unless it is a hot dog. It is more likely to be candy, chips, ice cream, bagels, Ramen noodles, or English muffins. If ABM brings home some takeout, then it will be egg rolls and lo mein.
As you can see, I am pretty resistant to cooking. For me, cooking is something you do to impress your guests at a dinner party :-). I know that low-carb diets (and healthy eating in general) involve a bit of food prepartion. No matter what plan we try, I think this is our biggest obstacle. Convenience foods don't fit our budget and neither one of us wants to cook when we come home. The only way I can see this working is if we make the ultimate commitment and clean out our cabinets. As long as we continue to buy lots of snack food, we'll never cook a real meal. I don't know if I will get ABM to go for it, though.
In other health news, ABM had a false start with South Beach last week so he is going to start over on Monday. I'm not a big fan of low-carb diets, but in my current mood I think that I could stick it out for at least a week to jump-start my weight loss. I can't see giving up bread and potatoes forever, but I do recognize that currently my diet is very high on carbs. This is an average day for me:
Breakfast--1 packet of instant oatmeal followed by two cups of coffee (lots of sugar and cream!)
Lunch-- Six ounces of meat and two vegetables at the caf (usually fried or covered with some sort of sauce; one of the veggies is usually a starchy one like potatoes or corn)
Dinner-- This is where it goes downhill. I eat whatever is available that doesn't involve cooking (the kids eat dinner with the MIL). Rarely is there any meat involved unless it is a hot dog. It is more likely to be candy, chips, ice cream, bagels, Ramen noodles, or English muffins. If ABM brings home some takeout, then it will be egg rolls and lo mein.
As you can see, I am pretty resistant to cooking. For me, cooking is something you do to impress your guests at a dinner party :-). I know that low-carb diets (and healthy eating in general) involve a bit of food prepartion. No matter what plan we try, I think this is our biggest obstacle. Convenience foods don't fit our budget and neither one of us wants to cook when we come home. The only way I can see this working is if we make the ultimate commitment and clean out our cabinets. As long as we continue to buy lots of snack food, we'll never cook a real meal. I don't know if I will get ABM to go for it, though.
07 July 2005
06 July 2005
Podcast Talk: iTunes
When I got my mp3 player, I tried a few free podcast aggregators before settling on iPodder. It is the best option that I have found so far, but there are several things about it that are inconvenient. That's why I was happy to hear that iTunes was adding a podcast directory. I don't use iTunes a lot, but it is my first stop when I want a song quickly without navigating some weird peer-to-peer software. I was expecting the podcast directory to give me the same instant gratification.
Unfortunately, iTunes isn't fully stocked yet. I couldn't find all the shows that I listen to regularly. Out of 20 podcasts, I was only able to find 12. I suppose that is OK, but I expected more from an outfit like Apple. Those who said that Apple would probably focus on the corporate guys who are jumping into the podcast game may be right. The front page of the directory is filled with shows produced by ABC News, Disney, and professional radio stations across the country. I probably would have thought that was neat before I discovered shows like Croncast, which is recorded in a family's basement. Now I can't shake the feeling that the big guys are taking the candy from the little kid who was amusing himself in the back of the school bus.
What iTunes lacks in selection, it makes up for with a great interface. The interface is pretty and informative. The songs are not downloaded to a mysterious folder deep with the nether regions of my computer. There is plenty of information available for each episode such as date, time, and info on what the episode is about. I hate it when I have more than one episode and can't tell which one is the newest, so I like to have as much info as possible.
All in all, I think that iTunes is a great podcast aggregator -- if you have an iPod. After spending all that time fiddling with it, I couldn't figure out how to use iTunes to download the shows to my non-iPod. That makes me especially grateful that iTunes saves the shows to an easily found folder. Transfering the shows one-by-one from the My Music folder isn't much worse than navigating Windows Media Player 10, a program I dislike a little more each time I use it. Perhaps if I am a good girl, ABM will bring me an iPod for Christmas! Then my podcast experience would be complete because I could bookmark my shows instead of trying to listen to them in one sitting.
Laundry awaits, so I'll write about Odeo next week.
Unfortunately, iTunes isn't fully stocked yet. I couldn't find all the shows that I listen to regularly. Out of 20 podcasts, I was only able to find 12. I suppose that is OK, but I expected more from an outfit like Apple. Those who said that Apple would probably focus on the corporate guys who are jumping into the podcast game may be right. The front page of the directory is filled with shows produced by ABC News, Disney, and professional radio stations across the country. I probably would have thought that was neat before I discovered shows like Croncast, which is recorded in a family's basement. Now I can't shake the feeling that the big guys are taking the candy from the little kid who was amusing himself in the back of the school bus.
What iTunes lacks in selection, it makes up for with a great interface. The interface is pretty and informative. The songs are not downloaded to a mysterious folder deep with the nether regions of my computer. There is plenty of information available for each episode such as date, time, and info on what the episode is about. I hate it when I have more than one episode and can't tell which one is the newest, so I like to have as much info as possible.
All in all, I think that iTunes is a great podcast aggregator -- if you have an iPod. After spending all that time fiddling with it, I couldn't figure out how to use iTunes to download the shows to my non-iPod. That makes me especially grateful that iTunes saves the shows to an easily found folder. Transfering the shows one-by-one from the My Music folder isn't much worse than navigating Windows Media Player 10, a program I dislike a little more each time I use it. Perhaps if I am a good girl, ABM will bring me an iPod for Christmas! Then my podcast experience would be complete because I could bookmark my shows instead of trying to listen to them in one sitting.
Laundry awaits, so I'll write about Odeo next week.
05 July 2005
Wasn't the fixing supposed to be in February?
Exercise: 20 min (bhangra workout)
I joined the long list of recyclers over at Alison's blog back in February, but I never got much done on that ugly green sweater other than unraveling it. However, I found something else this week that needed to be revamped. Remember this?
Nothing against Mayflwr's pattern, but I didn't like the way it was turning out. However, I think this yarn would be perfectly suited to the slip-stitch purse pattern at SpunMag.
I would show you my own progress, but there isn't much to show. You'll just have to hold your breath until next week!
I joined the long list of recyclers over at Alison's blog back in February, but I never got much done on that ugly green sweater other than unraveling it. However, I found something else this week that needed to be revamped. Remember this?
Nothing against Mayflwr's pattern, but I didn't like the way it was turning out. However, I think this yarn would be perfectly suited to the slip-stitch purse pattern at SpunMag.
I would show you my own progress, but there isn't much to show. You'll just have to hold your breath until next week!
02 July 2005
Live Aid memories
I have Live 8 on in the background today as I go about my work. I'm sure many people are having Live Aid flashbacks as they watch it. When Live Aid took place in 1985, I was 18 and still living in my mother's house. We lived way out in the country with no cable television. I watched the concert on small black-and-white TV tuned into a fuzzy UHF station. It felt so cool to be watching something live from another country, and the fuzziness made it a bit more of an adventure like tuning in a ham radio or something. It seemed like such a once-in-a-lifetime event, and I am almost sad that they are doing it again. In today's world of "all access, all the time", I'm not sure that a global concert will have the same impact that it had 20 years ago.
Health Update; Hairspray!
Despite an improvement in my mood, I didn't exercise at all this week. I worked longer shifts this week and didn't feel like exercising when I got home. Not much else I can say until I get back on the wagon.
Last night, I saw Hairspray with my BFF Rabbit. I'm old enough to remember when Broadway touring companies didn't come to this area, so it is still very special to me when I get to go to a show. It was wonderful! It was so good I almost cried right there in the theatre. I know I shouldn't romanticize the 1960s, especially since that decade wasn't kind to my race. Still, I adore pre-1965 music, clothes, and hairstyles. This show gave me all of that in abundance. And the dancing! It made me want to jump out of my seat. I wish I could remember some of those moves so I could dance along with the CD. I hope that either the rumours of a movie version come true or that the community college mounts a production so that I can afford to take M to see it.
The performance was especially sweet because the understudy for the Tracy Turnblad role was a NC girl and she got a chance to go on. Her parents were two rows ahead of us and they were practically shimmering out of their seats. When she took her bows, she was laughing and crying at the same time. Rabbit and I were so happy for her and we didn't even know her!
Last night, I saw Hairspray with my BFF Rabbit. I'm old enough to remember when Broadway touring companies didn't come to this area, so it is still very special to me when I get to go to a show. It was wonderful! It was so good I almost cried right there in the theatre. I know I shouldn't romanticize the 1960s, especially since that decade wasn't kind to my race. Still, I adore pre-1965 music, clothes, and hairstyles. This show gave me all of that in abundance. And the dancing! It made me want to jump out of my seat. I wish I could remember some of those moves so I could dance along with the CD. I hope that either the rumours of a movie version come true or that the community college mounts a production so that I can afford to take M to see it.
The performance was especially sweet because the understudy for the Tracy Turnblad role was a NC girl and she got a chance to go on. Her parents were two rows ahead of us and they were practically shimmering out of their seats. When she took her bows, she was laughing and crying at the same time. Rabbit and I were so happy for her and we didn't even know her!
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