WanderingAmylessly 2.0

I've been saying for weeks, either it needs to dump some more snow to cover up the gray, nasty mess, or it needs to warm up enough for me to run outside. Over the weekend, I ran outside twice in temps in the upper 20s to low 30s. However, I'm getting my other wish starting tomorrow. It's going to dump up to a foot of snow here between Tuesday and Wednesday, and then the whole mess is going to blow around like crazy. The "B" word has been tossed about...b as in blizzard. Our management team sent out a note today warning people not to take risks and to take the day off if it's too nasty. Sounds like a great plan to me. Fireplace, jammies, board games, books, knitting, puzzles. Just as long as the power stays on.

Did you know if you type a few words into Google, say, the beginning of a question, Google will give you all sorts of possibilities for discussion? The bit I typed in this morning was: "Does this..." Here were some of the ways Google completed that phrase, based on what other Google users have previously typed. Should we be afraid for the future of humankind? 1. Does this mean you're moving on? 2. Does this mean you're annoying? 3. Does this look infected? 4. Does this guy like me? 5. Does this mean I'm pregnant? 6. Does this mean I'm gay? 7. Does this look stupid? 8. Does this offend you? 9. Does this make my ass look fat? 10. (What) does this dream mean? What did we do before Google? (And as an aside, how many of you are now going to go to Google and type in "What did we...") Well, for starters, if there were no Google, I wouldn't have wasted the last 10 minutes writing this. And the top "What did we" phrases included "What did w...

Just when I was truly settling into my new space at work, enjoying the more climate-controlled temperatures and the row of windows streaming joyous sunlight into my cube... We found out we're moving. The lease is up on the building we're in, and our company isn't renewing. So they'll be shuffling us all off to the four corners of the universe. Really there are three options. Two of the options would mean a shorter commute, the third would tack on another 15 minutes each way. One of the shorter commute options is a giant building that resembles a cave. Few windows. People crammed in like sardines in a can. Old furniture. It's really a place that could suck out your soul. However, there's a knitting group that meets once a week, and those ladies are super fun. The longer commute would be to a nearly new office building, likely with more space and fewer bodies. It is located right off the interstate, so it's easy enough to get to. And perhaps if I whined a bit ...

This has become the age-old question...Why do men hate short hair on women? I've been thinking about this a lot because my current style, an angled bob, requires a bunch of fussing every morning to get it to do anything. My favorite haircut of all time, as far as ease of care, was my pixie cut. I loved that I could wash it, gel it, and be done. No blow drying or flattening or curling. Just gel and go. Very sporty. I thought it looked cute. My husband has another opinion. The longer the better is his motto. Thing is, my hair becomes an unruly, tangled, nappy mop when it gets long. If I had all the time in the world and Jennifer Aniston's budget, I'd be more than happy to grow it long and have others style it every day. In real life, I guess I'd rather go for comfort and convenience. And if you ask me, I think the pixie is dang cute. I suspect heterosexual men aren't hot on short hair, in general, because it's too much like their own hair. No matter how much jewel...

1. No one is reading my blog. 2. Anyone who reads my blog is a slug.

Ok, those of you in the blogosphere. I have a question: what do you do for exercise? Do you love it? Do you barely endure it? Would you recommend it to others? I get sooooo bored doing the same thing all the time. I get in a rut doing the same thing all the time. Or at least that's what has happened in the past. I end up doing a whole lot of nothing at all. From now on, I'm going to make a point of mixing it up. I still plan to do spin class a couple days a week, but I'm am also doing some Wii Fit, some cardio machines at the gym, a Jillian Michaels (Biggest Loser trainer) DVD, and just last night I did 1.5 hours of yoga. My muscles are screaming today. So give me your best sell: what's the best exercise for you? And why should I give it a try?

If you've watched TV since Jan. 1, you've probably seen the barrage of diet program commercials enticing people to follow through with their new year's resolutions. The program I'm on, Jenny Craig, just launched a new program that is supposed to be the latest, greatest in weight-loss support -- Metabolic MAX. I fell for the schpiel. I was going to just stick with the current program level, but my consultant, Amberly, started telling me about the new program, with its high-tech monitoring gadget and computer software that calculates calories in, calories out, putting the science back in weight loss. I ended up buying the BodyMedia FIT Armband, which tracks my activity, body temperature, heat flux, motion and steps taken, and helps calculate how much I need to eat and how much I need to move daily to lose 2 pounds a week, all based on my personal metabolism. I track my food intake on the computer (or via an app for my smartphone), then sync the armband to my computer dail...

I was sitting at my desk this morning, working away, doing nothing unusual. All of a sudden, couldn't move my neck. My neck muscles on the right side of my body spasmed, and I've been useless ever since. I didn't even sneeze or cough or sleep wrong or anything. I was sitting, doing NOTHING. What does THAT say about my a, posture, and b, fitness level. Sad. Very sad. Just made an appointment with the chiro. I need a neck crack, some massage, and time away from the computer. Wow, I wish it was Friday.

H is taking fencing lessons. Or "swordfighting" as he's been known to call it. I'm not sure how thrilled I am with him picking up a weapon and waving it around while we shell out a small fortune (although thanks must go to the Grandparents Schoon for picking up the tab this time 'round). But it's an Olympic sport, along with the other two activities he's involved in -- swimming and gymnastics. So it can't be all bad.

Just in case you were afraid this was turning into a diet blog... While I was in Lowe's Home Improvement, trying to improve my life, some asshat hit my car in the parking lot and drove away. I now have a smushed-in driver's side fender and more than a thou in repairs upcoming to bring it back to its former glory. This is the second wreck I've had with this car. The thing is going to be worth about $4 when I go to trade it/sell it in a few years. At least the driver's door opens now. When it first happened, the bent fender blocked the door from opening, so I had to maneuver through the passenger side, over the center console, to wedge myself into the driver's seat. When Tim took it to the auto body place yesterday for an estimate, they said they couldn't start work for a couple weeks, but they manhandled some metal back in place so I could at least enter and exit the car with a bit of decency. I filed a report with the police, who basically said I was in fantasyl...

I've lost 11.4 pounds on Jenny Craig. I'm thrilled. I've lost a couple inches 'round the waist, which means the jeans that were too tight are now fitting well. I'm ready to go the next size down in my closet! I'm trying not to remember that these pounds I'm losing are sort of the same ones I lost a year ago on Weight Watchers. This is different. I swear, I'm not gaining them back ever again. Ever. You heard it right here, folks. Never. Ever.

I just heard that Carrie Fisher is doing Jenny Craig , too! I'm so excited!! I adore her. Think she's one of the funniest women around. Brilliant writer. Terrific actress. And now a source of inspiration and support on my weight-loss journey. I finished reading Valerie Bertinelli's book Losing It the other day, and she's another Jenny Craig spokeswoman who is inspirational and witty and a whole lot more like me than I'd ever imagine. I'm finding boatloads of inspiration lately, between following Jenny Craig and watching The Biggest Loser. I hope this continues. I really want to reach my goal this time. I'm tired of the yo-yo.

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." -- Dr. Seuss

I'm so excited it's Friday, the end of a stressful and uncertain week. Plus, we have fun times planned for the weekend! We're traveling to Des Moines to see the DaVinci exhibit AND I have a knitting get-together planned with some yarn-loving friends. I've lost 8.2 pounds in the past three weeks, thanks to Jenny Craig and some amazing willpower in the midst of the holidays. I went to the gym 3 days this week. I meet with my new manager next week, via phone, since -- for the first time -- I'll have a boss who supervises me from a different state. New adventures. Happy New Year!

I got a new manager. No one got canned. We'll see what the next few months bring...

We have a meeting at work this afternoon. A two-hour meeting. A very secretive, you-won't-want-to-miss-it meeting. A so-big-we-postponed-it-until-after-winter-holidays meeting. As one of my coworkers put it, "A come-to-Jesus meeting?" I have no idea what might happen. I'm guessing our department is having the big "R". As in "reorganization." What will that mean for me? Given that the past few months have been some of the most miserable I've experienced as a grownup in a work environment, I'd venture to guess that it can't get much worse. Then again, now that I've said it, life will strive to prove me dead wrong. Time to update the resume?

I have spent my first three days of 2011 HUNGRY. I started Jenny Craig two weeks ago and, while the food is tasty, there's not enough OF it. I must lose weight...all that weight I lost on Weight Watchers and then promptly gained back...and then some. GRR. And then this a.m., I woke up to a dead battery in my car. $150 later... I hope this isn't a sign of things to come in the new year. I need an attitude adjustment. And a cookie.