Five random things

[make_your_move]

1. I need to get back to posting on a regular basis -- we're 8 days into the year and I've only posted maybe once or twice. There's been lots of good things to write, I just haven't made the time to sit down and do them. In part because I'm trying not to let sitting at the laptop suck up my whole day. Fucked up, I know, but there you go.

2. Getting up a mere 1/2 hour earlier makes me way more productive. I managed to get tea, breakfast and laptop time in before getting the kids/husband up and ready for the day. I may try to do this more often. However, seriously made me want to take a mid-morning nap at 10am. Got all my running around done before noon - post office, video store, supermarket. Now I have time to walk on the treadmill and start dinner early -- Baked Rigatoni.

3. Being sick has made me cut down on the smoking. 4 for yesterday -- didn't have my first one today until after 11am. Yes, yes, I know -- just quit, but that hasn't worked well in the past, and this seems to be working -- so positive encouragement is welcome, other stuff .. not so much.

4. Decided not to make any resolutions for this year -- I have one that is important to me that I made late last year. 40 lbs down by my birthday this year (or my newest motto - 40 by 40). To whit I have made some minor changes to start -- brown rice, whole wheat pasta, meatless at least once a week and working on portions. No effect yet, but I'm also not expecting to be fitter by tomorrow. Also -- walking on the treadmill - both myself and lapsedagnostic - it's a start ... maybe in a couple weeks I'll add some weights in. Right now, I'm all about starting somewhere ... and wouldn't you know it, here looks like a fine place.

5. Artistically I've accepted a challenge with the encouragement of my girlfriend and Laurel wilfulcait. Cait thinks it would be a good idea for me to enter the Kingdom Arts and Sciences Festival the beginning of March. It's a Pentathalon - I'd link it, but the info isn't there -- essentially I need to pick a persona (not necessarily the one I already have) and do 5 things related to that persona - the list is long, but so far I think I am going to do at least these 3 - blackwork cuffs on a chemise, a pomegranate drink and I'm going to make a paternoster by lampworking my own beads -- I still need two more things from the list. The thought of this scares me witless, but I have encouragement and support from everyone in the clan -- so I'm going to try. There will probably be updates on this, I may even make a filter for it -- or I'll just put it behind lj cuts marked "Pentathalon" - so if your interested in it, feel free to comment or follow the posts. By the way - I have not yet started, but I'm planning on it this weekend.

Comments

[love-priestess.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to cut down on the weight too (I'll add you to the filter on bella_peligrosa for progress notes if you want).

As for the smoking it's all about small victories. You could try to quit...or you could try to just taper it down. Personally, I prefer substituting oral fixations....but that's just me ;)

Good luck with the new year. Sounds like your head's in the right place!

[belthazar-b.livejournal.com]

Personally, I prefer substituting oral fixations....but that's just me ;)

What a marvelous idea.:)

[love-priestess.livejournal.com]

I think so. Hot mouth action is totally what the doctor ordered to give up smoking :)

[belthazar-b.livejournal.com]

YES! See Mym *points to love_priestess* she's a smart one.

I likkkkke you.*innocent grin*

[love-priestess.livejournal.com]

Why thank you very much!

But for some reason, I'm not buyin' the innocent grin.

[make-your-move.livejournal.com]

You shouldn't buy the innocent grin -- because I can tell you, if he weren't so far away, he'd be over here helping me with my oral fixations ;)

[love-priestess.livejournal.com]

As well he should be, dammit.

Practice! Practice! Practice!!

[belthazar-b.livejournal.com]

*nod* Yep, this is undoubtedly true. *sigh* *bats eyelashes* But I'm still innocent, damn it! *grin*

[make-your-move.livejournal.com]

I just added the above to my friends list .. but I'm not on that one that I can see ...

[love-priestess.livejournal.com]

Damn...not sure why that was. Maybe I should stop playing with the filters so much :)

[orlacarey.livejournal.com]

Very cool on the KA&S Thing. I look forward to hearing more about it. I don't think I'm actually going to be able to get my project done at this point.

[cellymcfae.livejournal.com]

Good luck with the tapering off smoking. Anything that works for you, makes a difference. Don't put your kids through watching you die of lung cancer. Speaking from experience, it really sucks. {{hugs}}

[belthazar-b.livejournal.com]

Your getting off to a great start on all fronts babe! Its great to see you wanting to make positive changes for *you*. I know the smoking thing has been tough, your doing a magnificant job!

[melaniesuzanne.livejournal.com]

I would love to be on your Pentathalon filter!

[aztecknight.livejournal.com]

Best of luck with the smoking and the weight. They are hard to deal with together. But if you put your mind to it, you can do it.

[webqatch.livejournal.com]

Here's to big celebrations for small victories!

[ebullientjenn.livejournal.com]

On the quitting smoking front, there's a new drug out called Chantix which helps you quit. I'm not sure how it works, but Tim's going to do it, as soon as he kicks the damn bronchitis. Also I've heard very good things about Zyban, and considering that It's basically wellbutrin (my antidepressant of choice) I highly recommend it.

The Zyban also has the added benefit of helping to control your appetite while also boosting your sex drive. (Ahem.)
I know it seems hard to justify the medication considering that you are not a 'pack a day' smoker, but considering how long you've been at it, and how you seem to return to it, this might be a viable and helpful option.

Also, as part of my project to 'get my head in line with what my body is doing' I've been reading this book called "Mindless Eating" by Brian Wansink. It's VERY good and very interesting. I'd highly recommend it. It's not a diet book, but it really addresses our triggers to eat and it's very perceptive and non-guilt/judgemental at all.

Also, I love you :)

Blackwork

[ladylyonesse.livejournal.com]

I have lots and lots of books and linen and some samplers I've worked that you're very welcome to play with, to get your cuffs done? It's lovely stress-reducing work. I highly recommend stitchery-by-podcast -- hardly period, but lovely nonetheless. :)

[wizardglick.livejournal.com]

The Pentathalon sounds like a cool idea. One of my WW goals is to get into some aspect that of it that I can build something that can be displayed at artsy-type shows. It's a good motivator to do good work, and it also supplies that greatest of all efficiency tools, the deadline.


I'm struggling with the smoking thing too.

[liatha.livejournal.com]

1.) Hearing from you more often would be lovely :)

2.) I love my early morning quiet time. I get up at 5, bully D out of bed to go snuggle with his grandmother, then have a cup of coffee and do my online comic reading and LJ catchup until 5:30, when I start making breakfast. 5:45 has me getting Mom & D up and moving, giving mom coffee, serving breakfast, making lunches, and getting myself dressed... and my day really begins. You do, eventually, get used to it and stop wanting that mid-day nap.

3.) Whatever it takes to make you successful is what it takes... and I'm totally stoked that you're trying. Keep plugging at it, and you'll make it.

4.) Starting too hard and fast is a perfect recipe for failure. Do what you CAN do, and don't be too hard on yourself. Starting somewhere is better than not starting at all. Which reminds me... must get back to exercising again myself.

[silverfeet97.livejournal.com]

I think you should pick a number, like six and concentrate on that. Have six smokes a day. When you are having them, ENJOY them. Don't do it fast, don't do it feeling guilty ect. In a few months see if you'd be just as happy with 4 a day.

If you are down to 4 a day and when you are stressed to hell and back you are at 4 a day...I think you can be very happy with that accomplishment. And no need to fully 100% quit on anybodys time table but your own.

[musicman.livejournal.com]

In 2001, after close to 30 years of a pack a day, after many attempts, I finally was able to stop smoking. I got lucky, and felt in the right place to quit, and signed up for Smokenders. I also took Zyban the last four weeks.

If you are down to four cigarettes a day, you a close, very close. Smokenders finds ways to reduce your nocotine content each week. So look at your pack and figure out how much nicotine you get from those four cigs -- and then find a different brand with half that much, and smoke four of those each day for a week. And meanwhile find yet another brand with half of that much nicotine and smoke four of those a day. It is a gradual tapering of the nicotine. After four weeks, you will be having much less nicotine, even though you are smoking four cigarettes. Oh, and you are only allowed to smoke an hour after a meal, and an hour before a meal. :)

The Zyban really helped too, but I found I had to eat with it because it made me nervous. But as long as I had cereal before I took my pill, I was all right.

The other part of Smokenders was the reward -- we spent a lot of time on positive reinforcement. Feeling better, cleaner health, better ability to smell, better ability to taste. And a reward of some kind. My reward was regular sessions with a massage therapist, which I promissed myself to begin after I successfully quit -- And sessions of play with willing play-partners in the scene.

Go Mym Go

[sierra-victor.livejournal.com]

Stop that smoking!

Lose that weight!

Do those persona crafts!

Go Mym Go!

Sounds like you're already off to a good start princess.

S_V