Getting down to some serious business

You may have noticed lately that I haven't talked much about weight loss. No goals, no "I'm going to do this!" and no revelations as to why or how I got to where I am now. Nothing about how I'm struggling or much I want to get to my goal weight or about how much I've gained. Barely a mention of any binge eating.<br /><br />Just lots of pretty pictures and nothing serious. Light, fluffy, shallow. <br /><br />Here's the truth and what I really didn't want to talk about, but I need to face reality:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>I'm really struggling on a daily basis to barely maintain under 180.</strong> </div><br />My lowest weight in the past ten years was 154 on February 2009. I maintained pretty close to that weight until September 2009. My size 10's all fit and I worked out almost every day. I still wanted to lose another 20 pounds, but I was comfortable at that weight. <br /><br />Then life happened. My crazy job had me travel extensively. I used that as an excuse to barely exercise and eat like a the maniac food addict on an expense account. I self-medicated myself with food. I quickly gained 20 pounds which is now 23 pounds. <br /><br />The last two months I haven't made any progress on losing that weight. Every day I wake up and think, "I really need to lose this weight!". It's a repeat of what I said to myself when I weighed 240 pounds. I would say the same thing every single day, but do nothing about it. Until one day I actually did do something about it and lost 85 pounds in a year. That was February 2008 and by February 2009 I was a comfortable 154, fighting to lose another 20 pounds.<br /><br />So here I am, March 7, 2010. Sitting right at 178 pounds. I don't like this weight. My size 10's do not fit. My size 12's are getting tight, and I even bought a pair of size 14 jeans last week. I feel fat. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate my body like I use to hate it. I'm strong and I like being strong.  I just prefer to weigh about 20 pounds less.<br /><br />I don't feel sexy or attractive at this weight. I want to feel pretty and sexy. As shallow as that sounds, it's just as important to me as being strong. I know some people will say that feeling sexy is a state of mind, and I agree to a certain extent. For me it's a combination of the mind and the body.<br /><br />The big questions are: How am I going to fix what seems to be broken in me? How am I seriously going to get on track with losing weight? What can I do differently that might work?<br /><br />Right now I don't have the answers. I'm trying, but my trying is half-hearted. I guess I have some soul searching to do to figure this out. I need answers and only I can come up with the answers that will work for me.<br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br />Now for the light, fluffy stuff and my annoying talk about my exercising. :)<br />I decided to bike to the gym today instead of driving my car. It's only 6 miles round trip, although it's kind of hilly. I stopped quite a few times to take pictures pictures, but still in two hours of biking and strength training my heart rate monitor said I burned 643 calories. Not too shabby for two hours of exercise and one was super fun.<br /><br />I was surprised how much more difficult the hills were for me compared the last time I biked the trail in October.. Could it be because of the 20 pounds that was weighing me down? The hills were almost more than I could do (but I did do them).<br /><br />On the way home the sky was overcast and gray. Really not much to take pictures of that was interesting.<br /><br />One thing that's kind of weird is this sign. My bike trail goes past the Federal Way Aquatic Center and they have a sign out front with the weather and time, but it also has a weird face on it that it took me a few minutes to figure out.<br /><br />Any guesses? Actually, it's suppose to be Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In 2007 his face became the emblem of King County (Seattle and Federal Way). Some of the lights are burned out and it sort of looks like a skeleton. Personally I think it's kind of disrespectful and they should remove his face from the sign until they get the lights fixed. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijLhfReob-0SDXhDYbNPKXW4HCVPCsfCguiuvkaL4Kar70Cb-qKBQHAAwLaiHFAA9vNavGm_sBIi8ArnIN1DbFoE3oCTUyvN-gvGeu9_Mw1HYEwz7OOsAPst3jdVobajBEdSPjEGM1Fg8O/s1600-h/7mar2010+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijLhfReob-0SDXhDYbNPKXW4HCVPCsfCguiuvkaL4Kar70Cb-qKBQHAAwLaiHFAA9vNavGm_sBIi8ArnIN1DbFoE3oCTUyvN-gvGeu9_Mw1HYEwz7OOsAPst3jdVobajBEdSPjEGM1Fg8O/s640/7mar2010+013.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You can see all the lights that are burned out.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5QI_1SiHvuoRcZENk06nnHL7m9_ugHX-3x9abxS9Nam12hq1DahRq0YCHrJ09AzHrHIJtjEix1Fq1B7hfcEQXMcURUDeH46nPsuw4_7xmtpVknUB0JMmHqogVSdY-hpbJGoxXViWCu_RU/s1600-h/7mar2010+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5QI_1SiHvuoRcZENk06nnHL7m9_ugHX-3x9abxS9Nam12hq1DahRq0YCHrJ09AzHrHIJtjEix1Fq1B7hfcEQXMcURUDeH46nPsuw4_7xmtpVknUB0JMmHqogVSdY-hpbJGoxXViWCu_RU/s640/7mar2010+007.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Across from the aquatic center is the hill form hell. It's so much fun to fly down it my bike, but it's torture going up it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiraITIN6iMK3CtQ_fkc8oMged1ZC6GYOfAkU28YIKiBRX_3JCf7jgcc5_B7iVnKmelsil6eH10UxpVJAtbY0Oc1938YEVACqPYEIhuxl3f9Du6bXHW3AuGRR1q1tw-XbCd4cfrIC60gHrW/s1600-h/7mar2010+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiraITIN6iMK3CtQ_fkc8oMged1ZC6GYOfAkU28YIKiBRX_3JCf7jgcc5_B7iVnKmelsil6eH10UxpVJAtbY0Oc1938YEVACqPYEIhuxl3f9Du6bXHW3AuGRR1q1tw-XbCd4cfrIC60gHrW/s640/7mar2010+016.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Really not much to take pictures of today. You can see how gray the sky is and the sun is just barely visible through the overcast sky. This was at 1pm.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx25ZYfuQxNrSr1r6lf2LjHDPqcrWpJGp1wacVluc5DoWrfOLGtwHXf9nuNYzV9rTUtOn4r1Iwhj4zpuzwjt_jWiuD6_gZZvLr0X0j01WE9VScS_zP9pe3iRw2EW35qZzNpGTFC0Y3W_jl/s1600-h/7mar2010+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx25ZYfuQxNrSr1r6lf2LjHDPqcrWpJGp1wacVluc5DoWrfOLGtwHXf9nuNYzV9rTUtOn4r1Iwhj4zpuzwjt_jWiuD6_gZZvLr0X0j01WE9VScS_zP9pe3iRw2EW35qZzNpGTFC0Y3W_jl/s640/7mar2010+022.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>

Getting down to some serious business

You may have noticed lately that I haven't talked much about weight loss. No goals, no "I'm going to do this!" and no reve...

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Virtually Awesome: How Smart Companies Use Video Games to Recruit, Retain Employees

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://thehiringsite.careerbuilder.com/wp-content/uploads/video-game-300x225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="http://thehiringsite.careerbuilder.com/wp-content/uploads/video-game-300x225.jpg" /></a></div>As a former Super Nintendo addict enthusiast, I was both excited and surprised to come across this recent Go magazine article about the growing number of companies using interactive software and video games as employee training and development tools.<br /><br />Excited, of course, because it seems like a cool, fun way to engage employees (and brought back fond memories of watching Mario hop around in a Frog suit)…But also surprised by just how many companies are embracing this trend: A reported 70 percent of major domestic employers used these ”serious games” to train employees in 2008, according to the Entertainment Software Association. That figure is estimated to increase to 80 percent by 2013.<br /><br />It’s encouraging to see employers move away from more traditional training methods like white papers, PowerPoint presentations and training calls - many of which seem as if they were designed to be tuned out (apologies if this is news to anyone) – and toward more engaging methods. According to the article, those who use these training techniques say that video games help employees build business skills by putting them in situations that require critical thinking and decision making. <br /><br />Not to mention that being able to interact through computer simulation programs helps employees retain complicated information better than they would using other, more traditional training techniques.<br /><br />Of course, the obvious downsides to using video gaming techniques to train is that the time and cost spent setting up and designing the customized software could be significant, depending on the complexity of the project. And then there’s the not-so-minor fact that simulations can’t completely replace actual human interaction…But none of this is to say this technology doesn’t hold value (so long as its viewed as a supplement to, and not a replacement for, real world training) – and many will argue that the business benefits ultimately outweigh the costs.<br /><br />No Longer Just a Training Tool…<br />In addition to helping companies develop employees’ business skills, more companies are utilizing video games in their recruiting and branding efforts as well. Here are a few examples:<br /><br /><ul><li>Candidate Attraction: The MITRE Corporation, for example, enables job seekers to download a 3D video game that gives players a better understanding of the company’s campus, how the interview process works, and view examples of company projects. Similarly, staffing firm Kelly Services has a virtual community in Second Life that gives job seekers an interactive experience to see what it’s like to work for Kelly, create buzz and differentiate Kelly from its competitors. In August 2009, the U.S. Army opened its Experience Center at a Philadelphia shopping mall, where potential recruits can play military videogames and learn about military bases and career options in an interactive way – helping the Army meet and exceed its recruiting and retention goals. </li><li>Employee Engagement: Kansas City-based benefits provider Assurant launched the gaming suite, “It’s Your Business,” in 2007 with the goal of helping employees better understand the business in order to boost sales. What it ended up with was increased employee engagement and knowledge retention. Today, employees are even more involved in the project, as they are the source of input for developing new training games. </li><li>Employee Retention: In efforts to help employees relieve stress, refocus and (most importantly) avoid burnout, companies are increasingly relying on video games – turning their ordinary break rooms into game zones. At the offices of the Chicago-based tee shirt company Threadless, taking a break to play a little Guitar Hero is an everyday occurrence for employees. And recently, Phoenix-based Multi-Systems, Inc. gave its employees a $10,000 budget to design a game room for them to unwind in, as a thank you for making various pay and benefits sacrifices the previous year</li></ul><br /><a class="addthis_button" href="http://addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&username=rockfordlink"><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink" type="text/javascript"></script>

Virtually Awesome: How Smart Companies Use Video Games to Recruit, Retain Employees

As a former Super Nintendo addict enthusiast, I was both excited and surprised to come across this recent Go magazine article about the grow...

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Latest Employment Report a Mix of Good and Bad (But Mostly Good) News

Anyone else looking forward to the day we can say that we’re actually out of the woods with the current financial crisis (if only so we can put a moratorium on the phrase “out of the woods”)? <br /><br />Well, we might have to hold out a little while longer, because as the latest employment report indicates, we’re, um…well, you know. Today, the Labor Department released its Employment Situation report for the month of February, and, as is often the case lately, there’s both good news and bad news.<br /><br />The good news is that the number of jobs in February fell far below analysts’ expectations and that the unemployment rate did not go up. Despite this fact, the bad news, of course, is that unemployment is still at a remarkably high 9.7 percent and that employers cut 36,000 jobs.<br /><br />Among the highlights of the report:<br /><br />Employers cut 36,000 jobs in February (below analysts’ expectation of 50,000), compared with 26,000 jobs shed in January. <br />Since the start of the recession in December 2007, the number of unemployed Americans has nearly doubled to 14.9 million and the economy has shed 8.4 million jobs. <br />The U.S. unemployment rate held at 9.7 percent in February, and nonfarm payroll employment dipped slightly (-36,000). <br />Severe winter weather in parts of the country may have affected payroll employment and hours; however, it is not possible to quantify precisely the net impact of the winter storms on these measures. <br />Looking at various industries: Temporary help services added 48,000 jobs, while Health Care also continued to trend upward in February. Construction and Information both fell, at 64,000 and 18,000 jobs lost, respectively, while both Manufacturing and Retail were essentially unchanged. <br />Despite the up-and-down numbers over the last few months (36,000 jobs shed in February…26,000 shed in January…109,000 shed in December… 64,000 added in November, etc.), conditions are stabilizing overall.<br /><br />“The large declines are behind us,” said Joel Naroff of Joel Naroff Economic Advisors in a podcast interview with MarketWatch today, in reference to the job loss numbers. Naroff added that the latest report gives a strong indication that, while we may not see strong job growth anytime soon, we will see positive growth.<br /><br />In fact, employers are expected to add as many as 100,000 jobs a month later this year (and if President Obama okays the House’s new $15 billion plan to offer tax breaks to employers, it could further impact job growth in the coming months). <br /><br />Thoughts?<br /><br /><a class="addthis_button" href="http://addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&username=rockfordlink"><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink" type="text/javascript"></script>

Latest Employment Report a Mix of Good and Bad (But Mostly Good) News

Anyone else looking forward to the day we can say that we’re actually out of the woods with the current financial crisis (if only so we can ...

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Planning de la semaine du 08 au 12 mars 2010

<BR><br /><h2><strong><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 113%;color:#005c9b;" >Permanences<br /></span></strong></h2><ul><br /><li>Le <strong>Conseil Général du Loiret</strong> sera présent dans les locaux de la Maison de l'Emploi du bassin d'Orléans<br />- le lundi 08 mars de 9h à 12h30<br />- le mardi 09 mars de 9h à 12h30 et de 13h30 à 17h,<br />- le mercredi 10 mars de 13h30 à 17h<br />- le jeudi 11 mars de 13h30 à 17h<br />- le vendredi 12 mars de 13h30 à 17h<br /><br /><li><strong><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2009/01/egee-nouveau-partenaire-la-maison-de.html">EGEE</a></strong> - lundi 08 mars de 13h30 à 17h (sur rendez-vous)</li><br /><br /><li><strong><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2007/11/boutique-de-gestion.html">Boutique de Gestion</a></strong> - vendredi 12 mars de 09h à 12h30 (sur rendez-vous)</ul><br /><h2><strong><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 113%;color:#005c9b;" >Ateliers</span></strong><br /></h2><br /><ul><li><strong>CV</strong> - mardi 09 mars de 9h à 12h30 et mercredi 10 mars de 13h30 à 17h<br /><br /><li><strong>Lettre de Motivation</strong> - mardi 09 mars de 13h30 à 17h<br /><br /><li><strong>Préparation à l'entretien</strong> - jeudi 11 mars de 13h30 à 17h<br /><br /><li><strong>Pôle-emploi.fr</strong> - vendredi 12 mars de 10h à 11h30<br /><br /><li><strong><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2009/07/atelier-situtilises-tu-trouves.html">Sit'Utilises tu trouves</a></strong> - vendredi 12 mars de 14h à 16h</ul>

Planning de la semaine du 08 au 12 mars 2010

Permanences Le Conseil Général du Loiret sera présent dans les locaux de la Maison de l'Emploi du bassin d'Orléans - le lundi 08 ma...

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Saturday in pictures

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">No snowshoeing pictures. By the time I got going it was almost 1 p.m. It's really not worth an hour drive to Mt. Rainier and only have a couple hours there before we have to head home. My fault. I decided to wash my car "quickly" which turned into a two-hour detailing job. I love a clean car.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Instead we drove about ten minutes down to the beach at Dash Point Park in Federal Way. It was a spectacular day, with the high about 60 degrees. There are also some really cool trails in the hills around the beach. It's a gorgeous park that's close to our house. The tide was out so we spent a lot of time walking out to the water, then hiked a couple trails, one was practically up a mountain.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">When we arrived I was a little bothered by all the people. I hate crowds. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxUITSnJ8P2-gaITKa0PJABIhX2iFpEA1tdFE-BhqlNuSesMhVsihjICsnR6bjjmc1uErKf0YeNbP0hsUI_UVzt_ipvxkthXbRv50Ta5DtJfHU0mnw6NijUKUSpCSHKK3FiBstaeK8ba90/s1600-h/Group+shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxUITSnJ8P2-gaITKa0PJABIhX2iFpEA1tdFE-BhqlNuSesMhVsihjICsnR6bjjmc1uErKf0YeNbP0hsUI_UVzt_ipvxkthXbRv50Ta5DtJfHU0mnw6NijUKUSpCSHKK3FiBstaeK8ba90/s640/Group+shot.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Once we walked out closer to the water, it was like we were totally alone.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-IYiUdavqWSgpzlQwHXVbYI4-S-nDCoZElN6z2r2kXYUnAFvbQxRrwutLvxQ5GMN_WKiIhs_qVJ40hmKXQSZgrvFWXQJGhC3PDh16vSjdgyt0w14iPH7zmPfRyUdVlfs8to365CZionA/s1600-h/DP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-IYiUdavqWSgpzlQwHXVbYI4-S-nDCoZElN6z2r2kXYUnAFvbQxRrwutLvxQ5GMN_WKiIhs_qVJ40hmKXQSZgrvFWXQJGhC3PDh16vSjdgyt0w14iPH7zmPfRyUdVlfs8to365CZionA/s640/DP.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I thought this was so pretty where the tide was out. Sea grass?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyhbpj7ZvEtXPYof8bNIvZ5eXrMYewNDGI-huynCWkfjADMH1FkJ1fP-RLoxu7wqby2QI3dTAdQvNECP5UpOtq7CgiqWt4eQmN1jV_-J6TfAmCz4LOyoim_v6KCB6eP3bdAndd28RuK_d-/s1600-h/grass+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyhbpj7ZvEtXPYof8bNIvZ5eXrMYewNDGI-huynCWkfjADMH1FkJ1fP-RLoxu7wqby2QI3dTAdQvNECP5UpOtq7CgiqWt4eQmN1jV_-J6TfAmCz4LOyoim_v6KCB6eP3bdAndd28RuK_d-/s640/grass+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Closeup. Isn't it artsy looking?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYE6Q6ojL0v-tcFKid_WkwzSApBaz3ZZfnyuodWS_BIiRM3RGFqNKoDeK5-9crPp0rwXXww1q7AJPkAyegDl7VQ5uSLCTg6TE8KCHOYVf2VfNc_7QwLpYwWZSgoJgjZiV-THJeDO_1JWG/s1600-h/Grass+closeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYE6Q6ojL0v-tcFKid_WkwzSApBaz3ZZfnyuodWS_BIiRM3RGFqNKoDeK5-9crPp0rwXXww1q7AJPkAyegDl7VQ5uSLCTg6TE8KCHOYVf2VfNc_7QwLpYwWZSgoJgjZiV-THJeDO_1JWG/s640/Grass+closeup.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">The killer trail.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPYN3b5SzhX5qVlLJpuSmziTlBhA9JjQCOb3sWtAxzC32ncMcSWQJcSc9sk6YLpJOjxLReRbfafUb-SDqLR8c-w8-UJnQpEQGH6_Ow5NnxTqgYKuAPqNqHbNQcvdcpWS7B0kxND7snDYzs/s1600-h/Trail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPYN3b5SzhX5qVlLJpuSmziTlBhA9JjQCOb3sWtAxzC32ncMcSWQJcSc9sk6YLpJOjxLReRbfafUb-SDqLR8c-w8-UJnQpEQGH6_Ow5NnxTqgYKuAPqNqHbNQcvdcpWS7B0kxND7snDYzs/s640/Trail.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">A giant holly tree.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildXahRlw5xd5YBWCzBWaMTtR60LA_rgIavMk7nvqnSQWc2JRXZrRLKewbFwO6wAtt20u3-iajP1Bv2wGZB3LrSnLdoTAm2Cr1Wepi9kc2WCwnjAUFxYEGjuW4sTQ3mIk7yhgF7phkmTgY/s1600-h/Holly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildXahRlw5xd5YBWCzBWaMTtR60LA_rgIavMk7nvqnSQWc2JRXZrRLKewbFwO6wAtt20u3-iajP1Bv2wGZB3LrSnLdoTAm2Cr1Wepi9kc2WCwnjAUFxYEGjuW4sTQ3mIk7yhgF7phkmTgY/s640/Holly.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">The view from the top of the trail.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiylhvnQFLk6MNQLae4sSK3arpCfyspda7zFCCvG2sYW_1pU6_z0Fj5e8lG4ACdFmQrqidhYYZfL71c2ETBaqkgH4r0NCZP4tqCk376NQctBbwbfp1LJWDJpJPDwmXKTet5M2exH4bY0fM_/s1600-h/Trees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiylhvnQFLk6MNQLae4sSK3arpCfyspda7zFCCvG2sYW_1pU6_z0Fj5e8lG4ACdFmQrqidhYYZfL71c2ETBaqkgH4r0NCZP4tqCk376NQctBbwbfp1LJWDJpJPDwmXKTet5M2exH4bY0fM_/s640/Trees.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sand dollars. There were thousands of them. My husband told me he thought they were dead so I picked up a couple of them and put them in my pocket to take home. Then I started looking at them and they had little furry hairs on the underside. I told my husband I was pretty sure they were alive so I put them back, and tried not to walk on any of them. That was hard to do because they were everywhere. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When we got home I googled them. They were indeed alive. That's why they were half buried in the sand. They were feeding! There were all sizes, from tiny baby ones the size of a dime, to giant ones that were about four inches in diameter. Very cool. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBp6ZdSg_adPkyrRX6RtykQ2ENeqfL6LJMylSEKmh4dYPDrG6wYJJwRoADI6g0NKjDOvu3n25AUf18wClbiHO8tbBOYz0JpeIIDzrMRBriPOt8Ux7id9-4EPvMozpK61UUnDuUFgjOUsd/s1600-h/6Mar2010+Browns+Pt+064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBp6ZdSg_adPkyrRX6RtykQ2ENeqfL6LJMylSEKmh4dYPDrG6wYJJwRoADI6g0NKjDOvu3n25AUf18wClbiHO8tbBOYz0JpeIIDzrMRBriPOt8Ux7id9-4EPvMozpK61UUnDuUFgjOUsd/s640/6Mar2010+Browns+Pt+064.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Mt. Rainier, taken on the way home, about two miles from our house.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdKyY54z22PeJpG3fvmTdNg6BoYWcP0dfqc3AImEilqgpxFXp3Ww-g6QX7hzKVQh_FwuCvaoi1U6ZHOsMjOlAECXZqSe9UyIkKU2Lya6kOW_IIBYGAWMBH3NRudBk4wdydbunnMLQwhNa0/s1600-h/Mt.+Rainier+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdKyY54z22PeJpG3fvmTdNg6BoYWcP0dfqc3AImEilqgpxFXp3Ww-g6QX7hzKVQh_FwuCvaoi1U6ZHOsMjOlAECXZqSe9UyIkKU2Lya6kOW_IIBYGAWMBH3NRudBk4wdydbunnMLQwhNa0/s640/Mt.+Rainier+3.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />On the home we stopped at a little place called Brown Point Diner. I ordered the maple marinated chicken, pear, pecans and blue cheese crumbles salad, served with a maple vinegarette. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven (or maybe I was starving). It was so good! I ate half of the salad and about 1/4 of the delicious vinegarette. I took the other half home (which I ate it later in the evening).</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnLLyIr2GejPDIsTaUNM-4xGcuIVleWvQQ5uSECclMkfRswFBLof7hiWuHeev9FhP9YTqMX9-qqWRAep4ktAmxH2O7JNwAsRajAcDqmv31Jm2Rx9tQ5hh7d77Ru1_dqKny3cgo8B2GmFd/s1600-h/Lunch2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnLLyIr2GejPDIsTaUNM-4xGcuIVleWvQQ5uSECclMkfRswFBLof7hiWuHeev9FhP9YTqMX9-qqWRAep4ktAmxH2O7JNwAsRajAcDqmv31Jm2Rx9tQ5hh7d77Ru1_dqKny3cgo8B2GmFd/s640/Lunch2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was a very fun afternoon, but I was kind of sorry we didn't get up to the mountain for snowshoeing. Maybe next weekend.</div>

Saturday in pictures

No snowshoeing pictures. By the time I got going it was almost 1 p.m. It's really not worth an hour drive to Mt. Rainier and only have a...

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New blog - Health Foodie - a must read

If you haven't checked out Christina's new blog, <a href="http://www.health-foodie.com/" target="blank">Health Foodie</a>, you have to go check it out now. It's totally amazing and a wonderful read. She's pretty amazing too. Read her "about" story, it's very interesting and just too sweet. Her husband leaves comments on her posts which are fun to read. They're a totally cute couple.<br /><br />Last week<br />Again, not sure why I haven't posted since Wednesday, other than my week was unusually stressful at work. I had a couple presentations which always stresses me out big time. Add numerous other work problems and it was kind of a bad week at work, which of course, always bleeds over into my night eating problem. Not horrible, but not good either. I was up to 177.0 this morning...ugh!<br /><br />I got in three good one-hour walks last week during my lunch hours. It's my new rule to get out of the office during lunch, if it's not raining. I can usually find someone to walk with me. Yesterday it was my 6' 2" coworker with super long legs which meant walking really fast. I kept stopping to take pictures so I could catch my breath. <br /><br />It's strange that even though I work out a lot, five to six times a week for an hour to an hour and a half each time, a good walk up a steep hill wipes me out. There's definitely room for improvement in my physical capabilities. It could also be the twenty pounds I gained that's making it so difficult.<br /><br />Today<br />It's another gorgeous day in the Pacific Northwest. Sunny and  a high of 60 today. We're getting ready to head up to Crystal Mountain to try out our new snowshoes we bought last spring. It's suppose to be mostly sunny and right now it's 35 degrees. Perfect snowshoeing weather. I should have some great pictures to post tomorrow. Hopefully get in some good cardio too. <br /><br />Have a great weekend everyone. Eat healthy, get a little exercise and relax!<br />~Diana<br />177.0<br /><br />My post wouldn't be complete without pictures. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Candy in the lunch room right before I left for my walk. There's always something in our lunchroom, cookies, cake, leftover potluck stuff. Most of it doesn't tempt me, but this looked really good. I didn't touch it and it was all gone by the time I was back from my walk.</em></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9Rhu1R7rWKRuLAfomB_DC548FBa3lcsZaxROaSQdnuhox6JP3bVaenrJmRIP63zHShqv0HgHvzSHuZg3RBswszu7iQ7lhOjWieox0QaATbndK6mhmddRyu2WnoYaBuJ3UljPRO6TRbT0/s1600-h/Candy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9Rhu1R7rWKRuLAfomB_DC548FBa3lcsZaxROaSQdnuhox6JP3bVaenrJmRIP63zHShqv0HgHvzSHuZg3RBswszu7iQ7lhOjWieox0QaATbndK6mhmddRyu2WnoYaBuJ3UljPRO6TRbT0/s320/Candy.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>A dead tree covered in ivy.</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPKei8jHwb8Q4YDY-KfW18CIKarenYa8xdCpU1XYwE5pSxZTyKGNVyxd-qrox2nZdrzeJ9kGfTqN41XVHeOmYs7UZ1hfqQYSvAEiKTa0zMy4GDGJ1LfCbghYOq8K2kCKTGC4oWznJ1cYO/s1600-h/5MAR2010+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPKei8jHwb8Q4YDY-KfW18CIKarenYa8xdCpU1XYwE5pSxZTyKGNVyxd-qrox2nZdrzeJ9kGfTqN41XVHeOmYs7UZ1hfqQYSvAEiKTa0zMy4GDGJ1LfCbghYOq8K2kCKTGC4oWznJ1cYO/s640/5MAR2010+012.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>A picture of Des Moines Creek that runs along the trail. The picture doesn't do it justice.</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPnDdrD8pzVmTVuf1-9V6m48fbXbQfrf9WP7vuyEIrNUZUIsuDfWwUH-7WTEoMoNYp7CHRtkdF79sJpEhWLB12oejBDbHx-VJhHYRimez0n-WQMp-js0NcVWmT0T70W2dpn3jdFIrIiS3v/s1600-h/Creek2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPnDdrD8pzVmTVuf1-9V6m48fbXbQfrf9WP7vuyEIrNUZUIsuDfWwUH-7WTEoMoNYp7CHRtkdF79sJpEhWLB12oejBDbHx-VJhHYRimez0n-WQMp-js0NcVWmT0T70W2dpn3jdFIrIiS3v/s640/Creek2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>A miniature of the big trees. This little tree is always little and it's the only one I've seen like this. I'm not sure how they did it, but it's very cool and very pretty.</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJLnloop8YSag7atfv1_ttilpkK8x39aXQM4TBf9vuzZ7dH0aIRQHmzLnT38VYVi_mLOzRMXR_-T9A7yhXPwawW79MHq6bXn6m7hieHVMBuZb5bZOanW3rCKMXg2z7ZNrZ_nuyfCcLJFE/s1600-h/Flower+tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJLnloop8YSag7atfv1_ttilpkK8x39aXQM4TBf9vuzZ7dH0aIRQHmzLnT38VYVi_mLOzRMXR_-T9A7yhXPwawW79MHq6bXn6m7hieHVMBuZb5bZOanW3rCKMXg2z7ZNrZ_nuyfCcLJFE/s640/Flower+tree.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>The flag that flies in front of the King County Detention Center, along my walk.</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7-yKT4VrRXXLRkgmOOesWRH2Ao1PMfRKP5LtZA0U6X4oKwetulOoSpYg4A4T_vgPiSkqWv91srRiYxp-Uo5qW9T-wyexInbNi_JZlWxhDceN2bvxqLZEZsUmYaRYv4n9xyBuOjq1mlmLD/s1600-h/Flag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7-yKT4VrRXXLRkgmOOesWRH2Ao1PMfRKP5LtZA0U6X4oKwetulOoSpYg4A4T_vgPiSkqWv91srRiYxp-Uo5qW9T-wyexInbNi_JZlWxhDceN2bvxqLZEZsUmYaRYv4n9xyBuOjq1mlmLD/s640/Flag.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>

New blog - Health Foodie - a must read

If you haven't checked out Christina's new blog, Health Foodie , you have to go check it out now. It's totally amazing and a won...

Read more »

10 Types of Interviewers - Who might be interviewing you during your job hunt

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/83/ar5c0qm60vgbss1g7p83.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/83/ar5c0qm60vgbss1g7p83.gif" /></a></div>Interviewing for a job comes with several question marks. What do I wear? How should I answer this question? How long will this take? A good job seeker prepares. Take your suit to the cleaners. Think about your answers. Arrive for the interview in plenty of time.<br /><br />But the one factor that can throw everything off is the type of interviewer you get. When you sit down at that table, the interviewer's line of questioning and attitude will change what you say and how.<br /><br />To give you a little extra help, here is a list of 10 types of interviewers you might encounter and how to deal with them.<br /><br />1. Your best friend<br />What to expect: Too much of everything. You walk in the door and the handshake is a little too enthusiastic. The smile is too wide. The conversation is too personal. It's all just too much. This interviewer treats you like a best friend, which is nice, but this style is unnerving because you want to be relaxed without forgetting that you are still on an interview.<br />What to do: Take this approach as a cue that you can be a little less rigid in the interview because the best friend doesn't want an uptight employee. Just remind yourself that the interviewer can be more casual than you because he isn't the one interviewing for the job. Show the interviewer that you're relaxed, but stay professional and don't act like you're actually good friends -- stories about wild parties and your personal life don't belong in the conversation.<br /><br />2. The interrogator<br />What to expect: Question after question after question. The interrogator doesn't come to the interview ready for conversation. He has a list of questions to fire off and you had better be ready to answer them. Don't expect to receive a lot of helpful feedback to gauge how you're doing. Just expect more questions.<br />What to do: Watch episodes of "Law & Order" to prepare. You're going to feel defensive the entire time and might walk away from the interview feeling as if you did something wrong. Once you realize that your interviewer is going to lambaste you with questions, just focus on answering them and don't obsess over reading his reaction. You can try to initiate conversation with a few of your answers, but don't be surprised if those efforts fail. This interviewer wants to hear your answers and see how you handle yourself, so staying calm is the best approach you can take.<br /><br />3. The one who has better things to do<br />What to expect: An interviewer checking her e-mail, looking at you but not paying any attention to what you say. Some people are forced to participate in the interview process even if they have no interest in doing it, so don't take it personally.<br />What to do: Answer the questions and be friendly. Try to hold conversations with this distracted interviewer and hope you can win her over -- hey, it can't hurt to have someone who likes you. But this interviewer either made up her mind before she walked into the room or doesn't intend to give much feedback about you, so do your best but don't take her disinterest personally.<br /><br />4. The inappropriate one<br />What to expect: Cold sweats because you don't know what to do or say. Every once in awhile you will encounter an interviewer who doesn't understand limits. You might hear an inappropriate joke, a personal story that should be reserved for a therapist or a question that delves too deeply into your life. This interviewer probably isn't trying to be inappropriate; he just has no concept of boundaries.<br />What to do: Stay in your comfort zone. Just because this interviewer is ready to cry on your shoulder, don't feel pressured into doing the same. Answer what you want to answer and try to steer the conversation back to pertinent topics, such as the job requirements or your qualifications. The interviewer probably won't realize how off track he is and will follow your lead. Of course, if you think the questions cross a line, then you want to get out of there ASAP.<br /><br />5. The rule follower<br />What to expect: Every interviewing tip you've ever been told. Just like some students never imagine skipping a day of school or not doing homework, some interviewers can't imagine going outside of traditional business interviewing protocol. Boring questions and a stoic demeanor are this interviewer's best friend.<br />What to do: Be the best interviewee you can be. Do you know what your biggest weakness is? Do you know how to give the perfect handshake? Do you plan on wearing a conservative shirt under your jacket? You had better, because these by-the-book practices will earn you high marks.<br /><br />6. The joker<br />What to expect: A comedy routine. Some interviewers have such a good sense of humor that they can't shut it off even when they need to. You'll answer a question and you'll receive a sarcastic comment or a funny aside. This approach isn't inherently bad, but it can confuse you because you're not sure if the interview has even begun.<br />What to do: After a few minutes, you'll realize that your interviewer is a joker. If this personality bugs you, you probably won't like working for the company. If it doesn't bother you too much, then try to play along. Joke back and show that you have a personality. For some interviewers, your résumé proved your qualification; the interview is their chance to see if you fit in with the gang.<br /><br />7. The weirdo<br />What to expect: Strange behavior. We all know odd people, but we often forget that these odd people hold day jobs. And some of them are bosses or hiring managers who conduct interviews. Therefore we shouldn't be surprised when we're interviewed by a peculiar person who has macaroni art hanging in her office or who asks, "Who is your favorite member of the A-Team?"<br />What to do: Just go with it. Unless the weird factor transitions into creepy or offensive, you should just answer the questions and ignore oddities. If the questions and rapport are professional, but the interviewer is working on her origami, stay focused on the interview. She probably has no idea she's doing anything strange and is paying attention to you.<br /><br />8. The no-nonsense one<br />What to expect: Tough love. This interviewer doesn't believe in sparing your feelings. He's honest and will waste neither his nor your time.<br />What to do: Brace yourself. This interviewer will say that he's not sure you're qualified or that he fears you won't fit in with everyone. Prove him wrong with evidence that you are perfect for the job. He won't respect someone who cowers, so be just as firm with him.<br /><br />9. The blank slate<br />What to expect: No feedback. The blank slate is an interviewer whose face remains unchanged for the duration of the meeting. You won't see any hint that the interview is going well – or badly.<br />What to do: Don't try to break the interviewer's façade. If you spend the interview looking for clues that you said the right or wrong thing, you'll be miserable. Answer the questions, be yourself and stay composed. Your instinct will be to think that you're bombing, but you never know with the blank slate, so don't let yourself analyze the situation too much.<br /><br />10. The mafia<br />What to expect: An intimidating group. Every group interview is an ordeal. The interviewers might be lovely, horrible or a mix, but you still have several sets of eyes staring at you.<br />What to do: Try to relax. That seems like impossible advice, but it's the best approach. When you have multiple interviewers, you will see several types of interviewers, so you can't try to please everyone. Try to be yourself and find the interviewers that seem the most responsive to you. When you see someone nodding in agreement or maintaining eye contact, you'll feel more at ease and the nerves will begin to disappear.<br /><br />By Anthony Balderrama writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/abalderrama.<br /><br /><a class="addthis_button" href="http://addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&username=rockfordlink"><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink" type="text/javascript"></script>

10 Types of Interviewers - Who might be interviewing you during your job hunt

Interviewing for a job comes with several question marks. What do I wear? How should I answer this question? How long will this take? A good...

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What Jobs Fit With Your Major?

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/qw/ar5c0zk6yqlw86knfkqw.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/qw/ar5c0zk6yqlw86knfkqw.gif" /></a></div>Choosing a major has always been a sore spot for college students. Now, with the job market in flux, it's more important than ever that you declare a major in a field that you not only enjoy, but that will offer many employment opportunities after graduation. <br /><br />According to the Job Outlook 2010 by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, employers plan to hire about 7 percent fewer new graduates during 2009-10 than they did in 2008-09. A few majors, however, are in demand; the top five are finance, accounting, mechanical engineering, business administration and management, and electrical engineering. <br /><br />If you're graduating this year and looking for a career to fit within your major, check out some of these options and what the entry-level salary is, according to SalaryExpert.com.<br /><br />Major: Education<br />If you major in education, you'll study how people learn and how best to teach them. You'll acquire skills such as how to set up and manage a classroom, create and teach inspiring lessons, and help students succeed no matter what their age, background or learning style. <br /><br />· Elementary, middle or high school teacher: Provide children with a well-rounded education, covering all subjects in order to prepare students for college or employment. Starting salary: $35,719 - $36,195<br /><br />· Adult educator: Teach a variety of subjects to adults in places such as community colleges, adult high schools or university extension programs. Starting salary: $31,679<br /><br />· Preschool teacher: Introduce young children, usually age 3 to 6, to the world of school. Use games, storytelling and other activities to help kids expand language and vocabulary, improve social skills and learn basic science and math concepts. Starting salary: $27,805<br /><br />Major: Engineering<br />Typically, engineering majors choose a concentration, of which there are many: civil, chemical, electrical, mechanical – the list goes on. Most disciplines use science and math to solve practical problems and help create things. Your career options will be based on the specific area you study. <br /><br />· Urban and regional planner: Develop plans and programs for land use and physical facilities in towns, cities, counties and metropolitan areas with your civil engineering degree. Starting salary: $46,269<br /><br />· Electronics engineer: Design, develop and test a wide range of electronic equipment, from CD players to global positioning systems with your electrical engineering degree. Starting salary: $59,131<br /><br />· Game design and development professional: Learn all the technical skills necessary to create electronic games with your degree in computer software engineering. Starting salary: $44,211<br /><br />Major: Foods, Nutrition and Wellness Studies<br /><br />Foods, nutrition and wellness studies majors learn about food and its effect on our health, as well as about food preparation and safety, nutritional education and more. <br /><br />· Dietician and nutritionist: While their job duties vary, dieticians and nutritionists share a common goal, which is to educate others on proper nutrition. They might develop a meal program for hospital patients, advise clients on how to lose weight or oversee food preparation. Starting salary: $41,592 and $36,282<br /><br />· Chef: There are several types of chefs, from preparation to executive, but the majority spends their time planning menus and creating meals in a variety of settings. Starting salary: $35,538<br /><br />· Food scientist: These folks research foods and develop new ways to preserve and package them. Starting salary: 37,898<br /><br />Major: Forensic Science<br /><br />Forensic science majors study science and criminal justice. They learn how to analyze evidence such as blood or DNA, plus how to apply it in a court of law.<br /><br />· Crime laboratory analyst: Also called forensic scientists, analysts search for, collect, photograph and analyze physical evidence from crime scenes to help others piece together criminal investigations. They also provide expert options in court, if necessary. Starting salary: $39,568<br /><br />· Detective: In a nutshell, detectives solve crimes, from robberies to homicides. To do so, they dig up facts, look for clues, interview people and collect evidence pertaining to each case. Starting salary: $37,461<br /><br />· Clinical laboratory technologist: These folks might have a focus on forensic chemistry. Clinical laboratory technologists examine body fluids and tissue for signs or problem or disease. In this field, they are useful in determining toxicology on victims. Starting salary: N/A<br /><br />Major: History<br />History majors learn about and interpret things from the past, from objects to written documents. They look at major events or people from history and study the effects they have on today's world. <br /><br />· Historian: Look for clues from the past and help make sense of it all for other people, making the connection between the world as it was and the world as it is. Starting salary: $37,151<br /><br />· Archivist: Archivists can work in a variety of business settings, but your primary role is to keep and file permanent records and historical documents. Some archivists also get involved on research projects. Starting salary: $44,741<br /><br />· Conservator: To protect and preserve is your motto, and it's what you'll do with all the precious items you come across. Your job is to take historic objects and artifacts and restore them to their former glory. Starting salary: $25,348<br /><br />Major: Marketing<br />Marketing majors learn how to figure out what people want, and how to create and sell products and services that will fulfill those desires. <br /><br />· Market and survey researcher: Find out what people think by designing and conducting surveys via the Internet, mailed questionnaires or telephone interviews, and analyze the results to figure out what the public wants and needs. Starting salary: $43,485<br /><br />· Meeting and event planner: Plan and oversee meetings, conventions and other events for business, organizations or individuals, working within a set budget to meet your clients' goals. Starting salary: $46,898<br /><br />· Public relations specialist: Promote and represent your clients, whether they are individuals or companies, by writing press releases, pitching story ideas or coordinating media interviews. Starting salary: $39,684<br /><br />By Rachel Zupek, CareerBuilder.com writer<br /><br /><a class="addthis_button" href="http://addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&username=rockfordlink"><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink" type="text/javascript"></script>

What Jobs Fit With Your Major?

Choosing a major has always been a sore spot for college students. Now, with the job market in flux, it's more important than ever that ...

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Concours talents 2010

<BR><br />Les Boutiques de Gestion viennent de lancer la 12ème édition du <strong>Concours Talents</strong>, premier concours national de la création d’entreprise. L’objectif est d'encourager la création d’entreprise et de valoriser le rôle de l’accompagnement dans le processus de création d’entreprise.<br /><br />Au niveau régional, le concours est organisé cette année par la Boutique de Gestion de l’Indre.<br /><br />Tout créateur d’entreprise peut s’inscrire à deux conditions :<ul><br /><li>Avoir créé son entreprise entre le 1er janvier 2009 et le 31 mars 2010<br /><li>Avoir été accompagné par un organisme d’aide à la création d’entreprise</ul><br /><strong>Date de clôture </strong>: <strong>30 avril 2010</strong><br /> <br />Pour en savoir plus, consultez le site : <a href="http://www.concours-talents.com" target="_blank">http://www.concours-talents.com</a> <br /><br />Téléchargez le <a href="http://www.concours-talents.com/talents/pages/TELECHARG/presse-2010/CP1-Talents-lancement-2010.pdf">communiqué de presse</a><br /><BR>

Concours talents 2010

Les Boutiques de Gestion viennent de lancer la 12ème édition du Concours Talents , premier concours national de la création d’entreprise. L’...

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Fake it tll you make it

<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>"Fake it till you make it" (also called "act as if") is a common catchphrase that means to imitate confidence so that as the confidence produces success, it will generate real confidence. The purpose is to avoid getting stuck in a self fulfilling prophecy related to one's fear of not being confident.</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A conversation I had today with my mentor at work:</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Me:  I don't like this project I'm on, it's boring, and I don't want to do it.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mentor:  I know what you mean, I've been there many times.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Me:  How do I get through it?</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mentor:  You fake it till you make it.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Me:  Really?</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mentor:  Yes, really, It's all about your attitude. If you walk into your kickoff meeting down about the project, bored, not excited, everyone will see it. Even if you're not feeling good about it, you have to fake it. Fake that you want to do this project, fake that it's a great project. Your enthusiasm will be contagious.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Me:  I don't know if I can do that, pretend I want to do something I really don't want to do.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mentor:  Sure you can, just go in there and do it.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I did. She was right. The enthusiasm spread. No one knew I was totally bummed by my project. Now I'm actually feeling a spark of excitement about it.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That was work. This is weight loss. Same deal. Faking it till I make it. :)</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Picture out of my office window today, right before I left work. Actually, I'm in a cubicle, this is what I saw when I stood up.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTOpamaTPNlWbBADDKDoPdDeLzcA1q_KhAUOLlnufAYqUuPtDp2FnhA7FTTRlpu35y8BqmGqzkkyZ1KHUMSDNdcYMwnVP8wjJTUjTvff8qREuGy14rhVSG38947G8W9o5fvXKKwiSlwx3l/s1600-h/3Mar2010+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTOpamaTPNlWbBADDKDoPdDeLzcA1q_KhAUOLlnufAYqUuPtDp2FnhA7FTTRlpu35y8BqmGqzkkyZ1KHUMSDNdcYMwnVP8wjJTUjTvff8qREuGy14rhVSG38947G8W9o5fvXKKwiSlwx3l/s640/3Mar2010+003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>

Fake it tll you make it

"Fake it till you make it" (also called "act as if") is a common catchphrase that means to imitate confidence so that as...

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No fat chicks

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDMqR8fVKhN0V_QhurHjvk1ZSxdlMpOJIsr8c9AK8S0oZTAg5alwjVEqMQ-ZOnlBIe3-vd7L3uK1Kwvo9gSRN-3r86suWLuEiclYQTMmAwedlhL2lIjtXXgD_TGPtR0RMp6YOTJEpNaFoy/s1600-h/no_fat_chicks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDMqR8fVKhN0V_QhurHjvk1ZSxdlMpOJIsr8c9AK8S0oZTAg5alwjVEqMQ-ZOnlBIe3-vd7L3uK1Kwvo9gSRN-3r86suWLuEiclYQTMmAwedlhL2lIjtXXgD_TGPtR0RMp6YOTJEpNaFoy/s320/no_fat_chicks.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>You may be too young to have ever seen this bumper sticker. It was popular in the 80's. I remember the first time I saw it. I couldn't believe someone could be so rude and put this on their car. Usually it was seen on a big 4-wheel drive pickup, with these mud flaps.<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4GQdM2OR10Lu4bHxlHnz57dVOwJUd3lhT7-tPiMkhHz8LrJPzqyNxeWRcuYdn_wNwgcj8Abdqoi09AYA0F8tT4rMEYvQcxVd1kZfUGWrbxMdmAwaUMl32Oagp_fWDSjApsvYy2zyaTEkw/s1600-h/girl.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4GQdM2OR10Lu4bHxlHnz57dVOwJUd3lhT7-tPiMkhHz8LrJPzqyNxeWRcuYdn_wNwgcj8Abdqoi09AYA0F8tT4rMEYvQcxVd1kZfUGWrbxMdmAwaUMl32Oagp_fWDSjApsvYy2zyaTEkw/s320/girl.bmp" /></a></div>When I 'd see the "no fat chicks" bumper sticker my first thought was the person driving the vehicle must be a total moron. I knew if I ever met this person I wouldn't like him.<br /><br />Then I would feel hurt. Hurt because I was a fat chick and some idiot that I didn't even care about didn't like fat chicks. Back then my idea of fat was quite a bit different than it is now. In the 80's I usually weight around 135 to 170. When I'd get up to 170 I thought I was extremely fat. I remember joining Diet Center when I weight 172. At 172 I was mortified I was so fat.<br /><br />Here's the clincher. I apparently don't like fat chicks either because I constantly berate myself for being fat.<br /><br />This morning I weighed myself before getting dressed for the gym. I saw an ugly number on the scale. Up five pounds overnight. I was 174.4 yesterday and 179.4 this morning. My Tanita scales are extremely accurate. I didn't eat five pounds of food yesterday, but maybe I ate too much. Maybe too much salt. Maybe too much exercise (2 1/2 hours).<br /><br />I thought this is such a crazy battle, and I'm sick and tired of fighting my weight. I'm never going to win.<br /><br />I sat down at my vanity to pull my hair into a ponytail before I headed out  for the gym. I looked in the mirror and thought, I'm old and fat and ugly. As soon as I thought this, I realized what a really horrible thing that was  to think about myself. <br /><br />I'm no better than those creepy guys with the "no fat chicks" bumper stickers. Except, I'm worse. I'm saying this to myself, about myself. I definitely have self-esteem issues, but this was a bit more than I normally do. I wouldn't say this to another human being, but I think nothing of saying it to myself.<br /><br />I sat there and stared in the mirror. It's true I'm getting old, 55 in August. There's no getting around it, I'm not a young chickadee anymore. The cute, young guys don't hit on me like they use to, probably because I'm old enough to be their mom, or in some cases, their grandmom.<br /><br />I'm definitely overweight, technically I'm obese. Yet as I looked at myself, I noticed the squareness of my shoulders, and the muscles in my neck. When I lifted my arms overhead to pull my hair into the ponytail band, I could see the muscles in my arms. Earlier I had noticed how my calves have very defined, strong muscles and are firm. <br /><br />Even though I'm pudgy in some areas and I don't weigh what I want to weigh, I kind of like my body these days. It's strong and tough. It's not fragile or weak. Seriously, how many 54-year old women do you know that can do three sets of eight reps per set of bicep curls with 25-pound dumbbells?<br /><br />So even though I'm not beautiful or skinny or young, I am strong and healthy. Maybe I am a fat chick, and maybe the jerk in the pickup truck that didn't like fat chicks wouldn't like me. I seriously don't care...I like me.<br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br />More trees. It's the Pacific Northwest. We have a lot of trees. :) Seen on my walk today at lunch, and the last one is in the Best Buy parking lot in Federal Way, WA.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUH3WAqqiH8Rn-3j4WE-QiJJhjY-f0rM2gMayo6YbgYZdfqNq2RqGxpwguR6YMWIRQnECTBXlsWUS3dcVZLoZbyky9XvZkuWF3GzpKQdI03YRXu-KPTVqnqdZGjWad3SFvG-p3WT0jDXAE/s1600-h/Trees+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUH3WAqqiH8Rn-3j4WE-QiJJhjY-f0rM2gMayo6YbgYZdfqNq2RqGxpwguR6YMWIRQnECTBXlsWUS3dcVZLoZbyky9XvZkuWF3GzpKQdI03YRXu-KPTVqnqdZGjWad3SFvG-p3WT0jDXAE/s640/Trees+002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDD9ZT8UlyIPnfVqNAur9Vsa6VMnM8D5LsP3h41DfRoqeo9MdgUhZYJLHykMOAMQhl_hJvE-lfs8gY-BVwi_Uagko-z5YSmcw9Zt7K2ixOVuXbwyJGiFbgx7FV_8K9RbnqlDzE4HWWLqAd/s1600-h/Trees+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDD9ZT8UlyIPnfVqNAur9Vsa6VMnM8D5LsP3h41DfRoqeo9MdgUhZYJLHykMOAMQhl_hJvE-lfs8gY-BVwi_Uagko-z5YSmcw9Zt7K2ixOVuXbwyJGiFbgx7FV_8K9RbnqlDzE4HWWLqAd/s640/Trees+003.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKOzUEL6lIp7cs1xsOQd9Jk5QTm5Gf2uyONG7TxwpsWKz9j5c7ipArFyU8Cm22WPO1FwOmgSRRvW8qz22DA6szqNi9PYAwV6y1H9MXIeKeHo-Q_iK_JE5y1fvdxsd0RM69CcNCOyDUB_X/s1600-h/Trees+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKOzUEL6lIp7cs1xsOQd9Jk5QTm5Gf2uyONG7TxwpsWKz9j5c7ipArFyU8Cm22WPO1FwOmgSRRvW8qz22DA6szqNi9PYAwV6y1H9MXIeKeHo-Q_iK_JE5y1fvdxsd0RM69CcNCOyDUB_X/s640/Trees+007.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8DbmyxgF3BqpZksPFgjVI2tQZ9LWB2-l5Tg2ItU_2HrOvPAVXilxRolLOdbSQP_2wRNOyqzqX9yveJuhmPu8duHuMMu2GOCYgz7g40Rmp2g5mqT3eo_fOxjtOr7vGzPtGwmKbFP4-sZKs/s1600-h/Trees+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8DbmyxgF3BqpZksPFgjVI2tQZ9LWB2-l5Tg2ItU_2HrOvPAVXilxRolLOdbSQP_2wRNOyqzqX9yveJuhmPu8duHuMMu2GOCYgz7g40Rmp2g5mqT3eo_fOxjtOr7vGzPtGwmKbFP4-sZKs/s640/Trees+008.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfsrhRUznkO5srszvgJNZtAqMi68UOZTe1W175U_NCM8vJl421paC8xVuuIphbwR0pOGQWW-zsaF2qrpVIdQt2AoVmr8IAebwnx_BM861na-WJptYl-0cRRAYMo9qvAT_EfyOT4dujAO9O/s1600-h/Trees+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfsrhRUznkO5srszvgJNZtAqMi68UOZTe1W175U_NCM8vJl421paC8xVuuIphbwR0pOGQWW-zsaF2qrpVIdQt2AoVmr8IAebwnx_BM861na-WJptYl-0cRRAYMo9qvAT_EfyOT4dujAO9O/s400/Trees+011.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIdN7xMFVc9vLjMATDfif8mGLQDBgplQquD2rl4a_knRD6YpZBSQxhDqI7Gke1rwmy5UC0tZ8XUrQd417QxYrUfCqYOIriIQi11An4Sdugp0Sbf7vx5LFkTfEEQXqlbJLtaXBDkXDvcYDV/s1600-h/Trees+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIdN7xMFVc9vLjMATDfif8mGLQDBgplQquD2rl4a_knRD6YpZBSQxhDqI7Gke1rwmy5UC0tZ8XUrQd417QxYrUfCqYOIriIQi11An4Sdugp0Sbf7vx5LFkTfEEQXqlbJLtaXBDkXDvcYDV/s640/Trees+012.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>

No fat chicks

You may be too young to have ever seen this bumper sticker. It was popular in the 80's. I remember the first time I saw it. I couldn'...

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Sometimes I'm a total dork

<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>The headache cure</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I was gulping my extra strong black coffee at 5am before I tore out the door for the gym today, I figured it out. Headaches. Saturdays. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've gone to my Weight Watcher 11am meeting three Saturdays in a row. I drink very little before the meeting, and I never drink coffee! Maybe some water, but never coffee. I've been getting a headache every Saturday.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The headaches are caffeine withdrawal, not a brain tumor like I thought. I've quit coffee many times in my life so I should have known. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In my defense, the headaches were exceptionally bad. As I age things seem to hit me harder. Colds are worse, the flu almost killed me last year (three times!), and apparently caffeine withdrawal symptoms are more intense. The joys of getting older. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>The exercise</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've decided to change things up a bit and have two cardio-only days, and four cardio/strength days, and always one day of rest a week.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today was a cardio-only day. I completed a warmup of 10 minutes on the treadmill, jogging 4 -5 mph intervals. Then 35 minutes on the cross ramp where I kicked my own butt. Lastly, 20 minutes on the stationary bike where I really have to work to keep my heart rate up around 135. I was a hot, wet and oh so not sexy mess when I was done. My shirt was completely drenched (and completely gross). My bangs were literally dripping.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So when my coworker asked me to walk with her at lunch, I was thinking more of a get some fresh air kind of stroll. When we started off I could barely keep up with her, until finally she said, "Do you always walk this FAST?!!!" Cracked me up since I thought she was setting the pace and she thought I was setting the pace. We'd only been walking ten minutes and I could barely breathe because we were going to fast.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We slowed down a little, but it was 3.5 miles, the first half all down hill and then the return, all up a very steep hill. It wasn't a leisurely stroll, but a tough workout. My glutes are in agony tonight. Even sitting hurts. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>My food</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm still struggling with late night eating, but it's not as bad as a few weeks ago. I seem to have a semblance of self-control. I eat, but usually not a lot and never anything that would be considered unhealthy, but I'm still eating too much. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been tracking most days, even though sometimes I'm over my points (and I eat all my activity Points and all my weeklies). The only thing saving me are my activity Points. I earned 12 today with two hours of cardio.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>Logging my weight</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;">This is strange and a little sad. I haven't entered my weight into my Statistics page since November 16, 2009. In three and half months I've lost one pound.  Note my big gain from 9/5 to 11/16, when I was traveling non-stop for work. I gained 17.6 pounds in about two months and I still haven't lost it. I really need to get serious.</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaT5cwGZWV_YRW5m8Lsr29yaafJT5fXuJVay_LjiEJWHGCOu13oHYBTy-PJZtDhSrYEv-0z0QY5kglOGflzhSry6g1EHivWrSQ44o24OF7BFV2V56ddFmrQv1-Rce_F7UKIWW5y1b7_ONr/s1600-h/stats2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaT5cwGZWV_YRW5m8Lsr29yaafJT5fXuJVay_LjiEJWHGCOu13oHYBTy-PJZtDhSrYEv-0z0QY5kglOGflzhSry6g1EHivWrSQ44o24OF7BFV2V56ddFmrQv1-Rce_F7UKIWW5y1b7_ONr/s320/stats2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Picture of the day</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Des Moines Creek Trail, Des Moines, WA</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">An overcast, typical Northwest day, and a typical</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">moss covered tree (kind of creepy looking).</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpY_j5NaWir0zkoy8jyOYCNtWCQ9lSUtkOjgHM32hJIBQNU8griAi-V1CBqMAQDgy49qioo10oV9_DNp26Ne_8VYszFIXWZURv8u6IhDngorRZ0JZBYFJyFicn1Armj3Hw6qQF8lrksgY/s1600-h/Mar+1+_+2010+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpY_j5NaWir0zkoy8jyOYCNtWCQ9lSUtkOjgHM32hJIBQNU8griAi-V1CBqMAQDgy49qioo10oV9_DNp26Ne_8VYszFIXWZURv8u6IhDngorRZ0JZBYFJyFicn1Armj3Hw6qQF8lrksgY/s640/Mar+1+_+2010+005.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>

Sometimes I'm a total dork

The headache cure As I was gulping my extra strong black coffee at 5am before I tore out the door for the gym today, I figured it out. Heada...

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Happy Monday morning friends!<br /><br />I've had a full past four days! I'm not going to bore you with pictures, upon pictures of food! But I will give you a few highlights!<br /><br />Thursday I booked my plane ticket to Florida for spring break to see my little sister and Grandpa. Another huge perk to my job is that I still get a spring break even though I'm not in college anymore! Hooray!! :) So in 17 short days I will be basking in the sun on the beaches of Florida!<br /><br />On Friday I had finally had it with my phone. I was at the gym in the morning and got 1 text message and the battery was already dead and I had charged it all night! So I headed downtown and got this beauty!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQoWhgpvShlPM8DoUzQyFgEknTO-yBNNsq2fuhBOOrsjv3uIQl6Xr-80Kv0WnqzQidOFl8_p6vDBZyhtX7Z1b_rPQt30b2ZHK0RJXVR3_p9jwVNfJJbTBb83mlJSQ9Utg_BWVP-iG_pGxu/s1600-h/DSC06278.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443677642970793794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQoWhgpvShlPM8DoUzQyFgEknTO-yBNNsq2fuhBOOrsjv3uIQl6Xr-80Kv0WnqzQidOFl8_p6vDBZyhtX7Z1b_rPQt30b2ZHK0RJXVR3_p9jwVNfJJbTBb83mlJSQ9Utg_BWVP-iG_pGxu/s400/DSC06278.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" /></a><br /><br />Saturday was a scary day. Unless you live under a rock you heard about the earthquake that hit Chile. Well that sent a Tsunami right towards Hawaii where one of my sisters is currently vacationing! It was scary day thinking about what could happen. Thankfully, as the news put it, "Hawaii dodged a major bullet", and she is safe and will be able to enjoy the rest of her vacation!<br /><br />I spent the afternoon/evening with this cutie! This is Emma. She is the daughter of my best friend, Sara! She turned one during the week and Saturday was her party!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvzddxGaKr6jbrllNeRotdvECBtweg2EwQPKliiqeUCLzZUrn93I-sD2WyZzSv-OfDXEBUnxAqggPo_ZVyR7-NsQ8ffPviwhx6TItdL37RTaaH4RT_ts_hGM0gPgK11_C-t_Vua5AgvuI/s1600-h/DSC06211.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443677632591124706" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvzddxGaKr6jbrllNeRotdvECBtweg2EwQPKliiqeUCLzZUrn93I-sD2WyZzSv-OfDXEBUnxAqggPo_ZVyR7-NsQ8ffPviwhx6TItdL37RTaaH4RT_ts_hGM0gPgK11_C-t_Vua5AgvuI/s400/DSC06211.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" /></a><br /><br />She opened her gifts & all kinds of cute reactions & faces! And of course we had cake. It was cute, her Mom put a piece on her tray and she picked up the whole thing and just gnawed on it! My way to eat cake!! ;)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ulJR87pZwDB3BE1S1YNLvrDF2sc8ol5BzcLg8j4Y8PGL4VFTovABtdYFXCZ4FcEKPjy2G_L3AJ0Eb8jNtekInWb3_8xN-EZyWi2DWNPFtk6fwUxWqnqrZFOzZ50EoxFkU112Jp4Jvfcp/s1600-h/DSC06252.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443677639825955730" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ulJR87pZwDB3BE1S1YNLvrDF2sc8ol5BzcLg8j4Y8PGL4VFTovABtdYFXCZ4FcEKPjy2G_L3AJ0Eb8jNtekInWb3_8xN-EZyWi2DWNPFtk6fwUxWqnqrZFOzZ50EoxFkU112Jp4Jvfcp/s400/DSC06252.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" /></a><br /><br />Sunday Kyle and I went to church and then out with his family for his Dad's bday celebration. We went a nice restaurant in town that has an AMAZING brunch! Let's just say Darci was far from being good. But I was so full that was the only meal I ate the whole day! Sheesh!<br /><br />I should be back to my regular blogging this week! Hope everyone had a great weekend (can't wait to catch up with all of you!) and has a marvelous Monday!!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">edit:</span> I totally won!<br />Darci 1, Cold 0!!! ;) Thanks for all the well wishes!

Happy Monday morning friends! I've had a full past four days! I'm not going to bore you with pictures, upon pictures of food! But I ...

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Weekend update

<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another headache</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can't believe I haven't posted since Thursday morning. I guess I just wasn't in the blogging mood or something. Or maybe it was the headache from hell that took me down again. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Saturday is a blur. All I remember doing is going to Weight Watchers, weighing in, sitting through the meeting with an excruciating headache, then heading home and back to bed. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nothing can stop these headaches when they come. Aspirin, Aleve, Tylenol doesn't phase them. All I can do is curl into a fetal position in a dark, quiet room and wait it out.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I was fine. The headache is gone, although there's a lingering feeling of tenderness behind my eyes. Like it could come back any minute.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't know what's up with these headaches, but I'm getting a little concerned. That was my third one in three weeks, and sometimes during the day I have a stabbing pain on the left side of my head that lasts for just a few minutes.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have my annual physical in two weeks, and I'm going to ask my doctor about it. It's just the strangest thing. I rarely get headaches and when I do, nothing like these last three. They're literally debilitating.</span><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The weigh-in</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay, enough of the headache talk. About the weigh-in. Not exactly a stunning loss, but it's a loss:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Saturday 2/27/2010 Weigh-in</strong></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Last week's weight:  176.6</strong></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Current weight: 175.4</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Week loss: -1.2</strong></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Total loss:  -63.8</strong></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>My workout</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because of the headache from hell I skipped working out Saturday. I could barely stand up so working out was out of the question. However, I made up for it on Sunday. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Big Book of Exercises by Women's Health says you're only suppose to do one exercise per body part per workout. I've never heard this before, but it makes sense.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I usually try to do at least two exercises per body part. For example, I always do two bicep exercises back to back, two triceps, two shoulder, two deltoids, etc.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What I've noticed is that I don't do as well on the second exercise for the same body part. My form isn't as good and I struggle with the heavier weights.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It also suggests not doing the same exercise for each body part during the week, to mix it up. Even changing how you hold the dumbbells makes a difference in how you work the muscle group you're focusing on.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The book also says you should do 24 reps of an exercise. For example, three sets of 8, or as set of 12, 10, 8. They said more if you're up to it, but 24 was the optimum number. A a few more is okay if you're up to it, but three sets of 15, probably not a good idea (I've done that a lot). If you can do three sets of 15 then you're probably not using heavy enough weights.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One thing I've learned, every author of strength training has their own opinion of what's right. They all think their way is the right waym, but none of them are written in stone. You have to figure out what works best for you. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's the page from my exercise log for today. I planned out my workout before I got to the gym. It took me an hour and 45 minutes to complete this workout. It  was definitely one of my best workouts.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Zc060n4DMN7lXJKjig8RNZHfTorLeq5KMkyeCQpx4w9MqRafBHK2FTpN6oacpAjSkmNFTPB9y073rF4uAejkXOuKQ8V9e2SyriYiymtprlZxAj6MknwMBIJDjh_Zv9eK66yaDzwEwLwY/s1600-h/journal_cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Zc060n4DMN7lXJKjig8RNZHfTorLeq5KMkyeCQpx4w9MqRafBHK2FTpN6oacpAjSkmNFTPB9y073rF4uAejkXOuKQ8V9e2SyriYiymtprlZxAj6MknwMBIJDjh_Zv9eK66yaDzwEwLwY/s400/journal_cropped.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tulips that I bought for myself. As long as I try the best I can with working out and trying to eat right during the week, I buy myself flowers on Saturday.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I love tulips. They remind me of spring, my favorite season.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijVLzRWRw9E3wRqqs629NSWv9eh-VHBl7rcZOaa9feo2ZxVKiSuI0WKRh1pjv-ZNb-5zas5qOGuec52sThHlKOD6vcxvTgWYR0CLnLDqqX_y65JYAsHr2T4LfDGNtwOrVl_C7Qq1KCTBDG/s1600-h/Tulips.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijVLzRWRw9E3wRqqs629NSWv9eh-VHBl7rcZOaa9feo2ZxVKiSuI0WKRh1pjv-ZNb-5zas5qOGuec52sThHlKOD6vcxvTgWYR0CLnLDqqX_y65JYAsHr2T4LfDGNtwOrVl_C7Qq1KCTBDG/s400/Tulips.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a full moon on Saturday night. I did ventured outside with the raging headache at about 8pm. Just to get some fresh air, hoping it would cure my headache. It didn't, but I did get to see this gorgeous full moon. The picture doesn't do it justice. It was spectacular.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ERPMqr9GHip3HeVwiKOCnsasytAeQvXvpavk7xhpUjkV6rN2mVk8ZznkQIjyWCvHfGCnNOrO5wsa7sViuvTMQtHCY05KpfxAMNEK4Lqt2nxrptUJ_u2uOFDTe08mOfS1TLg5JOnFgbNp/s1600-h/Moon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ERPMqr9GHip3HeVwiKOCnsasytAeQvXvpavk7xhpUjkV6rN2mVk8ZznkQIjyWCvHfGCnNOrO5wsa7sViuvTMQtHCY05KpfxAMNEK4Lqt2nxrptUJ_u2uOFDTe08mOfS1TLg5JOnFgbNp/s400/Moon.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>

Weekend update

Another headache I can't believe I haven't posted since Thursday morning. I guess I just wasn't in the blogging mood or somethin...

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Planning de la semaine du 1er au 05 mars 2010

<BR><br /><h2><strong><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 113%;color:#005c9b;" >Permanences<br /></span></strong></h2><ul><br /><li>Le <strong>Conseil Général du Loiret</strong> sera présent dans les locaux de la Maison de l'Emploi du bassin d'Orléans<br />- le lundi 1er mars de 9h à 12h30<br />- le mardi 02 mars de 9h à 12h30 et de 13h30 à 17h,<br />- le mercredi 03 mars de 13h30 à 17h<br />- le jeudi 04 mars de 13h30 à 17h<br />- le vendredi 05 mars de 13h30 à 17h<br /><br /><li><strong><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2007/11/boutique-de-gestion.html">Boutique de Gestion</a></strong> (sur rendez-vous)<br />- lundi 1er mars de 13h30 à 17h<br />- vendredi 05 mars de 09h à 12h30<br /><br /><li><strong><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2007/11/solidarits-nouvelles-face-au-chmage.html">Solidarités Nouvelles face au Chômage</a></strong> - mercredi 03 mars de 10h à 12h30</li></ul><br /><h2><strong><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 113%;color:#005c9b;" >Ateliers</span></strong><br /></h2><br /><ul><li><strong>CV</strong> - mardi 02 mars de 9h à 12h30 et mercredi 03 mars de 13h30 à 17h<br /><br /><li><strong>Lettre de Motivation</strong> - mardi 02 mars de 13h30 à 17h<br /><br /><li><strong>Préparation à l'entretien</strong> - jeudi 04 mars de 13h30 à 17h<br /><br /><li><strong>Pôle-emploi.fr</strong> - vendredi 05 mars de 10h à 11h30<br /><br /><li><strong><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2009/07/atelier-situtilises-tu-trouves.html">Sit'Utilises tu trouves</a></strong> - vendredi 05 mars de 14h à 16h</ul><br /><h2><strong><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 113%;color:#005c9b;" >Information collective</span></strong><br /></h2><br /><ul><li><strong>RSA - Conseil Général</strong> - mardi 02 mars à 10h</ul><br /><h2><strong><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 113%;color:#005c9b;" >Visite d'entreprise</span></strong><br /></h2><br /><ul><li><strong>Visite de l'entreprise <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2010/02/souvrir-les-portes-des-metiers-de.html">LSDH</a></strong> - mardi 02 mars à 13h30</ul>

Planning de la semaine du 1er au 05 mars 2010

Permanences Le Conseil Général du Loiret sera présent dans les locaux de la Maison de l'Emploi du bassin d'Orléans - le lundi 1er m...

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Lenten Reflections: Part 2

II. CLEFT FOR ME<br /><br />The rocky edifices of my world are beautiful precisely because they are broken. Their very appearance above ground is the consequence of various geologic cataclysms, a shifting of tectonic plates, a volcanic eruption, or a glacial assault upon the earth. The great rocks themselves are marked by fissures, caves, and niches formed by wind, water erosion, and the insistent wearing of time. These rocks are marked by ages. Their beauty resides in the paradox of strength and brokenness. How can such solidity be fractured? Are the wind and water mightier than the rock? Was the seemingly impregnable stone fortress flawed, concealing secret faults, weaknesses waiting to be exploited? Or is the stone rather personalized by an inner consent to be broken, a submission to sacrifice for some more tender, even more human, inclination? The fissures, caves, and niches not only transform a flat surface of uniform disinterest into a complex portrait of aesthetic wonder, they offer shelter from sun, wind, and rain. Ironically, they shield the more vulnerable living creatures of the desert from the very same forces that break the rocks so that they may afford the shelter.<br /><br />That the Rock of Ages should be cleft is astounding. If the Rock is cleft by a force superior to itself, that would be the end of faith. It would mean the power of chaos triumphs over order, the power of nothingness (Karl Barth called it, das Nachtige) triumphs over Being. But suppose the Rock of Ages is not cleft against its will. Perhaps it is not subjected to such breakage by weakness but by the vulnerability of its own love. Hesed. “His mercy endures forever.” Suppose the Rock of Ages is not cleft by meaninglessness and chaos, but rather is cleft for a purpose the Rock deems worthy of such a sacrifice. The Rock consents to be broken. What purpose could justify the breaking of God?<br /><br />“Rock of ages cleft for me.” If the foundation of reality is only strength, then where is the place for my weakness? Where can I hide on the stony surface of such a reality? I need the strength of the Rock to save me with its power, but I also need the vulnerability of the cleft which is its caring, the costly caring, in which I take refuge. Neither power nor vulnerability standing alone will offer refuge. Love and power must be conjoined in the God of my salvation – the God who is both rock and person, the rock with the power to shield, but with a cleft which is his “wounded side.”<br /><br />God is infinitely more than human. Heaven and earth cannot contain the Lord. He cannot be confined in a temple, labeled with a name, or defined by an image. God is more vast that the universe itself. Yet, God’s greatness rests not in vastness but rather in God’s willingness to become human, to take on flesh, to subject himself to the frailty of mortal life so that we might not be alone. The greatness of God’s compassion exceeds the greatness of God’s might. God opens in vulnerable mercy to enfold us. “Let me hide myself in thee.”<br /><br />It is my very self I need to hide. It is my very self because that is what is threatened by the world, which is often indifferent, often even hostile to my presence here. It is not just my assets or my reputation. It is my very self that is at risk of being crushed or distorted by demands, manipulations, and judgments, crushed or distorted by fate, ill health, personal calamity. The person God made me to be is in danger of destruction or distortion by a world that wants me to be either entirely different or entirely absent. If I am not sufficient in myself to deliver myself, then where can I turn but to God? And so I do. I recite the words of Isaiah,<br /><br />Surely it is God who saves me,<br />I will trust in him and not be afraid<br />for he is my stronghold and my sure defense<br />and he will be my savior.<br />Isaiah 12: 2<br /><br />Or I center myself with a one word prayer, murmuring the name of God alone, resting in God and trusting that God holds my life in his hand. I would rather hold my life in my own hand, but my hand is too small. It is not strong enough.<br /><br />There is a poignant solace in taking refuge in the cleft of the rock. God affords me refuge and that is good. But for the cleft to be ther for me, God has must be broken. A rift in God must occur in order to afford me that refuge. I did not break God. Even my sin is not so powerful as that. God is broken open by God’s own love. The Buddhist teacher, Chogyam Trungpa, used to speak of the heart being “broken open.” Just so, God is broken open by God’s own love to afford me refuge and that makes the place of refuge a place where I know I am loved, where I am valued enough to endure the fracture of mortality. That’s is what God shows me in Jesus on the cross – a God willing to walk into death with me, a God willing to descend into hell to bring me back from it.<br /><br />I can prostrate myself in awe of the Rock of Ages like a Pleistocene man before El Capitan. But awe is not love. I love the Rock of Ages because it is cleft. When I find myself unworthy to breathe the earth’s air, I find my worth in knowing the Rock was cleft for me.<br /><br />I wish I were more often moved to reverence and wonder by the glories of creation. But I am not. I am a prisoner of ego. I live in a small world of projects, plans, and petrifications of the heart. God’s glory only occasionally gets my attention and then it does not last. But fear gets my attention. It gets my attention so well, I would not blame God if God threatened me daily. But God does not. I cannot recall once being threatened by God – by preachers of hellfire and damnation, yes. But not by God. And the hellfire and damnation seemed too remote to pose an immediate threat. So whence cometh the fear that focuses my mind?<br /><br />Life is unstable. Buddha said as much in the 2nd Noble Truth. Heraclitus echoed him in his teaching on flux. Ecclesiastes despaired over it. A forgotten seat belt, being in the wrong place at the wrong time, the tremors of the earth or the economy or the emotions of those we love, all these variables can bring a grandiose life to rubble and ruin. Something as tiny as a blood clot or a bit of plaque broken loose from an artery will wipe away the miracle of the human mind. In John Irving’s novel, The World According To Garp, when the hero was a little boy wading in the ocean, his mother would call out warnings to watch out for the undertow. He misheard her, thought she was warning of a malevolent monster “the undertoad.” He misheard her word but caught her meaning. It feels as if the lion prowls, dash Nacthige undoes, the chaos monster scatters the sand paintings of our lives and loves. That is when I need to hide myself in the cleft of the rock. And I do.<br /><br />Over 60 years, so many disasters have almost happened. God has delivered me from most of them. Others have happened, and God has delivered me through them. I would far rather be delivered from than through. But the point is to be delivered, to see the sky clear and walk the earth again. The storms come. The storms pass by as we nest in the invisible castle, secure in the crag and the fortress of God, powerful as the granite mountain, caring as the wounded side. Like the rocky edifices of Nevada, God is beautiful in God’s brokenness.<br /><br />Copyright 2010 Dan T. Edwards

Lenten Reflections: Part 2

II. CLEFT FOR ME The rocky edifices of my world are beautiful precisely because they are broken. Their very appearance above ground is the c...

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Tracking Thursday AND following the rules

Yesterday I ate healthy all day and tracked every bite. I wasn't paying much attention to how many points I was accumulating because my meals were what I normally eat, so I was sure it was all good.<br /><br />When I got home I logged on to the online tracker to see how many Points I had left for dinner. I was shocked to see I'd already eaten 21.5 Points for my breakfast, lunch and two snacks. My max is 21 with some weeklies, depending on how hungry I am. I couldn't believe I'd eaten all my Points. I went back over every item, but it was all correct.<br /><br />I evaluated what I'd eaten all day and realized I'd been adding in a few little things here and there that really added up. They seemed harmless at the time, but they're why I haven't been losing weight (and slowly gaining).<br /><br />Sugar-free creamer in my coffee when I use to always drink it black. Hummus with my raw vegetables when I always ate my afternoon snack of raw vegetables plain. A few extra pieces of fruit, when I was limiting fruit to a maximum of three a day. Cutting back my vegetables from five servings a day to two or three. I wasn't drinking my non-fat milk or eating my healthy oil.<br /><br />The bottom line:  I haven't really been following the Weight Watcher plan. I've been squandering my Points. <br /><br />Just like I budget money to pay the mortgage, the car payment and the utility bills, I need to budget to make sure I get in my healthy oil and dairy. If I have to cut out the hummus so I can have a cup of milk and a yogurt, it's what I have to do.<br /><br />Today I'm focusing on tracking, but also following the healthy eating guidelines. I know that's one of the keys to successfully losing weight. I've accepted exercise as part of my life. Now I need to follow through on the healthy eating and limiting my food. <br /><br />When I saw I'd already eaten 21.5 Points by 6pm I considered skipping dinner, instead I had dinner and some fruit. It was about 8 Points, but I thought that was better than starving. <br /><br />Today will be better, I promise. Tracking and following the rules.

Tracking Thursday AND following the rules

Yesterday I ate healthy all day and tracked every bite. I wasn't paying much attention to how many points I was accumulating because my ...

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I’m going win this fight!!

<p> Good morning my favorite blogger friends!! :)</p> <p>Wednesday I was still working on kicking this cold that’s trying to come on. I skipped my morning gym workout to get some extra zzz’s. I also took some <strong>rapid release Tylenol</strong> to help with my pounding head and I found some <strong>Airborne</strong> in the medicine cabinet and took one of those as well. Hopefully my <strong>stubborn-ness</strong> keeps it away too! ;) I’m staying positive!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8cfQAb_bjm_c6lGL37nqF_FcEdrxot0lN0L_8B1JBxnEDyQjP3POAp0WqHlvM0LjITSs8_0hB_LKafPB3vmidcP0gTX0NCGKVlZidRmGJ0IqCQQchJvGDafaV8ATEQulHXf84jacNUiJa/s1600-h/DSC06173%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC06173" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtTIv9W8FjENCNld5UfwtIEXXAS9r3CXO8Qd0s4mRz6gxHBFV8FgTJ6-oYTFhsNxWC3K0sfsvmGhPDDb6p1m__kLbqFc5qTnPgr_biVRRZC7HoQSO2LgmL91W04j3eSdR1sld1n7sVKI-/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC06173" width="404" /></a> </p> <p>Oh and thanks for all the tips! I appreciate it. I’m going to by some ZICAM nose spray when I’m at the pharmacy today…but I’m not so sure about the peroxide in the ears! ;) But hey, I guess if it means I won’t get sick I should try it, huh?!?!</p> <p>For breakfast I just kept it simple. I peeled an <strong>orange</strong> (<u>vitamin C</u>!!!) and sliced an <strong>apple</strong> for<strong> 2 points</strong>. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZV8Adqd7W5Q3QkY4oUPbhwQ5jsPoHnKdPq_DeQ_l41x6nSKNS0Q2eidelCxKHLBvbDfQjVXL663ZEeXODBS2HEUrCOPJozz2dJEEm48l4MRlKzsooMorlcj3AH76k5rw5MWb4MfyVD4gF/s1600-h/DSC06174%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC06174" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSdZQintBakQScOpNIRO3nBNxS_qbIQb4j16wry9r5SXzBi_77c-iawWvRMQIea7hjMmR0UluOzyZ5q9e5PV9i39hpqoZPlYdwMof688F54XJr6XyidX08uwE2YjmdjsvLz5dfzaJthkD1/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC06174" width="404" /></a> </p> <p>Before all my morning meetings started I mixed up my morning snack of <strong>strawberries</strong>, <strong>ww vanilla yogurt</strong>, and <strong>1/4c </strong><a href="http://weightloss-stories.blogspot.com/2010/02/few-updates.html"><strong>homemade granola</strong></a> for <strong>3 points</strong>.  I am sad to say that this was the last of the 12 cup batch! I guess I know what I’ll be doing on Saturday!! ;)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0JP1a_ZYoX_jy6Dvc8t-pXvGimEmQtDaxSOK8iRU8BqHrbpr9NrfrI8aSC2tX8s50SfcEVlS_yZ9hlAgJFVEYP7A4grzW1bJG7MnBRb6KGQf6iB_XyfeKCGmpI6KbFufpaiptEslejPS/s1600-h/DSC06175%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC06175" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8fjhG6AN1vTUP65ju-aSCHcHwSXFiTIFEM1rM9naRnfQ63qGc-aGB7ppuLEdBA9tWEs4O2olPtU0mhUQryZozPqgylfJRJFcYO3gGI9H671IDUvSxRCLrpY_GtWjSN4nl_-Vxy-lctHhV/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC06175" width="404" /></a> </p> <p>After a morning filled with meetings I headed home to let the cable guy in over my lunch. I called our cable & internet provider and asked for a better rate and saved Kyle & I $<strong><u>30/month</u></strong>!! Hooray!! And the bonus was that we were even <strong>upgraded</strong> so he had to install something new!!</p> <p>Lunch was <u>quick</u>, <u>simple</u>, & <u>delicious</u>! I started out <strong>1/2c cottage cheese w/pineapple</strong> and an <strong>orange</strong> (more <u>Vitamin C</u>!!) for <strong>4 points.</strong> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIKFSOxKF6tXPjzyefPVAYjDuuWdGfexqyihRyYlbjZjn5UkeZn9HOTf4y8YpQgTXtq3hOg6qcYAC3BklVjO4mJPCyqhg-YAbpt2bRF_Ae7_687FEaGNmExWU7AWD671s9ka-o9R2BGlOB/s1600-h/DSC06176%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC06176" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYBh6z1kpcM12LVq4Jdld2eVgmEyJpF5T7BYaYSGm1sd0yfa-fzRzSG-H-NXLl8co9wT0yElmPLxzS79PrBT6Y18tGxd5eBDLTJadgE_BOZa_ixIa9wLwY_Cho3Mje75Ot4LHbRme6cei_/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC06176" width="404" /></a> </p> <p>And I finished off with a gooey, warm <strong>grilled cheese sandwich</strong> for <strong>2 points</strong>. I even cut it diagonally like my Mom used to…felt just like a kid eating this! :)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2Spk4efIzsY_szGoaUyNdz_BUh4iNzHbOEYpWTEP82Nfjn5lECaViQoZWv1J6n0xV5Rgo_35UxoKRxpxfbIJDPt9fDjBP3c3oGs1ocVUIcfgPhlF02yj5gZgYY9WjvkdpfI7_KBaaLmi/s1600-h/DSC06177%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC06177" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikmm0fM4lKX29NdK7lfXSdwucocsyi5Q1vX_Sjh1KZ8tp1hMdFLP_pbBKi-FKMIBAVdpkQXYglwdJ8GwvVe53MJRhwrem2e4bo40Fog-DNu48J9_kJ_57MpgcKOq5OrQUKE_RLXKn08G3J/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC06177" width="404" /></a> </p> <p>If you can believe it, I had more meetings yet in my afternoon. To get me through I sipped on some bubbly…no not champagne, <strong>diet sierra mist</strong>! ;)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKR9G37FFfK5i9oWeLeRfpem7DRVRlAtwygtrijNeHKypbLgt5Ry9LrSxL8SJ_qswGqWI0VtcsFXVfmxQO-iLdc61tyK_hLIkSoZ6e3cM-dkqpqFurkEzDM4z0_6EacgfUE3_CWN9UNQnE/s1600-h/DSC06178%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC06178" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-rqkPlXtPIE3boYU3hRD2ygXdt9zB0Fj8jAtebuCLBVziUMqlGZs8weB18HteeLTfJu5tFsXe4RODXOPnMalZ0mA3avuCv8sbPeVvTjaL3IWGxMNpOiQSkx9lbyoBBZTf2ABYJq0L1AM/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC06178" width="404" /></a> </p> <p>Now <u>I know</u> I ate some <strong>baby carrots</strong> when I got back to my office. And <u>I KNOW</u> I took a picture…but my camera must have ate it! ;) Oh well…<strong>zero points</strong> anyway!!</p> <p>After work I ready to hit the gym! I got in <strong>35 minutes</strong> on the <strong>treadmill</strong>. Now the exciting part…within that 35 minutes I <strong>ran</strong> a <strong>5K</strong> in <strong>28:29 minutes</strong>!!! Which beats my goal of 29 minutes for February!! I was super pumped!!! It wasn’t easy though, my chest was tight, but I finished! I think this is the fastest I have ever ran a 5K!</p> <p>After my sweat session I came home and whipped up <strong>beef enchiladas</strong>! I thought they turned out great, but Kyle wasn’t so sure of the beans! He says it’s not an enchilada if there are beans in it, it’s more of a burrito. I said who care’s what it’s called…it just tastes good! My serving was<strong> 7 points</strong>. I couldn’t get a picture on my plate…it just turned into a big blob of meat & cheese!! But oh so good!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCyrJTwW-eH2-HgOYIcRQ7JKMUDxPMK1iO_SURqBLiaogtFsb-quaTFBR6pAhcKxWGAKumcxnj1l04_CiKfvqCOqF7Ns6M3YCYzDixGBLQNvdWsPJGXrNkFpRFSU9apHouheZaIABexFFU/s1600-h/DSC06179%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC06179" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-OXw5lwtDpPz2KOt6D-OVkgqHIzxsO7HUvjhUClgcSrq9426dsKvYJj0Uch9TMqZt3Cow8zpzUgKjUa5dhqFWmuRjnZY4yzMue1sQXuWJtmr6drfDIvtdzlt_FymNmdLao2Ib30DG7g5/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC06179" width="404" /></a> </p> <p>I also had a<strong> 1/2c</strong> of<strong> corn</strong> on the side for <strong>1 point</strong>. I always remember school lunches whenever you had a Mexican dish you always had corn with it!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZPYGqvv5YM9bB705pv9b5Yb7Tim93o98PCmyAgvKGDsubk8s7mNxX17mWWrH0jT5jKtmgB1w7V8kxu9R_YTse0U-GfPGMTJyPryi9UMrPezEiQ8J1vOheoEWZy0zkXevqLNIa1WEJU74/s1600-h/DSC06180%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC06180" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVrsYIc7oK-6ZnBhG_IzH3bBhQUC2t8oW8iwuzGx2-Uxh8pnvbtEhw2eaHf1ROm2RoG_C5qiBDzoh79YJgjT7BYyujtXXaKhoeQQB7cxbhMUGKwEd5H0OlugetSmmgCvx0DZtmiIm5lgnn/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC06180" width="404" /></a></p> <p><strong>Beef Enchiladas</strong> <em>(makes 12 Enchiladas or 6 servings.  2 Enchiladas is 5 points)</em></p> <ul> <li>1 lb. Cooked lean ground beef </li> <li>8 oz. Kraft free grated cheese </li> <li>20 oz. Old El Paso mild enchilada sauce </li> <li>5 oz. Old El Paso fat free refried beans </li> <li>12 corn tortillas</li> </ul> <ol> <li>Cook ground beef. </li> <li>Mix ground beef and refried beans together. </li> <li>Add 1 can sauce, mix well. </li> <li>Warm tortillas in a microwave until soft and pliable.</li> <li>Spray with light cooking spray. </li> <li>Fill each tortilla with about 2 Tbsp. meat mixture. </li> <li>Roll, and fill pan.</li> <li>Pour cheese on top and bake for 25-30 minutes.</li> </ol> <p>After supper I cleaned up a bit and was exhausted. I ended up going to bed around 8:45pm!! Hoping the extra sleep will keep my strong to kick this cold!!</p> <p><strong>TUESDAY'S STATS <br /></strong>POINTS = 19/23 <br />WATER = 96 oz <br />EXERCISE = 35 min run</p> <p><strong><em>What was your favorite school lunch?</em></strong> I would have to say mine was chili & cinnamon rolls! I need to find a low point cinnamon roll recipe to make when we have chili!! Let me know if you guys know of anything!!</p>

I’m going win this fight!!

Good morning my favorite blogger friends!! :) Wednesday I was still working on kicking this cold that’s trying to come on. I skipped my m...

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