Tying The World Together

Today I have been involved in a mission that felt quite ordinary, humble. But an old friend put a grander label on it this week, a label that is actually true. I had called my friend, a priest in New England, to ask him about a priest who might apply for a job in Nevada. I called him because I trust his judgment. His good words about someone I don’t know allowed me to trust the stranger. My friend also talked about the duties of bishops. One of those duties, he said, is “tying the world together.”<br /><br />“Tying the world together.” That in fact was what I was doing when I called him on the phone. That is what I have been doing today in Los Angeles. Bishops from the West including the Pacific met here at the Cathedral Center. We spent half the day and some of the night telling each other about our lives and the lives of our dioceses. It was an exercise in knowing each other. We do this every January. Tomorrow, we will talk about loftier matters of polity, liturgy, and theology. But today was not lofty. It was humble (humble from the same root as humus – earthy). It was the ordinary life of Christians today.<br /><br />Last Saturday, the Deans of the Diocese of Nevada and I met on line and did the same thing. We talked of each other’s lives and the goings on in the parishes so far flung over our high desert. We groaned, laughed, and advised each other. But most importantly, we connected and in connecting, we were tying the world together.<br /><br />And isn’t that what we do when we eat from one loaf, drink from one cup, celebrate the Holy Communion, when we say “The Lord be with you” -- “And also with you.;” when we confess our sins and our faith alike saying not “I” but “we;” when we pray for each other and this earth we share? Are we not trying the world together?<br /><br />I exchanged messages tonight with a priest in Reno, a seminarian in Berkeley, a bishop and a community development worker in the Philippines – tying the world together. It isn’t gravity that keeps this orb from flying apart. It’s the act of knowing each other, caring for each other, wishing each other well.

Tying The World Together

Today I have been involved in a mission that felt quite ordinary, humble. But an old friend put a grander label on it this week, a label tha...

Read more »

SOS: I just don't care

Yesterday I was talking to a friend at work. She's someone I've known for over twenty years, in different jobs at the same company. I really like this person. She's funny,  kind, and sweet. She also struggles with her weight, just like me.<br /><br />About four years ago we did Weight Watchers together at work. It was my first time with WW and the weight fell off. I lost sixty pounds in seven months. The plan works if you work the plan (I know, a very trite but true saying). My friend also lost a lot of weight. When we both stopped Weight Watchers we both quickly gained the weight back. <br /><br />I went back to Weight Watchers almost three years ago, lost 80 pounds and then gained back 25. I still go to Weight Watchers but I'm sitting  at 180.2 today (I want to be 135). She never went back and has gained a few more pounds.<br /><br />As we were heating up our lunches in the lunchroom yesterday the topic of weight came up. It always does. She said she can be perfect all day every day until she gets home. Then she doesn't care anymore. She's a single mom, with a young teenager, her job is very stressful. Much more stressful than my own. As we talked she told me when she gets home she's totally exhausted, and at that point, she really just doesn't give a damn about her weight. If she wants white toast with butter on it she's going to have it. If she wants a glass of wine or cookies, well, she's going to have that too. She said at that point she just doesn't care. <br /><br />I totally feel the same way lately. When 10 p.m. rolls around, honestly, I just don't care. I'm tired, I've eaten healthy all day. I've even tracked my food all day, but at around 10 p.m., my husband is asleep and I'm struggling with sleep. I'm always feeling hungry. A small snack just doesn't cut it. I want volume. That's when I go off my plan and eat. <br /><br />I eat things like fruit (three bananas or a few pears), another chicken breast, maybe some almonds or pecans (those damn nuts are still on the counter--my husband's food--I have to do something about this). If there are any sugar-free ice cream bars (the only kind I buy now), I'll eat a couple of those (there was a box in the freezer that I found last night). If there's leftover dinner, I'll eat that too.<br /><br />I had some Pop Chips last night that I was going to try later. I ate a few of those, which by the way are totally gross. All these years I've been reading about them on blogs and people raving about how good they taste. Nasty food. They're made out of potato flakes and chemicals. I'll never buy them again and no chance I'd ever binge on them. <br /><br />I ate all of this last night and for kicks I added up the calories afterwards. It was over 700 calories. I may as well have eaten cake and I would have if there was any in the house (there never is stuff like that anymore, but if there was I would have eaten it).<br /><br />My point is that I just can't seem to change this pattern and it's making me crazy. Anyone watching me eat all day and evening, watching me carefully measure and weigh everything, put it all in the online tracker, would wonder what the hell was wrong with me when 10 p.m. rolls around. It's like there are two people living in one body. One that's really concerned about her health and weight and the other one that just doesn't give a damn.<br /><br />I've been doing this pattern since I came back from vacation and I just can't seem to break it. It's depressing and sad and I'm hating myself because of it. If I could padlock the kitchen and have my husband hold the key, I would do it. He has no idea what's going on with me (he sleeps like a rock). He only knows the woman that goes to the gym every day and works out like crazy, and who eats very carefully because she's on a diet. He's puzzled as to why I'm not losing weight. I know why.<br /><br />Any ideas on how to fix me?

SOS: I just don't care

Yesterday I was talking to a friend at work. She's someone I've known for over twenty years, in different jobs at the same company. ...

Read more »

Christian Speech And The Arizona Shootings

Having heard a lot of confessions, some as a priest, some as a lawyer, I am rarely shocked by words. But I was taken aback by something I head in my parents’ living room a few years ago. My background is what sensitized me to this particular statement.<br /><br />When I was in Junior Hi in Texas, in the early 1960’s, it was not at all unusual to hear the other kids talking about how somebody needed to kill John Kennedy. His murder was a popular fantasy, but one taken lightly – until Nov. 22, 1963. The following days, for those of us who lived them, can never be forgotten. The flag draped casket, the riderless horse, Mike Mansfield’s eulogy “And she took the ring from her finger and placed it in his hand.” It was the first wave of national grief, but not the last in that bloody decade. That time marked me in a way I had not fully grasped until a few years ago.<br /><br />I was in my parents’ living room when one of my young relatives began talking of how he wanted to assassinate President Clinton. He wasn’t planning it. He didn’t express the intent to actually do it. But he thought it would be highly satisfying. He wanted to do it and said so freely. That is one time, I was truly shocked. Despite all the years that had passed, I felt myself once again to be a Texan, to remember the shame that the President had been murdered in my state, and now to hear this young Texan, my kin, eager to relive that evil day was more than I could grasp. I was not polite.<br /><br />I don’t know what to make of the murders in Arizona. I don’t know whether there is any direct connection to any ideology or the political rhetoric of our time. But I do turn to my faith and what little I know of human nature to help me reflect.<br /><br />I start with the premise that God does not make murderers and does not send people out like Manchurian candidates to do evil. And I take to heart the message of Reinhold Niebuhr’s classic, Moral Man, Immoral Society in which he said we are each much better as individuals than we are as a society, that society, though necessary to fully human life, is fallen and makes us do things that are beneath us. Mobs commit atrocities few individuals do. The lone gunman is not lowered by a machine onto the human stage. The lone gunman is formed in a society. The most broken fall prey to our darkest passions and perform the darkest acts on behalf of the worst sentiments in our collective spirit.<br /><br />My young kinsmen never took at shot at President Clinton but he gave voice to something that we have neither owned nor extinguished. Sometimes a broken person is too weak to resist it and becomes its agent. Language is our best way to know what a society believes, feels, and values. My young kinsman said the murder of a leader is good. The rhetoric of our contemporary politics is violent, murderous – “the second amendment alternative.”<br /><br />Christianity is, in an important sense, a special language. It is the language we speak to suggest, to hint at, to point toward “things to deep for words.” It is a language of creation, appreciation, mercy, and reconciliation. That makes it a language quite at odds with most contemporary political language. Yet it is not anti-political. Politics is by definition the practice of a common life, a sharing of authority, a caring for each other. It is the so-called “political” rhetoric of our time that is actually anti-political. It is the language of faith that makes an authentic politics possible.<br /><br />This is why it is absolutely essential that Christians speak on matters of the common good, that we speak in the public square, that we articulate the demands of justice. Christianity is not a political ideology, as much as some on the left and the right alike, have claimed. Christians do not necessarily agree on matters of politics and economics. But Christians speak (or when they are true to Christianity should speak) of these things in a distinctively Christian way – a way that is non-violent, because Christians live in hope, and violence is always an act of despair. (Robert Cover, Violence & The Word, Yale Law Journal).<br /><br />The voices of violence are shouting in our time. The anger and contempt are in long supply. And we speak too little, far too little. Sometimes, I see people in the church behave as if they were at a town hall meeting spewing hate. I see the ways of the world informing the Body of Christ, while the Body of Christ muzzles itself rather than inform the ways of the world. If Christians speak, and Christians are obliged by our Baptismal Vows to speak, on matters of justice, we speak differently in two ways. First, we speak in prayer – prayer for guidance, prayer of intercession, and prayer of contrition. Second, we speak prophetically – but prophetic speech is not simple or easy.<br /><br />To speak prophetically is to say what we believe to be God’s will. To speak prophetically, we have to subordinate so much. We have to subordinate our pride, our ego, our self-interest. Above all we have to sacrifice our political and economic ideologies. This is particularly hard for leftists with secularist anti-religious ideologies and for rightist with Darwinian ideologies – both of which are challenged by Christianity. It is hard, hard, hard to resist the temptation to paint the face of Christ on whatever already fits our ideology.<br /><br />Then, having died to self that we may speak for God, it is incumbent upon us to speak reverently. That means refusing to claim we know God with greater certainty or precision than we really do. We must be able to say “Thus sayeth the Lord – I think.” (Niebuhr, On Christian Tolerance) If we subject all our other beliefs to God, and acknowledge our uncertainty of God’s will, then we will, of necessity, speak more gently and listen more attentively to one another.<br /><br />Clearly, not all Christians have spoken with the kind of non-violence and humility. We have the regrettable Battle Hymn of the Republic in with “He hath loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword” etc. Christian violence is an oxymoron but one that has too often obscured the light of Christ. Our first duty is to repudiate evil spoken in the name of Jesus and to claim the truth of our tradition.<br /><br />If we add our voices, along with the voices of peace, wisdom, and hope from other faith traditions, we can, by grace, counter at least some of venomous voices that poison souls, especially the souls of broken, vulnerable people.<br /><br />In the wake of the Arizona shootings, I hope we will speak to God, to each other, and to the world in an authentically Christian way. I hope we will pray for the victims of violence and the perpetrators of violence who wound themselves most grievously. I hope we will repent of our own violence, our own intemperate words and deeds – knowing that every word and action ripples out into the world in good and evil ways greater than we intend or foresee. I hope we will rededicate ourselves to mercy and the mission to reconcile all people to each and to God in Christ.Dona nobis pacem.

Christian Speech And The Arizona Shootings

Having heard a lot of confessions, some as a priest, some as a lawyer, I am rarely shocked by words. But I was taken aback by something I he...

Read more »

Questions…Answered!

<p>Hello friends! Please don’t disown me for being a bad blogger! The past week has been nuts! I’m pretty sure I put in close to 60 hours at work last week. I know that is the norm for some people, but man it sure did take a toll on this momma-to-be! I’m proud to say even with the busy-ness and the fact that I didn’t blog my eats each day, I was still smart about my choices!  </p> <p align="center"><b>Vitamin C</b><img alt="DSC09673" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpuMG9M0bw6jZNjK1iqTLMFlrtP2i7H7Gb24CNlbFk5TcDlqXWRSifNYhTw5Mzmfw_Yk_yoTgimCCZousCFUAGeWbv-TXOYVMRdKL69F8t9x_l1S48jQaWm7TQNaRYoG6OlnWSghqMf-s4/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC09673" width="404"><b></b></p> <p align="center"><b>Calcium </b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnQfhOzFcUCYMwiraIGSR6ejngLig9T47bPkObIT-K-lIaxULPnFbiYk1-RZZISz_2zW_IfYoyyBxJfgk8Qj2o4b2v2ytsQToV1GBDEER9SjXmIzkseEiDIepnIm-T7rDuZhwbKzNlImqL/s1600-h/DSC09680%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC09680" border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiIwX6-QxMgmgv16yOxW3Z0RWLfhcyltTzAwEP1E5QggZLv5IetABGjH-EdsrsGWhECpiaGRsEIs3NKKQyhpVJY4-Z7eAhFro4kjQia33oXAOAvwZH6s6y6SgTwhzSloRnrwGdtC8CQtUg/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC09680" width="304"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqY8zdVl7HqzCuYj5k2qMe_vzIG-a-vL4mnbS7RgpnfCOiE95E5rePccPMmXWZKq53grEMMzUMuFoA0I-Kse_iq89WfobSNksIc_uEkIDjWE4F14XuocOHocppn6aM1CGmRTJX41COhkdy/s1600-h/DSC09674%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC09674" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2J_8BHMmUXcSEmFZS25tL7V7JKPXxIHy7UM3795RADnbIVF5al1T5pwX66Zkv6O7fG0ImhyphenhyphenUTOtPBEOl19n7Fi0izKODZkoBTGYkC2Qr962bvz_FAIBkIgWV0uO4NFhrJG3gplpk1K5H/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC09674" width="404"></a><b></b></p> <p align="center"><b>Yellow, Green and Leafy Veggies and Fruits</b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtSGfLCKy_e4CtLeNZypTzoLQTYo06J-1_gjDuPL6QXDhTAHIentN7kn7IImPAwZUZz-IULc9QnbzR-jiH0JLKu8ZsSSvCdgaKc5-A3ney3ct1fvnaQvy7Eu-vhLDAfj_up4cXq18OLCkT/s1600-h/DSC09678%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC09678" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvREjjouYi9r7mVMaEmVUwFYMnwm4famhFm_SxZZN5ZxDgIYKIBkTVwsdfYCKc2OZEbOqKdQeNJB7yGC4UyqPi78foafx5Z7PQCQcgboidmAFi4V9NKHqeHZp_ToBvcvKVnrQPftqEHjm/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC09678" width="404"></a><b></b></p> <p align="center"><b>Whole Grains, <b>Calcium, & Protein</b></b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMn1Xqr917ruSYey2mtEmzI8IeQAiKhihNtSIlbGCmt8r7RUXT4GIM7BXxZDdLIiqrNUXNgYNf-k2talPgJ_lWgx5QEYxWozHFpgs-DPO1-hHLq6VGjyPD3tkfwP8Aov9AdIyT7T4moDr/s1600-h/DSC09676%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC09676" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-iu449lgWtg4XHOaunYjboxdw-GDtOVYGFl5Y6tvB4LtyFnddxh5cHPpg8zHmmr8JFIeiNmj2okk1R0b_loELSgLtIW3X5dfAbVK0dBd8SzsIDWWJ2PErcYOA1DeZl28ToHVumoGzVf2r/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC09676" width="404"></a></p> <p align="left">Obviously I ate more than just those things, but I was conscious about my choices, making sure they were nutritious & not just empty calories. </p> <p>Luckily today we had an early out because of a snow storm! Btw, we are supposed to have 10 inches of snow by the time it’s over! Sheesh, but hey I’ll take the extra time off! My fingers are now crossed for a late start tomorrow!</p> <p>I thought I would take some time to answer the multitude of questions I’ve been getting about my pregnancy!</p> <ul> <li><strong><em>Are you going to find out the sex?</em></strong> YES!!! January 25^th is our ultrasound! <ul> <li>The next question we get is <em>“Don’t you want it to be a surprise?</em>” My response is that we’re going to be surprised 4 months early! ;) Come on people, I’m a planner!!</li></ul> <li><strong><em>Have you had morning sickness?</em></strong> None, which I am SSSOOO thankful for! :) <li><strong><em>Any weird food cravings yet?</em></strong> Nothing really. I eat a lot of Mexican, but I think that’s pretty normal! ;) <li><strong><em>When is your due date?</em></strong> June 16, 2011 <li><strong><em>Do you have any names picked out?</em></strong> Nothing set in stone yet. We have a few favorites, but will probably narrow those down once we find out what we’re having! <li><strong><em>Are you working out while pregnant?</em></strong> To be honest, I haven’t very much lately. And cancelling our gym membership to save $$ doesn’t help with that! I plan to do things at home, for example, I’ve found a few different specific pregnancy work out videos on You Tube that I want to try and I have a plethora of work out videos to do. <li><strong><em>Nursery plans? </em></strong>Oh yes!! Kyle & I got a great start when we were off over Christmas break, but I’ll save that for another post!</li></ul> <p>So far I really enjoy being pregnant & I hope that feeling continues! It’s hard to believe I’m almost half way, Thursday I will be 18 weeks!</p> <p align="center"><em>16 weeks, 1.3.2011</em><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSMVReUAg4hR4KMO7JomXK4rUFj1vvmmd10swUC7CZDgju8T4IAthGJo1BSHoO-9ygEwrmk6nb1_073dpIWhqNvCPYC-DZN_2YvEGyHJ6TlR9zBXla7DqmJbDafGIZEpbsJKubCE49I3I/s1600-h/16%20weeks%20-%201.3.11%5B3%5D.jpg"><em><img alt="16 weeks - 1.3.11" border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguubi1doy41PDJiyAOBpuzfI5gg9ujuBf3FWQE43-OV7FeRS0SP4U9k7TO1OyuOM17WKFfUOpE7GDb6CgivlQIkl1MnkmfmtNfPB5CYY7Yww1sKaw5W8v8HfHqVH0EDPgyx_TsPy4Akn6E/?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="16 weeks - 1.3.11" width="304"></em></a> </p> <p>Usually Monday nights I spend solo, but because of the weather Kyle’s classes were cancelled! So I’m off to enjoy some extra time with my main man! Later peeps!</p>

Questions…Answered!

Hello friends! Please don’t disown me for being a bad blogger! The past week has been nuts! I’m pretty sure I put in close to 60 hours at wo...

Read more »

No Loss, But No Gain Either!

I'm not exactly SUPER thrilled to be reporting that I had no loss this week.  However, J & I did take a trip to Charlottesville, VA, and we did a lot of good eatin'! As a result, I'm happy to see that I managed to keep myself enough in check that I did not gain any weight.<br /><br />Some positives of this week: I managed to make it to the gym all 5 days, for <i>at least</i> 30 min each day!  So far this week, I can cross off Monday as a trip to the gym with at least 30 min of the elliptical.  Yay! <br /><br /><a href="http://www.3fatchicks.net/index11.php"><img border="0" src="http://www.3fatchicks.net/img/tulip-bar/slider-scale/lb/0/95.2/0/.png" /></a>

No Loss, But No Gain Either!

I'm not exactly SUPER thrilled to be reporting that I had no loss this week.  However, J & I did take a trip to Charlottesville, VA,...

Read more »

Focus on Film Noir: Warner Home Video's Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol. 5

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2cC8d544zbvgk3C5EChDBjeuqaqE2bn9oaS-n6UuHeBCOXKtaSSKhJl8jYJpyLn0XBgesGpAmmn3o61vQ9UPeOE6l4ekqb5LyVZYOBI7rSJucV7qa0z6ffH8ybmMLPdOXG9qlgY5fxBoN/s1600/film+noir+vol+5+box+art%255B1%255D%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2cC8d544zbvgk3C5EChDBjeuqaqE2bn9oaS-n6UuHeBCOXKtaSSKhJl8jYJpyLn0XBgesGpAmmn3o61vQ9UPeOE6l4ekqb5LyVZYOBI7rSJucV7qa0z6ffH8ybmMLPdOXG9qlgY5fxBoN/s1600/film+noir+vol+5+box+art%255B1%255D%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a></div><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><span style="font-family: Arial Unicode MS;">Released by Warner Home Video in 2010, <i>Film Noir Classic Collection, Volume 5</i>  is a four-disc showcase of eight double-featured films, a sampling of thrillers ranging from the acclaimed to the all-but-forgotten.</span></div><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><span style="font-family: Arial Unicode MS;">Disc one is a strong pairing of Edward Dmytryk's <b>Cornered </b>(1945) with Anthony Mann's <b>Desperate</b> (1947). <b>Cornered </b>was the second hit teaming of star Dick Powell with director Dmytryk, and it followed their private-eye noir masterpiece, <b>Murder, My Sweet</b>, by a year. In this outing, Powell is a Royal Canadian Air Force vet doggedly tracking his wife's killer across the globe.</span><br /><a name='more'></a></div><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6RqBC_QarrhLp7aGGMcayoG43xHevM-oRuUii_YaujwhuVU-wgmPE0YdIF7nHbpoe54rec4XXnFCc2uk4pgAQieTLePx12Kmqq09pFuQjKcVe1GMsX41GY6BYUiMU0UVhSC0xcl-olT4f/s1600/desperate%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6RqBC_QarrhLp7aGGMcayoG43xHevM-oRuUii_YaujwhuVU-wgmPE0YdIF7nHbpoe54rec4XXnFCc2uk4pgAQieTLePx12Kmqq09pFuQjKcVe1GMsX41GY6BYUiMU0UVhSC0xcl-olT4f/s1600/desperate%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve Brodie in Desperate</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><span style="font-family: Arial Unicode MS;"><b>Desperate</b> was a breakout film for director Anthony Mann, the first in the series of late-'40s noirs that launched his career. Mann's signature is his strong visual style, and this fast-paced story of an innocent man on the run is boosted by stylish set-pieces (including the classic of a fierce back room beating that sets an overhead light swaying, see clip below), a smart script and George Diskant's cinematography. Steve Brodie, a powerhouse as the honest truck driver turned fall guy, delivers a stand-out performance. With creamy Audrey Long as his bride, menacing Raymond Burr as his nemesis and Jason Robards, Sr., as the cynical/genial police lieutenant. <b>Desperate</b>, a staple at noir festivals and Mann retrospectives, is one of the gems of this collection.</span></div><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><span style="font-family: Arial Unicode MS;">Disc two is more eclectic and opens with a fact-based crime expose, <b>The Phenix City Story</b> (1955), directed by Phil Karlson. Veteran LA newsman Clete Roberts kicks it off with a 13+ minute segment of news report/interviews. Then the dramatized story of the 1954 assassination of an Alabama politician begins. It's a brutal (with a capital 'B') piece of history. With John McIntyre, Richard Kiley and the future Mrs. Bing Crosby, Kathryn Grant. Next up, <b>Dial 1119</b> (1950), a mad-killer-on-the-loose tale directed by Gerald (Louis B's nephew) Mayer. The crazed killer (Marshall Thompson) holes up in a neighborhood bar and holds staff and patrons hostage during a police stand-off. Virginia Field takes a nifty turn as a barfly/seductress and William Conrad appears briefly as "Chuckles," the bartender. Otherwise, this one's mostly interesting for its depiction of the era's bar culture and attitudes toward the "insanity defense."</span></div><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvaUkLyHbEv6vkzIxMEZ0geevFIaAPbR90ERk1h34sN7joV4KmjV_eB0XVFpe1_MK1-Jam4H8IMLPJc3Imx-uZZNjkZ4pbs3J1nvLb3bDn4a4JJoNkT5oQyZR_aetHVojauwSswFYqXsI/s1600/Armored_Car_Robbery_50_b%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvaUkLyHbEv6vkzIxMEZ0geevFIaAPbR90ERk1h34sN7joV4KmjV_eB0XVFpe1_MK1-Jam4H8IMLPJc3Imx-uZZNjkZ4pbs3J1nvLb3bDn4a4JJoNkT5oQyZR_aetHVojauwSswFYqXsI/s320/Armored_Car_Robbery_50_b%255B1%255D.jpg" width="280" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">William Talman and Adele Jergans in Armored Car Robbery</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><span style="font-family: Arial Unicode MS;">Disc three features the formidable down-and-dirty <b>Armored Car Robbery</b> (1950). It runs a very fast and intense 68 minutes - that's no surpise with action/suspense master Richard Fleischer directing. Gravel-voiced noir stalwart Charles McGraw stars as a grimly determined LAPD lieutenant bent on avenging the murder of his partner during an armored car robbery. William Talman, a few years before he became D.A. Hamilton Burger on TV's "Perry Mason," is chillingly reptilian as the heist mastermind; hard-boiled, slightly worn femme fatale Adele Jergens isn't <i>quite </i>Virginia Mayo, but she's not bad at all. With solid Steve Brodie, this time as the getaway car driver. <b>Armored Car Robbery</b> is ferocious and works from start to finish; the film ends with buddy moment as the jaded lieutenant shares a cynical laugh with his new (and newly manned-up) partner. I imagine Jean-Pierre Melville must've watched this a couple of times before he made <b>Bob le flambeur</b> (1955).</span></div><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><span style="font-family: Arial Unicode MS;">Also included on disc three is <b>Crime in the Streets </b>(1956), a juvenile delinquent drama directed by Don Siegel, starring John Cassavetes. The story originally aired as a teleplay and the film looks, sounds and feels like Golden Age TV. Cassavetes' performance as an overheated teenage gang leader on the verge of mayhem is the main reason to watch this one. He's spellbinding. With Sal Mineo and James Whitmore. <i><span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>Crime in the Streets</b> airs today, Jan. 10, on TCM at 4:15pm Eastern/1:15 Pacific.</span></i></span></div><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><span style="font-family: Arial Unicode MS;">Disc four offers the final double feature, <b>Deadline at Dawn</b> (1946) and <b>Backfire </b>(1950).</span></div><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xPzynHSjzkyuiXDTbpZwNdgkxT_t9Mlsjzz4UkwrNADjD5X301ony6dyxCF2JzN41nX4clArCDiQ72IrvbNZ-uqcO02BFHeFt6HW5Ak2uiSeaNEpn9ewSSauY1O96p1vBWe9jOIK0nMc/s1600/deadline-at-dawn-poster%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xPzynHSjzkyuiXDTbpZwNdgkxT_t9Mlsjzz4UkwrNADjD5X301ony6dyxCF2JzN41nX4clArCDiQ72IrvbNZ-uqcO02BFHeFt6HW5Ak2uiSeaNEpn9ewSSauY1O96p1vBWe9jOIK0nMc/s1600/deadline-at-dawn-poster%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial Unicode MS;"><b>Deadline at Dawn</b>, adapted from a novel by Cornell Woolrich/aka/William Irish (<b>Rear Window</b>), boasts a screenplay by Clifford Odets and is the only film New York theater legend Harold Clurman ever directed. It got my attention with an opening shot of a sleeping woman's face...and the fly crawling over it...Bill Williams stars as a sailor on shore leave who may be guilty of murder and has only till dawn to clear himself. Susan Hayward plays the taxi dancer who helps him out and Paul Lukas is their cabbie sidekick. While quirky dialogue and various red herrings pique interest, it's primarily the evocative cinematography (Nicholas Musuraca) and Susan Hayward's vibrant performance that keep things moving.</span></div><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8OAUztaqjb7GotgrYCIs6jOAeHbm_Ax4Djo60fYJPJaVGhQebwTPiDsI0bsnwENtQtKxIKsjyAXLGXhE-5uROSfFepvEBoezmkiP_m2Sohwy0Wi2V5gWoHsGw7aCt_QsQR5ZMvpVHhRt7/s1600/0+virginia-mayo-1948%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8OAUztaqjb7GotgrYCIs6jOAeHbm_Ax4Djo60fYJPJaVGhQebwTPiDsI0bsnwENtQtKxIKsjyAXLGXhE-5uROSfFepvEBoezmkiP_m2Sohwy0Wi2V5gWoHsGw7aCt_QsQR5ZMvpVHhRt7/s200/0+virginia-mayo-1948%255B1%255D.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Virginia Mayo</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial Unicode MS;"><b>Backfire </b>stars Gordon MacRae before he rose to film stardom in a pair of Rogers and Hammerstein musicals. It features two future Oscar winners, Edmond O'Brien and Ed Begley, <i>plus</i> Virginia Mayo - this time as a good girl, MacRae's nurse. Vincent Sherman directed and, though the film is erratic, it's enjoyable...like a fun-house ride. MacRae is well-cast as a recovering war veteran who dreams of a farm of his own. When his Army buddy (O'Brien) disappears and is implicated in a murder, he sets out to clear his pal's name. The flashback-driven story twists and turns and, oddly, the final plot twist may be given away by images on the product package and DVD disc. Also starring Viveca Lindfors and Dane Clark. Noteworthy original music by Daniele Amfitheatrof who scored Max Ophuls' <b>Letter From an Unknown Woman </b>(1948). <i><span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>Backfire </b>will air Monday, Jan. 24, on TCM at 4:00pm Eastern/1:00pm Pacific.</span></i></span></div><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><span style="font-family: Arial Unicode MS;">From 2004 - 2007, Warner Home Video released a film noir collection every July, like clockwork. Then nothing...for three years. It's not surprising, then, that <i>Film Noir Classic Collection, Volume 5</i> was greeted with much fanfare.</span></div><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><span style="font-family: Arial Unicode MS;">The must-see films in this collection are Anthony Mann's <b>Desperate</b> and Richard Fleischer's <b>Armored Car Robbery</b>. Also worthwhile are Edward Dmytryk's <b>Cornered</b> and Harold Clurman's <b>Deadline at Dawn</b>. Vincent Sherman's <b>Backfire</b> goes off the rails but has enough B-star power and plot packed into it to keep it entertaining. Once the news story and interviews end, Phil Karlson's <b>The Phenix City Story</b> begins to build. It's violent, but fascinating. A historical footnote adds interest: After the candidate (John McIntyre) was murdered, his son (Richard Kiley) ran for Attorney General of Alabama in his place. The son, John Patterson, won and went on to become Alabama's youngest governor.</span><br /><br /></div><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"></div><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/s3wfy8ociHU?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/s3wfy8ociHU?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> <br /><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"> (<i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">available on DVD and Blu-ray)</span></i></div><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">When <b>Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol 5 </b>was released,</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Warner Home Video provided me with a review copy of the DVD set</span></i></span></div>

Anthony Mann Armored Car Robbery Charles McGraw Desperate Film Noir Film Noir Classic Collection Vol. 5 Richard Fleischer Steve Brodie The Lady Eve (author) The Phenix City Story Virginia Mayo Focus on Film Noir: Warner Home Video's Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol. 5

Released by Warner Home Video in 2010, Film Noir Classic Collection, Volume 5   is a four-disc showcase of eight double-featured films, a sa...

Read more »

Choosing your hard

<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Losing weight is hard. Being fat is hard. </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Choose your hard.</span></strong></div><br />This isn't an original thought of mine, but I love it. Someone at my Weight Watcher meeting on Saturday said she read it on a blog on Sparkpeople. I Googled it and found the <a href="http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=3900130">Sparkpeople blog</a> that wrote it in Jan 2011, <a href="http://escapefromobesity.blogspot.com/2010/07/eating-is-easier.html">Lyn</a> wrote it in a July 2009 post, and someone else wrote it in a <a href="http://caloriecount.about.com/whats-weight-loss-mantra-ft145722-1">caloriecount message board</a> in 2008 (this was fun, it's weight loss mantras). I'm sure people have been saying this for a very long time. Regardless of who originally came up with the thought, it really hit home with me.<br /><br />Last week was hard. I was hungry, and complaining constantly to anyone that would listen that I was starving to death. Even increasing my calories to 1,500 a day on Thursday didn't help. I was still insanely hungry. In addition my workouts were terrible. I've gone to the gym every day since Jan. 2 for an hour to an hour and half, but until yesterday every day was a struggle. I did it, but not with joy in my heart. To say I was off my game is an understatement. <br /><br />I'm not really sure what was going on last week but thankfully by Saturday it was like my batteries had finally recharged. The extreme exhaustion, the insatiable hunger, even the depression, all lifted. I feel like my old self. Even my workout on Saturday was one of my best workouts ever (I rule on the StairMaster!). The day before I had written in my exercise journal "Worst workout ever. What is wrong with me?!". Saturday and today I feel happy and energized. It's good to feel like myself again. <br /><strong>Favorite song of the week</strong><br />It's sort of funny that the first song I downloaded in 2011 is P!nk's F**kin' Perfect. One of my New Year resolutions is to swear less. Notice I didn't say stop swearing totally, but to <u>not</u> make it part of my everyday conversation. Some things, like when you stub your toe on the bedpost, demand a bad word or two. Everyday conversations, not so much. <br /><br />When I first heard this song on the radio I totally loved it, it's by one of my favorite singers, P!nk (love her!). One of the best concerts I've ever seen was the P!nk Funhouse Tour in 2010. <br /><br />This song reminded me of one of my favorite posts that I read last week. It may be one of my all time-time favorite's, <a href="http://gravelandrust.blogspot.com/2011/01/perfect-parts.html">Roxie's Perfect Parts</a>. I love this post. It's one of my biggest struggles in life, stopping the negative voices in my head. I'm the queen of putting myself down.<br /><br />F**kin' Perfect by P!nk<br /><br /><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gKxnsY2dBaY?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gKxnsY2dBaY?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><strong>Favorite recipe of the week </strong><br />This was in the Jan/Feb 2011 Weight Watcher Magazine.<br />This is excellent and the serving is huge (1 3/4 cups). <br /><br />1T canola oil <br />1 medium onion, chopped<br />3/4 lb ground chicken or turkey<br />1 1/2 tsp ground cumin <br />1(32oz) carton low sodium chicken broth <br />10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles (I used Rotel's)<br />1(3/4lb) sweet potato diced and cubed <br />1 large parsnip peeled and sliced <br />2 T chopped fresh cilantro<br /><br />Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cool, stirring frequently, until softened. Add chicken and cumin breaking up chicken until browned. Stir in broth, tomatoes, sweet potato, and parsnip, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potato is fork tender (about 15 minutes)<br />A serving is 1 3/4 cup and only serves 4.<br />PointsPlus value 7<br /><br />280 calories<br />8 g total fat<br />53 mg chol<br />24 mg sod<br />27 g total carbs <br />9 g total suger<br />5 g fiber <br />26 g protein<br />86 mg calc<br /><br /><strong>Favorite tea of the week</strong><br />This tea has been around for a long time, but I just discovered it. <a href="http://www.goodearthteas.com/products.html">Good Earth Original</a>. It's spicy and naturally sweet. It doesn't need sweetener. It only has 16 grams of caffeine (compared to coffee that has 100 grams), or you can get the decaf version. Delicious and calorie free.<br /><br /><strong>Plan for this week</strong><br />Continue my exercise streak. No days off since Jan. 2. I plan to keep with this trend. I'll throw in a few light workouts here in there, but for the most part I want to give it 110%. It's the only thing that keeps me sane. If I was able to drag myself to the gym last week when I really just wanted to crawl in a hole, curl up and die, I'm pretty sure I'll be exercising the rest of my life. <br /><br /><strong>Weight Watchers</strong><br />I want to give the new plan a fair chance but still track the calories.<em> </em>I have to keep up on my food journal. I slacked off for a couple of days, so it's time to get back at it. <br /><br />Also, a new year resolution, I must attend at least one meeting a week. It's a new rule for me.<br /><br />A word about the new PointsPlus. Be sure to recalculate your foods using the new calculator if it's something that's not in the Food Tracker, even brand names differ. I've gone back to eating Franz Thinwiches (even though Dave's Killer breads are much healthier but they're too hefty in Points). <br /><br />I had been using the Arnold's Sandwich Thins in the online food tracker, which use to be two Points (which is what Franz calculated out to be in the old plan). I just assumed when Arnold's said three Points on the new plan my Franz would also be three Points. This morning I recalculated Franz and it's only two Points based on the new plan. Don't cheat yourself. You need every Point you can get. :)<br /><br />I'm finding even with the fruit added in, in reasonable portions of course, 3 - 4 servings a day, the PointsPlus are calculating out to be roughly 50 calories each. It's very odd how this is working out but you can see it in my <a href="http://www.diana135-fooddiary.blogspot.com/">Food Diary</a>.<br /><br /><strong>Polar Heart Rate Monitor</strong><br />If you don't own a Polar Heart Rate Monitor you're missing out on one of the greatest exercise motivators that was ever invented. I totally love mine. Over the last three years I've purchased three. They keep improving them, adding more features. My favorite is still one I bought almost two years ago when I saw my personal trainer at the time had one, it's pink and much more feminine than the black bulky ones I own. <br /><br />A couple of times I've gone to the gym without my Polar HRM and my workouts really suffered. It's the best tool I've found for giving you an accurate heart rate and keeping track of how many calories you're burning. You can't trust the machines. From what I've seen their calories burned count are unusually high, often double from what the HRM displays.<br /><br />Tony posted a <a href="http://theantijared.com/2011/01/giving-away-a-polar-ft60-heart-rate-monitor-to-one-lucky-person.html">giveaway</a> for a Polar HRM, but even if you don't win, if you leave a comment you can get a <a href="http://theantijared.com/2011/01/discounts-from-polar.html">discount</a> on a Polar HRM.<br /><div style="text-align: center;">*****</div>Here's to a great week for all of us.<br /><br />And remember...<br /><br /><strong>Losing weight is hard. Being fat is hard. Choose your hard.</strong><br /><br />I'm choosing losing weight.

Choosing your hard

Losing weight is hard. Being fat is hard. Choose your hard. This isn't an original thought of mine, but I love it. Someone at my Weight ...

Read more »

A return to sanity

<div>I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever make peace with food. Today was suppose to be day number four of eating 1200 calories. My average calories for the previous three days was 1294 a day, not quite my 1200 goal. </div><div></div><br /><div>My energy level was zero when the alarm went off at 4:45 a.m. today, my normal time to get up and head out to the gym before work. This morning I just couldn't do it. I was so tired that I shut off the alarm and went back to sleep. </div><div></div><br /><div>When I finally woke up at 7:30 a.m. my husband had already left for work. I still felt like I couldn't get out of bed. I decided to stay home from work. I was so tired that even getting ready for work sounded like more than I could do. After two days back from a 25-day vacation I took a day off. I couldn't help it. My body and mind weren't cooperating. </div><div></div><br /><div>I ate a healthy breakfast and then went right back to bed. I didn't get up until 11 a.m. When I finally got up I was still exhausted. I felt like I couldn't move.</div><div></div><br /><div>I realized that although the 1200 calories a day plan works for a lot of people for quick weight loss, it's just not right for me. I'm not criticizing the plan all. I'm just not willing to feel extremely hungry, tired and weak all the time. To be really honest, if I had to live like this the rest of my life I think I'd rather not live.</div><div></div><br /><div>Now what?</div><div>I need to do something since I really need to lose a minimum of 25 pounds (preferrably 35). The only logical thing is to go back to the Weight Watcher plan and follow it faithfully.</div><div></div><br /><div>I still think it's the best weight loss plan out there. I've been reading the Getting Started book for the new plan (again). </div><div></div><br /><div>Just for fun I'm still going to track my calories and Points for the rest of the month. I didn't track anything today because honestly, I was just to tired and I really didn't care about much of anything. I ate more than 1200 calories and I feel much better tonight. I'm not seeing stars when I stand up to quickly.</div><div></div><br /><div>I want to keep my calories under 1500. If I track the Points and calories for a month, I can get a good idea of how the zero Point fruits are affecting my daily calorie count. Once I get an idea of how many fruits I can eat and still stay under 1500 calories, I'll keep that as a limit for myself. <br /><br />I feel like for me, this is the sane thing todo.</div>

A return to sanity

I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever make peace with food. Today was suppose to be day number four of eating 1200 calories. My averag...

Read more »

NOIR CITY 9 - Schedule announced for 9th annual San Francisco festival

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf6UIlyfzCiA632zG_vUAXoNoN_3t0_-POqJqR272_OWXP4oEHryKS0X1XPu4sdD4NbpwonkLxHIrtUwn1lvL754lYWyJJMG259aInmG17KgsVtQQi95e9-cl9puP1mfDZnkMUQv2VCsG8/s1600/9+noir+city+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf6UIlyfzCiA632zG_vUAXoNoN_3t0_-POqJqR272_OWXP4oEHryKS0X1XPu4sdD4NbpwonkLxHIrtUwn1lvL754lYWyJJMG259aInmG17KgsVtQQi95e9-cl9puP1mfDZnkMUQv2VCsG8/s320/9+noir+city+2.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The ninth annual San Francisco film noir festival, Noir City 9, will run from Friday, January 21, through Sunday, January 30, at the historic Castro Theatre; 24 films noir, both celebrated and obscure, will screen.</span><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">A presentation of the Film Noir Foundation, this festival is the centerpiece of the organization's effort to find and preserve films in danger of irreparable damage. The foundation's advisory council includes best selling novelists James Ellroy and Dennis Lehane, actress Marsha Hunt and film historian/critic Leonard Maltin. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Film Noir Foundation founder and president Eddie Muller, known as "the czar of noir," is a writer and filmmaker who frequently speaks at noir screenings. Earlier this year he was a special guest at Robert Osborne's 2010 classic film festival in Athens, GA, where he introduced the screening of <b>Double Indmenity.</b> Muller has also provided commentary on noir DVDs (<b>Fallen Angel</b>, <b>The Lineup</b>, <b>They Live by Night</b> and many others).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">The Film Noir Foundation also produces festivals in Chicago and Washington, DC.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://noircity.com/noircity.html"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Click here</span></a> for screening times and pricing.</span><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVkA3-QEKr5gw9p7r3WlcHE33rL8jVxSu0AlMuVwPhLiiN6zbRiSkZK-jzlUHKoHvYR2IhuEtrwkNpp2HZBOwA6g1bmvV_WS3tkQgjr7GAjKDhCl7VOa2lDpBaiAfDnygJmQ9fAWUPTKk/s1600/2+stranger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="245" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVkA3-QEKr5gw9p7r3WlcHE33rL8jVxSu0AlMuVwPhLiiN6zbRiSkZK-jzlUHKoHvYR2IhuEtrwkNpp2HZBOwA6g1bmvV_WS3tkQgjr7GAjKDhCl7VOa2lDpBaiAfDnygJmQ9fAWUPTKk/s320/2+stranger.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Stranger on the Third Floor (1940)</td></tr></tbody></table><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Friday Jan. 21</span></u></h1><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>High Wall</b> (1947), with Robert Taylor and Audrey Totter</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The Stranger on the Third Floor</b> (1940), starring Peter Lorre, considered "the first American film noir"</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /></div><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Saturday Jan. 22</span></u></h1><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Strangers in the Night</b> (1944), directed by Anthony Mann</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Gaslight </b>(1944), with Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer and Joseph Cotten </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>They Won’t Believe Me</b> (1947), with Robert Young, Susan Hayward and Jane Greer</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Don’t Bother to Knock</b> (1952), with Richard Widmark and Marilyn Monroe</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /></div><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Sunday Jan. 23</span></u></h1><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>A Double Life</b> (1947), directed by George Cukor, with Ronald Colman (<i>watch a clip featuring Colman's Oscar-winning performance below</i>)</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Among the Living</b> (1941), with Albert Dekker, Susan Hayward and Frances Farmer</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /></div><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Monday Jan. 24</span></u></h1><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The Lady Gambles</b> (1949), with Barbara Stanwyck</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Sorry, Wrong Number</b> (1948) directed by Anatole Litvak, with Barbara Stanwyck and Burt Lancaster</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /></div><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Tuesday Jan. 25</span></u></h1><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The Dark Mirror </b>(1948) directed by Robert Siodmak , with Olivia de Havilland and Lew Ayres</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Crack-Up </b>(1947), with Pat O’Brien, Herbert Marshall and Claire Trevor</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /></div><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Wednesday Jan. 26</span></u></h1><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTM1szJGJ3lBp31y4bO_QA2LiMEco1qQiMdXidGNA1QihVn84hQ0N9DG8H82KFnJYt8jbsynOA2l96vnjlEvaYw3nXQGzYUMP7jVQITaLtUYoU9_1uQjCmx9TGYHa9DNAdmOB1igi60ygO/s1600/1+woman+in+sand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTM1szJGJ3lBp31y4bO_QA2LiMEco1qQiMdXidGNA1QihVn84hQ0N9DG8H82KFnJYt8jbsynOA2l96vnjlEvaYw3nXQGzYUMP7jVQITaLtUYoU9_1uQjCmx9TGYHa9DNAdmOB1igi60ygO/s320/1+woman+in+sand.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Woman on the Beach (1947)</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The Woman on the Beach </b>(1947), directed by Jean Renoir, with Robert Ryan and Joan Bennett</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Beware My Lovely </b>(1952), with Ida Lupino and Robert Ryan</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /></div><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Thursday Jan. 27</span></u></h1><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The Two Mrs. Carrolls</b> (1947), with Humphrey Bogart and Barbara Stanwyck</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>My Name is Julia Ross </b>(1945), with Nina Foch and George Macready</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /></div><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Friday Jan. 28</span></u></h1><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Crashout </b>(1955), with William Bendix, Arthur Kennedy and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>William Talman</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Loophole </b>(1953), with Barry Sullivan and Charles McGraw</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /></div><h1 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Saturday Jan. 29</span></u></h1><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Blind Alley </b>(1939) directed by Charles Vidor, with Chester Morris, Ann Dvorak and Ralph Bellamy</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Secret Beyond the Door </b>(1948) directed by Fritz Lang,  with Joan Bennett and Michael Redgrave (this year’s “incomprehensible” film)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry</b> (1945) directed by Robert Siodmak, with George Sanders, Geraldine Fitzgerald and Ella Raines</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">So Evil My Love </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">(1948), with Ann Todd, Ray Milland and Geraldine Fitzgerald</span></span><br /><br /><b><u><span style="font-family: Arial;">Sunday Jan. 30</span></u></b><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;"><b>Angel Face </b>(1952), directed by Otto Preminger, with Jean Simmons and Robert Mitchum</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;"><b>The Hunted </b>(1948), with Preston Foster and Belita</span><br /><br /><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qhhWLHVBezc?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qhhWLHVBezc?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

Eddie Muller Film Noir Film Noir Festival Noir City 9 San Francisco film noir festival The Lady Eve (author) NOIR CITY 9 - Schedule announced for 9th annual San Francisco festival

The ninth annual San Francisco film noir festival, Noir City 9, will run from Friday, January 21, through Sunday, January 30, at the histori...

Read more »

Interpreting Reality As World Making

It is fashionable in some circles to say we make our own lives with our attitudes. Whatever we are like inside manifests in our outer circumstances. This morning it snowed in Las Vegas. I suppose according to the “manifest” theory, it was something in my attitude that caused the snow. Oddly enough, it seems a couple million of us fell into the same mood at the same time since it snowed on all of us, “the just and the unjust alike.” Maybe the notion that we create our own reality is a big of an exaggeration. But there is something to it.<br /><br />Experiences make up our lives and we are constantly interpreting our experiences. So much depends on interpretation. Suppose for example, I am on a multi-lane highway. I turn on my left blinker signaling my intent to change lanes. The car a little behind me in the lane to my left accelerates and passes me. What happened? I might surmise he was a competitive driver who wanted to get ahead of me before I got ahead of him. Possible. But maybe he was concerned he was in my blind spot and was dashing for safety. Or maybe he figured that if he hung back waiting for me, I would hang back waiting for him, and we would both waste time dilly dallying, and by passing me he was actually allowing me to change lanes quicker and more safely. Or maybe he just noticed he was late and sped up without even noticing my blinker. Which interpretation I put on the anonymous driver’s action is up to me and says more about me than it does about him.<br /><br />Is everything interpretation? No. Some things are facts, or at least direct experiences. But we interpret all of them and the interpretations we give determine the flavor, the texture, the quality of our lives. All of our interpretations flow from one basic interpretation. It is our comprehensive interpretation of reality itself – our understanding of why there is something instead of nothing, of why it is as it is, moves as it moves. Our belief or disbelief in God is the fundamental interpretation on which everything else depends.<br /><br />I received an e-mail recently from someone trying to decide whether God exists. She may have been inviting me to try to persuade her of God’s existence. But here’s the kicker. The question is wrong to start with. Christian theologians, going back at least to St. Thomas Aquinas (and really much farther back) have not said that God “exists” – not the way anything else in the universe exists. God is not such a thing. Many Christians never get past the children’s Sunday School picture of God as “the man upstairs.” Even if we aren’t so naively anthropomorphic as to think God is a man, we are apt to think he is a being along with the other beings in the universe, only bigger, stronger, smarter, and older. Like the abominable snowman or intelligent aliens, such a being might or might not exist. However, if such a being does exist, he is not God. Orthodox, traditional theology teaches that God is not a being along with all the other beings, just bigger. Our best contemporary theologians agree. As Kathryn Tanner says, “God is not a kind of thing among other kinds of things.”<br /><br />God is that out of which all being arises and into which all being sinks when it ceases to be. St. Paul said, “From him and through him and to him are all things,” and “In him we live and move and have our being.” In Christian doctrine, God is the source, the destiny, and the meaning of reality itself. St. Augustine saw God as the ultimate object of all our longings. The 20th Century Roman Catholic theologian, Karl Rahner, wrote of God as the source and the destiny of reality, “the whence and the whither” – “whence comest thou? whither goest thou?”<br /><br />Likewise we believe, or at least hope, that there is some deep sense to reality, some order, some meaning. We believe that there is truth and that the truths we know, and the truths we do not yet know, may be ordered within an overarching, comprehensive structure of Truth which we cannot know. We value things. Indeed, we hold that things actually have intrinsic value. And of all that is valuable, there must be that which is most valuable, ultimately valuable, something that finally matters. Just so, we delight in beauty, believing, or at least hoping, that there may be a greatest beauty beyond the reach even of our imagination.<br /><br />Each of these things – source, destiny, meaning, sense, order, truth, value, beauty – could be its own object of devotion. Each could be regarded as a god. But monotheism rolls all of this, and much more into the unified concept of the one God. Monotheism teaches that there is no final conflict between truth and beauty, that our source, our destiny, and our purpose are all one. All of this is in God. To put a point on it, God is very big – far too big to fit inside the universe. God does not fit inside anything. Everything must fit inside God. So God is not a being among other beings, a value among other values, a power among other powers.<br /><br />To believe in God is not to believe that a particular thing exists. It is to believe something about all our experiences, to trust, to hope, to risk our fate on something deeply true in reality. To believe in God is to affirm truth, beauty, goodness, that life has meaning and value.<br /><br />To believe in God is an act of interpretation. Interpretations are not facts. But that does not make them entirely subjective. Some interpretations may be more reasonable than others, more plausible or probable than others, and certainly some are more helpful than others. Philosophers and theologians rarely offer “proofs of God” anymore. Since interpretation always smacks of mystery and God, as the meta-interpretation of everything, is infinitely mysterious – God is not subject to proofs. Instead, philosophers like Alvin Plantinga now speak of “warrants for faith” – meaning reasons to justify believing in God, lines of thought demonstrating that faith is reasonable.<br /><br />A wonderful example of such a warrant for faith is Anthony Flew’s book, There Is A God. Flew was the leading atheist philosopher of our time – a real philosopher unlike the pop atheists (Dawkins, et al) on the bookshelves today. But Flew ultimately concluded that God is the best explanation for the existence of this universe we experience.<br /><br />Now back to the power of interpretation: We control some of our experiences – the things we do. We do not control others – the things that happen to us. But we interpret all of them. My assumptions about human nature, or at least Las Vegas drivers, will determine the motives I attribute to the person who zipped around me when I had my blinker on. That interpretation will shape my mood for awhile. My mood will shape my further interpretations of the next events as well as my behavior and indirectly the way people respond to my behavior and then my interpretation of their responses.<br /><br />So what did I believe about today when I woke up? Did I believe it would be an episode in a Darwinian power struggle or the closely related Marxist class conflict? Or was it to be a random, meaningless exercise in futility acted out in an existentialist void? Or is it the Day the Lord has made for us to rejoice and be glad in it? And what of these people I encounter? Are they my Darwinian rivals for survival, human commodities to be used for some gain, or brothers and sisters in Christ?<br /><br />Experience is just raw data until we interpret it, and our interpretation is a matter of will – as William James called it “the will to believe” – guided by reason. So let us ask two questions: First, is it plausible, is it reasonable to believe that the universe has a source and a destiny, that all this actually has a raison d’être? The vast majority of people who have lived on this planet have thought so. The greatest philosophers and theologians have thought so. Second, is it helpful to believe such a thing? How will I experience life with God and how will I experience life without God? What difference might faith in God make to my behavior, to the kind of person I become?<br /><br />There is an objective world. We live in it every day. I cannot pretend the other cars are not on the road except at my extreme peril. But that world affords me only the raw data for interpretation. After that, I have it in my power to create a godless universe or a godly one in which to live this life, “to make a very hell of heaven or heaven of hell.” Such is the power of faith. “Faith” is the foundational interpretation which can make or break a life. That’s why sometimes Jesus did not just zap people with healing energy but rather told them “your faith has made you whole.”

Interpreting Reality As World Making

It is fashionable in some circles to say we make our own lives with our attitudes. Whatever we are like inside manifests in our outer circum...

Read more »

Allan is right, this is REALLY hard

I'm participating in <a href="http://almostgastricbypass.blogspot.com/">Allan's Phase 4 challenge</a>, well, at least I'm trying to do it. It's not that easy. He says it gets better, I sure hope he's right.<br /><br />I don't weigh 141 like he has me listed on his chart of participants. I wish! I started at 181 on Sunday. I hope he doesn't show me gaining 40 pounds at the end of week one.<br /><br /><strong>The Good</strong><br />My size 12 jeans that I wore on the plane on Saturday that were too tight and cutting into my flesh, fit much better today. They were fresh out of the dryer this morning, and they're actually comfortable.<br /><br />My manager bought us all really cool company logo insulated water glasses with a straw. I love it! I can add ice and it doesn't sweat like my stainless steel Nathan water bottle. I've actually been drinking more than my required 90 ounces of water (today was 116 ounces of water, plus coffee and tea - a little on the high side).<br /><br /><strong>The bad</strong><br />Allan said Phase 4 would be hard in the beginning and he wasn't kidding. It's been an extremely difficult three days of trying my best to stay in the 1200-calorie range. To say I'm hungry is an understatement. I feel like I'm starving to death. I'm trying to follow his eating guidelines. Actually, they're similar to Weight Watchers but without all the "free" fruit.<br /><br />I've been eating a bit more protein than his plan recommends, because, well, you know I work out soooo hard. I think I've been kidding myself about exactly how hard I'm really exercising. I thought the extra protein would help with the hunger but it's not working. I know, I'm breaking the rules and if this doesn't work for me it's totally my own fault.<br /><br /><strong>The ugly</strong><br />I'm feeling sort of weak and light headed, and I'm more forgetful than normal. Forgetting names of people that I've known for years, losing my cell phone (found it in my car), and other things that are starting drive me a little nuts.<br /><br />I can't decide if this is all in my head and I'm imagining it or if it's because of the reduced calories. I know the upside of the hunger means I'm losing weight. The downside is that it's difficult to function when I feel like this.<br /><br />My workout this morning was really terrible. Thirty minutes on the StairMaster and each step felt like torture. I only completed 103 floors. I normally complete at least 125 to 135 floors (my personal best was 144 floors in 30 minutes).<br /><br />My strength workout wasn't much better. The barbell that I use for bicep curls and overhead shoulder presses is 45 pounds. I've been doing it for months but today that 45 pounds felt like 65 pounds. I completed all of my exercises and reps (three sets each) but it was a struggle. I really just wanted to go home, eat everything in sight, and crawl back into bed. Usually I don't even think about food when I'm at the gym in the morning.<br /><br />My calories burned on my heart rate monitor for my hour workout was 380. Usually it's 500 - 600 calories. Not good.<br /><br /><strong>A word about Weight Watchers</strong><br />I've been whining about the zero Points fruits and vegetables, but really, for most people I don't think this is a problem. It's really just a problem for me. I don't seem to know when to stop. I guess I'm lacking in common sense when it comes to food. After all, I did gain 100 pounds. That says a lot about my self-control when it comes to food.<br /><br />I'm still attending meetings, mainly for the accountability of the weigh ins and because I love my leader.<br /><br /><strong>Link to my food diary</strong><br />I'm tracking my food on a different blog page -- <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.diana135-FoodDiary.blogspot.com">Food Diary</a>, with calories AND Points for everything I'm eating. It's very boring reading but I'm really surprised how many calories I'm consuming. I'm pretty sure I was eating a lot more than 2000 calories a day because 1300 calories seems like starvation to me now. No wonder I've been gaining weight.<br /><br /><strong>My conclusion about this whole thing</strong><br />It really is lot harder than I thought to eat only 1200 calories a day. I really hate being this hungry. I know it'll be worth it if I can get this weight off. Thanks Allan for sharing your plan with us, I appreciate it, but oh my gosh, this is difficult!

Allan is right, this is REALLY hard

I'm participating in Allan's Phase 4 challenge , well, at least I'm trying to do it. It's not that easy. He says it gets bet...

Read more »

This was a very tough day

After 25 days of vacation I went back to work today. It's hard for me to get back into the swing of things after a long weekend. After almost four weeks, it was darn near impossible. I'm so tired right now I can barely stay awake. <br /><br />Today is also the first day in a really long time where I was extremely careful with what I ate.  I'm doing an experiment through the end of January. I'm still counting Points, but I'm also counting calories. Double the fun, right? <br /><br />I have my doubts about the new Weight Watcher PointsPlus plan. Zero Points for all fruits and most vegetables just doesn't seem right to me.<br /><br />I know someone reading this is thinking 'she didn't get fat from eating too many fruits and vegetables'. That's probably true, but it's also true that I can consume massive quantities of fruits and vegetables. Six large bananas is 600 calories. I've easily eaten six bananas in a day several times in my life, in addition to my regular meals. I seem to have a bottomless pit for a stomach. This is enough calories that would prevent me from having a weight loss and might even cause a gain.<br /><br />I rarely list what I eat unless it's something I binged on like the can of cake frosting I ate about a year ago. Or the pizza and coconut cream pie I ate on New Year's Eve. In an effort for accountability I'm going to post every bite I eat, at least through the end of January. <br /><br />Since I don't want to bore you all to death with my daily food intake, I've created a separate blog of my food diary. The calories and the Points will be documented. This is really for me, so I can see it all in one place. I just started it tonight, but haven't added the link yet. <br /><br />Unfortunately, since I'm dead tired right now and getting up this morning was a challenge, I'm heading to bed right now.

This was a very tough day

After 25 days of vacation I went back to work today. It's hard for me to get back into the swing of things after a long weekend. After a...

Read more »

Tiiiirrreeed!!!

<p>Hey all!! First of all I need to say thanks for all your sweet comments on my bump and the support! You all are just too sweet! I just can’t believe how much my tummy is already sticking out. I’m pretty sure it gets bigger everyday! </p> <p align="left">I feel very good about my eats the first 2 days of the week. Here is a summary of Tuesday’s eats. For breakfast I had <strong><em>1 glass orange juice (Vitamin C) </em></strong>and a bowl of <strong><em>oatmeal</em></strong> <strong><em>(whole grains) </em></strong>with a sliced <strong><em>banana</em></strong> <strong><em>(other fruits)</em></strong>. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy1Pvop7kinkMZcVL7ZMXgs0kWNwJIYj85TKHWPdVETWThF2CIhQcKlCzy3ZGNxpdawaRT24Xa5n4ZvjyrAR9Ew2CwEtF5IYLEmMwu2ELbcctah8rKuys0MrLCxmOZUtabb7lRFloVyXYV/s1600-h/DSC096623.jpg"><strong><em><img alt="DSC09662" border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ilmV_yhuM96y33FWFuyahyphenhyphenOEdyL0ZLcivrz2KLJ0478qdVDB8MDv8C4DBUIhXk9ByNb3LmTwc160o4t-N5W0KAnYw5K5irI3q5xwHsnNikno0zQOX9cBwK_mzo7q6ommSoMN0UV1jyjl/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC09662" width="304"></em></strong></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKRSvKOz90Cd7sp6TRSUgCy9WOaK-lB-voteq6MAGzde5fP_C-7FqFkKCmQ2zoMxlfcF7j3q-dwtgYTmmaWVkrLAVagW7e-QQ8N01PCY6Q3EJmNLiejeIUtAYXswClPYIG3aJjjBZ2Mv5c/s1600-h/DSC096613.jpg"><img alt="DSC09661" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizhElX0NnNTSG6tx6_KkUCGw33wElcEn6zix06LY7njTKo9zAzK15rsho-DDIOEzeIFXptweIqNt9STF9yE3qzHyzh1pY0ioe3B0b2R6nU4ZyRHsjjUScBgsyiHih7ughHaoVF-eds2UIF/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC09661" width="404"></a></p> <p align="left">One thing I love about my job is that I had almost 2 weeks off over Christmas, but boy oh boy, coming back to insane, crazy busy work has been rough on this girl! </p> <p align="left">Mid morning I snacked on <strong><em>1 c</em></strong> of<strong><em> multi grain cheerios (whole grains). </em></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4XUL_9uxhueTDZ7SF6uxAfoZNhxRVr9VlblT9hkEavNNuvIGdpWw9EEvhfrpW3KdYj78j_XO5_1uGx7gUXrlWbdc3s28IJzgowDBLE2Y3UCEwNA4vwsSXO2F3zlXdsxlGxbBjVgMnZE6B/s1600-h/DSC096633.jpg"><strong><em><img alt="DSC09663" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiChZb456oGY98BT66PUIeg7Cg-ZO3hAYVXBnGaJYhGuUZ8aMYxUqf3SdhVUk6bwdKZklCBMzmhyphenhyphenilpiCSeOcVe75HYtZ7s9JDKQ7hupcCTn0jdBg0kkHXuqHhTSFr3bW9A0MfHZxqhoe4M/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC09663" width="404"></em></strong></a></p> <p align="left">Like I said the office was pretty crazy, so to hold me over till lunch I sliced an<strong><em> apple (other fruits)</em></strong> for another snack. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYm1GPwI8Z3BbsLaF9Sj2EEcKFcSDSiBWkcWxMTfAvaOkla7-zwIN-U6v3GW4QQUqrPNbRRNCmRmq116izhyorv96p-_oRLX3rj2Mr1XDnQoGhznsnuJSM332bfDyqEMmaJ58ngUwAWUDv/s1600-h/DSC096643.jpg"><img alt="DSC09664" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyXyKvQedakhXYPbEIPzvKLS-cR9q_nbamx2I5HLy26BpKV061EHHogpk4F-gAOVMrzwKk8VemdHEdg_RqkVSFu594Ze22FgE_VaFYa6pnXlVU2BX_TcnGkbE8nx9QH_Yky3FCgaGO10uZ/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC09664" width="404"></a></p> <p align="left">My late, but delicious lunch was leftovers! I had cheesy crock-pot <strong><em>chicken (protein)</em></strong> with <strong><em>brown rice (whole grains)</em></strong>. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv6ud1gcaLTvLiL4u8P78a8vC726ot8nyom9GurjXVa8DHWYz7-YKneQvyiAiiXmsrX5CmonWxlpQLGMepxFdfL92BMp39P-Jq6e_UStHR990Gy9hgpOBH3NLe2naZvnZyQGDN0DXi7i1N/s1600-h/DSC096683.jpg"><img alt="DSC09668" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljOQKfBcS8DRJaV-SSGz4U3T5tYb16A6S71ZKyE5AN7jW01osA4yQA7K2eb3ntUT1If2A_DPPwnWfL_K8eA-5oHIL_csD_81pAcBFNBatpn9pkD3aZkVj0eZbropnUWA7Yk9PJo73zRBD/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC09668" width="404"></a></p> <p align="left">When you take lunch at 2pm it really makes your afternoon <em>fly</em>! Before I knew I was carpooling with my main man to our humble abode! I love that we work at the same place!</p> <p align="left">Supper was a true midwestern meal, <strong><em>steak</em></strong> & <strong><em>potatoes</em></strong>! We use our new *larger* George Foreman grill to cook 2 good sized steaks. I had 1/2 of one <strong><em>(protein & iron).</em></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJWmitrISIKNywCmDP41qkSgV4Ks7PbuurgWvwSHTw7gXDVII54AaWjYlgTRQ7PVRwermvtgKILY17gt2kmH2zxbBWoGuI-oirrl6tTy5gD0DjhJJWF8rVnFyLHGIFy-E0ZhiEmDzE0U_F/s1600-h/DSC096703.jpg"><strong><em><img alt="DSC09670" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0lTzDFBmwvT7clc-mYN9nUM1caH4wIMJQjBAWc110nCSECJG49HCW-pZbibp_9U-6lBo-xeMTh0Zzvw5xK_gLNH3YHeSWJkPMv_qDWqdGibk9kpulZ03LJisE0vLIrWuuAt2c2oVAH1Kr/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC09670" width="404"></em></strong></a></p> <p align="left">And the<strong><em> roasted potatoes (iron)</em></strong> rounded out the meal! Felt like a farm girl again! ;)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0A-Q7s2Oz228ReQgh6wQdcgs8fPWPUGmWo_af9IExtbz09HboPQWlgUC0Bxv-alR6w_4Mzhf75vX8u45AJT7yfdzubr27TV6vjCmwqpWlY6JYiWU4BO1iJyBDYiEDPFWKLvumQEfTjLMo/s1600-h/DSC096713.jpg"><img alt="DSC09671" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4RUSrvMuy-AYfuUHJjJCXf2VkuWjIILqMq73Wfp3ou6NMwVcBFM_llKQ6JN8qCehltv8nto0FLcQSInlRhFKppHTETPCeYA7km502Wr9wBpFMjmfqCF_SpYfYLSoGqtQtOEtlSglbZZT5/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC09671" width="404"></a></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>After supper was eaten & cleaned up, I got right back to work. I brought home a bunch of things that are <strong><em>VERY</em></strong> time sensitive right now. Needless to say, I’m ready to hit the hay!</p> <p>Here is a run down of my stats. The top number is how many servings I got in, the bottom number is how many is recommended. I think it will be hard to get all the recommended servings in of each category. But I think the big thing is that when I do choose food, I choose nutritionally rich ones. </p> <ul> <li>Whole Grains 3/6 <li>Calcium 0/4 <li>Green Leafy/Yellow Veggies/fruits 0/4 <li>Protein 2/3 <li>Vitamin C 1/3 <li>Iron 2/3 <li>Other Fruits & Veggies 2/2 <li>Fats 2/4 <li>Fluids 104oz <li>Prenatal – check!</li></ul> <p>I’m still in decision mode. These are a LOT of thing to track. But I know they are important for me & my baby, so I’m giving it a shot. If anyone has any advice to more easily track I am all ears! </p>

Tiiiirrreeed!!!

Hey all!! First of all I need to say thanks for all your sweet comments on my bump and the support! You all are just too sweet! I just can’t...

Read more »

Post Holiday Weight Gain

I started the holiday off right with a 2.6 lb loss! I was happy and motivated!  But alas, I was at home at mom and dad's, and that is never a good thing when it comes to healthy eating.  My mom doesn't typically abide by 3 course meals (or any number for that matter).  She almost always makes dinner, but we are on our own for everything else.  The bottom line is I ate a lot of crap over the holidays simply out of boredom and lack of food choices.  The result: a 5 lb gain a week later! Blah! <br /><br />Still, it is a new year, a new week, a new day... and thank God for that! <br /><br /><a href="http://www.3fatchicks.net/index11.php"><img border="0" src="http://www.3fatchicks.net/img/tulip-bar/slider-scale/lb/0/95.2/0/.png"></a>

Post Holiday Weight Gain

I started the holiday off right with a 2.6 lb loss! I was happy and motivated!  But alas, I was at home at mom and dad's, and that is ne...

Read more »

Pregnancy Eats Plan

<p>The reason I started this blog over 2 years ago was to become a healthier me. I haven’t really touched on that subject since my “<a href="http://weightloss-stories.blogspot.com/2010/12/101610.html">announcement</a>” of baby on the way! When I first found out I was pregnant I was very strict with my eats. I basically ate like I was on WW, just a little extra. <p>Then came the <a href="http://weightloss-stories.blogspot.com/2010/12/family-fun-cruise-days-1-2.html">cruise</a>…of course on vacation I enjoyed all the different eats the ship had to offer, but it didn’t stop there. <div align="center"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="500" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="250"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijzvtpFB1xif03JQhz684jo61orIG2s0tfe00TYRivl6lgQ494Bpj2SPln2ldm09X5TPPX-mMZuErLQ6JsZXB5KOAkAWFv_3PGA52CIo8w5w6cTOtNwE9K_iPNdAWNZZkrIXlk5PUhblFT/s1600-h/DSC09379%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC09379" border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ipFrHnjC6aIEYHKZV3zLuPsoqrfDSQCOxLsC0nXbCRfmlMuWQEy4ac5sG0HQnYpZce5QIkI7BAY7Qi2AQsLLhdksChUurbAyrjaXryOkCFBd733UndtfnP95-ZmQ66lt62MMTaXJL4lr/?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="DSC09379" width="254"></a></td> <td valign="top" width="250"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwKlZ962lqiWLk5ktXUIemuw088bYP49UVLElIvgQFSmG1HuHo1o-RG7sP2pNEKRS2CT7W873UIsY6Uz517kXdRRmcIsCOImTjiGuAYc8sl-JEDhgfcNvtl1znxCSSKdVon8gCxYuG_0D/s1600-h/DSC09385%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC09385" border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMkUs7Oq8LNeWdiX_WSJfhYz40jjKEIn14UZqjcFyB8xP1ZYs3JMcvRXGjY5fV7ysNFv-aTFvDHCXy2lpxzpZAYsXzMXGFRpfZ-RVNtlIe8N6atxjKiEpwen0cmtF8uEjvHAV9pNjU1hi/?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="DSC09385" width="254"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p>The next weekend we made a 10+ hour trip for a family wedding. I ate all the “no no” quick snacks from gas stations on the way there & back (think donuts, ice cream, etc). Wedding cake, anyone? <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPwh6MxyZwmDp6ckNWlQb4cknGOiPIxqsRWiZIqzJyEKvrUfxtr1Sp3HRQyPQ1GEZ58CtzlAdGVZodJSH3K7YIcgtMAjIVXeBserALRBMP_zGPW967yoiSgTMpZ_vR4LqwykXLx16laBk/s1600-h/DSC09529%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC09529" border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNFYBcTwG9L3_c4Uk4QGrNgJlxhaWZFP_mEfX2oIvs6cad32yqSbNhHjYIcEpwZg0o2WYmWH8FXJMrONOESEB2WezfY3pszT7VUz53qX06neRyHiMnNOq0qmjTk1T_gLgUcgZHo9wMT4y/?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="DSC09529" width="304"></a> <p>Then it was <a href="http://weightloss-stories.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-recap.html">Christmas</a>. We all know there is always a surplus of food at Christmas. <div align="center"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="500" align="center" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="250"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVOJ2isbQbjhgQxBMZJMk-B-IadCqH5Db2uAm-JsvJMO63C0sdfKo19f43HAgfQ7rBEO4TpGNBANdezXjKh13SmKNrjuMHvBkS4lPOWKlMazq0b5ZLSv_3DeWtxYVidC29qTcifFYekiW/s1600-h/DSC09584%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC09584" border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2qqvmiTHOZfUNRUZOFOlkuzBKrMl4PMdS_bV4BFUGHtHmXVsL4WKZM2xTUw9VWUbW7UJwlGR15zQxWm5Fswzdk2pvzIsg6QADmgb0Uafd0dTBQ1SAaFsow0kxx63b4EwOBuePvsM5M60/?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="DSC09584" width="254"></a></td> <td valign="top" width="250"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvhmFII9GOpyM3seTHOeSi_IKnolAk7oOhML1kNJxJc_5KHFiC6b78MAUwMx3zazghcFR5KpBUPlwfNxKQjh7uhQWbbkAkVCPmaS2idJWey96MGD5legatKMnd6ARemcndTLrRki7fFjS/s1600-h/DSC09593%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC09593" border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuvOtHhkeQruP1BguXsveb_jhdjFqdxfA3Q2CFmTqlDT5I-DS3dqBEQq4Og_j4uL_EO3sjAebh0X5oKeZM1laMPqw6NWXrQC6PsScED3Ih8lV_O_E_0ggNCxEWHrLgdWXUTOvqr-Y5K6on/?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="DSC09593" width="254"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div align="center"> </div> <div align="left">And lastly <a href="http://weightloss-stories.blogspot.com/2011/01/new-years.html">New Years</a>!</div> <div align="center"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="500" align="center" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="250"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwZWCrb6wp7U8X-afy61iIMg0t4pWXaPwzAgh-XWoX16E2Hz_Z44YupHO8UUS8_1hLzTN2SToQS8CCdH5uYVloQOUraGRTLR_Ot6tYAU1ZUHey-bK78iE0iEcBM94UO0ZOxb7wtUGYDQL3/s1600-h/DSC09647%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC09647" border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilobhI06TY9lJz4VYKHVEt9y6QD1QCrH-5PtQuKuPyCPMU8xBdLDIEZNT7UV31x-doSatCez09SSHiFM-YLXMZ4y6Em2AZoFeaCxpqSXARF0B5c0hbNRAcatpzFDlvdsZ2yh0C0SZVjz6B/?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="DSC09647" width="254"></a></td> <td valign="top" width="250"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS35RMuVdzQhfH-Rbqt8KNWZdghncX6rcthecHNwGdDaUHpe6UsYdzwdxwiRL3KUqQp347UM5r4zH7OcBGCJjesWRUM0_q23CuDYg3cyMPTMs4o6D5Lqi9FyufmwSALD81FjEGtcQfEmcE/s1600-h/DSC01655%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC01655" border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSJJGJqsaa1mvyYuVEoOFWEJKuzetnSgvE8BOd-R1o4xvBHNQX4TXXaPWWvFXlOgfiUYTrbus1cdVEFsBhrOAOpcsSmeNMYnEEoVGdy9MlhKd8MNeoX5VbFjGelpO4iW4GUW-ubSN4dzoT/?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="DSC01655" width="254"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div align="left"> </div> <div align="left">Now I wasn’t eating horrible the entire month, but not what I needed nutritionally. One of the first things I did when I found out I was pregnant was researching what the eating guidelines were. I vowed to have a healthy pregnancy, not only for me, but baby too. Somehow in the month of December, I lost sight of that. </div> <p>Aware of what I let get slightly out of hand, I’m making a change! I’m going to continue to use this blog as a tool to track   my eats, just a little differently! In the past I’ve always counted points. I think the majority of us know when WW finds out you’re pregnant, you are kicked out! In my research I’ve found while pregnant it’s important to focus on nutrition rather than counting calories, fat, points, etc. So that’s just what I’m going to do. Here is a summary of the recommended serving/day of each item: <ul> <li><strong>Whole Grains and Legumes</strong> (6 + servings)<br>Example: 1/2c brown rice, whole-grain bread/cereal, 1 oz whole-wheat pasta, pita, tortilla, beans, peanuts, peas, 1 c oatmeal</li> <li><strong>Calcium </strong>(4 servings, 1200 mg total)<br>Example: 1c milk, 1/2c hard cheese, 1c yogurt, edamame, sesame seeds, calcium-fortified juice</li> <li><strong>Yellow, Green and Leafy Veggies and Fruits</strong> (3-4 servings)<br>Example: winter squash, 1/2c broccoli, 1/2 carrot, 1/2 sm. sweet potato, apricot, mango, 1/2c cantaloupe, 1 lg peach, 1 clementine</li> <li><strong>Other Veggies and Fruits</strong> (1-2 servings)<br>Example: green bean, zucchini, corn, potato, apple, pear, banana, cherry</li> <li><strong>Vitamin C</strong> (3 servings)<br>Example: 1/2 med orange, kiwi, strawberry, peach, 1/2c cantaloupe/honeydew, 1/2c broccoli, cauliflower, 1/2c pineapple</li> <li><strong>Protein</strong> (3 servings, 75g total)<br>Example: poultry, beef, eggs, cheese, yogurt, nuts, peanut butter, beans, 1c. cottage cheese, edamame, 3-8oz glasses milk</li> <li><strong>Iron</strong> (3 servings)<br>Example: beef, duck, spinach, dried fruit, beans, soy products, pumpkin seeds, barley, oat bran, baked potato w/skin</li> <li><strong>Fats</strong> (roughly 4 servings)<br>Example: peanut butter, sour cream, cream cheese, salad dressing, olive oil, butter, mayonnaise</li> <li><strong>Daily Prenatal Vitamin</strong></li> <li><strong>Fluids </strong>(at least 64 ounces)<br>Example: water, juice, milk</li> <ul> <li><em>Note: the examples are things that I eat/like. I don’t consider myself picky, but I’m not a fan of lettuce and a few other things I took off the list. If you’re looking for more examples I recommend checking the book<u> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/What-Expect-When-Youre-Expecting/dp/0761148574">“<u>What to Expect When You’re Expecting”</u></a></u><u>.</u> They had great examples. </em></li></ul></ul> <p>I think a lot of these foods look quite familiar, WW good health guidelines anyone?!?! So instead of totaling my “points” each day I’m going to calculate my daily nutritionally servings. Now, yes I know there are a lot, but I’m going to try to keep it somewhat simple. For example, use this as a guide when I make my grocery list.</p> <p align="center"><em>This is Christmas day, I was 15 weeks.</em><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZ6qQU1yBvcpgZ5UaBE6xEt-h8G71EBRddCqyrwBxHcoSZOxtsKe-0GV5KPnGE5RG-VGixDATZB7TbpGSCd9wkhlkPo4X8LL-iLgirUR-096RU6JTMc26FEBOUWdoJkJA_jhZobJnSaLE/s1600-h/15%20weeks%20-%2012.25.10%5B4%5D.jpg"><em><img alt="15 weeks - 12.25.10" border="0" height="593" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCE4uCusD60-l5ILn7V2skWTB2pibTvs8pD7sOClcn5iLDDlsjzog3oPs7tLOwTw6Vczr_RTWPvRceq8391hdnKSdd5UrEKK1VCIQhn3k1FqVH2l6OsWNlWSq9M9iu-kS4GhPUOmCB0AK/?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="15 weeks - 12.25.10" width="282"></em></a></p>Hope you’re on board to follow me while I strive to have a healthy pregnancy, ending with a healthy baby!

Pregnancy Eats Plan

The reason I started this blog over 2 years ago was to become a healthier me. I haven’t really touched on that subject since my “ announceme...

Read more »

January 2, 2011 - 181 pounds

<div style="text-align: center;">Pictures from the ice park at North Pole, Alaska.</div><div style="text-align: center;">December 31, 2010<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2WnqpbQak5XdPslNjPjSwPSTEkk0RA8nDog0J1AjMVyFA-qbq_jNVDkyZzI-QZCzz10PF9LaxNaR9uVq1hKEB4YhepEsab3z2xj2MQhdRXlYnLMDXZ-zviosg7Bu5rnDbxTwNqDj5S2GM/s1600/DSCF0078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2WnqpbQak5XdPslNjPjSwPSTEkk0RA8nDog0J1AjMVyFA-qbq_jNVDkyZzI-QZCzz10PF9LaxNaR9uVq1hKEB4YhepEsab3z2xj2MQhdRXlYnLMDXZ-zviosg7Bu5rnDbxTwNqDj5S2GM/s400/DSCF0078.JPG" width="300" /></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/AVvXsEgRcJkPlJdD8nVOFTtsemrGh8aS_saqmWpbkkyUIdTWhLcYXxq5jOUEgE7mHnvslAgl5RKcU2PXX9ZK4UspS8BRUwAZoxrkWdLokYdmNvsfZ8bgjSLAsHneruFHIfcUjrx9FBbIamQFAECa/s1600/DSCF0111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRcJkPlJdD8nVOFTtsemrGh8aS_saqmWpbkkyUIdTWhLcYXxq5jOUEgE7mHnvslAgl5RKcU2PXX9ZK4UspS8BRUwAZoxrkWdLokYdmNvsfZ8bgjSLAsHneruFHIfcUjrx9FBbIamQFAECa/s400/DSCF0111.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIKRCdNvXuGWMNlgbUcfMtQxP8z9NMfOq7ObcB5hZbgJX3t-b3U3R5JbJR1TaDu6Gu5Orts1t-tBEbI_EC5d4q1wNBdDgi6WyKDHiyLhh8x7zbHseETDixunsOnamiBT6XuojKw9H6YwDJ/s1600/DSCF0092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIKRCdNvXuGWMNlgbUcfMtQxP8z9NMfOq7ObcB5hZbgJX3t-b3U3R5JbJR1TaDu6Gu5Orts1t-tBEbI_EC5d4q1wNBdDgi6WyKDHiyLhh8x7zbHseETDixunsOnamiBT6XuojKw9H6YwDJ/s400/DSCF0092.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><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/AVvXsEiXVEVQ4w1tPA5l40bkUWAg9CfIXUJ_2DhEaGp39xOhgDTohd1b-r1vgYJnHZfMnDCVSZhDKUn7lj7HLTPK6uWfcjWkfbyBSJhcspXUn4dK-eOn9nJ55X1uG_Cp-W5STnvbCeuwpfDi1rlS/s1600/DSCF0076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXVEVQ4w1tPA5l40bkUWAg9CfIXUJ_2DhEaGp39xOhgDTohd1b-r1vgYJnHZfMnDCVSZhDKUn7lj7HLTPK6uWfcjWkfbyBSJhcspXUn4dK-eOn9nJ55X1uG_Cp-W5STnvbCeuwpfDi1rlS/s400/DSCF0076.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcpU89Dvv2K-2EJqkFxrLBoVRX-7Szc9y6Tw6q0sR7CZ6UtbUmXzNDBH9ougTb0-MEib9MVkgm6C2XGO58NixfFaH8Ocoa80TyQLiNHmCsCgTp6NaOsHIN2_VcORZ9JS6N7m3vFtu74pjs/s1600/DSCF0103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcpU89Dvv2K-2EJqkFxrLBoVRX-7Szc9y6Tw6q0sR7CZ6UtbUmXzNDBH9ougTb0-MEib9MVkgm6C2XGO58NixfFaH8Ocoa80TyQLiNHmCsCgTp6NaOsHIN2_VcORZ9JS6N7m3vFtu74pjs/s400/DSCF0103.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vXEp3jyMzgumemTNiHqKlBBE76frwvrW7cazsYWQx2Y4Jwu-2iWcYXCcBWsrCygI0hELlBxUiuqqFuYNIyPVU9EuaoPM-gW0zpyMmfIlkaDUuVQUUg9HdF1zCHnbZTUIwkYpqutHFtQP/s1600/DSCF0108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vXEp3jyMzgumemTNiHqKlBBE76frwvrW7cazsYWQx2Y4Jwu-2iWcYXCcBWsrCygI0hELlBxUiuqqFuYNIyPVU9EuaoPM-gW0zpyMmfIlkaDUuVQUUg9HdF1zCHnbZTUIwkYpqutHFtQP/s400/DSCF0108.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;"><br /></div><strong>The vacation</strong><br />I'm back from Fairbanks where I had a wonderful week with  my family. I'm blessed to have a really great family. We have a little dysfunctional stuff going on, just like any family, but we have a lot of fun together. I was actually crying on the plane after leaving them yesterday. I miss them already.<br /><br />You can see from my title I didn't do so well with the weight loss this last week. I actually gained four pounds in the week I was in Fairbanks. Even though my sister normally eats really healthy, her children (my nieces and their families), well, not so much. <br /><br />My nieces, sister and myself started off the week going to the gym Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. My 72-year old skinny (and beautiful) sister usually goes five days a week. On Thursday and Friday we just wanted to stay home, relax and visit, so that's exactly what we did.<br /><br />For New Year's Day everyone decided on Papa Murphy's pizza (with extra cheese). I looked it up before I ate it, 28 Points for 1/8 of  a pizza (combination). I had two pieces. Then there was the coconut cream pie for dessert (which I didn't even bother to look up the Points) Seriously, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. I haven't eaten food like this in oh, I don't know, three years! I wish I could say it made me sick and I felt awful afterwards. I didn't. I felt fine, with just a twinge of regret knowing I was going home the next day and facing the scale.<br /><br />It wasn't just the one day of overindulgence. My sister makes the world's best homemade bread. It's whole wheat and healthy, but it's bread, and I'm sure it's high in Points. I can't resist it. <br /><br />We also ate out a lot and even though I tried to order healthy food, eating out is not conducive to weight loss unless you really watch it. I didn't. <br /><br />Check out this salad I had at Chili's that I looked up AFTER I ate it. I could have looked it up before since I had my phone and internet connection, but I made a conscious decision to look it up later, knowing it wouldn't be good.<br /><br />Quesadilla Explosion Salad <br />Calories 1400 <br />Fat grams 88<br />Sat. Fat 26 <br />Carbs 88<br />Protein 65<br />Fiber 10<br />Sodium 2320<br /><br />Can you believe those numbers? It should be illegal to serve something this high in fat and calories, not to mention the sodium. <br /><br />On the plane ride home I felt miserable because my clothes were too tight. My bra was cutting into my back (back fat), my jeans were too snug around my waist (gut fat) and I was wearing my big size 12's. I was so thankful I got a First Class seat  (remember, I'm an airline employee...not rich). I can't imagine three hours squeezed into a middle seat in coach. I think I would have died. At least I was in a nice wide seat for my nice wide butt. <br /><br />I'm a little disappointed in myself, but I had a great time last week. It really wasn't about the food, it was about spending time with the people I love. The food just happened to be there. I could have said no, and a few times I did eat healthy. Obviously though, I didn't make good choices most of the time.<br /><br />I will give myself a little credit though. When I got home last night about 8pm, I stopped at the grocery store on my way home. My husband is in Denver visiting his family so it was just going to be me at home. I have issues with eating when I'm alone. It's when I do my worst eating, when no one is watching. I'm a closet eater of junk food. When I'm alone is the most dangerous time for me.<br /><br />As I was walking through the store last night I had coconut cream pie on my mind. I kept telling myself no. I bought my staples, organic non-fat milk, organic eggs, my favorite whole-grain bread, chicken breasts, non-fat yogurt, lots of fresh fruit and fresh vegetables, and a lot of other things that I eat on a regular basis. All very healthy and on plan.<br /><br />I kept thinking about the bakery and walked past it a few times, but I never actually looked at any of the baked goods. They have a large cooler full of pies. I knew there would be a coconut cream pie in the cooler. I knew I could buy one, take it home and eat the whole thing. I knew no one would ever know. Somehow I managed to get out of the store with only my healthy food. I consider this a major accomplishment. <br /><br /><strong>Now what?</strong><br />Now it's time to get down to business. I don't have the I'm-on-vacation excuse. I have great hopes that I can get this thing under control. Today the gym is on my schedule, along with tracking my food and drinking tons of water. Tomorrow it's Weight Watchers and an official weigh in.<br /><br />I go back to work on Tuesday, and back to my regular routine. For some unexplicable reason, I'm feeling positive and hopeful. I know I can and will do this (again).

January 2, 2011 - 181 pounds

Pictures from the ice park at North Pole, Alaska. December 31, 2010 The vacation I'm back from Fairbanks where I had a wonderful week wi...

Read more »