Sunday, January 31, 2010

Progress and No Progress

I am using this space this year mainly as an area to update my work on New Year's Resolutions. Read them if you want to, or ignore them. I find I keep things in mind better if I keep track of them, keep myself honest, as it were. So, here is how I've done.

I think I've made the most progress with having my picture taken. I took the kids and their friends bowling on MLK Day and took the camera along. I took several shots of them, and turned the camera over to them to take some of me. I even posted those on FB! That wasn't part of the original resolution, but I have very few pics of myself on there. As the year progresses, I hope to fix that. Anyway, one of the pics is my new profile shot. I have gotten so many compliments on that picture! Of course, all I see when I look at it is my double chin. So thank you for pointing out my smile, rosy cheeks, and just how genuinely happy I looked. It was a fun day and I'm glad I have the pictures (including those of me) to remember it by.

The year of watching Mel Brooks' movies continues. I did skip "The Twelve Chairs" because the library doesn't own it. Still haven't decided if I want to spend moolah on this quest or not. Maybe. Anyway, I moved on to one of my personal favorites, "Blazing Saddles." So many quotable lines in that movie! Here are just a few that my hubby and I say on a routine basis:

"Excuse me while I whip this out..."
"Why do I always get a warped one?"
"It's twue! It's twue!"

Wow. None of those really make sense out of context. You'll just have to watch the movie yourself. Most of the other lines are not, well, politically correct. I'm not entirely sure this movie would be made today. The script would never make it past the censors and the Politically Correct Police. I was also struck by the talent of Harvey Korman. How under-rated was he as a comedic actor? I remember watching him on "The Carol Burnett Show" growing up. I loved it when he would giggle through the scene he was in. I just knew he was having as much fun doing the show as I was watching it. And I cannot let my comment go by without noting the brilliance of Madeline Kahn. Fearless and fabulous. The DVD box said "Blazing Saddles" was voted the 6th funniest movie of all time by The American Film Institute. Of course, I had to go look that up, and here is the proof. That's a lot of laughter. Next on the list is my all time favorite, "Young Frankenstein." Can't wait!

Moving on the No Progress portion of my entry. Exercise. Damn exercise. No exercise this week, and I didn't really even think about it. And now I'm sick, so that gives me the perfect excuse to not do any this week, either. I did, however, have a "Come to Jesus" moment this week. I was sitting pretzel sytle (Indian Style, for those of you who grew up before it became politically incorrect to call it that...) in a public area of the library. A customer saw me sitting that way and asked me how I did it. I don't know HOW; I just bend my legs and they move that way. Who cares? Then she adds, "You aren't skinny; how are you so flexible?" Well. Thank you very much, bitch. Up yours, and I hope you have a crappy day. Now, I will admit: I am not skinny. She spoke the truth. And, actually, she paid me a compliment. Not many adults my age can still sit this way and get up afterwards. But still. You don't tell someone "You aren't skinny." That's rude! And to my ears "you aren't skinny" equals "YOU ARE FAT." So, maybe she helped motivate me. Because that comment is going to stick with me awhile. Maybe next report I can include that I at least did 1 sit up.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Resolutions

Was it really May when I last updated this blog? Wow. That is truly lame. Well, what's changed since May? Not a whole helleva lot! Still broke (actually broker.) Still no job prospects for Rob. Still worry about being broke constantly. I'm surprised I don't have an ulcer. Hey, something new to worry about! Yippee.

Okay, on to the topic of this post: I made some Resolutions for 2010. I resolved to exercise at least 3 times a week. So far, I have thought about exercising every day but not actually done it. I did join an online website to help me keep track of exercise points. I lost almost 20 pounds 2 years ago with a similar approach, so maybe it will work again. I just have to do it. And, yes, I have to re-lose those 20 pounds all over again. See what happens when you stop exercising?

What's really odd is my main motivation for losing weight was getting my heart in better shape. At the time I lost the weight, my dad was in the final stages of heart disease. Watching him die was no picnic, and I really don't want to put my kids through what I went through. But then he died. And that motivation died, too. I'm sure part of that was grief. I pretty much did nothing for months. But it's been almost 2 years, and I have not had any luck getting the motivation back. I still have the lousy genetics that make me prone to heart disease. I still don't eat a heart-healthy diet. Lack of exercise is not helping me any. I know how buy-in works: I know the price of not exercising and the value of doing it, too. So why doesn't that make me want to do it?

Moving on to less depressing resolutions: I also resolved to watch (or re-watch) all of Mel Brooks' movies. I decided to watch them in the order he directed them. Why, yes, I am a librarian who likes things in order! How did you guess that? I was inspired to do this after watching part of the Kennedy Center Honors in which he was an honoree. I've always liked his humor, so I hope this will be a fun resolution to keep. First up is the original Producers. This is one of his movies I haven't seen yet. I have always liked Gene Wilder, so I assume I will enjoy it. I will try post my comments here or on FB.

Hmmm...I think I made one more, but I can't remember what it was. That's a bad sign, isn't it? If I can't remember what it was, then I certainly haven't made any progress toward it. I should have written them down. Wait--I think I posted them on Facebook. I'll have to look at my old postings and see what I said. Wait here while I go look..talk amongst yourselves.

Ah, yes!! Have more pictures taken of myself. I have not had any pictures taken. I posted on FB a couple of days ago that I was having a good hair day. Then someone asked me why I didn't take a picture of it. D'OH!! Didn't even think of it. Okay--sometime this week I will have at least 1 picture taken of myself and post it. Even if I'm not having a good hair day.