Whoops-the fur edition

The other day I took out the rubber kitty brush/massager and gave Shelby a good treatment. She loved it. After awhile, there was a huge pile of fur collected, enough to maybe knit a sweater. Her fur was so soft afterwards. The next morning, as Shelby was eating her breakfast, I noticed a bald spot on her back. Oops. Guess I got a little too into it. Sorry, Shelby, hope it grows back soon!

Post #600!

I found this photo while looking through my photo library, and I don't think I had posted it. My friend Courtney and I like leopard print. A lot.

In Sync on iPods

Today a guy on a bike passed me as I was crossing the street, and I realized we were both listening to George Michael on our iPods at the same time. I was listening to a ballad, "John and Elvis are Dead", and he was listening to "Flawless". I knew, because he was singing, "You've got to go to the city..." I thought that was pretty cool. And random. We love you, George!

It's Fall

Important Call

Today I heard an interesting ring tone. It sounded almost like an ambulance siren; it was called "Alarm". I commented on it to the man whose phone it was, and he said that was the special ring tone assigned to his wife. I had to keep my laughter to myself as he answered the phone. I almost had to go into the next room.

Shelby's Sleeping Safety Spots

Shelby often likes to sleep with at least two body parts touching an object. Here are some examples:

From the top: This is her special corner. I had put the fan there after I took it out of the window, and she immediately used it as a napping leaning place. Back touching the fan, feet on the books and table leg.

Next: close up of feet touching books and table leg. They must touch.

Next: Face mushed into green chair.

Next: Paw touching corner of loft.

Next: Face mushed into loveseat.

South Beach Diet in Pics

Big ass salad (and yes, I like to eat my salad with chopsticks), oatmeal with blueberries, walnuts, and cinnamon, NO sugar, sirloin burger w/grape tomatoes & onions instead of ketchup (and yes, I like my burgers well done), grape tomatoes w/mozzarella & balsamic vinegar, and my first shopping cart full of SBD food. It's expensive, and time consuming, but it's made me a better cook, and I take time to prepare food instead of whipping something up in a microwave or going out. AND I've even learned to like V-8 juice. A lot!

South Beach Diet--Wanna Try It?

I haven't even talked about being on the South Beach Diet. I started it on June 29th, when I weighed an average of 115 pounds. I've weighed myself every day for the past 2 years or so. Back in...hold on, let me get my calendar. Back in January of 2007, I weighed an average of 107.5 lbs. December 2007? 112. June 2009? 115. You see where I'm going with this. I know, at 41, that I can't eat whatever I want anymore. Metabolism has slowed. Took me about 3 years to accept that. When I saw 117 on my scale one day, I decided that enough was enough, it was time to get drastic. Plus I had just gotten a back tat, and back tat + back fat = ick. And muffin tops should stay on baked goods.

Now listen, I know this is all relative. I know most people would kill to be 117 lbs. But I'm 5'1", I'm very small. Curvy, but small. I didn't feel good at 117. Or 115. I wanted to lose 10 lbs. and be 105, which is not unheard of for a woman of 5'1". I went through my 20's at an even 100 lbs., and I thought that was my adult weight. HA!

A friend of mine told me she lost 25 lbs. on the SBD. I was inspired by her tale, and got the book. I was mentally prepared, and I did it.  I've been 108 for about a month, and only have 3 more lbs. to go. If you're intrigued, buy the book. I just wanted to say a few things about what I've learned.

*Phase 1 is very very important. It helped me to kick (actually, greatly reduce) my muffin/cake/cookie habit.
*In order to keep weight off, I believe you must eat at least one big salad every day; it helps to have a small salad with dinner, too.
*Another tip to keeping weight off--eat sweets once a week. See how nicely that flows off the tongue? Any more, and you'll gain. I know how to gain and lose half a pound like a pro. And when you eat a sweet, make it only a little bit. Like half a muffin. Or a few bites of whatever.
*Nuts, lowfat cheese, and Fage yogurt with fresh fruit you add to it are great snacks for mid-morning and mid-afternoon (note, one of those, not all three).

I also workout with a personal trainer semi-regularly, and I walk everywhere. I don't drive. Good luck to you, if you want to do this, and thanks for reading. Leave a comment if you need support/tips.

(to my special friend who almost passed out in the mall after being on SBD, I wish I had been there for you)

Even a Three Year Old Can Do It!

I played charades with a 3 year old. His mom said, "We went to New York City and saw...", and Rowan made one movement with his hands, pushing them down forcefully. I guessed, "Stomp!" I was right. I'll remember to bring Rowan as my partner if I'm ever on a game show.

Flight of the Conchords: Cello Tape

Here's that song about how love is like tape, by Flight of the Conchords.

Tell Me, Teller

At my bank, the tellers wear name tags with personalized messages on them. They're conversation starters; "I love football!" "I have a cat", etc. Today, my teller's name tag said, "I collect clowns!" I asked her, "How many people tell you that they're afraid of clowns?" She said that all of them did. Poor woman. She asked me if I was afraid of clowns, I told her that of course I was. She asked me why, and I said, "Simple. Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus. Childhood." and I made a creepy clown movement with my hands. I said it was the makeup. She understood. I didn't even go into harlequins, eww.

I told her that the clowns at the Big Apple Circus were actually very funny. Grandma the Clown? Outstanding. She said her kids were grown, but she could take her grandchild. The line behind me was growing, so I had to finish my transaction, but it was a nice conversation. Good idea on those tags.

The funniest tag I ever saw at the bank was a guy who had "Pog ma thon" on his tag, which means "Kiss my ass" in Gaelic. I only knew this because I had dated an Irish guy. I laughed at the tag, and asked the teller what he told people it meant. He said he told them it meant, "Have a nice day". LOL! Unfortunately, I guess some higher ups knew what it meant, because that teller didn't last long at the bank. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted!

A Sticky Situation

Today at school I gave a spontaneous lesson on the different kinds of tape there are. When I went to get tape for something, I noticed we had four different kinds, and I thought it would be fun to talk about. Turns out, the kids were riveted, and we grownups learned a thing or two also!

I began with Scotch tape. I told the kids that it was clear tape that was best used for putting pieces of paper together. Jo, a mom, and new member of the Co-op from England, piped up that in England, Scotch tape was called cello tape. So now we say Scotch or cello tape. Of course I had to add that it's also called cello tape in New Zealand, which I learned from watching Flight of the Conchords. They have a whole song about how cello tape is like love, sticky, but it holds people together, etc. Then Jo, who is a CSI in England, said something about using cello tape to lift fingerprints with the dusting powder, etc. I said we'd talk about that later, and quickly moved on to the next roll of tape.

Which was masking tape. Same thing in England. A little stronger than Scotch tape, I like to use it when hanging the meeting chart each day to show where each grownup will be at school. I'm usually at the art table. I noted that with Scotch tape and masking tape, you can rip it by yourself.

Next, we moved onto packing tape. We had a clear roll. Well, here's where it got interesting. In England, if it's clear, it's still called cello tape. If it's packing tape in America but it's brown, it's called parcel tape in England. So, any clear tape in England is called cello tape. Brown tape for wrapping parcels is called parcel tape. Makes sense. In America, it's the type of tape, not the color, that determines it's name. Clear or brown, it's still packing tape. I told the kids you had to use scissors to cut packing tape, because it's really strong.

And then the granddaddy of them all, duct tape! Which I told everyone was duct, d-u-c-t, but lots of people thought it was "duck" tape (several adult heads nodded), and then one company capitalized on that mistake by naming their company Duck Tape, so it was very confusing. Anyway, it's duct tape in England too. I told the kids duct tape was the strongest tape we had, and it had all sorts of uses. I asked Rosie to bring me the crayon basket, and explained that years ago it was a woven basket that had gotten holes in it. Instead of throwing it away, I wrapped the whole thing in duct tape, and it's lasted for years. I pointed out that duct tape could be seen all over the Co-op, we liked it so much. Mom Trish pointed out that duct tape now comes in designer colors! Tomorrow I'll have to bring in my roll of hot pink duct tape. Which I really have.

That concluded our lesson on tape. I love spontaneous lessons. And tape.

Leaf

First fall leaf of the year.

Wood You?

I was at Walden Pond recently and came across these cards posted on a tree. "Corey and Tiffany, Best First Date Ever! 8/30/09" Awww, how sweet! I told my friends I hoped that they had been friends before their first date, because I certainly wouldn't go to the woods with a stranger on my first date. I know, I'm a romantic cynic. What can I say?

Self Portraits w/ Cat, 9/12/2009

Me and Raizo, cat of my brother and sister-in-law.

Buzz a Bush

Guess I picked the wrong time to take a shortcut.

Shelby's Big Adventure

Today at 10:10 AM some Bible thumpers came to my door. I was standing there, being polite, talking to the guy. He said something about times are hard, and people are having a hard time keeping a positive attitude. I said that I had a positive attitude, and he asked why. I said, "Because Barack Obama is President." He was surprised that I said that, and laughed. I told him that I had faith, and he said, "Do you have faith in the Bible?"

And right then, Shelby decided that she didn't have faith in the bible, but she had faith in the outdoors. She went out the door, on the porch, and down onto the lawn. She'd never gotten that far. I told the BTs that I needed to go, and they stood around for awhile. Shelby went to the right, and then disappeared. I walked around the block a couple of times, to no avail.

I called my friend and around the corner neighbor, Carin. She walked with me because I really needed the company. After awhile, I told her she could go, and I came home, posted an announcement on Facebook, and made a few signs. My computer ran out of ink, so I only got 4 made. I told a couple of people that I saw to be on the lookout, and I emailed my immediate neighbors.

Now, Shelby isn't the most adventurous of felines; I didn't think she'd be too far, but she wasn't crying when I called her. I looked behind every bush, under every car, and circled the block numerous times.

Two hours later, I went out with a small container full of dry cat food. I shook it and called her name. When I got about three yards away from the house, where a driveway is, I shook the container, called her name, and there she was. She poked her naughty little head out from under our community grill, that has a cover on it that goes all the way to the ground. I had looked under the car that was right next to it about three times.

I cooed to her, then grabbed her and brought her in the house. When we got close, she started squirming. I knew she wanted to get inside, and she would have gone that way, but I didn't want to take any chances. I grabbed her tighter, and she started wheezing. What a drama queen! I put her down in the entry way, and she started panting and breathing fast like she was gonna pass out from the adventure. Oh, please! I laid down with her and gave her a gentle talking to, and then let her in the apartment and fed her. Poor thing, of course she went right to her default mode: sleep. I think that's the last time she'll be so adventurous. And the last time I'll give any of my time to those who are holding The Good Book. I have faith in myself, my cat, Barack Obama, and my own version of God; I don't need to read a book to have faith. Listening to George Michael circa 1987, maybe.

Self-Portraits for a Year

I had this great idea. I'm going to take a self-portrait once a month for a year, and post it here, and then maybe make it into a book. Maybe I'll do that every five years or something. What's today, the 12th? I took a bunch today, but I can't post them right now because I'm not at home. Posting starts tomorrow. I think everyone should do this. Do we all look different in a year?

New York State of Mind

I'm in NYC, arrived here yesterday, on 9/11, coincidentally.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I love the people here. On the subway platform yesterday I witnessed a street musician, a black man, helping an old white lady with directions. He had been setting up for his performance; he had a mike stand, and a plastic laundry basket lined with a blanket that had seen better days. He was in the middle of setting him self up, and this older woman, well dressed, was standing at the subway map, trying to figure out where to go.

I don't know if she asked him for help or if he volunteered, but when I looked at them again, he had his hand over hers, guiding her finger along the map to show her how the subway traveled. She asked a couple of questions, he answered, and she was on her way. You just don't see that anywhere else. Races mix here,  and old, and young, and black, and white, rich and poor. It's not like that where I live now. I miss it every time I come here.

I also miss people being real. I passed another scene while walking down the street. Two people, a man and a woman, came out of a store. They had been arguing, and continued the argument outside--they didn't know each other. The woman was cursing the man out, gesturing with her hands, and the man dismissed her with a wave of his, like she was some pesky fly. People tell it like it is in NYC, and if you don't like it, too bad. I love that. I miss it. I'm really glad I grew up here.

Birds on a Wire

I love listening to birds. Here's a video I came across recently:

http://vimeo.com/6428069

LOVE it. Wish I could get it on iTunes.

And here's my own birds on a wire photo.

Blob in the Dark

This morning I woke up in the dark and saw a shape on the floor. It looked like a huge mass of something really disgusting. I thought, "Oh my god, Shelby's really done it now. She's gone and thrown up and pooped, and coughed up god knows what, and I almost stepped in it! It was the biggest blob I had ever seen. Was Shelby okay??

I carefully leaned over the mass to turn on the light, and then saw...my leopard socks. WHEW!!!! I had a good laugh, and Shelby sat there looking at me like I had lost my marbles. Once again.

Frosty Font

I love "cold" font, with snow on top.

May I Help You?

Look at this bunny. Is it even real? Those ears are reeeedonkulous!!!!

Mini Challah

The other day I went to Japonaise, a Japanese bakery. It is soooo good! I bought a mini challah loaf. It was as big as my sunglasses.