Welcome to Spring ... now I need a summer vacation!

I have been planning my summer vacation, now that my trip over the 4th of July has gotten messed up by a team meeting in Salt Lake City (though the miles will be nice), and the change of my class reunion back two weekends.  So, I canceled my trip to Wisconsin over the Fourth, and I'm looking forward to 16 days up north in August instead! 

I'm teaching a class in Chicago in mid-August, so I figured it would be a great time to drive up to Wisconsin the week before, spend the week at the lake, then head five hours back to Chicago, teach my class (which happens to be at a pet-friendly hotel too!), then drive the 12 hours back to ATL on Saturday morning.  That's two full weeks away from the office and two full weeks traveling with the pups!! 

Now, I need to start getting a hold of people and schedule some time with my friends while I'm in town!  A week at the lake by myself will be incredibly boring, so I will need to get SOMETHING in the works.  Hmmm ... gotta get the brain ticking! 

Daughtry ... ear candy

I was just recently exposed to Daughtry - since I haven't watched Idol for the last few years.  I downloaded his two albums and have been smitten - and surprised at how much his lyrics spoke to my life.  

I listened to "Over You" on my way home from the gym tonight and it cut straight to the bone, and I'm glad that when I saw him for the first time in three years a few weeks ago - that I am over him.

Now that it’s all said and done
I can’t believe you were the one
To build me up and tear me down
Like an old abandoned house
What you said when you left
Just left me cold and out of breath
I felt as if I was in way to deep
Guess I let you get the best of meeee

(Chorus)
Well I never saw it coming
I should have started running
A long, long time agooo!
And I never thought I’d doubt you
I’m better off without you
More than you, more than you know
I’m slowly getting closure
I guess it’s really over
I’m finally gettin’ better
Now I’m picking up the pieces
From spending all of these years
Putting my heart back together
‘Cause the day I thought I’d never get through
I got over you!!!
(End Chorus)

You took a hammer to these walls
Dragged the memories down the hall
Packed your bags and walked away
There was nothing I could say,
And when you slammed the front door shut
A lot of other’s opened up
So did my eyes so I could see
That you never were the best for meee

(Chorus)
Well I never saw it coming
I should have started running
A long, long time agooo!
And I never thought I’d doubt you
I’m better off without you
More than you, more than you know
I’m slowly getting closure
I guess it’s really over
I’m finally getting’ better
Now I’m picking up the pieces
From spending all of these years
Putting my heart back together
‘Cause the day I thought I’d never get through
I got over you!!!
(End Chorus)

I never saw it coming
I should have started running
A long, long time agooo
And I never thought I’d doubt you
I’m better off without you

And I never saw it coming
I should have started running
I’m finally getting better
Now I’m picking up the pieces
From spending all of these years
Putting my heart back together
And I got over you!!!
And I got over you!!!
And I got over you!!!

The day I thought I’d never get through
I got over you… 

(C)Daughtry, 2007 

Real Sun, Fake Sun and some Endorphins for Good Measure

It's amazing what a little sun will do for a person.  We have finally had some warm weather this weekend (62 today, and forecasted to be in the mid-upper 60's tomorrow too!  

It's been about 7 months since I've been tanning, so I went back to Planet Beach yesterday.  I got home from work and had every intention of going to the gym, but I was exhausted from getting up at 5:30am every day this week, so I took a quick cat nap on the sofa (you know ... cats sleep all day, so don't be surprised when my nap was 2.5 hours long!)  It made a HUGE difference in how I felt last night.  I was meeting the neighbors to go through some documents for the HOA, we were also going to celebrate a "win" against one of our residents that has a court judgment against her for $17,000 -- of which she has not paid a penny.  The water was shut off yesterday morning ... then promptly turned back on.  Grrrrrr ......

Since we were to meet over at AS's for the non-existent celebration at 7:30, I ran down to go tanning about 6:30 -- ahhhhh, it felt SO good to get back in the tanning bed!!!  I talked to Kelly for a while and caught up with her, she's so sweet.  She's letting me put some business cards there and see if I get any orders out of it!  She said she was going to order some for her mom in Michigan.  I got over to AS's about 7:30 and had a couple of bottles of wine, some appetizers and pizza.  I haven't eaten pizza in ages.  Good times with good girlfriends!  Really looking to margaritas on the patio at Uncle Julios tomorrow afternoon!  

Today I did 30 minutes on the step mill and lifted weights for about 45 minutes at the gym -- it felt great to get there and have a great workout!  I went tanning again this afternoon and headed to Whole Foods to pick up some peanut butter so I could make some dog cookies.  

I'm donating 300 bags of dog cookies to the American Cancer Society for their Bark for Life fundraising event next weekend.  I told Kenly I'd get them to her on Tuesday ... so this weekend was made for baking!  I have 5 batches done today, and 5 more to go tomorrow.  Then packaging everything up on Monday night after I print more bag labels on Monday.  I bet I will need to order more labels -- I should do a quick inventory tomorrow while I am finishing laundry too.

Overall, finally a warm weekend, plenty of sun, a couple of days at the gym, and some good sleep. Today is a good day.  Finally.  

In Search Of .... Motivation

The last few months have been tough to find the motivation I need in ..... life, in general.  It's been a tough couple of months.  I try to keep a smile on my face and be the good team player, but I've been struggling to be engaged in life. 


Things that have brought me pleasure in the past seem dull, boring, uninteresting. 
Things I have obsessed about in the past haven't even crossed my mind.

My passions in the past have been going to the gym 5+ days a week.  I'm lucky if I've gone five times in the last month.  I've gained weight, my clothes don't fit, I feel ugly ... and sadly I don't care.  Every day I know I need to go to the gym.  I need to go for a run.  I need to lift weights.  I need to go spinning.  I know it will make me feel better.  The endorphins are like a welcome, addictive drug ... but yet I'm not inspired. 

Hanging out with my friends has become a thing of the past.  I get home from work at night and I'm cold.  I get under the blanket on the sofa and I fall asleep.  I get home and I have no desire to even leave the house again.  I don't even want to take the dogs for a walk because it's too cold out.  This winter has been dreadful.  Days, upon weeks, upon nearly 3 months of COLD weather.  Barely a day over 40 ... nights in the low 20's.  I got the hell out of Wisconsin to get out of that weather, and the seasonal depression.  It NEEDS to get warm soon.  Saturday is finally forecasted for 60 degrees.  I hope that will take me out of my funk.  It's been TOO long since I have even remotely lived my life.  I have been miserable ... the warm weather needs to snap me out of it.

I talked to David tonight and told him I needed some motivation.  He gave me a great idea.  Get home from work, leave the car running ... take out the dogs, give 'em dinner, change clothes ... since the car is still running, I have to leave the house again ... why not just get into the nice warm car and go to the gym.  Brilliant David.  I will try that next week!  Thank you!! 

I think I also need to get back to the tanning bed.  Maybe a little vitamin d will do an ego good.  Maybe a week without a class, getting a little extra sleep and a better workout schedule and some sun will be good for me next week.