May 6, 2014 Turn the page….

What a week it has been….I saw the Indigo Girls with The Columbus Philharmonic…from the 3rd row.

They were amazing! Then there was one of my favorite Christmas presents…Tickets to see CHER! Not third row but still good seats. Not bad for a cell phone shot I think….

Then I saw a group called Black Violin. If you haven’t heard them google them or check out youtube. they have Facebook, twitter and Instagram. They were amazing.

Better then I could have hoped.

Busy busy…..

Then there was graduation….what a busy day that was.

However it was worth it.

Another dream fulfilled. I am truly blessed. I’m the one with the thumbs up :0)

As I sat with my classmates and I looked around I wondered if everyone was thinking the something. Now what? I know I am looking forward to reading a book that does not include a quiz the next day or a comprehensive exam attached to it at the end 🙂 I am looking forward to a little R&R before I have to figure anything out. I hope to work on my photography this summer and to get my house in order. I have neglected it just a little bit. I want to work on me. To be the me that I am intended to be. Who Am I here is a poem that has helped me out a lot along my journey…..

I AM ME – POEM by VIRGINIA SATIR

In all the world, there is no one else exactly like me.
Everything that comes out of me is authentically mine,
because I alone chose it
– I own everything about me:
my body,
my feelings,
my mouth,
my voice,
all my actions,
whether they be to others or myself.
I own my fantasies,
my dreams,
my hopes,
my fears.
I own my triumphs and successes,
all my failures and mistakes.
Because I own all of me,
I can become intimately acquainted with me.
By so doing,
I can love me and be friendly with all my parts.
I know there are aspects about myself that puzzle me,
and other aspects that I do not know–
but as long as I am friendly and loving to myself,
I can courageously and hopefully look for solutions to the puzzles and ways to find out more about me.
However I look and sound,
whatever I say and do,
and whatever I think and feel at a given moment in time
is authentically me.
If later some parts of how I looked, sounded, thought, and felt turn out to be unfitting,
I can discard that which is unfitting,
keep the rest,
and invent something new for that which I discarded.
I can see, hear, feel, think, say, and do.
I have the tools to survive,
to be close to others,
to be productive,
and to make sense and order out of the world of people and things outside of me.
I own me,
and therefore,
I can engineer me.
I am me,
and I am Okay.

Here is to the next chapter of my life and to being me. If you dream it you can be it!

Hugs,

Ohiophotogrl

Apr 14

Spring is here April 13,2014

An update is in order.
Still no weight loss…talked to the doctor about it this week and she says as long as inches are coming off don’t worry about the scale…so I’m trying to remember that and not worry about that.
That being said…I lost 2 more inches off my body since the last blog.
1 inch off my abs!
1 inch off my hips
1/2 inch off my waist
We are so calling that a win!
Got my 10,000 steps in most every day!
Been working in the garden and can’t wait for some fresh veggies!
I did manage to get off half of my BP meds we are going to call that a win as well.
So all in all it’s been a good few weeks!
Graduation is right around the corner and I am so ready for the next stage of my life to begin!
Gotta get the bike tires pumped up and we can add that to some cardio!gonna be a busy couple of weeks but I am ready to head into things head on!
This is our year….let’s keep on keeping on!

Apr 1

April 1,2014 changes

As I sit here in the cafe at school I am reminded of all the time spent here trying to figure out geology, psychology, different communication classes. I look at the faces around me and I see future teachers, nurses, business owners and many more opportunities for these bright minds. The best part is that the people here are working on there dreams. Just like me. In 5 short weeks I will hear my name called as I walk across the stage to receive my diploma. Yes it may have taken me longer then the kid in front of me but that’s ok. I did this for me. What am I going to be when I grow up? Who knows….but I have more tools now to work with and my possibilities are endless.
With that said….still only a few sips of pop in the last 4 wks and I’ve started walking a few times a day to get my step count up. So I am doing am over all change. Change your mind change your body. Again doing this all for me!
Last week I dropped 1.75 inches off my body. Haven’t weighed myself yet but the clothes are getting much looser :0) stayed under calorie counts almost all the time :0) go me!
To all of you thinking your too old to change or you can’t do something….stop it because you can.
Have a great day!

Mar 10

Where has the year gone already.

As I sit at the computer taking a small break from studying I am reminded that in just 2 short months I will be a college graduate. Wow this is like a dream. It seems like yesterday that I was walking into Sinclair Community College and talking to them about what my next step in life was going to be. I am 5 pages away from having my Capstone finished for my degree and 6 tests away from being done with my associates degree. That may not sound like a lot but to this “GIRL,” it means everything.

I am firm believer that if you think you can do it then you can. Will you catch on right away? Maybe, but most likely not. I have had to learn to be a better me and for that I am changed for the better for sure.

I am eating better and seeing the inches starting to come back off. Keeping a food journal has been helping for sure. Trying to stay under 1500 calories is getting easier now that I have my snacks all made out for the week :0) I am down to my original measurements so I am good with that. Now to get a scale that works correctly :0)

Spring has finally stepped in and giving us a bit of sunshine and I am thankful for that. For a lot of reasons. One I can get out on the bike path again and I can start walking the dogs in the mornings again.

One day at a time. That’s all we can do…Really one breath and one heart beat. With that have a great day!

Nov 7

BIRTHDAY MONTH

As the stars would have it November is birthday month for me. So far it has been a good month. I have got to celebrate a friends bday with Waffle House, I have gotten to finish up some loose ends and school is going well.
I got published in the school newspaper. That was a great way to start bday month. I met with an academic advisor to find out that I can graduate this spring! OMG I will finally have a college degree! 2 classes and a capstone to go!
We are finally settling into the new place. No stairs! Life is good.
The life change is still working. the scale has shown no change but the inches are falling off. I have lost 7.75 inches off my body so I am calling that a big win! Love my Fitbit. not walking as much s I use to but still the data I get rocks!
I feel like life is falling into place. Its good and scary all at the same time. So I will remember to breath and be thankful for all that I have. Not just now but everyday.
another chapter in my life is coming to a close but I am looking forward to turning that page to see what will happen next.

Jan 24

Jan 24 what I know

Today I know that plankton are the bottom feeders of the world. As I was reading my geology I got to thinking about how a lot of times I feel like I the bottom of the food chain much like the plankton all though I have more them one cell lol.
I have been surrounding myself with people that help remind me that I matter. That I alone choice how to react to things. How its ok to let people get closer to me. Not everyone wants something really.
I am reminded daily that it is me that takes what you say and turns it into what ever it is I think you said even I that isn’t what you said at all. I need to let this go and listen with my ears and not my heart.
I am me and I ok. I am who no ands ifs or butts about it. Letting go of my past although to most isn’t so bad is very hard for me. These walls I built are slowly coming down due to believing in myself more and more everyday.
I will leave you with this

Jan 18

Jan 18 the Grocery Store

Ok so they put the health fruit and veggies in the front of the store that is great…..Works well for me however You look in their ad and there is junk food in it. You round the corner and instead of healthy choses you find sugar and carbohydrates that you don’t need to put in your pie hole. The schools have takin the cookie away from the kids and the soda pop. That is a good thing but…..To buy juice for the child to drink costs twice as much. WTH? Eat more fresh veggies and leaner cuts of meat….Ok then lean some of the money off of these products. Send out coupons that will encourage people to eat better instead of buy 2 for a better deal. Why would the avg 2 person household need to buy two of anything really. Stock up for a rainy day I suppose but why. We never know what we are going too eat till its dinner time on most nights.

The good news is I only spent 137 dollars at the grocery and I did by fresh veggies and I did get some vegetarian dishes for my partner in crime but in the grand scheme of things I spent too much and I dint buy really any junk food. A bag of veggie chips is the worse thing I can remember buying and she may or may not eat those I can’t remember.

I did learn that taking a list helps cut down the crap I use to buy. Also reminds me to use my coupons!!!!!

I guess what I am trying to say is….Eating healthy should not cost more. Mrs Obama where are you helping the avg person get healthy. Its cheaper to buy fattening foods. At least in the spring and summer I can grow my own veggies…..Thank god!

Have a great day everyone!

Tomorrow I think I am going to try Yoga!

Jan 17

Jan 17 Life

As I sit here listening to the people around me I am listening differently. With this Comm Theory class that I am taking it is asking me to look at things thru other peoples eyes. There are some older gentle man sitting at the table next to me and they are talking about the doping charges for that bike guy (I know its Lance Armstrong) talking about how these bike guys are ruining the sport. You know they all take drugs….blah, blah, blah. Amazing to me how people only see the bad parts of a person. they never mentioned the foundation he has done so well raising money for. They didnt talk about the other sports that we all know that drugs are running through. Just amazing to me. Shouldn’t be but it is.
Enough of that :0)
I went to the gym yesterday. I have dropped another 4.5 pounds so for the year I have dropped 9.5 pounds. I am excited about that! I have 30.5 to go for my first major goal. That will be a go buy a new outfit goal :0)
I walked for 30 minutes and used all the work out machines except one. I started situps yesterday as well. I did 25 straight. That is good for me. Gonna get my ball out and try and increase by 5 or more everyday then add side bends. I worked my arms really well too. gotta get rid of the flab so when I wear my wife beater I am not flapping in the wind lol.
Food is getting better. Need to eat more times a day. Drink more water.
I got a massage yesterday as well. Felt good after my work out. Going to keep this up felt good.
Off to class I go!

Jan 10

Jan 10 What I Think

I have lived in Ohio my whole life. I have traveled to many beautiful places and seen a lot of things. What I can not understand is that here in Ohio the weather its self can change in a matter of days or even in minutes. Last week we had snow and tomorrow it is going to be 63 degrees they say. If that’s
not global warming I don’t know what it is.

I got to school this morning a bit earlier then expected so I got a better parking spot. Well I think it is. We will see when I go to leave later. Thursday is my long day but not as long as last semester. I have my geology lab today. These always help to explain the foreign language that the class seems to be speaking. It is interesting to me to see how one minute I really don’t get it and the next a light bulb goes off and just like the big bang…..BAM! We can only hope the Bam comes quick.

At home there are usually 2 dogs, Maggie and Luna. They are visiting their other mother this week and it has been really quiet in the house. Kinda creepy really. I look forward to their return tomorrow. They seem to keep things calm at the house.

I received a new potato head yesterday. Kim and the kids got him for me. He is a little tater. Not sure what to name him yet but he is dressed like Elvis :0) Of course they had bengal ones on sale at Kroger so I got one of those while I was there. Maybe I need an intervention. Na he makes for a great blog. If you havent checked it out you really should: www.mrpsadventures.wordpress.com

Guess I should find some breakfast before I get this party started …….LOL

Have a great day!

Jan 9

Jan 9 Homework and life

New Semester New Work :0(

It’s really not that bad yet but it has potential to be. Just gotta stay on my game, I can do this right? Right!

Last month I went to the eye doctor and found out I need bifocals. Sign of getting old. Or as I like to say staring at the computer way too much…lol I picked them up today and I really can’t believe what a difference that they are making. I can see the computer now up close instead of having to lean back…who knew.

Still not doing what I want with the water which is my own fault. Just need to do it. I will get better and I will be stronger for me. On the 21st I have a Doc appointment to get meds refilled so I went and had my blood drawn for a full panel of things. I will have those results the first of next week. Will be interesting to see where all my levels are.

Well Back to the homework I go!

Till next time….