So there I am, online, catching up on a bit of gossip, when an ad to the left of the screen caught my eye. Actually, it wasn't the ad, it was the t-shirt which was pretty cool…

So I scroll up a bit to see who's pimping it and I see…

And being a dim bulb, I'm like what does being a bully have to do w/losing weight?!?!?

Then it all came together as my eyes scrolled a bit lower…

It was the she-devil herself

Daily Weigh In: 193

Nutrition
- Breakfast: Soy Milk, Fiber 1, Raisins & blueberries (woke up ravenous again today, but stuck w/1 serving. Must look @ my night time eating trends on Wed and Thurs)
- AM Snack:
- Lunch:
- PM Snack:
- Din Din:
- Final Meal:

Water – 50oz

Vitamins/Supplements - Only Supps today

Training
TBD

********

Sorry all for not doing the book review yesterday nor featured food: summer edition, today. Time really got away from me and I shoulda known better than to trot out lofty goals the last week of the most hectic month of my recent life.

I expect things to settle down considerably over the weekend and by that point I'll play everything by ear.

All in all I'm beat, physically and emotionally. Now that all the heavy lifting, box toting and excessive driving is complete, the physical part should subside. I expect the emotional drainage to continue on for a few weeks longer, but I can deal w/one or the other @ a time, not both.

I have quite a few plans this weekend, nothing spectacular, but I need to get a few life situations in place and will use this weekend to lay the foundation for what's to come the last ½ of the year.

"When you put your hand to the plow, you can't put it down until you get to the end of the row." - Alice Paul

Daily Weigh In: 192

Nutrition
- Breakfast: Soy Milk, Fiber 1, Raisins & blueberries (2 servings, woke up ravenous today)
- AM Snack: none
- Lunch: (on the run today) turkey on rye, tea and potato :innocent look: oh who am I kidding?!?! via Arbys, turkey ruben, curly fries @ large sweet tea...hey @ least I didn't have my customary cherry turnover...small steps friends...small steps
- PM Snack: none, see lunch, still stuffed
- Din Din: (on the run again) ended up @ zaxbys, 4 ½ buffalo chicken w/fries, texas toast, carrots, celery, ranch dressing & sweet tea
- Final Meal: got in way to late and had a late dinner

Water – 50oz

Vitamins/Supplements - Only Supps today

Training
None, got back late, spent most of the early evening sorting out, repackaging and lugging 2 heavy ass boxes of my stuff from my old apartment.

********

The incremental losses since Monday may have more to do w/all the fiber and water sloshing around in my system than anything else.

I always use the first week of a challenge to work out kinks and find flaws in the plan. Everything looks good on paper till you put it into action. Like I'm learning I need to leave a bit earlier in the AM and I need a better plan of toting all my grub w/me. I'll also log more detailed notes about calories & nutrient breakdown. I keep harping about June being hectic, so I'm pretty proud I @ least gave it a shot in getting some normalcy back to my losing routine.

A big help was a daily checklist I designed, that listed out what I need to consume (vitamin or food group) @ what time. It would help if I could find that paper and I'm still tweaking what it is I'll actually be eating.

All in all, emotional stuff aside, it's been a pretty good week. I've been able to dry run all the routines, new cardio, new weight DVD, I'll be doing abs tonight. And over the weekend I can tighten up my plan of attack.

"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." - Anais Nin

Daily Weigh In: 193

Nutrition
- Breakfast: Soy Milk, Fiber 1 & Raisins
- AM Snack: Plum & walnuts
- Lunch: Tuna, low carb pita, tomato, mayo, mustard, olive oil
- PM Snack: Carrots & Peanut butter (don't tease me, I'm depressed :: )
- Din Din: Chicken breast, low carb pita, 'nana
- Final Meal: late dinner, didn't need it
*** emotional meal: snickers and munchins chips ***

Water – 90oz

Vitamins/Supplements - Only Supps today

Training
Weights: 15 mins lower body

********

My mood is still quite sour. I thought I'd have an early nite, since I was up so early. I hit the hay @ 10 and tossed and turned for over an hour, too many thoughts rattling my brain and/or my tummy was in knots. @ 11:15 I gave in and took 2 sleeping pills and conked out a ½ hour later. Making me too groggy and spacey to wake up super early. I'll do lower body strength training later today. I'm still nursing a tension headache.

This too shall pass...

Daily Weigh In: 196

Nutrition
- Post Workout: Protein Shake
- Breakfast: Soy Milk, Fiber 1, 12 blueberries & Raisins (whilst someone chows down on bacon & eggs *sobs softly*)
- AM Snack: Plain, non-fat yogurt, peach, 10 blueberries
- Lunch: Tuna, low-carb pita, packet of mayo & mustard, 5 teeny tiny itty bitty baby carrots, tomato
- PM Snack: Plum & protein bar
- Din Din: got in way too late to make dinner
- Final Meal: protein shake and banana (but didn't want to go to bed on a full stomach or hungry)

Water – 100oz + 12oz Ginger Tea

Vitamins/Supplements - Check

Training
Jump rope - TBD

30 mins elliptical - 1.67 miles
30 mins treadmill - 1.53 miles

Total cardio mins: 60
Total miles: 3.2

********

As you can tell, summer edition reneegetsfit.com is in the house, the green striped background shoulda changed, if it hasn't refresh the page a few times. I still need to update the lb-o-meter, which really means removing the red bit of progress I completely lost and possibly making the graph show negative #'s as in, not only do I still need to lose 60lbs, I gained more than when the chart started.

I also *gulp* updated the logo and I'm sorry I don't have the heart to try to fit into those blue jeans.

I mean, I like to keep it real here and all and deep down feel in a few months when they do fit, in a few months when they do fit (had to say it again), I'll be all geeked about the before/after shot...but...considering I still have deep ridges in my waist from putting on the size L black 'kini and having a vague memory the last time I tried to wear those jeans they were crazy tight around the calf...THE CALF...well...I'm sure y'all will understand my reluctance.

Funny. I used to go to bed watching Becker (1AM on UPN) Now I wake up to it (5AM TBS)

"I have accepted fear as a part of life, specifically the fear of change, the fear of the unknown. I have gone ahead despite the pounding in the heart that says: Turn back, turn back; you'll die if you venture too far." – Erica Jong

(yes I really am up this early. in what must be a record as i've really been up since 2:30, hours before my typical insane AM wake up call...it's gonna be a long day...going forward this time shall be referred to as: ungodly AM)

Daily Weigh In: 195.4

As mentioned yesterday each AM I'll post my weight for the WWW (whole wide world) right @ the top so no need to scroll to find it and I'll chit chat about whatever is topmost on my mind. @ the end of the day, I'll update food and workouts in the same post. Both will keep me accountable. This is my unofficial 6 week challenge, which is really a 4 week month long July challenge, but I started yesterday, which'll make it 5 weeks and no one has a 5 week challenge so I tacked on another week @ the end. Follow?

I won't do a Day 1 or Day 25 type title b/c psychologically when I hit a certain # I get fatigued, instead, I'll count backwards, going up to day 38 seems like a chore, working down to day 1 seems victorious. Don't ask.

But, I also won't do it everyday either, only when I'm out of witty titles, will I post "25 days to go" or "11 days to go".

As for the pudge pics, they'll get updated nightly, I think that's how I did it before, plus I'm pressed for time in the AM now that my gym commute is no longer a 4 min walk but a 5 min drive. And I'm thinking, during the day, if I have any upcoming or pending dramas, the nightly podcast will pick up where I left off and tie up any loose ends. Like say, I'm doing battle w/a butterfinger crisp, sometimes I forget to update the end result, in addition to posting every morsel I ate for the day so you'll read if I did eat it (which I totally wont!), the podcast will provide that info…and more *shameful plug*

I also do very good w/checklists so for the next 6 weeks here's my to do's, later tonight, I'll post a chart @ the top of the site to track the following:

"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear — not absence of fear." – Mark Twain

Today I did battle w/the elliptical machine and all I can say is holy moly, I bow down to those of you who can wrestle w/that thingamabob for an hour.

It was my first day @ Golds. I wanted to be there on time, as soon as it opened the doors @ 9 AM, I'm such a teacher's pet. The goal was originally to get in a solid 60 mins on the treadmill, but when I woke up this AM I decided to use today to test out the cardio machines, doing enough mins on each machine they have so that I can end the morning w/60 mins from all.

There were about 5 other people ahead of me, and I got there @ 9:05, showoffs!, in Cardio Alley, I climb aboard the elliptical. A girl was behind me. I observed her gait and gave it a go.

Nothing.

Ohhhh…gotta turn it on first.

Um…it was already on.

Back of neck is getting hot…cheeks feel warm.

Stepping on it made the lights come on.

Whew.

I went for Fat Burn, entered my weight (ugh!), minutes and age. Lippy told me my target ♥ rate is 122. Obakaybee and we were off.

Except that we weren't.

I fumbled around w/it.

Nothing.

The minutes would tick by, but then the machine would pause itself.

What the deuce?

Finally I gave up, @ this point, I'm sure if I were any other color but dark brown, the back of my neck and cheeks would be bright red.

Banner day over @ Renee's Headquarters, as you can tell from the sidebar, there is a new 'kini in town. A black one…

…w/pink hearts.

Yes ladies and the sole guy that reads my site, the red 'kini…

…has retired. I figure w/the new move, new location, I needed a new look. Zeus knows I also need a new size, why oh why did I think someone of my girth could fit a size L?? *sigh*

B/c I am a perfectionist, I opted for this model, mostly b/c black is slimming *cough* but also b/c my goal 'kini is also black, in Small…

…which, when I bought, I dunno, I harbored a pipe dream that I could squeeze myself into it so I could do a future comparison pudge pic on the day it actually fit. Being that I'm still nursing the tight rubber band lines around my waist, from it's buddy size Large, I think I'll hold off on that for a few more days weeks months (years???)

What delusion made me think I could even get the small over my kneecaps? Seriously. Not being rhetorical…answer me. Never mind there aren't comments…if you loved me you'd find a way to answer me…*sniffle*

Oh never mind. We all know the answer, Renee = Loon.

Now the goal 'kini, will sit in my view for the next 6 weeks…taunting like the yellow polka dot bikini did the Yoplait girl who I was sooooooooo happy to see her in a new commercial actually wearing it.

Earlier today I also took my measurements. For those who don't listen to the daily pudgecast, shame shame by the way, here's the quick and dirty:

Ankles: 8 3/4"
Forearm: 11"
and Neck: 13 3/4"

What?

:blink blink:

Oh...thoseeeeeeeeeee measurements....

*sigh*

"To change one's life: 1. Start immediately. 2. Do it flamboyantly. 3. No exceptions." – William James

Now that my mom's gone, you'll be seeing more of me around these parts Oh and she just called to tell me, when she pulls up, Maggie usually scampers across the yard to greet her, well no scampering yesterday. But when she got out the car, who was lazily lounging in the driveway behind her? Yup, you guessed it. I swear that cat wants me to go up there and get her.

While mom was here hogging my DSL, I ended up watching Netflix DVDs. In my queue was Season 1 of Felicity. Ok, so I've already proven how late I am when it came to flickr, and just got into frappr maps, please don't ask me about myspace, I can only maintain so much, but I'm EXTREMELY late when it comes to TV.

Felicity was a show I watched on and off, mostly during Season 3. I didn't really know the history of the relationships. By the Season 4 series finale, something else was on that night, I even remember flipping back and forth catching bits of the ending. Maybe Alias started by then, can't remember. Anyhoo, it's really cool to see it from start to finish.

I posted 3 earlier podcast shows, days 90-92. Later today, day 93 (today) will go up and then I'm back @ it daily till next Friday 6/30 which will also be day 100. That's why I did the 3 earlier shows, so I can end the month, first ½ of the year and shows on a cool cut off date.

They are fairly short, as I'm doing it from memory and I may not do it daily after day 100 but @ least once a week if not more. What's super cool is now I have natural background noise. Listen to today's show (day 93) or @ least day 92 and you'll hear the birds I wake up to every morning. As I was listening to each show so I could adjust the technical stuff, I heard them.

Hearing an entire show I sat back and thought, "Wow that's a really cool sounding chick. I'd totally subscribe to her podcast."

How vain is that?

The daily Pudge Pics will resume on Sunday.

"We must walk consciously only part way toward our goal and then leap in the dark to our success." – Henry David Thoreau

I'm changing, evolving may be a better word, but for sure I am. I don't know if I so much like the changes though, but emotionally I guess it's for the best. I used to be a bend over back people pleaser kind of gal. I'm super sensitive so sensing someone's discomfort or needs, I go out of my way to make them comfortable and too many times I did it to my downfall. A few key memories come to play.

One day, I was super hungry so I went to get some Chinese food. Living downtown, I tended to get asked how to get to major streets, but I drive by landmark, so I can never say go down X street and make a turn @ Y. If, the street they were looking for was in my direction, I'd say, follow me and just point them to their road. One day, a girl needed to get to Memorial Drive, w/my food in the car, I went a bit out of my way to help her and remember for some reason I had to make a hard stop and my food, now getting cold, tumbled off the seat and just about fell out on the floor mat. But, I put on a brave face and kept driving her to her street, then went back home w/cold smushed up food. I felt like a fool.

Another time, I was staying w/this guy and his car was towed almost 45 mins away. My first car, trooper that she was, always had something go wrong. When it came to driving me, I was very mindful to go str8 to my destination and back. Shortest trips possible. W/him though, it was no skin off my nose to use my car to take elaborate jaunts all around Atlanta. Never mind the tires were balding or the brakes screeched. Forget the oil was leaking or the a/c didn't work. If he went home for the weekend, I kept the car in the parking lot, preferring to order in food than drive her to the grocery store. When he needed a ride though, repairs be damned. Then he got his car back and proceeded to start seeing other women, while I lived there. Yea.

And yet another time, a person I knew online had a site crash, lost all their files and me, being super web girl, found a way to get all their files back, but I had to install huge software on my own computer and pretty much sacrificed an entire day to do it. Their response was less than enthused, given they were so devastated, and a few weeks later, the link to my site on their site was gone. Or the time, I put so much pressure on myself to get something up and spent so many late nights staring @ a white screen, shortly after, my eyes started bothering me. And the info I got up? ::crickets::

So incidents like that…all chipped away @ my need to please. But like I said earlier, I'm not sure it's in a good way.

In other news that is not @ all related to how much weight I've gained in the last few weeks, I'm getting a kitty.

I know I know old news. Most of y'all know Maggie. But Maggie has 2 big impediments. One she may actually be, you know, already owned, which will make me a cat thief and two, well, she's an older cat who's used to being outdoors stalking squirrels. Part of me feels I'll be doing her an injustice keeping her locked in a 600 sq foot room when she's used to jumping fences and playing in the wild.

W/a kitten, my room will seem like the entire world to its small eyes and I'll train it to be an indoor cat. In the evening I'll take it for a stroll around the subdivision and when she gets older, I'll buy a cat leash and take her for real walks.

Granted by taking Maggie, I may be doing her a favor, extending her life by keeping her safe indoors. If my aunt didn't have a no cats in the house rule, I'd get her in a minute b/c she wouldn't have to be locked up all day and could roam the house. As it stands, I'm gonna have to wait for a few more things to play out before I see if it's still doable. It's not completely a done deal I'll never see her again, it may be another few months. Till then I started stalking kittens.

First I got online. W/mom hogging my DSL, I couldn't really blog, or post pics, or even podcast. That pushed me to hang out @ a pet msg board, especially the pic thread, and damn near losing my mind in the cuteness, which led me to craving a white kitten, which led me to dream about having a kitten, which led me to going to a pet shop and start poking @ said kittens.

I love going to pet stores, though I always feel like the stereotypical dude in the trench coat and fedora @ the video store. It's like everyone knows he's not really there to check out, Home Alone, he bides his time till no one is looking and dashes into the adult section.

I always feel the workers know I'm not there to look @ birds or hamsters. I stall and pretend to look @ the things they sell when I really want to make a beeline for the cats. Then I get there and act all ambivalent when I want to rip the cage open and sit on the floor and play w/them all.

So I went in all cool and blasé like, saw a cage w/slightly older kittens, I'd say 4-6 months and they were sleeping. I'm ooh and ahhing in my head as I poke them w/my fingers hoping they'd wake up already.

Jab jab jab.

::crickets::

Poke poke poke.

::turns over and snuggles closer to the other cat::

*sigh*

I started to leave b/c the dogs seemed to think I should play w/them too, as if!, but something made me double back. It was the rabbits.

B/c I write so much, I tend to leave things hanging, one story was about Mover Guy. Um. I called him back again, but kept my phone off for a week and pretty much ignored his voicemails.

Why?

Not only am I really not interested, I don't feel like being bothered. It may be a bad thing to say, but I really don't want to invest romantic time in anyone right now, I want to take care of me. Plus I'm not comfortable w/me, I'm comfy enough to have gained 50lbs but while I work to reverse that, I need to focus and the me @ this weight is too uncomfortable w/others to really be open to anyone.

I have too many hangups.

Hey so you know how I'm a ryde or die Publix chick. I mean you couldn't pry me out of that store each week. Plus I kinda enjoyed having a girlie stalker who I may or may not have seen from time to time.

Well now that I'm all about the key fob, I decided to get a fob for every store I normally frequent. But let me back it up a bit, 'member my food shopping list?

How I do this is, I make my meal plan first, then I hit the grocery. Nowadays, I'm also about saving loot, and something about moving and having my routines all whacked out, means I now buy the Sunday paper and scoop up the coupons I may need and see what the specials are.

I cross reference what's on my list and voila, I have a plan of attack. I'm really flexible, say I need berries for my fruit, but peaches are on sale, I'll be a peach eating fool.

After doing some power shopping, groceries was last on the list, this way when I get them I head home. I went to Kroger first since they had the fewest items to pick up, Publix was gonna get all of my love.

First things first, I get fobbed.

"Vitality shows not only in the ability to persist, but in the ability to start over." – F. Scott Fitzgerald

I've hinted to having family drama, got into more detail on one of the podcasts (don't ask which one you know how wordy I am, I forget) anyhoo, I nipped one of the situations in the bud.

'Member the Big Girls gym I was all geeked to get my sweaty pudgy fingers on? Yea, the Y, well, I'm backing out.

Over the weekend, I had a feeling my aunt pawned my membership off on my cousin. The deal is a family pkg, for one child and 2 adults over 18, which was to have been me, her and my godson. Since my cousin hasn't vacated yet and the amount of time that went by till I moved, I think she gave him my membership. @ first I was a bit hurt, but dontcha know, things always work out for a reason.

As I was driving around, finding things for my abode, I found 3 gyms. A Curves, a Ladies Workout Express and a Gold's Gym. My initial thoughts were as follows:

Curves: Hrrrm…they have a controversial image. Plus, I am really looking for cardio machines, I can do weights @ home in the AM.

LWE: Basically a 2nd rate Curves. I'm not too bothered by working out w/dudes. Meh.

Gold's Gym: What am I muscle girl? Jeebus I don't wanna be mixing it up w/testosterone induced freaks. Bah.

So what'd I do? Where'd I end up?

"Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape." - Anonymous

I'm going to try something diff't around here for a while, maybe forever who knows. One of the beauties of being offline and in the hectic pace of moving is, all my old routines...*snap*...just like that got broken. I'm trying to make new grooves in my daily life. For instance, I gobbled up gossip blogs, lately...notsomuch. I LIVED online as the computer was next to my bed, in coming days you'll see how far apart they are. Now when I'm online, I'm sitting, not watching/listening to TV, just being present w/all I do.

Not having constant email access meant, well, when I was blogging, once I hit post, I didn't know when I'd see a screen again, so I became detached from instant feedback.

"When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this — you haven't." – Thomas Edison

Yah yah I know, I was still posting so it *seemed* like I was still here, but I wasn't. Not being able to upload, download, crossload was driving me batty. But I'm back bay-bee w/a new podcast to boot

Pudge pics shall resume shortly...oh...they have a suprise w8ting for ya.

I can blame my bad memory of events, or the fact that I can block things out and seriously forget what happened, but sometimes, in my day to day I run across someone who sent me into a "tizzy" and coming out the elevator, I was smiling to myself thinking some good thoughts about how both my phone line got hooked up & my DSL pkg arrived in the same day meaning I can get back online already and how my mother has recently taken to playing w/Maggie and I was going to tell a friend of mine the kitty story so I'm kinda laughing to myself @ the anticipated reaction she'd have and like I said, I had a huge smile on my face.

The elevator doors open and I'm eye to eye w/someone who looked so familiar but I couldn't place, they were chatting on a cell phone, and by the time they spied me, rolled their eyes and went back to their convo, it hit me who it was…

And funny, I never stopped smiling, b/c seriously, if I'm enough to make you roll your eyes @, you have way too much time on your hands.

While this person will never be my friend, it's not that deep for me to over react when I see them, I was about to give them my patent head nod but…eh…I guess they showed me…

I found this via realityblurred.com

University of Pennsylvania researchers need your help as they try to find out "what audiences think about some of the most popular television makeover shows." They want to know if they're "trash television or inspiring entertainment."

Specifically, the researchers want feedback from viewers who've watched either The Biggest Loser, Queer Eye, Starting Over, or What Not to Wear.

Y'all know my fixation w/The Biggest Loser so I had to answer. It wasn't a long survey. About 30 questions, 10 mins or so. You can also give them your demographical info, making it 37 ?'s in all.

To go along w/my grub, now that I'm ensconced in suburbia and will be faithfully attending the Big Girls gym (ie the Y) here's my workout routine. One of the downsides of driving to the gym is, it doesn't open till way later than I'm used to going. That throws me off a bit. But, I found a way to make up for it. I'll still wake up @ my usual insane AM, now I'll do weights @ home in the morning. Which works out pretty good since doing PM weights in a hot apartment was not cute. @ all.

First I do 10 minutes of stretching/yoga. Then I do 15 minutes of arms/abs and the next day buns/legs. Finally I head to the gym and do 45-60 minutes of fat burning cardio. By fat burning, I mean I keep my ♥ rate in the 140-155 bpm range. I'll end it w/a mini jump rope challenge. Starting w/25 jumps and each week adding 25. By the end of 8 weeks, I hope to jump 200 jumps 7 days a week. Future boxing workout, here I come.

4 afternoons a week, I head back to the gym and do 60 mins of cardio. This time more intense, keeping my ♥ rate in the 160-170 range. B/c I get crazy bored crazy fast, I broke it into 20 min blocks, elliptical, bike and stairclimber...hee…yes I am totally showing off now that I have so many toys to play with.

I do the PM thang M/T and Th/F. Wed is my night @ the movies.

I'll follow this routine, in conjunction w/my current eating plan, for the next 8 weeks. Then I'll start a new training block and eating plan based on where I'm @ and how I feel.

What about the weekends?

My eating plan for the next 8 weeks, pretty consistent, fairly bland and extremely healthy.

Breakfast
Fiber One w/Vanilla Soy milk and LF CC w/10-12 fresh blueberries

3 hours later
Apple w/all natural peanut butter & a protein bar

2 hours later
Tuna or Salmon over a bed of spinach leaves w/a drizzle of lemon and olive oil OR Black Beans and slices of tomatoes stuffed in a low carb pita w/spinach leaves.

3 hours later
Tangerine & Plain Yogurt

2 hours later
Turkey burger & w/beans & a clove of garlic w/2 cups of veggies (squash & broccoli)

3 hours later
Protein Shake

Roughly:
Fat: 57-60 gms of fat
Carbs: 169 -175 gms
Protein: 119-121 gms
Fiber: 40-45 gms
Calories: 1500-1600

Want another sign that I've been eating too much refined foods?

Waking up w/a growling tummy.

It's been very hard juggling all the balls I've had in the air for the last 2 weeks. If I'm not eating, I'm drinking lotsa Arizona iced tea, it's a craving @ this point. And I get my body, I really do. The only reason I'm craving it, it b/c I'm not eating balanced.

Then I'm opting for super quick fast food. By the time I'm able to settle down, which is usually late @ nite, I'm both ravenous and sleepy. Which means I scarf down something from the drive thru and conk out w/in an hour.

Add to that, my haphazard sleep, I'm a Syndrome X/Insulin Resistance waiting to happen.

just couldn't pass this one up...

I've eaten so much refined foods on the run in the last 2 weeks it t'ain't funny.

Man, I feel like I;ve packed on 25lbs.

Zeus bless the scale it says I'm 173.8!!

A loss of 19lbs!!

Whoo Hooo.

Waitaminute.

The scale was on carpet.

brb...

Last Wednesday I spent most of the morning taking care of paper work, like car stuff, address stuff, etc. Then I spent the afternoon vacuuming/cleaning my room and sorting out boxes.

One of the morning trips was to the DMV for me to update my car registration and then to the other DMV for my aunt to get her learners permit. On our way there, we got a bit turned off, making a right when I should've stayed str8, and I drove a bit further, down some narrow winding roads, trying to find a driveway or street to so I could turn around.

I abruptly made a right down the first street I came up on and searched in vain for a driveway. It was a such a secluded area. My aunt kept gasping @ how large the homes and land were. I finally turned around and out the corner of my saw some colorful signage, but was so frustrated I ignored it. When I got turned around, my aunt asked me to back up so she could read it. I halfheartedly looked @ it and lo and behold I found a place that'll come in handy over the next few summer months.

Ok, here is a video tour of my new space. Ignore the pile on the floor, that was a makeshift bed for a spontaneous sleepover. And that is so not my TV, it's my cousins' fancy schmancy model. You also didn't see cable wires. I'm sticking w/my fuzzy screen thankyouverymuch. Yesterday I told Marta, I was going to splurge on DSL, I *may* also upgrade my Netflix to 5 or 6 out. For now, I plan to spend much of my free time being out and about learning my new city.

I may have mentioned it a recent podcast, that thanks to going to an art school & od'ing on HGTV earlier this year, I found myself, plotting out my room.

Using lines, rectangles & circles, I sketched, pretty badly, how I wanted to lay out the room. First I drew the shape of the room, then sectioned off where things would go. The double lines are either windows or a door.

Then I added text of what was what.

If I have to say what my style/type is, it's a cross between modern and shabby chic. Most of the items I'm snagging are from my two most favoritest stores in the WWW (whole wide world): Targay, and IKEA. The total cost is a bit under $550, the biggest ticket is my mattress. Other than that most items are under $50 and the accents under $25.

Why spend so much on furn for a place I'll be at for a year or so? For the first time in like forever, I can afford furn, you really don't want to know how sparse my apt is/was. And, these are things I've always wished for @ one time or another. I used to keep a scrapbook of furniture I liked. Even after all these years, styles may have been refined a bit, but I have the same taste. Therefore, if and when I move again, it's an investment worth doing. And lastly, this month and next, I've mentally alloted some $$ to do frivilous things before I plow head first into paying off my debt. Now, I had a 7 day cruise in mind, but really folks, Oprah I ain't.

Instead, I'll settle for getting a few key staples I really love. This way, my room is a place I look forward too coming home too vs. being an energy drain b/c I'm so miserable about all the clutter and things I don't have. Especially considering some simmering family drama on the horizon, @ the very least, a cozy beautiful room will help keep me sane.

Now that that's out of the way, let's put this all in color shall we?

...pretty cluttered and crazy looking...I break it down much better below the fold.

Further proof, that I have way too much junk:

- I found TONS of pens, markers and highlighters, yet, I never have anything to write with.

- I found TONS of notepads, post its, notebooks, yet, I'm always tearing off edges of magazines or using napkins to jot notes on.

- I found TONS of batteries, and @ least 6 rechargeable ones, yet, I'm always running low and stocking up on more.

- I found TONS of unused journals, yet each year, I buy a new one to start anew.

- I found TONS of blank cassette tapes and floppy disks for the A drive, yet we now live in the age of the CD/DVD storage and who the hell uses floppy disks anymore?

(update, oh and Alice, I also found my copy of Organizing from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern one thing about us packrats, we get all the stuff we need to be organized, then throw it on the pile w/the rest of the crap we lug around)

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things only hoped for." - Epicurus