The last 30 day goal was to love & be nice to myself. How'd I do?

I wasn't lying when I said it was going to be hard. It was.

To kick of my yearlong goal of 30 minutes of physical activity every day, my first my first 30 day challenge got it started. How'd I do?

Know how I mentioned a few days back about a 30 days habit thingy I read from somewhere or another. I consider this final aspect of my yearlong goals to a quirky project as I get bored on things crazy fast and in order to stay focused for the long haul, I have to have variety.

Not all 30 day challenges are fitness related. Some are for personal growth, some are for fun. If I get nothing else out of it, I may very well end the year w/12 new habits.

Below I'll list what I want to do for myself and briefly explain what each 30 day goal symbolizes.

I'm always late to these things. *fumes* This week was National Delurking Week.

Delurking means, you've been reading my blog since day 1, or day yesterday, and have yet to leave a comment. You can use a fake name, I rarely hunt people down and you don't have to be long winded, a simple, "Hey Renee!" will do.

Copy and paste if you're feeling lazy.

I won't harass you to sign my frappr map or be myspace friend...*sniffle*...just delurk why don't ya? I'll leave this posted @ the top till next Saturday.

(I made the graphic. You don't need to ask me if it's okay to use it.
If you do use it, just linking back to my site saying where you got it from is thanks enough.)

When I moved back intown, I researched the surrounding area. I'm technically not living in Atlanta, but in Decatur GA. While searching, I stumbled onto these walking tours. There are 3 levels beginner, intermediate and advanced, 2 of each, 6 in total.

I'm going to walk each route twice for a total of 12 walks. First time it'll be going, next time I'll reverse the route. I'm kicking this of next Sunday, rain or shine and will finally tie it into something I threatened to do here, oh I dunno, over a YEAR ago!, photoblogging & taking pics of my city.

Later that evening I'll post the shots I took.

I'm starting my tours next Sunday. Do you have these or something similar in your city?

Shelley tagged me w/the following:

Christmas Songs Meme: List (at least) five of your favorite Christmas songs and tag (at least) five of your favorite blog friends to keep your MEME going.

1. All I Want For Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey
2. Little Drummer Boy
3. Mommy kissing Santa Clause - Lil Mikey Jackson & his 4 brothers
4. Have yourself a Merry Xmas - Frank Sinatra
5. Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 (Instrumental) - Trans-Siberian Orchestra
6. Noel - By pretty much anyone who sings it

I'm sure all my favorite blog friends are already knee deep in this meme, so I'll expand the circle by tagging the last 5 blogs who joined the fatfighterblogs.com directory

1. A GIRL RUNNING!
2. Junebug
3. on a mission to be my best self
4. token fat girl
5. depressed & down to 2 dress sizes down

It wasn't enough to go and poke a kitten, I somehow managed to get one stuck on my finger and well, brought her back home. Ladies and Gent, I present you 6 week old Cali Raya:

You can call her Cali, when she's being naughty I reserve the right to call her by her full name, "Cali Raya [insert Renee's last name here], you stop that right now!"

She's a sweetie pie and yes the daughter of the famous Maggie...

...and baby sister of the 6 month old Bad Boy Mykah...

...but mostly, my new furkid, or shall I say furbaby as I've spent the last few nights, feeding, wiping her butt and consoling her fear of human hands.

*sigh*

...to being a world renown blogger

My biggest loser commentary was highlighted over @ aol.com's Diet & Fitness today. YaY!

See him in action:

Yes you!

Wanna get healthy this summer?

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.

just couldn't pass this one up...

But apparently the fatfigtherblogs.com site does.

Ever wanted to get a customized DVD in the mail that gives you two unique 40 mins personal training sessions? And! One cutting edge 30 min cardio session? AND!! Two resistance bands? AND!!! Helful hints and tools?

Yea me too.

So fatfighterblogs.com is giving away free trial membership to PUSH.tv to not 1, not 2, but 3 lucky peeps!

Don't hold me to it, but if I remember correctly it's for 3 months which means 3 custom DVDs @ your door. Don't walk, run to enter.

Oh and a BIG THANKS to the ever so persistent Nick, for making this possible to my readers

From Ottawa to Austin, coolio, I love how the little are justa poppin up.

I'm not sure where my worldwide audience stands, I seem to be stuck in the US/Canada/Ecuador (¿¿It stops @ Ecuador??) zone but I'm thinking people outside of it can sign up too. I'll look into making the map more inclusive.

In the meantime, c'mon. Sign away. Don't be shy. I'm making plans for my summer travels and need to plot my airline trips according to each city on the map.

This way I can stalk you all good and proper like. Feel free to pimp yo' map. If you too have a frappr acct, leave the URL, I'll sign it!

In recent months I've been contacted by a range of interesting people which always makes me wonder, "Dude, how'd you find my site!?!?"...anyhoo, I just got a note that AOL is having a Beach-Ready Boot Camp. On it you can find streaming workout videos. And while my workout schedule is quite booked up w/various challenges and whatnot, I almost peed myself when I read this part:

former professional boxer Michael Olajide, Jr. will teach you some boxing moves and jump rope routines to give you a sleek physique for the beach.

I recently started hunting for jump rope routines as I wrote up a rough draft of the next 3 weeks worth of workouts. Once I complete that block, the final 2 blocks are gonna be hell. If I can get Michael's routines added to the mix, my hell just got that much hotter.

Oh that wily fatfighterblogs.com is @ it again. Giving away stuff and whatnot. Read all about it, enter to get a bonus ticket, then put your thinking caps and/or reading glasses on to get 2 more tickets in the next two weeks.

reneegetsfit.com, never one to be left out, will also have a giveaway when that one is done. Oh April, the month of losing an hour, Spring showers and free stuff

Just found out it's w/a U not an O.

PS, that FYI did NOT make the game any easier for me.

Since Kirsten mentioned the dreaded S word, I felt compelled to give it another shot, figuring, hey if it's stumping a smart 2 degree-er, who am I, a 5 college attending associate degree-er, to complain?

I repeated her mantra, "It's not a personal failing, it's not my personal failing" and tried not to get sucked into beating the top 10 times daring me from the upper right corner.

Sitting there reminding me that player, admin, knocked out a very hard game @ 3 mins 55 secs flat & blogexplosion did an easy game in 2 mins, while simultaneously trying not to guffaw @ poor candy85 who took 11:55 to do an easy game.

I can beat 12 mins can't I?

Did I?

Let's get this sudoku started...

Erm, have you heard about a game called SodukuSudoku? I surf blogexplosion.com from time to time and they added a few games. The premise is you fill up squares w/#'s from 1-9 and nothing can repeat from row or column.

OMG! I swear I went into an OCD coma when I started. I can't get past the first line, my heart starts racing something awful, my throat gets all tight and my brain, my brain, goes into some sorta numeric meltdown.

I CAN NOT play this game. Ever.

Yet, I'm extremely compelled to try.

Just. Too. Many. Choices.

*sigh*

Pity, it seemed real fun and all.

Hey hey, my first giveaway starts today. Head on over to the fatfighterblogs.com site and enter for a chance to win this very colorful book:

One very lucky reader will win it, could be you. Don't I sound like a lottery commercial? ::

Hi ladies, women, girls and that sole guy I'm sure reads this site Over the weekend I'll add it to the sidebar, but decided to post a quick blurb until then. This month, reneegetsfit.com in conjuction with fatfighterblogs.com will be running a sweepstakes where both sites will be giving away FREE books that'll help you lose weight.

The book, by Dr. Pamela Peeke the lady from the Discovery Health's National Body Challenge, is called, "National Body Challenge Success Program for the Whole Family".

I'll be giving away a total 6 (six) copies, 3 on this site, and 3 on the other. I'll give away the first 5 ASAP, but since I'd like to do a review of the book, the last one will be special since I read it and prolly be given out towards the end of the month.

So if you're feeling lucky, just wanna lose the weight already or simply like free shizz, stay tuned and be sure to enter.

This week my new tenant is Haunted House Dressing. Now it may seem dated to have a Halloween-ish site post Thanksgiving, but I like it. It reminds me of a Tim Burton movie. Plus if you are looking for a way to score some extra gifts this holiday, he has a Blogger Secret Santa Program going on, but you have to give a gift too of course

Speaking of BlogExplosion, of all the traffic exchanges I've tried, this is the best one. They have the most features and it feels like every week they are releasing something new. If you don't know what traffic exchange is, long story short, you surf member blogs and in return for every 2 blogs you visit, 1 person will visit you.

You can also randomly win credits. I've won 100 credits 3 times. Plus they have monthly contests giving away 1000 credits to 10 surfers and they just started a lottery ticket style scratch game where 3 matching #'s is the # of credits you win. Look what they came up with now:

BlogExplosion wants to thank our members for making 2005 such a memorable year. Without our members BlogExplosion would not exist and to show our gratitude we are holding a year-end contest!

Simply surf BlogExplosion member sites and give yourself a chance to win daily cash prizes! We realize everyone can use a little extra cash around the holidays..

They are giving away $50 a day from Dec 10th to the 24th, then from Dec 25th to Jan 1st, it'll bump up to $100 a day.

So if you are looking for away to get more visits to your site, or want to find more blogs to read, or just wanna win 50 damn dollars (as I do & you totally know where it's going) start surfing & join up here

This rent my blog thing is pretty durned catchy. This week, residing on the premises is: kim-julia. I picked her site b/c she uses my fave color scheme, red, black & white (fellow trinis will recognize the pattern...heh). She also has these HY-larious funny face pics on her about me page that seem to date back to when she was 3? 4 perhaps? And the snowflakes are so cute, though living in HOT-lanta I know nothing of such things...*snicker*

So when you tire of me, swing by her site.

Taking up residence in the far right, a bit below the fold/above the calendar is: Southern Gal Goes North. She'll be residing the premises for the next week, check her out in your free time. She's from the south & now is in the north, I'm from the north and am now in the south. She has a weight loss blog, I have a weight loss blog. She's a NS-er, I'm a former NS-er.

It's like kismet.

Meeeeeeeee!

I share my fantabulous day with a gang of folk: Kelly Ripa, Groucho Marx, Bud Abbott, Lorraine Bracco, Sting, Tiffany & my personal favorite: Mahatma Gandhi.

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My 3rd set of bday twins!

Jenniy!

Find her over @ Fantastically Blonde.

AND her bday twin

Martha!

Find her over @ oh, man, I wonder if I can change this title later?.

They share their special day with the quirky Jenna (Where's Greg?) Elfman & Eric Stoltz from Fast Times at Ridgemont High's.

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Ann!

She's site-less but a cherished visitor & shares her special day with Meat Loaf.

and

She shares her special day w/my favorite search engine, w/o whom my site would consist of a single entry.

Google

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Amelia!

Find her over @ SmallIslandGirl.

She shares her special day with Terminator Diva, Linda Hamilton.

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If I did this right, the colors should be looking quite different. Just my way of saying, Happy Fall.

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Astute visitors w/eagle sharp focus may have noticed a new addition to the right side, where it says "Watch this space". It relates to the super duper secret and will be revealed shortly. Till it is, I figured, as with all I do, why not make a game of it. I blame this on watching listening to way too much reality tv (RU that girl, The Biggest Loser, Big Brother [You wuz robbed Ivette!]) in the last week.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to make a guess on what the graphic is all about. Guess as many times as you want, I'll leave this entry pinned @ the top for a while and the person who guesses the closest or whose answer makes me snort the loudest, wins. And I can't say how long I'll keep this pinned b/c it'll be a tip off, but here's a hint: watch the pictures closely...

*muahahahahaha - - - choke*

Erin!

Find her over @ I'm not going to give up.

She shares her special day with All My Children graduate Debbie Morgan, you may know her as Angie.

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For Zara.

Yo ho ho & a bottle of rum.

Courtney!

Find her over @ WW Diva.

She shares her special day with Xmen's Scott Summers/Cyclops aka James Marsden.

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kathryn!

Find her over @ iDiet.

She shares her special day sexy Nine ½ Weeks stud Mickey Rourke.

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Another twofer!

Stacey!

Find her over @ Life's Journey...my path towards good health .

AND her bday twin

Dee!

Find her over @ |Reflected Thoughts|.

They share their special day with super famous songstress Fiona Apple & the not so famous former American Idol singer EJay Day.

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marta!

Find her over @ The Pudge Budge :: Losing it WW Style.

She shares her special day with Romeo Beckham, son of football hottie & fomer Spice girl David and Victoria Beckham.

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Oh joy, today's birthday shout out is a twofer!

Sooz!

Find her over @ Says Me - It's never too late to be who you might have been.

AND her fraternal bday twin

Digity!

Find him over @ TheDigity.com - they're just words.

Sooz shares her special day with Mod Squad cutie Peggy Lipton & Charlie's Angel copy cat Cameron Diaz. While Digity shares his special day with Tennis stud Andy Roddick. RAWR!

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angie!

Find her over @ The Final Twenty - My Battle to goal ends here.

She shares her special day with Mr. Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous Robin Leach.

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Smitherene!

Find her over @ thoughts + observations about doctors, weight loss, and having a baby.

She shares her special day with Steve Guttenberg aka Sgt. Carey Mahoney of Police Academy fame.

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Mel!

Find her over @ Dieting is an evil word.

She shares her special day with the likes Mr. Bad News Bears himself, Billy Bob Thornton.

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(No she's not on the birthday list, but I won't let that stop me from spreading some bday cheer to one of my favorite peeps.)

Lexy (I call her B)!

Find her over @ A continuing journey towards Smashitude as told by me.

She shares her special day with Public Enemy #1, Chuck D.

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Kimba!

Find her over @ being myself, only better.

She shares her special day with the likes of Showgirls diva Elizabeth Berkley.

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Alethea!

Find her over @ supermodel material...: "this is the true story of my journey to become thinner. i am on my way to a happier, healthier, and sexy me!"

She shares her special day with barkeep Woody Harrelson.

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Nicole!

Find her over @ anonymous fat woman: No tagline but she has a really cool logo:

She shares her special day with the likes of former "I only play one on TV" doctor Anthony Edwards.

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Elle Jay!

Find her over @ Living Less Juicy : "My journey to living more while taking up less space."

She shares her special day with the likes of music mogul Tommy Mottola.

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Racheal!

Find her over @ Sun Stare: "Ever do something you know you shouldn't be doing? This web site is one of those things..."

She shares her special day with the likes of daisy dukes wearing Jessica Simpson.

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Keisha!

She's site-less but a frequent & favorite commenter

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Cat!

Find her over @ Those Weighty Things: "im a woman on my way to obtaining my ideal measurements, optimal health and falling in love with exercise. oh, im going to look really hot too."

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Krista over @ life and in-betweens.

Her blog: A blog about life, health and everything in-between.

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Jennifer over @ Magmoor's Fat No More.

Her blog: This blog is all about me--Magmoor (real name: Jenn)--and my determination to be fat no more! My blog's purpose is to chart my weight loss goals, successes, and failures. It is my hope that writing things out will keep me on track. So... Wish me luck!

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