j.s.

He will be missed. He had a way of making people show their true selves.

So what do you all think of the yoga stuff? some of that is pretty stinking hard - I apparently can balance as long as both of my feet are on the ground, the minute you ask me to pick up one, my balance is out the window! But I keep on givin it the old college try! My husband laughs at me. Honestly tho, I have gained some improvement in some of the ones that I have been doing for a while now. Sooner or later I think I will be able to stand on one foot without falling over!

I too just pre-ordered mine. I am very excited to get it. I do go to a gym but I think it would be nice to use at home for on the floor kind of exercises and that balance board. My trainer started working with my balance because apparently I am not so good in the balance area (news to me, I dont fall down to often!). I cant wait to get mine.

Dont I know it, we did finally have grass too - ugly sandy, pebbly grass from all the salt and sand this winter and yesterday it snowed..... another 15 inches..... I am so ready for winter to be done in wisconsin.

I too was very fearful of flying. The first time I flew I had gotten some valium from my doc, just 2 pills, one for the ride there and one for the ride back. Turned out I took the one for the ride there but then I didnt need it for the ride back. I have also not noticed one bit of difference in my band when I fly.

I love my trainer too. I had him for a year and then had to give him a break ($$$) until next month. Then I can get me a bunch more sessions. Besides the fact that he has taught me tons of things, he keep me on track. He keeps me accountable for my actions, good or bad. I love my trainer and cant wait to get back to my sessions. He may be expensive but he is well worth it.

I too believe Curves is an excellent place to go especially if you do not go someplace now. I did curves for a year and it was mainly to get my butt doing something.... and to see if I would actually go.... I did, I enjoyed it, made some great friends, lost some weight and after a year decided I was ready for more and joined the gym I now belong to but it really got me into the habit to go and work out. I say its a great place to start and well worth the money. believe me a year really does go pretty fast. Also curves have great promotional deals every couple of months that cut down that membership price, check that out.

We also got a Wii for christmas this year. I am very suprised to find out that I really, really enjoy the boxing. Apparently I have a lot of pent up anger and this is the perfect outlet for it. I am the knock out QUEEN. Everybody who comes over must play and get their ass kicked by ME! Too much fun. I put on my heart monitor, it turns out i get my heart rate up to 150 within the first 5 minutes and it will stay between 150-160 the entire time I am boxing. Sweat like a pig while doing it too! I started out with the boxing game that came in the game and also bought a Professional boxing where you get to be more specialized. Try it!

Oh this is great, it gives me ideas. I am totally into Alternative and rock, No country at all. Here is just a taste of what I like (this is part of my ellpitical workout list). Bleed it out - Linkin Park Wake up, open the door -- Cexcells Somebody told me - the killers Pain - Three Days Grace Paralyzer- Finger Eleven what I have done - Linkin Park Semiotic Love - CexCells Steady as she goes- The Raconteurs Dont you Evah- Spoon Butterfly - Crazy Town Savin' Me- Nickelback An Honest Mistake - The bravery Stiff Kittens - CexCells 11 O'clock tick tock - U2 Its my life - bon jovi Animal I have become- Three days grace Dashboard - Modest Mouse Youth of the nation- P.O.D. I was made for lovin you- KISS Wolf like me- TV on the radio Land of confusion - Disturbed there are more but these are my favorites this week. Then I have seperate lists for biking and for treadmill.

I have started the couch to 5K program too - I am at week 6 now. I also have a very bad knee. I started to take the glucosamine chondroitin with MSM (my trainer told me to get the kind that has MSM in it, as it is some kind of pain reliever). Anyway it is liquid and i only have to take it once a day. I have not noticed any difference but I will give it a shot. Also since my knee is already iffy- I use my knee as my guide, I dont want to hurt myself. I stay on a week until I can master that before going to the next week. I may have to be on week 5 for a while as then next week I am to run 8 minutes straight and I know I cant do that yet.

I joined Curves for 1 year and after that year was up I joined a gym. I did go to curves 3 x week and that was just to get me into going, since it was much cheaper than the gym I wanted to join, I needed to test myself to see if I would go or just stop after a month or two. So after the first year, now I have been at my gym almost a year. I totally love it. I go 5x week and an extra 1 hour a week with a personal trainer who has been my savior really. I also started a running program at home on my treadmill. So I guess it really is up to you, are you motivated to do it yourself at home? Do you have stuff that will keep your interest? If not, check into the gym thing or another exercise route such as curves, etc.

About a week ago I went to my inlaws house and when we walked into the living room my FIL said to me "My you sure are pretty today". He has never said that or anything remotely resembling a compliment like that. I was totally shocked, it made me feel really good and so I just told him, "well you just made me feel really pretty, thank you"! That was by far the nicest compliment I have gotten, I think because it was so totally out of the norm.

My biggest tipping issue is at the State Fair. My sister and I go every year and a couple years back our state started this tipping in the bathroom thing.... they have a table with a tip jar there. When you get up to the front of the very long line the stalls all have numbers on them and the attendant in the bathroom will say whatever number is open. WEll I too can see as the person in stall #3 comes out so I KNOW stall #3 is open and that lady really does not need to tell me. If they actually provided me with some sort of service that would be one thing but this is tipping gone wild in my opinion. - I dont tip the bathroom ladies. p.s. Are the bathrooms any cleaner you ask..... a great big NOPE to that.

areelady, I know exactly what you mean. I think I am part of that club too. It is too, too easy for me to just slump back into "no exercise" land without even being aware it is happening that is why I am really trying to keep on this. My back is feeling much better and I am thinking that maybe on Friday I will get back to the gym and give it a try.

I have been wounded in exercise action.... I had a training session thursday in the p.m. and by friday morning my back was totally kicking my butt.... I think I must have pulled/strained something in my lumbar spine probably when I was doing the abductor/adductor leg things. I had a hard time when I was doing them and I think in trying to rush through them, I hurt my back. I have had a terrible weekend being on the heating pad most the time. I went for a massage sunday afternoon and that was none too pleasent, I paid that girl good money to make me miserable. tonight I am going to try to do 1/2 hour on the treadmill, nothing wild tho, gonna keep it light.

ok here is my worst thing... mine comes with a story: My husband to be and I were out on a lake in a huge 10 person rubber raft that we owned. We were paddeling around happy as can be. I decide to get into the water as he said it was "really easy" to get back into the boat. Well not being the fat girl... He has no idea that his "really easy" way to get into the boat really sucks bigtime. He tied a rope across the back of the boat that i was to put my foot on to sorta heft myself up into the boat but he tied it so loose that all it did was put my leg underneath the boat. I could not get back in no how! So here we are screaming at each other in the middle of the lake and I am swearing like a truck driver for him to heft me back into the boat (did I mention there was a snake in the water?) and he says to me "OHMIGOD it is like trying to beach a whale!!" Well that was it. He did not say this in jest he did not say it trying to lighten the mood.... he was pissed and he said it for real. I have never - ever let him forget that. Every now and again I will just say.... like trying to beach a whale huh? He knows that was just not right. I also have to say this happed about 20 years ago or so, (we just had our 17th anniversary yesterday). Since then he has apologized for his behavior many times over but I still feel the need to let him know that cut deep and that is not allowed from him.

Last week I didnt do anything at ALL! I was protesting all this exercise and no scale loss - I WENT ON STRIKE.... well nothing happened. Still didnt lose anything and just felt bad about being on strike. So this week I am back at the gym with renewed vigor. I also started the couch to 5K running plan this week. So I work out one hour at the gym every day for cardio and then do my 25 minute running thing (did it monday and today (wed) so far) and I am still alive to talk about it. I dont know if I will be able to run for more than a minute at time (sure dont feel like it right now) but I am willing to give it a good college try! Wish me luck.... I want to be a runner (and a little scale loss would go a long way too right about now).

Here is some of my favorites for the elliptical: Gnarls barkley-crazy 311 - Dont tread on me The killers - somebody told me smash mouth- walking on the sun John mellencamp- Wild night Bon Jovi - Its my life (on of my favs at this time) - Livin on a prayer modest mouse - dashboard papa roach -forever three days grace - Animal I have become (this one sums it all up for me and exercise) Then throughout it all I have a smattering of disco- gotta love the old disco (great workout tempo) I have a completely different list for when I ride the bike and another for treadmill. Dont know how I ever lived without my Ipod.

Yes, I called every week and two different times ended up sending all my paperwork all over again because it was "missplaced". You'd be amazed at how quickly they get sick of your call. Also, take names so when you call again you can say you talked to ____ (fill in blank) on _____ date.

Thanks for all the well wishes everybody. I do appreciate it, as encouragement still is a good thing. I know that without my band I would have been well over 300# by now and I am happy to say that is not the case. My jouney has been a long one but all in all a good one....

I eat popcorn, just not too often because it goes down way too easy.

Alex, I am so sorry to hear your band slipped. Good Luck on monday, I will be thinking of you and sending happy shiny thoughts your way.

My first year I went to curves, not the most strenuous but it did teach me to go every day and got me into the "routine" of going to work out. I also used my treadmill at home. Then I quit curves after that year was done and joined a gym (in sept). I go 5 x week. I just recently hired a personal trainer and I cant say enough good things about this guy. He has taught me so very much and I am seeing great results working with him (I only get him 1 hour a week). I definitely know for me the trainer has improved my overall effort tremendously. And because I see results.... I work harder....getting more results.... for once I am in a good circle...

Angie, Thank You so much for the great christmas package! I totally love the snowmen! The snowman who is holding the votive candle is just adorable. I am really into snowmen and that little tiny one is just too, too cute. Immediately I put him up on my computer monitor, I have about 6 little snowmen up there and I like to look at them while I do my sucky job (they make my sucky job a little nicer!) The bath salts and body butter will come in handy. And the foot lotion I plan on using tonight! You picked out wonderful gifts for me! Thank you so very much! l will try to post a pic of it all so everybody can see. Happy Holidays to you!

1. What is your occupation? Medical Transcriptionist 2. What color are your socks right now? White 3. What are you listening to right now? Computer hum and something my husband is watching on tv- guy talking about animals. 4. What was the last thing that you ate? Coco wheats - i have a sore throat :-( 5. Can you drive a stick shift? Im sure I could but I never have tried. 6. Favorite Color: Green, Red, Teal. 7. Music Preference: Alternative Rock. 8. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My sister. 9. Do you like the person who sent this to you? I don't really know her. WHAT HAPPENED TO NUMBER 10???? 11. Favorite drink? Crystal lite tea. 12. What is your favorite sport to watch? Only sports I ever watch is the olympics- swimming and gymnastics, speed skating, down hill skiing. 13. Have you ever dyed your hair? Yes. 14. Do you wear contacts or glasses? No. 15. Pets? 2 wonderful cats- Katie and Brandi. 16. What will you stay home to watch? Nothing really, dont need to with DVR. 17. What is the best movie you have seen? Blade - does everything for me. 18. What is your favorite day of the year? Christmas 19. What do you do to vent your anger? Usually have a bitch fest on whatever the anger issue is at that time. 20. What was your favorite toy as a child? Mrs. Beesley doll - just LOVED her. 21. Fall or spring? Fall. 22. Hugs or kisses? Kisses 23. Vanilla or Chocolate? chocolate 24. Do you want your friends to email you back?? Yes 25. Who is most likely to respond? Kim. 26. Who is least likely to respond? Jeff he has typing issues. 27. Living arrangements? House in Wi. with my husband and 2 cats. 28. When was the last time you cried? Oh just last night... Watching what about brian - funerals get me every time real or make believe.... 29. What is on the floor of your closet? Shoes and a ton of scrapbooking and beeding bins. 30. Who is the friend you have had the longest? Laurie. 31. What did you do last night? Talked to my sister on line - she lives in Australia... watched some tv afterwards. 32. Favorite smell(s)? Fresh cut grass. Roses. Fresh lilacs. Fresh towels out of the dryer. 33. What inspires you? Crafty people - the ones it just comes to naturally. 34. What are you afraid of? Heights, spiders, cows, ratcoons - i guess i have a nature issue. 35. Favorite food? Lobster on the grill- YUM. 36. Favorite car? Mine when it runs good. 38. Least favorite person right now? New supervisor. 39. How many years at your current job? 7 40. Favorite day of the week? Saturday. 41. Where you WANT to live in? Paradise Island - the name says it all.