Hold-Over Post

Hello, World!

I realized today that it's been over a week since my last post! I've been meaning to post for a while, and I actually have real stuff to say! I have some Godly things I want to blog about, but it's so much easier to write a quick blog about nonesense! Writing a more serious blog takes time and concentration, and even a little planning. I hope to conquer that soon! Until then, I thought I would write a quick post to hold you over!

Updates on my world--the weekend after my last post (so not this past one but the one before), Sandy Curley, my Mother-in-Law, came down to visit us. She came down Saturday around lunchtime and left in the afternoon. She was on her way down to Florida for the week. Lucky teachers and their winter breaks in February! Anyway, we had a great time with her. She took us out to Chili's and La Berry. After she left, we attempted to fish in our pond for the second time. Scott and I have no idea what we're doing when it comes to fishing. We have all this gear and no clue when to use what! Needless to say, we had no bites. Then we read on the front porch for an hour or so. While we were out there, we heard the Williams clan down at the pond. So, we walked back down there and watched Jeff, Brandon, and Dake all three catch fish! Figures.

Last week I was busy with school and work. We also had our first couples group meeting for church. There were 3 couples there (normally there will be one more). The group leaders did a great job planning the activities and discussions, and Scott and I came away with some new perspectives and something to think about during the week. I'm looking forward to seeing God move in this group!

I only lost .7 pound last week. Which means this week (my final week of my 10 pounds in 2 months challenge) I would have to lose 2.9 pounds to meet my goal. I don't think it's going to happen. Even on my best weeks I've never lost that much at once. And this past weekend I had Taco Bell, Mexican, and Arby's. Yikes! Traveling is bad for me! Road food = fat food!

We went up to Atlanta this past weekend to my Great-Grandmother's house. She is actually out of town this week, but we wanted to go up and clean her house for her. She is 87 years old, has trouble walking around, and has poor eye sight. She can't see most of the filth that had accumulated in her house, and what she can see, she may not physically be able to clean. I know she likes a clean house. Growing up, her house was always super clean. So, it was important to me to serve her in this way. So, we went up and fully cleaned the house--dusted, vacuumed, scrubbed the kitchen and bathrooms. It took us about 7 hours. Thankfully my Great Aunt and Uncle showed up to help us once they found out we were there cleaning. It probably would have taken 9-10 hours if they hadn't helped. But the house looks SO much better now. I'm not sure if she'll even be able to tell when she gets there. My second-cousin lives there as well and he's kind of a slob, for lack of a better word. He obviously didn't care to clean anything before, and he didn't help us while we were there. I just hope he doesn't trash the place before she gets back. But even if she can't tell or it's messy again, I know it's a healthier place for them to live just because of all the dust and mildew we cleaned away. I'm happy to provide the service, even if we don't get much recognition. In fact, I think it's good that we don't. So often we serve others but only with the condition that we receive abundant thanks or even returned favors. I don't want to fall into that habit with service and giving.

Now this week I'm preparing to buckle down for an intense couple of weeks! We have our National Youth at Risk Conference coming up next week at work and it's going to be a mad house this week preparing for it. Then of course next week I'll be in Savannah working at the conference for a few days. Also, midterms are next week and I have a lot due between this week and next for school. And, of course, I would like to work out a lot this week to get at least close to meeting my weight loss goal. But today I have to go grocery shopping after work and then hit the books! I also have huge stacks of laundry waiting for me at home. I won't have time for my full gym workout. But hopefully I'll at least be able to do some exercising at home. And on Thursday afternoon I have a dentist appointment, so I may not get in my workout then either. I am most definitely NOT losing 3 pounds this week. Oh well...I suppose I can extend my goal for one week due to the week and a half I had the plague.

So, until I find the time to write a serious post... just know that God has been doing a work in my heart and (as you may have noticed from some of this post) a lot of it has to do with serving others. I look forward to sharing what He is teaching me. Hope this post can hold you over until then!

~Christy

So this good for nothing cold was good for something?

Hi, Folks! Happy Friday to you all! I can't believe it's been well over a week since I caught the plague (AKA a cold)! I'm finally feeling better, getting through the day without multiple doses of Quil (Day or Night as appropriate), and I'm hoping that I will fully have my voice back in time for Sunday morning worship at Connection. Not having a voice has been driving me CRAZY! I sing...a lot. Too much, maybe. And almost always way too loudly. I'm going nuts not being able to sing along with the radio and my new favorite cd The Band Perry. If I have to go to church and not sing along with the worship team, well, I may just...I don't know...something really bad! But I have high hopes. It's been gradually coming back, and I think this is the first day I don't sound like a 100-year-old smoker on oxygen when I talk. Thank you, Jesus!

But, as my subject mentions, the cold was not really good for nothing. Miraculously, I still managed to lose 1 pound last week and 2 pounds this week! This is unbelievable to me because I haven't done anything but lay around! I even had a donut earlier this week! A DONUT!!! All I can figure is the loss of appetite last week, and the small amount of cardio I did this week. I think I did probably an hour total of dancing with Just Dance 2 on the Wii. My other guess--coughing (see lovely picture to the left. That is not me, but probably what I looked like--with flatter hair and paler skin). I'm hypothesizing that it's the best kept cardio secret! I've been coughing my head off for a week and a half. My abs have even been sore from all the coughing and nose blowing! I figure this has to be a great workout. Right? Of course. It's the only explanation. I just think it's hilarious (in a painfully ironic and not really funny at all kind of way) that I work my butt off on an average week and sometimes don't even lose an ounce, then I have a week of barely working out and eat some not-so-healthy foods and I lose 2 pounds! That's the most I've lost in one week since I started this challenge. Go figure. But see, I bet minus the coughing, this would not be the case.

So, are you looking to shed a few pounds? My advice? Embrace the common cold this season! And hold off on the coughdrops!

Picture to the left is of me and Scott--after our colds. Okay, not really. Scott didn't really have a cold...

Procrastination Masked as Productivity

How can you say I'm being unproductive? I'm PRODUCING a blog as we speak! Or rather, as I write and as you read...though the writing bit will be in the past by the time you are reading... See? I'm not only being productive, I'm thinking critically!

I try to defy it but, alas, I am procrastinating. Yes, I am several chapters behind in my reading for my Admin. in Student Services class. Yes, I have a short paper due next week that I haven't started. Yes, I have some group projects coming up that I haven't given much thought to. But you're missing the point of all that I have done! Because already today I have worked 4 hours, gone to the bank, purchased dish soap and sponges for the office kitchen, read through my class notes for Contemporary College Student, taken a quiz over said notes, and...yeah, that's about it. It may sound impressive, but it's really not. That quiz was straight from the notes and took literally 1 minute to complete. I still have 2 hours before my class starts and I really should get going on this laundry list of assignments. BUT FIRST--blogging! :)

I've been really into reading blogs lately. So much so that the majority of the blogs I follow are people that I'm not really close with in "real life." Some of them are acquantances from college like Wendi Nunnery and Emily Haymans, some are people I may have had a class with...or maybe had Bible study with? Today I became a follower of Jenna Secrist's blog, and to be honest, I don't remember how I know her. But we're friends on facebook so that has to mean something! And I even follow people who I don't know at all simply because I happened upon their blogs through Blogger's website. Is this weird? I was thinking today, as I clicked "follow" on Jenna's blog...is she going to think it's strange that I'm following her? Will she think, who is this new follower and why does she want to read about my life? (or maybe she's better than me and actually remembers how she knows me and doesn't think it's strange at all!) But then I decided, it's a compliment. I mean, the surest sign that your life is interesting and your writing is captivating is that a total stranger (or almost-stranger) wants to read it. There's no guarantee about either of these things just because a couple of your closest friends follow your blog. They could be doing that out of obligation! But someone who has no guilty feelings about ignoring your blog entirely--now that's someone you want to capture! At least, these are my thoughts on the matter. No offense to my loyal followers who are in fact my close friends! I appreciate your... umm...followship! :)

In other news, I did manage to lose a pound last week despite the lack of working out! But this week I do not have as high of hopes. Last week I at least had the workouts of the previous weekend to back me up. This week I'm still battling the plague and don't see much excerise in my immediate future. Plus, we went to Ruby Tuesday last night for Valentine's Day and had spinach dip.... bad news! And then we went to La Berry for dessert. Granted, that's better than Baskin Robbins or something, but still. OH--and someone brought donuts to work yesterday. DRAT!

Well, I guess I better go make a dent in that list of graduate school nonesense they call "homework." Actually, I don't usually call it that. Sounds so grade school, doesn't it? I prefer to call it "work" or "studying" or "reading." Homework sounds like writing out sentences from your vocabularly words and then writing the definitions. Ick! Though that would be far less challenging than the items on my agenda...

I'll leave you with this tid-bit of information that my hubby was THRILLED to find out today...Carrot Top's real name is Scott Thompson. That's right...my red-headed husband shares a name with the dreaded Carrot Top! Though I have to say, I got the better red-headed Scott! Wouldn't you agree?



Best of luck on your productivity level! Oh, and if you happen to produce a blog--send it my way! :)

~Christy

Motivation Proclamation

Today I really need to be productive. Every time Scott travels, I think about all the wondrous possibilities of things I can accomplish. I don't have to worry about having dinner ready at a certain time, I can go to bed whenever I feel like it, and I don't have to devote any time in the evenings to just spending with him. In my optimistic mind, this new free time will be filled with Bible study, homework, exercise, and cleaning/projects around the house. I have yet to live out this vision. Every time he travels, I usually become a bum. I put off my homework because I know I can just "do it later." I don't have the energy for working out or anything else, and I resign to planting myself on the couch and watching silly things that Scott wouldn't enjoy like Gilmore Girls and The Price is Right. But this time, I said to myself, was going to be different. Well, it started out well. On Monday I went to work, worked out at the RAC for an hour and a half, showered, did homework, spent some time with God, watched a little silly TV, and then headed to bed. But Tuesday was when the ick struck! I have had a head cold ever since. And the one thing that can render me useless more so than taking away my husband is illness. So, I have done just what I said I would not. I have sat at home on the couch watching silly TV. I have put off homework because I can't find the energy. I certainly haven't exercised. And while I thought I was getting better, last night was rough. I had to get up in the middle of the night and take more NyQuil, rub some Vick's on my chest, and blow my nose approximately 100 times. I have that terrible coughing constantly, loss of voice, and nose that is both stuffy and runny at the same time feeling.

And today was going to be the day that I got caught up on everything I put off during the week! I have an assignment due Monday that I really need to do, I'm several chapters behind in my assigned readings, I was hoping to clean the house, and I was also thinking I could at least Just Dance tonight as a quick workout. But now I sit here on the couch...blogging. The one thing I can say for the day is I've finally gotten some information on the whole Egypt crisis. I was watching The Price is Right which TiVo recorded as a suggestion, and it was interrupted with the news that the president of Egypt had stepped down. Scott had already informed me of this when it happened, but I sat and watch the whole story for about 30 minutes. So, at least I'm connecting to the world, albeit passively.

So, in the words of Good Charlotte...motivate me! I wanna get myself out of this bed!

Maybe Zoe Cat can provide some advice on how she goes from dead sleep to crazy mode in 2 seconds! I could really use some crazy mode right now! Imagine the calories I would burn!

Wish me luck, friends! And I wish you a productive yet restful weekend as well!

~Christy

Head Cold and Cat Naps

It's been a while since I've posted. Grad school is picking back up and I'm at the point where I have real assignments and presentations coming up and stress is knocking at my door and I'm telling it to GO AWAY! In other words, I've been busy. My apologies!

Let's see...last week I lost no weight. Nope, not even an ounce! The Wii told me (+/-) 0.00 pounds! Well, I guess it's better than gaining weight! This week I'm not sure what to expect. I got a really fun game for the Wii called Just Dance 2 (thanks Erin, for recommending it!). I've played it a few times and last weekend Scott and I played on it for close to 2 hours! But aside from that, I worked out for an hour and a half at the RAC on Monday and that's about it! Ordinarily I would have worked out today and hopefully at least lifted some weights on Tues/Weds, but I have had a cold and haven't felt up to moving, let alone working out. On the plus side, my appetite has diminished, so maybe that will have lead to some weight loss!

This week has been BORING! On top of being a sicky, Scott has been in Vegas all week for a conference. Before he left, he surprised me with roses and The Band Perry CD. He really is the sweetest! :) I've been listening to that cd in my car everywhere I go. I'm pretty much in love with it! It was definitely a good pick! But I have been alone this week with no one but the cat to keep me company. She's good company, though. She loves taking naps with me which is pretty much all I did yesterday while I was home sick, other than watch obscene amounts of ABC Family (but really, how obscene can ABC Family be? I mean, I watched Full House, Gilmore Girls, and That 70's Show for Pete's sake!). And other than napping, Zoe Cat is great for entertainment. She runs around when she goes into "crazy mode" and she plays really neat games like, pulling all my clothes out of a drawer or sifting through a bag of socks and always pulling out the exact same pair no matter how hard I try to hide them. Yep, it's loads of fun.

These are some pictures of the fabulous kitty of which I speak. She goes by many names, including Zoe Cat, Dr. Zois, Ph.Z, Zo-Zo, Kitty, and Cat Magoo. Sometimes we also call her a Fool of a Beast.

I'm back at work this afternoon and, thankfully, it seems that everyone survived without me. There isn't even an overflow of things for me to do. I just wish I hadn't taken that day off last week for comp time. Then I could have just used it when I was sick. Now I'll have to work 4 extra hours next week to make up for it. Boo!

Tomorrow I am waking up before the crack of dawn to drive down to Savannah for the Cross-Cultural Counseling Conference. I'm actually a regular attendee, but I told Sybil I would help out with check-in and Pay-at-the-doors in the morning. In exchange, she's letting me attend the conference for free which is a pretty sweet deal considering it would have been at least $85, but more likely $110 for me to go. I just hope my health holds up! I'll be taking extra Vitamin C tonight!

Scott comes home Saturday and I cannot wait! :) Granted, he won't be home until like 1 AM, but still!

In other news, I have decided to see a counselor at the Counseling Center on campus every-other week this semester. I was required to see one for an intake session in order to get a referral to a Group Counseling membership, which I have to do for one of my classes. After meeting with my counselor, and getting the promised referral, we agreed that I might benefit from continuing individual counseling as well. I mean, hey, it's free! Why not? Especially being in these counseling classes that prod at your feelings and try to rough you up! I may need an additional outlet that's just for me.

So, that's what is new with me! I'm currently reading Lipstick in Afghanistan and am loving it! I never thought I would care much for reading about other cultures, but I actually find it fascinating! I'm more than halfway through the book. I haven't decided what I want to read next. Scott and I went to Goodwill last week and bought like 14 books between the two of us and only spent $6! It was amazing! So, we each have lots to choose from! I'm also considering buying a book to read on the Kindle. We got one for Christmas and so far Scott is the only one using it. I'm excited about it, but I love books so much that I find it hard to buy something that's only electronic. I like the idea of holding the book in my hand. But I've been wanting to read The Help and it's only $12 on the Kindle. So, that might be my next book!

I better get back to the grind! Got some conferences to prepare for! And tonight--hopefully I'll be in bed by 9! Only a couple more days until my love returns! Until then...it's just me and the cat.

~Christy