Considering the crack

I think I might be breaking down because it just. keeps. calling. my. name.

I might get a smartphone.

Shussh. Don't tell nobody.

So, here's how this potential breakdown/silent protest against the 24 hour workday came about.

The BF has an iPhone. You've seen them. They're cool. And so daggone functional. Like, oh, we're going out to the mall, let me scroll to Bank of America to check my account balance. Some downtime on the train? Veronica just put up a funny facebook status. Wanna make an appointment to get fitted? Let me check my calendar.

Like I said. Super functional.

And here's how I came to envy it. (I know, horrible, right?)

I'm all about paper planners. I love the idea of writing things down and making notes and being able to flip through pages. But it's becoming a lot less convenient. I'm all on my Outlook tip these days, using the calendar and contacts function and e-mailing up a storm with my boss. So, as I'm talking to a source who wants me to stop by Town Hall on Thursday, I just go to my calendar, type in the info and tell him I'll see him then.

I don't transfer it to the paper calendar. Which becomes a problem.

So when I'm not near my computer, I literally have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing on any given day. I feel like I'm just drifting through space because I don't have those little white boxes (on the teal background, thank you) telling me that I need to check on that child porn case from 2 to 2:30 p.m. I also would love having access to all of my contacts on my phone, especially since with the new position, I spend a lot of my time in the courthouse away from my Rolodex (yes, I was old school until I upgraded) and Outlook contacts.

Now, the obvious problem with getting a smartphone will be that it will cost me money. Probably lots of it over the course of life. Actually, let's do some math.

My monthly bill now is about $60. Which means that for a year, I pay roughly $720 to call and text all the important and/or necessary people in my life. The data/internet/call/text plan I'd have to get from Sprint is about $99, which would up my bill to $1,188.

In case you missed it, that would be an additional $468 a year -- an extra $39 a month.

And I'm not sure I want the committment.

Today, I bugged an AP reporter in court about his (work sponsored) Palm and how he liked it (he's addicted) and talked to my girl over sushi about her Blackberry (she wants me to get one). But I'm not sure. Some of them are kinda ugly. This one seems to do what I want. Not sure how I feel about the design. And everyone and their mama have the Blackberry Curve it seems.

The BF did find this one, which makes me drool. It links your AIM and text message conversations with one person so you can see them in one place. And it's touch screen.

I don't know if I can deal.

A public service announcement

It seems I'd been hearing about it a lot recently.

My sister and her friend mentioned it when I went to NYC for Christmas.

Soraya mentioned it on her blog the other day.

So I figured it was about that time to get a bra fitting.

Thankfully, mine wasn't as *ahem* hands on as Soraya's was. The woman, probably a little older -- if that -- than me, told me to lift my shirt and she measured my band size. Then, with the eye of a woman 3 times her age, she looked at my melons and estimated my cup size.

I doubted her. Oh, I doubted.

Then she brought back two bras so I could try them on for fit. I'll be if they didn't fit absolutely perfect.

I asked her to grab a few bras for me to try on while I stayed in the dressing room amazed that all this time, I'd been wearing holsters where my cups were too small and my band size was too large.

I'll admit it though -- I was admiring myself in the mirror. Amazing what a proper fitting undergarment can do. Amazing.

Within the hour, I'd tried on, let's say, 20 bras, and I emerged from Nordstrom's with a lucky three. I wasn't happy about the bill and change I had to drop to take them with me, but I figured an investment is an investment. Plus, walking around with bras you can't remember buying is not what's up.

So yeah, go get 'em measured. You'll be glad you did.

Healthy Recipe #1

I'm trying out a new healthy recipe at least one time a month so that I don't get high blood pressure from eating fried chicken everyday. (By the way, my fried chicken is so sincere, if you haven't, you need to try it.) So, for January, I adapted a recipe from Paula Deen that I found on Food Network. Here's her version. Here's mine.

2 boneless salmon filets
salt and pepper
garlic powder
Ms. Dash original seasoning blend (thyme, sage, rosemary, are among the ingredients)
lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons I can't believe it's not butter

Spray a glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Divide butter in quarters and place around the greased baking dish. Lightly season salmon with salt, pepper, garlic and Ms. Dash. Place in baking dish. Take lemon juice and lightly sprinkle in the pan and on the salmon. Idea is to just taste the lemon, not be overwhelmed by it. Cover dish with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes or until done to your liking. I served it with rice pilaf and broccoli.

Just a status update:

I'm not doing great on the breakfast thing -- despite the entire cooked package of bacon in my fridge! The other day, I did eat some waffles and juice, though. So that was a success. But then I waited too long to eat again and just ended up eating after I got off from work. Success reneged.

I did, however, manage to work out Saturday and Monday, so I'm off to a good start on the whole "cardio once a week" thing. So I'm proud of that. I'm going to cook some salmon later, and save some for lunch tomorrow, so I can eat when I get hungry instead of having to go to get something or rush home to eat. Baby steps.

The List

You're supposed to bold all of the things on the list you've done. I don't think I've done too badly. Definitely a few more I'd like to try. And a handful I'll do just about anything to avoid.

1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars.
3. Played in a band. (Trombones stand up!)
4. Visited Hawaii.
5. Watched a meteor shower.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain (I was in a car that climbed Mt. Washington)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo (senior year voice class at Hampton)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables (my mom had a garden when I was growing up)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community (I'm counting Shaker Village)
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke (Oh so fresh and oh so clean)
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted (I served as a model for a watercolor class last year)
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies (got the badges to prove it!)
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check (overdraft on debit cards count?)
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Cooking up success...maybe

So I'm going to try to take Kenya and Veronica's advice.

I just finished cooking an entire package of bacon. I'm not going to eat it right now. I put it into a storage bag and I'm going to eat it -- some of it -- in the morning.

I also bought some toaster waffles at the store today. I remember when I went to visit a friend, she ate waffles before work and it amazed me that it was so easy! I figure I might be able to do that.

Anyway, so now, at least I have options. Easy options. Instant oatmeal. Yogurt and granola. Bacon. Grits. Eggs. Toast. Waffles. Now I just have to exercise them.

Anybody got a biscuit?

So, I brought my workout clothes to work today with the full intention of getting my skinny tail on a treadmill. I'm thin, but put me on a flight of stairs and I'll be breathing like Crisco is coming out of my veins by the time I reach the top.

That's not attractive.

But is it wrong to ditch your workout because you're hungry? And you know what the sad part is? Today I actually ate breakfast (strawberry banana yogurt with granola) and lunch (ham and cheese sandwich with tortilla chips and an apple).

So tell me, why, at 7:30 p.m. do I feel like my stomach is going to implode if I don't get something in my belly immediately?

I need to do better about planning for this late afternoon/early evening snack.

Sigh.

Tonight though? That gym bag is staying at my office and I'm thinking it's going to be a DiGiorno night.

Bout time I got '09 in gear

It looks like a lot, but it's not. I'm just very specific with my goals so that each is a step in itself toward fulfilling a larger goal. If I do these things, it'll be easier to cross more of them off come next year!

1. Forgive my father and deal with the issues I've developed with relationships in general because of my relationship with him so that I can stop hurting.
2. Begin yoga/Pilates/stretching 2-3 times a week to alleviate back pain and increase flexibility, strength.
3. Do 15 -30 minutes of cardio at least once a week; work up to two (or three) times a week by July.
4. Sit up straight.
5. Set up a monthly budget cutting out unnecessary expenses and stick to it.
   
6. Set up and begin a payment plan to pay off all credit cards and other debt by July 2010.
7. Set up another savings account so that I can have three: emergency (3-6 months salary); a life happens fund (for unexpected expenses) and a vacation fund.
8. Increase savings contributions to E-trade to finance trip to Spain in fall. Devote tax returns to building up savings reserves and contributing to vacation fund.
9. Do something every month to pamper myself. Get a mani/pedi. Get my hair done. Get a massage. Take a long bath. Buy myself something nice.
10. Try out a new healthy recipe at least once a month. Build up my repetoire to include more than fried foods and fatty sauces.
11. Eat out at a new restaurant at least once a month. Use this time to try different cuisines and experiment.
12. Read. Whatever I want. Magazines. Books. Whatever. Just read.
13. Go see "Raisin in the Sun" at Trinity Jan. 30 - March 30. Go see a show on Broadway with Setta B.
14. Keep clips up and network; send update mailings to potential employees two times a year (March and September, maybe?)
15. Write something that makes me proud, whether it wins any award or not.
    
16. Find an organization to volunteer with and do so, regularly. Can either be one organization with a long term commitment, or various organizations with one time commitments
17. Go on dates with the BF that (sometimes) require more than just driving to Boston and cooking food.
    
18. Take pictures to document life and stretch my creative muscles.
    
19. Start doing crosswords to exercise my mind.
20. Be present at all times. Start each day as if it were on purpose, not an accident.