Skinny Minnie

Diets can be excruciating. I should know. I'm an expert on dieting.
"But you have always been overweight, Diane," you might say if you were being brutally honest with me.
And I would say, "EXACTLY, my rude friend."
But yeah. Those of us who have always battled with our weight know a lot about dieting. I've lost hundreds of pounds over the course of 30 years.
The most fun I ever had dieting was several years back when I worked at the Lincolnton paper. That's right. I said fun and dieting in the same sentence. I've decided that it was my support system that made it so much more enjoyable.
I would go to Weight Watchers meetings with my mom each week and get support from my friends/coworkers five days a week or more. Me and the work gals all subscribed to different dieting techniques, but we ate lunch together and attended work functions together which made it so much easier to be accountable and make the right decisions. Hell, we even split a Snickers bar three ways once!
Since striking out into another county for a job, I haven't had the same level of hands-on support. I know my friends and family still want me to succeed, but they're not watching me, or working out with me, or going to meetings with me.
I gained lots of weight over the past several years. And now I'm losing it. Again.
Since surgery, I've gotten lots of supportive feedback but it still feels like a journey I'm mostly on alone. And that's OK. There are times it's not bad to be independent. I'd have to say I'm a fan of independence.
I still really miss the days with all my girlfriends at the old paper, but everyone has moved on and we're all in different places. I'm thrilled that we're all still friends and I hope to be one skinny minnie by the next time we all reunite (which is feeling like a date in May when a certain someone is getting hitched!).

Not quite the queen

It's been quite an eventful past few days.
Saturday was the celebration of my husband's birth. This was a big to-do (a) because he was turning 40 and (b) because I planned a surprise party.

So I've decided I'm not the queen of the surprise party. I kind of thought I was. But I was mistaken.
I planned this big shindig that included a giant cake, a lengthy guest list, balloons, gallons of chili and the list goes on. The plan also included a moment where I tricked the husband into going to the Parish House that was secretly filled with family and friends all of whom would jump in the air and yell SURPRISE when he walked in the door.
This did not happen.
The secret celebration was extremely hard to pull off. The husband who never plans anything decided to plan his own birthday celebration. He invited our friends to a night on the town - I had already invited said-friends to the real celebration. I had to go around sending messages and explaining the confusion. My busy husband also called ahead to make dinner reservations that I would have to go back and cancel.
But the final bust came when there was a SNAFU reserving the Parish House. The night before the big party I found out that we didn't actually have the building reserved. (I found this out after I had already decorated the joint and locked myself out of the building in the process.)
In the end, I called in a favor, got a room at the Cultural Center, let the husband in on the secret and had a fabulous time.
Sunday we celebrated again because it was the actual birthday. We had tasty seafood and waited for the snow to fall.
It fell.
And fell.
And fell.
Then the ice fell. And froze and froze and froze.
I spent two days working from home in sweatpants and on the couch. It was glorious.
But I also spent that time eating and moving as little as possible.
So today I'm all dressed up... trying to find some stories to write... and excited about going out with one of my girlfriends tonight. And I am totallllyyy thankful we never lost power.
Amen.

Out on a school night

I'm not a gal who goes out on school nights often. Let's face it. I'm almost 40. Those days have mostly passed me by.
But, I broke from my usual mantra (you must be in bed by 11. you must be in bed by 11) and ventured out after work last night for a show in Charlotte. I checked out the Saving Able and Hinder concert.
At times it was obvious to me why I don't go to such events anymore. I felt like an old woman amongst teens and 20-somethings. But then I'd see a gray-haired man or a wrinkled woman and feel a little less like a hag.
So the show was good, though really crowded.

Then came the morning. I woke up on this icy morn, fatigued and with a slight headache. I wanted nothing more than to snuggle up in the blankets and hide until at least 11 a.m. But alas, I am an adult and do not have such luxuries. (Perhaps one day I'll hit on a lottery ticket and this will change.)
The ride in wasn't really treacherous from the rain and ice, but there's certainly a motivation issue this morning. I've finished off one story and conducted a phone interview but with a sluggishness I could avoid in my younger years.
If this is the feeling post-40, what will life be like in the next decade? Should I invest in a heating blanket and more movie channels since I clearly don't belong out on a school night?

Blogging, or the lack thereof

I haven't been the best blogger I can be.
You'd think, being a writer and all, that I could discipline myself to write regularly. Well, you'd think wrong. I can do the work when it's, you know, work. But writing for my personal life has never been my strength.
Nonetheless, I'm trying again after weeks of no blogging.
It was a pretty great weekend. I visited with friends, went to a high school football game and loafed around a bit. Part of me adores the chill of autumn with pending winter, but the other part of me despises the fact that I'm at work, it's 5:20 and already dark out. Why? Why does the time have to change?!
Since I have nothing more pressing on my mind, reasons I like my job:
* I am often surrounded by witty, smart people.
* I get to call up any old body and start asking questions and for the most part they feel compelled to answer them.
* One minute I get to write about an old person leaving the country to do mission work in retirement and the next I am sitting in a court room hearing the gruesome details of a murder.
The thing I don't like about my job:
* Having to go through public relations people instead of directly to the source. Sorry, my PR friends, but it's just true.

Relationships

Oh Halloween, what joy and stress you bring.
I've been having a blast this month. There was a totally fun costume party Saturday night preceded by a whirlwind trip to the state fair.
This week I'm hosting a witchy murder mystery dinner party... and possibly attending another party and then there's the whole need to celebrate my birthday.
I'm really excited about all the gatherings. I've been able to reconnect with lots of friends, which of course is enjoyable.
I've also been really happy with the weight loss process getting back in gear. I've almost lost 40 lbs. This process does not go without effort and sometimes pain. I had a few drinks and snacks that were fantastic Saturday but have made me rather ill ever since. It's Monday afternoon!
Me and food. We're working on our relationship, but right now it's pretty strained.
Below... my favorite photo involving me taken at the party.

Weight, death and runway

The past week has been a typical one. I guess.
On the weight-loss front, I am not happy. I was shedding pounds left and right and have completely stopped. I've decided I'm not following instructions and will begin doing so henceforth. Hello, food diary, I will be in touch.
I've been writing some fun stuff and sad articles lately. For example, yesterday I wrote about a teen who played with a gun and killed himself. I also wrote about a woman who stands on street corners telling people about Jesus.
Today? It's about orchids... and the death of a former police captain.
Ah journalism, I love your variety. Your monetary compensation? Eh, not so much.
On an unrelated note, I look through the Daily Edit on the Observer site just about every day. Many of the photos later serve as wallpaper on my computer. The picture below will not be saved as a backdrop on my computer, but isn't it insane for a runway show?

Road trips and time off

Mary got hitched last weekend in a very sweet, Alabama wedding.
The extended weekend road trip was a little rough given my recent surgery, but I battled through it... and it was certainly worth it.
Not only did I get to see one of my sweetest friends marry the man she loves, but I got to spend time with some friends I haven't seen much in the past year. Good times.
Unfortunately, I actually thought I injured myself for a little while. Apparently this can happen when dancing to Shout followed by Girls Just Want to Have Fun. I was having just a little too much fun, I guess.
Now I'm back to work after 2 1/2 weeks off. Fun Fact: I have not been off of work for more than a week in 17 years!
So even though I had surgery during that time off, it was still glorious to have some leisurely days of laundry, lunching and watching Dexter.
This month is off the charts busy. I'm headed to Wilmington this weekend and the State Fair next week. Parties abound! October is great!
P.S. I've lost 32 lbs. Some clothes I had grown out of are now fitting and it's fabulous!!

This would be some of the aforementioned dancing.