Sticks and Stones

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

7 days left including today

Let's see last time I blogged was Friday.

Friday night - went to Victoria's party - didn't drink but watched my friends get very wasted. Got annoyed because Felix and Jeff were supposed to meet me after work but then just met each other. I wish I did not get so annoyed but I mean if they didn't meet up - they could have said - see you there. And I realize it is harder to let go of annoyance if you don't have a drink, but easier to not bring them back up later in the night and be all psycho about them...so good and bad. Otherwise - nice to see the peeps. The food was great. German food is so yummy - HOW ARE THEY NOT 500 pounds? Had two non-alcoholic beers - which were ok, a bit odd but ok and I may be off the non-alcoholic brew.

Saturday - chilled and then went to Sacha's b-day party. I had no drinks. Then went to dinner at a cote. Had fun in the smart car - dancing under the stars, in my seat. Good times - good friends. I do love my friends and Jeff the mostest :)

Sunday - Made a cake for my boss's b-day and had an excellent day of walking around and shopping for cake and costume stuff. And books. It was one of those perfect days where things in the world were all in your court. Like I went to Dog Eared books and found 3 books I wanted in the bargain bins and though I have plenty of books....I still went to purchase them. And lo and behold - the bookstore was having a special where all the bargain books were being sold by the pound. So they cost $1.74 - can't beat that. And Jeff made yummy steak dinner! And so on - no drinking.

Monday - went to court for work - so wore a suit. Then had the party and dressed as Marilyn Monroe. I did not make it to the gym. Jeff made home made lo mein which was goody but a little fishy. Watched some TV, read and went to bed. No drinks.

Tuesday - Worked, Watched TV, ate quesidillas that Jeff that were soooooo yummy! Read and went to bed. No drinks.

Wednesday - Went to the gym! YAY! Went to work - the day is not over :)

What else Have I noticed?

People say my skin looks better. I may have lost 2 pounds, but I am not sure....I am not waiting for next Tuesday to re-check as it was likely a fluke.

Friday, September 19, 2008

Fried up on the Day.

Sooo.....what happened this week.

Ok first let's note that : 1) I am very sleepy and 2) I only went to the gym on Monday and No I am honestly not sure they are related b/c I think I am always sort of tired...but I don't know why.

I am still sober.

So Tuesday: Jeff worked late....I did some exercises which were way harder than I thought they would be. Yoga stuff with butt up against wall legs in the air... which i thought would encourage me to go to the gym on wednesday but did not. I had a tuna sandwich which was good - for dinner. didn't drink.

Wednesday: Worked, etc. Read some of my book. Had dinner with Jeff at Slow Club - salad and flat bread which was good. Did not drink.

Thursday: Worked, etc. Read some of a different book, watched the last episode of Grey's Anatomy from last season that I had never seen. Consumed very few calories...though that may be changing today - I am having some sort of chocolate fit today - not Thursday. Cleaned for a bit - that is decedent exercise...

Friday: Work, etc. I walked a lot today. Walked to the court and back - walked all over, may be due to guilt over not getting to the gym - I just realized that. Also was having a very low calorie day but have had sudden chocolate fit in the last hour or so. probably upped the ante by like 300 calories - though that is about two drinks and I am not drinking. Tonight should be a fun b-day party and some German food which is another reason I should not be eating candy...and why i ate a salad for lunch...but so be it.

I have avoided the scale because I fear it is still consumed with lies and information that I will deem useless. I may be forced to fire my scale.

Sober....peace out

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Two is a Day?

So.. the weekend that was brunches.

Saturday - immediately following the blogging, Jeff and I went to Brunch at Slow Club and I had a delicious fried egg sandwich. Jeff napped most of the day.

I baked a double layer chocolate cake as a trial run for my boss's 50th birthday cake.

It took a long time, but i made it from scratch, even the frosting :)

At some point after the hours of baking fun, I woke Jeff up to try it and he LOVED it. So, the trial run was successful and the real deal will be next weekend. I ate a piece and thought it was good as well - very rich.

Now we have this giant chocolate cake, if any friends are around...

Sunday - Brunch at Serpintine with Jeff, Spesh and Astrid. It was their first weekend doing Brunch. i had something called red flannel hash. It was poached eggs, potatoes, beets, and beef brisket with Rye Bread. Very little beef brisket - that was more like a seasoning to the potatoes, which I felt was very deceiving on the menu with listed beef brisket first. So, I expected the menu to be like Ingredients on a box and contain more of the item listed first...this was not true.

That said - the beets were awesome. I have such a love of beets - fresh beets cook up so tasty. This was something that I did not know until I was an adult. But now i love me some beets...mmmm mmm.

Monday - Went to the Gym! Yippee. Well done. Pat on the back. Worked, watched Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill (guilty pleasures), read some more of the book I am reading Indecision and went to sleep.

Should be noted: I also mailed out my loan assistance application.

So - it was a good day.

Tuesday - is today...Jeff got his cast off. Yippee! I may go to the gym after work to try out their pilates class, I am undecided. But my stomach hurts...so we shall see how that unfolds.

Oh and I did not drink on any of these days. My last drink was still at the end of August. I am starting to wonder if alcohol actually has calories....

Saturday, September 13, 2008

The 13th

So, Let's see...Wednesday - did not drink. Worked and made chicken Marsala with Jeff. It was excellent. Learned 1) Pan sauce is very easy and 2) Cook's Illustrated has very good articles.

Thursday - did not drink. Worked, went to Limon Rotisserie which oddly, in my favor, just received its liquor license but is in the two week waiting period and could not serve alcohol. The four of us : Jeff, Travis, Renato and I dined on Peruvian cuisine and enjoyed each others' company. Then we went to the Inner Mission bar. Nato and I have water while Travis and Jeff had beer. The bar was ok, better than I thought it would be since I had never been. It has stadium seats for easy pool table viewing which is very cool and odd :) The water was nearly tepid which was gross and they did not carry any sparkling or bottled water - also a bad point. Nato got very sleepy which was adorable and we all went home. All in all a gold star evening.

Friday - I did not drink. Went to work and then went to the movies with Heather. We saw Vicky Christina Barcelona. I initially want to give it 3 out of 5 stars because the characters were quite fascinating and the film was good. The topic was love and thus too large of a topic to conquer fully. But when I really think about it the movie was about what love means to two specific people Vicky and Christina and one point in time in their lives - the time the spend in Barcelona. In conquering that subject, I give Woody Allen 5 stars. It was very interesting as a time and place perspective on love and clearly the only way the topic of love can really be dissected. It does seem to suggest that these women will continue to view love in the same way, but I think that is the superficial dialogue of the orator and not the truth the movie reveals. Love is amorphous and evolves and never settles, like a house on its foundation. The way it stands and where it stands are necessarily bound to change and grow, like a child to an adult, rather than a house with its additions and remolding, but usually remaining vastly the same form, unless completely obliterated. Though Woody may believe the film shows the exact opposite to be true...I am not sure. Apparently, not drinking has turned me into a film critic.

Then I went home and had steak with Jeff and Felix who drank some wine. I did not drink. We played some wii and discussed Palin for quite some time. This Republican charade that their party stands for the everyman and the democrats stand for the elite is bullshit and superficial at best. Sue me - I don't want an inexperienced governor of Alaska that believes in creationism and only got her passport in the last month or so to run the United States of America. I don't think that is elitist. I think it is smart. Being informed and qualified are good things not those ideas held only by people who went to college or Ivy leaguers. When did the American dream equal - have good hair, get to be VP? I thought it was about hard work, good decisions, and yes intelligent progressive thinking.

The President deals with the lives of hundred of millions of people and a budget with trillion of dollars of debt. This is in no way similar to running Alaska. Alaskans receive checks for oil money every year. This year it will be $2000 - $4000 per citizen. If that does not scream of private interest in drilling for more oil...what does. I am tired of oil running this country into the ground with the help of the Republicans and their lies. I want a change, I want some hope. I want to know that when my country spends $800 billion dollars it means more than a war in a country very far away, the loss of many lives and the potential rights to some more fossil fuel. Mostly, I want to know why more people are not outraged with the choice of Palin. She seems nice and all as a person - on the surface - and has the right to all her opinions; but when it comes down to running to country, I do not want to elect a man that has more money than I could ever imagine who is 90% like Bush and a women who could be my neighbor, if I didn't live in San Francisco. It is great to have neighbors, but I want the smartest person in the room running my country and I don't think that is elite, just an every woman kind of thought. Reality TV is all fine and dandy but this is REAL real life and Really our future. I am fed up with the last decade with the country and feel very sad that this could continue. 9/11 and Bush took a lot away from me and I want it back. I want to be proud of my country and I want to world to cheer for us. I am very damn sure that oil, war and crazy Alaskans are not the platform that I can support.

Saturday - It is only half way through..but I have not had a drink. BTW the scale seems to be stuck, I may have to buy a new one because surely I am due a pound or two in the negative column.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Ahh the arid air

It is so dry in here, it is like the desert.

I really do not have much to report. I am still not drinking. Monday Jeff and I made some Mac and Cheese with prosciutto for dinner that was excellent!

Let's see, what changes have a noticed? Well an utter lack of hang overs. And I do seem to be getting more done, in fact, the loan assistance application is very near completion and was not abandoned because a drink with some friends was more inviting, so that is good.

I painted my nails last night....I haven't done that myself in years.

Otherwise, I weighed myself on Sunday - I think it was Sunday and nothing changed. I did assure this was the case by getting on an off the scale a number of times and wishing really hard for a lower number. I learned that if you kind of lean really hard on the scale it will give you an extra pound or so, uselessly, however; the scale will Not take back a pound or two if you try to imagine yourself floating, also useless.

I also have not gone to the gym this week which depressed me and makes me want to drink. Instead, I plan to pack a bag tonight in order to be ready to zoom zoom out the door this morning.

Jeff and I, mostly me due to Jeff's broken hand, will be making Chicken Marsala tonight...something I have never done - so that will be fun.

Ciao.

Monday, September 08, 2008

Still no drinks

Friday -

No drinks. Though i did help my friend Kev pick out a new bed. Then He and I and my beau headed to a bar and then to dinner. they drank, I did not. I did however try my first ever non-alcoholic beer. It was a St. Paulies girl beer. Spicy but good - sort of tasted like beer. I only had one, but it was certainly less weird to sit in a bar with that bottle than no drink. At dinner I had sparkling water. Other stuff happened but no drinking.

Saturday -

No drinks. I think I re-did my resume for the loan thing....or maybe that was yesterday. I was very very tired n Saturday and mostly chilled.

Sunday -

No drinks. Jeff and I made huge dinner of Pork tenderloin and mashed potatoes. I realized shallots hate me. In fact if a shallot dicer/mincer exists, I should really own one. Oh and I discovered Diet Hansen Soda in Black Cherry which has no calories but tastes fairly yummy.

Today (Monday) -
so far no drinks. I realized my bosses 50th b-day party will be the 22nd...and there will be tons of drinks. I have volunteered to make the cake as a drink diversion. What else? I did not go to the gym today, I am feeling tired. I have made a promise to myself to go Wednesday. And maybe tomorrow. I am very jealous of Kevin's new bed.

The weather is dreary looking - sort - of. that is all I got.

Friday, September 05, 2008

Just to add honest notes as they occur

I seriously could fall asleep at my desk right now.

So it is Friday.

I made it through the work week. No drinks. Wednesday was a bit hard, but I broke my normal habit of going to the happy hour club and went home instead which helped a bit. I also shifted gears and assigned myself the duty of writing the letters that I needed from my firm to start the application process for the loan repayment aid. I really hope I get it.

So I did that and watched a movie. The movie was In The Land of Women and despite having the OC's seth and Meg Ryan and some very cute younger actors, it failed to totally come together. It was ok. It had some great parts, but as my junior high grade teacher used to say "reach for significance". Man, I hated that, every day with that phrase. But I see in this movie, a valiant attempt at significance which really only offered a very usual tasting slice of Americana pie. In other words, the movie has been done before and although it is true to life in many ways, it did not add a new understanding of the world around us - for me. It was quiet and humble and encompassed a lot of Real life issues but not a lot of real life resolutions or high passion. I wasn't moved to create something or driven to a new emotional state. I thought it was good but lacking the significance....that is for you Mrs. Marvel (I didn't even know I could still remember her name....how I despised her then).

Ok so that was Wednesday day. Fairly normal day though I suppose quite different than a normal Wednesday for me. I did crave a drink at about 6 pm but I moved past that as you saw above. It was all good. I think I drink more water now.

Thursday - well Thursday I have my PT for my TMJ which I usually love. And I thought this is the first time since I started going (1 - 2 months ago) that I would go in not at least partially hung over. I was sober. BUT my wonderful, magical therapist was not there. I got another lady and a guy for the exercise part. I did not like it. If she is not there next week I may be drinking the following Wednesday to ensure that if she is, perhaps, just a figment of my demented hung over state - I will get her back. I miss her. So the massage and exercises were not as good...grrr.

Thursday night my beau and I went out for dinner. He drank a few drinks, I had a lot of calistoga. We ate at the bar. I did yearn for a drink here and there. But all in all it was good. I enjoyed the conversation a lot. The food was quite good though they screwed up my dinner and forgot the walnuts and I was looking forward to that part. But my meal was late and I let by-gones be by-gones and took the left over pesto pancetta pasta home. Obviously, I plan to buy walnuts.

And that leaves today...so far, I am fine but very tired. This has nothing to do with the lack of alcohol and everything to do with my little friend aunt flo and probably that weird massage from yesterday.

If you can't handle that information...fuck off.

Ahh but next week flo will be going home or wherever she presents herself...and I will return to the gym. I am excited to see if that feels better on a diet of no alcohol.

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

30 days of Not Drinking Alcohol

What will happen? Will I loose weight? Will I cave? Will I accidentally quit smoking? Why I find a new hobby? Will my life improve? Will I be cooler or more square? Will I still dance as well? Will I be richer? Will I get a raise?

I have no idea. But here we are at day three and I thought I should start the blog which was supposed to accompany the experiment from the beginning. That did not happen. But let me tell you days one and 2 were very uneventful, I highly doubt I would have had more than a glass or two or wine...so nothing has been noted.

Today, however, I generally go to a happy hour party after work. So, I may feel some change. I am not going to that party for a variety of reasons, nearly all of them financial. But having the non-drinking rules in effect makes the temptation easier and will likely result in me completely a large portion of an application that I need to fill out. So that would be a plus...though tonight is still in the future and thus only speculation.

Here is what I am doing: Not drinking for the entire month of September. I fully intend to drink again as of October 1. I want to see what will happen, if anything. Selfishly, I am most curious about the quasi-dieting effects, but I will note anything. I did weigh myself August 31st....I will let you know if that drops or rises.

Cheerio