In my last entry, I was going to kick butt first and take names later. Or something. I can't actually remember now--I just know I was shaking my fist at 2011, threatening it. So far, I think 2011 is not impressed or worried.
Since then, the big news is: we had snow here in Georgia. SNOW! And not just any snow: the perfect storm of snow. Things were shut down, cars were spun out, grocery stores were emptied of milk, bread, eggs, and (oddly) bananas and seafood, cabin fever caused major life wreckage. Not a shovel or grain of salt was left in the metro Atlanta area when all was said and done. After 12 years here, I've learned Georgians simply don't know how to handle stuff that falls out of the sky in mass quantities.
Which means I've done pretty much nada since my last update. Because the entire state owns, like, 10 snow plows. Which means when a perfect (snow)storm comes in they just wait for the sun to melt it until road conditions are passable again. Meanwhile, we all huddle in our homes like blind mole rats hiding from a snake, waiting for the perfect moment to make our escape.
It takes about 7-10 days for frozen precipitation to melt with zero human intervention, fyi.
Here is how I've put this time to good use:
-thought a lot about sending in my application for the the RunforWater 5k race.
-thought really hard about what it would feel like to go outside and walk around some.
-updated my facebook status, a lot.
-read other people's facebook status updates, a lot.
-loitered in unproductive areas of news blogs.
-posted a bunch of pictures to facebook.
-watched massive quantities of Dora the Explorer, Curious George, Go Diego Go!, and Yo Gabba Gabba.
-made Paula Deen's magical peanut butter cookies.
-ate all of Paula Deen's magical peanut butter cookies.
The end, part 1.
I did read one whole, pretty satisfying book (The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton). I so rarely have time to just sit and READ. And I had time to surf the internet a lot, which led me to some pretty awesome places to hang out at. These are generally uplifting and full of informative information about good eats. Like Food 52, and Rachael Ray's website. And Paula Deen's. Did you know Paula Deen will actually let you save your favorite recipes to your pauladeen.com profile AND she will help you do your grocery shopping by creating whole grocery lists, based on recipes you think you might make that week? I would like Paula Deen to adopt me (coughand include me in her willcough).
Also, I signed up at My Fitness Pal, which is a facebook-like fitness place where you record your food/calories/work outs AND make new fitness friends. You get your very own facebook-ish page, and can leave your very own facebook-ish fitness status updates. And if you don't log in for 3 or more days, or well over a week? My Fitness Pal will status update for you, and your status update will say something like: "atlamy has not logged in for over a week. She may need some encouragement."
I've already made 2 new fitness friends over there--one lady who agreed with an assertion I made in my profile bio that everyone should have a free laundry doer/folder/putter awayer in their house, and one lady who didn't say why, but my guess is she saw I needed some encouragement and that was her way. Blessings to you, mysterious fitness pal lady.
Oh, and I started (yet another) blog. It's over HERE. It has nothing to do with anything, but I needed something to do with my mind and hands last week. I really should learn how to knit.
Up for the next couple of weeks:
1-Get out of the house and do something (for the love of all that's holy, ANYTHING) physical.
2-Write Paula Deen. Ask to be adopted.
3-Update my fitness pal account. Send fitness pal love and encouragement to my 2 new fitness pals.
4-Avoid the vending machine at work. It's of the devil.
The End, part 2.
7 comments:
First, my apologies for tormenting you with Dora the Explorer lyrics via FB. In hindsight, that was not nice. (I laughed a lot about doing this, btw. Whew. I have confessed and feel better. Thank you.) I am sorry.
Second, I like the fitness pal (aka healthy FB). That sounds cool, actually. How many people do you suppose log on with VERY IMPRESSIVE status updates simply to alleviate having their status automatically updated for them? Huh. I also really love Paula Deen. I'm so sorry, though, as she has already agreed to adopt me. No word yet on being left in her will - I'll keep you posted (and share - I promise!). Anything that simplifies the whole shopping thing gets a thumbs up in my book. Only problem is that her recipes usually involve 97 ingredients (half of which my children wouldn't eat w/someone else's mouth) and six days to complete. Dang. Great idea, though!
I so hope you do get outside to do some physical stuff. I do. It really is good to do physical stuff, especially when you've been cooped up like a farm-dwelling bunny rabbit for ten days. Ugh. That thought makes me panicky, frankly. Yikes.
On second thought, write Paula Deen. You're southern, so maybe YOU will get the add to the will! And SAY NO to the vending machine - you can DO IT!
Nice post, friend... Post THAT on your status somewhere!
Is it weird if I start out by saying, I love you Amy! Ok, now that we got that out of the way......
I love that you did ALL those things! Fitness pals? Fitness page? Right on! I also love that you love you got a friend who didn't say why but you blessed the ladies. AND Paul Deen (who coincidentally I always misspell as "Dean" ~ she's so not going to adopt me because of this and the will is totally out of the question), WOW, that's good stuff to know. I also want to know how you do all those cool and nifty techni stuff in your blogs.... like I can just click on ________________ and it takes me somewhere else??!!! You are a woman of many talents my friend.
Can't wait to hear about you hitting SEND when you sign up for your worthy 5K. I bet you'll be logging in faster than a speed of lightening on your new fitness page! Yahooooo Amy!
Lastly (but not lastly really because you keep us all on our toes, Lady), I would like to say yes to some of those magical peanut butter cookies. Please and thank you.
Hooray for all your thinking!!
Amester, I just stinkin love your posts man. Seriously. Mostly because I think we share one thought train and it just bounces back and forth between us like a cinnamon and peanut butter cookie flavored bullet train. With little gingerbread conductors. We had a snow day yesterday here in the great northwest Missouri (most of the rest of Missouri also had snow days, apparently because even the most prepared boy scout can't anticipate 18 inches of snow. It wasn't really 18. I think it was like 10. A lot of snow. All at once.) So, I did a lot of thinking about thinking of going outside, and eventually walked with the dogs to the post office, 4 blocks away, and then immediately retired for a nap, grabbing at anything on the kitchen counter on my way. I also took advantage of the darling boy with extravagant braces who offered to plow our drive for $20.00. Done, and done. How about I post to your fb page as soon as I sign up for that triathlon - at least that way we both know we are nearing the point of accountability!
Also, in (random) answer to your question, doner kebabs are greek gyros on steroids. They are the turkish version of gyros and they are heaven on a lightly toasted, crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside pita pocket, with all kinds of saucey, savory things layered inside. How wrong is it that the first thing I think about when planning our trip was when we could hit the doner kebab place? Pretty wrong.
Anyway. Amy, I would be president of your fan club. Mostly to curry favor so I could hit you up when Paula kicks it, but also cause I think you're one funny lady.
And here is my post to your Fitness Pal page: ENCOURAGEMENT HAS ARRIVED.
Go girl!
Steph: not even! I LOVE it when people torment me! It was my family's love language, and it always makes me feel warm and cozy. Also, it made me admire you: that Stephany! She likes BRUCE ALMIGHTY *and* she's got a twisted sense of humor! oooh. I LIKE her!
FYI: on my next fitness pal page status update, that's exactly going to be my update: Say NO to the vending machine.
Tanya: not at all! I love it when people love me (see comment to stephany, above). Plus, I love you too, and so. It works! Also, I'm always typing Dean instead of Deen too. If both of us are doing it, I really think this means Paula's name was actually supposed to be Dean. I bet the hospital messed up her birth certificate.
Also, and, it's super easy to link to other websites (you highlight some words, go up in the little bar where it shows you the font/text size/etc, look for the little chain link symbol, click it. A box will pop up and you just enter the website address, click done or save or whatever, and booyah! You look all fancy pants technical and stuff!).
I'm really trying to work up the will to hit SEND on the 5K run application. Once I do, I will let everyone know this. It's a struggle of wills between Healthy Amy and Lazy Amy. Healthy Amy wants to just do it! Go for it! Get moving! Lazy Amy knows Responsible Amy will make her get off the couch and start moving and stuff so she doesn't waste 25 bucks...and that is the opposite of what Lazy Amy wants out of life. Lazy Amy is all about wasting time...and money.
Katie: Well, I'm so sad to find out doner kabobs do not involve cinnamon or sugar or cinnamon sugar. The term doner just makes me think: cinnamony. But greek gyros on steroids do sound yummy, too, particularly on a cold windy day. And if there's lots of sauce involved.
Man, if GA ever got 10 inches of snow, we'd be housebound for a month, possible 2 months. I'm going to hope that we don't see 10 inches of snow here until July, when we're all on summer break. (And I'm really impressed that you walked 4--FOUR!--blocks in the snow. And that you found someone else to do your snow shoveling. That shows fortitude and genius!)
I'm really excited someone wants to be a president of my fan club! I've been looking for a good leader for years. That last one was a little shady. (*sigh* It was my mom...I'm not legally permitted to talk about it, though.)
Thanks, ladies!
I just read the comments, and yet again, realize all my typos / misspellings.
Paul = Paula
Why can't I get this fabulous woman's name right?? Yes, her b.c. is soooOO wrong, I'm certain, but I still love our "Paul Dean."
Lightening = Lightning.
THANKS for the technical support too! Woo, it's not every day I learn something...... yay learning!
:)
So, you've been hiding like a blind mole waiting for ice to melt without human intervention. That is beautiful. This is how I know you're a writer.
Every time I read your posts, I think, "Amy is so clever and so funny." Every time.
2011 should still be scared now that you've had some time to rest and build up your momentum. You are now spring loaded. Coiled. Ready to explode like a cheetah after a wildebeest.
Fitness pal sounds great! Go for it!
Down with vending machines!
Your posts are always so much fun to read. I bookmarked your new blog into my Daily Blogs folder immediately. Thanks for sharing the link with us.
Wow. Did you ever get some serious snow. Yipes! I think that one thing people in constantly snowy regions don't understand about folks getting unusual amounts of snow for their area is that we are not as prepared for snow as some states are. Oklahoma is broke and very little money is budgeted for snow clean-up, so it is the same scenario you describe here when it snows. The streets don't get plowed and the grocery stores get cleared out. Annoying.
So I'm sorry you've been trapped in the house playing the Wait Until It Melts game, but it sounds like you're being productive and enjoying the time. Reading and computer time are good stuff. Yay, you!
Mmmmmm... peanut butter cookies. I crave those all of the time. And oatmeal chocolate chip. Cookies... why ya gotta be so delicious?
Let us know how the Fitness Pal membership goes, if it is motivating and helpful. New friends and more encouragement are always good. (For example: The COFFEE Project.)
:) xoxo.
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