Oh my, I've left this place unattended again!! Good thing I'm not looking for an audience yet...I will do that eventually!!

So what has happened since the last time I posted....actually had fun at the business conference in Aberdeen, had another nice loss at my last WW meeting when I expected a gain, got my mom to finally join WW (but shit, she weighs the same as I do now...I cannot let myself make this a competition!!), missed my aerobics class due to voting, got VERY disappointed by the results (I'll miss you Daschle but woohoo to Herseth!! Ugh to more Bush!!), busy with work and school, and other general stuff.

Update for today...I had a nice day at the grandparents...my aunt yapped so long about her boyfriend/ex-fiance problems that they didn't bug me a bit about my life :) Some of the family things can feel a bit like being in front of a firing squad...when are you getting married, what are you doing with your life, blah, blah!! My grandpa looked good...even more hair than the last time we were up...but his sight really has deteriorated...he couldn't even see pictures in an album very well. I could tell he was a bit bothered by that...but another relative kept on trying to make him look at pictures of her grandkids...it's like get a clue!! My mom looked at those pictures and got that funny "Awwwww wish I had grandkids" look :) Luckily, it quickly vanishes when she realizes she'd be considered an even older "old person" to the friends of my 7th grade sister.

I've had some interesting conversations with Paul lately. Last week, we stayed up pretty late talking about the future. We chatted about when we'd like to be married, when kids should come into the mix (he says sooner and I say wait awhile!!), when I should move up there, future aspirations, etc. You know, I don't give him as much credit as I should. He really keeps me grounded and cares about what I'm doing. He's the most supportive person I have right now. And, he really has a great brain when it comes to political issues...he was giving me all sorts of statistics about what could happen because of Bush being in power again. I'm just awed when he goes off into those tangents...the brain is such a turn on for me. Don't tell him I said that...we can't inflate his ego any more!! I asked him once if he knew when we first started chatting...I knew it was in the fall, but no clue when. He is an avid journaler....written, not on the web, and he investigated it for me. November 17th will be our 5 year anniversary. Wow. He is planning on coming here this month (we'll see if it actually happens), so I wonder if something else might happen then too. Gosh, I hope so!

Weight wise---as I said, I'm still losing without too much effort. I know I need to buckle down and do what I say I will. I've said this before, but starting this Monday, I am going to journal all food and exercise done. I could be sooo much farther along...I'm just coasting. Overall, I'm averaging over a pound a week, which is healthy loss, but I know I could improve. I'm taking my measurements tomorrow too...it should be interesting to find out where I am now compared to a year ago. I'm now at the weight I had lost to be at when I had the gall bladder surgery...geez it took me a year to gain and get back to that same point. A bit depressing, but I could have been so much worse off!! I feel healthier, and I know I'm making smarter decisions....I'm making those baby steps...maybe even larger leaps...and I will make my goal!!