gigglechick.com

don't forget to Rabbit, Rabbit first thing in the morning (since it's my birth month, it's extra lucky for me)

okay. my pc is still at "the doctor". praying that i get it back on monday.

i've been hooked on watching The Biggest Loser reruns on Style network.

so, prior to me picking up my dinner from Outback (salmon & steamed broccoli) i headed over to barnes & noble and picked up a diet journal and an exercise journal.

then as i was looking up calories for the stuff i've chowed on today, i went to CalorieKing.com and wound up signing up for their thing (for a year) - yes, i am also on the weight watchers site and sparkpeople (i'm kinda inactive on there)

anyhoooooooo... i'm chilling here at home tonight watching the Blue Collar Tour guys (actually, i like them. do not beat me to death) and reading and seeing how i can become anorexic for a week (JOKE. there's no way in hell.)

oh. and i'm addicted to swelltown.

(i bet y'all are happy that my pc is dead and i can't do the vlog - hah.)

okay - my machine is back in my hands (thanks Dan!)

all of my files are fine and dandy.

the only things i've lost are... umm... EVERY PROGRAM/APPLICATION that i had on my machine.

not good.

in any event, luckily, i've had a little saved up from work... so, i had to go ahead and purchase Creative Suite 3 Web Premium (i need to upgrade to the Master when it comes out next month)

so, i've gotta download it and then bust ass with catching up with work today.

i don't have any frigging sound now that i have my pc back.

i've reinstalled the sound card thing from the dell site. nada.

UPDATE 6:55PM: Dan the computer guy called me and told me to remove some black plastic thingy (yes. a thingy. my word, not his.) off the back of my cpu... i can hear!!!! woo.

well, i'm now addicted to Twitter.com

i know you get my yapfest on my site here, but i'm starting to also post some crap on http://twitter.com/gigglechick

so follow me on there (sign up. free.)

OH!! and one of my clients, Jane Condon, is going to be on LCS. (click here to find out more - and also add her on myspace.com)

so, i broke down and bought a bike yesterday. okay, i already had a bike --- since i was 21. and it's been in storage for years and i've used it twice --- it was a nice bike. men's bike though and i kinda was afraid to ride it in philly and jersey city and it's gotten rusty and i forgot about it in storage.

yesterday, i went to the doctor (the chick doc.) and i'm 208. granted, i am less than the 210 i was when i started ww in january, but, still... i'm more like gigglechunk right now, rather than gigglechick.

sidenote: my doctor rocks. see, i've not had health insurance since i left my last job in september. since starting gigglechickinteractive.com - while i am making a living, it's pretty frigging expensive, this health insurance thing. yes. i know i need it. it's like $600/month though. so i am working my finances. (yes. just bought a bike but it was like $120 off the original price.)

blah blah blah... doctor. see, i'm on the anti-baby vitamins - of course, for the past year they've only been working as a calendar for me. but they're $50 a pop each month.

the doc - did i mention awesome - with red hair (married though.) - gave me SIX months of samples of my ABVs.... that's $300 worth of samples. he rocks.

where was i? oh. right. fat. so i went to the storage place yesterday to check out my old bike. it really needed a lot of work. i took the bike home. it was rusty. the tires were both dead. the chain was, well, tetanus waiting to happen. my mom bought it for my birthday in '91 probably spent about $400 on it. but it was going to cost me a lot to get it repaired.

so, i went to the Sports Authority (not my favourite place) and checked out some bikes (the kid working there sucked and had no personality and didn't have to really work at all because i pointed the bike out. but whatever.)

bought the bike above.... it's cute.

i need to ride this beast. last night i rode for 5 minutes around the complex here. winded.

this morning i took 5 minutes and rode. winded.

during lunch, i rode for 4 minutes. winded. my legs are burning. that's sad.

but anyway... baby steps pedals.

for right now, i am only riding around the complex. the road that our condo is off of is really busy. otherwise i'd ride on there. i USED to live a couple miles from the beach and wish i still did - would've been great to just hop on the bike and head there.

so, right now, i am going to get in a little shape riding around here for a little bit and guess i can slap the bike in the back of the Phooka and drive near the beach and ride there.

i have to fix the height of the seat (the teenager that sold me the bike did nothing and i don't know a lot about bikes so... whatever. it was really impulsive. should've gone to brielle cyclery instead)

6 mins Cycling 10 mph -51 calories
4 mins Cycling 10 mph -34 calories
5 mins Cycling 10 mph -42 calories
5 mins Cycling 10 mph -42 calories
Exercise Total -169 calories burned

yes. i know that it's broken up into 4 different "rides" but if i start out by killing myself, i will drive the new bike over to the storage place again.

i know it's only a few minutes each time but it does total to 20 minutes.

my legs hurt and i really don't over do it for now. at least i am out there attempting to move. right?

what the fuck!?

i'm going to whack somebody.

did they forget to add the super super hush hush secret last scene??? really? that's what they're frigging going with? journey? no bruce? seriously. badda bing blah

on my TAN!!!

well, that and my regular work work. this is the first time i've brought my laptop outside though. hadn't even occurred to me to do so before.

so am sitting in the beach chair, coppertone spf 8 on, and am getting laptop tan lines on my thighs (oooooh sexy geek, aren't i?)

of course, my keyboard is scorching and i think i've burnt off my fingerprints

okay, the more i think about the ending, the more it's growing on me.

bastards. i'm still pissed though.

okay... let me preface this entry with a "if you are somewhat squeamish, you might want to leave now" and a "if you prefer a little mystery about me, do not read any further..."

that said.........................

weighed in on CalorieKing.com. today i am 202 - got "yelled" at (in writing) by CK this morning because last saturday when i weighed in, i was 205. of course, i got "yelled" at last week, too. because i started at 208.

hey, that's one type of yelling i can deal with "you're losing too much weight!"

heh.

(of course, i also log my weight into the weight watchers site and it gave me a big picture of a trophy for my weight loss.)

ALLI ARSE UPDATE: all quiet on the western front. no skirmishes

happy father's day to all that it applies to.

i am heading to my dad's today for a little brunch/lunch deal with him and my stepmother.

i don't know what she'll be whipping up, but, i am pretty confident that it'll be on the healthy side (she's been on a health kick lately.)

last night, my cousin and i went to Chili's for dinner and then saw Knocked Up

looooooved that movie. very cute.

anyway, did the chili's thing - went for the garlic lime grilled shrimp (loaded with oil) and black beans and broccoli (hey a girl needs her fiber even IF there's the threat of exploding at any moment) --- but then had a few handfuls of kerry's popcorn (with sno caps on it. oh yes, sounds disgusting but it's fantastic.)

so, there i was with a fat intake of over 23g for that meal.

sitting in the middle of the theatre. the packed theatre where IF anything happened, i would have to climb over the chattering high school girls who were stick thin and the goofy-eyed couples all kissy-faced.

so, there i sat. watching the movie.

and waiting.

waiting.

was that a gurgle?

no. *whew* okay... keep watching the movie.

did i just feel my intestines kick? crap am i experiencing sympathy kicks with Izzy from gray's anatomy?

no. all is quiet - the bowels were content watching the movie. not a creature was stirring.

it was all in my head.

i am pretty much thinking that it's taking a few days to "get into my system" and then - probably just in time for my birthday - i am going to have to invest in "Oops! I crapped my pants!" diapers.

Yours, living in fear -
GC

PS - i'm actually feeling great because of the low fat intake. i'm not feeling stuffed to the gills after each meal (hopefully will get under 200#s by thursday as a birthday present to myself.)

okay - no "alli-oops", but, i had a drive-like-a-nutjob-to-make-it-home-in-time-and-run-to-the-bathroom episode.

i haven't checked, but, i'm gonna place bets that i am 12 pounds lighter... if you catch my drift.

*ahem*

so as of way early this morning i am 200.5 pounds

so, i think i am going to head back to a WW meeting on monday. it's been a while since i actually went IN for a meeting (basically have been logging my info online)

as of this morning i'm 200.3 (0.1 lb away from a 10 pound loss since january :} of course, it'd be nice if i could get under 200 pounds for my birthday tomorrow. would looooove to see the 190s again (it's been since october i think)

yes, it's been a very weight loss-centric blog the past week, hasn't it? ah, i'd apologize, but, hell, it's been part of what i've been up to lately.

it's either hearing about that or hearing about me sitting at my computer working.

maybe i'll do a full frontal and profile nekkid vlog to show the before images of me (no.... i won't do that... don't need y'all to get sick.)

that said. back to the ol' grind.

still 36 years old for 7 hours and 45 minutes.

man. that's gonna be a lot of candles.

sweeeeet!

my scale gave me the BEST birthday present... 198.7

i'm in the 100s again (of course, i'm going to lunch at the Union Landing with my cousin, so, eh, I'll probably be over 200 again, but the offical weight this morning is in the 190s and i am sticking with that!)

by the way ---- besides my future brother-in-law, Prince William, who is celebrating his 25th birthday, there are others who share MY day :}

go wish Susan at FizzySodaPop and Lorna at LornaGrl a very happy birthday!!!!

glad to share it with these ladies!

*** i am being obnoxious right now to my mom because she's still asleep and i want my presents. singing "IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!!" at the top of my lungs is a nice wake up alarm, right?

feeling great! no weight loss today, basically because i went slightly crazy yesterday with the food --- not "crazy" crazy, just crazy.

went to lunch with my cousin kerry and friend jen over at the UL patio for the bday. had crab wontons (little wonton ravioli things filled with crab dip and spinach then fried and then you dip 'em in a sweet thai sauce thing. loooooooooove 'em) and then had a soft shell crab sammich.

then for dinner, mom, beri and i headed to the Circus Drive-in for dinner (that's where i wanted to go.) When we left the house, the top was down and it was nice out. by the time we got to the Circus, it was pouring rain (i'd stopped earlier and put the top up.)

midway through the meal, the thunderstorms stopped and for the first time in my life i saw a FULL - beginning to end - rainbow. not just a half of one, but an honest to goodness 18 mile wide rainbow... it was brilliant and beautiful and not for nothing, it was definitely a birthday present from my Poppy & Nana and Grandmom & Grandpop...

(yeah that sounds nutty, but, it was something i felt in my gut.)

anyway.. had another soft shelled crab sammich at the Circus and, eh, a cheese steak on garlic bread.... yessssss there were treatment effects from the Alli later (especially after my hot fudge sundae from Baskin Robbins)

when I got home - I checked the mail and there was a letter from President Bush wishing me a happy birthday (yes. it was on official WH stationery) and a photo of him that was signed "Erin: You're doing a heck of a job. - W"

heh. brilliant!

anyway - i want to thank every one of y'all who wished me a happy birthday!!!!! you made my day!

thanks!!!!

awesome weekend, folks! saturday i went up to the city (that's new york city, kids.) and went to the Comedy Cellar with my friend annmarie. My one client, Tom Papa, got me into the sold out 9:15 show (tom, gregg rogell, jim norton, greg giraldo and a couple of others) then i hung out after to meet up with one of my other clients that i do some design work for - you may have heard of a fella named Dave Attell (he's the bearded one. Tom's the googly eyed one. click for larger photos...)

 

so we're sitting there at the bar and dave bought us cheesecake - which was deeeeelicious. of course, i had the fear of Alli kicking in and me crapping the cheesecake out right there and then at the bar.

luckily, that didn't happen :}

was introduced to a few other comedians, i gave my card to, so it'd be keen to get a call for a site or two.

sunday i went over to my friend fran's house to meet up with her and my friend jude. we're going to boston in a few weeks. so, we did some dinner and yapped about what day we're doing the Freedom Trail.

Lo and behold, they brought out an ice cream cake to celebrate my birthday (again... fear of Alli... but i ate a piece... or two :}

it was all very keen.

in any event, cheese & ice cream cakes and mexican food be damned....

i'm now 198.3 as of this morning. for an 11.9 loss so far --- woo!!

(here's the spreadsheet...)

and here's the silly little ticker:

that said... i've gotta go crank out buckets of websites today...

it's pouring rain out right now.

just got back from the pool with gigglemom (picture racing home against the weather with g-mom, her walker, 2 beach chairs, 2 beach bags and a cooler of iced tea)

the pool is 25 yards away.

yet it took 5 minutes to walk home in the thunder and threatening skies.

as we opened the door, that's when the first drops hit.

perfect timing.

got some quality sun and swim in though - and it was nice because there were barely any condo kids running about.

i got some color ---- and it feels like the red will be making an appearance in a few hours even though i had spf 8 on... (i have a slight base tan from driving.)

that said... back to work...

so, in 2003, i bought a book called Smart Girls Do Dumbbells by Judith Sherman-Wolin.

I'd followed it for a few weeks, then started dating some guy and wound up putting the book back on the shelf. dumb move.

anywhoooooo... i picked the book back up again this morning... and in turn, picked up my dumbbells as well.

the Day 1 strength training only took about 20 minutes... ish.

I did:
2 sets (10 reps) of classic forward curls [5 lb weights]
2 sets (10 reps) of V-backs [5 lb weights]
2 sets (10 reps) of bench presses [5 lb weights]
2 sets - both arms (10 reps) of kneeling arm rows [5 lb weights]
2 sets (10 reps) of side raises [5 lb weights]
1 set traditional abdominal crunches

i think i am going to have to bust out the Ben Gay in a few days (right now, i feel awesome.)

don't forget to "rabbit, rabbit" first thing in the morning.