Oh yes I did! Uh-huh.

We took Gidget out for Halloween. People were very amused. She even got a doggy biscuit as a treat from a neighbor.

AND we refrained from buying and therefore eating any candy ourselves.

Yay!

Happy Halloween, all!

Seen scene

Here's a random sampling of the random stuff I see on my walk between the metro and my office. Usually in front of the court buildings. Or the police headquarters.

First we have Daddy/daughter tailgating. All they need in there is a microwave to cook the popcorn to go with the show (I think they were watching The Family Guy).



And then there's this t-shirt. I think the guy wearing it is a marshall.



In case you can't read the name of the elite law enforcement team of which he is clearly a proud member...



Ah yes, a glimpse of life in our nation's capital.

The Pudge Report

H>-------------*------------------------------->G

The verdict after five weeks? Down 14 lbs. Not quite the 15 or 3/week rate that I had had, but still not too shabby, especially considering that I ate out three times in the last three days and had my period.

All things considered, I'm quite happy. I realize that the weight-loss will slow down eventually, especially if I don't crank up the exercise (which I haven't).

Monday morning haiku

How ‘bout them Red Sox?
Truth? I’ve had enough baseball.
"Done in four" was good.

We were watching baseball all of the time, practically every night, especially when you add up all the post-season play. And as much as I love SM and support him, it was getting to be too much for me.

I am glad to be going back to our regularly-scheduled drivel programming. Even better that the Red Sox are also World Series Champs again! I don't think they have too much to whine about anymore.

Now, what about the Cubs? I'd like to see the Cubbies win one.

Tagged!

Zuska tagged me with a meme. I feel honored. She usually doesn't tag but instead extends an open-ended invitation to all to partake.

Tag received, and here goes!

1. Name one person who made you laugh last night.
Gidget? She's not a person, but she often cracks me up. I guess the answer would have to be SM since we didn't go out or do anything of note last night (and neither Colbert nor Stewart were on).

2. What were you doing at 0800?
Sleeping.

3. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
Blogging -- or reading blogs.

4. What happened to you in 2006?
I took and passed the Maryland bar.

5. What was the last thing you said out loud?
"Okay" -- to SM as he took Gidget out for a walk (it's between innings in the World Series, so he's taking advantage of these few minutes to take care of her business).

6. How many beverages did you have today?
Hmmm, two cups of coffee. Many glasses of water. One diet coke.

7. What color is your hairbrush?
Purple!

8. What was the last thing you paid for?
Lunch for SM and I today at a cafe.

9. Where were you last night?
Home.

10. What color is your front door?
Black.

11. Where do you keep your change?
In my wallet.

12. What’s the weather like today?
Gorgeous, sunny and perfect. Gorgeous blue skies with a slight breeze. Just lovely.

13. What’s the best ice-cream flavor?
Coffee toffee crunch. Mmmmmm...

14. What excites you?
How? I have to admit that I get into politics. I also shop victoriously and sometimes get excited about that.

15. Do you want to cut your hair?
Just did. Today. About three inches. It looks much the same as before, except more sleek and less... um, "I don't give a shit".

16. Are you over the age of 25?
Oh yea. I don't even remember 25.

17. Do you talk a lot?
Oh yea. Oh yea. Oh yea.

18. Do you watch the O.C.?
Uh, no. Never seen it.

19. Do you know anyone named Steven?
Yes.

20. Do you make up your own words?
Yes, I have. In both English and Japanese.

21. Are you a jealous person?
Nah.

22. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘A’.
Allison. Because "A is for Alison".

23. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘K’.
Karin. Karin and Allison are among my very best friends.

24. Who’s the first person on your received call list?
Daphne.

25. What does the last text message you received say?
I almost never get text messages.

26. Do you chew on your straw?
Nope.

27. Do you have curly hair?
Not really. My mother does, though, so I have wavy hair.

28. Where’s the next place you’re going to?
Jewelry-making class tomorrow! Yay! It's gonna be fun!

29. Who’s the rudest person in your life?
My boss's boss. But he's rude in a funny way, so I don't mind.

30. What was the last thing you ate?
A blueberry lemon dessert bar (a nutrisystem dessert).

31. Will you get married in the future?
Probably.

32. What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the past 2 weeks?
Eh, I dunno. I don't know if I've seen a movie in the past 2 weeks.

33. Is there anyone you like right now?
"Like"? As in the junior high school meaning of it? No. But I love SM.

34. When was the last time you did the dishes?
Right before dinner tonight.

35. Are you currently depressed?
Nope.

36. Did you cry today?
Nope.

37. Why did you answer and post this?
Because I'm a lemming. Okay, that's not true. But I was tagged, and I'm happy to participate in memes. It gives me something to blog about. But this meme kinda sounds like it was originated by a high school student...

38. Tag 5 people who would do this survey.
Hmmm, Zuska tagged several others I might have tagged... So then, how about Scooter, Kristine, Betty Joan, Nell and Liz (if she's still reading my blog).

AND, feel free to change out one of these questions for anything else you want to ask and answer.

What we are all doing tonight.

As if you couldn't have guessed.

Snip

Getting my hair cut today. I have no idea what I'll look like in a few hours. I won't have my gray roots any more, but who knows? I may have bangs. I may lose 10 inches of hair.

Check that, I don't think I'm willing to go that short.

But then again... I'm going to ask the stylist for his ideas. I need something new and different, and I've had the same haircut for many years. Even when I get my hair cut, it's the same cut. Then it grows out long, very long. Then I get the same layered cut again.

This time, something different?

We'll see.

Now reading...

I finished my book club book yesterday and was all antsy to pick up something immediately.

So I did.

I am now reading The Birth House by Ami McKay.

I'm only about a dozen pages in, but so far, I am finding her story and her writing to be very engaging. I know this tale is going to be fraught with emotion. I'll probably end up bawling at some point.

I'm a sucker for good, compelling writing that way.

Because I haven't done one of these things for a while

Stolen from Zuska...

What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Book Snob   You like to think you're one of the literati, but actually you're just a snob who can read. You read mostly for the social credit you can get out of it.
Literate Good Citizen
Dedicated Reader
Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm
Fad Reader
Non-Reader
What Kind of Reader Are You? Create Your Own Quiz

I think the "non-reader" points came from the fact that the first thought through my head if an airline lost my luggage would be nowhere near "oh thank goodness I have lots to read!" Pffft.

I'm boring.

Been in training all week. Off-site without a computer. How am I supposed to blog or watch my eBay auctions if I'm at training all day? Sheesh.

Basically my life is training, the diet and the World Series (GO SOX!). Oh, throw in a few loads of laundry here and there and maybe a few dishes. No, don't include any cleaning or real work. Nope, that's not part of my program these days.

It sounds like a rut, but it's more a function of work circumstances... But for the training, I'd be busy enough at the office.

And, I am getting a new 'do this weekend. Thanks to Betty Joan for the recommendation. I trust that I will be in capable hands. Which, come to think of it, that's kinda... illogical? I've never met Betty Joan, nor have I seen her hair. Yet, I do trust the recommendation. I trust her. And, I know a great deal about her -- probably as much as some of her work colleagues. She's a blogger who is like a friend because I have a friendly email/IM relationship with her, despite never having met her. And I feel an affinity with her. Kinda like how fans relate to celebrities and feel they know them because they watch them on TV. I "know" Betty Joan because I've read her blog. I know she's a friendly gal 'cuz she offered me her extra tickets to the MD swearing-in ceremony when I couldn't come up with enough.

Is there a word for that? For "friends" you've never met. Kinda like the updated technological version of a "pen pal" but because of blogging...? If not, there should be.

Blogpal? Blogbuddy?

For the record

I have officially passed SM in the weight-losing. He's down 11.5 lbs., and I'm down 12.

Of course, he's only 3.5 pounds from his goal, whereas I'm more like 35, but I'll still take it.

The Pudge Report

H>------------*--------------------------------->G

I'm steady-on at 3 lbs. a week. After 4 weeks, I'm down exactly 12 pounds, despite a brownie and ice cream for dessert on Sunday. It was yummy, but it was also so rich after being on this diet that my stomach rumbled and grumbled back its displeasure at me later that night.

And the next morning.

But I'm back on the program. And I don't mind the food, for the most part.

This week, I'm in training off-site until Friday afternoon. I may have to pop back into the office once in a while, but I won't be in front of a computer much.

Monday morning haiku: the evening edition

All day in training.
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
Oh yea, I was bored.

The good part of the day was that it finished at 4:00, and I went home from there. Gidget sure was happy to see me (well, to be honest, she's always happy to see anyone 'cuz she just wags that way), and so we went for a short walk around the block.

Tomorrow, however, I'll have to go back to the office afterwards. Poop.

Verdict? Law school is bad for your health!

Or, well, it seemed to have been bad for mine. Since I started law school, studied for and took the bar and then went a job-hunting, I have put on the pounds.

SM and I were talking about our collective weight-loss the other day... At our last weighs-in, we have lost approximately a collective 22 lbs. Not too shabby. I can feel the difference in my pants, which is a very happy thing.

Anyway, I was telling him about my mental benchmarks, distinct times that I can recall as "expansionist periods". Specifically, when I was unemployed; studying for the bar and law school generally. Since I'm a stress eater, I had a tendency to take out my dismay by power-eating chocolate. I never took off the weight from those periods.

Not exactly healthy. But I didn't care.

Well, I am doing something about it now. And I have to say that I've enjoyed the discipline of it. Not buying lunch every day has also had very positive effects on my credit card balance. Yay.

Anyway, SM asked me how much I more I needed to lose to hit my benchmarks, and while I don't remember what exactly I weighed at those times, I can guess.

Benchmark #1: unemployment
Readers of this blog will remember that I was not working but job hunting hard for about 4 months. True that I was out of a job for longer, but I took the summer off, figuring that it was basically futile to look for work in DC in August.

During those months, I definitely felt sorry for myself and indulged in whatever I wanted to help me feel happy in the short-term. And I gained weight. No, I didn't take the opportunity to exercise or do something productive. I was in a funk. Chocolate goes well with a funk.

Anyway, for me to get back to my pre-unemployment weight, I will have to lose about 2 more pounds, for a total of approximately 13 from my peak weight (H).

Benchmark #2: studying for the bar
I took off about two weeks from work to seriously study for the bar. I also took the prep courses, so my total study period in prep for the little quizzie was about a month and a half. Since I had a very flexible work schedule, I probably had more time than most to study, but I wasn't terribly disciplined about it. In fact, I was downright lazy. L-A-Z-Y. And I like when I was unemployed, I ate anything I wanted to give me respite from the stress.

And I gained weight. In fact, I don't know anyone who didn't gain weight while studying for the bar.

I don't remember exactly what I weighed before the bar prep began, but I'm guessing I put on about 10-15 pounds over two months, plus the holidays (I took the February bar). If I assume something in the middle of that range, that means I need to lose another 14 pounds from where I am now (or 25 down from my peak).

Benchmark #3: law school
I used to be in good shape. I used to have a good shape. Then I went to law school and messed everything up. Since I went to school in the evening, everything in my routine got thrown outta whack -- especially my sleeping and eating habits. Which led to the poundage.

Again, I don't remember exactly what I weighed when I started law school, but I have a guess. I think I probably put on about 10 pounds during law school, which isn't too bad, except that I never took it off. And then I added to it.

So to hit benchmark #3, I need to lose another 24 pounds from where I am now (or 35 from my peak weight).

I don't know when I'll hit these benchmarks. It seems likely that I'll make #1 in the next week or so. The bar weight will take longer. And it may be simply unrealistic for me to get down to my pre-law school weight. After all, I was six years younger then. Despite that, my goal is actually to lose more and get down to my "thin but not skinny" weight. Again, might be unrealistic, but we'll see.

I'd be happy to lose another ten by December, and I think that's completely do-able.

Once again...

The Sox wouldn't be the Sox if they didn't stress out their fans and string the series along to the 7th game.

Motion: Denied!

Oh well. Looks like I'm back on track to propound discovery*, um, by Sunday. Ooops.

Stupid judge.


*which means writing the interrogatories, requests for production of documents and admissions. Also, noticing the complainant for deposition. In other words, lots of paperwork.

Just because

SM sent me these... he says because he hasn't gotten me flowers in a while.



Awwww!

My camera phone doesn't do these justice. They're even more vibrant and wonderful and smellilicious in person.

For the record

I filed my first motion ever today. Yay!

The Pudge Report

H>---------*------------------------------------>G

Down 9 lbs. after three weeks! So I'm pretty steady at 3 pounds a week. That's fine with me.

New 'do, here I come... I am going to make an appointment for a cut and color for this weekend. Yay!

Monday morning haiku

Diet hit three weeks.
SM hit the ten pound mark.
I hit the ice cream.

Okay, that third line isn't true. I haven't indulged in the creamy, rich, succulent, smooth, delectibleness that is the almost hedonistic flavor of... oh, where was I? Oh yea, no ice cream in at least three weeks. I did have a small piece of apple pie last night. But I had to. Mom made it for me! For me! And it was gooooooooooooooooooooooooooood. But we retained control. We each only had 1/8 of a small pie. Hey, apples -- that's fruit, right?

Anyhoo...

So, this is the start of week four for us. We have three weeks under our belts which is helping to keep things from hanging over our belts. SM has indeed last ten pounds. I'm very proud of him, and he is just thrilled. He has only 5 more lbs. until he makes his goal, and I, we expect that he'll get there in the next two weeks. Meanwhile, he has also earned free dog walking coupons.

I, on the other hand, don't weigh in until tomorrow. I don't expect to be at 10 lbs., but I am hopeful to be at 8 or 9. That's realistic. I still haven't incorporated any exercise into this little regimen. Bad. I know that at some point, the weight-loss will grind to a halt without the exercise. But getting my butt to exercise is even more painful and difficult than the exercise itself.

Ugh.

Meanwhile, I've got to go and scam me some java juice.

Happy Adoption Day, Gidget!

Today is Gidget's adoption day. We got her a year ago. One whole year. Hard to imagine life without our stinky, little, fidgety, loveable, sweet, affectionate, highly food motivated chow hound. And so much change in that year... her, my new job, our new house, just to name a few.

A year later, we adore her more than ever, even if she is smelly.

For Gidget's "birthday" (she's approximately 6 now), we took her to the vet. Hard rocking good times never end here are the SS/SM household! Woo-hoo!

Poor Gidge has an ear infection and some other skin issues (she's allergic to all sorts of things). We also got her weighed, and the diet we put her on has dropped the extra few pounds she had put on recently. Wish my diet were as effective! Then again, I'm not interested in eating exactly the same thing for every meal, every day even if it is duck and potatoes (yes, that's what's in her kibble -- because she's allergic to the fillers in most dog foods).

Other than that, it's another ordinary day around here. Laundry. Blogging. Procratinating. The usual.

For the record

Lipst-ICK

Eeek. Another scary consumer report: Popular lipsticks test positive for lead.

According to the article, leaded lipsticks include "L'Oreal Colour Riche 'True Red,' L'Oreal Colour Riche 'Classic Wine,' Cover Girl Incredifull Lipcolor 'Maximum Red' and Dior Addict 'Positive Red.'"

I tend to buy really cheap lipsticks (I steadfastly refuse to pay more than $5 a tube, $7 max), so none of these are in my medicine cabinet or makeup bag.

I guess that's good...

But then again, if the pricer non-designer cosmetic manufacturers (as opposed to the really pricey stuff) are using lead, what kinda toxic gunk is in the cheaper stuff?

Hmmm, maybe a color like 'Mercury red' is meant literally? Eeeeuw.Kiss of death? Sticking it to consumers? Bleh.

Maybe wahoo?

Just grabbed this tidbit from the newsclipping service to which I have a subscription:

If you're living in the Washington, D.C., region, you could be headed for the highest overall pay hike in the nation. With locality pay included, federal employees in the capital area could get as much as a 4.49 percent boost, according to Mike Orenstein, a spokesman for the Office of Personnel Management. That figure assumes lawmakers stick with the 3.5 percent raise they've approved in preliminary versions of appropriations bills, rather than the 3 percent President Bush requested.

Find the rest of the article here.

Now, that's just the regular COLA adjustment; it doesn't have anything to do with incentive pay or step or grade increases that individuals might merit. That's a mighty tasty COLA.

Every little bit helps! Keep your fingers crossed for this underpaid federal employee.

Reader Poll: Tattoo You?

About ten years ago, tattoos stopped being the brand of the wild child and started being hip and cool such that every pop tart around had one on the small of her back or her shoulder or ankle or whatever. I know this because I got my first tattoo about ten years ago.

Dear readers -- all three of you (if I may be so presumptuous to assume a number that high) -- please participate in this inquiry in the name of science curiosity needing a subject for a post...

Do you have a tattoo? Or more than one?

If so, what is it and where is it on your bod? If not, have you ever considered getting one?

How old were you when you got it?

And do you regret, even mildly, the decision? If so, why?

If you show me yours, I'll show you mine! All five of them.

Credit where credit is due

I'd like to thank Scooter for directing a chunk of new traffic to my blog.

Because I linked to one of his pictures, my blog has logged all sorts of interesting visitors.

You'd be amazed at how many people are interested in pig n1pples.

(yeah, yeah, yeah... I know. I got nuthin' right now...)

Ba-ha-ha-ha!

You da ho'? He da ho'? Nooo...

From Crackle: Idaho!

(Sorry, I don't know how to post this without it running to the next video... but the first one is what cracked me up.)

Read this.

If you have a few extra minutes, read this article in the NYT: Aging and Gay, and Facing Prejudice in Twilight.

It made me angry and sad and frustrated -- and wanting to go back to my former career as an activist.

The Pudge Report

H>------*-------------------------------------->G

Week two weigh-in: down 6.5 pounds. I'm pleased because this past week involved two picnics, a conference at work (with danish and bagels and croissant in the morning and then lunch out at a very nice restaurant), and book club. And through all that, I managed to be pretty good. I lapsed at book club (homemade pizzas and cookies, who could resist?!) but managed to rein in the appetite on the other occasions. Yay me!

So yeah, a small victory. I'll take it.

Monday morning haiku?

I have today off,
and I slept through the morning.
Forgot to haiku!

Well, I didn't quite sleep until noon, but I definitely slept in. And forgot that it's Monday. More like a Sunday +1. But without sports on TV.

As a federal employee, I have today off. Yay! Happy Columbus Day all (or as a friend of mine used to say "Happy Oppress the Indigenous Peoples Day" -- whatever your politics, I'm just glad I'm not at the office). So I am taking it easy... except that SM and I are working on the house. But working at a "we'll get done what we get done" pace rather than an "omigawd, we absolutely need to finish this, this and this before we go to bed tonight... shit, shit, shit" pace. No pressure, no stress. It's all good.

Also, not too much to write about, other than the AIDS walk on Saturday (which was largely uneventful).

I was thinking about adding a new feature, snagged from Nell at Meanwhile... called "Soap Opera Sunday", but I'm afraid, one, that I'll forget to do it (keeping up with "Monday Morning Haiku" is tough enough, and that only involves 17 syllables!), and two, that I won't have anything interesting to write. I dunno. Am I up to it?

BTW, if you like reading the rantings scribblings musing of a mom of two young girls, who is an excellent writer, check out Nell. Her "Ask the experts" feature is a really creative take on raising kids. And I always get a giggle out of her posts, this being one of my faves.

Okay, blogging break is over. Back to the boxes...

Careers launched by ANTM?

I've admitted a few times that I watch America's Next Top Model. It's silly and fluffy and fun. And as popular as the show is, I have always wondered if any of the winners have actually been able to launch modeling careers, let alone become a top model. They all seem to have their 15 minutes of fame on the show but nothing else that isn't related to the show. I mean, come on, Jaslene making it as a top model? I don't think so. Great bod, not-so-much on the face...

Anyway, now I know that at least one of the winners has done shoots and covers and ads other than the guaranteed prizes. Today I came across Danielle, the winner from cycle 6, in a catalogue. Additionally, it turns out that Danielle is the only winner of ANTM so far who has had her contract with Cover Girl renewed. As far as I am concerned, she and CariDee (cycle 7) are the only two who really look like models.

And you know I'm speaking with complete authority and expertise based on my vast experience as a top model.

Uh-huh.

Match game

Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match...

This was fun. I was kinda suprised by the outcome. Kinda, but not completely.

Doesn't mean I'm voting for Kucinich, but it was interesting.

Begging in public

I promise this is the last time I'll ask for your support of the upcoming AIDS Walk Washington. The walk is on Saturday and donations will close soon. I had hoped to raise enough money to be one of the top fundraisers, but unfortunately for me, I'm not even close -- which is, of course, fantastic news for the WWC.

As disappointed as I am that I fell short of my goal, that won't stop me from trying to inch it up there a bit more. Please consider supporting my walk and the Whitman Walker Clinic by making a donation. You know the reasons why...

Any amount is greatly appreciated. You can make an online credit card donation through my page on the WWC AIDS walk site.

Thank you so very much for your support!

What kind of dog was "Napoleon" in the famous comic strip by Clifford McBride?

Yeah, I didn't know either.

From what song do the lyrics "Wednesday morning at five o'clock as the day begins" come?

Those questions, along with obscure John Wayne (and other) movie and pop culture references sunk us. Our pub quiz team, a.k.a. team "Childrens do learn... and gits elekted prezedent", placed second on Monday night. Our silver place finish earned us a $25 gift certificate towards our next bar tab, some t-shirts and various and sundry other bar-themed crap (anyone need a bottle opener necklace?).

Of course, we rocked the political and literature questions. We knew who wrote The Murders in the Rue Morgue and Brokeback Mountain and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. What we didn't know was what Lisa "Left eye" Lopes looked like early in her career. Or Lauren Bush, for that matter.

My moment of pride and valor came in response to the question that went something along the lines of "A quarter million followers of this religion in the United States refuse blood transfusions." I took on the whole team -- cajoled, wheedled, conned and convinced them into accepting my answer. No one thought I was right (except SM, of course), and many argued vehemently that another answer was correct. I pulled the old "humor me... give the newbie this one..." and somehow got them to give me the chance (which was surprising considering this was a bonus round question, worth 2x points).

And I was less than a gracious victor when I was proven correct. In fact, I whooped and did an "in your face" mini-dance.

Competitive much? In retrospect, it was kinda ugly. I'm kinda old for that. But at the time, it was all in good fun.

And, we were all pleased to get the points.

What made the evening really fun for SM was the happy coincidence of the Patriots playing on the television right in front of him. So he got pub quiz, beer and his fave football team winning all together. A near perfecta trifecta for him.

Monday morning haiku

My new exercise:
counting every calorie.
Hmmm, compulsive much?