Mid to Upper Thirties

Is it wrong that I don't believe my scale?

Don't get on me about doing it... I was in a good place emotionally, and I was curious... so I stepped on the scale yesterday, a day ahead of my normal weigh-in. It was after church, so I'd already eaten breakfast. I weighed 139 lbs. I weighed 141.5 that evening after dinner. After exercising, I weighed 140.0 despite the fact that there was not a whole lot of sweating going on. And this morning, when, aside from DRINKING a cup of tea, the only thing that had transpired was a few hours of sleeping, I was back to 139 again.

The chemistry degree kicks in at this point, people. I'm thinking, Law of Conservation of Mass. You should weigh whatever you've eaten, minus anything that has "taken leave" of the body. If I'd eaten 2.5 lbs of food during the day, and I didn't, you know, get rid of any food (which I didn't) then where in the world did the 2.5 pounds go? It cannot possibly be all water, can it? Can it?

Anyway, I lost weight. And I am probably the only person on the planet who would find some aspect of that annoying, but I do.* Because it doesn't make sense.

I'm sorry. My brain works the way it works, and that's the kind of stuff I think about.

So I lost two pounds this week, 9.5 since beginning the challenge.

Check back with me next week and hopefully I will have a shiny new button announcing to the world that I've lost ten pounds.

*Don't worry. I'm thrilled about being in the 130's again. A big YAHOO! for that.

Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?

Four Things: The Un-Meme

I am keeping busy. Not harried or anything, just busy. Four things seem to be taking up most of my time lately:

1. My class.

2. Searching for/bidding on used homeschool curricula.

3. Exercising. Shut UP, so much exercising.

4. A photo compilation project. No, this is not just a fancy term for scrapbooking, but if I tell you any more, I will ruin a surprise, so I will leave it at this: I am trying to upload a bunch of digital pictures. On a dial-up connection. Enough said.

And, because you care so deeply about these details of my life, I will now elaborate:

First, the class. Just in case you were wondering, I most certainly did ni some hao on the first exam. (Quiz, actually. There won't be an exam.) I got every question right, including the five bonus questions. This is a good thing because when we went on with class after that quiz, I soon realized that the first quiz will most certainly be the easiest.

I should also mention that I finally figured out (though I had a guess from the context) what Addie's "hen kuai" comment meant. We learned "hen" (very) last week, and this Tuesday we learned "kuai" (fast.) I smiled big when my professor wrote that word. Made me think of my bloggy buddies.

I'm not even going to get into the tones associated with those words. Tones are another story. I'm convinced that my attempts to say something simple like "what is your name" are really coming out as "you look like my big toe." It's all in the tones....

Tone is also a factor in my search for curricula. The general "tone" of homeschooling last year with Ms. Boo was "uuuugh." Not terrible, but not exactly fun. And a little bit tedious. Kudos to the Boo-ster for sticking with the same. routine. every. day.

So, after a lot of thinking and searching, I have decided that we will be doing the following this year: (for those of you who care.)

• Math: Rightstart Level B for Boo, and some Level A with Bug
• Science: Sonlight K/C for Boo, and Bug can join in.
• Language Arts: Sonlight Grade 2 with some review from Grade 1
• Foreign Language: Muzzy - Chinese. (And that's what they call it, so I guess I can too.)
• History/Geography: Christian Liberty's History for Little Pilgrims
• Bible: Yay Christian Liberty for putting out a curriculum that teaches doctrine and not just stories!

And, I swear I didn't plan this: But while we are on the topic of "tone" I would just like to tell you that my arms and legs actually have some. For the first time in I don't know how long. So, I thought I would share with you the list of things I like about losing weight:

• Those skorts that I had to put away last summer because they were WAY. TOO. TIGHT? Well, they are hanging loosely on my hips now.
• My back doesn't hurt.
• My skin looks better.
• I feel less tired
• I feel less cranky
• And I feel like maybe life in the low 130's is possible in the near future.

So, you are all caught up.

I'll see you next year...

Weight Loss

I have no explanation for what happened this week. I ate dessert more times than there were days in the week. And I think I only exercised twice.

I seriously considered not doing a weigh-in at all because I didn't think I could handle the disappointment of gaining that much.

Except that I lost.

Which baffles me. Completely baffles me.

And now, in your best Casey Kasem voice: Up a pound last week at 143.5, Lori hits the chart this week at 141.0 with "Completely Baffled."

Total lost since beginning the challenge: 7.5 lbs

Should'a, Would'a, Could'a

I am sitting down to type this between the final hole of the British Open and the play-off that is about to occur between Sergio Garcia and Padraig Harrington.

And what I am about to do is supremely immature. Because I am kicking myself. Kicking myself for not predicting what I thought would happen and has now, as it turns out, come to pass.

Sergio choked.

Magnificently. Like - "final putt to win it outright but lipped the cup and had to go to a play-off" kind of choked.

Not a clutch player, he. (And don't you worry your pretty little heads about it because I realize Phil isn't a clutch guy either...)

So, I am going to make my prediction, because, as good as Sergio is, I don't think he is going to handle the pressure very well. And in fairness, I think it is difficult for anyone to lead all four days of a tournament (let alone a major) and be cool enough under the pressure to win it.

There you have it. My prediction, which was my prediction all along, I just didn't get around to stating it until today.

Congratulations Padraig.

I Can't Keep Track of Myself

What have I been doing since my last post?

Let's talk numbers:

2 classes: attended without my mom purse, but with my cool notebook

0 laptops: appearing in said classes

39 flashcards: containing various Mandarin (Chinese) phrases, sentences, or words

24 flashcards: correct on my last run-through

3 pages: notes written for the Sunday School class I am teaching, uh, this morning...

15 raisins: removed from a load of wash before putting it in the dryer

7 desserts: eaten so far this week... sigh...

40 minutes: total exercise time this week... bleh...

3 guests: at our house for dinner on Friday

2 bids: lost on E-bay for homeschooling items

5 bids: currently winning on E-bay for homeschooling items

1 item: purchased from a used curriculum site

41 times: I've thought, used curriculum rocks like all get-out.

2 calls: to the bank to try to get my account verified with Paypal.

1,429,385 times: I have had the SAME. EX. ACT. conversation with Ms. Bao about the underwear she wants to start wearing and how YES, Ms. Boo wears underwear, but that is because she puts all her potty in the toilet.

1,429,384 times: Ms. Boo has asked if we could stop having that conversation.

421 times: Ms. Bao has asked to use the toilet - right AFTER she wets her diaper.

3 pairs: underwear purchased for the Baoster in hopes that feeling wet when she pees in them will motivate her to start using the toilet.

1 chapter: read in What the Bible Says About Parenting

1 gazillion things: I read that I heartily agreed with

Weigh-in

My exercising was pretty good this week. My eating was just okay. There are certain times when the sugar cravings are pretty strong....

So I am up one pound to 143.5

I am hoping this resolves itself this week.

You can see others who are doing the weight loss challenge by clicking the link.

Proof That I Have Class

Tomorrow night, for the first time in over 12 years, I will be entering a classroom as a student. At a college. You know, I'm taking a class. Where I am not the teacher.

Whenever people ask what I am taking, I say, "Mandarin." And the reason I say this is simple: because that is what I am taking.

But last night, Paul asked me "Why don't you just say Chinese? No one knows what Mandarin is."

So, I am taking Mandarin Chinese. (Because I can't just say Chinese... is there really such a thing?)

Anyhoo...

I'm very excited about it, but last week when I went to get my student ID, I kept looking around at all the young people and feeling very out of place. I wasn't wearing any tight-fitting clothing. My belly was not showing. None of my body parts were pierced. The only highlights in my hair were gray. And I did not have any cutting-edge technology attached to my ear.

All I had was my purse. My big, mom purse. With a coupon organizer inside. I bet none of those other students had coupon organizers with them. But what do you expect? Kids today are so irresponsible with their money, the way they spend an extra fifty-five cents here and and extra thirty cents there all willy nilly and such. It's a shame, really.

Nonetheless, I started feeling a little self-conscious. I had this image dancing around in my mind of a classroom full of nineteen-year-olds tapping away at their laptops while I feverishly scrawled notes on the pages of my spiral bound one-subject.

May as well bring a reed and some papyrus.

I decided that the spiral bound one-subject would never do. I was determined not to have to walk out of class with my big, Cro-Magnon Era notebook tucked under my arm. Instead of I've-got-my-notebook-all-ready kind of eager,
I need to look more aloof. Completely unimpressed with the whole college scene.

You know, I've SO done this before [eye roll.]

So, in a moment of complete lucidity, I decided that what I needed was something small. Something that could be tucked nonchalantly into my purse.

You know, right next to my coupon organizer.

And I promise, this all made complete sense in my mind at the time.

This is what I found:



Yes, it's spiral-bound, but it's purse sized.

So it is more like a spiral bound half-subject. And if that doesn't scream I'M SO ALOOF! then I don't know what does.

And if my notebook-toting self is still the laughing stock of the laptop-laden classroom, I'm not worried. I'll just ni their hao on the first exam and leave it at that.

On My Mind

God works on me. Shows me little pieces. Gives me glimpses of Himself. Of me. Of our future.

Shifting focus.

Stuff that was painful to even think about in the not so distant past, is becoming comfortable. Not because life is any easier to deal with, but because I have a greater sense of God's faithfulness to me. I'm beginning to believe that doing what is harder with God is infinitely better than opting for the deception of comfort outside of his presence. And the beginning of belief is where the living of a life starts to change.

There is a lot to this life thing. It often overwhelms me. I am fearful by nature. And I like control. Tonight, everything feels out of whack.

What I love about God is that he is teaching me in this very place. Not just to trust Him. It's more than that. He is teaching me to change. Can't I love you without changing? I ask him.

No, is his gentle reply.

I spoke with someone recently about the nature of humans to balk at the commands of God. We don't like being bossed around. But what I reminded this person is that God's ways are always good for us. He is always for us. I mused that maybe if we really, really understood that, we'd be more likely to obey him, even when it is hard.

My own words have been echoing in my head.

I recognize in others the veneer of faith-talk that barely disguises a life lived only for self. I recognize it because that is often how I operate. I understand his words. They even stir me emotionally. But too many times, I am unwilling to live them out. Unwilling to get over myself enough to let God change me for my own good.

Is it too hard, or is it just too scary?

I almost don't care anymore. Because I think I like His version of Lori better than my own.

Can Someone Please Tell Me?

How is it that a dancing, green alien is supposed to entice me to refinance my house?

Because a Good Word Bears Repeating

On the need for the Church to address the decay of the family in our culture:

This is not a rallying cry for Christians to be more aggressive in pursuing political action. Far too much of the church's efforts in recent years has been squandered trying to confront anti-family trends, such as abortion and homosexuality, through legislative efforts alone. Reform is no answer for a culture like ours. Redemption is what is needed, and that occurs at the individual, not societal, level. The church needs to get back to the real task to which we are called: evangelizing the lost. Only when multitudes of individuals in our society turn to Christ will society itself experience any significant transformation.

- John MacArthur in What the Bible Says About Parenting: God's Plan for Rearing Your Child.

I Know I Have Issues...

I started reading The Good Earth. Fiction book numero dos for the year.

Pulitzer Prize winning book, this one is.

But here's the thing: I read the first hundred or so pages (there are 397) and was interested enough to keep reading. After that, I found that I became increasingly bored... and now that I am on the heels of two chapters (or was it three?) in a row devoted solely to Wang Lung's obsession with a prostitute, I am just bored out of my mind.

I have no desire to read any more about the prostitute, or how much Wang Lung wants her. I have no desire to read about him squandering all of his money on her. I have no desire to read any more about his life. The land. His ignorance.

None.

What a waste - to read half of a book and then get stuck not wanting to read one more word. You know what this book has really made me want to do? Quilting. I want to go work on a quilt and not waste any more time on this book.

Pulitzer Prize winner. And I am going to bring it back to the library half-read.

I guess it won't be the first time my idea of a good book didn't coincide with the opinions of, uh, whoever those people are who decide what books are good....

That Weight Thang

Had this been the THIRD week in a row that I had to post a no loss/no gain for the Weight Loss Challenge, I was totally prepared to tell you all about something my husband said to me this week (which was, "Your bottom looks smaller.")

I would have called this my victory for the week, and promptly set my sights on next week's weigh-in.

Because I know if I didn't share that with you, I'd be getting all sorts of comments from all sorts of lovely people who would be all sorts of concerned when they mistook my self-deprecating ramblings about weight loss as a sign that I am losing my motivation.

But, as it turns out, I don't have to tell you the story. Nor do I have to ramble, self-deprecating-ly (?) because I lost a pound and I now weigh 142.5 lbs.

And I want to get to the 130's more than I want the chocolate chip cookies that are in my kitchen cabinet.

Most of the time, anyway.

While I'm Doing the Praise Thing...

Let's just give it up to God again.

Because today is the day the adoption is paid off.

In full.

And that, my friends, is a very, very good thing.

Then Sings My Soul

My Saviour, God, to Thee
How great Thou art.
How great Thou art.

Amen and amen.

Things on my Mind

Oh, so many things. All very blog worthy. But you know what? For the second time in as many tries, I have gone down to the town pool for water aerobics only to find out that the class had been canceled. SOOOOO, what does this mean? It means that now I am at the end of the evening and I have to go do some Tae Bo or take a long walk.

So there will be no posting other than this. I have gained 37 pounds today alone by snarfing about three gallons of the green sauce that Boomama posted the other day. It's good. But seriously, if you make it, you need to half the recipe, unless you are having fifty people over for a party or something. (Or, me, because I can eat half of it without a problem.)

Now taking bets on next week's weigh-in results.

Worst Song. Ever(?)

There is a certain song that I rarely hear beyond the first line. When it comes on in the car, I change the station before I can hear any more of it. It is a line so badly sung that I cannot bring myself to listen to any more.

I can hear it in my head right now...

Step one you say we need to talk

Uuugh.... I shudder. It is just. So. Bad.

I've Got a Mind Like a Steel Trap

A Steel TRAP, I tell you. Nothing escapes me. Case in point:

One thing that I have deduced from my detailed study of weight loss behaviors is this: when you don't exercise, you won't lose weight.

It's an amazing correlation, really. Surely my observations will be followed up by myriad scientific studies the world over.

Siiigh.

(Can you guess what I didn't do this last week? So I didn't lose any weight. But I didn't gain either. Now please excuse me while I go work up a sweat...)

Check out the weight loss challenge if you want to read about others who might ACTUALLY BE LOSING WEIGHT.