A look back at 2007

Another year is over. Here's a list of achievements, what I learnt, what i screwed up, what I didn't do etc etc etc


- I looked back over my blog for the past year and I had 2 resolutions. 1 was to start up my MBA again, and the other was to "get a body I'm proud of". Well I have one thing to say - hahahahahahahahahahahhaahahah!

- On the MBA, didn't do a stitch. Should really contact the school and grovel my ass off again. Hopefully with my new job I'll be able to concentrate on it this year.

- On the body...yeah well. On the plus side I'm fitter than I was, and I concentrate on fitness rather than the physical side. That said, I'm disappointed I'm not further along on this. Things are progressing and hopefully this time next year it'll be a better story.

- I took up spinning. Something I thought was always reserved for the weirdass megafit peeps - I keep up with the best of them. I've also signed up for my first sporting charity event in a few weeks - spinning in Grand Central Station. Wish me luck.

- I was promoted at work and got 2 payrises this year.

- While we're finding it difficult with Trev traveling so much we're surviving just fine.

- Now we're in NY we get lots more visitors....that's really cool.

- I turned 40. Ouch. Luckily i still feel 20 so that's good

- I made more friends - and not from work. I actively tried different things - and now have people to hang out with

- I like being in NY as I get to visit England more often. A record 4 visits in 2007 - that's the most since 1997. I like that - I get to see Mum, Dad, Tim and loads of friends, not to mention eat really bad English food that I can't get at home. It's been nice dropping in more often.

I miss my friends in other cities....Penny - luckily we IM and exchange blogs but I miss hanging out. I'm going to get my ass to Iowa just so we can spend time together (you're not allowed to be sick this time though....only joking!!)



My 2008 resolutions

- Keep up with getting fit...I like hanging out with a trainer and going to classes

- MBA - enough said

- Lose weight - I'm doing OK, have found a diet that's working and combined with exercise will be successful

- Spend more quality time with Trev....goes without saying I know

- Keep up the number of visits to England

- Go visit my friends in other cities



Let's see how I do:) Happy New Year to you all!

A theraputic morning

Not really sure why, but I definitely find having a good old clearout very theraputic. I'm working this week - I like it this time of year. Most people are out so it's deathly quiet - I get time to think and get ready for the year ahead. I've always been like that - maybe I think it's a waste of vacation time when I can so much more done when I'm here.

for my new job, I elected to move from my lovely big desk to a smaller one. This of course, means a clearout. Just finished. Yeah!

Now off to a leisurely lunch with my successor. Yeah!

Christmas Pics

We had a great time, enjoy the pics! We did so much in a week. Lunch and Perilla (the first Top Chef's restaurant) and also Becco (owned by the lady who does Lydia's Italy on PBS), a visit to the ESPN Zone, to the theater, Times Square, etc etc etc. Enjoy!

12-20-07 Christmas with PJ and Rach

Happy Christmas

Hello everyone! Hope you're having a good holiday. Peter, Rach and Mike came into town last week so we've been having a week long vacation. We've eaten in some fantastic restaurants and done lots of things. The pics above are:

#1 - in the ESPN Zone on Friday evening before the theater (Rach, Mike, Trev and Peter)

#2 - The Lovegroves in Times Square (Carrieanne we missed you)

#3 - lunch at Becco. If you've seen "Lydia's Italy" on PBS then this is her restaurant.

#4 - breakfast Christmas Day.

We all got some lovely presents. Trev bought me a weekend away ski-ing - the first time he's ever booked a holiday for me. Lovely. Now I will say I'm having trouble with the bill - 3 days away and he's paying more than a week in Jamaica. But hey - I shouldn't complain. Oh yeah, and a side note - I'm now officially at 14lb lost. Can you imagine finding that out on Christmas Day. This diet is FANTASTIC.

Hope everyone had a great day. God bless to you all.

Feeling patriotic

I may have lived in the US for over 11 years, but I'm still very English at heart. The Queen has come into the 21st century:)

http://uk.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUKL2339445720071223

Sunday already

Time is flying by - can't really believe it. Had a great time with the kids here (missing you Carrieanne...with you it'd be perfect!) and I'm getting quiet time on Sunday morning. I can't believe how much everyone sleeps. It's 10.09am and it's silence. Thank goodness for my ipod. Listening to the Ordinary Boys right now....then I'm going to settle down to watch the 7th Episode of Life on Mars.

We've taken lots of pics, seen a show on Broadway, eaten dim sum in Chinatown, had the house in a complete tip (which I finally broke down and tidied up last night, very theraputic), took Mike to the airport last night then Rach and I hit the mall. I know....5pm on the Saturday before Christmas. Madness. Complete chaos. We went to Ann Taylor primarily - got a good wrap and a pair of cargo pants. Then when I got home it was even better - they had 40% of all sweaters and then on the corporate discount site I belong too they had 20% off and free shipping. So....instead of a bill of $466 it was $185. So psyched about that. Have nice new clothes to start of my nice new job next year.

I've had a cold the past few days - big white dots on the back of the throat. Have been fighting it with drugs and seem to be doing OK. I did actually rest from exercise so I think it'll be OK. Won't need a doctor. Phew.

Peter is cooking Christmas dinner. I'm going to go shopping shortly - as everyone's sleeping. I"m going nuts here in the quiet. I'm an early bird. By now I've usually watched 3 TV programs, done laundry and tidied up. Oh well, more time to shop online for me.

I'm actually working this week, rather than taking time off. It will give me time to clear out my old job and start my new one fresh. Very excited about that. My replacement has been announced and he's around next week too so i feel i can do a real proper handover. I'm feeling quite melancholy about leaving the team, but also quite excited about the next chapter in my career.

OK, off to watch TV.

Did it again

OK, I'm a gym junkie. I admit it. I had an appointment with Billy last night, and because my best spin class instructor was also teaching last night I did the spin class right after. No rest either. That's 2 days back to back of back to back classes. i think that's an achievement! And best of all? I don't hurt anywhere.....well, other than being slightly "aware" of my knee. I think this gives me carte blanche to eat whatever I want over Christmas.

Peter, Rachel and Mike arrived last night - it's fun having them here. We're out in Manhattan tonight, then Friday we're off to the theater and then we're going to Perilla - the restaurant owned by the first Top Chef. We should have a ball....

I only have 3 performance reviews left. I can't believe I'm done 10 days ahead of schedule. It's mine today - wish me luck!

Abandonment and Achievement

Weird title eh? Well, you get a few days behind without blogging and then you have so many things that have happened....and well, then you forget, then you get intimidated about all the things you didn't write about....well and blah blah blah. You get the picture.

So, first work. I'm nearly done with all the performance reviews. I have 3 today, 3 on Thursday and then I'm done. that then leaves me 10 days to get my plan ready for my new job that starts Jan 1. Can't flipping wait. While I'm kinda feeling nostalgic about the guys....my forte is definitely is not line management. Next year will be fun (I hope!!).

Anyhow, let's tackle abandonment. So, last Friday night our gym had their holiday party. I promised Billy (my trainer) and Wesley (my massage therapist) that I'd bring jello shots. Now I'm not one for the boring old vodka shots (as those of you who know me well know), I'm for the more ingeneous ones. So I had 3 tubs - ie Traffic Lights. Usually it takes 3 days to make, but as I only promised it the day before I ended up with the 3 tubs - visualize that usually the colours are one on top of the other. So, first we had lime jello and tequila, next cointreau/grand marnier and orange jello and then last we had strawberry jello with Pimms and Creme de Cassis. Needless to say they went down a storm. Back to abandonment. I had a great time, and I thought Trev did too. We were milling around, seeing each other occasionally. Anyway, having spent time with some friends it was about 1.30am and I looked for Trev to see if he wanted to leave. Couldn't find him. He wasn't at the party, I had a few guys look in the men's room, couldn't find him. Started to worry. Worried a bit more. I couldn't call him coz he's left his cell at home. Only when after 20mins of looking that I realized he wasn't there. Worried a bit more. So, decided relunctantly to go home. A friend of mine gave me a ride....and in the car I listened to my voicemail. And I quote my voicemail...."I couldn't find you so I came home. See you later". Hmmmmmmmppppppfffffffff. Not a happy bunny.

He's never done that before. Luckily I wasn't somewhere unsafe but even so. MY HUSBAND ABANDONED ME. I can't believe it....even now it makes me mad. He says he wasn't mad, just tired and wanted to sleep. when I got home he said he was going to "come back for me". Yeah.....right. That's what it looked like when I arrived. Not. Anyway, we got over it, had a row, made up, slept. I never usually drink more than a couple when I'm with him for this reason - I need a straight head to listen to him as he always gets upset and melancholy when he drinks. Better than last year I guess when he got drunk and asked for a divorce.

Onto achievement. After the weekend of complete overindulgence on the food side I did something I've never done before. I took 2 spin classes back to back. And survived. In fact, I thought I'd be a wreck and completely knackered by the experience. Not at all. I certainly feel that it was my pennance for eating so badly over the weekend. Tonight I see Billy and that'll put me back on the straight and narrow.

Peter, Rachel and Mike (Rach's boyfriend) come into town today for the holidays. Can't wait - we'll have a blast. We'll miss Carrieanne....but we'll head to Iowa early in the new year to see her too. Watch this space for our antics this week. I'm determined to keep up my gym regimen, just to work off all the extra food we're bound to be eating....hahahaha

More later....

My Amazon Hell...

I'm an Amazon addict. I think I'm their best customer....or that's how it feels most of the time anyway. I like the return policy, I like the speed at which they send stuff etc etc. Until today.

I put together an order for Christmas at 11am this morning....and left it at the "place order" page. I then got distracted and went to a meeting. When I came back I clicked the "place order" button. Got a message saying "there's nothing in your cart". "Oh well!" thinks me, and promptly reorders everything.

An hour later I check my email. Turns out I've then got 2 orders. Hmmmprf. I think that because I only ordered it an hour ago I can go online and cancel the order. I've done that before so no biggie here.

Anyway, turns out I couldn't. So.....I call them up. I have the number.....but I bet ya can't find it on the website. So.... I ask if I can cancel an order. Can you imagine the reaction when they said no? The reason being is that it's already been sent to shipping so they can't reverse it. Best they can do is ask me to refuse the order when it's delivered. Or....I can return the items. In the mean time I've been charged twice - so I won't get my money back either.

Not a happy bunny. But in the spirit of the holiday I'll let sleeping dogs lie!

Gotta love eBay

I know I've said it before....and I'll say it again. I love eBay. I love the fact that I update my iPod and camera at least once a year....and it costs about $50. I'm still floored by the fact that people on eBay buy stuff that's not the latest and greatest for only $50ish below the price of the newer model. Weird.

I love the fact I get these awards at work...I convert them into cool things like iPods and then sell it less than a year later for almost retail value. It's sooooo cool.

I should look around at home and see what else I can get rid of.

Oh my!

So, I was watching tonight one of my fave TV shows - Tim Gunn's Guide to Style on the Bravo Channel. I just have to say that they had a lady called Karen Vito tonight. She was 41, dressed like she was 20 and the show was to show her the error of her ways. Now, I'm first to say that she looked pretty damn good for someon in their 40s....she was thin, long hair etc etc. But I have to tell you for someone a year older than me......she had so many lines, crinkles and wrinkles. Ewwww

Obviously not being one for the sun it's to my advantage. Tonight when I was getting ready to go out I looked and looked and while I have some lines....nothing like hers. Not sure whether I'm bothered....but man, I thought she looked like she was 55.

Maya Angelou's Best Poem Ever

I sent this via email to loads of people, but I thought it was so cool I posted here too.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...

enough money within her control to move out
and rent a place of her own,
even if she never wants to or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
something perfect to wear if the employer,
or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
a youth she's content to leave behind....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to
retelling it in her old age....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .....
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE....
one friend who always makes her laugh... and one who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE....
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems,
and a recipe for a meal,
that will make her guests feel honored...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
a feeling of control over her destiny...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to fall in love without losing herself..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to quit a job,
break up with a lover,
and confront a friend without;
ruining the friendship...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
when to try harder... and WHEN TO WALK AWAY...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that she can't change the length of her calves,
the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that her childhood may not have been perfect...but it's over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she would and wouldn't do for love or more...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to live alone... even if she doesn't like it...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW.. .
whom she can trust,
whom she can't,
and why she shouldn't take it personally...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
where to go...
be it to her best friend's kitchen table...
or a charming inn in the woods...
when her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she can and can't accomplish in a day...
a month...and a year...

SEND THIS TO 3 WOMEN....
You will have good luck for an entire day..

SEND THIS TO 6 WOMEN....
you will have good luck for all of the year or if nothing else...
you know that you are truly loved and thought of by the friend,
who sent this to you...
and that she only wishes the best for you and your life...

St Trinians

They're back! So cool. Check out the link - new movie starts next week (in the UK at least).
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=500192&in_page_id=1773

So, for the uneducated St Trinians movies were made in the 1950s and were about naughty school girls in a private boarding school who ran rings round the staff. The head teacher was a bloke dressed as a woman (Alistair Sim) and the policewoman who always was at the school was Joyce Grenfell. You then had the gardner who was always necking with the girls.....anyhow brilliant movies.

Will be interesting to see the 21st century version!

On the food front, doing great. Lowest weight ever - now lost 12.8lb so we're doing good. In this holiday season, that's pretty cool. I seem to have 2 parties a week this year so it's a real challenge. I'm just working out like crazy and seeing how it is....

My knee

I've hurt my knee. It sucks. It's not excruciating....but it's nagging. All the time. I've actually had to cut back on working out so I don't do any more damage. It's horrible. I think I did it in the gym last Thursday - I was running late and had a spin class to attend so Billy and I decided to start strength training with no warm up. I didn't think anything of it, but I do remember when lunging saying "oooh, my knee hurts....that's not normal" and carried right along. I rested all weekend. After spin on Monday it was niggling but yesterday when I was with Billy it was hurting. I've now got an appointment set up with Wesley, the massage therapist to see i can fix it that way. Hopefully it's nothing. Between Carrieanne and Mum I don't relish having knee issues at all.

On the eating front, we're doing good. Yesterday wasnt' bad at all.

8.15am snack - small cup cereal and milk
9.45am breakfast - omelette
1.30pm lunch - noodles and potatoes, an orange
6.30pm dinner - meat bolognaise sauce and cheese
8.15pm snack - Cadbury's flake

Lost another half pound yesterday so must be doing something right.

Back on the straight and narrow

A mindset change is all it took. I'm so amazed that the moment I get a post-it note and start writing out a) what I'm going to eat and then b) what I do eat that I become much healthier. Surprising, eh?

Yesterday's eating
8.30am snack - grapefruit
10.30am breakfast - omelette and some nuts
1.15pm lunch - mashed potato and peas
6.00pm snack - banana and blueberry smoothie, yogurt
8.15pm dinner - salmon and stirfry veggies

Gym - 10mins stairmaster, 45 min spin class

I didn't workout over the weekend at all. I think I pulled a muscle in my knee so wanted to rest (my excuse and I'm staying with it).

Work is good. I'm mad as my boss advertised my current role and it's one level higher than I am now...I'm mad because she didn't tell me. While I may have made the decision i did anyway to do my new job, it would have been nicer to have been told.

Trev's off to Hong Kong tomorrow so he's planning for that. He'll be knackered as he's only just over the UK jet lag from the past 2 weeks.

I have to put the tree up and get cards sent out this weekend....so yeah! I get to do that on my own. How sad is that?

Procrastination

I read Jenness' blog on procrastination the other day and was giggling as I have that problem too. As you know, I have a large team right now and it's performance review time. As any good manager, I've got it set up like a military operation - 3 or 4 reviews a day, up to the 17th Dec. You'd think as I sit here that I'd be Ok with only writing 3 a day. Flipping 'eck, I tell ya I have found so many things to do today rather than write 3 reviews.

1) check work email
2) check home email, and again, and again
3) do dishes
4) watch Torchwood and Dr Who
5) make a cup of tea
6) talk with Rach (she's here for the weekend)
7) check work email
8) shop on Amazon for Christmas prezzies....not to buy anything, just ideas
9) wonder why Amazon is recommending I buy the iTouch....
10) check out spec and cost of iTouch and wonder if I should spend my award money on one
11) wonder why the iTouch doesn't have 40gb drive rather than the crabby 16gb it comes with
12) move cushions around
13) have a relaxing bath, with oils, do a facemask etc and then turn on the jacuzzi
14) check work email again
15) respond to a few work emails that could have waited
16) check into the review website and complain about how crap it is

Anyway....you get the idea. I have done 2 of the 4 I wanted. The other 2 I don't need to do. It can wait.

I'm off to shop Amazon some more......

Oh yeah, and I'm posting food again....clearly I can't lose weight if I'm not writing it down. Consider it therapy.

Regrouping

OK, it was a tough week. I got back from England, had the holiday party where I totally over indulged, was out Friday night with Rach til very late....and still trying to get in the groove for Christmas shopping. I woke up this morning feeling like I'm succumbing to the cold that everyone has.

Eating has been awful - while I've maintained my weight and not put any on, I haven't actually lost any. I think it's because I keep cheating in really small ways (eat steak, hav ea mouthful of rice, eat too much chocolate etc) so I need to get that back on track. It's the client holiday party this week and I think that I'm going to miss it....I just don't think I can stomach another night of socializing. What an old fart I am.

Here's joke from my friend Nikki (thought it was hilarious):

"I took my dad to the mall the other day to buy some new shoes. We decided to grab a bite at the food court when I noticed he was watching a teenager sitting next to him. The teenager had spiked hair in all different colors: green, red, orange, and blue. My dad kept staring at him. The teenager would look and find him staring every time. When the teenager had enough, he sarcastically asked, 'What's the matter old man, never done anything wild in your life?' Knowing my Dad, I quickly swallowed my food so that I would not choke on his response; knowing he would have a good one. And in classic style he did not bat an eye in his response, 'Got drunk once and had sex with a peacock. I was just wondering if you were my son. '"