Remember the personal pledge not to eat junk foods or sweets for 6 months? Well, I'm about at the half-way point (or will be as of June 27), so I thought it was about time for a little report on my progress and findings.
What I have found is that I seem to have better control over my eating, which makes sense because I've heard that sugar can actually stimulate appetite. Of course, I haven't given up all sugar, just sweets and junk, but still I'm sure that it cuts my sugar intake significantly (I definitely have a sweet tooth!) At first, I think I was eating a little more, but it was easy to stop and I pay attention to portion control.
Another thing I found is a sense of freedom. That probably sounds weird, but it's true. It feels good not to think about what I can eat or can't eat. That decision has already been made and I don't think about or consider it at all anymore. Everything else--anything that doesn't fall into the categories of sweets or junk--is available. At first it was like, well, okay, what constitutes "junk food"? For me, it's chips, soda, candy, and that kind of thing. Mega empty calories.
I think I have a better disposition. I think. I probably should ask the kids, but just in case they disagree we'll just go with that.
It probably goes without saying that I'm eating a lot better--I have a tendency to grab something to eat on the run, but now it's almost always fruit--an apple, grapes, whatever. Or a piece of cheese. Or a handful of nuts. It's so much better than a couple of cookies, or one of the donuts I bought for my class, etc.
And here's the kicker--7 lbs. down with no increase in activity. Oh yeah.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Just Thinking about Names...
I'm up waiting to take a young man who has been staying with us to the airport for a 4 a.m. flight to the States (so we'll have to leave here around 1:45 a.m.), so I'm just killing time Facebooking and surfing the internet and I thought "Hey. I could actually do something constructive like blog," so here I am. It's been a while.
I was thinking awhile ago how weird names are here. It seems like people find a sound they like and go with it. I know a brother and sister whose names are Scarley and Scarla. Then there's Wallynda and Wandalyn and Wallyson. There are Eileen and Heileen--
Aaaaahh! Earthquake! We just got a shake!! Okay--just a little one.
ANYWAY, there's Marlene and Maylene and there are the twins, Marcy and Marsha--maybe not so unusual for twins.
Another thing I don't get about names is Bo-boy. It seems like everyone has a son that they call Bo-boy--the Filipinos and the Islanders. The boy has a real name, but he's called Bo-boy. I don't get it. Juniors they call Jun (June), but he may also be called Bo-boy. It's confusing to me, but it's not unusual for someone to have 2 names that they're well known by. For instance, in my class I have a young man who goes by "Sev," but he also goes by "Ton." Sometimes I call him Sev and sometimes Ton--trying to go by what seems to be most popular among the other students at the time. The Secretary of Health's name is Joseph Kevin Villagomez--sometimes the newspaper uses "Kevin" and sometimes "Joseph" or "Joe," and it's the same with people around island--about 50/50 "Joe" or "Kevin." Of course, there are probably 2 or 3 "Joe Villagomez"-es that all have government positions.
When somebody dies and their half-page color obituary goes in the paper it gives their name and then the name everyone knew them by which doesn't seem the slightest bit related to their real name--like the name may be "Margarita Sablan Camacho" and underneath it will say "Tun Chong" which is what she was known by.
There are some really beautiful names like "Sioloa" (the "Si" makes the "sh" sound). Then there are the misunderstandings that stick, like the brothers, Jim and James, who didn't realize that they were just two different forms of the same name when the US came on the scene and they chose American names. Or one Korean student who chose the American name "Jenny" but her mother made her change it to "Jeiiny" (pron. Janey), because she was told (probably by other Koreans I'm sure) that it would be luckier (maybe) and easier (huh?).
Well, I've got to go to the airport. It's 1:45 a.m.--I'm interested to see how this is going to read tomorrow when I can think straight.
I was thinking awhile ago how weird names are here. It seems like people find a sound they like and go with it. I know a brother and sister whose names are Scarley and Scarla. Then there's Wallynda and Wandalyn and Wallyson. There are Eileen and Heileen--
Aaaaahh! Earthquake! We just got a shake!! Okay--just a little one.
ANYWAY, there's Marlene and Maylene and there are the twins, Marcy and Marsha--maybe not so unusual for twins.
Another thing I don't get about names is Bo-boy. It seems like everyone has a son that they call Bo-boy--the Filipinos and the Islanders. The boy has a real name, but he's called Bo-boy. I don't get it. Juniors they call Jun (June), but he may also be called Bo-boy. It's confusing to me, but it's not unusual for someone to have 2 names that they're well known by. For instance, in my class I have a young man who goes by "Sev," but he also goes by "Ton." Sometimes I call him Sev and sometimes Ton--trying to go by what seems to be most popular among the other students at the time. The Secretary of Health's name is Joseph Kevin Villagomez--sometimes the newspaper uses "Kevin" and sometimes "Joseph" or "Joe," and it's the same with people around island--about 50/50 "Joe" or "Kevin." Of course, there are probably 2 or 3 "Joe Villagomez"-es that all have government positions.
When somebody dies and their half-page color obituary goes in the paper it gives their name and then the name everyone knew them by which doesn't seem the slightest bit related to their real name--like the name may be "Margarita Sablan Camacho" and underneath it will say "Tun Chong" which is what she was known by.
There are some really beautiful names like "Sioloa" (the "Si" makes the "sh" sound). Then there are the misunderstandings that stick, like the brothers, Jim and James, who didn't realize that they were just two different forms of the same name when the US came on the scene and they chose American names. Or one Korean student who chose the American name "Jenny" but her mother made her change it to "Jeiiny" (pron. Janey), because she was told (probably by other Koreans I'm sure) that it would be luckier (maybe) and easier (huh?).
Well, I've got to go to the airport. It's 1:45 a.m.--I'm interested to see how this is going to read tomorrow when I can think straight.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
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FMF, Day 3: A deal and the sounds on Orange Avenueposted by JimAbbott on May 16, 2009 3:11:39 AM
Abit of a late start, relatively speaking, because of a Fringe commitment and a visit to the rooftop party at the Plaza. On the roof, I got a chance to meet Matt Maroone of Universal/SRC, who was singing th praises of Million Year Echo. That band, led by Levi Conner, has moved from Central Florida to New York, but is still managed by Sean Perry of aXis Promotions and, of course, FMF.
(Orange You Glad folks: Be sure to look for updates from Kelly Fitzpatrick and Mary Frances Emmons, who were taking in the action on Mills Avenue tonight.)
On Friday, the band reached a handshake agreement with Maroone and his partner Jon Rifkind (Loud Records) on a production deal with Cartilage Records, a new spinoff company that Maroone and Rifkind are launching. The team will be working to produce a demo that will eventually get the band to a major label.
"They have stepped up their game to a whole new level," Maroone said of the band, which performed Friday on the Wall Street Main Stage. "I think Levi Conner is a once-in-a-lifetime talent."
On Wall Street, the band banged out an exuberant, high-energy 30 minutes laced with enough big, melodramatic hooks to put them in the ball park with Fall Out Boy, if that does anything for you.
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FMF, Day 3: A deal and the sounds on Orange Avenueposted by JimAbbott on May 16, 2009 3:11:39 AM
Abit of a late start, relatively speaking, because of a Fringe commitment and a visit to the rooftop party at the Plaza. On the roof, I got a chance to meet Matt Maroone of Universal/SRC, who was singing th praises of Million Year Echo. That band, led by Levi Conner, has moved from Central Florida to New York, but is still managed by Sean Perry of aXis Promotions and, of course, FMF.
(Orange You Glad folks: Be sure to look for updates from Kelly Fitzpatrick and Mary Frances Emmons, who were taking in the action on Mills Avenue tonight.)
On Friday, the band reached a handshake agreement with Maroone and his partner Jon Rifkind (Loud Records) on a production deal with Cartilage Records, a new spinoff company that Maroone and Rifkind are launching. The team will be working to produce a demo that will eventually get the band to a major label.
"They have stepped up their game to a whole new level," Maroone said of the band, which performed Friday on the Wall Street Main Stage. "I think Levi Conner is a once-in-a-lifetime talent."
On Wall Street, the band banged out an exuberant, high-energy 30 minutes laced with enough big, melodramatic hooks to put them in the ball park with Fall Out Boy, if that does anything for you.
Go Levi!
FMF: Million Year Echo signs label deal...posted by JimAbbott on May 15, 2009 4:36:16 PM
Million Year Echo, the latest band featuring singer-songwriter Levi Conner (Leave Calmer), signed a deal with Universal/SRC over lunch today, which gives the band something to celebrate at its 10:30 p.m. Wall Street Plaza FMF slot tonight.
"We're pretty happy," says Sean Perry, who manages the group. Universal/SRC is the team behind the success of Asher Roth, the no-show headliner on Thursday at FMF. "This is the way to break a band," Perry added, "This is the new formula."
With Million Year Echo in a sweet slot just ahead of Filter tonight, it's the kind of Cinderella scenario that is sure torankle those in the local scene already cynical about FMF's approach and motives. And a deal doesn't mean much unless something eventually happens.
Still, it should make for a happy vibe on Wall Street around 10:30 tonight.
Speaking of Asher Roth, he will be doing a make-up gig on Wall Street Plaza next month, Perry told me. No details yet, but I will pass along when available.
Million Year Echo, the latest band featuring singer-songwriter Levi Conner (Leave Calmer), signed a deal with Universal/SRC over lunch today, which gives the band something to celebrate at its 10:30 p.m. Wall Street Plaza FMF slot tonight.
"We're pretty happy," says Sean Perry, who manages the group. Universal/SRC is the team behind the success of Asher Roth, the no-show headliner on Thursday at FMF. "This is the way to break a band," Perry added, "This is the new formula."
With Million Year Echo in a sweet slot just ahead of Filter tonight, it's the kind of Cinderella scenario that is sure torankle those in the local scene already cynical about FMF's approach and motives. And a deal doesn't mean much unless something eventually happens.
Still, it should make for a happy vibe on Wall Street around 10:30 tonight.
Speaking of Asher Roth, he will be doing a make-up gig on Wall Street Plaza next month, Perry told me. No details yet, but I will pass along when available.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
On the Wagon
*I'm posting this blog to force myself into a state of accountability.*
I'm an addict. A junk food addict. I am a junk food junkie. Me. I have to accept that. I love sweets. In fact, it seems that the less nutritional value a food has, the better I like to eat it. Marshmallows? Love 'em. Sugar wafers? Mmmmm. Cotton candy? One of my favorites. I call them ingestible non-food items, because food is supposed to have nutritional value. Can you live on pure carbohydrate? Groan.
Some of the youth here, in order to develop their self discipline I assume, will occasionally pick a "vice" (most often chocolate) to give up for a specific amount of time. I knew a man who used to live here that gave up sweets because he could see that he was getting hooked on them. Well, I'm joining that club. I'm going to give up junk food for six months.
At first I thought that I would just give them up for good, but I decided that I need a more concrete, short-range goal at least for now, so six months sounds good. That puts me at September 26th. At the end, I'll see how things are going and hopefully add on another six months. We'll see. No junk food. None. Nada. Zippo. Six months. Yeah.
I'm an addict. A junk food addict. I am a junk food junkie. Me. I have to accept that. I love sweets. In fact, it seems that the less nutritional value a food has, the better I like to eat it. Marshmallows? Love 'em. Sugar wafers? Mmmmm. Cotton candy? One of my favorites. I call them ingestible non-food items, because food is supposed to have nutritional value. Can you live on pure carbohydrate? Groan.
Some of the youth here, in order to develop their self discipline I assume, will occasionally pick a "vice" (most often chocolate) to give up for a specific amount of time. I knew a man who used to live here that gave up sweets because he could see that he was getting hooked on them. Well, I'm joining that club. I'm going to give up junk food for six months.
At first I thought that I would just give them up for good, but I decided that I need a more concrete, short-range goal at least for now, so six months sounds good. That puts me at September 26th. At the end, I'll see how things are going and hopefully add on another six months. We'll see. No junk food. None. Nada. Zippo. Six months. Yeah.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Songs of The Heart
We're weird! I never knew! Okay, that's a lie. But I didn't know that one of the ways that we're different is that we sing regularly--as a family.
We're certainly not the King Family Singers (boy, that dates me!), or the Jackson 5, but we do sing in our home quite a bit. I guess "quite a bit" is a relative term and I'm just realizing that it might apply to us. Of course we have individuals in the house that sing privately in their rooms--with or without the cd player. We have those who, like my sister when she was a teenager, sing in front of the mirror with a make-believe mike (deoderant containers work great).
But as a family we sing every morning before scripture reading and every night before family prayer. Several Sundays a month we have friends over and sit around the livingroom and sing whatever hymns we happen to want to sing (in between eating biscuits--actually, I'm not sure if we have biscuits when people come over to sing or if we sing when people come over for biscuits!). Sometimes Casey plays the banjo and we sing "old timey" songs like "I'll Fly Away" or "Amazing Grace." We've prepared special numbers and done them for church (the whole group, not just our family). We've taken a whole year getting a special number ready for performance before--it didn't need that much prep it was really just an excuse to get together to sing.
Many years ago Casey suggested that he would like the kids to have some of the hymns memorized, so we did that. It was pretty easy--kids are great memorizers, especially anything set to music. We rarely sing children's church songs, but one time we did learn a song called "Love Is Spoken Here" in parts (girls' part/boys' part)--that was for Family Home Evening. We've memorized all of the books in the Old Testament to the tune of "Praise to the Man" and the New Testament to "Guide Us, O Thou Great Jehovah." (I like those better than the ones they have in the children's book--we can sing them FAST.)
One of my favorite memories involves singing together. It was Christmas 2006 and all of the "away" kids had come home for the holiday. One of the drawbacks (and it's a big one) of living where we do is that when you send one of your children off to college, etc., you never know when you're going to see them again--especially at home. It was the night before Levi was to leave and we were having family prayer before sending the little kids off to bed. We paused as we looked around the room, and someone started to sing "I have a family here on earth...." Even though Levi no longer was practicing our religion, of course he knew the song and we all joined in as always. I never felt the words of that song more warmly than I did at that moment--I was glad that we could express our feelings for each other in that way.
The hymns that I know have helped me a lot over the years. I suspect they have helped the other members of my family as well--I hope they have.
We're certainly not the King Family Singers (boy, that dates me!), or the Jackson 5, but we do sing in our home quite a bit. I guess "quite a bit" is a relative term and I'm just realizing that it might apply to us. Of course we have individuals in the house that sing privately in their rooms--with or without the cd player. We have those who, like my sister when she was a teenager, sing in front of the mirror with a make-believe mike (deoderant containers work great).
But as a family we sing every morning before scripture reading and every night before family prayer. Several Sundays a month we have friends over and sit around the livingroom and sing whatever hymns we happen to want to sing (in between eating biscuits--actually, I'm not sure if we have biscuits when people come over to sing or if we sing when people come over for biscuits!). Sometimes Casey plays the banjo and we sing "old timey" songs like "I'll Fly Away" or "Amazing Grace." We've prepared special numbers and done them for church (the whole group, not just our family). We've taken a whole year getting a special number ready for performance before--it didn't need that much prep it was really just an excuse to get together to sing.
Many years ago Casey suggested that he would like the kids to have some of the hymns memorized, so we did that. It was pretty easy--kids are great memorizers, especially anything set to music. We rarely sing children's church songs, but one time we did learn a song called "Love Is Spoken Here" in parts (girls' part/boys' part)--that was for Family Home Evening. We've memorized all of the books in the Old Testament to the tune of "Praise to the Man" and the New Testament to "Guide Us, O Thou Great Jehovah." (I like those better than the ones they have in the children's book--we can sing them FAST.)
One of my favorite memories involves singing together. It was Christmas 2006 and all of the "away" kids had come home for the holiday. One of the drawbacks (and it's a big one) of living where we do is that when you send one of your children off to college, etc., you never know when you're going to see them again--especially at home. It was the night before Levi was to leave and we were having family prayer before sending the little kids off to bed. We paused as we looked around the room, and someone started to sing "I have a family here on earth...." Even though Levi no longer was practicing our religion, of course he knew the song and we all joined in as always. I never felt the words of that song more warmly than I did at that moment--I was glad that we could express our feelings for each other in that way.
The hymns that I know have helped me a lot over the years. I suspect they have helped the other members of my family as well--I hope they have.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Do You Facebook?
Have you ever been looking over the feeds on your Facebook home page, clicked on the thumbnail photo of a friend and suddenly realized that you have access to someone's Facebook that you've never met? It happens--what I didn't realize when it happened to me is that although the photo I was clicking on was of my friend, it had been posted by a friend of theirs that I didn't even know. By clicking on it I had access to all of the photos and all of the comments on photos in that album. Hmmm...
So I happened to be checking out the news on msnbc.com today and here's an article on "10 Privacy Settings Every Facebook User Should Know." Good information on using features that I didn't even know existed (no great revelation--I'm not exactly an internet pro).
So I happened to be checking out the news on msnbc.com today and here's an article on "10 Privacy Settings Every Facebook User Should Know." Good information on using features that I didn't even know existed (no great revelation--I'm not exactly an internet pro).
Sunday, February 01, 2009
FACEBOOK?
I knew this day would come...
You have a friend request.
Judith B Alexa (Bangor, ME)
You have 8 friends in common.
You have a friend request.
Judith B Alexa (Bangor, ME)
You have 8 friends in common.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
A Looooong Way from Forest Street
Ez was looking through the refrigerator for something to eat after we got home from church today.
"Mom, is there any more of that raw fish?"
"I don't think so."
"Oh. I was really hoping to use up the wasabi--it's really good with the raw fish."
Oh my.
"Mom, is there any more of that raw fish?"
"I don't think so."
"Oh. I was really hoping to use up the wasabi--it's really good with the raw fish."
Oh my.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Friday, December 26, 2008
Christmas Eve at The Conners
Every year I think that the kids will feel like they're too old and won't want to act out the Christmas story. This year I even decided to just have everyone read the different parts in kind of a reader's theater--I'm so glad that I was wrong. I'm the narrator because Casey has always been the donkey--well, since Mal's been gone anyway! This time I got laughing a little because in my peripheral vision I could see Alexa frantically signaling to the angel to get back up in the sky....
We enjoy this tradition so much and an informal poll tells me that Christmas Eve is the favorite over Christmas Day (although they REALLY like the presents).Before performing the Nativity, we have a simple, traditional candlelit dinner of oyster stew, fruit salad, homemade crescent rolls, and punch. After the play, we have pavlova and the kids sometimes watch a movie while we wrap the gifts that I have put off doing--pretty much all of them! This is the first year that I was unable to find pomegranates to decorate the pavlova and add to the fruit salad--ah well.
I probably write pretty much the same thing every year, but I love Christmas Eve--the world seems quiet and serene. It feels lovely.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Good People
Listening to the news and reading the paper, we sometimes forget that the world is full of them--and this one's from Maine! This came in an email from my cousin--it's worth reading.
CHRISTMAS AT ARLINGTON CEMETERY
Arlington�National Cemetery
Arlington�National Cemetery
Rest easy, sleep well my brothers.
Know the line has held, your job is done.
Rest easy, sleep well.
Others have taken up where you fell, the line has held.
Peace, peace, and farewell...
Readers may be interested to know that these wreaths -- some 5,000 -- are donated by the Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington, Maine . The owner, Merrill Worcester, not only provides the wreaths, but covers the trucking expense as well. He's done this since 1992. A wonderful guy. Also, most years, groups of Maine school kids combine an educational trip to DC with this event to help out. Making this even more remarkable is the fact that Harrington is in one the poorest parts of the state.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Forgive Me My Debts
It was my father's rock-solid creed--DON'T SPEND MONEY YOU DON'T HAVE PERIOD THE END. But, at least in the U.S., it isn't that way. It's one thing to go into debt for a house or an education--it's quite another to go into debt for Christmas presents--ahem, ahem--or (out here where we live) christenings and birthday parties. The reality is that millions of Americans do it on a regular basis, and if they ever get out of the debt, many of them turn right around and do it again! And we blame the politicians, the media, the banks, the people who have big families, the town drunk, but please, please don't put this on our doorstep--oh no! And, oh yeah, would you hurry up and fix this bank thing so I can get on with the American dream--which USED to be that hard work and persistence equalled self-reliance, but NOW it's that I am "entitled" to whatever I decide I'm entitled to. (OK, I have to stop now because the cynical evil twin has taken over....)
Sunday, November 30, 2008
It's Maddening
Question: How much of this recession is a result of people acting on media-driven perceptions? My husband thinks it's about 100%.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Twilight: The Book vs. The Movie
I read this book as a preview check before giving it to my daughter for her 12th birthday last year. I came so close to tossing it a hundred times before I got to the last few chapters when the action began. I found Meyer's writing mediocre at best. Her descritive phrases are redundant (i.e., "...his eyes tightened"). Her heroine is such a poor model for teenage girls--here's a girl who sees nothing good or worthy within herself and becomes so enamored by her "love" that she is willing to kill/destroy herself for him depending on whether she thinks he loves her or not. Teenage girls have enough issues without romanticizing the problems that are already rampant among them.I saw the movie last weekend and liked it very much--I thought it was well done. In fact, it was one of the very few movies I've ever seen that I thought was actually better than the book. It got rid of most of the nauseating descriptions of Edward's perfection and created a much more tolerable Bella. At least it kept her "I can't live without you" manic episode to a hospital room where it could be partly written off as trauma.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Pie Night--A History
Well, it's that time of year again when I go a little crazy and bake every kind of pie on the planet--okay, it FEELS like I do. The crazy thing is I love doing it.Of course with all this pie baking we had leftovers, but that was okay because the morning after is "Pie for Breakfast Day" which my kids consider part of the Thanksgiving holiday and I consider an absolute necessity after so much kitchen work the two days previous--it allows me to stay in bed and have happy kids who aren't pestering me or each other. It's wonderful.
Then a friend of mine invited us to our very first Pie Night. She held it on Thanksgiving "Eve" and invited many friends and neighbors to come, bring a pie if desired, and enjoy the traditional Thanksgiving dessert before you were too full. How fun! We really enjoyed it and it was especially fun to get together with everyone--it reminded us of how thankful we were for good friends!
Then we moved to Saipan. I love what a great place this is to live and raise a family (with the exception of the fact that it is so darned far away from aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and the chicks that leave the nest and move back to the States), but at first it needed a few tweaks to make it feel a little more like home, so I decided to invite friends over and have a Pie Night--on Thanksgiving night instead of the day before.
Our friends have become our extended family here--Pie Night gives us a chance to share the holiday with more of them and unload some of the pie as well. Guests can bring pies that are leftover from their dinner or not--no matter. We eat pie, play games, talk, have sing-alongs. In the past the girls have danced (island-style). Downstairs we have a movie going to settle the kids down a little--this year it'll be the b&w version of "Miracle on 34th Street."
I really miss our family back home, but I am incredibly thankful for the people who have given us family here. I love them all.
Pie Night. I can't wait!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Shhhhhh...
I'm gonna be a grandma...and grandpa plays the banjo.
Life don't get much better than that--oh yeah. :)
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