tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63778332024-02-20T03:52:37.659-06:00The Ongoing Adventures of Naked GirlThe story of my quest to look good naked -- really good.Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.comBlogger541125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-6160357957373760632010-10-23T17:39:00.002-05:002010-10-23T18:25:42.813-05:00Six Years Ago TodayIt was six years ago when I landed in Minnesota. Don picked me up, a big of wreck as I was. We unloaded my baggage at Extended Stay America and went for dinner and, more importantly, martinis. The dogs were on the flight behind me. I was a wreck on my flight -- panic attacks, crying jags. Bottom line, we all got here safe and sound. One of the big images of the night was getting to the cargo area and hearing Baja's bark ringing out in the hangar. I knew at that point they were here safe.<br /><br />Nothing has been the same since.<br /><br />I've had to learn about getting sprinklers blown, fall clean up, snowblowers, wildlife...Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-66754511833838275912010-10-16T17:24:00.002-05:002010-10-16T18:45:17.927-05:00I'm BackOK, this is just for me now. I look back at my posts and see how great some of them were and it really got me going that I need a place to vent/express myself. Seeing how "blogging" is so O-V-E-R I figure no one will read this so I can really let go.<br /><br />It's been almost six years since we moved to Minnesota. There are things I miss about living in Los Angeles. There are things I love about living here. There are some other things I don't like about living here, mostly the commute in snow in winter and the humidity/bugs in summer. I don't like being away from my family. I do love we get to go back for two weeks every year. I'm OK with my current job but know I could love the possibilities. I wish Don was happier/more secure in his. I don't want to move again -- unless it's back to California.<br /><br />We're all going well. The dogs have adjusted and handle the colder weather and snow fine. In fact, the autumn break really gives them the zoomies, where they can spend the majority of the days outside enjoying the mild temps. Jager loves her gas-powered fireplace when the temps dip. Baja loves crunching through the fallen leaves. <br /><br />October is hard for me. It's when I left my old life in LA for a new one in MN. There is a melancholy in what could have been. If 9-11 hadn't happened which resulted in the travel industry tanking or the NFL closing the LA office, we'd still be the happy family on Truxton, We're still a happy family, it's just several hundred miles away.Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-54865677503241209702008-09-01T16:37:00.002-05:002008-09-01T16:54:54.889-05:00What A Weekend!We had such a great weekend. The weather was perfect - warm/hot but not too humid, a strong breeze to keep the air moving, lots of sun. I grilled spareribs on Saturday with grilled green beans (hard to keep them from falling through the grates, but worth it) and a white bean salad with corn, grape tomatoes and kalamata olives. Tonight, it's marinated rib-eyes with buttermilk potato salad and grilled corn with grilled peaches & vanilla ice cream topped with a honey-thyme sauce. Man, I love to cook...<br /><br />I was able to spend a lot of time out on the deck, mostly reading. I did some shopping, but couldn't really take advantage of the Labor Day Sales - I don't need any clothes and we're trying to cut down on crap, so it I purchased things like new hangers, some skin care items I needed, etc. Pretty boring stuff...<br /><br />I did have a good workout at the gym on Saturday and hope to continue it tomorrow. I wanted to go today, but I needed to go to the Apple Store to get my Mac fixed (password issue) and I could only get a very early appointment or a very late appointment. I need to get back into a routine so I'm not so sore when I do work out. <br /><br />It's a short work week for me - Tuesday to Thursday - so I'm sure I'll be busy. Don and I are looking to a day out on Friday for my birthday (the big 4-0). I want to do a picnic at the Sculpture Garden and then see an exhibit at the Walker before having dinner at one of our favorite haunts, Campiello's. I don't know what we're going to do on Saturday -- I'd like to go to Stillwater and do some shopping and wine tasting, but we'll see what the weather brings. I don't want to make it a big deal, but it's a pretty important milestone...Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-25414731751563612008-08-27T18:17:00.002-05:002008-08-27T18:42:30.680-05:00Hump DayThis will be my second out of three short weeks -- two weeks ago, we all had Monday off for a team building event at my boss' house, this past Monday I took a personal day for a morning doctor's appointment and then a few hours at the State Fair and next week is Labor Day & I will have Friday off for my birthday. Boy, is the week of 9/8 going to seem l-o-n-g!<br /><br />We don't have any big plans for the long weekend -- maybe some light housework/yard work and some errands. I will hopefully get a lot of reading in -- I have discovered a pair of authors, Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child, that are knocking my socks off. I now have purchased all of their books out in paperback and have 5 to read to "get caught up" on the series. Three are stand alone books (<i>Ice Storm</i>, <i>Riptide</i> and <i>Thunderhead</i>), but the rest all have a central FBI Special Agent Pendergast interacting with different characters, some of whom are revisited in the later books. I made the mistake of starting mid-series, but have now started from the beginning because it looks like it's only going to get better.<br /><br />Some of the other great books I've read this summer -- <i>Racing in the Rain</i>, <i>The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible</i>, <i>A Thousand Splendid Suns</i> just to name a few. <br /><br />I still have work to do on the blog -- like updating my links, but I am off to do some reading...Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-28883440605035117842008-08-23T08:00:00.002-05:002008-08-23T08:16:46.219-05:00Blog TroublesSo the designer of my customized blog is MIA and I have no way of contacting her or getting my template back, so it's back to basics.<br />Anyway, I just haven't had the time to play around with this over the last month. Work has been really busy -- it's budget season and planning for 2009 staffing. By the time I get home, the last thing I want to do is get on the computer. <br />Don's job is ramping up. He's been switched from the Vikings' beat to the Timberwolves' one but is still helping to cover the Vikings (very long, political story). His travel is going to be a bit of a nightmare, but we'll get through it. <br />Life in general is going pretty well. I have kind of started back-to-basics with diet and exercise after a few months of "vacation." I'm still hanging in there between 165 - 170, but I've been feeling a little sluggish. I also had a bit of an episode and discovered I have high blood pressure and borderline anemia. I'm on meds for the BP and have upped my iron intake to see if that helps. My thyroid reading was way off as well, so they changed the dosage on my Synthroid. I have a full physical on Monday to see if there is anything else. In the meantime, I've tried to focus on more fresh fruits and veggies, more lean protein and less processed foods. I'm back doing yoga and trying to meditate to help with the relaxation.<br />Don and I have been getting out and about more. We went to the RenFest last Saturday and then went to our Fantasy Football Draft Party on Sunday. This weekend is my company's summer picnic. We both have doctor's appointments on Monday morning and then it's off to the State Fair for fried fat & sugar on a stick.<br />The big weekend is September 5 - 7 -- it's my 40th birthday on Friday. I've taken the day off, although I haven't decided what to do. I was thinking about Valley Fair (like Six Flags) but I may be fair & festival-ed out by then. The other option is lunch at a lakeside restaurant and then a lake cruise. I'll also check out some museums to see if there is anything that pops out at me.<br />Now that I have the basic template fixed, I'll try and get my links up and fixed soon! Hope I still have a few readers out there!Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-91931784297074672882008-07-15T18:28:00.002-05:002008-07-15T18:57:48.396-05:00Home, Safe & SoundSo glad to be home! I really love going out to California and seeing my family, but the drive is a grind and long. We got home on Friday around 8:30 PM local time -- just in time for a huge thunderstorm to hit. We unpacked and vegged out for a bit before going to bed. On Saturday, it was all about laundry, getting groceries, running errands, going through 2 weeks worth of mail, paying bills. On Sunday, we eased into the morning. I took a yoga class -- my first in awhile -- and then we went to see <i>Wall-E</i>.<br /><br />I've gotten back into the swing of things at work pretty quickly. It's tough getting back on schedule, plus the whole wearing clothes thing is a pain, after several weeks of wearing nothing but shorts, flip flops and tank tops. Now, I'm back in bras, skirts and high heels....<br /><br />The drive back was uneventful -- exactly what we want on a 2000+ mile drive. The first day was 18 hours and the second day was close to 13 hours. Anyone could get cranky in those conditions, and both Don and I had our moments. For the most part, we enjoy each other's company, and we find a lot to talk about and even enjoy the silence. The dogs did great, even in the hotels. We have a routine with our stops -- Don gets the dogs out for a walk, I go in for a potty break, I come out and load up the dogs and start to gas up while Don has a potty break and we're back on the road within 15 minutes. What made this trip easier than the two before is that the CRV has a mileage range showing how many more miles we have before we run out of gas. In the end, we made fewer stops saving us time. <br /><br />It's still a tough trip, especially because we want to do each overnight on the other side of the Rockies -- Grand Junction on the way west and Denver on the way east. There is nothing like ending an 18-hour day winding through pitch black mountain roads. <br /><br />I do have to say we live in a very beautiful country. Even the flat, green, plains of Iowa and Nebraska are wonderful, although little holds a candle to the Rockies and the desert mountains of Utah. Of course, there is the south Pacific coast of California. We took the coast road between Santa Barbara and West Hollywood, down Highway 1. My favorite place will always be Santa Barbara -- the coast, the mountains...<br /><br />We had a lovely dinner at the Wine Cask, the restaurant that catered our wedding 9 years ago. Since we went on a Tuesday evening, we were the only ones out on the patio for almost the entire meal. I got to eat a lot of good Mexican food (like, 5 times!) and realize how much I miss it. We also stopped at In-N-Out Burger in Las Vegas on the was home for lunch. Yum!<br /><br />Now it's all about getting into a schedule here. I feel like if I can get back to "normal" this week, I'll have the weekend to recover and then be ready to take on the world next Monday!Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-43883917959258715822008-07-09T19:05:00.004-05:002008-07-09T19:28:43.349-05:00Lizards, Coyotes and Hummingbirds, Oh My!teDespite living in Minnesota and having a ton of wildlife around us, there is something about being up here that brings out the Mutual Life of Omaha in all of us...<br /><br />Jager had been stalking a planter out by the pool for two days. Both Don and I had moved it, rattled it, lifted it up to show her there was nothing there. Yesterday morning, she was back at it -- pawing at the planter, licking the side, snuffing under it -- and I went to move it so she would relax. I tilted it up so she could get a good sniff, and lo-and-behold, there was a small lizard. I didn't know this until I turned around and she is there with a lizard tail hanging out of her mouth and Baja trying to get at it! <br /><br />I was calling at her to drop it, trying to get Baja away from her when Don came out to help. Between the two of us, we got Baja inside and Jager to release the poor lizard and got them both inside the house. We figured the lizard was dead and I went to go get a bag, but much to our surprise, he was alive. We started to nudge it off the stairs, down the deck to the field behind the house. Of course, nothing could be THAT easy since it had to scamper by the pool... Yes, he fell in... I had to go into the pool with a plastic grocery bag and fish him out so Don could continue nudging him into the field. <br /><br />Once that ordeal was over, I called my dad to tell him the story. While I was on the phone, I saw a coyote crossing across the field. The dogs did too, and raise holy hell. It's a good thing I knew that coyotes were around, otherwise I might have thought it was a stray dog.<br /><br />Anyway, we had a uneventful rest of the day with a walk on the beach and some pool time with our anniversary dinner last night. I thought the drama was over... Oh, so wrong...<br /><br />This morning, Don went to get a newspaper and I took the dogs outside for a morning patrol. My dad has a bunch of flowers in his garden up here that attract various birds. There was a hummingbird hovering around one of the planters. Jager was waling by and the bird's movement caught her eye -- she pounced and CAUGHT the hummingbird!! She released it immediately -- I think more out of shock than anything else -- before she did any harm.<br /><br />Needless to say, it's been an adventure up here... We hit the road tomorrow before 7:00 AM so we can get to Denver by midnight. I am not looking forward to the long haul but I will be happy to get home. At least Jager won't be bringing down a deer or duck....Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-58816646140952822902008-07-06T18:25:00.002-05:002008-07-06T18:37:46.626-05:00Santa Barbara!We arrived as expected on Sunday and spent a few great days here before heading to LA, where we had another several wonderful days. The best part of the trip so far was that my mom and her new partner, Elaine, surprised us on Wednesday at a local SB Mexican eatery. Don said he hadn't seen me so happy in a long time...<br /><br />There is the Goleta (aka The Gap) fire burning nearby, but it's 25 miles to the north of us and other than increased air traffic, you'd never know. <br /><br />While in LA, we did visit our old haunt, the Baja Cantina (whom after our Baja is named) although we did not partake of Jager's namesake. What a great place to people-watch -- especially on the 4th of July. A bunch of land-lubbers heading toward surf and sand only to return sunburned. And the outfits!!! I was very snarky, but funny (at least to me) about what people were wearing. Trust me, white men should not wear baseball caps sideways or over-sized sunglasses. And "diamond grills" don't work any anyone other than rap stars.<br /><br />Now my main goal is to try and read as many books as possible while getting a bit of vitamin D. Oh, and trying to eat as much good Mexican food as possible, even if that means El Pollo Loco!.Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-70044268701653199472008-06-27T20:20:00.002-05:002008-06-27T20:32:17.943-05:00California Here We ComeHawaii was great, but glad to be getting to my "real" vacation, even if that does mean 2 days of driving each way.<br /><br />The car is packed and we should get a good night's rest before heading out tomorrow.<br /><br />I'm looking forward to 2 weeks of pure relaxation of reading by the pool and time with Don.<br /><br />I had a great time in Hawaii. It was busy with the wedding and all, but nice to get get away. The helicopter ride was so amazing. I'll post photos as soon as I can.<br /><br />Anyway, not looking forward to the long drives in the next few days but the payoff will be worth it!!Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-3971239398167850222008-06-14T00:34:00.003-05:002008-06-14T01:11:58.440-05:00Aloha! Means Hello & Good-ByeI can't believe I'm off to Hawaii in 5 days! It still seems so far off, but it's really right around the corner. I have this weekend and then 3 days of work and then off to the islands. Then, the real mind bend -- home for 3 days and then off to California. I'm not even counting those 3 days at home, although I will go in to work (mostly to show off my tan...) since we're leaving super early on Saturday, June 28. We'll return home on Saturday, July 12 giving me a day to recoup before going back to work on July 14.<br /><br />My time in Hawaii will be great -- I have a luau the day I get there, a helicopter ride & dinner Friday, the wedding & dinner Saturday and then a brunch on Sunday. There will only be the bride & groom, their parents and 3 friends (2 work friends and me). I finally have my dress, purse and shoes together with a tentative palette of accessories (not real sure of the necklace). I've even been tanning -- something I haven't done in years -- just to make sure I'm not Minnesota-white when I get there.<br /><br />I still have a few things to try and get done -- a manicure, waxing (not the fun kind) and general packing. The good thing is that I got out of work early on Thursday and did some shopping, which included a new bathing suit, cover-up, some capri pants and some new books. I know -- I still have a ton of unread books but none were really "beach reads" so I <i>needed</i> to get a few to tide me over.<br /><br />With this trip pending, I haven't even been able to get excited about my (now) annual trip to California. We hemmed and hawed about this, especially with the price of gas, but decided it was too important. Usually, it's a good break for Don before he's off to cover the start of Viking training camp, but he got thrown a curve 2 weeks ago. The powers that be at his paper decided to move him from the Viking beat to the Timberwolves beat. He's never covered the NBA before, and it was all politics, but I'm sure he'll do a good job. The tough part will be the travel. For the NFL, it was 1 pre-season game and 8 regular-season games on the road which meant 2 nights away. The NBA is much different -- there could be as many as 6 nights away at a time, and there are 41 road games to cover. Ugh. <br /><br />The trip to California will be different, too. We have driven the 4th of July weekend, but with the timing, we're actually going the week before. That means, we'll be in Santa Barbara Sunday - Thursday AM, in Los Angeles Thursday - Sunday afternoon and then back in SB from Sunday PM until Friday AM before we head back to Minnesota. I'm hoping to get appointments with my chiropractor & nutritionist on Thursday, July 3 plus I'll get to see my mom at least once while I'm in LA. I'll see Dad & Dean on Wednesday, July 2 for a bit plus dinner that night. <br /><br />It's a lot of logistics, but as long as I get a few good days by the pool (for me) and a few long walks on the beach (for the dogs), I should be good until next year.<br /><br />Work is going very well. I'm loving my new boss and his leadership. I wasn't sure about it when it was announced, but he's really proven himself to me and my team. I still have a lot on my plate, but it seems so much easier than when I was doing my job plus my former boss's job. I'm actually getting home at a decent hour and even got back into the gym on weekdays last week. <br /><br />I'll try and post a few more times before I leave for Hawaii since won't have my computer there, but I will have computer access when I'm in California. <br /><br />Anyway, I'm going to try and catch up on what everyone else is doing. I've been a bad blogger from both a posting and commenting stand-point. I want to do better in these areas!!!Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-16589844841042804532008-05-26T16:41:00.002-05:002008-05-26T17:08:10.171-05:00Happy Memorial Day!Hope everyone is having a nice, relaxing weekend. We've had really wacky weather. It was beautiful Friday & Saturday, humid/overcast/hot yesterday and then sunny/cool this morning and now overcast/cool/windy this afternoon. There were tornado touches about 30 miles northeast of us in Hugo, MN. The one person I know from that town was a mile away from the destruction, but he still needs to re-side the western part of his house (which was just re-sided last spring after his house was hit by lightening) and his camper and truck had hail damage.<br /><br />The photos of the hail were pretty amazing - some were golf-ball sized and some were 3" across. During the whole time this was happening, we had partly sunny skies and no rain. The temps hit 83 degrees - the first time we got to 80 since last fall. We're back down to the upper 60s today. The rest of the week may only get to the mid-70s. I've decided to hit the tanning salon to make sure I have a good base before I leave for Hawaii.<br /><br />It's only 3 1/2 weeks away - I'm very excited. I finally found shoes and a purse, although I'm still trying to figure out what to do about accessories. I started making my packing list I want to limit it to a carry-on so I don't have to worry about checking a bag, especially since I'm changing planes in Phoenix. I don't think there is much formally planned other than the wedding & dinner and a helicopter ride. I'd like to spend some time just being warm!! I get in on Thursday afternoon, the ride is on Friday morning and the wedding is Saturday evening. Other than that, it's pretty much beach/pool time for me!<br /><br />The tough part will be the return. I leave Hawaii Monday night at 10:30 and get into Minneapolis at 2:00 Tuesday afternoon. I'll go to work Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and then we leave for Santa Barbara early Saturday morning. We waffled on going or not for several weeks because of the gas prices, but decided to bite the bullet and head west. I'm really looking forward to the trip, especially because it's become tradition for us, and something we enjoy. It's a haul - two full days of driving each way, plus the added stress of only having 3 days at work between trips - but I know it will be worth it in the long run.<br /><br />Off to make dinner - BBQ tri-tip, baked beans and salad. Yum!Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-6872476284802627272008-05-11T17:52:00.002-05:002008-05-11T19:41:11.624-05:00Lazy DayActually, I should say a lazy weekend! It rained most of yesterday, limiting our outside activities. Don and I did go to a friend's birthday party last night and had a lot of fun. Today was cool and breezy. We took the dogs for a hike and then had a late brunch. The "kids" got me a gift certificate at a local spa as a Mother's Day gift, and I know that will be put to good use.<br /><br />I had a good week at work. I was actually out of the office every day before 5:00 PM, which is a huge change from the last several weeks. I still have a lot to do, but I don't have wall-to-wall meetings from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, meaning the only time I was able to work on projects, respond to voice mails and answer e-mails was before or after. The biggest thing I'm working on is how to define our new department under the recent reorganization. I met with my boss on Friday and we brainstormed some really good ideas about how we want to look going forward. <br /><br />Nothing else really big on tap for the upcoming weeks. I'm still working on getting my eating fully back on track after surgery last month. I am having better days, but I still don't want to eat which causes low blood sugar and headaches. My weight is still between 165 - 170. With my work schedule normalizing, I'm hoping to get back into a gym routine next week.Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-70465122938351571992008-05-05T18:05:00.004-05:002008-05-05T18:28:44.220-05:00Tattoo You<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v205/sseeholzer/?action=view¤t=IMG_0001-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/sseeholzer/IMG_0001-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />I had to wait until it was healed and not peeling before I posted. I think it looks pretty good, and pretty ambitious for a first tattoo. I just now have to find some cute shirts to show it off in appropriate situations...<br /><br />We had back-to-back 3-day weekends. The first one was marred by crappy weather - rainy & cold. The second one was much nicer, even though it rained on Friday. I volunteered at the St. Paul Cinco de Mayo festival on Saturday. It was windy and cool, but in the sun it was pretty nice. On Sunday, it was in the mid-60s and I spent a good portion of the day out on the deck reading and absorbing some vitamin D. We did go see <i>Harold & Kumar</i> which was funny in a very low-brow way. <br /><br />I'm actually going to try and get back into a gym routine beginning tomorrow. I haven't been able to go on a regular basis because of work, but I have to stop using that as an excuse. My weight has remained stable despite stress and long hours (in fact, maybe because of those factors). <br /><br />The other good news is that I'm on my second week of being able to sleep through the night. It's making such a huge difference in how I'm feeling. I have a lot more energy and I'm not nearly as crabby. Plus, I'm not anxious about not sleeping through the night. The best part - I didn't do it with drugs. I think it's just less work-related stress and more regular hours. <br /><br />I think one of the other reasons I'm feeling better is that the weather has finally turned the corner. I can even put up with some rainy days as long as it's warm and things are beginning to turn green. I'm getting outdoors more, breathing some fresh air and getting some rays. <br /><br />Who needs Prozac with a few sunny days?Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-47483290543291421362008-04-25T17:09:00.003-05:002008-04-26T07:29:04.428-05:00Snow? Really?I have to move. I mean, seriously - snow showers at the end of April? How can I possibly get into Spring Cleaning mode when there is snow blowing around? This is total crap. My body is so confused - last Sunday, it was mid-70s and I was out on the deck in shorts and a bikini top. Grrrr. <br /><br />I was able to mostly sleep through the night. I still feel like I'm short so maybe I'll try to nap later today to catch up. What I really should do is get my butt to the gym, but I am just not motivated, especially with the icky weather.<br /><br />Don is off to cover the exciting NFL draft. It will be a long day for him. The draft starts at 2:00 PM (CST) but the Vikings traded their first pick so won't "be on the clock" until the 2nd round. That means, assuming if all the teams use the entire time for their picks, the Vikings won't make their pick until about 8:00 PM. Don will probably be home around 10:00 PM or so. Day two of the draft should have a little more action and move a little quicker, but it will still be a long day for him. What I can't believe is that people actually sit in front of the TV to watch this event. The idea of listening to hours upon hours of Chris Berman bloviating is not my idea of fun.<br /><br />Guess I better get started on some laundry and the dishes. Maybe that will get me in the mood to Spring Clean!Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-71581546032765500372008-04-25T03:19:00.002-05:002008-04-25T03:50:53.154-05:00Counting SheepOnce again, I am up at an ungodly hour. Why is my brain so active at 3:00 AM when I should be sleeping?<br /><br />One of my goals for May is not to work more than 50 hours a week. How sad is that? I am giving up my time to work in exchange for less time with my family, less time at the gym (ugg - nothing like paying $50 a month for nothing more than the honor of holding a gym card), less time doing things I love - especially now that the weather has decided to play nice. <br /><br />My typical day starts at 5:30 AM when the alarm goes off. I try to be on the road by 6:15 AM, which means I am at my desk with my computer revved up by 7:00 AM. I usually have back-to-back (to back) meetings from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM. I don't get out of the office until close to 5:30 PM (on a good day - some days, it's closer to 6:30 PM or later). I get home after 6:00 PM and then it's cook and eat dinner, try to catch up on some TiVO'd shows, spend some time with Don & the dogs. I "retire" between 8:00 - 9:00 to read before bed before "falling asleep" by 10:00 PM. I don't seem to have an issue with starting to sleep, but I have been getting up between 2:00 AM - 3:00 AM and not being able to fall back to sleep until close to 5:00 AM. By then, I am a mess - who can only get by with a few hours of sleep? If that happens, I end up drinking 40+ ounces of coffee and maybe a Diet Coke or energy drink just to try and get me through the day. <br /><br />In the end, I find myself drifting off during meetings (especially if the room is warm) or just being grumpy with my staff.<br /><br />I am not eating on a regular pattern, which I know contributes to the overall feeling of yuckiness. <br /><br />My main goal is to try and actually get a full night's sleep. I hope to get that this weekend with some major spring cleaning, a trip (or two) to the gym and just the relief of knowing that a lot of what's on my plate is going to go away now that I have a boss to take on some of this work. Granted, that won't turn my mind off but, maybe, that will help.<br /><br />Off to try and get a few more winks before the dreaded alarm goes off in 90 minutes.Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-27292626049930195082008-04-22T03:20:00.002-05:002008-04-22T03:45:35.872-05:00Things That Go Bump In The NightI have been battling severe insomnia for several weeks. Even sleeping pills just get me to 3:00 AM or so before I am awake and ready for battle. I have a lot on my mind, which keeps me thinking long after I should be counting sheep, but these 3:00 AM sojourns need to stop.<br /><br />All I do is think about what needs to be done around the house or at work. It ends up making my brain work over time when I should be sleeping. I tend to read or bead just to "numb" the brain into sleep, but it's not working. I hate that I'm wide awake at these ungodly hours, especially because I end up nodding off at my desk or at some meeting.<br /><br />I can't tell you how often this has caused me to go in to work before 6:00 AM and then end up staying until well after 5:00 PM. I am just a bundle of nervous energy that probably a good turn at the gym would solve, but that would mean actually making time for a workout, which isn't in the cards right now.<br /><br />So, what do I do at 3:00 AM? I read (I've finished about 10 books in the last few weeks), bead, surf the Internet. I should be writing in my journal to get some of this shit out of my mind, but it's too laborious to even put on paper. <br /><br />Right now, it's 3:50 AM - I've been up since 2:30 AM and I know I should go to bed and try to sleep until the alarm goes off at 5:30 AM, but I can't. I toss; I turn; I sweat (where did this come from?); I itch; I think.<br /><br />I know a body gets used to a pattern, but this is just ridiculous. Even sitting here, all I can think about is trying to sleep. Grrrr......<br /><br />Off to try and count sheep, even if it's only for another hour or so....Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-45633791551107932232008-04-20T18:47:00.003-05:002008-04-20T19:39:46.789-05:00I'm B-a-a-a-c-k!OK, the hiatus is over. The biggest change is that I <i>finally</i> have a new boss, who starts tomorrow. He's coming over from a different department, but he's very aware of who we are and what we do. Overall, the changes that are being made make a lot of sense and aligns groups in a very logical way. Bottom line, I can stop working 12-hour days & weekends and hopefully start sleeping through the night.<br /><br />In addition to these changes, I had emergency surgery 3 weeks ago. I had been having trouble eating - I would get severe cramps every time I ate any dense protein. This went on for a few days, but it got really bad on a Sunday. I went into work on Monday and cramped even when I tried yogurt or a protein shake. I went to the nurse who suggested I go to the ER, which I really didn't want to do. After a few hours of enduring major pain, I decided to go in to the ER at the hospital where I had my WLS. After a 3 hour wait, I finally saw the ER doctor who did an ultrasound (irritated and swollen gallbladder but no gallstones) and then a CT scan. The scan showed what they thought was a major blockage at the "Y" section of my intestines. <br /><br />I was admitted immediately with surgery scheduled for the following day by my WLS surgeon. Usually, when they think there is a blockage, they insert a nasal gastric tube - a tube that goes into one nostril, down your throat and into your stomach - to drain all liquids prior to surgery. Don had already gone home - it was now 1:00 AM on Tuesday morning. I had been battling pain since Sunday night and hadn't slept very well, so I was a bit grumpy and just wanted to rest (the pain meds were making me sleepy). They got the tube in and it felt like I had a bone caught in my throat. I went into a panic attack and tried to pull the tube out. After waiting 15 minutes to see if I would calm down, they finally removed it.<br /><br />I got some rest, but not a lot. The next morning when I met with my surgeon, he said they would insert the NG tube after I was under. That had to be the worst part of the whole ordeal. If anyone suggests an NG tube, just say no!<br /><br />They thought they might need to re-do a portion of my surgery - essentially removing the blocked portion and "reassembling" the "Y" connection. When they actually got in there, it wasn't an internal blockage, but scar tissue between the abdominal wall on the outer portion of my intestine. This is somewhat common, but it usually shows shortly after surgery, not 2+ years later. In the end, the surgery was about an hour and I was in recovery for only a short time - Don was just getting ready to grab a bite to eat since I was supposed to be in recovery for 2 hours and I was in there for less than 1. <br /><br />I came out of anesthesia very well, and Don said I didn't even look like I had surgery. I was up walking around by 6:00 PM Tuesday evening. My original release date was going to be Thursday, however because I was doing so well, I got to go home on Wednesday morning. I did take the rest of the week off, and am now sporting 6 more lap incisions but they look pretty good. I'm able to actually eat a normal meals. Of course, it came at a very inopportune time work-wise but there was no way I could have postponed it and I'm just glad they figured out what was causing the pain.<br /><br />Other big news - on somewhat of a whim, I decided to get tattooed on Saturday. Don was working, I needed to kill a few hours so I ended up at <a href="http://<br />www.saintsabrinas.com/index.html">Saint Sabria's</a> with my friend, Jen. As soon as it heals, I'll have Don take a photo. It's a heart with rainbow-colored wings and it's located between my shoulder blades. Of course, seeing all the possibilities made me think of where to get my <i>next</i> tattoo (ankle, wrist, lower back). It didn't hurt as much as I thought. I like that it's in a place where it's not visible unless I want it to be.<br /><br />Don is doing well - in the full throes of getting ready for next week's NFL draft. The 2008 season was released last week. His travel schedule isn't too bad - New Orleans, Phoenix, Tampa Bay, Jacksonville, Detroit, Green Bay, Chicago and Nashville. He will be home for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. <br /><br />The weather has <b>FINALLY</b> turned to Spring. We actually were getting snow the few days I was in the hospital. I was able to spend a few hours on the deck this afternoon catching up on my reading. It felt so good to get into the sun. We're supposed to get thunderstorms tomorrow, which I don't mind - just don't rain on my weekends!!<br /><br />I'm hoping to get next Thursday & Friday off to finally tackle the spring cleaning around here. I have a list a mile long, but it just hasn't been spring-y enough to get into the mood.<br /><br />Well, that's pretty much it for now. I should be able to dedicate more time catching up, both on my reading and on my posting. Hopefully not too many of my long-time readers have given up on me!Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-15119553808010571012008-03-24T19:17:00.002-05:002008-03-24T20:08:00.570-05:00Snow, Snow, Go AwayI know I haven't updated in awhile - I was waiting for my blog template to be fixed, which is in the works. Anyway, I didn't want anyone to think I had fallen off the planet.<br /><br /><b>WORK:</b> My boss left mid-February, leaving a huge hole in management. The decision has been made to divide his position into two Director-level jobs, and I have applied for Director, Workforce Management & Forecasting, Contact Center Management Group. Talk about a hoity-toity title. Anyway, I've been doing my manager's job plus taking on some director tasks, making my workday 10+ hours. We'll see if I get a promotion, but even if I don't, my workload <i>has</i> to get easier. Needless to say, the last thing I want to do when I get home is get on the computer for more than a check of e-mail and headlines.<br /><br /><b>FAMILY:</b> Don is doing well - mostly alternating between a week of work and a week off, although he does have a few consecutive weeks of work as the NFL Draft approaches. The dogs are confused about the weather - almost fully melted yard (just a few icy patches) to 10+ inches between last Thursday night and yesterday. Dad is off on an Orient cruise for the next few weeks, which I hope is exciting for him. He will see things I probably won't - like the Great Wall of China. Mom is hanging in there with her living situation.<br /><br /><b>WEIGHT:</b> I'm hanging right in between my goal weigh, although it's higher than I'd like. I haven't been able to get to the gym or yoga because of the job situation, but I'm eating pretty well and getting my calories in accordingly. I'd like to drop 15+ pounds, but that's not going to happen until I can get back into the gym on a regular basis. I could also use the yoga/meditation for relaxation. I did do a 1/2 day at a spa on Saturday - body scrub, seaweed wrap, full body lotion, facial, massage, scalp massage, hair wash & blow dry. It felt great - and well worth it.<br /><br />I am doing some journaling, a lot of pleasure reading, catching up on TiVO'd shows, getting ready for Spring Cleaning. I'm ready for winter to be over and show us some Global Warming - like, into the 50s at least. Bring us some rain!<br /><br />Despite the template not being up-to-date, I will try and visit my favorites this week. I need to know what's going on with everyone!!Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-47302678633042360232008-02-29T03:49:00.002-06:002008-02-29T04:47:30.762-06:00Under ConstructionI have a fix for my blog, but it won't be in place until 3/10, so bear with me....<br /><br />As an update, life is throwing me under the bus - broken ribs (long story) and work. My boss left for his new job outside the company 2 weeks ago and a lot of his responsibility fell to me. I am working longer hours - up to 12 hours a day plus weekends. I am up every morning around 3 AM with my mind on hyper-speed. What did I miss? How can I solve for this? What amazing solutions do I have? How am I going to lead my team through this change? <br /><br />I need a day off - and not just a weekend where I am running around doing house upkeep to basic clean-up and errands. My mind is a whirlwind and I pulling my hair out! If it wasn't for my brother, I would have missed my dad's 17th anniversary with Dean. I am so self-absorbed with just getting through my own day, I forget everything else. <br /><br />Granted, once they hire a new Director to insulate me, it will be better, but there is the option of me moving into that role, which only muddles the picture. Part of me wants the challenge of being the Director, Workforce Planning & Analytics - fewer direct reports; I can delegate a lot of what I am doing to the new me. But, I would be in a more vital role and have a lot more to answer for. <br /><br />I am at a crossroads in my life. There will be trade-offs, and I don't know if I'm willing to make those right now. Part of me just wants to be the player behind the scene, but a bigger part of me wants to be a player - despite what that would mean to me work-life balance. Do I want a higher stressed job that may take me away from my family? Do I want to "train" a new director when I know I could do his/her job better - even at the cost of my own happiness? <br /><br />I don't like feeling like I need to work 10+ hours per day and then going home to drink myself silly to cope. I can't eat - with the surgery - so my stress ends up being a reason to drink. I just want to be normal.<br />]]]]Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-27733120524250185572008-02-02T11:39:00.000-06:002008-02-02T11:48:09.669-06:00Temporary FixI don't know what is wrong with my wolf template but I found a temporary fix while I figure it out. I'll have to wait until I'm home to get all my links back, so bear with me.<br /><br />Phoenix has been great - of course, part of if is just seeing and <b>feeling</b> the sun! The temps have been in the mid-60s and a little cool in the morning, but overall really pleasant. I've been able to spend some good time with Don plus do a little shopping. Today's plans are still up in the air - maybe a museum, maybe some more window shopping - typical tourist stuff.<br /><br />The dogs are doing great at the new kennel. The staff seems very informed of what my dogs have been up to. In fact, when I called today to schedule an exit grooming for the two, when I gave the woman their names, she was all, "Oh, Baja and Jager! We are having such fun with them. They are really great dogs." <br /><br />Anyway, just wanted to see if I could fix the template. If anyone is good with Blogger and HTML code, let me know if you could take a look at my old template to see what is broken!Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-3334401243216783372008-01-31T01:58:00.000-06:002008-01-31T02:26:27.208-06:00Off To PhoenixI am having a hard time deciding what to pack since I can't remember what 65 degrees feels like. It was <b>minus</b> 50 (with the wind chill factor) yesterday morning. Even going out for lunch at noon was painful - but my boss was buying, so who am I to complain?<br /><br />I think I am leaning toward not applying for his position right now. I still have a lot to learn in my current role, and the added stress is not something I need. I know my staff would like me to - mostly because one or two of them want my job, but I really need to make sure I'm ready for that jump.<br /><br />What I am excited about is seeing Don tomorrow. His usual road trips are just two nights but he's been gone five nights on this trip and it's taking a toll. Just getting myself ready in the morning is one thing but having to make sure the dogs are let out and fed is another. Plus, I actually have to do laundry! That's something Don normally does and I often forget how long it can take.<br /><br />Off to bed - it's after 2:00 AM - I can't sleep when Don isn't here and I have to travel...Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-4426795971835120412008-01-27T05:53:00.000-06:002008-01-27T06:53:33.710-06:00Work Drama!This was a bell-weather week for us as far as tax season ramping up, less staffing, call volumes coming in where we didn't expect, etc. We got through it fairly well, and that should mean we can get through April without too many ugly days. <br /><br />However, my boss dropped a bombshell on Wednesday when he told us he was leaving for another company next month. Many on my staff, as well as several other leaders, have asked if I am going to take his position. There is a lot about the job that is tempting, however there are a lot of challenges that I don't know if I want to take on right now. There would be less people-leading - I'd only have 3 direct reports versus the 9 I have now. There would be a lot more strategy, planning, budgets, etc. Plus, I don't know how I really feel about reporting to the Senior VP. She's great, but a little hard to read, and I don't know if she likes me. I've had some weird interactions with her, and I'd be worried about my success under her. Anyway, a lot to think about...<br /><br />Of course, what I'm really looking forward to is my upcoming trip to Phoenix! It's actually going to be WARM - and not this "warm" Minnesota-style of 30+ degrees. I mean, how sad is it when we get excited about anything above 32? At this point I don't even mind snowy days as long as the morning temps are above -17. The wind chill is bitter - it's gotten to -40 in the last few days. There's a part of me that wonders if I will ever be warm again. Heck, I even have a shawl at work to help me stay warm. One person on my staff has a blanket! It's not like the office temps are that bad, but once you get a chill it's hard to get rid of. <br /><br />My broken finger is healing slowly. I don't have to wear the splint but the nail is still looking U-G-L-Y. I have a hard time typing, and I am afraid of losing the nail. Part of me just wants to remove the nail so the nail bed can heal, but the idea of pulling off the nail is almost too painful to think about. I have "fake" nails and have for years and it seems that the acrylic is actually helping the nail stay stable. I don't know what's going to happen as the nail tries to grow over the gash. I just want to have good-looking hands again!<br /><br />On the weight front, I am happy to say I am maintaining at 165. This is huge for me because I am eating more but still able to stay within my range. I know the trip will be a challenge just because of the eating out, but I think I can handle it by watching my portions and staying protein-focused. <br /><br />I should be able to post more since I will have more time once I'm on the road. Time to think, time to ponder my career path, time to catch up with all of you, time to spend with Don.Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-33656531950002766552008-01-20T15:17:00.000-06:002008-01-20T15:37:32.536-06:00Broken FingerI broke my right middle finger last Monday - I slammed it in the car door. Let me tell you, I do NOT recommend this! The nail is broken through to the skin and from side-to-side. In addition, I have a good cut off the nail and on the finger pad. The finger tip is broken, and the nail bed is fractured. The nail hasn't fallen off yet, and I don't know if it will, but it's still awfully tender and sore. It makes typing very hard.<br /><br />It's very, very cold here this weekend - minus 17 at dawn this morning not counting the wind chill. We're spending a lot of time inside, that's for sure. Even the dogs don't want to go out. I cooked yesterday - French onion soup, artichoke chicken breasts with creamy risotto. Good stuff! <br /><br />Work is busy, but a little less stressful. I am, however, looking forward to my 5 days in Phoenix at the end of the month. Don is off to cover the Super Bowl and I will be joining him to soak up some <b>WARM</b> sun rays. I'm not relishing the idea of dealing with the house/dogs/work for 3 days by myself, especially since it's been made clear to me 10-hour days are "expected" during our busy season. Whatever - I don't want to come home to an eaten couch or poop on the new carpet.<br /><br />Off to maybe take a Sunday nap - now, that sounds decadent!Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-47069314690723305682008-01-09T18:26:00.000-06:002008-01-09T18:47:47.643-06:00Back to the GrindUgh - work has been killer, and it's affected my posting and reading of blogs! Damn, that job. <br /><br />Anyway, life is actually pretty good. I am tired - not getting enough sleep for some reason or another. I am back into the work routine - up at 5:45 AM, at work by 7:00, home (maybe) by 6:00, dinner, some TV, maybe a few chapters of reading, to bed by 9:30, repeat. Don is on a bit of a hiatus while the NFL playoffs happen, although he'll be off to Phoenix on 1/26 for 10 days to cover the Super Bowl. I will join him on 1/31 for 5 days, so I still have to make reservations for the dogs at a kennel and figure out what to pack!! I am still hoping for a Cowboy/Colts game, but we will see.<br /><br />Work is really busy - my first 3 days back I logged over 30 hours, and it doesn't look like it's going to get any easier. I haven't been sleeping well - mostly because I wake up sweating, even though it's 60 degrees in our bedroom. I figure if I can get a few nights' good sleep, it will solve everything. I need at least two huge mugs of coffee to wake me up. <br /><br />This weekend should be a bit of a break with no real commitments. There are errands and chores, but we can do that together. We'll have time to to do something with the dogs and I will be able to get into the gym - at least for an aqua aerobics class. <br /><br />Nothing like getting back into the movement to, well, actually, move forward...Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6377833.post-70819811219533548942007-12-30T05:48:00.000-06:002007-12-30T06:35:44.870-06:00SuccessWell, 'tis the season for reflections. I know 2007 was a real up-and-down year, but in the end, I have to say it's been one of the best for me.<br /><br />First off, when I look at my weight loss progress - and I don't even know if I can call it that any more - I will probably weigh about the same on 1/1/08 that I did on 1/1/07. That, my friends, is an accomplishment in my book. I've stayed within my self-imposed range for an entire year. My weight has stayed between 162 and 168. I realize that isn't model thin or even below "overweight" per the BMI scale (I'd need to get to 159 to be "normal"). Could I get into the mind game and really work to achieve 159? Sure - but at a cost I'm not ready to pay. I am working so hard to just stay where I am that to beat myself up over a few pounds (that, really, plastic surgery would "fix") isn't beneficial to my mental health. <br /><br />Granted, there is a part of me that believes 165 (as of this morning) is still "fat." I hate that. I'm in a size 10 pants, a size 8 skirt and can buy bras at Victoria's Secret. I can walk into any store any buy clothes - Eddie Bauer, Ann Taylor, New York & Company, J Jill, H&M, etc. I know that plastic surgery would remove another 10-15 pounds, but part of me is still getting comfortable with my current weight that another 15 pound drop would really throw me into an emotional tizzy.<br /><br />Anyway, besides the weight success, I am thankful for the health of me, Don, and the dogs. I am still trying to get my iron up to normal levels and they just found the cause of my stomach pain (large ulcer - treated with 80 mg. of Prilosec). My blood pressure still tends to run high, but we're just watching it for now. Don is great - he has just some hereditary issues to deal with, but we have a handle on those. The dogs got a clean bill of health at their last vet visit. We're just monitoring their joint issues but that doesn't seem to bother them. They are as puppy-like as ever! <br /><br />I know there are areas I could do better in - finances (although we seem to have rounded the corner on that one), exercise (I need to make time for this!!), meditation/yoga (see above). But, for the most part, life is good.<br /><br />And I can't ask for much better than that.Shanninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298961909958018030noreply@blogger.com0