working out for Disney

[StarWarsGirl]

I didn't realize you had foot surgery. Did you injure yourself?

Yup. Back in June. 2025 was...a year. I was staying with my grandma and carrying a suitcase down some steps. My left knee, which is chronically unstable, gave out. Fell down the stairs. Had an avulsion fracture and torn ATFL. We tried PT (which I thought wouldn't work and it did not). We delayed until September so it would not ruin my summer.

Anyway, determined today that I'll still need the ECV. I'm much more mobile than I was, but I'm not ready for Disney walking quite yet. We were also kind of figuring that I'd have to ask for moving walkways to be slowed and such because my balance is awful. That's what we've been working on it PT.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

@Sans Souci I'm glad you enjoyed Palm Springs. I thought it was an enjoyable place and I went in summer when it was super hot. It would be nice to go back in the winter when temps are more mild and I could explore more trails. I hope you get to Joshua Tree next time.

 

[Songbird76]

We ate at the restaurant at the top tramway station
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East Indio Hills Badlands
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So, that was my "hiking" trip. Next year, if all is well, I'd like to prioritize visiting Joshua Tree. I did the best I could with a sinus infection doing these hikes. I think I am going to invest in hiking poles. because some of the more steep descents really scare me.

It looks really pretty there! I've never been there, but I would like to someday.

 

[Baron Von Capybara]

 

[Sans Souci]

Hello-

Checking in with a lower body strength training workout. The antibiotics I finished the other day has an elevated risk of muscle/tendon rupture that lasts for a few months after you finish it, so I am not supposed to be doing heavy lifting, high impact or ballistic motions (kettlebells) or even power yoga. So, I am lifting weights well below the weight I can lift. I'm going to text my doc after the weekend to ask him how long I need to do this. I am not even sure this last round worked. I had no post nasal drip for two days and it's back today, so is sinus pain. UGH! I am hoping it's weather-induced bc of the incoming ice/snow storm. I had my sinus CT today, so I should know mid-week what's going on.

Callie has started coming up to my bedroom at night. She falls asleep and my husband leaves her alone. She has discovered human beds. lol My husband woke up in the middle of the night feeling like something was staring at him. Callie was on the bed standing between the two of us. Yesterday, she jumped up when I was still in bed, came over to me and flopped down for a belly rub. Then she stood up and aggressively kneaded the mattress. I am so relieved she spends the evenings in the house, especially with this dangerous weather coming our way. I hope the orange cat who comes by for food occasionally can find somewhere warm these next few nights. We have a spare heated cat house that Callie never took to, so I am putting it out today in the hopes he finds it. I just need to put it away from the deck, bc Callie thinks the deck is hers. lol

 

[Sans Souci]

Hello-

Checking in with a lower body strength training cardio workout I found on YouTube. I'm probably not walking because there is so much snow and I think there is a winter temperature advisory, too. The cat has been indoors for about 2 days now and I can tell she's bored. She goes to the door and I open it for her. She backs away rather quickly once she feels the cold. lol

I got my results from my CT back this morning, I read them, but my doctor hasn't. It looks like my sinus infection is caused by a lesion on the root tip of my second molar and has breeched the sinus. My right sinus is still full, too. I am trying to remember if I have had a root canal in that tooth, because I am wondering if it failed and has become abscessed. It looks like the first line of action is root canal or extraction. I am so scared of dentists and I never used to be. My mother was a dental hygienist and made sure we went every 6 months when we were growing up, etc. I was never scared, even when I needed cavities filled. Then in my early 20s, I had no health or dental insurance and I went to this sketchy dentist. He was numbing me up to fill a cavity. I had never had so much pain before. I started crying and was trying not to. He pushed me on my shoulder hard and called me a big baby and it was NOT in a jocular manner, I didn't go for a couple of yrs. Then I got dental insurance and my grandmother raved about this dentist and he was very patient with me, explained what he was doing, checked in to see if I was ok. After a few visits I was totally ok with the dentist again. I saw him until we moved to NJ. I went to this dentist for a cleaning and the hygienist went to do a bite wing x-ray. She brought in the bite wing thing, but it was not wrapped like it had come out of the autoclave. I asked her if it came out of the autoclave. She didn't say yes or no, but she came back in with one that had been sealed. She was irritated. Then she started poking around in my mouth and she said my gums were inflamed and I told her I was on my period, she shot back, "That shouldn't cause inflammation." I proceeded to tell her how my previous dentist had to prescribe a special mouthwash when I was pregnant because my gums were so sore and swollen. He told me this happens because of elevated amounts of estrogen and progesterone. He said this can happen during a woman's period because of the hormones She said "I don't think that's true." It was just the tone she said it in, too. I felt so invalidated and dismissed and I am not a confrontal person, but I asked her where she went to dental school. I proceeded to receive the most painful dental cleaning I've ever gotten. When she was done, she threw the bag of samples on the dental tray/table thing and left without saying good bye. I didn't know if she was done, so I waited. Then another employee came in and told me I was done. I haven't been to the dentist since. But that episode re-ignited my fear. But I was just doing some cursory looking around for gentle dentists that do maxillofacial procedures and there is one in my town. She sounds like she does all the same things my old dentist did. She has a therapy dog in her office. So, once I get more info about my results, I am going see if she can be an option for me to see for my tooth extraction or root canal. But I am going to try not to get ahead of myself here. lol

 

[HouCuseChickie]

@Sans Souci Love the pictures from your trip! It's funny to see it from this angle as we've driven through the last couple of summers. Looks like a great place for a getaway. I also understand about dental fears. I used to go all the time, well into my early 20s, but the last dentist I was seeing while under my parents' insurance started to get more aggressive which meant lasting pain. He also started suggesting maxillofacial surgery to correct some things with my jaw. I stepped away from dental care for a while. Add in the costs for someone who hasn't been going to routine visits, because they all want to do deep cleanings with antibiotics, and it just became kind of prohibitive. Thankfully, with online reviews and community groups on social media, it's easier to find providers who are more caring.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I haven't checked in for a bit. Life has been hectic.

I am still keeping up with everything exercise-wise. I am also still heavily monitoring my food intake but I've expanded my max a bit. This was always the plan as I got closer to goal, but it's hard to know how much is my body saying it really needs more vs. willpower/discipline. It's also been a bit since I've weighed in but everything either fits the same or better, so I'm probably going to wait at least another week. I also had a day last week where I skipped the gym due to tummy issues, and my walks also haven't been quite as strong some days because of those issues as well as the cold. Still, I think the least I've walked on any given day was around 4.65 miles so it's still respectable. It has been really uplifting though because both walking and the gym, perfect strangers have been stopping to congratulate me on my progress or say they're using me as their motivation and proof it can be done. I guess it's an interesting way to meet your neighbors!

I won't write a complete novel, but here are some high level shares...
1. I'm growing really frustrated with the recruiting process for Sam. I truly dislike how they mess with the kids' emotions. It is what it is, but at times it all feels incredibly unkind. I am praying that this summer yields some positive news.
2. Speaking of summer, we got some preliminary destinations for ball. It sounds like no California this year, but we will be going back to Oklahoma and Colorado as well as adding in Kansas City and St. Louis.
3. School ball just started up for Sam. I decided to finally bite the bullet and invest in a good lens for sports photography since I know it will also be useful for wildlife...once we get normal vacations back. I am working from the used market due to costs and already had to return one but I think this new one I'm waiting on will be the winner. As it is, I also invested in gear to have a home studio because she was missing team media day for a college camp.
4. I got the place to myself while David and Sam went to CO. I finally convinced him to go to an allergist for his extreme congestion and the biggest thing I got out of it was a bad dust allergy. Allergy shots were largely ineffective for me, so while they were gone, I deep cleaned the house and added new filtration machines. It's been a gradual thing, but over the course of the last 2 weeks, he's redeveloped a sense of smell! All for about $2500 less than shots!
5. I also did something while they were gone that I've wanted to do for ages...take out the formal dinnerware and have a fancy dinner for 1! I popped into Trader Joe's after the gym that weekend and got myself lobster bisque, fresh challah, asparagus risotto, roasted chicken that I warmed up with some tarragon, and cannoli cream that I added chocolate chips - topped with homemade whipped cream piped kind of like a rose- and then dusted with espresso powder to make the rose stand out. I thought about an alcoholic beverage but I drank a lot on New Year's after splurging on a high end bottle of champagne and I haven't really felt like drinking much since...which has become my norm.
6. Kendall has decided to leave her sorority. I can't blame her. She's not getting much out of it and it's expensive. We did get a shock and found out that the pricey badge we "bought" was only a lease and it had to be returned. I checked on the national level to make sure this was the policy. It is...but it's stupid. She at least has found her people, has a house and roommates for next year, etc.

 

[Sans Souci]

I haven't checked in for a bit. Life has been hectic.

I am still keeping up with everything exercise-wise. I am also still heavily monitoring my food intake but I've expanded my max a bit. This was always the plan as I got closer to goal, but it's hard to know how much is my body saying it really needs more vs. willpower/discipline. It's also been a bit since I've weighed in but everything either fits the same or better, so I'm probably going to wait at least another week. I also had a day last week where I skipped the gym due to tummy issues, and my walks also haven't been quite as strong some days because of those issues as well as the cold. Still, I think the least I've walked on any given day was around 4.65 miles so it's still respectable. It has been really uplifting though because both walking and the gym, perfect strangers have been stopping to congratulate me on my progress or say they're using me as their motivation and proof it can be done. I guess it's an interesting way to meet your neighbors!

I won't write a complete novel, but here are some high level shares...
1. I'm growing really frustrated with the recruiting process for Sam. I truly dislike how they mess with the kids' emotions. It is what it is, but at times it all feels incredibly unkind. I am praying that this summer yields some positive news.
2. Speaking of summer, we got some preliminary destinations for ball. It sounds like no California this year, but we will be going back to Oklahoma and Colorado as well as adding in Kansas City and St. Louis.
3. School ball just started up for Sam. I decided to finally bite the bullet and invest in a good lens for sports photography since I know it will also be useful for wildlife...once we get normal vacations back. I am working from the used market due to costs and already had to return one but I think this new one I'm waiting on will be the winner. As it is, I also invested in gear to have a home studio because she was missing team media day for a college camp.
4. I got the place to myself while David and Sam went to CO. I finally convinced him to go to an allergist for his extreme congestion and the biggest thing I got out of it was a bad dust allergy. Allergy shots were largely ineffective for me, so while they were gone, I deep cleaned the house and added new filtration machines. It's been a gradual thing, but over the course of the last 2 weeks, he's redeveloped a sense of smell! All for about $2500 less than shots!
5. I also did something while they were gone that I've wanted to do for ages...take out the formal dinnerware and have a fancy dinner for 1! I popped into Trader Joe's after the gym that weekend and got myself lobster bisque, fresh challah, asparagus risotto, roasted chicken that I warmed up with some tarragon, and cannoli cream that I added chocolate chips - topped with homemade whipped cream piped kind of like a rose- and then dusted with espresso powder to make the rose stand out. I thought about an alcoholic beverage but I drank a lot on New Year's after splurging on a high end bottle of champagne and I haven't really felt like drinking much since...which has become my norm.
6. Kendall has decided to leave her sorority. I can't blame her. She's not getting much out of it and it's expensive. We did get a shock and found out that the pricey badge we "bought" was only a lease and it had to be returned. I checked on the national level to make sure this was the policy. It is...but it's stupid. She at least has found her people, has a house and roommates for next year, etc.

Weight Watchers gives you extra points when you hit goal, so it's meant to keep you maintenance mode. I am thinking of quitting WW, because they mess around with the program now and then and I am not clicking with this iteration. I do have another app that uses WW's older programs that's $35/year v $20/month. WW has better functionality, though.

That dinner sounds amazing. I love cannoli. My grandmother used to make one with this lemon custard-type filling and candied lemon peel on the ends. It was so good. I wish I got the recipe before she passed away.

I am sorry Kendall didn't click with her sorority, but at least she knows it's not for her and isn't afraid to walk away. What is a "badge"?

 

[Sans Souci]

Hello-

I have been doing these YouTube workouts that are just right for where I am right now. I did a lower body strength training workout. It's way too cold to go for a walk and there is so much snow that has a quarter of an inch on ice on top, so it's a pain in the butt to shovel away. The orange cat came by for food this morning, when I opened the door to put the food down, he tried to get in the house. I felt badly, but I didn't want to break up a cat fight and potentially need rabies shots. He looks chonky, so he obviously getting fed elsewhere. I'd been worried about him and I was relieved to see him.

My doctor called me to talk about my CT scan, but I missed the call due to an aggressive spam blocker. He left a voicemail telling me he was puzzled and could not make sense of the results. Wonderful. Maybe just leave a message saying you want to talk about the results instead of making your patients worry by leaving message saying that you can't understand the results. He did send the results on to my ENT, though. So I am hoping he'll have answers, since this is his specialty. I am also hoping he doesn't want to do surgery. lol

My husband is in NYC, so I made soup for dinner and I could never get away with serving soup for dinner while he's here. It was so good and so easy. It was a loaded baked potato soup in the crock pot. I cut up potatoes, a shallot, a jalapeno and added garlic and butter and cooked it chicken broth. When I was done, I mashed the potatoes and stirred in cream and buttermilk. I topped it with chives, cheese and bacon bits. It was so perfect and cozy for a bitterly cold day.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Weight Watchers gives you extra points when you hit goal, so it's meant to keep you maintenance mode. I am thinking of quitting WW, because they mess around with the program now and then and I am not clicking with this iteration. I do have another app that uses WW's older programs that's $35/year v $20/month. WW has better functionality, though.

That dinner sounds amazing. I love cannoli. My grandmother used to make one with this lemon custard-type filling and candied lemon peel on the ends. It was so good. I wish I got the recipe before she passed away.

I am sorry Kendall didn't click with her sorority, but at least she knows it's not for her and isn't afraid to walk away. What is a "badge"?

I have to go into my doctor for my annual visit in March. I plan to have a discussion with her on the topics of weight goal as well as maintenance. I really don't want to foot the bill for a regular nutritionist. $35 a year for WW (vs $20/month- can't see why anyone would do that) is very reasonable. Functionality is the thing. I need to figure out what's going to work because maintenance has always been the issue. I'm sure it is for many and why so many liken themselves to yo-yo's.

I also love cannoli. This stuff from TJs had good flavor but the consistency was a bit too runny. I'd make it myself but I tend to make things in larger batches and would find myself overindulging and/or having to freeze leftovers that will be speaking to me...begging to be thawed. Your grandmother's dessert sounds incredible! I love lemon. Maybe you can experiment to try and replicate it?

I had a lot of fun with the sisters I met during my October visit but the vibe within the house was off for me and I didn't get the sense that she was getting the kind of experience I had back in my Greek days. I can tell from their social media presence that someone is trying to curate a certain image and many of the sisters never make it to these public posts. That screams of people also being left out in real life. The "badge" is just a glorified pin the girls get when they're initiated. We didn't even pick one of the ultra pricey ones (Plain Badge with Tiffany Pearl in yellow gold) but I would have insisted on plain badge in sterling and upgraded her later on if I knew about the lease vs. buying matter. I still would love to upgrade my badge, but I remind myself that I have not worn it to anything in nearly 30 years and it's a lot of money to waste on something that would sit in a drawer. I, however, was very active in my house even for a couple of years beyond graduation. The three arrows below are what I periodically put into an online cart and remind myself that it's silly. Gosh, I'm biased but I like my arrow so much more than K's badge... and I only own a plain one!

 

[Songbird76]

I haven't checked in for a bit. Life has been hectic.

I am still keeping up with everything exercise-wise. I am also still heavily monitoring my food intake but I've expanded my max a bit. This was always the plan as I got closer to goal, but it's hard to know how much is my body saying it really needs more vs. willpower/discipline. It's also been a bit since I've weighed in but everything either fits the same or better, so I'm probably going to wait at least another week. I also had a day last week where I skipped the gym due to tummy issues, and my walks also haven't been quite as strong some days because of those issues as well as the cold. Still, I think the least I've walked on any given day was around 4.65 miles so it's still respectable. It has been really uplifting though because both walking and the gym, perfect strangers have been stopping to congratulate me on my progress or say they're using me as their motivation and proof it can be done. I guess it's an interesting way to meet your neighbors!

I won't write a complete novel, but here are some high level shares...
1. I'm growing really frustrated with the recruiting process for Sam. I truly dislike how they mess with the kids' emotions. It is what it is, but at times it all feels incredibly unkind. I am praying that this summer yields some positive news.
2. Speaking of summer, we got some preliminary destinations for ball. It sounds like no California this year, but we will be going back to Oklahoma and Colorado as well as adding in Kansas City and St. Louis.
3. School ball just started up for Sam. I decided to finally bite the bullet and invest in a good lens for sports photography since I know it will also be useful for wildlife...once we get normal vacations back. I am working from the used market due to costs and already had to return one but I think this new one I'm waiting on will be the winner. As it is, I also invested in gear to have a home studio because she was missing team media day for a college camp.
4. I got the place to myself while David and Sam went to CO. I finally convinced him to go to an allergist for his extreme congestion and the biggest thing I got out of it was a bad dust allergy. Allergy shots were largely ineffective for me, so while they were gone, I deep cleaned the house and added new filtration machines. It's been a gradual thing, but over the course of the last 2 weeks, he's redeveloped a sense of smell! All for about $2500 less than shots!
5. I also did something while they were gone that I've wanted to do for ages...take out the formal dinnerware and have a fancy dinner for 1! I popped into Trader Joe's after the gym that weekend and got myself lobster bisque, fresh challah, asparagus risotto, roasted chicken that I warmed up with some tarragon, and cannoli cream that I added chocolate chips - topped with homemade whipped cream piped kind of like a rose- and then dusted with espresso powder to make the rose stand out. I thought about an alcoholic beverage but I drank a lot on New Year's after splurging on a high end bottle of champagne and I haven't really felt like drinking much since...which has become my norm.
6. Kendall has decided to leave her sorority. I can't blame her. She's not getting much out of it and it's expensive. We did get a shock and found out that the pricey badge we "bought" was only a lease and it had to be returned. I checked on the national level to make sure this was the policy. It is...but it's stupid. She at least has found her people, has a house and roommates for next year, etc.

Yay for getting the allergies figured out, but sorry about the recruitment process, and Kendall's sorority. I guess I never realized you could leave a sorority. I thought the whole point of it was networking for the future...just a lifetime connection. I never joined one and never had the desire to, but maybe I've just kind of misunderstood what it's meant to be. But what is a badge? (nevermind. I see it was explained)

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Yay for getting the allergies figured out, but sorry about the recruitment process, and Kendall's sorority. I guess I never realized you could leave a sorority. I thought the whole point of it was networking for the future...just a lifetime connection. I never joined one and never had the desire to, but maybe I've just kind of misunderstood what it's meant to be. But what is a badge? (nevermind. I see it was explained)

In a way, you never really leave once you've been initiated since at that point, you've learned all of their "secrets." Still, it's not uncommon for people to drop after initiation. You hope there will be this amazing bond with your sisters/brothers but it just doesn't always happen for everyone and some people decide it's better to formally drop than keep sinking money into something that doesn't suit them. As much as I hate losing money on that badge, it's still less than 1 month of dues.

Things like networking are the selling point but in reality, it's all about partying and social stuff. Especially for the groups considered social organizations. The service fraternities and sororities (academic, music, engineering, etc.) are more serious and focused on their service background, but even they have become more about partying over the years. The social ones, like mine and Kendall's, have academic and philanthropic angles, but most kids enter recruitment because they want access to better parties and the fun/encounters that go with that. It's rarely admitted, but it's the truth.

Sorry...I forget that the terminology isn't part of everyone's common vernacular. It was drilled into my brain over 3 decades ago. What's funny...Greeks all call that glorified pin a badge, but if a fraternity guy decides to show he's serious about a girl he's dating and wants to go a step beyond a lavalier with his letters, he'll "Pin" her. So, she gets a sweetheart version of his formal badge, yet nobody calls it being badged.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Happy Monday. I've had some non-scale victories that are telling me more than I think I can get out of that number on the scale. My waist measurement is 1/2" smaller than it was pre-Christmas. Sam and I have also started sharing athletic clothes. Now, I know those have some stretch to them, but they fit me well and fit her well...so, I'm now sharing clothes with a very fit 17-year-old who I know to be about 25-30 pounds lighter than my lightest weigh in. Now, I'm not saying that her weight should be what I'm seeing but it's just a good example of the scale can't be the only tool for measurement.

Still playing around with caloric intake a bit but exercise has been consistent. I don't want to get into the business of pre-workout supplements but I am finding that a diet soda while on my way to the gym is giving me a bit of a boost. My average elliptical distance last week was about .15 mi farther and I've been lifting with more gusto, to the point that I've been able to boost weight on a number of machines With the way I've been walking (no caffeine there for the most part), I'm also giving serious thought to a half marathon next month. My weekly is now consistently in the 50-55 mile range. I had a 12.11 walk on Saturday and I felt like I could go another 5 miles...at least from the physical angle. I'm still on the fence because being a walker among runners isn't the greatest. I also have some full marathon goals starting to form and I don't want this to bring me down. So, we'll see. It is a walker friendly race though, so it's still a consideration. People wanting to walk the full marathon tied to it are given an early start so I won't be the only one, even if I'm doing the half. It's also themed so I can consider going in costume. We shall see...there's still time.

 

[Songbird76]

In a way, you never really leave once you've been initiated since at that point, you've learned all of their "secrets." Still, it's not uncommon for people to drop after initiation. You hope there will be this amazing bond with your sisters/brothers but it just doesn't always happen for everyone and some people decide it's better to formally drop than keep sinking money into something that doesn't suit them. As much as I hate losing money on that badge, it's still less than 1 month of dues.

Things like networking are the selling point but in reality, it's all about partying and social stuff. Especially for the groups considered social organizations. The service fraternities and sororities (academic, music, engineering, etc.) are more serious and focused on their service background, but even they have become more about partying over the years. The social ones, like mine and Kendall's, have academic and philanthropic angles, but most kids enter recruitment because they want access to better parties and the fun/encounters that go with that. It's rarely admitted, but it's the truth.

Sorry...I forget that the terminology isn't part of everyone's common vernacular. It was drilled into my brain over 3 decades ago. What's funny...Greeks all call that glorified pin a badge, but if a fraternity guy decides to show he's serious about a girl he's dating and wants to go a step beyond a lavalier with his letters, he'll "Pin" her. So, she gets a sweetheart version of his formal badge, yet nobody calls it being badged.

Yeah, I think that's why I had no interest in "going Greek" in college. To me, it seemed like it was just about attending parties, and I was not a partier. I didn't see the point. I had no idea until I was basically out of college that there was anything else to them, like philanthropy. And I had no idea it was so expensive to join. I mean, it has the reputation for being for wealthy people, and having grown up below the poverty line, I definitely didn't think I even qualified. I was pretty sure I would be "black-balled" because I wasn't a partier, grew up poor, and I wasn't a popular girl. I was frumpy and my clothes were out of style, I didn't care about fashion or make-up...it just didn't seem like it was at all me.

I did know about getting pinned, because we watched Bye Bye Birdie in junior high choir. There's a whole song about getting pinned and "going steady". But I didn't realize that a pin is actually called a badge.

 

[Songbird76]

What is it Kendall is studying again? I know she was looking at law, but I was thinking she chose something different in the end?

E thinks she's found her thesis project for next year. (You have to do a thesis for your bachelor here) They had a thesis fair a few weeks ago and she said it was really hard to get up to any of the tables, so she just took every flyer she could get and she's been looking at them this week. The one she likes is a research project with RNA, studying epiginetic inheritance....so she said it was like using Plant RNA to study how traits are passed on or something? Totally her thing, and I think she'd love it, if there's a spot open and they will take her. I guess some are relatively competitive and you have to get in early or everything will be taken.
She hasn't chosen a minor yet, and it's not mandatory, but she said it's usually a good starting point for diversifying your classes and getting a job later. She said your last year is basically freestyle....you choose the classes you take and you work on the thesis you chose. But you are supposed to choose classes outside of your major, because otherwise employers will wonder why you only took classes in one specific area. She was looking at a minor in infectious diseases, but then decided against it because it involved a lot of ecology, which she doesn't like. And now she's looking into Bio-nano technology....she said it involved a lot of toxicology, which she's really interested in, but she wants to see if she can put together random classes that she likes more than the courses in Bio-Nano tech. She says Nano medicine looks really interesting, but I think there was one class that she didn't really like, so she'd kind of like to avoid that one. I hope she can get something she's excited about. It all sounds like a LOT to me, though.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Yeah, I think that's why I had no interest in "going Greek" in college. To me, it seemed like it was just about attending parties, and I was not a partier. I didn't see the point. I had no idea until I was basically out of college that there was anything else to them, like philanthropy. And I had no idea it was so expensive to join. I mean, it has the reputation for being for wealthy people, and having grown up below the poverty line, I definitely didn't think I even qualified. I was pretty sure I would be "black-balled" because I wasn't a partier, grew up poor, and I wasn't a popular girl. I was frumpy and my clothes were out of style, I didn't care about fashion or make-up...it just didn't seem like it was at all me.

I did know about getting pinned, because we watched Bye Bye Birdie in junior high choir. There's a whole song about getting pinned and "going steady". But I didn't realize that a pin is actually called a badge.

I think I've mentioned it before, but it was a pretty shallow and superficial lifestyle. I had a lot of fun, but this notion they're selling of lifelong friendships doesn't really happen for most of the girls. Yes, I have sisters who still get together a few times a year and that's great, but most of us don't connect beyond social media. Not everyone in my house partied all the time or was a fashionista. We actually had a couple of girls who were on financial aid and used some of their work/study pay to fund being in Greek life. Still, most of the girls came from fairly wealthy families. There were always rumors that some houses had access to resources to get your parents' net worth so they could weed out anyone that wasn't ultra-elite wealthy. College, and even high school for that matter, sort of clouded my understanding of my family's socioeconomic status. I don't expect anyone to pity the poor little privileged girl, but when your friends have multiple vehicles for seasons and situations, multiple vacation homes that dwarf your family's summer house, boats that made my dad's look like a toy, designer clothes that cost thousands per garment vs. hundreds, etc. it makes you feel like the poor kid. Yes, I now know that it is not the case, but I still remember this one girl back in grade school belittling me because my mom "only" drove a Buick. My dad was OK because he had an upper end BMW as his regular vehicle as well as a full sized Bronco in case he needed to tow the boat. Yet, I recall this girl saying, "Couldn't she at least get something more respectable like an entry level Volvo or Peugeot?"

I do recall that song. I think we did that when I was a freshman in HS.

What is it Kendall is studying again? I know she was looking at law, but I was thinking she chose something different in the end?

E thinks she's found her thesis project for next year. (You have to do a thesis for your bachelor here) They had a thesis fair a few weeks ago and she said it was really hard to get up to any of the tables, so she just took every flyer she could get and she's been looking at them this week. The one she likes is a research project with RNA, studying epiginetic inheritance....so she said it was like using Plant RNA to study how traits are passed on or something? Totally her thing, and I think she'd love it, if there's a spot open and they will take her. I guess some are relatively competitive and you have to get in early or everything will be taken.
She hasn't chosen a minor yet, and it's not mandatory, but she said it's usually a good starting point for diversifying your classes and getting a job later. She said your last year is basically freestyle....you choose the classes you take and you work on the thesis you chose. But you are supposed to choose classes outside of your major, because otherwise employers will wonder why you only took classes in one specific area. She was looking at a minor in infectious diseases, but then decided against it because it involved a lot of ecology, which she doesn't like. And now she's looking into Bio-nano technology....she said it involved a lot of toxicology, which she's really interested in, but she wants to see if she can put together random classes that she likes more than the courses in Bio-Nano tech. She says Nano medicine looks really interesting, but I think there was one class that she didn't really like, so she'd kind of like to avoid that one. I hope she can get something she's excited about. It all sounds like a LOT to me, though.

K is pre-med but she's shifted her career focus a bit after shadowing her allergist this past summer. His take on things was pretty enlightening and caused her to see a lot of issues with going the med school route.

That's interesting that they already have them doing thesis projects. In the US, you don't normally see that until grad school and it's often a singular thesis for the degree. It sounds like an interesting top though.

I would agree that having a minor can be beneficial. I know nothing of the field of interest but if she thinks it can help her, maybe one not so fun course could be worth it in the long run. I'm sure it's a lot but again, maybe it could be a good thing.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Happy Tuesday *I actually started writing this yesterday but got sidetracked.

Still staying consistent with walking, gym time, and nutrition and trying to improve and modify to fit my needs/goals/positive growth. Also still giving myself some grace with nutrition. For example, it's king cake season! I also enjoyed my Super Bowl food the other night. I finally weighed in on Saturday and the scale still has not budged. I don't know if that's really a bad thing. My body is still changing for the better. Waist keeps shrinking, clothes keep fitting better or becoming too big, muscle definition is becoming much more obvious, I'm lifting more, endurance and speed are growing, etc. I go into the dr next month for my annual and I intend to discuss BMI/scale vs. me. I also plan to ask for a referral to a registered dietician. Mind you, I am seeing enough of a correlation between eating well, calorie increase to match my physical activity, adequate hydration, etc. that I 'should' be able to maintain. Still, maintaining has always been the issue and maybe between the two experts, I can lock into something good for the long term.

Speaking of the fitness portion, I hope I don't regret it, but I've decided to take on a more specific challenge. Technically, I've already achieved the first goal though, so the pressure isn't really there. Long term goal (barring any unforeseen issues) is to do Dopey in 2028. I started looking at my long weekend mileage right now and while I do not have a full in me at the moment, I realized that I probably have two halfs. Long story short, I found a local race weekend with several challenges... one being back to back half marathons. It seemed feasible but I wanted to try it on my local routes before signing up. This past weekend, I put in 14.85 miles on Saturday and 14.45 miles on Sunday. I am still "just" walking but my pace is decent. My Saturday pace averaged a 14.29 minute mile and my Sunday pace was a 14.66 minute mile. So, not only do I have it in my body to do the distances back to back, my pacing is good enough as well. This race is also where I did my first half marathon back in 2014. While I'm not trained for it YET, Saturday has a full marathon that's offered and it's walker friendly. They open the course up to walkers 75 minutes before they let the runners start. So, the goal is to build up to a full marathon a year from now and do their full and half marathon challenge in 2027. So, sort of the reverse of how Disney does the Goofy challenge. IF this goes well and nothing else gets in the way, I want to do Wine & Dine weekend fall 2027 first to deal with the sleep and distraction issues I had when I went in 2020 and then return in January 2028 to officially try for Dopey. So, back to back halfs in a little over a month. I'm also doing a 5k the weekend before. Sam and her friend are getting into the 10k distance...so they'll be around for a lot of this too.

Something else I added to my training...camera gear. I bought a new lens and this past Friday, I put in 6.22 miles while carrying my gear bag. The full bag weighs 14 pounds. So, it's lighter than my weighted vest but the weight is all on my back. It won't be an every walk thing, but carrying the extra weight does force me to pay attention to posture/form as well as making me work a bit harder.

 

[Sans Souci]

Yeah, I think that's why I had no interest in "going Greek" in college. To me, it seemed like it was just about attending parties, and I was not a partier. I didn't see the point. I had no idea until I was basically out of college that there was anything else to them, like philanthropy. And I had no idea it was so expensive to join. I mean, it has the reputation for being for wealthy people, and having grown up below the poverty line, I definitely didn't think I even qualified. I was pretty sure I would be "black-balled" because I wasn't a partier, grew up poor, and I wasn't a popular girl. I was frumpy and my clothes were out of style, I didn't care about fashion or make-up...it just didn't seem like it was at all me.

I did know about getting pinned, because we watched Bye Bye Birdie in junior high choir. There's a whole song about getting pinned and "going steady". But I didn't realize that a pin is actually called a badge.

There is no way I would have been accepted even if I had rushed. I was too poor, too and I was honestly such a misfit. I didn't dress like the sorority girls. I was wearing things like Doc Martens boots, black, crushed velvet baby doll dresses and I put red manic panic in my hair. lol I am too much of an introvert for Greek life. I could never do all the social stuff expected of you. I need a lot of time away from people. I found my weird, little tribe, anyway,

 

[Sans Souci]

Happy Tuesday *I actually started writing this yesterday but got sidetracked.

Still staying consistent with walking, gym time, and nutrition and trying to improve and modify to fit my needs/goals/positive growth. Also still giving myself some grace with nutrition. For example, it's king cake season! I also enjoyed my Super Bowl food the other night. I finally weighed in on Saturday and the scale still has not budged. I don't know if that's really a bad thing. My body is still changing for the better. Waist keeps shrinking, clothes keep fitting better or becoming too big, muscle definition is becoming much more obvious, I'm lifting more, endurance and speed are growing, etc. I go into the dr next month for my annual and I intend to discuss BMI/scale vs. me. I also plan to ask for a referral to a registered dietician. Mind you, I am seeing enough of a correlation between eating well, calorie increase to match my physical activity, adequate hydration, etc. that I 'should' be able to maintain. Still, maintaining has always been the issue and maybe between the two experts, I can lock into something good for the long term.

Speaking of the fitness portion, I hope I don't regret it, but I've decided to take on a more specific challenge. Technically, I've already achieved the first goal though, so the pressure isn't really there. Long term goal (barring any unforeseen issues) is to do Dopey in 2028. I started looking at my long weekend mileage right now and while I do not have a full in me at the moment, I realized that I probably have two halfs. Long story short, I found a local race weekend with several challenges... one being back to back half marathons. It seemed feasible but I wanted to try it on my local routes before signing up. This past weekend, I put in 14.85 miles on Saturday and 14.45 miles on Sunday. I am still "just" walking but my pace is decent. My Saturday pace averaged a 14.29 minute mile and my Sunday pace was a 14.66 minute mile. So, not only do I have it in my body to do the distances back to back, my pacing is good enough as well. This race is also where I did my first half marathon back in 2014. While I'm not trained for it YET, Saturday has a full marathon that's offered and it's walker friendly. They open the course up to walkers 75 minutes before they let the runners start. So, the goal is to build up to a full marathon a year from now and do their full and half marathon challenge in 2027. So, sort of the reverse of how Disney does the Goofy challenge. IF this goes well and nothing else gets in the way, I want to do Wine & Dine weekend fall 2027 first to deal with the sleep and distraction issues I had when I went in 2020 and then return in January 2028 to officially try for Dopey. So, back to back halfs in a little over a month. I'm also doing a 5k the weekend before. Sam and her friend are getting into the 10k distance...so they'll be around for a lot of this too.

Something else I added to my training...camera gear. I bought a new lens and this past Friday, I put in 6.22 miles while carrying my gear bag. The full bag weighs 14 pounds. So, it's lighter than my weighted vest but the weight is all on my back. It won't be an every walk thing, but carrying the extra weight does force me to pay attention to posture/form as well as making me work a bit harder.

For me, I found that I need to track my food every day to keep the weight off. In the past, I'd done WW, so many times and stopped when I hit goal. But I really need to hold myself accountable through tracking and weekly weigh ins.

I'm a bit confused. Are you walking a marathon this Saturday? If so, good luck.