Fun with Nan

More Presents!

Wow today I received in the mail this awesome bracelet as a birthday present from my niece -- the one that always writes to me. What a great, great present. I am so happy and it will certainly make it easier to remember my blessings during challenging times when I see it on my wrist. What a sweetheart. Smile, smile, and more smiles!

Cruising Grand

On every Friday night downtown from April to October they have a car show called Cruising Grand (because the main thoroughfare that is on is called Grand Avenue). They close the streets to only be pedestrian traffic and for like five blocks on all sides it is completely filled with vintage cars. It is a super cool even because it attracts a lot of people each and every Friday so all the businesses stay open late for it. Also it always has a lot of cars and the guys that own cars like this just love it. Since it is their passion they get to speak to novices that just admire the coolness factor as well as others of the same ilk and passion - wins all around and it makes for a super friendly atmosphere. There is usually a couple of live bands playing. They have some food stands. And of course it is a great chance for super photos. Best part is it is all FREE - I am so loving the free stuff. I even got free popcorn while I was there but don't worry the pizza and beer in the photos were fake so I was not tempted in anyway. While my sister and niece where here we all went down and they loved it. They said they so could see me driving around in a car like the yellow one and I agree! I would always wear an argyle cardigan while driving it. I could so work that! What a fantastic time!

S is for Super

But S is also for stress and I was so stressed about going to my weight loss meeting tonight. Last week - I really enjoyed myself. It was my birthday week and my sister and niece were here and I had ice cream, chinese buffet, cookies, donuts, jack in the box, and more! I do not say this because I am being hard on myself. I only am pointing out that I really enjoyed. I did not get down on myself because although I enjoyed, I still know that I was reasonable and sensible. I was aware of what I was doing and I kept up with the gym and exercise and although I had all those things - I knew I did not over indulge in them. Even though I was worried - turns out I still released 1.2 pounds - woohoo, how awesome is that! It made me feel proud to know that I could enjoy and yet make progress. I have read many weight loss articles that state you need time like that. And although I know that I enjoyed and still released weight - it does not mean that that is my new norm. It is back to my regular routine that has gotten me this far. I cannot express how that feels - so in control of this challenging area in my life - so empowered by it. Tonight as we did roll call at the meeting - which is when you say your name to the group and state if you lost or gained - the leader requested that we also give one adjective that describes ourselves and which starts with the same letter as our name. I got to say, "Hello. My name is Scott. I lost and I am SUPER". Best part: I actually meant it!

PS This image is some graffiti in town that I took a picture of and then modified with photoshop.

She Got a Tattoo

Around my 40th birthday I got a tattoo as I always wanted one and figured it was a good birthday present. It is just small one of my initials intertwined and it is on the side of my calf. My mother then wanted one so I took her around my 42nd birthday and she got a flower on her ankle. While my sister and niece were visiting - my niece wanted one - not of my prompting. She is 19 but also my sister was ok with it so we went to a local parlor recommended by a friend here in town the day after my 44th birthday and she got one. It is 3 stars on her wrist as you can see below. It does make sense at there are 3 kid in her family, she is the oldest and loves the color blue but I am not really sure why she choose that pattern. So I am not sure what it is about me and tattoos around my birthday but she is happy with it so I am I. Seems good that another is added to the list.

King For A Day

Wow - I always love my birthday - as it is my favorite day, but yesterday was so incredibly super! I got heaps of texts, cards and calls all day! I went to the gym and the girl that greets you wished me a happy birthday - yay. While I was at the gym my sister and niece when to Burger King (they are bad) but they got me a crown to wear as we were out and about all day. Of course I later swung by to get my free scoop of ice cream, as I literally was having dreams of it the night before. When I arrived home there was a huge bouquet of beautiful roses from Kym - oh what a love! Later I took my sister and niece to the outlets to do some shopping and then we finished up at Benihana so I could get my free meal - first time there, very yummy and not too bad health wise. LOVE IT - such a great day! Thank you all - so very, very much. I am the luckiest guy around!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Today is my birthday - yay! I have a bunch of free stuff lined up: sushi, a movie rental and a scoop of ice cream - how awesome! I hope everyone else has a great day too!

Here They Come

My sister and niece are coming for a visit - maybe. They fly standby so nothing is ever definite but they just left Cincinnati so they should be here soon. I love visitors although I think Californians are more prepared for earthquakes than a visit from my relatives!

Much Better

Oscar is doing so much better now. I raided Food 4 Less and the dollar store and hooked him up with plenty of food. Although I tried to focus on good food that were not too processed. I got rice, pasta, sauce, raisins, V8 juice, chili, oranges, tuna fish, canned chicken, peanut butter, oatmeal, etc. I also gave him this Guns n Roses tee shirt that I picked up at the thrift store for a buck. He loves them and it is a nice shirt - the logo is embroidered and has images on both the front and back. He cried and covered his face when he saw it all. I told him to stop it. I am lucky I could help and so was glad to do so. He has a secure and safe place to live and now plenty of food so all should very good for a while.

PS This picture cracks me up. I am definitely taller than him but I am seated and he is standing. Just looks funny to me to see him taller LOL.

Wins!

I am into the wins lately. I might have to look a bit for them or work a lot for them but they are there! This week I released 3 more pounds so it is a grand total of 45 pounds released so far... and still counting. That is a huge win - and I know also how hard I worked for it. In addition I found a free online journal that allows me to track my daily calories and exercise. Every weight loss article I have ever read says that a journal is key and I understand. Completely beneficial to see the numbers and see my activities in print. And free? That is a win! Some of the wins are really instrumental, like I know this journal will be but some are just enjoyable. I found a free 80's internet radio station out of Santa Cruz -- amazing, and free... another win! So I will take the actions I need to take and do the work I need to do but I keep sight of the bigger view by making sure I recognize the wins along the way.

Today

Freddy called me today and asked if I want to go out with him and his friends for a bit. Although I thought it nice, I declined. A bunch of people wanted me to go out actually but I was just a bit out of sorts and so politely declined them all. Plus in addition, I did not want to spend the money. I decided instead to go to Zumba, then the gym for 2 hours. Somehow the gym is all the makes sense to me currently. I feel like it is the only area I have control over so I focus a lot on it. I had a couple mediocre weeks at my weight loss group so I have worked incredibly hard this week as I want to see that needle jump on Monday.

One of the people that wanted to get together was Oscar but I told him of my gym plans and then hopes to do some cleaning. Later he messaged me and asked if I could call him. When I did we chatted for a bit and then he started to cry. I thought he might be drunk and asked him what was up. He was not drunk at all and said they closed the plant unexpectedly for 3 weeks, which means no pay, and that he did not have food or money or food. He said that he felt bad for having to ask and then he asked me for food. Oscar never asks me for anything. Anything I have ever given to him I have done so on my own and he appreciates everything. Plus he did not ask me for money - he asked me for food, he had not eaten since Friday morning. I cannot even express what it felt like to have a good person ask for food.

You have no idea how much money sucks for me right now - truly you do not. But I scrapped the cash together and went grocery shopping. Lots of dried goods, canned foods and sauces in jars. I will try to run it over to him tomorrow after the coffee club so it will minimize gas usage. After food shopping, I was completely in a funk and a bit lost so I went back to the gym. I went into the pool and relaxed for a while and then spent sometime in the hot tub relaxing more. I am happy I am able to do a little something and helps when counting my blessings but I would give anything for this to just all stop - my problems that is, not Oscar.

Friday Video

Here we are in the 70's. I believe I said before that at some of the bars in TJ they use youtube so for a tip the DJ will literally play anything. I will admit sometimes I abuse this solely for my entertainment like the night I had them play this video. Such a funny memory but I am not sure what was more amusing - going to town in a bar to one of my favorite songs ever or the confused looks on every one's face as they watched the old crazy gringo. In any case you need to watch this video and check out Andy's pants. I won't give it away but I will say it is hysterical!!!

ARRRRGGGHHHH!!!!

I know Eileen says they are the keepers of the alphabet and normally I am kind to spiders (I have posted before my vacuum gun that I use safely remove them from my house and release them back to the wild) BUT I saw this tarantula on my deck tonight!!!!!!!! I screamed, ran back into the house and locked the door! AHHHH It totally freaked me out and I am never going outside again! You cannot tell because there is nothing to compare its size to in the picture BUT I swear it was the size of my fist. I am so not going to be able to sleep tonight. My heart won't stop racing. I was barefoot and almost stepped on it. Eeeeeek - they just should not be that big.

Musical Chairs

My friend Michael said that trying to find a job in this economy is like the "worst game of musical chairs, ever!". I agree. I cannot tell you how much energy this takes from me and I just keep doing my best to muster up even more. Right now I have not one but TWO very promising and exciting leads and both with contacts. I just keep working at it but it has been a challenge lately to do so and still keep motivation on my weight loss and make progress. At tonight's weigh in I lost 1 pound. Although I am excited that I am still moving in the right direction - I know I can and will do more. I have never been so challenged or worked so hard in my life. I have said this many times, I am positive I will solve and resolve all of this BUT in addition I know I can and will release more weight!

PS In this photo representation of musical chairs - I am the one dressed as tinkerbell :)

Sounds Trivial... But It is Not

I have posted bunches of pictures that I have taken around town. And for as many things as I posted, I have bunches more photos from around town that I have not posted. I was really thinking that it is not possible for there to be many more exciting things to take pictures of and then I came across this awesome manhole cover! It is on the corner of Grand and Centre City and is so beautiful - it is going to make excellent cards! Not only am I excited over it but I am excited over the idea that just when I think there is no more BOOM something great appears. Lately I have been scraping the bottom of the barrel when it comes to motivation and a positive outlook. I fight daily to see the light instead of the seemingly ever increasing darkness. Some days I fail miserable at that task put this certainly puts more gas in my tank. Perhaps odd but this is one of my most favorite pictures ever. Something is going to come through and that something will come through because I continue onward.

What is the Definition of Insanity?

So I have blogged about my camera before and the lengths I have gone through to keep the same model as I just cannot live without my camera. But read this run down. I truly am nuts.

- Ex gave me a camera in 08.2006 for my birthday.

- During trip to MA in 2008 the camera broke - the zoom froze - and I paid 60 bucks to get it repaired when I returned to SD.

- I then cracked display screen in 2009 so I purchased another of the same model on eBay for 50 bucks as they do not make that model any more.

- Zoom button is now fussy on that one, some times works, sometimes doesn't.

- I posted the camera with the cracked screen to eBay and sold it as is for 20 bucks.

- I posted the camera with the fussy zoom button to eBay and sold it as is for 20 bucks.

- I just bought another camera of the same exact model off eBay that is in terrific condition for 50 bucks.

How crazy is this story?!?

Fingers Crossed

I have an excellent lead on a good job. I do not want to say too much as I do not want to jinx it or get my hopes up too high. I will say that it is a good job, I have the perfect skills for it, and I have a connection. So please, just think good thought s for me and let's all cross our fingers!

Fire Sale

I have a couple eBay stories to tell but I am going to start with this one. It dawned on me it was time to start the fire sale so I have been looking for things to sell. It is good to downsize. I have more than enough and I need the cash more. As I was sorting through my things I came across these ribbons. They were in one of Uncle Tony's old El Producto cigar box which I have had forever and always stored within my treasures. Every Halloween there was a big night time party at the town common and high school for the local kids. My family went lots of times. It was such a small town thing to down and so incredibly fun. There was games and food plus all the kids dressed up. Later they would line us up and have us walk round the common and it was called the Horribles Parade. They gave a ribbon to everyone but one special year, when I was a two headed monster, I even got my picture in the local paper!

It dawned on me that I know someone that loves Wilmington memorabilia so I emailed him this picture and asked if he was interested in buying them. He was extremely excited as he had heard of these ribbons but never had one of his own. I sold them for 30 dollars total - a very fair and surprising price. Plus I know they will be enjoyed some more. Perhaps they will end up in a frame on his wall. Perhaps they will wind up in his draw instead of mine. Perhaps he will pin them to his kids as they trick or treat this year. It truly doesn't matter where they wind up. They are mine regardless and always will be. I also know that no matter what - if I kept them or sold them - they would end up in the same place, everything always does in time. Eventually with someone looking at them not knowing what they are or who they belonged to. I am ok with that too. I know what they are and I know whose they are. I will always know.

What a Love!

Tuesday I went to the circus in Mexico with Oscar and his daughter. I am so in love with HER - how cute is she! We got along famously! She is 4 and since I speak Spanish like a 5 year old - we hit it off the bat right away. I stopped before hand and bought her a Hello Kitty rainbow colored bracelet and a huge bag of candy. Of course it is Mexico so it only cost me 4 bucks but I think it greatly helped her love me as much as I loved her. She was sooooo sweet, you cannot believe it. She is really well behaved, polite and not shy at all. Although there were plenty of seats at the circus, she sat on Oscar's lap the entire time and rubbed his beard as she enjoyed the show. What a love!

The circus on the other hand - INSANITY. It was just a normal circus in Mexico, meant for everyone, but at times I felt like I was at the Zoomanity show by Cirque du Soleil - which is the sexier show meant for adults that Cirque du Soleil does in Vegas. I have video that I will have to go through and maybe post. Plus of course there were clowns! Just when I thought clowns could not get any worse -- a clown speaking Spanish is an utter nightmare!

My friend Alberto gave me a ride back to the line from Oscar's house. Free tip - two people you need to get to know in any city -- a waiter and a taxi driver --- they freakin know everything! Turns out Alberto knows the lion tamer at the circus (stage name Apollo) because he is gay. OOOOHHH scandal - you should have seen the chicas swooning over him. We gossiped, in Spanish, the whole ride back to the line??? Life is silly at times, thank god!

Wave, Walk and Blow Kisses

I was so worried about weighing in tonight. I was miserable last week. All the clouds just converged and although I did my best to clear them out but it seems I am not super human after all and so gave in the the badness for the most part. When I got on the scale I weighed the same as last week and that was just the most amazing accomplishment - I was so proud. Plus it gives me plenty of gas to put in the motivation tank as I have not lost any ground. Who knew that treading water for one week would feel so terrific.

In addition they gave out awards tonight. Each award is a little pin to go on my sash. The ladies all have charm bracelets for their awards but it seems they felt a sash was more masculine - I swear I do not make this shit up! I won an award for losing 5 weeks in a row, one award for losing 10 more pounds and I got an award for being Loser of the Month! Yay. The tradition is that the Loser of the Month wears a tiara and the group sings a special song. They said I did not have to wear the tiara and I was like are you shitting me??? Of course I am wearing the tiara. Everyone was dying! Someone did take pictures so I will have to track that down before it winds up in the evil empire portal, ie Facebook. But long story short - I dogged a bullet tonight and now it is time to get back on the wagon as you know I want to wear that tiara again!