You Will Leave a Mark

Today is Martin Luther King day...a day to honor a man who did much with the little time he had here.

I often wonder what he would think of the changes in our country since his death.

Have we changed that much?

Have we changed enough?

I'm not sure..

I still think there is a lot of bigotry out there. And not just about race...it extends to religion, sexual preference (uh-oh..it's the gay thing again!) and sex.

I still don't think we are all tolerant enough. We aren't open enough. We don't live without prejudice.

My blog...my opinion...

I will never understand how someone can feel superior to someone else based on skin color.

Now hair color I totally get...because I have always known I am prettier than my brunette friends because I am blonde!

Joking...JOKING...

but as ridiculous as my statement about being blonde is, there are others who feel the same way about skin color.

That is a shame.

And there are those who believe gays shouldn't have certain rights (like marriage or a legal union) or should be allowed to adopt or do certain jobs (Don't ask don't tell, anyone?)

And then there are things still denied to women...

I can go on and on but it diminishes the point I want to make here...because you get what I am saying...

have we changed enough?

Did Dr. King change us enough?

I hope so...but I'm afraid not...

sigh

Dr. King did remarkable things...he changed the world...maybe not to get it perfect, but he did affect change.

So today as I contemplated all of that (while watching Oprah discuss Dr. King) I started thinking about how we can affect change in our own little worlds.

I try to every day...I try with the kids I am around and I try to with this blog. Sometimes this blog is far more about me than helping anyone but when I am around the kids at the school, it is all about them.

I got 3 little confirmations about that this weekend...that I have done some sort of good:

1) as one sweet child waited for her parent to pick her up from the choir auditions I handed her my phone to relieve her boredom. The kids couldn't have their phones so she left hers at home. She took my phone and in the "notes" section she wrote me a note. It is personal, but what she said was the sweetest thing...it was a note of love and it made me cry to read what she said...I guess she loves me...I guess I have left a mark on her...and I love her...

2) I got a call from a friend who's son made the region choir...she told me that after GOTT called to give him the good news the first thing her son asked was "Does Mrs. D know?"...OMG, I luv luv luv him for that...I kept after him the whole night before the auditions to not yell at the wrestling meet and Saturday morning he was worried he had lost his voice...but obviously he didn't! I love it that he wanted me to know...

3) This is the best one...not so much I have done good with helping kids, but this one...well this one is one I will hold dear forever. So my friend J picks up her son and his friend after the dance party on Saturday. The boys get in the car and are discussing the party. My friend asks the boys about the girls...who looked pretty, etc. The boys name off some names and then my friend's son (who I have known since he was 3) says...oh, I love this..."but the prettiest girl there was Mrs. D.!"...I cried...I cried in the middle of bootcamp when she told me...I'm crying now...for a 12 year old boy to declare me the belle of the ball is just the bomb...

So now my resolve is even stronger to get my teaching certification...I love teaching middle school kids and if one or two of them listens to me, well, that is all I need...

I don't "teach" them now, per se, but I do chaperone a lot and work with the 8th graders (kid #1 and Kid #2 are 8th graders) so I guess I do have some influence with them.

It's subtle, but we all influence children more than we know.

We influence each other a lot too...

Today Dimples started a bootcamp for me and my mommy friends...I'm doing my level best to get all of my friends to join us. It is a fun way to work out and get in shape.

Dimples has left his mark on me...he's changed my body, my fitness, my diet...all for the good...

The kids I teach have left a mark on me...I remember their courage when they audition, their talent when they perform, their arms around me when they hug me, and I remember their tears I dry when they come to me with an issue.

GOTT and TTG have left their mark on me...I've learned so much from them that it would take a weeks worth of blogs to do it...

Precious and Adorable History Teacher has left his mark on me...if not for that trip up the stairs with him when I couldn't catch my breath, I might not have had my "ah-ha!" moment...

My friends have left their mark on me...with their love!

Sometimes the people that leave their marks on you are Very Important People...they are the ones in your real life...those close to you...friends, loved ones...

And sometimes it is someone like Dr. King who causes us to examine our hearts and leaves his mark on the world.

Inspiration Song: "You Will Leave a Mark" by A Silent Film

Bye Darlings...make your mark and leave it...

Train in Vain

I'm off the soapbox...for now...but I'm not making any promises about the future...

So first I have to say that I am very appreciative about the support I received about my last blog---Freedom 90. I only received one note that voiced a dissenting opinion, but it came from a place of love and respect so despite my friend's views being different than my own, I am very happy she took the time to write me and express her point of view and beliefs. It took courage on her part to do so and I am happy she felt moved to do so. I am not going to turn this blog into some sort of lightning rod of controversy, but I am happy someone is reading this and it is moving people (in their minds, off the couch...whatever) and although I will stick to "my blog...my opinion" on this, I do not mind if you ever want to write me that you disagree with something I said...I may not change my mind, but you are welcome to tell me you feel differently. And if any of you decided to keep your dissenting view to yourself, and I am sure that there are a few of you (maybe more than a few), please know that just as I write this and invite you to read it, I will read what you write/say to me and respect that everyone has a right to their view and opinion.

As for those of you who were supportive...thank you...

Because after I hit the button "publish post" I had a little panic attack...so it was nice to know that there was support out there. Gay rights is not my struggle or cause...I just happen to have gay/lesbian friends who I love and support and felt moved, after watching an old friend on a CNN report yesterday (so proud of you TW!), to say how I felt. And for me, it is a lesson in not labeling...because we all do it and I am as guilty as anyone. As I said, labels belong in clothing, not on people. I pray that the first thing someone says to describe me is NOT "fat"...and I don't want to label my friend and his husband as "gay parents" but rather PARENTS because that is the important part...they are PARENTS...that is their label....I think they would approve...at least I hope they do.

I have all kinds of friends and people I love...some might get labeled as "gay" or "straight", "blonde", "Jewish", "African-American", "smart", "annoying"...whatever...I'm just happy I have friends whoever and WHATEVER you are and that you take the time to read what I have written. And I want everyone to love and respect everyone else. Now do I sound like a Miss American contestant or what? But I mean it...

My blog...my opinion...but I welcome yours as well...

So.....moving on.........

Wait, I want to get back up on the soapbox...

Earlier today I texted my friend TTG (ya'll know who he is, right?) and asked if he had gotten to his destination yet. He left yesterday to drive to an out-of-state wedding with his family. He planned to get to Alabama last night (he did) and then to his destination today. So I texted him, full well knowing he couldn't have gotten there yet. But I wanted to check on their progress and to let him know I was praying for their safety and that I love them. I love TTG and his family...a lot...

So I text him and he texts back. I say something else. He responds. So that was when I blasted him and asked if his wife was driving or if she was doing the text responses for him.

The next text I got was from her...she thanked me for calling him on it and nailing him. He was trying to text while driving. My texts are so not worth it. She took the iPhone away and they were safe and she loves me for it...and I love her for taking the phone and I love him for letting me nail him on this. NO TEXTING WHILE DRIVING PLEASE!

My husband does it. And he reads emails. I almost jumped out of the car at a stop sign the other day when he did it. If he wants to do it on his own, it is still an incredible danger but I have told him that if he ever does it again with one or both of our children in the car that I have put a divorce attorney's number on speed dial and I am not afraid to use it.

NO TEXTING WHILE DRIVING PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO EMAILING EITHER!!!!!!

OK, now I promise to get off the soapbox...I just had to bust TTG one more time...because I love him and his family...

and I have been guilty of it too...but I am trying to stop...especially on the INTERSTATE HIGHWAY (which I don't do)...but I have texted while driving down Piney Point...but not anymore...

(climbing down from soapbox)...

So let me get back to what you usually come here for...Tales of the Fat Going Fit...

I didn't get to move the bar again today...in fact, I'm not sure I have lost ANYTHING this week...and I have been ultra-good. Like "Biggest Loser" good. 1000 calories burned at the gym each day. Kept my calorie intake right around 1200-1500 per day. Stayed busy each day so I wasn't a couch potato. Got pretty good sleep. Not too much wine (Bacchus is on vacation so I haven't had him making yummy suggestions to lead me astray). Cardio every day...every day! Weight training twice this week.

Nothing

Nada

I. Am. Frustrated.

I know that all of this training and cardio is not in vain. My heart is getting stronger. I am getting more fit. I am building muscle. I am losing fat...I think...

I know that muscle weighs more than fat so maybe that is what is going on...but really, I just want to see the scale move. I want to move the big bar and then start watching the little one wiggle on down to the left side of the scale again.

I can see it a bit on my body.

I don't look "good" but I will concede to "better"...

Today I had Fitness Goddess work me out today...but really what I had her do was to follow me to make sure I was doing it right...setting the machines right, moving the stuff right.

She is so great...she is wonderful...I highly recommend her if you belong to the HRC. Email me if you want her name and number...

I try not to beat myself up to much about this process. I got myself into this and I can get myself out. And I'm going to do it without pills...without surgery...and I'm going to do it for keeps. (Did I mention that I costumed "Seussical" for summer drama camp? I think a bit of it rubbed off as that sounded a little like Seuss there for a moment...)

I've told you I have been up and down before. I blame a lot of this last big weight gain on my mother's death...but it is really more laziness and the fact that I just plain like food and I like to eat. And I prefer cheese and cheesecake to carrots and celery. After a point, when I had gained back a lot of the weight I lost last time, I just gave up. I got bigger so it became a "what is one more pound" type of situation. I can't let that happen again.

The skinny chick inside me is really tired of hibernating. She wants to shop. She wants to wear flippy skirts. She wants to wear heels. She wants to wear a slinky dress to the Medieval Feast pre-party and a gorgeous gown to the feast---a gown with a corset showing off her tiny waist.

Now I am just whining again...sorry...

Tomorrow I am headed to Rockport for a few days of sun and fishing. I'll be home for a few days and then I get to pick up The Cutest Boy in the World from camp. You might not hear much from me over the next few days...writing a blog on an iPhone isn't exactly practical.

Whenever I pick my kids up at camp I am reminded of my own camp days. I had so much fun during the 5 years I went to camp. I had GREAT cabin friends. We had awesome counselors (my aunt was the best). Friday Mountain Girls Camp was a wonderful place to spend time in the summer.

We didn't have air conditioning but we didn't need it---we had giant box fans to blow the hot air over us to cool us off. And we had "Lake Dookie" every night...you see, the showers would leak like nobody's business so the water would creep out of the shower/toilet rooms and leak into the middle area of the cabin where the sinks were. We called it "Lake Dookie". It was clean shower water but still gross...

One year everyone...and I mean EVERYONE...came down with diarhea...it swept through the camp. We did skits about it and sang songs about it. One enterprising camper wrote a story about it...on toilet paper...while she was held hostage in the nurse's cabin.

We found ticks in the darndest places. 'Nuff said about that...

All the cabins had big front porches with a bench swing on them. The swing hung from the porch ceiling with some "s" hooks. One time a couple of girls got to swinging on the swing that they swung so hard that the swing came off the hooks and landed them flat on the porch floor. I think they pee'd themselves. We pee'd ourselves laughing about it. They were lucky their feet weren't below them and nothing was broken. I still laugh about that to this day...

I can't count the number of retainers that got thrown into the fire at "hunters stew". One brave counselor fished mine out before it melted. I couldn't really appreciate just what that meant until Ke$ha Barbie lost both of her retainers at a restaurant. An Ethiopian restaurant. You haven't lived until you have dug through the garbage of a restaurant...especially an Ethiopian one...

I would give up my calories for an entire week for a serving of brownie pudding...it was THAT good...I'd eat nothing but carrots...and then a pan of the stuff.

I think one of my favorite camp memories isn't exactly a camp memory. My father divorced my mother and married someone else when I was in middle school. They went on to have my 2 sisters and my brother (I hate the term half-brother and half-sister...last time I checked they were whole people...and still my brother and sister even if we had different moms). Anyway, my younger sister, SSS, was always a bit confused with the issue of MY mother. She wasn't HER mother or her step-mother, she was MY mother and my sisters and other brother's mother. We called my mom "Mom" and my stepmother by her first name. So here we are at camp pick-up time and my dad and step-mom AND my mother and her boyfriend of the moment are there. And so is my little sister SSS who is about 2 or 3 at the time. She knew who my mother was. So she sees my mother and rather than saying "Debbie", she runs across the camp field with her arms outstretched yelling "MOM" to my mother. She was so excited to see my mother...I don't know why but that amused the hell out of me...

Where am I going with all of this....summer memories...I guess nowhere but it is those happy thoughts that occupy my mind these days while I am slogging it off on the machine.

I'm going to get off my plateau...I know I will...I won't train in vain...and I'm going to catch some fish (and some rays) in Rockport and not get back on the scale until I get home and see if maybe taking a break from heavy training shocks my system back into doing what I want it to.

And I'm not going to text or email while driving tomorrow...

And I'm going to find a swing and swing so hard that I (almost) pee myself...I don't really want to pee myself...just get close...

Find a swing and go for it...

Inspiration song: "Train in Vain" by the Clash...one of the coolest bands ever...

Bye Darlings!

SOS

Warning: I have written this blog under the influence of 2 Molinaas Margaritas and a bit of sleep deprivation and just plain being tired...SOS...

it was that kind of day...in fact, I almost named this blog after a song that I sang (twice) while in the car---a song from the amazing musical "Spring Awakening" called..."Totally F$##%#%"...but I decided that naming my blog after a song title that contained the "f-bomb" was not appropriate...

So SOS it is...

Because it was that kind of day...

When I left my house to go to the gym, Isner and Mahut were still playing their epic battle at Wimbledon...I can't believe that the fight will go on...those poor men...

I did my workout and just as I got off, I looked up at the tv screens in the health club and saw Landon Donovan score that epic goal for the USA in the World Cup. That was a good thing. Almost, but not quite, the high point of my day...

So I workout and then head up to the middle school to help GOTT (God Of The Theater) and TTG (Tech Theater God) get ready for our show (Seussical) tonight with the drama camp kids. I love GOTT and TTG and those kids...

I needed a few more costumes (this is normal....me shopping at the last minute) so I headed to Goodwill. People, there is good stuff to be found there. I saw a Juicy Couture terry cloth dress there...it can be yours for $11.

SOS

Seussical On Stage

Short On Sanity

Save Our Show

Well, I didn't REALLY need to save the show but at 4:45 (curtain was at 7:00) we discovered we were one "cat in the hat" hat short so I ran to Party City (the one close to me) to buy one. No luck there. By then it was 5:00 and I had to go to the Party City at Highway 6 and Westheimer...in the 5:00 traffic...to get the hat.

When I got back to the theater I told GOTT that when the Gertrude character sings the song "ALL FOR YOU" he needed to think of me...because for him I drove in bad traffic to buy a $7 hat...he told me he would have let it go...but no...I did it all "for you" I told him...he loves me...

The kids were amazing and I enjoyed watching them...2 weeks is not a lot of time to stage a full-on musical but GOTT and TTG did it...they are AMAZING (more than Mayzie if you have seen the show...)and the kids...INCREDIBLE...that was the high point of my day...

So back to SOS...that hit the iPod at the 47 minute mark in my workout...just as I was dying...and dying to watch the end of the World Cup match...and it took me back...right back to Kingsville and the roller skating place.

Does anyone from Kingsville remember the old skating rink in the quonset hut building? They always played "SOS" by ABBA as I skated around...in my shiny pink sating short shorts...or my terry cloth ones with the matching terry cloth top...

SOS

Shorts On Skates

Kingsville was an interesting place to grow up...I've called it the "armpit of Texas" for quite some time now but really, I am happy I am from Kingsville and I think I was pretty lucky to grow up there.

I have a lot of old friends from Kingsville...and I am happy to still call them friends...even if we just talk on Facebook most of the time. And I got to experience things like climbing mesquite trees, smelling Celanese, eating the best ice cream ever at the Big Scoop, and dining at King's Inn. There is more to Kingsville than the King Ranch, the Saddle Shop, and wind. Texa A&I (I know they call it Texas A&M Kingsville now, but to me it will always be A&I) is there and I got to watch the A&I Fighting Javalinas win a national championship (not once but twice and no, they weren't in the "big" conference but it was a national championship just the same). I got to see my uncle turn the Big Scoop into the Pizza Parlor (best pizza in the world, people...). I bought music at Durhams. I drank the best milkshakes in the world at Harrel drugs. And yes, I ate the best seafood ever at King's Inn.

But it is the people of Kingsville that have my heart. My parents had some amazingly great friends that lived (and many still live) in Kingsville. I have an extra family with those people. And I have friends that I went to school with that I am blessed to still call "friend". Yesterday one girl who I grew up with (SP that is YOU!) wrote me the most amazing email note...she did me some real good since I wasn't able to "move that bar" (see the last 2 blogs). I went to a funeral a few months ago (Vaya con Dios RF) and as I hugged and kissed my parents dear friends I was reminded how lucky I was to hear their voices say my name and feel their arms around me...even when MY parents are gone. These are the people that drove me to school, that cooked burgers and hot dogs on Sundays on our grill, that saved me from the deep end when I couldn't swim. These are WONDERFUL people...they hear my SOS...and take care of me because I don't have parents anymore...

SOS

They save me...they love me...they take care of me even though I am an adult...

You never know who will hear your SOS...

Sometimes it is an old friend...

Sometimes YOU hear the SOS...because you do it "All for you" (GOTT and TTG)...

But it is always because of love...the love you gave me, nothing else can save me SOS...

I warned you that I wrote this under the influence of tequila...

SOS...send one out or receive one and save someone...

"SOS" by ABBA...or the movie cast...take your pick...this time I like ABBA better...

bye darlings

Like a Prayer

I'm having a love affair with a mechanical device.

Every day...me and the...machine

Now before your brain takes you "there" and you assume that my machine is a small hand-held device, get your mind back on track and follow me to the gym.

My love affair is with the Precor elliptical machine. I actually have one in particular that is the one I am most fond of...5th machine from the left...

The last time I dropped major poundage I did it by working my patootie off on the Precor and by spinning like a mad woman. I don't like the Stairmaster...or the treadmill...and I HATE stationary bikes (but somehow LOVE spin bikes, go figure). I like the elliptical. In an hour to an hour and a half I burn 650-1000 calories. It shows me (the machine's calculated) calorie count...I'm not convinced it it totally accurate (even though I put my weight in) but I think it is close enough.

But today when I went to the gym I was not feeling the love...

I climbed onto my favorite machine and...nothing...it was all I could do to get going. I felt like I was going through Jell-o.

I blame it on Saturday night...

My dear friend D came over and we had a great visit...over a bottle of wine...we got started a bit late so time slipped by us. We decided to watch an episode of "Glee" that she had missed (never looking at the clock). So we fire up the DVR and start in on the "Power of Madonna" episode...one of my favorites---they are all my favorites, but I love the Material Girl so much that this one ranks way up there at the top.

I looooooooooooooooooove Glee...I looooooooooooooooooooove Madonna!

Before we know it, it is 1:00 am...so she headed home and I still had to write The Cutest Boy in the World at camp...after my nighttime routine it was easily 1:45 before I closed my eyes...maybe later.

So 8:00 am came quickly this morning and I think I had 4 oz more wine than I should have...

So there I am on my beloved machine and I'm not feeling the love...or the power...

But then I did what any True Blue fan of Ms. Ciccone would do...

I let the power of Madonna get me going...I hit "iPod" on the iPhone, hit "artists", hit "Madonna" and hit "all songs" and "shuffle"...and a few minutes later I was rolling...but not my usual stride.

It took awhile for the power of Blonde Ambition to take over...43 minutes to be exact...but once "Like a Prayer" came on, I was rolling...great song...any song that can use a gospel choir to drive it home is alright by me!

So thank you, Madonna...because I hear your voice...it's like an angel sighing...I have no choice, I hear your voice...

I think another issue with getting rolling is that I might have had a little melancholy going on since it is Father's Day. My husband is a great father but both of us have lost our own precious Daddies. For me this day always comes on the heels of my mom's birthday so I get a double-whammy of sad days during the month of June.

I miss my dad every day...he wasn't a perfect father by any means, but he did make my life a whole lot more interesting when he was around. He had a sense of humor that couldn't be beat and his personality was larger than life. He knew more about horses and cattle than he did about algebra, but I'll take his horse-sense any day...

So I sent up a prayer of love and thanksgiving for my wonderful Daddy...and all the dads in my life---my husband, GOTT, TGG, and my other friends...because any man can be a father...but it takes someone special to be a DADDY.

I know my dad is in a better place and that someday I will be with him...but I hope that it isn't too soon! That's why I am doing all this hard work...he died after having bypass surgery because he didn't take great care of himself and I feel like I have a chance to make things right for myself before it is too late and heart disease has set in.

After my workout I spent some time in the pool and then I went to help GOTT and TGG get things ready for the theater camp production this week. Today I made "monkey pants" and Barbie/GI Joe clothes...trust me, you don't want me to explain this one...and dressing Barbies is harder than I remember...it would be easier if she could bend her arms...

So today was all about pushing through...and letting the power of one very amazing pop singer get me to do that push...and my father's love (even though he is gone) to keep me going on that machine.

Oh...and I did an hour and a half on my machine...not bad considering I started off with praying I could handle 30 minutes...

The Power of Madonna, People...use it...

"Like a Prayer"....from the unbelievable ever-changing diva of pop...MADONNA...or the Glee cast version...Just like a prayer, I'll take you there...

bye darlings

Don't Stop Believin'

I am dyeing an 80's drop-waist poofy short dress with a bow on the hip...I'm dyeing it royal blue. And when I say "dyeing" it, I mean that as I type this it is sitting in my sink soaking to get the remaining dye out of it. It was cream, now it is blue. Mission accomplished. Now I just hope it was ok to get the dress wet and that it will dry ok. And not turn the child who wears it blue...

I have some essential beliefs about dying clothes...rules, so to speak:
1) dyeing is better done in a washing machine but if you have a front-loader, you have to do it in your sink. The last time I dyed something, it was something I needed to make red, it looked like a murder had taken place in my laundry room...there was red everywhere. The blue was contained to the sink this time.
2) you have to believe that what you dye is going to look better dyed the color you are making it...this time, I was right...sometimes---not so much...
3) don't wear anything you don't mind getting dye on...my shirt is essentially tye-dyed now...
4) don't drink while dyeing...do I really need to explain this one? I have broken that rule...well, I didn't pour the wine until AFTER I got the dye bath out of the sink so I guess I just partially broke that rule...(you probably also shouldn't blog while drinking wine but...)
5) you have to be willing to say "what the hell" and just do it...

So now the 80's party dress that was cream is now blue...you can tell I lead an exciting life if the best thing I have to blog about is dyeing something blue...

now on to more interesting things...and if you need a course on how to dye something, email me...

I believe that "Glee" is the most fantastic and wonderfully (and beautifully) written show on television...the cast is top notch and the music...well, if you can't tell how much I love music, then you aren't really reading my blogs...

The music is...sublime...superb...amazing...awesome...incredible...unbelieveable..

ok, now I need a thesaurus...

In any case, the storytelling and the acting would be enough to love the show even if they never sang one song...but they do...and they are incredible performances. I find it amazing that the same guy who thought up the plastic surgery/sexy show "Nip/Tuck" could come up with something as beautiful as "Glee". If you ever saw "Nip/Tuck", you know what I mean...this is a 180 degree turnaround in type of show. If I had known that Ryan Murphy (creator of "Nip/Tuck")had dreamed up "Glee", I might not have given it a chance...that being said, I enjoyed "Nip/Tuck"...sometimes...

So last night I settled in to watch the season finale of "Glee". I was a bit bummed because I will now have to wait until like October to see a new show, but I have almost all of this season's show still on the DVR to enjoy when I am lonely for Rachel, Puck, Finn, Mercedes, Sue, Will, Quinn and precious Kurt.

I poured myself a delicious glass of wine before settling in. I have a wine god, let's call him Bacchus (because he is Italian). He's a friend who I turn to when I want a good suggestion of something yummy to buy...he loves wine and he loves talking about wine. He is a history teacher so I guess the teaching thing doesn't stop. In any case, he's a great guy, a good source for vino info, and a fantastic teacher. The kids love him---I'm so excited that The Cutest Boy in the World will have him next year and he is a great follow-up to Mr. Adorable and Precious who was an amazing teacher this year...along with being Adorable and Precious. So Bacchus tells me to buy Papa Luna at Costco so I do...fantastico! I open it because I decide I need a good wine to enjoy with my favorite show...

So I cry through the show and drink 2 glasses of wine...and I make sure all the Glee music is loaded on my iPhone to enjoy today and always...and I am glad I saved the calories for the 2 glasses of wine...

Today I did my usual sentence on the Precor to loosen up all of my aching sore muscles from the workout with Fitness Godess and the classes with Spinderella. I thought about taking the day off, laying by the pool and enjoying my book but even the touch of headache I get the day after having even a little red wine (but I won't give it up)wasn't a good enough excuse to skip the workout...so I went and let the Glee kids get me through.

I get on that machine and imagine all the great clothes I am going to wear when I get myself into shape and lose the weight. I think of all of the cute clothes that I managed to save from my last skinny phase of life and think about how I will probably not wear any of them but rather get a whole new wardrobe. I mean, do I really ever NEED to wear a cheetah print mini skirt again? (although I have a bet with a friend that I will wear it underneath a trench and come up to school and show her I got into it). I do look forward to the shopping...

After working out, I met up with the kids at theater camp and had a great time watching God of the Theater (GOTT) block the first number for Seussical and applauded Theater Tech God (TTG) when he rolled out a "truffula tree" with a nest on it for Horton the Elephant to sit on...you have to see it to believe it.

I found a dress for "Gertrude the bird with the one-feather tail" to wear but decided to dye it blue since I hated the cream color. Hence the dyeing...

So now that I have given you a pretty boring run-down of my day, I'm sure you are sitting there thinking "where is the lesson? where is the funny?"...

I guess what I have to offer today is that you need to believe...you have to believe in the change, or maybe just believe...the change of a dress (by dyeing it), the change that a show creator (or any artist) can make when offering something different, you have to believe in your friend's advice (if you ask for it like I do with Bacchus) and you have to let that advice change your choices (so I don't keep buying Red Truck red wine...but I like Red Truck too, just like the Papa Luna better), and you have to believe that YOU can change---whether it is losing some weight, breaking a habit, trying to get healthy, or learning something new...and I have to believe that every time I get on that machine I am doing something good for myself...along with pouring that glass of red wine (for my heart, ya know?)...

So don't stop believin'

And go to iTunes (I know I sound like a commercial for them) and download the Glee cast version of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" (the Road to Regionals version). They put a new spin on an old classic and it is gor-ge-ous and will put a spring in your step. You will totally want to sing along and can't we just picture ourselves sitting with our best friends, wearing some ab-fab 80's clothes while we sing along...

And while you are there, perusing the Glee music, just download it all (or if you live here I will burn it for you). "To Sir with love" makes me cry (because it makes me think of my friends GOTT and TTG and Bacchus and Mr. Adorable and Precious and how they have impacted their student's lives...teachers are INCREDIBLE people..."One" and "I dreamed a dream" also make me cry)...there is so much more but that is for later blogs...

Tomorrow I will honor my mother in my blog...it would be her 66th birthday...and later I will tell you all about my "Crush"---and no it is not GOTT, TTG, Bacchus, or Mr. Adorable and Precious...but they are all pretty crush-worthy men...yes, they are!!!!! I luv luv luv them...

Don't stop believin'

bye darlings...