Might As Well Face It

I'm addicted to junk. Food, that is. More specifically, anything sugary, chocolaty, or prone to causing cavities. I have known about this addiction for quite a long time, but it never seemed to be a problem until I graduated from college. Desk job + maintaining unhealthy eating habits = 30 pounds gained. The worst part is, I am starting to forget what it was like to be my former, skinnier self. Being this weight feels normal to me because I've been it for so long, but I don't want to let myself be complacent because then I'm only bound for higher numbers on the scale.

So, to combat my growing waistline, I made a commitment to give up any and every item of edible junk in my life for the entire month of April. I am not one who can stock up on fudgesicles and 100-calorie packs to treat myself once in a while, because "once in a while" turns out to be "after every meal," and 100-calorie packs are not as thrifty when you eat three in one sitting. Despite the many cravings and temptations I encountered along the way, I made it through the whole month without having even a bite of dessert, except the one time near the end of the month where I partook in my last cake day at work. But even then, I ate the cake and felt like it really wasn't worth it. Had my addiction been broken?

Unfortunately, that brings us to today, a day in which I have consumed too many jellybeans and nonpareils to count. I wasn't intending on hitting May 1st and beginning the binge again, but I had a gift certificate to a candy store that I cashed in on yesterday, and I've been grabbing handfuls of the stuff every time I pass by the bags. Pride and lust were never really my thing, but I just might end up in the eternal rain of the underworld with Cerberus by my side if I'm not careful. Thankfully, the nonpareils are nothing but memories, and the jellybeans are not far behind them. When I have polished off the last of them, I am recommitting to my self-deprivation once again, because, as they say, self-deprivation for a worthy cause is really just self-preservation.*

*I don't know if anyone's ever said that.

Ch-ch-changes!

Every time I write a new post nowadays, I feel like I'm writing to no one, since I doubt I have much of an audience anymore, but I guess that just means I can make this a bit more introspective and more like a journal...for one entry, at least!

There are going to be some big changes occurring within the next month of my life. No, I'm not pregnant. I kind of just decided to quit my job, mostly on a whim, though it had been building up for a long time (is that contradictory?). The point is that I didn't have a totally rational plan when I decided to hit the road. I just woke up one morning and decided I was tired of waiting for something else to come along. So, I sent out some resumes and actually got two job offers in one day. I turned down working as a preschool teacher and accepted a job as a server at a new restaurant that's opening up in Peters Twp. I won't say which one, just for the sake of keeping some anonymity, but if you want to know, just ask me. If you are anything like my grandma, you are thinking one of a few things, including: "why would you quit a stable job for something unpredictable?" and "why would you waste your college degree in a job that doesn't require one?" The truth is, I really don't know. I know that I was unhappy where I was, and the time came to do something about it. Maybe I'll be happier at this new job. Maybe I won't. The main thing is that at least I'm taking a chance. I am sad to leave my friends at my old job, and I'm feeling kind of routine-sick, simply because I've been doing the same thing for 40 hours a week for the past three years, but I hope to make new friends (and keep the old) and form new routines.

So, that's where I'm at right now. If anyone has any advice on how to be a super-great server and get super-great tips, or if you have any opinions you want to share about what you like/don't like that servers do, feel free to share. I need all the help I can get!

Things I'm Selling or Giving Away

I've been selling a lot of things on craigslist lately, and giving a lot of things away on freecycle, but they are not always the most reliable resources, so here's a list of things I still have that I would like to get rid of:

For sale:
Box of children's books - $35 for over 40 books
Hand-painted chip & dip set, 5 pieces - $15
Living room furniture set - two lamps, coffee table, two end tables, console table, mirror - $150 for all
Old costume jewelry - price varies
Mini fridge - 1.8 cubic feet, white - $25
Large box of framed artwork and empty frames - $75 for the whole box
10 5" fish bowls - $20 for all
7 silver pillar candle stands - $15 for all
Self-stick vinyl wall base - 2 boxes of almond, 20 feet per box, $10 per box

Free:
Scrabble game
Misc. tins
Box of country-style knick-knacks
Box of fake flowers
Bag of men's clothes

If you have any questions about things for sale or the free items, let me know. I have pictures of some items, and I will ship things if possible (for an additional shipping fee).

Thanks!

Bucket List

I think it's safe to say that I lead a boring life. In an attempt to unbore myself and maybe others, I am going to make a list here of things I would like to do. Some may be events in the near future, while others are things that could take place at any point in time. My only problem is that I don't like doing things alone. So, if you happen to read this and see something that you would like to join me in doing, please let me know.

And now, the list.

- Eat at Azzeria
- Eat at Franktuary
- Go to Cupids & Canines
- Make jewelery at one of those bead stores
- Get a real massage/go to a spa
- See The Kite Runner
- See Juno, No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood
- Read Atonement (anybody own this that wants to let me borrow it? I'm #8 in the hold queue at the library.)

More will be added later. The dinner bell is ringing.

Half-assed Christmas

Hello, my friends. It has been too long. I came to find out that I do not enjoy regular blogging on a chosen subject (Survivor: China) unless I am being paid to do such writing. So, while you are busy forgiving and forgetting my absence, I will take this opportunity to muse on what I call "half-assed Christmas."

Two days before Thanksgiving, I saw the first resident of Old Village Lane beginning his outdoor Christmas decorating. He lined his walkway with lights and plastic candy canes and adorned the nearest leafless tree with light strands of its own. However, whether for lack of bulbs or lack of style I do not know, but he only put the lights around the tree trunk and partway up the branches. I would have thought he would come back later and finish, but he did the same thing last year, so I know he has no plans of continuing. He got a jump on the holiday season by beginning his decorating before everyone else in the neighborhood, but he did a half-assed job. In my opinion, it would have been better to do nothing at all.

My next objection is to specific time-saving Christmas decorations themselves. Now, I'm not one to say you should always go to the woods and chop down your own pine for a Christmas tree. I myself enjoy the benefits of a prelit artificial tree. However, I happen to believe that this prelit, artificial tree manages to convey a realistic appearance and elegance. Nets made out of twinkly lights thrown hapharzardly onto bushes and a yard filled with inflatable Santas do not. I actually drove by a house that had at least 8 of those inflatable monstrosities not only on the grass, but hanging from the trees! An inflatable airplane piloted by Santa Claus! My one question there was how Santa was simultaneously flying the inflatable airplane while also riding the inflatable ferris wheel and driving the inflatable motorcycle.

So, if you have yet to put up your outdoor Christmas displays at your place of residence, please recall what I'm saying here and put a whole-assed effort into it. After all, Christmas is the season for giving, not laziness.

Jesus Saves, Except on Survivor

This blog is way late because, frankly, I've been way busy. But I haven't read anyone else's Survivor blogs, in order to keep my thoughts pure. And since this is so late and probably no one reads it anyway, I will reduce my comments on episode three to a bulleted list.

-There has to be something wrong with Courtney. Sure, I felt slight sympathy for her when she spoke about being treated like a little chihuahua and always being stuck "where she'll do the least damage," but for goodness' sake, did you see the girl struggling to cut those ropes? Peih-Gee isn't a muscular woman, but she didn't stand their wielding a machete like it had a bowling ball attached to one end. I really wonder how she even made it past the show's medical team. There should be a minimum weight limit to play.

-Poker player or not, Jean-Robert is not the brightest crayon in the box. Has he ever seen Survivor before? You don't want to be known as the lazy one, or the obnoxious one who talks about his tribemates when they're obviously within hearing distance. Master Todd may have spared him this time, but with the way he's going, I don't see him making it to the merge.

-I totally called it on the pillow/blanket reward.

-My first impression of James was a sort of John Coffee from The Green Mile type -- large, quiet, and maybe even a bit magical. After listening to him talk with Jean-Robert in the water, he seems more like a big meathead with way more braun than brains. I can only hope he was trying out some of Andy Bernard's famous personality mirroring.

-And finally, the departure of dear, sweet Leslie. She didn't stand much of a chance from day one, being so trusting, naive, and openly Christian. Maybe if she would have been a member of Zhan Hu, her luck would have been different, but it seems her desire to form relationships and make friends came back to bite her in her God-fearing behind.

-And finally

Episode 2: Ashley Gets the Smackdown

I didn't get a chance to watch this week's episode until today, due to the Cloverleaf/Hanson concert on Thursday night and a murder-mystery dinner with coworkers last night, but I was finally able to sit down this morning to watch episode two of Survivor: China.

My immediate thought during the opening sequence this week was, "There's someone named Amanda on this show?" I don't remember even catching a glimpse of this girl last week. They more than made up for her lack of air time in the first episode, though, by showing her forming an alliance with Todd and then giving ample coverage to her un-amply covered breasts during the reward challenge. At least she bared it all in the heat of competition rather than for some peanut butter and oreo cookies.

Speaking of the reward challenge, what a challenge it must have been for the editors to blur out all of the naked body parts in this one! It has to be expected in such a hands-on game taking place in a pool of mud, but still. Guy commented that he wouldn't be surprised if a few of the girls accidentally got pregnant after that debacle. All nudity aside, Fei Long won the battle, 2 goals to zip, but Zhan Hu did put up a good fight. You have to wonder, though, what the producers were thinking when they arranged these tribes. They seem so mismatched as far as physical strength goes that I'm beginning to wonder if Frosti and the gang will ever be able to pull it together and win something. Fei Long got their fishing gear* and another morale booster, while Zhan Hu was sent back to a flooded campsite. Things don't seem like they'll be looking up anytime soon.

After the reward challenge, we see the first twist of this season of Survivor. The winning tribe gets to kidnap a member of the losing tribe to stay at their camp until the immunity challenge. They unanimously choose Jaime, and so our braless blonde goes off to spend a few days on the winning side of life. Todd immediately warns his tribemates to keep an eye on their valuable items, like flint, because he suspects that Jaime might try to steal something. This guy is sharper than I thought he'd be. I definitely underestimated him. Then, in another mini-twist, Jaime gets a note saying to give a bamboo tube containing a clue to the location of the hidden immunity idol to a Fei Long member of her choice. She chooses Leslie because she considers her to be the weakest. I guess Jean-Robert's lazy "act" didn't fool her. Leslie proceeds to run and tell Todd about the clue, thinking it will help her gain his trust. In reality, all it does is give Todd reason to make her the next one on the chopping block so that he'll be the only one left who knows about the hidden idol. Maybe if the resident poker expert wasn't busy sleeping all the time, he could have given Leslie some tips on keeping her cards close to her chest.

Jaime's taste of the high life was soon over as the tribes met up for another brute-strength-geared challenge. Dave faltered at the head of the battering ram and took the blame for Zhan Hu's loss, though I don't think they ever stood much of a chance against James' muscles to begin with. And so, back at camp before tribal council, the Ashley v. Dave debate begins. It seems as if the whole tribe knows that one of the two has to go, including Dave and Ashley themselves. Ashley chooses not to voice her opinions at camp, but rather at tribal council, and it may have been too little, too late. Even though seemingly everyone agreed that Dave is an overbearing, patronizing leader, Ashley was the one whose torch was snuffed out. Apparently her personality isn't as fake as her boobs, so Ashley's inability to keep her opinions to herself puts the nails in her coffin.

Another week in the Chinese wilderness is behind us. Last week, we lost a guy because he wouldn't voice his opinions. This week, we lost the girl that spoke up too much. There's just no telling what's in store for us on episode three of Survivor: China.





*I know that the reward challenges at the beginning of the game usually include camp-life necessities, but I'm tired of the same old, same old. How about giving out something helpful but more interesting than pillows and blankets next week, like the survivors' luggage, for instance?