Code for ???

Well I'm finally back to my routine... sort of.

The trip to Chicago was interesting... I learned a lot professionally speaking. Then... got stuck in O'Hare airport for GET THIS!!! 13 hours trying to get home! I think I jinxed it that morning. On the way to the airport I kept thinking how easy of a trip it would be this time: a direct flight home, only about 1 hour long... Right!

My flight was at 11:30am, at first it was delayed for about an hour, they finally let us board. So, I walked down the ramp along with the other hopeful passengers but the flight attendant was in the middle of a heated discussion with someone on the phone and didn't let us on to the actual plane. Once she hung up, she announced that we had to go back to the gate area and wait while they TAPED THE CARPET... WTF??? That wouldn't have been so weird if they didn't cancel that flight 30 minutes later (without even making an announcement, by the way...)

To make the long story short, I made it home around 1am the next morning after spending endless hours at the airport hanging out with my newly acquired friends, eating, drinking, watching movies on the laptop, reading and wondering what "TAPING THE CARPET" stood for...

Fun times!

Loooooove....

Something I read on someone's blog today got me thinking about why we love people we love...

Once upon a time in a place far far away my BFF Gayle and I went to a wedding reception. In fact, we sort of crashed the reception because her husband was a DJ there and we had to deliver a few CDs to him. We ended up staying and hanging out with a bunch of friends that were there. Here we were sitting at a table having a few drinks when HE walked up. HIS name was Eric and I couldn't take my eyes off of him. He had this twinkle in his eyes that was absolutely irresistible!

To my disappointment, some Blondie walked up and hugged HIM from the back shortly after we met. She happened to be HIS girlfriend of 2 years (as I was informed while investigating HIS background while in the women's restroom). HE left in a few minutes because Blondie wanted to go home. I was devastated but decided I didn't need any drama.

HE came back 20 minutes later... Alone... We drank and danced and laughed. Somehow we ended up going to Wal-Mart (don't ask me why) after the reception and he bought me some hideous hat that I picked up while walking around and insisted on wearing. We made out in the parking lot while waiting for friends to get done shopping. That was the best night of my life (or close to it). I was so wrapped up in my feelings that I never gave him my number and he never asked.

I thought that was just a dream but I couldn't get him out of my head. I ran into him at another wedding reception a few weeks later and he told me he couldn't get me out of his head but I had the strength to tell him that as long as he had a girlfriend nothing was going to happen. I gave him my phone number though when he asked...

He called me a week later and told me he broke up with Blondie and asked me out to dinner. The next month was a bliss! We talked several times a day, saw each other every day, met each other's parents and friends... Then one day he told me he met someone else...

I'd never been so crushed in my whole life. I didn't eat for a couple of weeks. I just layed on my bed staring at the ceiling. I thought my life was over. Of course, time heals almost everything...

It's been 4 years. I've had several boyfriends since then but a little part of me is still not over Eric. Coming to think of it, I barely knew him, he wasn't right for me in any way, we never even had sex(!) but I still keep that hat that he bought me at Wal-Mart...

I'm off to Chicago! Happy Monday!

Working Girl!

I just found out that I'd been invited to be a part of a sales team and go to Chicago with my boss this Monday to negotiate a new contract for the company. I am super excited and scared of making an a$$ out of myself all at the same time. I need to gather a whole bunch of information before the trip so I'll have to work most of the weekend. Guess I'll have to tone the partying down a little bit ;-)

Fitness Update:
Weight: 163 lbs (still!!! dammit!)
Weight Training: 30 mins
Cardion: Walking - 30 mins

Delicioso!

I'm trying to get back on track with my eating and working out. Just wanted to share a couple of delicious and healthy salads that I make. I don't know the official names of these. In fact, I think my mom and I may have made them up, so I'll just make up the names.

Monkey Slaw:

1 bag of cole slaw mix (fresh cabbage is juicier but I'm lazy)
1 package of imitation crab meat (can also use shrimp)
1 can of corn, drained
2 Tbsp of finely chopped onion
Light Hellman's Mayo
salt, pepper

Chop the crab meat, mix with the cabbage, corn and onions. Add mayo to taste and season. It's delicious, low cal and has proteins, lots of fiber and some carbs.

Monkey's Spring Mix:

2 cucumbers
1 bunch of radishes
4 hard boiled eggs
1/2 bunch of green onions
Light sour cream
salt, pepper

Slice cucumbers and radishes, chop the eggs and green onions. Season to taste and add sour cream.

Let me know what you think if you try these.

Fitness Update:
Weight: 163lbs :-(
Weight Training: 1 hour
Cardio: Elliptical- 30 mins, Walking - 20 mins

I need a vacation!

It's spring outside! Seventy one degrees and longer days (partly due to the early time change) indicate that, right? I am supposed to be in an elevated mood! I am not... I just don't want to be at work today... Since there is no way for me to get out of it today I am rebelling by being completely unproductive!

I think I am moody because I spent too much time hanging out with friends, drinking and eating and not enough time catching up on cleaning, laundry, sleeping and grocery shopping. The result: filthy apartment, no clean clothes to wear this morning and no food for breakfast. Plus the fact that I gained 3 pounds over the weekend doesn't help things any... I did go to a weight lifting class on Saturday morning at 8am!!! (considering the fact that I went to bed at 3 am - quite an accomplishment) but that's about all I've done to satisfy my fitness goals...

I'll stop depressing you all and go be my grumpy self at a really boring meeting

I am so not feeling blogalicious today... In fact, all I want to do is curl up in my bed, take a nap then just lounge around and read a book while listening to the rain pounding away outside... The only part of that fantasy that can come true is the rain. Actually, I think it's already raining out there but I am stuck in the office staring at my computer screen...

I am not in a bad mood - just very sleepy. What started out as going to a sushi bar with a couple of girlfriends last night, turned into a full-blown 4-hour long gossipping session complete with lots of food and wine...

Gotta stop blogging... Having trouble with keeping my eyes open...

Fitness Update:
Weight: No clue (afraid to check after all of the yummy Miami Rolls and wine I consumed last night)
Weight training and Cardio: Didn't do a damn thing (at least nothing that can be classified as exercise)

Happy Women's Day to you all and me!!! I've been bugging all of the guys I work with about this holiday for weeks. .. Guess what! They got me flowers today! Who says men can't be attentive sometimes!

Don't have much time right now. Just wanted to mention that I've been proud of the results I am getting from working out. I haven't lost a lot of weight (just 2 pounds) but I lost a lot of fat and gained muscle. I've been doing a lot of weight training because I want to get very toned... It already shows! Yeah! I'm planning on kicking up the cardio a couple of notches next week. Good luck to all of you fellow dieters and anyone who is trying to make your lifestyle just a little healthier! Keep up the good work and keep me up to date on your progress!

Fitness Update:
Weight: 161lbs
Weight Training: 1 hour - very intense
Cardio: 20 mins - running

Randomness

I finally updated my Blogroll, or "My Daily Addictions" as I call it! Half of the blogs I had on there before didn't even exist any more ;-)

I heard that the beer that they sell in high altitudes is usually lower in alcohol content. For example, that same bottle of Budweiser which is normally 5% (I am just guessing here) would be 3.5% alcohol somewhere up in the mountains in Colorado... Does anyone know if it's true or not? Just curious... I thought it was odd...

Fitness update:

Weight: 161 lbs

Cardio (Tues. night): Running on treadmill - 20 min, Elliptical - 25 min

Best remedy for ex-boyfriend virus? FWB

A lot of you haven't started reading my blog till recently so you may not know who Ryan is. Go to the post "New Male Harem Candidates" to refresh your memory.

Yes, I kept Ryan around. Didn't see him while I was in a relationship but he really helped me snap out of it when I was broken hearted.

Ryan is the best Friend With Benefits any girl could ever want! As I mentioned previously, he has an amazing body (and knows how to use it) plus he is funny and witty. We have lots of fun light conversations but it is understood that we may not see each other for a few weeks.

We just text each other when we feel like getting together and there are no hard feelings when one of us is busy.

When I first met him, I thought we were going to be together forever. I changed my mind within the next 6 minutes or so because Ryan was just not "relationship material". However, we had such an undeniable chemistry that we couldn't pass it up...

Can't wait to see him tonight ;-)

No no no

Scratch that! I was so wrong about responding to my ex's messages. First of all, I told him that i could meet with him on Mon or Tues and he never responded that day. Then, yesterday he texted me:"What's up?" WTF? I guess he just decided that we were on good terms again. I didn't answer and not planning on doing so any more! Forget that! I really don't care about what's going in his life and his mind. If he is going to profess his undying love for me, he is a couple of months too late!

Fitness Update:

Weight: 161 lbs

Weight training: 1 hour on Mon. night

Cardio: 20 min of running on the treadmill on Mon. night

Convince the men in your life to start celebrating this!!!

The most important day of the year is almost upon us!March 8 - International Women's Day.

Many people around the world may be unaware of this day, but in Russian culture it is a huge event. Bigger than Valentines Day or even Christmas Day.Despite the political origins of Women's Day, for Russian women it holds no political significance, only beauty and celebration.Not only it is a celebration of women and femininity, but it also celebrates the start of Spring.And what connects the two?
Flowers, of course!

Women's day is a day where all men should give flowers and gifts to the women in their life. Not just wives or girlfriends, but also family members, even work colleagues.Men should also not allow their women to do any work of any kind. For Russian women, this is a rare day! No going to work (it's a public holiday anyway), no housework, no cooking. It's all to be done by men.

This is not another Valentines Day, which is more a private celebration for couples. This is a day for ALL women. A day of thanks, appreciation, respect and admiration.

Women's Day is an official public holiday in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Bulgaria, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan (along with a few other countries).It is also well-celebrated in Hungary, Poland and Romania (although it is not a public holiday).Impress any Russian women in your life with a card, gift, or flowers. If you have nothing to do with Russia, convince the men in your life that you do ;-)

DRAMA!

So, I was making my way through the crowded night club on a Saturday night, trying to get to the bar and guess who I literally bumped into on the way... my ex-boyfriend B. whom I was not on speaking terms with... I hadn't seen him or talked to him since the end of January so I was completely caught off guard. I mumbled "hello" and tried to turn the other way. He stopped me and asked me for my phone number because "his phone was messed up and all of the numbers he had saved were deleted" or some crap like that. I asked him why he needed my # any way and he told me he had something to talk to me about but the club wasn't the appropriate spot for that. All I could do was raise my eye brows and tell him my number. I avoided him the rest of the night and continued having a blast with friends despite him trying to strike up a conversation with me a couple of times. I was so glad I took the time to look especially good that night and it paid off because I was extremely popular with the guys around. I wasn't interested in any of them but it made for a good show for the ex.

He texted me yesterday to ask if we could meet up for lunch this week. I was torn between ignoring his message and making him feel stupid and satisfying my own curiosity. No matter what he tells me, there is no going back for me but I really do want to know what he has to say because the only "reasonable" explanation I can come up with is he wants to tell me he is pregnant ;-) The curiosity got the best of me. Agreed. I am planning on listening to what he has to say, asking him if he was done and walking out after saying "see you around". Evil, huh?

Oh, the date with Barry on Fri was fine. He can't wait to see me again... I am kind of enjoying being a player for a change...

TGIF!

Not much to report today... Super busy at work!

Barry and I are going to the Art Walk (a monthly event with more than 30 art galleries participating) tonight. I just ran to the mall over the lunch break and bought me the cutest yellow and white sweater for the occasion since it's supposed to be cold this evening. I'm such a girlie girl sometimes!

One of my good friends M. plays tennis for a major university and she has two matches tomorrow. I am going to go cheer her on, then pick her up when she is done and we are off to celebrate a much anticipated birthday of a mutual friend. Can't wait!

Can't think of anything profound to say so that's all for now.

Fitness update:
Weight: 162lbs
Cardio: 45 min on the elliptical (last night)

No news is good news

Well, the doctor didn't think I had anything serious. He thought it was just some sort of an eczema (not sure how to spell it???). He was a little puzzled about why I've had the spot for about a year but thought it should disappear in about 2 weeks if I use the creme he prescribed. We'll see... Thanks for thinking of me!

I've been thinking about different dating styles today. All of my serious relationships were very intense. Sort of a love and/or attraction at first sight. As soon as I met Him we were inseparable, stayed in constant contact (couple of calls and/or emails a day) and saw each other several times a week if not every day. I liked the attention, in fact, I craved it but I am not sure it was a good thing for the relationship. Usually, that fire burnt out fairly quickly and was only great while it lasted.

Well, Barry is different. I think he is very interested in me but he is not the type to call all the time and I don't know how to deal with it. I am a very open and affectionate person but I need to know that the guy is open to receive that affection otherwise I shut down and loose interest. I know it's a little early to judge since we've only been on one date and talked on the phone a couple of times. not sure where i was going with this, just thinking out loud. Are your relationships usually as fast-paced as mine or not?

Fitness Update:
Weight: 162 lbs
Weight training: 1 hour (Wed night)
Cardio: 30 min on Elliptical (Wed night)