What The...I LOST?!

So after I posted this morning...I weighed myself. Result was 233.8. Considering the last weight I remember seeing before I left was around 237-238 (not really sure becuase it was too depressing), that means not only did I not gain like a crazy person on the cruise, I SOMEHOW LOST WEIGHT. On a 9 day cruise to the Mediterranean where I took every possible opportunity to put food in my mouth. Huh. While I credit the walking, that's still pretty amazing...

I had my esophagram this morning, but won't see Dr. K until October 12 for my official one year follow up (which btw, I didn't even realize when it passed because I was away...nice). I then saw G for a fill...and he left things mostly up to me. If you remember, I was unfilled due to tightness down from 7.7cc to 7.0cc at the end of August. I then cancelled my planned unfill before the cruise because I thought I was loose enough. I decided to get .4 put back in today, and then another .3 or .4 in 2 weeks when I see Dr. K.

While I'm happy that I've lost 40 lbs this year...I know it could be more. I rely on the band way too much...I need to start taking more responsibility for my loss/journey/all that hooey. That's the fancy way of saying I need to DO WORK. So...that's what I plan to do over the next....oh, well, until I am done doing work I guess...then it's just a different type of work.

I am so so so excited about Chicago. I am going to do the majority of my packing tonight, since my suitcases are already out (and will be for the next few weeks!).

I will leave you with some NSV's from the cruise:
- regular size towels now fit around me no problem. Woo!
- I was able to walk miles and miles every day and get normal person tired, not fat person tired.
- I wore my bathing suit on the ship, and was more bothered by the fact that it's too big on my chest than the fact that I was wearing a bahting suit in public.
- While pickins' for cute guys to flirt with on the ship were SLIM, I got more male attention than my tiny athletic friend. Not trying to compete, but it always feels nice to be the one they're looking at and flirting with.

I'm Baaaaaa-accck!

Hello my loveler-ly BOOBa-loobas!

I got back from my cruise yesterday afternoon and my mama was kind enough to pick me up. I decided to take advantage of that, and went to her house to do all of my laundry so I could get all unpacked, since I have another trip to pack for right away, whee!

I went to bed pretty early, since I had been up for the last 24 hours. I'm now wide awake at the un-Godly hour of 5:30am. It's not really jetlag, I am lucky in that regard, just my internal clock is a little off.

I had a wonderful time on the cruise...I did not go get another unfill beforehand, and maybe I should have, but I made it through. I did get stuck a lot, but it was mostly user error. Sometimes it was eating too early, or too much in the day, but nothing ever too bad. And thankfully, there are bathrooms everywhere.

I am going to weigh myself in a little while, to assess the damage, and see how much I need to do to get my butt back on track. Thankfully we walked soooo much every day, miles and miles, which definitely helped counteract the massive amounts of food I ate. I go in for my 1 year esophagram and a fill this morning, and plan to spend the week on liquids until I leave for Chicago.

I'll be back later with more...and hopefully with some pics...and hopefully less rambling...

I Have Not Forsaken You!!!

I know I have been totally MIA for the past few weeks....and I am sooo excited about Chicago...just been dealing with some personal friendship stuff, AND GETTING READY FOR MY CRUISE!

Which, I am sitting in the Toronto airport, enjoying their free wi-fi and very strong bloody marys outside my gate, waiting for my connection to Barcelona.

I was so excited I forgot to weight myself this morning. It's ok, it would have been up anyway. I can eat like a psycho. Which I plan to do for the entire cruise.

Then I come back to a fill immediately after.

Miss you ladies (I don't think I will ever catch up, so I am going to start fresh when I come back), and can't wait to see you all in Chi-town!!!!

B2B Week 9

Sigh. 227 this morning. I know it could be a lot worse, and I'm grateful that I've gained less than a pound in the last week, especially with the way I've been eating at times. I'm finally going food shopping today or tomorrow though, and plan on getting back to my routine (at least for the week and a half before I leave for my cruise).

I'm hoping that all of the walking that we'll be doing in port (and quite frankly on the ship, bad boy is BIG), I can do some damage control (um, while I'm in the midst of doing said damage?)

BYOC!!!

Hello ladies! It's Friday, so it's time for...

BYOC – Bring Your Own Crazy….5 little questions we ask to get to know each other better and to give our blogging brains a break. Copy and paste to your own blog and enjoy!

1. If you have a camera and have the time – take the contents of your purse out – and take a picture of said contents and explain them. If you don’t have time or a camera – please describe the contents of your purse.



Clockwise, starting from 12:00 - S's Flip-cam that I carry around so I will remember to give it to him (I've had it for a year), checkbooks, notebook (for my to-do lists, shopping lists, bill lists, etc), nail file, headphones, sunglasses, perfume, anti-depressants, advil, brush, umbrella, ipod case (today with no ipod!), wallet, lip gloss, lip balm, free download card from Starbucks (I collect these every week, usually have 2 or 3 floating around in my purse, never actually download them, I have a stack at home), keys, 2 pens, Splenda minis (brilliant invention), gum and underneath is a printout of some hair pics I like since I am getting a cut today. Not seen in the pic (because these things live in my hidden pocket) - tampons and condoms. Hey, you never know.

2. Repeat question: I’m going to pick a person not knowing if you have a relationship with this person or if the person even exists and you try to describe the person in 5 words or short sentences.


• Your kindergarten teacher

Mrs. Baer, but I always called her Mrs. Bear
Big curly fro
Thought she was so old, but then I saw my kindergarten class pic a few years ago and realized she was really young.
That's all I got...

3. What’s your favorite guilty pleasure / trashy TV show you like to watch?

Trash TV is the best. Real life is stressful enough, my entertainment shouldn't stress me out further. I like some reality shows, but generally only those from MTV, VH1 or Food Network. I love Jersey Shore. Other than that, I watch a ton of Food Network. For regular shows, during the "series year", I have 2 or 3 shows every night. My poor DVR. One would think that working as much as I do, I wouldn't have time for TV. Hmm, maybe that's why Inever get enough sleep...

4. A lot of you told me about your first day of school experiences when I posted about how my 5 year old going to kindergarten wasn’t causing me too much heartache. So now I’m officially asking – tell me about one of your first day of school experiences that sticks out in your mind the most. Who put you on the bus? Did you ride the bus? Did your parents take pics? Did they walk you into school? Drive you there? Cook you breakfast?

You know, I don't really remember anything specific for first day of school traditions. Then again, I am the youngest, so maybe my parents were over it :) I do know that the first few years, my mom would take pictures. After that, I probably wouldn't put up with it. There wasn't a school bus after 2nd grade, so my dad drove me every day on his way to 7-11 to have his coffee. And there were no special outfits, because we went to Catholic school and had uniforms. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there was more fanfare than I remember, but it must have faded in my memory.

5. Repeat question: Summarize your week in real life and in blog land.


Real life has sucked a little. Between the hurricane, and stressing about money/bills/vacation, etc...I had to go have an un-fill. Yes, I feel better, but now I can eat like a cow. I also had some drama with one of my friendships, and I'm really bummed about the way it looks like it's going. I've lost the trust of someone I care about a great deal, and I don't know if I can ever get it back. That's been weighing on my mind a lot.

Blog land has been fun! I am loving seeing all of the posts with the BOOBS survey, and I can't wait to meet all of you ladies.

Thanks, Un-Fill...

Welp, so after I got my unfill the other day, I sure loosened up. No more getting stuck/sliming for this girl! Which of course in my brain gave me a license to eat like total crap. Weight in this morning was 226.8 (up .2 from last week).

Tuesday morning was the un-fill, and since then I've eaten: a burger, pizza, breadstiks, lots of cheese, lots of pudding, etc. Part of it is because I can, part of it is because I NEED to go food shopping. Once I get to the supermarket, then i can buy some of my lunch/dinner staples and get back to eating the way I need to. I need to stay on point more than ever because of the un-fill, not use it as an excuse. Gaining a little bit of weight is ok...but actually trying to do so is not.

So there.

BOOBS Survey 2011!!!

1. How did you pick your blog name?

I was looking for something cute...I really wanted to use "I'm With the Band" becuase it also refers to my real life (see #14), but quite a few people had already started using that by the time I started blogging, so I found something else.

2. When did you start blogging?

July 2010-ish.

3. Theme of blog (weight loss, family, circus clowns, sci-fi, erotica, fly fishing, doll collecting, star wars, etc)

I so want to say circus clowns, but that would be a bald-faced lie. I'd say just life with the band....which encompasses a lot of other stuff other than weight loss.

4. Did you go to BOOBs 2010?

I did not. That was the weekend I was banded, so I was not up for travel at that point yet.

5. When were you banded?

Sept 23, 2010.

6. How much have you lost?

I a hovering around 50 lbs down. I am sure my un-fuill earlier today will mess with that.

7. What are you most looking forward to at BOOBs?

Meeting so many other banded people and having a blast! (And trying not to get arrested with Dawnya!)

8. What/who do you hope to find/see/accomplish at BOOBs 2011?

I just want to have a great time! And um, that whole NOT getting arrested thing would be good...I have a busy month after BOOBs.

9. Children? Pets?

None and none. Although I technically have 5 cats that live with my mommy, 2 cats around 2 years old, and 3 kittens than are just under 9 weeks.

10. Who is your roomie?

Amanda and Ronnie! I cannot wait to meet these ladies :)

11. What day do you arrive?

Not 'til Friday afternoon.

12. What airport/flight/time?

I'm coming into O'Hare on United 683 at 3:29pm.

13. What events are you signed up for?

The improv show on Friday night, and the Sears Tower outing on Satirday morning. I wanted to try Jazzercise, but let's be honest...that is just way too early for this girl on a weekend, lol!

14. Hobbies?

My major hobby is being a music fan. My favorite human on the planet is a musician named B.u.t.c.h W.a.l.k.e.r (spaces for privacy, I am a well known member of his fan community, and would prefer to not be found in a Google search). When he tours, so do I. Over the years, we've become friends, and I am very well taken care of by his entire crew. I've seen him over a hundred times, in something like 23 states and 4 countries. If he is playing, there is a very good chance I am getting on a plane to see him. Seeing him perform live fills a hole in my heart somehow. And then it's always a good time hanging out afterward.

And NO, I am not a groupie.

15. Career?

I like Dawnya's answer...no career yet. Job #1 is an administrative specialist in Supply Chain Management at the biggest pharmaceutical company in the world. Job #2 is "Utility Player" (that's my made up title) at a comedy club. I mostly waitress, but I also answer phones, seat customers and on occasion bartend. I've been at job #1 on and off for 10 years, and job #2 on and off for over 12.

I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up.

16. Single? Married? In a relationship?

Very, very, very single. I don't really have a lifestyle that can support a relationship, unless it is with someone with a similar lifestyle. If I am not working doubles 5 days a week, then I'm flying off to go hang out with bands, often backstage or on the bus. It's usually quite harmless, but hard for someone not on the inside of it to understand, and I don't have a whole lot of time to devote to another person. Sometimes I wish I was in a relationship, but I don't think I am ready, anyway. I am "doing me" right now.

17. Your birthday month?

March. I'm a Pisces baby.

18. What do you want other BOOBs to know about you?

I'm a tough broad with a heart of gold. I have a potty mouth. I have an incredible raunchy sense of humor, but will keep it under control until I feel like you won't look at me like I have 8 heads. Hmmm....drawing a blank for now...