Here's my next edition of my video VLOG!
Just know that in my head I pictured a count down timer clock in the corner of this video, so we could all watch and see if I make it within my self-imposed two minute time limit. Turns out there is no automatic countdown clock feature in imovie and it would've been way time consuming for me to construct my own. So, I guess you'll just need to watch the timer embedded by YouTube to see if I make it!
After you have reviewed the video, check out some clarifying thoughts by clicking the "Read More" link below. I had to hide them from you so you wouldn't read them before watching the video!
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Today's Thoughts
I returned from Disney depressed. Not because I had left behind the happiest place on earth or my adorable nieces or nephews and not because I had to return to real life: laundry, dishes, cooking, work. No, I was depressed because it meant a return to fighting my weight. I didn't think about calories or exercise or food choices at all while I was gone. I ate whatever I wanted, but also walked a million miles, and came back not having gained a single pound.
I keep thinking about this throw-away line from that last vlog I did. Something about "I am trying, sort of, not really, and I will try again and that is maybe the story of my life."* Do I really want trying, failing and trying again to be the story of my life? Like that's all you will talk about when I die? "Oh Jill, she was nice, she had great hair and she tried really hard. Never succeeded, but bless her heart she kept trying." My instant reaction that is "NO!" I do not want trying and failing and trying to lose weight to be the story of my life. But then I try to think about what I do want the story of my life to be.** I'd want to be remembered as someone who laughed a lot and made others laugh a lot. I'd also want to be thought of as a loving, caring person. I don't want to be defined by my stupid inability to eat like a normal human being.
I've also been thinking about my motivation. I think motivations I've used in the past are not going to be good enough this time. Rewards like jumping out of an airplane or a trip to Europe just aren't going to cut it. I think I really need to find my motivation in my health and my future. I do not want to be an old person who has heart problems and mysterious aches and pains and diabetes because of my weight. I've never been a person who spends much times in doctor's offices, never been under anesthesia (besides whatever they use to take out your wisdom teeth, which I think is something different from what they use to cut out a significant part of you?), and I don't really ever want to become that. But it's so hard to grasp hold of the future as a motivation tool. I'm not really sure why, I guess it's just too easy to live in denial about, until I do develop serious health problems and its too late.
Those are the thoughts I am thinking today. I'm not sure they've led me to conclusions that will take me forward along the path to general healthiness, but they are percolating.
BTW, I was organizing pictures this weekend and found this from when I had lost 97 pounds. I can't remember her very well, but it looks like a different person.
*How pretentious is it to quote yourself in your own blog? On a scale of 1 to 10?
**I think the appropriate Sunday School answer is, as always, Jesus.
I keep thinking about this throw-away line from that last vlog I did. Something about "I am trying, sort of, not really, and I will try again and that is maybe the story of my life."* Do I really want trying, failing and trying again to be the story of my life? Like that's all you will talk about when I die? "Oh Jill, she was nice, she had great hair and she tried really hard. Never succeeded, but bless her heart she kept trying." My instant reaction that is "NO!" I do not want trying and failing and trying to lose weight to be the story of my life. But then I try to think about what I do want the story of my life to be.** I'd want to be remembered as someone who laughed a lot and made others laugh a lot. I'd also want to be thought of as a loving, caring person. I don't want to be defined by my stupid inability to eat like a normal human being.
I've also been thinking about my motivation. I think motivations I've used in the past are not going to be good enough this time. Rewards like jumping out of an airplane or a trip to Europe just aren't going to cut it. I think I really need to find my motivation in my health and my future. I do not want to be an old person who has heart problems and mysterious aches and pains and diabetes because of my weight. I've never been a person who spends much times in doctor's offices, never been under anesthesia (besides whatever they use to take out your wisdom teeth, which I think is something different from what they use to cut out a significant part of you?), and I don't really ever want to become that. But it's so hard to grasp hold of the future as a motivation tool. I'm not really sure why, I guess it's just too easy to live in denial about, until I do develop serious health problems and its too late.
Those are the thoughts I am thinking today. I'm not sure they've led me to conclusions that will take me forward along the path to general healthiness, but they are percolating.
BTW, I was organizing pictures this weekend and found this from when I had lost 97 pounds. I can't remember her very well, but it looks like a different person.
*How pretentious is it to quote yourself in your own blog? On a scale of 1 to 10?
**I think the appropriate Sunday School answer is, as always, Jesus.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Disney Recap
I'm back from Disney and I had a fabulous time. I don't know if I mentioned on the blog, but I was slightly nervous about spending six days at Disney with children. I love my nieces and nephews, but I'm just not used to that much child time. Of course, I was silly to worry, and we all had a great time (of course we did, it's Disney!)
The one sad part is, I did not get to meet my main blue friend, the GENIE of the LAMP* from Aladdin. He's my favorite Disney character of ALL-TIME and --Jill Stuckey bonus fact-- when I was young (like between the ages of 12 to 15) I had an obsessive collection of Genie toys. I did see his likeness in a store, and that got me pretty excited. See below.
*Picture me saying this in my best Genie impression.
The one sad part is, I did not get to meet my main blue friend, the GENIE of the LAMP* from Aladdin. He's my favorite Disney character of ALL-TIME and --Jill Stuckey bonus fact-- when I was young (like between the ages of 12 to 15) I had an obsessive collection of Genie toys. I did see his likeness in a store, and that got me pretty excited. See below.
Seriously, though, we stayed in an amazing hotel (Disney's Art of Animation), visited three of the parks (I think Hollywood Studios is my favorite) and got to go swimming and wear shorts.
Pictured above, my sister's family at the entrance to Hollywood Studios.
Natalie had a lot of fun. She sat in her stroller as we maneuvered around the crowds at each park and never complained. She was wide-eyed the whole time (except for when she was asleep), taking it all in. I think her favorite part was the pool at our hotel, which was decorated in an amazing Finding Nemo motif (it even had underwater speakers so that you could jam out while you were swimming....I loved this more than Natalie, as she does not go under water willingly. She's more of an above water splasher).
I think Julia's favorite thing was meeting and getting autographs from a whole bunch of princesses. We met Aurora, Rapunzel, Cinderella, Merida, Ariel and Belle. I really loved meeting the princesses and characters too (we also met Buzz and Woody, Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Donald and Daisy, Mickey and Minnie, Pluto and Goofy, Mr. Incredible and Frozone). I'm not sure why exactly, but I love the way they so thoroughly inhabit their characters and how warm they are when greeting the children and the pictures. Pictured above is Julia with Princess Merida from Brave. She was my favorite of the princesses, because she had the most amazing hair and she talked in an impressive Scottish accent.)
I think one of Zach's favorite things (besides riding roller coasters with me, which was definitely my favorite part of being at Disney with Zach) was when he got to attend Jedi training and fight Darth Vader. He made the entire audience laugh when it was his turn. He stepped up to face Vader and the Jedi Master asked Zach, "Do you have anything to say to him?" And Zach just shook his head and whipped out his light saber for combat. It was awesome. Pictured above from left to right: the Jedi Master, Darth Vader and three trainees. Zach is the middle boy.)
Disney is a lot of fun, but it can be exhausting. I hardly ever sleep in the car, but both Natalie and I were sacked out on the way back.
*Picture me saying this in my best Genie impression.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Thankful Thursdays: Better Late than Never
This may be the latest I've ever posted a Thankful Thursday blog, but this girl had stuff to do tonight.
I am, after all, leaving for DISNEY WORLD on Saturday.
Oh, you know, the most magical place on earth?
The rest of this blog will mostly be me rubbing it in that I'm on vacation next week and you're not. Feel free to skip it, if you're sensitive to that kind of good natured jiving.*
No more procrastination, say it with me now, LET'S GET THANKFUL!
I'm thankful I'm heading to Disney (no, duh)
I have always loved Disney World. I'm lucky, I've been visiting the Magic Kingdom every few years for my whole life. I can't wait. I hope I run into the Genie from Aladdin while I'm there. That dude is one funny dude. Also, he's blue.
I'm thankful I get to share Disney World with these princesses and this prince.
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| Princess Natalie and Princess Julia |
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| Uh, so Zach doesn't ever seem to dress up as a prince, but you get the theme I was going for, right? |
I'm not sure if my sister exactly asked me to go to Disney World with her family or I just invited myself along when I found out they were going. But I'm so glad I get to experience it with her three kiddos (and their parents).
I'm thankful that Natalie is turning TWO!
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| She's two and she already knows how to use an iPad. She's so advanced |
I remember the day she was born and the scary first few weeks that she spent in ICU so vividly. I went to visit her as much as I could because she looked so lonely lying there in that incubator. I've so loved watching her grow (even if I am in no way even close to being her favorite aunt. I don't even know who is her favorite aunt, just that I am not. Maybe I can use the magic of WDW to lure her into loving me more?)
I'm thankful for the Mindy Project theme song.
It's real groovy.
I'm thankful that tomorrow is April's birthday!
(of The Striped Flamingo fame...check it out, it's a great blog)
(of The Striped Flamingo fame...check it out, it's a great blog)
Happy Birthday April! I just realized that we've been friends for 10 years this fall. Man, that is a long time. You've taught me so much about fashion, funny accents, being funny andmovie quotes. Thanks, friend.
Now let me tell you real quick what I am not thankful for: people who get other people's hopes up that snow is on its way to the Carolinas. It's not coming, people! And when you all talk about it and Facebook about it, it just gets my hopes up too, too much. I can't handle that kind of heartbreak on the day before vacay.
*Full disclosure, I typed "jibing", thought "that doesn't look right, had to dictionary.com it (which, incidentally doesn't have the same flow as "google it") and learned that jibing is "to alter course so that a fore-and-aft sail shifts in this manner." There's your vocab/sailing lesson out of the way for today! You, my friend, are welcome!
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Monday, January 14, 2013
Lessons Learned from Downton: Season 3, Episode 2
As I've mentioned before Downton Abbey* is my absolute favorite television show.**
It is dramatic and beautiful and proper and elegant and it has wonderful clothes and handsome men.
But, also it has much wisdom to share with us all. So here's the first of what I hope to be a semi-regular post: Lessons Learned from Downton. (These are both serious and silly, but contain no spoilers. Hurrah!)
Kitchen maid: I should never have thought I'd feel sorry for an earl's daughter.
House maid: All God's creatures have their sorrows.
I've been realizing this one over and over lately. You may think you got problems, but sister you're not the only one. The good thing is, once you've come to terms with this statement, you can stop wallowing in your issues and start helping someone else with theirs.
Lady Grantham: You are being tested. And you know what they say my darling. Being tested only makes you stronger.
True dat, your ladyship. A year or two back when I had lost a whole bunch of weight, but not yet made it to my goal of 100 pounds lost, I was bothered but knew that my continued persistence would only serve to teach me better how to survive. Now that I've gained all of that substantial weight loss back, I'm not sure exactly what the lesson to be learned is, but I definitely know I'm learning one.
Dowager Countess of Grantham: Sybill, vulgarity is no substitute for wit.
I'm not 100% sure about this one, because poop jokes are pretty funny, but Cousin Violet was actually referring to sex jokes and I agree with her on that one.
Earl of Grantham: I doubt we'll need more than eight servants tops, so it will be very economical.
If you're worried about your finances, tighten your belt and limit yourself to eight servants. Tough times call for drastic measures.
*If you want to sound like a rube, pronounce it DownTOWN Abbey. If you want to sound like a member of the British landed gentry, pronounce it properly: Downton Abbey (ton, not town). This has been your weekly Public Service Announcement, sponsored by Jill Stuckey.
**Let's get one thing straight. I caught the Downton bug way before you and the rest of America.
It is dramatic and beautiful and proper and elegant and it has wonderful clothes and handsome men.
But, also it has much wisdom to share with us all. So here's the first of what I hope to be a semi-regular post: Lessons Learned from Downton. (These are both serious and silly, but contain no spoilers. Hurrah!)
Kitchen maid: I should never have thought I'd feel sorry for an earl's daughter.
House maid: All God's creatures have their sorrows.
I've been realizing this one over and over lately. You may think you got problems, but sister you're not the only one. The good thing is, once you've come to terms with this statement, you can stop wallowing in your issues and start helping someone else with theirs.
Lady Grantham: You are being tested. And you know what they say my darling. Being tested only makes you stronger.
True dat, your ladyship. A year or two back when I had lost a whole bunch of weight, but not yet made it to my goal of 100 pounds lost, I was bothered but knew that my continued persistence would only serve to teach me better how to survive. Now that I've gained all of that substantial weight loss back, I'm not sure exactly what the lesson to be learned is, but I definitely know I'm learning one.
Dowager Countess of Grantham: Sybill, vulgarity is no substitute for wit.
I'm not 100% sure about this one, because poop jokes are pretty funny, but Cousin Violet was actually referring to sex jokes and I agree with her on that one.
Earl of Grantham: I doubt we'll need more than eight servants tops, so it will be very economical.
If you're worried about your finances, tighten your belt and limit yourself to eight servants. Tough times call for drastic measures.
*If you want to sound like a rube, pronounce it DownTOWN Abbey. If you want to sound like a member of the British landed gentry, pronounce it properly: Downton Abbey (ton, not town). This has been your weekly Public Service Announcement, sponsored by Jill Stuckey.
**Let's get one thing straight. I caught the Downton bug way before you and the rest of America.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Featuring Jess Hudgens
My friend, former running partner, fellow Winthrop alum and music video co-star Jess Hudgens is now a professional blogger!
I'm so proud of her. Not only is she an excellent writer, but she is a deep thinker, which makes her blogs about her recovery from an eating disorder all the more valuable.
You can find her posts here: www.healthyplace.com/blogs/survivinged. Check them out!
I'm so proud of her. Not only is she an excellent writer, but she is a deep thinker, which makes her blogs about her recovery from an eating disorder all the more valuable.
You can find her posts here: www.healthyplace.com/blogs/survivinged. Check them out!
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