Archive for August 9th, 2008
Bernie Mac, Elizabeth Edwards, Katie Holmes
So, if you know me, you probably know I’m obsessed with celebrity gossip. My favorite celebrity gossip blog is dlisted. If you haven’t visited it, I highly suggest you do. He’s awesome. Anyway, since I’m sure everyone cares about my opinions, I thought maybe I’d share my thoughts on some of today’s stories.
Bernie Mac has died. He was only fifty. He had been sick for a week or so, and all the celebrity sites had written about his illness. Still, it shocked and saddened me to see the announcement of his death this morning.
That got me thinking about celebrity deaths and how I feel when they are announced. I haven’t cried over the death of a celebrity, but I am surprised that I feel personally affected when announcements are made. I guess they become part of our culture in such a way that they feel like acquaintances to me. It feels like they’ll always be there, and then suddenly they’re gone. I don’t think I’m adequately explaining my feelings. I just know that I am more affected by the stories than I would imagine most people are. I’d love to hear how others of you respond to these stories. Do they affect you?
Okay: Elizabeth Edwards. How on earth do you stand by your man when he has so profoundly humiliated you in front of the entire world? And while fighting cancer! I know you can’t understand someone until you have walked in his or her shoes, but I am pretty surprised at her words. Oh–and I’m sure it’s gone, but the picture CNN had up of his mistress had to be the most unflattering picture they had. It made me laugh. I’m sure she was ticked! Honestly, from all the other pics I’ve seen online, she’s actually kind of pretty. I like that CNN used an unflattering picture. I wish they had such a photo of John Edwards too.
And lastly, Katie Holmes. Cute hair. But the jeans have got to go.
Add comment August 9, 2008
No Nap for Brandie… :(
So, my brilliant idea to lay down and sleep peacefully to ignore the yelling my tummy was doing to feed it has not worked. Oh–you must be thinking I’ve got too much to do or I can’t sleep or maybe I decided to work out. Wrong! While it is true I should use the time when babies are sleeping to clean, do dishes, wash clothes, work out, etc., that is not my cup of tea!
So, two of the three babies went to sleep. L, my one year old foster baby took a little more coaxing than usual. She has a nasty snotty nose and is just miserable. But, after a bit of rocking, she allowed me to ease her into her crib. The little baby fell asleep in the pack-n-play downstairs. So, all that remained was stubborn T, my terrible two year old.
He screamed and screamed and got out of bed over and over and over and over again. I have a baby gate up in his doorway. He stands at it and screams and screams. I try the Super Nanny method of putting him back over and over and over and over and over again. Yeah, even after hundreds of times of putting him back in, he gets up and gets up and gets up. Ugh!
So, then, I decided to ignore him, figuring he would eventually go to sleep. He often does. So, I laid down on the aero bed in the game room my mother had been sleeping on the last several weeks since my grandmother was in town and sleeping in the bed in the toy room.
T got out his books to read. That would be fine. At least he’s having quiet time. However, he chooses to read all of the musical books. He pushes the buttons over and over and over again. He sings along with them. Then, he claps and cheers for himself.
So, it’s been two hours. L just woke up from her nap, and T hasn’t so much as lain down for more than thirty seconds.
So, I’m stuck. Because I don’t want to teach him that being stubborn and getting up over and over again and playing with fire trucks and choo choo train books long enough will get him out of a nap. But I also don’t want him to spend all day in there.
Suggestions?
Oh yeah–although I got no nap, I haven’t eaten anything! 
Add comment August 9, 2008
Day One: Lunch
Ugh! This isn’t very fun. Tell me I’ll be glad that I deprived myself of all sorts of yumminess!
So, for lunch, I had a Smart Ones meal: Chicken fetuccini. I also ate a pluot. It was a bit sour, but still pretty good. Then, I ate two or three chicken in a biskit crackers. So, my lunch, according to Weight Watchers, was nine points! Yikes! Who knew a couple crackers could be so devastating! A serving size is twelve, and I didn’t come close to that!
Anyway, I have only ten points left for the day. And my stomach is still hungry! 
I think I’ll try to get al the babies down for a nap; then I’ll take a nap. I can’t eat if I’m sleeping!
Add comment August 9, 2008
Day one of my new diet: 9:45 a.m.
It is 9:45 a.m. on Saturday morning. Today is the first day of my “Holy crap! School starts in a week, and I can’t fit into any of my clothes, and I can’t afford to buy a new wardrobe” diet.
So, to keep me accountable and on target, I’m going to use my blog as well as Weight Watchers online program to stay focused.
Yesterday was my unofficial last day of summer. I made it a day of excess in every way I could in order to prepare for today.
All I did the entire day was eat or sleep. And when I say eat, I mean eat. I had ice cream and Chinese food and more ice cream and Jack in the Box and more ice cream. I probably added another five pounds to have to try to lose, but it was a mental prepartion thing.
I woke up this morning, and the very first thought was, ‘Oh man! I have an ice cream bar in the freezer I was going to eat last night, and I fell asleep!’ Then, I started to justify perhaps eating it for breakfast or as an appetizer to breakfast since technically I had planned to eat it on my day of excess, so it would really be the same difference. But, I am proud to say that I resisted the temptation! Yea! Go me!
So, what have I done so far today? Well, I started out by swallowing an alli pill. Then, I brewed a cup of oolong tea and put one package of Splenda in it–no milk! And then, to eat, I ate a fruit and yogurt parfait from McDonald’s that I had purchased last night in prepartion for this morning’s breakfast.
I logged onto Weight Watchers to track my points–the parfait has three points.
I also inputted my weight. I was embarassed in front of myself because I used to be on the 20 point plan, but now I’m so fat that I can have 22 points! Ugh! How did I let myself become such a fat blob? I know, I know! No negative talk. The important thing is I’m making changes to change it.
So, 19 more points to go today.
Lord, please help me stay focused so I can pull my pants up past my knee when it’s time to go back to work!
1 comment August 9, 2008
