Number Crunching #156

Actually figured 12/13/2009

Quicken Cash Flow = -182.78
STEF Total = 214.77

May Budget Meeting

Reconciling Quicken with bank statements: Done.
Reconciling last month’s budget: I didn’t do a budget the month before. And boy does it show in $642.00 in bank charges.

If April was the month I stopped watching, May was the month where the falling apart happened that I’m still recovering from today.

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The BookWorm

Decent writing advice

13 Tips For Actually Getting Some Writing Done and I found it pretty inspiring. I also found her post Quiz: Are You a Moderator or an Abstainer?, equally useful for the health portion of my life.

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The map project just won't die

A three day weekend. One image manipulation project that I just can't seem to finish. So I dedicate one whole day to it. Paint Shop is the only program running, that's the only file open, and when it gets hung up (for whatever reason) I will turn to BMFM: Turbo paper edits. I started at 10:30 a.m.-ish, went to bed at 11:30 p.m.-ish, worked on it more the next day though not exclusively.

And yes, as of today, the stupid thing is STILL not finished. *headdesk*

I'm closer, so much closer to being finished. But I'm also glad that I didn't stop writing the first draft until this map was finished because the text never would have gotten finished. :p

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Once It Looks Pretty, It'll All Be Worth It

I understand how HTML coding works. I understand How CSS stylesheets work. I understand how content management works under Drupal to the point where I can set it up in less than an hour not counting downloading and searching for the modules I want.

What I don't understand is how to make the theme look like I want it to. Or more specifically, I don't know where the conflict is to make it go away.

I don't understand how PHP works. I bought books, read websites, asked questions, but there is something about it that does not connect in my head. Drupal's theme engine (from what I understand out of the Zen's theme building project) works by using the *.info page plus PHP pages to take what has been listed in the CSS stylesheet, and bam! make the Drupal site look customized pretty.

Remembering the pain in the ass time I had hacking into whatever theme I had hacked into while setting up Alt. BM Site, I was sold on this idea. Those hacks have been one of the brakes on updating Alt. BM Site, and anything that could help me build a theme I could just turn off and on or easily correct if I got something ugly on it sounds like a perfect no brainer. Circulation Desk would match the rest of the Library once set up correctly. I could fix things like poll sizes on a CSS stylesheet and watch them take effect site wide for Alt. BM Site without deleting something that allows stories to show up (for example, can you tell I don't trust myself in PHP?) And this is a great example of why theory is always more fun than fact.

So I follow their directions and set up the library desk theme. Then I cracked open the CSS stylesheet and transferred code from the BookWorm's Library. Upload and turned it on, and was greeted by brown as far as the eye can see. Okay, brown is the background color I have lurking under the background image, so that part worked. Where's the image? Dug out the CSS coding tags from HTML Goodies. Oops, I deleted a pair of parenthesis thinking I didn't need them on a style sheet. Added back, saved, uploaded, and refreshed. And still brown as far as the eye can see.

Now I didn't clean out the cache; something I didn't remember until typing this up. SCORE! I just checked it on the work computer and I got the background working. So that's probably the problem at the home computer. Maybe I can get this thing working after all without needing to find someone to do it for me.

Besides that hair pulling, I've been hit with the 'tween-projects-slump also. It's not exactly true, but it still feels weird not to breathing the story in and out all day long. More than once I've had a what should I be doing now moment during the day. It really hit me last night eating supper at a restaurant that was starting to know me as the writing customer. Sure, I could pull out the notebook and start on a new idea, but I have two stories in editing stage plus the website updating. The writing muse can put her feet up for a rest. And that just makes her feel weird.

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Sherlock Holmes

December 25, 2009

This film is either going to be the best or worse Christmas present EVER.

On the surface, I think Robert Downey Jr. is brilliant casting much like he was brilliant casting as Tony Stark. Something that gets uneven treatment in the adaptations (and was censored in the published works too) is Holmes was an addict. If his brain wasn't high from solving a puzzle he resorted to chemical means. The only thing I would worry about would be the accent, but from the trailer, those didn't sound too bad.

Action sequences: Okay, it's hard to tell some times with Doyle's writing style, but there were plenty of times that Holmes took physical action to trap the villain. I don't have my sources right in front of me, but I'm fairly certain that Watson lists boxing and fencing among Holmes strengths. And then there's a great moment in "The Speckled Band" where the villain tries to intimidate Holmes by bending a fireplace poker in front of him. Holmes straightens it out in front of Watson after the villain storms out.

And I have always had a soft spot for Irene Adler and Holmes and the non-canonical continuation of their relationship, which should be anything but platonic or domestic. The trailer raised my eyebrows hopefully for this.

I haven't bumbled around the mystery blogsphere to see what other people or grumbling about yet.

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In the people can be decent department

Back in April, CNN reported that the last Titanic survivor was auctioning off all her memorabilia and selling autographs in order to pay for her nursing home care.

Today the news is that Kate Winslet, Leonardo DiCaprio, and James Cameron have all donated to the fund to help Millvina Dean meet this need.

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Making Plans

I have no idea how I managed to do it, but my back feels like it has been tied up in one giant knot. Or as my massage therapist friend put it, “You’ve got a lot of tension there.” My monthly chiropractic appointment is Thursday, but I may see if I can move it up if it doesn’t improve. The only thing I can think of is that I haven’t been moving enough, with the sit-and-study, sit-and-write, sit-and-manipulate-the-images routine I’ve had lately.

And it took almost all weekend to review projects and plans and try to figure out what will be going on in the next eight months. There’s something really satisfying about being able to make a hole in my Weekly To Do List template. Not that the other things already scheduled on the list won’t fill up that time without me adding anything, but I allowed myself a Zen moment of accomplishment.

I would like to avoid the insane layering of projects if at all possible. Which is why I took so long studying everything. Let’s start by looking at the really backlogged:

• Housework – shouldn’t count as a project but it got out of hand and needs to be wrestled into submission before I make myself sick.
• The BookWorm’s Library – updating is a year past due
• Alt. BM Site – ditto
• FFGarret – time to unveil this and see if I can make it work
• BMFM: Turbo – finish
• BMFM: For Worse – finish
• Tin Man: Dragons and Ninjas – finish
• Tin Man: Pirates of the Nonestic – finish
• Strix – start and eventually finish
• Zy’s Novel – start and eventually finish
• Faulkner paper – finish on the deadline
• Office remodel – have plans so I’m ready when I have money
• Kitchen remodel – have plans so I’m ready when I have money
• Bathroom remodel – have plans so I’m ready when I have money
• Sewing circle – toying with this idea as a way to be social and get things off the project list

And this is just how easily the plans overwhelm me, damn it. It’s all well and good to say “update the website” but that doesn’t cover all the mini-projects that must be done fore I can sign off that it is finished. *Deep breath.* Prioritize. Admittedly, not my strongest affinity.

The BookWorm’s Library – what needs to be finished for me to feel like it’s a real update?

1. Newsletter set up with a new story ready to go including Author’s Notes and soundtrack
2. Edited Author’s Notes with soundtracks uploaded
3. Story mistakes fixed
   • missing flash players added
   • fix McGilla to Magilla in crossover
   • Make sure all the edited Evil Jack stories are uploaded
4. Take down old Writing Tutorials and put up link to FFGarret
5. Forum for feedback
6. Project Wonderful ads

Okay, I think these six things (and believe the idea list is much longer) are doable by the end of the month. Some of them may be already done and I forgot I did them. But let’s not get ahead of myself here; break everything down into Action Steps.

1. New story ready to post: BMFM For Worse is done
2. New story’s Author’s Notes is ready to post: done
3. Soundtrack for new story: already uploaded
4. Newsletter delivery system: need one
5. Newsletter announcement: rough draft written
6. Author’s Notes had soundtracks added to them: done
7. Author’s Notes have been uploaded: no
8. Missing flash players have been added: no
9. Crossover fix has been uploaded: no
10. Edited Evil Jack stories have been uploaded: no
11. Removed old Writing Tutorial section: no
12. Add links to FFGarret: no
13. FFGarret ready to go live: no
14. Forum delivery system: need one
15. Project Wonderful ads created: no
16. Project Wonderful ads have been positioned on pages: no

Lot more listed as “no” than “finished.”

FFGarret: Needs before going live

1. Create ads for Project Wonderful
2. Write first article
3. Write second article
4. Write third article
5. Write fourth article
6. Write fifth article
7. Write and publish an article a week—see if setting up future posts is possible with Drupal

Like dominoes falling into place, sadly almost. There’s a lot to do here, but I think it’s totally doable to make two of these items two Big Rocks for the week. So I’m going to have these projects finished by June 1st before moving to the next one.

That’s the plan as it stands right now. Let’s see how the week turns out.

MA Exam Part 2

I PASSED PART TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Unless I get told differently, I should be walking in December, after I finish the Faulkner paper for the Fall semester. So I am one more step closer to the pictured event.



So what does this mean for my writing schedule? I haven't gotten that far yet. Planning out my project schedule will have to wait until I get home and can take an uninterrupted look at the calendar.

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M.A. Exam Part 2

Taken. I actually feel better about how this went than I did the first time I took it, but I won't know anything until they release the results. Which they hope will happen by Thursday. o.O Yeah, I think that's pretty quick.

And on a side note, I think I should pass simply because I got two parking tickets while taking the stupid thing. I'm not arguing that I shouldn't have (cause I was running out of time and said "shit with it" as I parked. Put a parking garage where Lee Hall used to be; if you go taller you could still have grass. :p) But as a karmic balancing thing; it sounds fair.

Or just tell me I failed and let me cheerfully reclaim more of my time from Faulkner's grasp. It's unreal how easy I am to please over this outcome. Now I'm going to take a break and play with maps. I have to go break a continent.

Oh in other details, cause it has been a while since I updated. I did get the home computer up and running. I'm still cleaning out the saved files, because there is only so long I can work on that before getting sick of deleting. Now I need to turn everything off and install a new battery, but I want to be able to turn the computer back on, so I'm leery.

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And it only took four ciritical papers this time

I'm about a third of the way through reading the Beloved critical articles for the M.A. Exam Part 2 next Monday. And I hit my limit, which is sad because I still have eight articles to go.

How do I know I hit my limit? When I have to reach for the dictionary to define words I already know. When I have a cracktastic idea that will not let go.

The cracktastic idea this time: I want someone to go all literary critical theory on one of my fanfics. Take the most extreme Freudian position possible. Or Lacan. Or ... okay I already forgot most of the major movements. Why do I want to see this happen? Because I can remember most of the stuff that churned in my brain, and proving or disproving patriarchal family models based on Oedipal theory was not one of them. The problem of domination was not one of them. Greek tragedy and resisting it wasn't one of them.

If none of them above make any sense to you whatsoever, thank the deity of your choice that you managed to skip literary criticism. But I honestly just want to see it from the other side of the curtain. Because deep down, I think this is all bunk any way when it comes to creation of the works analyzed. I think it has a purpose in helping people understand the work better or perhaps understanding the genre and stereotypes to break away from them. But I'm driven to hair pulling when I find one of these scholar positing so finitely "Morrison was creating an African-American feminist maternal dialogue to combat the white, patriarchal system that oppresses us to this day." You don't know that (but you sure wrote a damn long paper on the subject)! What if Morrison's inspirational thought was just exploring what about slavery would make a mother kill her child, which she has said there was a true case that sparked Sethe, and what if the child comes back as a ghost or something else?

Well, if you do want to psychoanalyze one of my works be prepared for me to laugh hysterically or congratulate you for getting into a character's headspace. Because the only agenda I have is seeing if I can make the plot and theme work and make readers happy.

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Number Crunching #155

Actually figured 12/13/2009

Quicken Cash Flow = 785.23
STEF Total = 214.77

April Budget Meeting

Reconciling Quicken with bank statements: Done.
Reconciling last month’s budget: Not going to try to figure this one out because I didn’t make a budget. I know I didn’t do good because I got $75.00 in Overdraft fees.

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Computer Crash Update

I put in the hard drive and the sound card all by myself, and they worked. Yes, that is an accomplishment for me since I have always been afraid I’d blow it up if I messed with any computer innards. Dad did have to come and help me because I messed up the settings and lost my D hard drive in the process. So I ended up having to install Windows XP twice.

So now I’m currently waiting to get the back up restored from Mozy so I can finish loading up all the programs. I did try just copying the program files that I had saved so I wouldn’t have to reinstall everything again, but Windows XP’s menus didn’t recognize programs that way. So back to reinstalling :p. The new hard drive has a 160 GB, so it should be a long time before I put so much on it, it won’t function. Though I am seriously considering if how I have My Documents set up is the most efficient way to do it. I have 80 GB on the D drive, and I was using that as internal back-up storage and 150 GB on the external hard drive that I wanted to be a backup for things I would have normally burned to a CD but now fear losing forever. The rough idea I have is that XP will continue running really smoothly if all I have on the C drive is it and other program files. I have no idea if that is actually true.

And it is so good to have sound again! But I discovered a hiccup that I haven’t figured out how to solve yet. I saved 5 YouTube fanvids before the soundcard crapped out on me with recovering from the February crash: 4 in a format that runs in QuickTime and 1 with RealPlayer. Despite reinstalling the latest free RealPlayer and seeing that the file is there and nothing appears wrong with it, it refuses to play. The program says it’s playing but the clip indicator doesn’t move, there’s no sound or video. The QuickTime vids play just fine, but the sound is practically non-existent. I have to turn the player’s volume control to max, XP’s volume control to max, and then the speaker’s volume control to max before I can hear a whisper of the music. I had to stop experimenting with it in order to reinstall programs, so I haven’t tested files that I didn’t save from YouTube or if resaving them in a different format would help. I also need to buy a couple of speaker extension cords; I can give myself surround sound now. :D

I spent a few hours rearranging the computer equipment on the desk and tidying up the cords. This is my second attempt to get all the stupid cords off the floor so I can vacuum under my desk without fear of sucking up one of the cords and causing expensive and painful damage. First attempt was with some nice clips that attach to furniture and walls with a sticky back. They open and close easily to allow you get to the cord in question without much hassle. I thought I had put enough of those up to bear the weight, but I figured wrong. All of them had detached from the desk.

While I was wracking my brains to come up with a solution that wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg, I mentioned the problem to my mother. “I use zip ties on your father’s stuff. Otherwise, we couldn’t walk around his desk.”

“That would bundle them together, but not get them off the floor.”

“Then just tack them up.” That’s when she showed me the zip ties she had. Whenever I need to make a bundle, I have a zip-tie machine that can fit around just about any size object and then cuts the plastic tie close so I don’t have any dangly bits. Mom had a package of all the same size ties that you don’t use in the machine, and they also had a built-in loop at one end. I pulled out the horde of cup hooks I ended up with for some reason of another, and hung the bundled wires from the desk with the cup hooks. That took hours to accomplish on Saturday. Plus I installed a new shelf in the bathroom cabinet and my body still hasn’t forgiven me for all the twisting into unusual positions.

Yeah, not a lot of writing or tax work got done this weekend. Which means once I finish reinstalling programs tonight, I have to finish the taxes and send them away. I’m not freaked out about the deadline because I always e-file (and I still have another month before state taxes are due), but this is just bad form. I thought not doing them until March was bad, but this takes the cake. Writing, not even taking longhand notes was simply because I had a computer in pieces and was rearranging the office for updated function (and something new to look at until I can afford my built-in idea) and the living room is still mostly filled with stuff I need to finish dealing with and get rid of. But oddly enough I didn’t need to escape any of it. I’m going to try to get back into the grove today while at work, since I can’t do anything with taxes until I get home.

Next up is replacing the computer’s backup battery, which should probably happen ASAP. After that, I can probably wait a while before getting a DVD burner, new video card, and the Dazzler set-up to burn my VHS tapes to DVDs.

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The BookWorm

Computer Crash

The home computer has started the "I can't reboot cycle" again, so I'm breaking down and buying a new hard drive and sound card now. I have to finish my taxes this weekend. But if you're wondering why I've suddenly gone silent, it's because the computer is in pieces.

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Nothing Like Waking Up on Time

There's also nothing like waking up before the alarm clock to cramps. Unproductive cramps, soon discovered as one stumbled out of the bedroom to the bathroom, takes painkillers, and mutters about the warning system really isn't necessary, crawl back into bed pressing down on stomach to make the pain stop, and then the alarm goes off.

Guess which wake up I have this morning?

though after the Aleve kicked in, I don't have any complaints. I exercises, I finished the Beloved reading hour, and got a crap load of printing done so I can edit BMFM: Turbo.

Verdicts from the meetings: Faulkner paper has to be completely rewritten, but I have a better grasp of where and what to explore. the topic may expand to Faulkner's use of sexuality, which may give me the opportunity to explore other characters I actually like. And we set up actual deadlines I can worked with for a Fall submission and graduation.

If I pass the second shot at the graduate exam on May 4th.

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Hot Bod Countdown 1

First full week, and I screwed up on Tuesday by oversleeping and missing the workout. But I did get Thursday’s and remembered pushups. I got three of them, full on the floor! And I mean real pushups, not the girly version done on your knees.

Total points possible for 4/4/09 = 154
Total points earned for 4/4/09 = 94

3/25/2009 Starting weight = 199 (doctor’s office scale)
Week 0.5 Avg. Weight = 196.75 (home scale)
Week 1 Avg. Weight = 195.94

So onto the next week’s progress.

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Number Crunching 154

Quicken Cash Flow = 306.37
STEF Total = 214.77
Amount Available to Spend = 62.91

Enter receipts into Quicken: Done.
Reconcile Quicken to online accounts: Done.
Add totals to spreadsheet: Done.
What did I accomplish during the week? I’ve caught up and stayed on target! I got Number Crunching #153 and #154 wrote and posted on time.
Plans for next week:>

1. Handover the budgeted contributions for Linda’s retirement party


2. Move cap and gown savings to where I can’t spend it.


3. For the love of all that is holy, FINISH DOING TAXES


4. Try out once a month cooking
   • Plan out the meals with what I already have in pantry.
   • Grocery shopping after I get my first paycheck for April.
   • Have to clean kitchen and fridge before I can cook


5. Dispute the overdraft charge on the Demco 4/3/09 payment

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Number Crunching 153

Quicken Cash Flow = 614.79
STEF Total = 363.69

March Budget Meeting

Reconciling Quicken with bank statements: Done.
Reconciling last month’s budget: Okay, back to acknowledging where I did good and bad.

• Problem categories:
  • Bank charges is the worst because I wasn’t keeping a good enough eye on the balances.
  • Eating Out had way too much money spent in it mainly because I do not want to face my kitchen.


• Did-good-with categories:I don’t see anything that qualifies as “good” spending for the month of March.


• Verdict:Stop giving the bank so much money and restrict how much eating out I’m doing.


• Leftover amount = -35.06

Creating next month’s budget: Done. It’s going to be a tight month as I try to scale to live under my two paychecks.
How much cash can I have: 39.00 and that’s essential shopping and fun money. Planning meals is going to be fun this month.
Automatic payments: Everything has been set up and the bills have been divided into what falls under which paycheck.
Reviewing short-term savings goals: Still trying to reach the STEF goal mark. I ended up having to use a good chunk of what I had put back to plug the hole I had at the beginning of the month, but I’m hoping I can put it back with each paycheck.
Update NetworthIQ statements:

Update NCN Savings Chart:

Overview and plans:

1. Update the Bills List with all current accounts and passwords. Found out that Chase Student Loans, Nationstar, Mozy.com, and Netflix are not on it.


2. Tweak the NetworthIQ Jan. and Feb. statements once I have verified the balances for
   • Sallie Mae
   • Chase Student Loans
   • Republic Finance
   Citifinancial
   • Nationstar Mortgage


3. Change Federal tax withholding amount in Quicken.


4. Handover the budgeted contributions for Linda’s retirement party


5. Move cap and gown savings to where I can’t spend it.


6. For the love of all that is holy, FINISH DOING TAXES


7. Try out cooking for the month

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The BookWorm

Hot Bod Countdown 0.5

This week isn’t a full week, which is why I given this post 0.5 title. The first full week will have three extra days in it.

Thursday’s workout: I did everything but push-ups, because I forgot to do them at 4am.
2 Sun Salutations
30 ab crunches
15 leg raises
Shoulder exercises – 5 lbs. weight
20 Dumbbell rows
40 Hanging arm circles
20 Extended arm circles
20 Dumbbell press
20 Dumbbell flies

Saturday’s workout didn’t happen as fast as I thought it would. I’ll admit I’ve been avoiding my front porch since November and Mom put some of her store furniture on it. Well, my weight set is getting rusty and a bird built a nest in a box of my exercise supplies. So I took measurements to see where I can move the weight bench.



I still have two craft hobbies to go through in the living room, papers I was storing in the back bedroom, and my hurricane supply box. But I can say that the majority of what is staying in there is already in their just needing a few finishing touches (I’m going to hang Captain Kate’s weapons on the walls for example). The measurements work, so now I have to move all of it.




It fits better than I thought it would. Now the bucket of weights ended up in the hall right outside the room, but only because I wanted to be able to walk in the back room.

I figured out my max. weights for lifting and calculated my workout weights.

Hanging arm circles Max weight = 15 lbs, Workout weight = 10 lbs.
Extended arm circles Max. weight = 10 lbs, Workout weight = 5 lbs.
Dumbbell rows Max. weight = 15 lbs, Workout weight = 10 lbs.
Dumbbell flies Max weight = 15 lbs, Workout weight = 10 lbs.
Dumbbell press Max weight = 15 lbs, Workout weight = 10 lbs.
Bench press Max weight = 40 lbs, Workout weight = 30 lbs.
Squats Max weight = 40 lbs, Workout weight = 30 lbs.
Leg extensions = 50 lbs, Workout weight = 37.5 lbs.

Do three sets of ten repetitions. Barbell = 15 lbs. Dumbbell = 5 lbs.

What might be useful is buying two pairs of dumbbells that are already set at 5 lbs. and 10 lbs., because I don’t have enough small weights to make a balanced pair.

Saturday Workout
Bench press = 30 reps.
Hanging arm circles = 30 reps.
Dumbbell rows = 30 reps.
Extended arm circles = 30 reps.
Weight plate press = 30 reps. Instead of wasting time switching the dumbbell weights, I just grabbed a 10 lbs. plate and did the workout with it.
Dumbbell flies = 30 reps.
Leg extensions = 30 reps.
Squats = 30 reps.
Ab crunches = 20 reps.
Leg raises = 20 reps.

And boy do I hurt today. Total points for the four days 52 out of a possible 66, I think that comes out to a C. Not bad for starting, since I came up more positive than I thought I would. I also found out that Fit Day’s freebie account now keeps track of measurements. This is a good thing since the last website I was using to track it died since I started and restarted this whole health odyssey.

3/25/2009 Starting weight = 199 (doctor’s office scale)
Week 0.5 Avg. Weight = 196.75 (home scale)

So onto the next week’s progress.

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The BookWorm

Number Crunching 152

Quicken Cash Flow = 1662.71
STEF Total = 363.69

Enter receipts into Quicken: Done.
Reconcile Quicken to online accounts: Done.
Add totals to spreadsheet: Done.
What did I accomplish during the week? Finances spun out of focus again for an entire month. It’s not an unreasonable schedule, but I hate doing it so much. Do I really prefer the build-up and the guilt that brings? Just when I was asking that, I ran across this in one of the blogs/news I follow.

My sense is when you get discouraged you lose momentum and may slip into patterns of procrastination which also take you farther away from your goal. For some insight on this, I turned to life and executive coach BrianWhetten. Brian shared: "We usually think that procrastination means we're lazy, unmotivated or unworthy. But that's rarely the case. Instead, it usually comes from an over-use of guilt and self-judgment. What do you tell yourself about your study habits? Do your thoughts include things like 'I should be more motivated', 'I have to stop procrastinating' or 'I blew it again'? Thoughts like this cause a burst of guilt and stress. Used on occasion they can push us forward, but when they become a habit, they quickly start to backfire. So instead of trying to "should" your way forward, start by writing down the judgments you've been making against yourself, and then check out www.thework.com as a powerful tool for releasing them." – “Searching For Motivation” by Christine Hassler

My life story feels like one big battle against procrastination, so I can agree I have a habit of trying to lay on the guilt and stress. I don’t want to deal with it, so I ignore it. But I know I’m ignoring it and in comes the guilt.

In an attempt to figure out what was wrong with finances at least, I applied the Feng Shui principle, which basically boils down to “internal life issues are reflected in the external environment at certain points.” The wealth and prosperity point in my house is in the back bedroom and I discovered I couldn’t get into the room because of everything crammed into it. So everything came out, good cleaning, everything got rearranged so I can actually use the space, and I added the weight bench so I have to look at the room at least once a week. And I’m not surprised that I suddenly have the oomph to finish the budget catch-up today. I need to find my health and creativity points next.

Plans for next week:

1. Update the Bills List with all current accounts and passwords. Found out that Chase Student Loans, Nationstar, Mozy.com, and Netflix are not on it.


2. Tweak the NetworthIQ Jan. and Feb. statements once I have verified the balances for
   • Sallie Mae
   • Chase Student Loans
   • Republic Finance
   Citifinancial
   • Nationstar Mortgage


3. Change Federal tax withholding amount in Quicken.

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The BookWorm

Hot Bod Countdown #0

Blood pressure = 109/84 – good
Cholesterol – good
Weight = 199 pounds – creeping up again
Fasting Blood Sugar = 127 – still on the borderline and creeping up

My endocrinologist wanted to put me on Byetta, which involves a very non-complicated injection of the prescription. And my phobia freaked out. “I don’t want you to think I’m forcing this on you,” he said, “I can tell by your face, you don’t like this. But your weight is creeping up and October’s blood sugar was 135 so your body is maintaining it at that level.”

“I haven’t been watching what I eat or exercising. Give me three months to get strict on that and then we’ll see if I need the Byetta.” He agreed so here I am, plotting how I am going to make these changes. The problem isn’t knowing what to do, the problem is doing it consistently enough to make a difference.

Current schedule has me down for exercising three days a week. Current exercise routine I came up with consists of: ab crunches, leg raises, arm exercises to strengthen my left shoulder, push ups, and as many Sun Salutations as I can do. Which would be great if I actually did any of it. Established pattern, moving on.

Let’s change it up a bit. Make Saturday a day to work with weights. I love weight work and I love getting stronger.

Tuesday/Thursday

• ab crunches
• leg raises
• hanging arm circles
• extended arm circles
• dumbbell rows
• dumbbell press
• dumbbell flies
• push-ups
• Sun Salutations

Saturday

• ab crunches
• leg raises
• hanging arm circles
• extended arm circles
• dumbbell rows
• dumbbell press
• dumbbell flies
• bench press
• squats
• leg extensions

Eventually I want to add pull-ups, but I don’t have the equipment or the upper body strength to do them. The equipment issue I might be able to solve fairly quickly if Big Lots still has that bar that fits in a door frame in stock. I like the idea of putting weight work on Saturday, that way I don’t freak out with trying to squeeze correct form before work.

Part Two is diet. Watching carbs and sugar flew out the window months ago—I think about the same time I had a clean kitchen. So now’s probably the best time to take the plunge into Primal Living. I was being lazy and said I’d wait to start when Mark’s book came out, but now I don’t want to have to stick myself even every other day. It’s the perfect time for a clean start.

And I need to dig out the glucose monitor and use it daily. :p But if I’m tracking my weight daily, I need to track my fasting blood sugar too.

How I want to configure Joe’s Goals:

• +2 for all Tuesday/Thursday exercises
• +4 for all Saturday exercises
• -6 if carb intakes is over 20% daily
• +1 for weighing in daily
• -1 for missing daily weigh in
• +1 for measuring fasting glucose daily
• -1 for missing measuring daily fasting glucose

That is a potential 90 points a week.

Current statistics:

• Height = 62.25 in. / 158.1 cm
• Weight = 199 lbs.
• Neck = 38 cm
• Bust = 119.7 cm
• Waist = 104.8 cm
• Hips = 120.6 cm
• Right thigh = 65.2 cm
• Right calf = 40.0 cm
• Right upper arm = 30.9 cm
• Right lower arm = 26.6 cm

My ultimate goal weight is 120 lbs, so I’m 79 pounds above that and 61 pounds above 140 lbs. (a weight I’d be happy to see). Healthy weight loss is about a pound a week, so 80 weeks should see me at 120, 65 weeks should see me at 140. Three months equals 12 weeks equals 12 pounds of weight loss.

Calendar and goal weights:

• 12 weeks = June 21 = 187
• 24 weeks = Sept 13 = 175 lbs
• 36 weeks = Dec 6 = 163 lbs
• 48 weeks = Feb 28, 2010 = 151 lbs
• 60 weeks = May 23 = 139 lbs
• 72 weeks = Aug 15 = 127
• 80 weeks = Oct. 10 = 119 lbs
• 84 weeks = Nov 7 = 115 lbs (I doubt I see that amount of weight loss)

Rewards for meeting goals: My first idea was to pay myself a dollar for each positive goal point I made a week but I don’t think my budge could take a potential $90 a week hit. A better idea is to schedule out the fun stuff I want to do this summer and then assign the points I should have reached by doing everything in order to do it. I really like this idea.

• DragonBall Z = April 8 = 180 points
• Wolverine = May 1 = 450 points
• Star Trek = May 8 = 540 points
• Angels and Demons = May 15 = 630 points
• Terminator: Salvation = May 22 = 720 points
• Land of the Lost = June 5 = 900 points
• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen = June 24 = 1170 points
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince = July 17 = 1440 points
• G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra = August 7 = 1710 points

That gets me through the summer at least. Treating myself to some new clothes and exercise equipment would be nice and I need the clothes, but might be best to tie those treats to pounds loss. I’d hate to buy something and then it not fit.

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The BookWorm