It's Official.

I'm White, Female, Fat, and Forty. My gallbladder should be going out at any moment. This is the first year in awhile that I have been off on my birthday. It really doesn't change my plans (what plans?) for the day. I suppose any outings will evolve as the day progresses. My MIL said that it is too cold to go do anything. Such is the lot of having a December birthday. Either the weather is a put off or folks have some virus or other. But I did learn today that I share this lot with Ben Browder. How did I not know that?

It is pretty chilly and cloudy outside but I need to exercise. Last week was spent with all the preparation for finals and I didn't get my heart pumping even one day. When I miss, I always worry that I am losing the habit and goodness knows that is the only thing I've got going for me in the fitness department. I can't seem to eat healthy consistently. Most times I make all the right choices but end up going over the 1,100-1,200 calories it takes for me to actually lose weight or the 1,400 -1,500 it takes for me to maintain. I suppose that, by the end of my lifetime, I will have lost and gained the same 40lbs a million times. It's frustrating wanting to do the right thing but never being able to do it for the long, long term but not quite being able to say the heck with it. I'm pretty envious of both the folks who manage to be successful forever AND the folks who finally say the heck with it and are happy about that. But, enough about my continual, mind numbing, and ultimately boring weight issues because

I'm through with my class!! Woohoo!!! And, unless I miscalculated, I aced it! Now, I am going to read what I want, actually use this Netflix I pay for every month, and just generally hang out!  From now on, I will have a class and will also preceptor at a clinical site. I am further motivated by the fact that our new owners have really cut us to the quick in a lot of areas. I'd probably leave, but I have the best schedule I have ever had and all of the docs act on different occasions as my own personal instructor. I wouldn't get that one on one interest as the newbie in some diffferent, and likely larger, facility. So, I'll stick it out until December, 2010 when I think I'll finally be done unless I feel that patient care, and my license, is in jeopardy. That  scenario is my own personal deal breaker.

Thanks to soniag  and scarym1  for the birthday well wishes. It brought a smile to my face to see that first thing this morning.

And Thanks again to soniag  for season two of Torchwood!!!!!!! Wheeeeeeee.... I can't wait to start watching!!!

A Pleasant Day.

(((((((((F-list))))))))   Thanks for all the birthday wishes/responses to my last post!!!

I had a very nice day. My brother called me to come down to the Pizza place where he works and he bought  me a sub (a yummy turkey, roast beef creation of his). We sat and chatted and then Mom called me and she came down, too. Bri was with her and brought me a present, too. When she learned it was my birthday, she made her way through Mom's house, picked up an angel ornament and some candy, wrapped it in Christmas tissue paper, and placed it in a little gift bag. It was the cutest, sweetest thing. She sang to me and then wanted to come home with me. I brought her home and all afternoon she would say, "Denda, it's your birthday?" and I would say, "It's my birthday!" and then we would laugh and clap and say "Yay!"  Mom also brought me a terrific Birthday/Christmas gift from dm_lunsford  that had arrived at her house!! (I had to change my Amazon delivery address on account of The Dog Who Chews Everything) In my box of goodies was a Kleen Kanteen, because I hate the taste and smell of plastic water bottles and I am trying to stop buying bottled water, a Timex watch that keeps track of your heart rate when you exercise, and a book, The Shack ,which, strangely enough, had been recommended to me just yesterday by a colleague. I was actually going to buy it the next time I visited a bookstore! My Mom and Grandma got me this Magic Bullet food processor/smoothie maker/blender thingie that has a bunch of parts. I suspect I'll need a book to figure it all out. I think I am well prepared for the obvious New Year's Resolution, don't you think. Then, later, my sister and brother-in-law took me out to dinner at The Cabin. I haven't been frequenting our favorite restaurant hangout as much because they have had some serious price increases since they reopened. The past several months have seen the return of my more frugal self. It takes me hours in the grocery store because of all my coupons, I rarely buy anything that is not on sell, and the Goodwill has become one of my favorite clothing stores.

Now. what to do? Do I start watching Torchwood or do I dig in to a new book?  Decisions, decisions.