31 March 2010

The side effects of a stressful day at the office

Tomorrow is my last day at work before the easter break and a weeks annual leave. Yay right?! Wrong! That just means that I have a whole pay run, 30 contract changes and all my normal work stuff to do in 4 days instead of 10. Plus it's the end of the month, so all the end of the month reports are due and deadlines are looming over my shoulder. And today I hit stress mode.

Having all my workmates in the office all day can be fun most of the time and we always have a good giggle, but on a day like today I just want them gone! At least when I'm in the office alone I can concentrate on what I'm doing.

Unfortunetly the side effect of such days is that I have a matter of minutes to high tail it over the road to the nearest shop for lunch. Which is Mr Bun and what does Mr Bun have? Chips! argh. Taste sooooooo gooooood, but man did I feel guilty and blech afterwards.

I finally left the office at 8pm (I'm supposed to finish at 5pm) and I only left because there was no more neurofen in the office to kill my headache. And when I got home, there was no dinner, just more party leftovers. So, a quick salami sandwich while I did some chores. I guess that's a little better than chips for lunch?!

Not a good day food wise, or work wise. One more day, and the I'm on holiday for 10 days - bring it on! . . .

30 March 2010

From my dreary desk


From my dreary desk at work I am surrounded by buildings and walls and furniture and paper. But on my desk, above my computer I place a large vase and fill it with flowers. And at one point in the day the sun shines in and lights up the flowers prooving to me that no matter where we are or what we're doing, there is beauty in every day and every thing. You just have to recognise it.

The lunch time debate

At least once a week someone in the office (of just 4 girls) asks "what are we having for lunch today ladies?". And what ensues next almost always follows the same pattern.

We gather by my desk (because I have the best and biggest desk area) and begin the process of elimination through the various fast food stores and cafes along the main street of Newtown. Someone always suggests the possibility of driving to get food or even getting food delivered, but somehow these options are usually discounted.
There are interruptions and phone calls and various distratctions until someone gets exasperated and so hungry that it comes down to listing the options and vetoing an option one by one, until we get to the lucky last place.

Then comes the enviable, "what am I going to have from there?" and the "I don't have any cash?" - that ones usually me!

And after an hour of debating and stomach rumbling, we finally sit down to eat our lunch together. No one ever mentions the possibility of perhaps NOT needing to get food from the same place just because someone else said "what's for lunch?", it just doesn't seem plausible.

Today's lucky winner? The Thai Place accross the road. mmmmmmm Pad Thai . . . .

29 March 2010

The Party Aftermath

Saturday night we had a birthday party. My mate (lets call him MW) has his birthday the day before mine, so we joined forces and had an "H&M" party. It was a BYO dish but it had to begin with H or M. While it was exciting to see what people would bring, we didn't anticpate two things:
1. That no one bought veges, salad, or anything that wasn't yellow in colour (except the Hot pink Meringues), and
2. The massive volume of leftovers!
Leaving me with quite the deliema leading in to day 1 of my new challenge.

Before departing the boys were given an ice cream container and very forcefully told "Fill it!", which they obligingly did. (I'm sure they would have done it anyway!) MW took his cake, I even refused to keep some, besides, I have my own to worry about!

My wonderfully supportive flatmate (lets call him JP) graciously offered to "finish off the bad stuff" in the fridge - oh how honourable! (how do you show sarcasm on a blog?!) JP had the largest plate of leftovers for dinner that I've ever seen - my hero. He then asked if he could take some cake to work, you know, to "help me out". Sure, brilliant idea, in fact I bet the girls at my office will like some too. . .

Saturday night I thought it would take a week to get rid of all the leftovers, but within only 48 hrs I've almost gotten rid of it all. And only a very small fraction was eaten by me (I couldn't throw out the ham and cheese cobb loaf without trying some could I?!).

Meanwhile, the cake still remains. And it's carrot - my favourite. I wonder how long it will last. . .

28 March 2010

My Birthday Balloon


I had a birthday, so I had a party. Balloons are beautiful tied to the deck, but when one gets away, it's even better.

The Start

Yesterday was my 29th birthday. Yep, only one year to go in what everyone around me seems to think is the best decade of your life and it's all down hill from there. Personally I'm looking forward to my 30's. My 20's have been a rough ride and I can't wait to hit "dirty thirty". But, there is one thing that I've struggled with over the last 9 years and something I don't want to take into the rest of my life - my weight.

I've yoyo-ed (is that a word?) with my weight, but really just put more and more on. Two years ago I joined the only weight lose program that has ever worked for me and dropped down to a glorious 70kgs. But it was short lived and ever since have just put it all back on.

SO, I'm setting myself a goal. "65 by 30". For those that need more of an explanation, I WILL loose 35kgs to weigh 65kgs on my 30th birthday - 27 March 2011. Mark my words!!

Going softly has not worked in the past, so I'm setting myself some rules:
1. 3 meals a day only: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and NO snacks in between
2. Drink 2 litres of water every day
3. 5 hours must pass before eating the next meal
4. At least 30minutes of exercise every day
5. No alchohol
6. Write a daily blog about the journey.

How will writing a daily blog help you ask? Good question. While I covet the final goal, my will power is far from ideal. I need something to keep my motivated and to keep me line. And I love to write, share and muse. So, I'm blogging!

Let the challenge begin . . .